adoptabookaus

Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She’s ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic—one of opportunities and chances. 

Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything. 

Now Lena isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened. 

For what she let happen. 

With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when her and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed?

This book was unfortunately a miss for me. The main character wasn’t very interesting and while the story is about grief and some really important topics like survivors guilt and dealing with the loss of your friends it felt random at times and like I was supposed to be sad rather than making me feel something.

The only thing that made me emotional was reliving how I dealt with grief and my personal memories, I don’t think that deserves extra stars for making me *feel* something.

The message in this book is good I guess, don’t fall into peer pressure, don’t make mistakes that could lead to you and your friends dying but if I’m being honest I felt like this was a tad preachy in the “we’ve all made Bad decisions, look what will happen if you make a bad decision too, you don’t want to end up like this main character do you…” And that message is just not really for me.

 
Slight spoilers in the next paragraph
Sure I don’t want anyone driving drunk but I think we’re all prepared and know not to get in the car, it doesn’t stop people from doing it and I don’t really think this book will either when push comes to shove. People won’t be like oh remember that book where that girl got in a car with a drunk driver and ruined her life not happening.

Slight spoiler over

The main character also mentioned Sarah j Maas and newer books and that just felt weird, I do like pop culture references but is Sarah J Maas really pop culture? I know she’s very popular but surely she’s not at JK or Stephenie Meyer levels? What happens when someone picks this up who doesn’t know who the hell Maas is and just does not relate.

To end on a positive note I did really like the family relationships and friendships.

Anyhow overall this book is written to make you really sad and put the message in your head to not cave to peer pressure and it was just not for me.

2/5 stars
Thank you netgalley and the publishers for allowing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.