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em_brebs 's review for:
Love, Life, and the List
by Kasie West
2.5.
Literally read this book in a morning, so I can't say I disliked it. But I also didn't love it. I think this book was a little more lowkey (read: verging on boring) than a lot of Ms. West's other work. The romance was a smaller part of the story (and I also didn't really like it?), which I'd usually say is fine, but I didn't actually find the rest of the story that compelling. (It was interesting, but not enough to keep me totally enthralled, y'know?) I will say that I thought the dialogue in this story was really fun, and I liked the familial elements, but it mostly just felt kind of blah.
Abby is an artist, and she's applying to a selective art program. In order to beef up her resumé, she needs to show one of her pieces, or sell one of her pieces. She wants to accomplish both feats in the gallery night at the museum where she works, but the curator says that her pieces lack heart. In order to paint new pieces, and get them in the show regardless, Abby makes a list of things to do to gain life experience. She tackles the list with her best friend, and secret love, Cooper.
Spoilers Discussion
I think part of what I struggled with is that I don't love the romance. Like, it's fine, but I didn't totally buy into it, especially Cooper's change of heart. I didn't think they had loads of chemistry together, beyond their general banter which it seemed like each had with everyone in their lives, so I didn't buy into that part of it. And if I don't buy into that part of it, what am I really here for?
I also think it was a totally dick move to not show up to the gallery night, and then to blame her for not getting reminder text messages… He totally took her for granted, and then when she left him, he planned this huge romantic gesture and then he cried (which, ngl got to me for a second before I regained my wits) and how does he actually know he feels the way he does?!? This was not a mounting mutual attraction, this was an unintentional ultimatum, and I have little faith that the relationship will work out.
I think something I've discovered about myself and these best-friends-to-dating books is that I like to see from both perspectives. Otherwise, something about it feels precarious, or fake, and that felt especially the case in this story.
On the other hand, I did like some of the other elements of the story. I thought the list was fine… I don't think it added too much value to the story besides being a kind of arbitrary frame we can use to look at everything else.
I did like all of our side characters. I thought Abby's mom was a really interesting character, and one we don't often see. I relate personally to some of her challenges and I think seeing those challenges from the point of view of her daughter, who kind of wants to pretend that everything is fine, was really intriguing.
I also thought the grandpa was really charming, as was Cooper's little sister.
I really liked Lacey. I liked that she gave Abby a new friend, and someone else to talk to (having friends in multiple friend groups is essential for me, I don't know how people get through school without that technique), and that she supported that artistic part of Abby without being too much, or being a kind of competitive force. She was really lovely, and I'm really glad that Abby has someone in her life like that.
I think that the scene with the show was really heartbreaking, and well done. It was good in that she showed her age, and felt the embarrassment of having someone take a chance on you and have it not pay off, for them or for you (kind of), and the failures of relying on someone who you give a lot to and doesn't give a lot to you in return, and how mental illness has nothing to do with how much someone may love you and instead is something separate. Her mom desperately wanted to go, and yet couldn't make herself do it.
I will continue to check out Kasie West's books because they are the ultimate beach read or I-have-four-hours-to-kill read or I-want-to-be-happy read.
Fin!
Not my favorite Kasie West, but still fun: 80%
Literally read this book in a morning, so I can't say I disliked it. But I also didn't love it. I think this book was a little more lowkey (read: verging on boring) than a lot of Ms. West's other work. The romance was a smaller part of the story (and I also didn't really like it?), which I'd usually say is fine, but I didn't actually find the rest of the story that compelling. (It was interesting, but not enough to keep me totally enthralled, y'know?) I will say that I thought the dialogue in this story was really fun, and I liked the familial elements, but it mostly just felt kind of blah.
Abby is an artist, and she's applying to a selective art program. In order to beef up her resumé, she needs to show one of her pieces, or sell one of her pieces. She wants to accomplish both feats in the gallery night at the museum where she works, but the curator says that her pieces lack heart. In order to paint new pieces, and get them in the show regardless, Abby makes a list of things to do to gain life experience. She tackles the list with her best friend, and secret love, Cooper.
Spoilers Discussion
I think part of what I struggled with is that I don't love the romance. Like, it's fine, but I didn't totally buy into it, especially Cooper's change of heart. I didn't think they had loads of chemistry together, beyond their general banter which it seemed like each had with everyone in their lives, so I didn't buy into that part of it. And if I don't buy into that part of it, what am I really here for?
I also think it was a totally dick move to not show up to the gallery night, and then to blame her for not getting reminder text messages… He totally took her for granted, and then when she left him, he planned this huge romantic gesture and then he cried (which, ngl got to me for a second before I regained my wits) and how does he actually know he feels the way he does?!? This was not a mounting mutual attraction, this was an unintentional ultimatum, and I have little faith that the relationship will work out.
I think something I've discovered about myself and these best-friends-to-dating books is that I like to see from both perspectives. Otherwise, something about it feels precarious, or fake, and that felt especially the case in this story.
On the other hand, I did like some of the other elements of the story. I thought the list was fine… I don't think it added too much value to the story besides being a kind of arbitrary frame we can use to look at everything else.
I did like all of our side characters. I thought Abby's mom was a really interesting character, and one we don't often see. I relate personally to some of her challenges and I think seeing those challenges from the point of view of her daughter, who kind of wants to pretend that everything is fine, was really intriguing.
I also thought the grandpa was really charming, as was Cooper's little sister.
I really liked Lacey. I liked that she gave Abby a new friend, and someone else to talk to (having friends in multiple friend groups is essential for me, I don't know how people get through school without that technique), and that she supported that artistic part of Abby without being too much, or being a kind of competitive force. She was really lovely, and I'm really glad that Abby has someone in her life like that.
I think that the scene with the show was really heartbreaking, and well done. It was good in that she showed her age, and felt the embarrassment of having someone take a chance on you and have it not pay off, for them or for you (kind of), and the failures of relying on someone who you give a lot to and doesn't give a lot to you in return, and how mental illness has nothing to do with how much someone may love you and instead is something separate. Her mom desperately wanted to go, and yet couldn't make herself do it.
I will continue to check out Kasie West's books because they are the ultimate beach read or I-have-four-hours-to-kill read or I-want-to-be-happy read.
Fin!
Not my favorite Kasie West, but still fun: 80%