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abidavisf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Somebody call the Louvre cos we’ve got ourselves a masterpiece.
Cara Bastone is a genius. Her writing is gorgeous. It’s casual and simple while also immensely clever. It’s hilarious and raw and friendly. Ready or Not is your best friend telling you about their day. It’s your own stream of consciousness, guiding you through life, making subtle observations about inconsequential events and overthinking everything.
Eve is a badass. She is all heart, even when she thinks she isn’t, *especially* when she thinks she isn’t. Eve is love and bravery. She cares and she craves and she feels so much. I adore her. She is also hilarious. I can’t figure out if I’m more inclined to be her or be her best friend.
Shep and Ethan are two sides of a coin, opposite and yet so similar. Both men are in touch with their emotions. Both men are genuinely good. There were moments in this book that had me frustrated with Ethan but nothing ever made me doubt his integrity or his intentions. Shep is, of course, perfect. No notes. I hate saying that, but it’s true.
I love that Ready or Not is just a story of an accidental pregnancy and figuring out what the ever-loving fk you’re going to do about it. This is a book about dreams and friendship and found family. It is a book about accepting flaws, your own and those others. It is a book about honesty and openness. There are some really hard-hitting themes in Ready or Not, from infidelity to infertility, and all of them are handled with grace and respect.
I am over the moon to be able to go and read Cara Bastone’s entire bibliography.
Cara Bastone is a genius. Her writing is gorgeous. It’s casual and simple while also immensely clever. It’s hilarious and raw and friendly. Ready or Not is your best friend telling you about their day. It’s your own stream of consciousness, guiding you through life, making subtle observations about inconsequential events and overthinking everything.
Eve is a badass. She is all heart, even when she thinks she isn’t, *especially* when she thinks she isn’t. Eve is love and bravery. She cares and she craves and she feels so much. I adore her. She is also hilarious. I can’t figure out if I’m more inclined to be her or be her best friend.
Shep and Ethan are two sides of a coin, opposite and yet so similar. Both men are in touch with their emotions. Both men are genuinely good. There were moments in this book that had me frustrated with Ethan but nothing ever made me doubt his integrity or his intentions. Shep is, of course, perfect. No notes. I hate saying that, but it’s true.
I love that Ready or Not is just a story of an accidental pregnancy and figuring out what the ever-loving fk you’re going to do about it. This is a book about dreams and friendship and found family. It is a book about accepting flaws, your own and those others. It is a book about honesty and openness. There are some really hard-hitting themes in Ready or Not, from infidelity to infertility, and all of them are handled with grace and respect.
I am over the moon to be able to go and read Cara Bastone’s entire bibliography.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
Minor: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I selected this as one of my Book of the Month picks.
"Ready or Not" follows Eve Hatch as she is forced to make some big changes to her comfortable life. Eve is pretty content with how her life is going, until she gets a surprise: following a one night stand she finds out she is pregnant. Now she must decide how a baby will fit into her world. This is complicated when her best friend, Willa, who has been struggling with infertility for years, is not as supportive as Eve needs. Eve ends up leaning a lot on Shep, Willa's older brother, and learning that she might have had her person in front of her all along.
I thought this was such a fun story about learning about yourself and discovering what you want. Eve was not planning to get pregnant, and she is initially shocked and scared by the news. But throughout her pregnancy she learns so much about herself and what she really wants out of life, and because of this baby, she takes the steps to better herself and pursue what she really wants out of life.
I think the conversations surrounding pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, expectations, and being a single parent were all insightfully done. People will not always react how you expect them to, and Eve faced some interesting social hurdles with her big news. She felt so alone, and I think a lot of people can relate to that. I also think there is great conversation about finding your people, and how you are never truly alone if you have friends.
Shep is such a great guy, and I loved seeing how much he has always cared for Eve. He really believes in her and has supported her for all the years that he has known her. I loved that they had so much history together as friends, because it made their connection feel all the more genuine.
I had a great time with this book, and I look forward to reading more from Cara Bastone in the future.
"Ready or Not" follows Eve Hatch as she is forced to make some big changes to her comfortable life. Eve is pretty content with how her life is going, until she gets a surprise: following a one night stand she finds out she is pregnant. Now she must decide how a baby will fit into her world. This is complicated when her best friend, Willa, who has been struggling with infertility for years, is not as supportive as Eve needs. Eve ends up leaning a lot on Shep, Willa's older brother, and learning that she might have had her person in front of her all along.
I thought this was such a fun story about learning about yourself and discovering what you want. Eve was not planning to get pregnant, and she is initially shocked and scared by the news. But throughout her pregnancy she learns so much about herself and what she really wants out of life, and because of this baby, she takes the steps to better herself and pursue what she really wants out of life.
I think the conversations surrounding pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy, expectations, and being a single parent were all insightfully done. People will not always react how you expect them to, and Eve faced some interesting social hurdles with her big news. She felt so alone, and I think a lot of people can relate to that. I also think there is great conversation about finding your people, and how you are never truly alone if you have friends.
Shep is such a great guy, and I loved seeing how much he has always cared for Eve. He really believes in her and has supported her for all the years that he has known her. I loved that they had so much history together as friends, because it made their connection feel all the more genuine.
I had a great time with this book, and I look forward to reading more from Cara Bastone in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship