Scan barcode
A review by nicolemhewitt
If There's No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout
5.0
This book did not disappoint—JLA delivered on all the feels and true-to-life pain that resonated with me, and I think will resonate with almost all YA readers.
What Fed My Addiction:
Peer pressure.
How many times have you found yourself in a situation where you knew you should react in a certain way, but you didn’t want to rock the boat? Even as adults, I think we still find ourselves in these situations occasionally—as teens? Definitely. Lena is a smart girl. A good kid. And she makes a mistake—does something that she knew she shouldn’t do, but it would have felt awkward and pushy to do the right thing. And she has to live with the consequences of her bad decision. She has to live with the guilt that comes from knowing she should have done it differently. I think that this concept is pretty much universally relatable, which makes the story that much more powerful.
A full cast of characters you can’t help but love.
Every character in this book felt real to me. Lena’s friends, her family, the boy she loves… they all feel like people I could have known in high school. All wonderfully, perfectly flawed but there for Lena—or at least trying to be. (Okay, there are a couple of people who aren’t so good at being there for Lena, but part of the book is about repairing those relationships.) I loved the portrayal of realistic, messy relationships and how Lena’s personal issues get in the way.
All the feels.
I felt everything when reading this book, and I couldn’t put it down!! I read the whole thing in two sittings (it would have been one if I hadn’t forced myself to put the book down and go to sleep at one point) and I enjoyed every single minute!
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Not much.
Sure, there were times when I wanted Lena to stop beating herself up and let people in, but that was sort of the point of the book, so I don’t know how I can hold that against it. This is JLA at her best and I loved it!
This book reminds us that every choice we make has consequences, but we don’t have to be defined by our mistakes. It’s about the miracle of love and life and second-chances. I give it 5/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via ALA Annual in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
What Fed My Addiction:
Peer pressure.
How many times have you found yourself in a situation where you knew you should react in a certain way, but you didn’t want to rock the boat? Even as adults, I think we still find ourselves in these situations occasionally—as teens? Definitely. Lena is a smart girl. A good kid. And she makes a mistake—does something that she knew she shouldn’t do, but it would have felt awkward and pushy to do the right thing. And she has to live with the consequences of her bad decision. She has to live with the guilt that comes from knowing she should have done it differently. I think that this concept is pretty much universally relatable, which makes the story that much more powerful.
A full cast of characters you can’t help but love.
Every character in this book felt real to me. Lena’s friends, her family, the boy she loves… they all feel like people I could have known in high school. All wonderfully, perfectly flawed but there for Lena—or at least trying to be. (Okay, there are a couple of people who aren’t so good at being there for Lena, but part of the book is about repairing those relationships.) I loved the portrayal of realistic, messy relationships and how Lena’s personal issues get in the way.
All the feels.
I felt everything when reading this book, and I couldn’t put it down!! I read the whole thing in two sittings (it would have been one if I hadn’t forced myself to put the book down and go to sleep at one point) and I enjoyed every single minute!
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Not much.
Sure, there were times when I wanted Lena to stop beating herself up and let people in, but that was sort of the point of the book, so I don’t know how I can hold that against it. This is JLA at her best and I loved it!
This book reminds us that every choice we make has consequences, but we don’t have to be defined by our mistakes. It’s about the miracle of love and life and second-chances. I give it 5/5 Stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via ALA Annual in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***