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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
3.75
Okay so what can I say about this book. The start of this book made me want to rip both the pages out of this book and my hair out of my head. I would read a few pages put down and groan. The author is also a poet and a lot of her writing comes of as very flowery and extra, You either get used to it or you don’t. About a third through this book it finally hooked me and I couldn’t put it down. The subject matter of this book although to directly relatable I felt a kinship with Scarlett. I understand why this book will resonate with people and it definitely deals with subject matter that is a necessary discussion but it just frustrated me to much for me to love it.
I felt SO many emotions reading this book, and I found myself being so proud of Scarlett at the ending. This book was beautiful. I don’t even have words to describe it. What a journey to read about during the most trying times of young adulthood.
Everyone. Needs. To. Read. This.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!
Literary Merit: Very Good
Characterization: Very Good
Recommended
As Many Nows As I Can Get shifts back and forth in time to trace Scarlett’s journey from her senior year of high school in a small, economically struggling Colorado town through her freshman year of college in a small liberal arts college in Maine. During the summer after she graduates from high school, Scarlett becomes entangled in a secret, and ultimately toxic, relationship with her ex-boyfriend’s best friend David. David has “bad boy” appeal while also being over achiever Scarlett’s intellectual equal. David leads Scarlett into some bad decisions, but the relationship comes to an end when they both leave home to go to colleges on opposite ends of the country. Just as Scarlett is beginning to get settled at school her world is rocked by a shocking discovery and an unexpected tragedy that will change her life forever.
This novel deals with topics ranging from opioid abuse and teen pregnancy to moving away from home for the first time and navigating the first year of college. There’s a lot going on, but it never feels like too much. These topics have been addressed in YA lit before, but Youngdahl does so in a way that feels fresh and contemporary. Graceville, Colorado felt like a real town, and Scarlett’s mixed feelings about leaving (and returning) were very relatable and will ring true to any teen for whom college is a turning point from one stage of life to the next. Scarlett is a smart girl who makes some stupid decisions and has to face the consequences. She does so in a way that is thoughtful and realistic with the help of her roommate Mina, who is Scarlett’s much-needed voice of reason and a great character in her own right. Highly recommended for teens who enjoy a thoughtful, character-driven novel that shows there are few easy answers in life.
I could not put this book down. 4/5 stars. Synopsis totally misled me and I'm not even mad. I was so surprised with the turnout of this story. Had the synopsis not misled me, I probably would not have picked As Many Nows As I can Get. It was beautifully written and surprised me on many occasions. The plot was not the plot I thought I was reading. I thought that this would be about a breakup and a healing process, but this was so much more than that.
There are many trigger warnings in this book. They include, sexually explicit content, drug abuse,suicide, and a few others that I cannot mention without giving away the plot of the story. I laughed, I cried, I was embarrassed for the main character. I had so many feelings and this is why it was such a great read. It was engaging. The characters were flawed. I wanted to hate them in the beginning with all of their drug use and for not being anything like myself. For not being perfect. I'd even go far as to say one of the characters is quite morally gray. It helped drive the story.
"Life is a discovery,love,and loss. The magic that moves us. The choices we make, sometimes impulsively, that pave our way through the world. "
I don't read many contemporary books so I can't attest to whether or not this is unique but I felt like it was a modern day contemporary with a twist. It usually takes me about a week to finish a book but somehow I managed to read this one in a day and a half. I was grief stricken in places and could not stop thinking about the choices made by the characters. Overall I recommend anyone that enjoys contemporary.
