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kaitrosereads's review against another edition
5.0
Starting My Life After Now, I had no clue what to expect. I had read no reviews and I had heard very few things about it. The synopsis, however, really caught my attention and I knew I was going to have to give this one a shot. Now that I've finished it, I'm so glad I did.
My Life After Now is so different from any other YA book that's out there at the moment. Sure, it's a very simple contemporary story about a girl going through lots of changes in her life and there's some romance and drama but there is so much more to it. My Life After Now is a story about a girl who makes one stupid mistake and shortly afterwards finds out that she's HIV positive. It's a story that will have you laughing at times and crying at others.
Lucy seemed a bit whiny at first but, to be fair, life wasn't being so great to her. Her boyfriend ditched her for her archenemy (who also stole her starring role as Juliet) and her parents followed that up with a bomb that definitely changed Lucy's life. All she wanted to do was go out for a night and be someone else. It's understandable. However, that one night ended up only making things worse for Lucy and that's when I really started to love her. I found Lucy to be an amazingly strong character even through all she was facing. My heart broke for her more than once and there were times when I just wanted to reach into the book and hug her. Although, there were also times I wanted to reach into the book and slap her. Sometimes she was a little clueless.
Lucy's friends and family were completely awesome. Her dads were some of the best parents I've read about. Even when they didn't know what exactly was going on with Lucy, they were always there for her and they tried their hardest to figure out what was wrong and what they could do to help. They were funny and loving and they added to my overall love of My Life After Now. As for Lucy's friends, they all had their flaws but that made them seem more real to me. I enjoyed watching them work through their problems and in the end, it was clear how much they really loved Lucy. Also, there's a bit of romance (that's super sweet) but it's not a huge focus of the story and I actually really liked that.
Now I do want to mention that obviously this book touches on some more mature subjects; sex, HIV, AIDS, etc. However, every last bit is handled amazingly and I didn't find any of it to be offensive or unnecessary. The story was informative without being boring and it didn't come across as a lecture or anything like that.
Overall, My Life After Now is one contemporary novel that I highly recommend. I was highly impressed with Jessica Verdi's debut novel and I will definitely be checking out her future releases!
My Life After Now is so different from any other YA book that's out there at the moment. Sure, it's a very simple contemporary story about a girl going through lots of changes in her life and there's some romance and drama but there is so much more to it. My Life After Now is a story about a girl who makes one stupid mistake and shortly afterwards finds out that she's HIV positive. It's a story that will have you laughing at times and crying at others.
Lucy seemed a bit whiny at first but, to be fair, life wasn't being so great to her. Her boyfriend ditched her for her archenemy (who also stole her starring role as Juliet) and her parents followed that up with a bomb that definitely changed Lucy's life. All she wanted to do was go out for a night and be someone else. It's understandable. However, that one night ended up only making things worse for Lucy and that's when I really started to love her. I found Lucy to be an amazingly strong character even through all she was facing. My heart broke for her more than once and there were times when I just wanted to reach into the book and hug her. Although, there were also times I wanted to reach into the book and slap her. Sometimes she was a little clueless.
Lucy's friends and family were completely awesome. Her dads were some of the best parents I've read about. Even when they didn't know what exactly was going on with Lucy, they were always there for her and they tried their hardest to figure out what was wrong and what they could do to help. They were funny and loving and they added to my overall love of My Life After Now. As for Lucy's friends, they all had their flaws but that made them seem more real to me. I enjoyed watching them work through their problems and in the end, it was clear how much they really loved Lucy. Also, there's a bit of romance (that's super sweet) but it's not a huge focus of the story and I actually really liked that.
Now I do want to mention that obviously this book touches on some more mature subjects; sex, HIV, AIDS, etc. However, every last bit is handled amazingly and I didn't find any of it to be offensive or unnecessary. The story was informative without being boring and it didn't come across as a lecture or anything like that.
Overall, My Life After Now is one contemporary novel that I highly recommend. I was highly impressed with Jessica Verdi's debut novel and I will definitely be checking out her future releases!
nnneato's review against another edition
1.0
I imagine this is how the script for a Glee special in which Rachel gets HIV would read. My Life After Now would probably serve better as a satirical comedy than as an "educational resource." The setting and characters are so campy, the book in danger of being mauled by a bear.
The writing is extremely simplistic. By the end of page two, I thought I was reading amateur fanfiction. You can write realistic fiction for reluctant readers that isn't like the script of an overly bright and outrageous tv show. Believe it or not, teenagers can handle some level of prose-like description and large word usage before becoming bored.
If I had a teenager, I would not recommend this book to them for anything other than a laugh. If you've been a decent parent at all, your kid won't need a book to teach them about HIV and other issues - you'll have done it yourself. (Also, your kid will flat-out refuse to read this.)
Maybe a musical-obsessed pre-teen would enjoy this book, but anyone who's past that phase of their life is, in my opinion, more likely to laugh and post bad quotes on the internet.
The writing is extremely simplistic. By the end of page two, I thought I was reading amateur fanfiction. You can write realistic fiction for reluctant readers that isn't like the script of an overly bright and outrageous tv show. Believe it or not, teenagers can handle some level of prose-like description and large word usage before becoming bored.
If I had a teenager, I would not recommend this book to them for anything other than a laugh. If you've been a decent parent at all, your kid won't need a book to teach them about HIV and other issues - you'll have done it yourself. (Also, your kid will flat-out refuse to read this.)
Maybe a musical-obsessed pre-teen would enjoy this book, but anyone who's past that phase of their life is, in my opinion, more likely to laugh and post bad quotes on the internet.
bluebeereads's review against another edition
5.0
Istyria book blog ~ B's world of enchanted books
This was such a great book! I'm glad I finally came around to reading it after I heard Ashley (Nose Graze) gushing about it! Even though it does features some heavy subjects, it felt like a really light and quick read with just the right amount of feels.
The story is about Lucy. She's had a really bad week and she makes a mistake that in the end is really stupid because it had major consequences. Before going into the book, I knew it was about HIV, so the first 25% (I think) is about Lucy dealing with everything that leads up to the mistake she makes. I knew what was going to happen and that made it so much worse. So much tension and my heart was beating like crazy. And after that it did get better. Slowly. But I was so engaged into the story and I just read it in a few hours.
I love Jessica's writing! She deals perfectly with this subject, one that I know is not a popular topic for discussion. But it's something that needs to be discussed. And people who deal with it are treated differently and that's just wrong. But I love how Jessica handles it and I think this book does send out a really strong message. Not just about the topic itself, but also how Lucy's friends and family deal with it.
I love Lucy and I totally understand why she does what she does and how she deals with everything. And I love how supporting her dads are. Oh yeah, she has 2 gay dads, which is another kind of heavy topic, often related to the other one, that she worked into the story very well. They are so great and loving parents! And her friends too, even though it takes Lucy a while to get used to it herself. I hated Ty. He's an ass and I want to kick his butt. And I didn't like Elyse either, but I'm okay with her in the end. I do love Evan though. He's awesome.
So in the end, I'd say that this is a great book and I absolutely recommend it to everyone, even people that don't read contemporary books that often. It sends a great message and it's just a very very very good book. I am really excited about Jessica's other book now, and it's just waiting for me on my Kobo!
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
a very well done story
it didn't put Lucy into a ridiculous elaborate situation. It didn't portray her as a slut or any other negative light.
It showed Lucy was just a kid.
And that each of us make mistakes. But hers just happened to have a very earth-changing result.
A book teens should read. A cautionary tale that is true to life.
it didn't put Lucy into a ridiculous elaborate situation. It didn't portray her as a slut or any other negative light.
It showed Lucy was just a kid.
And that each of us make mistakes. But hers just happened to have a very earth-changing result.
A book teens should read. A cautionary tale that is true to life.
raeanne's review against another edition
3.0
Lucy was really, really stupid at times. I get that she's the naive and sheltered type but hooking up with her ex with a condom and then shying away from the new dude because "they didn't want to risk it and go there"? Ugh. And it's not like she learned her lesson about fucking Ty without telling him and felt bad about. She just felt stupid because he's a douchebag and she was stupid to fuck him again. (even without being HIV+ that was a dumb move.)
And fuck the mom blaming. That shit is so weak. You don't need a druggie mom who was never there in order to make dumb decisions like getting drunk, having a one night stand and not using it condom. It doesn't take that circumstance to go into denial and not want to deal with your diagnosis. But noooo, Lucy couldn't stop blaming herself, which was self-destructive so let's blame the mom! That's healthy. Such a fucking cop out.
I did like how she handled the principal and the play idea at the end.
The last line is so cheesy, I fucking hate it. Why would you do that? Ugh. It reminds me of South Park's HIV episode where Cartman says he's "positive" about everything after being diagnosed.
And fuck the mom blaming. That shit is so weak. You don't need a druggie mom who was never there in order to make dumb decisions like getting drunk, having a one night stand and not using it condom. It doesn't take that circumstance to go into denial and not want to deal with your diagnosis. But noooo, Lucy couldn't stop blaming herself, which was self-destructive so let's blame the mom! That's healthy. Such a fucking cop out.
I did like how she handled the principal and the play idea at the end.
The last line is so cheesy, I fucking hate it. Why would you do that? Ugh. It reminds me of South Park's HIV episode where Cartman says he's "positive" about everything after being diagnosed.
khairun_atika's review against another edition
3.0
My Life After Now is a brilliant eye-opener on the reality of being HIV positive. This is the story of Lucy, a teenager whose life seemed to be in a downward spiral with the usual drama - boys, school and an absentee parent. She sought solace in a club and wound up with a one night stand who infected her. The struggle that Lucy faces in dealing with the disease, and in trying to lead a normal life with the disease, is raw and real. It is painful for Lucy to face discrimination with the few people who knew about her condition, but there is always a silver lining. Lucy's fathers are unwavering in their love and sacrifice for her, making this a bittersweet read you would enjoy.
dee_farbz's review against another edition
5.0
This book tackles extremely important issues in an amazing way. Also all the chapters are songs from musicals and not just Grease and The Sound of Music typical everyone knows musicals. Tick Tick Boom, Spring Awakening, really great shows. This might sound awful but I never thought I would be interested in a book about HIV but I didn't really think critically about the way people treat people with HIV and AIDS until I read this book. I always thought, well I accept everyone so that's the end of it, but it's important to read books like this because it really teaches you about not only the perspective of people dealing with these diseases but the people around them, their friends, their enemies, their acquaintances. This book should be read in schools and by everyone. What I've learned from this book is one bad day, one mistake, one choice does not define your life and it doesn't define who you are.
kaylakaotik's review against another edition
4.0
I'll admit that I knew what the story was about before I decided to read this book. The blurb is vague, though, so you can fully go into this book without spoiling anything for yourself (if you haven't read any of the other spoiler filled reviews, that is). My review will contain the not-so-secret spoiler so avoid it if you're looking to read My Life After Now without knowing beforehand.
My Life After Now is a powerful, yet simple story. HIV is something that's not talked about enough. This needs to change. I believe that this book is a realistic picture of what can happen to someone that contracts HIV at such a young age. I certainly believe this book could be a way for someone to open up a dialogue with their child about not only HIV, but safe sex in general.
So, why my 4 start rating? There's a couple of reasons. One, the ending was a bit too predictable. Two (and the biggest reason!), I didn't particularly like how a situation was handled. Lucy has sex with Ty (her ex) while being fully aware of her positive status without telling him. After providing such a strong message, I felt very disappointed that this particular event (no matter how low the risk of transmission was) happened with absolutely no consequences. After all, the message of this book is that one small decision can change your life.
For those that don't want the spoilers, I do recommend this book. It has an important message, but doesn't come off as preachy or condescending.
Spoiler
My Life After Now is a story about a teenage girl contracting HIV. Lucy has a pretty idealistic life, but one bad week leads to a life-altering decision. One simple mistake. And that's all it takes. That is what makes this book stand out for me. It shows that something like HIV doesn't care who you are, how pretty you are, how many good choices you make, or anything else about you. One mistake can forever change your life (and the lives of the people you care about). This is something that people (especially teenagers) need to know. It can, in fact, happen to you. No one is invincible.My Life After Now is a powerful, yet simple story. HIV is something that's not talked about enough. This needs to change. I believe that this book is a realistic picture of what can happen to someone that contracts HIV at such a young age. I certainly believe this book could be a way for someone to open up a dialogue with their child about not only HIV, but safe sex in general.
So, why my 4 start rating? There's a couple of reasons. One, the ending was a bit too predictable. Two (and the biggest reason!), I didn't particularly like how a situation was handled. Lucy has sex with Ty (her ex) while being fully aware of her positive status without telling him. After providing such a strong message, I felt very disappointed that this particular event (no matter how low the risk of transmission was) happened with absolutely no consequences. After all, the message of this book is that one small decision can change your life.
For those that don't want the spoilers, I do recommend this book. It has an important message, but doesn't come off as preachy or condescending.
_marinainwonderland_'s review against another edition
5.0
This novel is page turner for sure! The whole story has meaning and very well written. Highly recommend it!!!