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As She Fades
On the night of her high school graduation, Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford are in a terrible car accident that leaves Crawford in a coma. They were supposed to spend the summer planning for college, for a bright future full of possibility. Together. Instead, Vale spends long days in the hospital, hoping Crawford will awaken.
Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.
Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life. Except now, she's in Slate's territory, and their story is about to take a very strange turn.
Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.
Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life. Except now, she's in Slate's territory, and their story is about to take a very strange turn.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 3, 2018
412 people are currently reading
9294 people want to read
About the author
Abbi Glines
111books86.3kfollowersAbbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Smoke, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but she now lives in New England and that's as close as it is going to get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, watching Netflix and all the introverted stuff.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 821 reviews
April 18, 2018
3.5 STARS
I seem to read a hefty number of novels that I can't divulge many plot details on, and this one falls into that category as well. If you followed along with my ŷ updates, you'll have noticed my extreme surprise at a particular twist; from the reviews I've read thus far it appears I wasn't alone, and I'd go as far as to say that no one has mentioned guessing it ahead of time yet. The twist alone earns it stars, but the writing also drew me in and kept me engaged. I will say my only issue was that, due to the twist, there was a change in the story that felt a bit rushed. If the twist had happened earlier, then perhaps we readers would have had more time to adjust to this shifting storyline and really connected with the second part much more. Overall, a great read and one I would recommend to fans of YA contemporary with a tinge of suspense and mystery.
Review copy furnished by the publisher via NetGalley.
I seem to read a hefty number of novels that I can't divulge many plot details on, and this one falls into that category as well. If you followed along with my ŷ updates, you'll have noticed my extreme surprise at a particular twist; from the reviews I've read thus far it appears I wasn't alone, and I'd go as far as to say that no one has mentioned guessing it ahead of time yet. The twist alone earns it stars, but the writing also drew me in and kept me engaged. I will say my only issue was that, due to the twist, there was a change in the story that felt a bit rushed. If the twist had happened earlier, then perhaps we readers would have had more time to adjust to this shifting storyline and really connected with the second part much more. Overall, a great read and one I would recommend to fans of YA contemporary with a tinge of suspense and mystery.
Review copy furnished by the publisher via NetGalley.
April 4, 2018
PRE-ORDER
*
3.5 Stars
As She Fades is Abbi Glines' newest YA novel, following Vale McKinley as she tries to hold on to the only boy she's ever loved. This wasn't a story of flowers and sunshine, it was a story of walking through the pouring rain to get to your true love. Vale finds out the hard way that sometimes life throws a roadblock in your plans, but with the right person you can find a detour.
I'm honestly a little conflicted about this book. Without giving spoilers, I'll say that there was a twist that happened a little after the half way mark of the story and that's where my issue comes from. It wasn't the twist itself because I actually thought that was intriguing, but with the way it played out. Maybe if that revelation had come a little earlier in the book so that we could get more story after that, it would have worked better for me. But as it was it just didn't leave with a satisfied feeling.
One other thing that got to be a little annoying was the constant females throwing themselves at Slade. It just became too repetitive, and it was frustrating that it seemed like any female that wasn't the heroine or a relative was portrayed as someone who couldn't control their lust.
But putting all that aside I did really enjoy the overall story. It was thought-provoking and intriguing. The kind of story that makes you put yourself in the characters shoes and wonder what you would do in such a situation. I found the characters easy to like and relatable, and thought there was a great connection between them. It also held a bit of mystery as to what would happen in the end, which captivated me, and I liked that it wasn't very predictable.
Overall, I had some issues with some of the ways this story was portrayed but in the end I can say that it was an enjoyable read. Abbi Glines' YA novels are some of the only ones I'll read in the genre because she always finds a way for me to relate to these young characters and this book was no different. I would definitely recommend this story if you're looking for a young-love type of romance.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
*
3.5 Stars
As She Fades is Abbi Glines' newest YA novel, following Vale McKinley as she tries to hold on to the only boy she's ever loved. This wasn't a story of flowers and sunshine, it was a story of walking through the pouring rain to get to your true love. Vale finds out the hard way that sometimes life throws a roadblock in your plans, but with the right person you can find a detour.
I'm honestly a little conflicted about this book. Without giving spoilers, I'll say that there was a twist that happened a little after the half way mark of the story and that's where my issue comes from. It wasn't the twist itself because I actually thought that was intriguing, but with the way it played out. Maybe if that revelation had come a little earlier in the book so that we could get more story after that, it would have worked better for me. But as it was it just didn't leave with a satisfied feeling.
One other thing that got to be a little annoying was the constant females throwing themselves at Slade. It just became too repetitive, and it was frustrating that it seemed like any female that wasn't the heroine or a relative was portrayed as someone who couldn't control their lust.
But putting all that aside I did really enjoy the overall story. It was thought-provoking and intriguing. The kind of story that makes you put yourself in the characters shoes and wonder what you would do in such a situation. I found the characters easy to like and relatable, and thought there was a great connection between them. It also held a bit of mystery as to what would happen in the end, which captivated me, and I liked that it wasn't very predictable.
Overall, I had some issues with some of the ways this story was portrayed but in the end I can say that it was an enjoyable read. Abbi Glines' YA novels are some of the only ones I'll read in the genre because she always finds a way for me to relate to these young characters and this book was no different. I would definitely recommend this story if you're looking for a young-love type of romance.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2018
FRIENDS I AM GOING TO TELL YOU A STORY. (I'm not putting it under a spoiler cut because I cannot imagine any of you actually care? anyway).
SO I AM READING THIS BOOK. IT WASN'T AMAZING BUT IT WAS ENTERTAINING WHATEVER. WE GET TO 60% THROUGH. VALE IS GROWING, SHE'S LIVING HER LIFE WHILE HER HIGH SCHOOL BOYFRIEND IS IN A COMA.
BUT THEN
IT TURNS OUT SHE WAS THE ONE IN THE COMA. OVER THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK IS A DREAM SEQUENCE.
Honestly, I could not stop laughing.
SO I AM READING THIS BOOK. IT WASN'T AMAZING BUT IT WAS ENTERTAINING WHATEVER. WE GET TO 60% THROUGH. VALE IS GROWING, SHE'S LIVING HER LIFE WHILE HER HIGH SCHOOL BOYFRIEND IS IN A COMA.
BUT THEN
IT TURNS OUT SHE WAS THE ONE IN THE COMA. OVER THE FIRST HALF OF THE BOOK IS A DREAM SEQUENCE.
Honestly, I could not stop laughing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2018
4 �'s
This is my first Abbi Glines' book besides the Rosemary Beach series. I guess I've been hesitant because you know, Rush. ~Sigh~ However, I did feel there was abit lot of Rush in Slate.
Vale and Crawford have been together since they were six years old. They're involved in a car wreck the night of graduation and Crawford is in a coma with Vale at his side as much as his mother will allow.
Time passes and she meets Slate who's at the hospital to see his Uncle who has cancer. Slate is actually in the same fraternity as Vale's brother. Slate tries talking to her and brings her coffee but she's not really interested. That is, until she finds out that Slate has been reading to Crawford and Crawford is responding. She feels she should at least be Slate's friend.
Eventually, her family and friends convince her to get on with her life and go to college. This is when her and Slate become very close...friends. No one can believe it because Slate has been such the player.
I loved the angst whenever Vale would see Slate with a girl or when Slate would see Vale with someone. I especially loved how much it affected Slate. (sounds like Rush right?) Thankfully, they finally decide to start dating and well, we all know where that leads.
...and then there's Part Two...
Ugh...I just didn't really care for this part even if the "twist" was unique. I guess I just wanted the first part to keep going. And I really didn't care for Crawford at all! However, I did enjoy the play on certain characters and how some people are just meant to be together!
This is my first Abbi Glines' book besides the Rosemary Beach series. I guess I've been hesitant because you know, Rush. ~Sigh~ However, I did feel there was a
Vale and Crawford have been together since they were six years old. They're involved in a car wreck the night of graduation and Crawford is in a coma with Vale at his side as much as his mother will allow.
Time passes and she meets Slate who's at the hospital to see his Uncle who has cancer. Slate is actually in the same fraternity as Vale's brother. Slate tries talking to her and brings her coffee but she's not really interested. That is, until she finds out that Slate has been reading to Crawford and Crawford is responding. She feels she should at least be Slate's friend.
Eventually, her family and friends convince her to get on with her life and go to college. This is when her and Slate become very close...friends. No one can believe it because Slate has been such the player.
I loved the angst whenever Vale would see Slate with a girl or when Slate would see Vale with someone. I especially loved how much it affected Slate. (sounds like Rush right?) Thankfully, they finally decide to start dating and well, we all know where that leads.
...and then there's Part Two...
Ugh...I just didn't really care for this part even if the "twist" was unique. I guess I just wanted the first part to keep going. And I really didn't care for Crawford at all! However, I did enjoy the play on certain characters and how some people are just meant to be together!
Read
February 26, 2018DNF on page 86
I’ve enjoyed some of Abbi’s other books and I liked the synopsis of this one.
Vale has a lot of potential. She’s smart and caring and seems to have a big heart. Unfortunately, her inner monologue is 100% about Crawford and that got super boring super fast. I mean, I’m not completely heartless, the coma situation is sad, yet in 86 pages, I saw no indication that there would be growth.
Plot wise, not much happened in the parts that I read. Oh, there was a lot of girls throwing themselves at Slate, a lot of girls calling other girls sluts and whores, and a lot of talk of sex and blow jobs. So there’s that.
I’ve seen other reviews talk about a twist and I was curious, so I skipped to the end and read some of it, but it didn’t compel me to go further. I was bored and had no connection to any of the characters.
I’m not going to rate this because maybe that twist would have changed things. If I were to rate it from what I read, it would be one star.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel and Friends for providing the arc free of charge**
I’ve enjoyed some of Abbi’s other books and I liked the synopsis of this one.
Vale has a lot of potential. She’s smart and caring and seems to have a big heart. Unfortunately, her inner monologue is 100% about Crawford and that got super boring super fast. I mean, I’m not completely heartless, the coma situation is sad, yet in 86 pages, I saw no indication that there would be growth.
Plot wise, not much happened in the parts that I read. Oh, there was a lot of girls throwing themselves at Slate, a lot of girls calling other girls sluts and whores, and a lot of talk of sex and blow jobs. So there’s that.
I’ve seen other reviews talk about a twist and I was curious, so I skipped to the end and read some of it, but it didn’t compel me to go further. I was bored and had no connection to any of the characters.
I’m not going to rate this because maybe that twist would have changed things. If I were to rate it from what I read, it would be one star.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel and Friends for providing the arc free of charge**
April 25, 2022
I almost dnf this book.
Almost.
Don’t bother reading the summary of this book, it’s lies.
I thought this would be about a girl who finds another love while her boyfriend is in a coma, for her boyfriend to wake up and not remember her. I thought this because it says this in the summary.
Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.
Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life.
Except that’s not what happens.
The book is divided into part one and part two. And part one was hard to get through. Slate will sleep with anyone, and it’s hard to think of how great a guy is when there are no telling how many STDs he has. Vale was young and immature, which comes with being eighteen, I guess?
And then part two, the plot twist.
Vale was actually in the coma, not Crawford. I honestly had to go back and read it again, because I thought I had zoned out.
Yep, the first 60% was all just a dream.
And the ending was abrupt.
What kills me the most?
Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life.
^ That part, the part I was looking forward to? Didn’t even happen. And I don’t mean it was all a dream - it didn’t happen. It straight up wasn’t in the book. Even in part one, where it was Crawford in the coma, he never woke up.
I don’t know if this was a sloppy description or just straight lies.
I would love to read an angsty story where a girl loses her first love to amnesia and has to move on with her life. And I just feel cheated.
Part two was ok, with Vale finding confidence in herself and getting a backbone.
I’d recommend if you have read this author and liked her previous works. But I would borrow before buying.
Almost.
Don’t bother reading the summary of this book, it’s lies.
I thought this would be about a girl who finds another love while her boyfriend is in a coma, for her boyfriend to wake up and not remember her. I thought this because it says this in the summary.
Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.
Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life.
Except that’s not what happens.
The book is divided into part one and part two. And part one was hard to get through. Slate will sleep with anyone, and it’s hard to think of how great a guy is when there are no telling how many STDs he has. Vale was young and immature, which comes with being eighteen, I guess?
And then part two, the plot twist.
Vale was actually in the coma, not Crawford. I honestly had to go back and read it again, because I thought I had zoned out.
Yep, the first 60% was all just a dream.
And the ending was abrupt.
What kills me the most?
Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life.
^ That part, the part I was looking forward to? Didn’t even happen. And I don’t mean it was all a dream - it didn’t happen. It straight up wasn’t in the book. Even in part one, where it was Crawford in the coma, he never woke up.
I don’t know if this was a sloppy description or just straight lies.
I would love to read an angsty story where a girl loses her first love to amnesia and has to move on with her life. And I just feel cheated.
Part two was ok, with Vale finding confidence in herself and getting a backbone.
I’d recommend if you have read this author and liked her previous works. But I would borrow before buying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2018
This arc was provided to me for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3 Stars
First, I must point out that the blurb doesn't match what actually happens in the book.
The story revolves around Vale, who has been in a long-term relationship with Crawford. Their perfect plan for the future comes to a halt when they are involved in a car accident leaving Crawford in a coma. Vale spends her summer visiting every day and it's during those visits she meets Slate, who is there visiting his uncle. Now that college is about to start, Vale makes the decision to go. There she becomes close to Slate and starts a new life. But then the unthinkable happens, Crawford wakes up...
Part one had me in love, I was head over heels for this story and the characters. It was lighting fireworks off in my head. However, when part two rolled around, I wanted to cry out in frustration. That big twist was not necessary and the rest of it was just rushed. It brought nothing to the plot and just complicated everything.
I would gladly recommend part one to everyone, I mean that part is well worth the read. Just maybe don't read part two.
3 Stars
First, I must point out that the blurb doesn't match what actually happens in the book.
The story revolves around Vale, who has been in a long-term relationship with Crawford. Their perfect plan for the future comes to a halt when they are involved in a car accident leaving Crawford in a coma. Vale spends her summer visiting every day and it's during those visits she meets Slate, who is there visiting his uncle. Now that college is about to start, Vale makes the decision to go. There she becomes close to Slate and starts a new life. But then the unthinkable happens, Crawford wakes up...
Part one had me in love, I was head over heels for this story and the characters. It was lighting fireworks off in my head. However, when part two rolled around, I wanted to cry out in frustration. That big twist was not necessary and the rest of it was just rushed. It brought nothing to the plot and just complicated everything.
I would gladly recommend part one to everyone, I mean that part is well worth the read. Just maybe don't read part two.
January 25, 2018
3.5 stars
Full review coming
Full review coming
December 10, 2018
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! NO!
Biggest issue: The synopsis provided for this book is completely wrong about a key plot point. The interesting premise and that specific *incorrect* plot point was one of the reasons I chose to read this book, and I think it would be fair to address which part is wrong, for anyone else considering reading this book.
Spoilerish, tells you what part of the synopsis is wrong:
Full spoiler, tells you what the big, unexpected twist in this book is:
I'm actually shocked that Glines has written other books. Based on the plotting (very little action/substance, a twist that isn't necessary, two storylines I would've never put together), I would guess that this is a debut novel.
In the first 20-40% of this book, I disliked the choppy, overly didactic, in-her-head writing style (from Vale's POV). Vale is so holier-than-thou. And I hate, just hated Slate. He's disgusting. I figured I would award this book 2 stars unless things somehow became better. Suddenly, around 60%, a bizarre plot twist turns everything on its head. An unnecessary plot twist, because it causes the book to diverge from a key plot point given in the synopsis. At this point, the book dropped to a 1-star rating.
Vale, who's been dating Crawford since she was six years old, is a goody goody two-shoes. She's so selfless and such a victim, and she makes sure the reader knows that. She meets manwhore Slate while waiting at the hospital. He's her brother's womanizing frat brother who, big surprise, actually has a heart of gold. He's in the hospital visiting his uncle (the person who raised him after he lost his parents), who is recovering from cancer treatments. Vale is Judgy McJudgerson and judges Slate at first look. But because this YA book about dealing with loss (I thought) is actually a romance novel in disguise, this bad boy worms his way into her heart with daily cups of coffee, reading to children in the pediatric cancer unit, and his obvious care/love of his uncle. Too, too obvious. At least Vale didn't try to psychoanalyze Slate's manwhoring ways as some kind of need to keep his emotional distance from women, due to losing his mother so young, or something else like that. He was an unapologetic womanizer just because. I can accept that as a character. I just don't think Val should've accepted him as a boyfriend. I don't think manwhores change their spots.
When Vale listens to her family and opts to start college as originally planned before Crawford's accident, she meets new friends and gets closer to Slate, who also attends this college. Wouldn't you know it -- just like in a romance novel, she suddenly finds that she, good-girl Vale, must not be as resistant to Slate as she thought! But just like in a romance novel, IT'S OKAY because he's actually a good guy who's more than just his hot looks. He's KIND. He has a HEART. They decide to be friends, while Slate keeps dating other girls, but Vale gets jealous. She doesn't seem to go through the inner turmoil you'd expect of a young girl whose long-time beloved is in a coma but who is falling in love with someone else. She just follows her animal attraction, realizes her feelings for him when she's feeling jealous (which they confess in an unlikely manner), and then some extremely not-YA scenes follow. SPOILER! STEREOTYPICAL UNREALISTIC ROMANCE NOVEL FORMULA TO FOLLOW: First he eats her out (with explosive results) in the backseat of his Jeep in the parking lot of her workplace. They just can't control themselves, the passion! Then they go hiking, strip down to nothing when they find a private spot, and without much ado, he bangs her (with relatively explicit detail) on a picnic table. Excuse me? What happened to Miss Goody Goody from the beginning of the book? She just turned into a coy, hot-to-trot vixen in Slate's hands. (Not saying that prim and proper girls can't have hot sex lives. Just saying this is not an emotionally satisfying book -- it's about clearing Crawford out of the way so Slate and Vale can get it on with no guilt! It's a romance novel!) I couldn't believe what I was reading. This isn't a sensitive book about a girl dealing with her boyfriend in a coma and possibly opening her heart to someone new.
Part One of the book is heavy on Vale's thinky-thoughts because she's often alone, Crawford's in a coma, and there's not much action. Instead of showcasing a more realistic version of a girl grieving for a long-term relationship that might be lost, Vale's thinky-thoughts provide unnecessary and irrelevant detail. For example, one time she's getting ready in her dorm bathroom and thinks about how she noticed some message alerts on her cellphone before going into the bathroom and how she'll check them after she gets out of the bathroom. These messages proved to be unimportant. Why not just show her checking the messages, if we really need to know their content (one happens to be from Slate)? Why have her noticing the messages, not checking them right away, and then thinking about going back to check on them? Another time, she goes into unneeded detail about her unhealthy study snacks and her college course schedule. Part One is very much like reading the minutiae of a teenager's diary. Vale's inner monologue is DULL considering she's got a great premise to work with.
I think I know what happened with this unnecessary twist. There wasn't much substance to this novel. There wasn't any B plot, and how much else can you say about a girl becoming attracted to a boy? (Actually a lot -- we could've seen Vale and Slate falling in love during the times they confide in each other, or spending platonic time together, instead of her eyeing him jealously or lustfully in most of their interactions. Their simple attraction made sense, but Vale going from 0 to 100 with Slate made no sense.) Glines was clearly running her wheels in the air in Part One. So she had an alternate idea for a story featuring these same characters, and to make the book longer, she decided to smoosh these two versions of the story together and make the second part a twist! That must be it because I honestly have no idea what happened. Either part of this book could've been fleshed out into a good narrative with a strong relationship and personal growth.
Slate is a bit more bearable in Part Two because we get chapters from his POV, instead of only seeing him through Vale's judgy, jealous eyes. He talks/thinks with the same choppy sentence fragments that Vale does in her POV, however. Glines really likes simple sentences and half-sentences. This makes the book read so strangely. The book would also have benefited (especially in Part One) from being written in present tense (it was written in past tense). The immediacy of the accident and Vale's emotions would have been fresh and sharp, instead of giving the reader the feeling that we're seeing all this from a great distance. I also wondered why we were hardly getting any flashbacks about Vale's past with Crawford -- it would have made him a more compelling character (victim figure) and make anything that happened in their relationship (i.e., him forgetting her and their relationship) more poignant. But clearly Glines just wanted Vale to bang Slate and was clearing the way for them to be able to do that.
This book does disservice to women. It's incredibly unfeminist -- Vale being so devoted to Crawford for absolutely nothing, all the slut-shaming of other girls (and how the girls throwing themselves at Slate seem to have no self-respect), Vale giving Slate's behavior with other women a pass because he's just so hot and REMEMBER, HE'S GOT A BIG HEART <3, how every guy tries to protect her, and again, this strange deal with the nurses all being female while the one doctor is male.
Spoilers / What I Would've Written:
Probably only two things I liked about this novel:
- Vale's big family and how they're depicted is great. I could feel the love, warmth, and welcoming nature emanating from scenes with them.
- The "voice" of people from small-town Tennessee is not something I'm used to, but it lent the characters an authenticity and character that made them more believable.
Biggest issue: The synopsis provided for this book is completely wrong about a key plot point. The interesting premise and that specific *incorrect* plot point was one of the reasons I chose to read this book, and I think it would be fair to address which part is wrong, for anyone else considering reading this book.
Spoilerish, tells you what part of the synopsis is wrong:
Full spoiler, tells you what the big, unexpected twist in this book is:
I'm actually shocked that Glines has written other books. Based on the plotting (very little action/substance, a twist that isn't necessary, two storylines I would've never put together), I would guess that this is a debut novel.
In the first 20-40% of this book, I disliked the choppy, overly didactic, in-her-head writing style (from Vale's POV). Vale is so holier-than-thou. And I hate, just hated Slate. He's disgusting. I figured I would award this book 2 stars unless things somehow became better. Suddenly, around 60%, a bizarre plot twist turns everything on its head. An unnecessary plot twist, because it causes the book to diverge from a key plot point given in the synopsis. At this point, the book dropped to a 1-star rating.
Vale, who's been dating Crawford since she was six years old, is a goody goody two-shoes. She's so selfless and such a victim, and she makes sure the reader knows that. She meets manwhore Slate while waiting at the hospital. He's her brother's womanizing frat brother who, big surprise, actually has a heart of gold. He's in the hospital visiting his uncle (the person who raised him after he lost his parents), who is recovering from cancer treatments. Vale is Judgy McJudgerson and judges Slate at first look. But because this YA book about dealing with loss (I thought) is actually a romance novel in disguise, this bad boy worms his way into her heart with daily cups of coffee, reading to children in the pediatric cancer unit, and his obvious care/love of his uncle. Too, too obvious. At least Vale didn't try to psychoanalyze Slate's manwhoring ways as some kind of need to keep his emotional distance from women, due to losing his mother so young, or something else like that. He was an unapologetic womanizer just because. I can accept that as a character. I just don't think Val should've accepted him as a boyfriend. I don't think manwhores change their spots.
When Vale listens to her family and opts to start college as originally planned before Crawford's accident, she meets new friends and gets closer to Slate, who also attends this college. Wouldn't you know it -- just like in a romance novel, she suddenly finds that she, good-girl Vale, must not be as resistant to Slate as she thought! But just like in a romance novel, IT'S OKAY because he's actually a good guy who's more than just his hot looks. He's KIND. He has a HEART. They decide to be friends, while Slate keeps dating other girls, but Vale gets jealous. She doesn't seem to go through the inner turmoil you'd expect of a young girl whose long-time beloved is in a coma but who is falling in love with someone else. She just follows her animal attraction, realizes her feelings for him when she's feeling jealous (which they confess in an unlikely manner), and then some extremely not-YA scenes follow. SPOILER! STEREOTYPICAL UNREALISTIC ROMANCE NOVEL FORMULA TO FOLLOW: First he eats her out (with explosive results) in the backseat of his Jeep in the parking lot of her workplace. They just can't control themselves, the passion! Then they go hiking, strip down to nothing when they find a private spot, and without much ado, he bangs her (with relatively explicit detail) on a picnic table. Excuse me? What happened to Miss Goody Goody from the beginning of the book? She just turned into a coy, hot-to-trot vixen in Slate's hands. (Not saying that prim and proper girls can't have hot sex lives. Just saying this is not an emotionally satisfying book -- it's about clearing Crawford out of the way so Slate and Vale can get it on with no guilt! It's a romance novel!) I couldn't believe what I was reading. This isn't a sensitive book about a girl dealing with her boyfriend in a coma and possibly opening her heart to someone new.
Part One of the book is heavy on Vale's thinky-thoughts because she's often alone, Crawford's in a coma, and there's not much action. Instead of showcasing a more realistic version of a girl grieving for a long-term relationship that might be lost, Vale's thinky-thoughts provide unnecessary and irrelevant detail. For example, one time she's getting ready in her dorm bathroom and thinks about how she noticed some message alerts on her cellphone before going into the bathroom and how she'll check them after she gets out of the bathroom. These messages proved to be unimportant. Why not just show her checking the messages, if we really need to know their content (one happens to be from Slate)? Why have her noticing the messages, not checking them right away, and then thinking about going back to check on them? Another time, she goes into unneeded detail about her unhealthy study snacks and her college course schedule. Part One is very much like reading the minutiae of a teenager's diary. Vale's inner monologue is DULL considering she's got a great premise to work with.
I think I know what happened with this unnecessary twist. There wasn't much substance to this novel. There wasn't any B plot, and how much else can you say about a girl becoming attracted to a boy? (Actually a lot -- we could've seen Vale and Slate falling in love during the times they confide in each other, or spending platonic time together, instead of her eyeing him jealously or lustfully in most of their interactions. Their simple attraction made sense, but Vale going from 0 to 100 with Slate made no sense.) Glines was clearly running her wheels in the air in Part One. So she had an alternate idea for a story featuring these same characters, and to make the book longer, she decided to smoosh these two versions of the story together and make the second part a twist! That must be it because I honestly have no idea what happened. Either part of this book could've been fleshed out into a good narrative with a strong relationship and personal growth.
Slate is a bit more bearable in Part Two because we get chapters from his POV, instead of only seeing him through Vale's judgy, jealous eyes. He talks/thinks with the same choppy sentence fragments that Vale does in her POV, however. Glines really likes simple sentences and half-sentences. This makes the book read so strangely. The book would also have benefited (especially in Part One) from being written in present tense (it was written in past tense). The immediacy of the accident and Vale's emotions would have been fresh and sharp, instead of giving the reader the feeling that we're seeing all this from a great distance. I also wondered why we were hardly getting any flashbacks about Vale's past with Crawford -- it would have made him a more compelling character (victim figure) and make anything that happened in their relationship (i.e., him forgetting her and their relationship) more poignant. But clearly Glines just wanted Vale to bang Slate and was clearing the way for them to be able to do that.
This book does disservice to women. It's incredibly unfeminist -- Vale being so devoted to Crawford for absolutely nothing, all the slut-shaming of other girls (and how the girls throwing themselves at Slate seem to have no self-respect), Vale giving Slate's behavior with other women a pass because he's just so hot and REMEMBER, HE'S GOT A BIG HEART <3, how every guy tries to protect her, and again, this strange deal with the nurses all being female while the one doctor is male.
Spoilers / What I Would've Written:
Probably only two things I liked about this novel:
- Vale's big family and how they're depicted is great. I could feel the love, warmth, and welcoming nature emanating from scenes with them.
- The "voice" of people from small-town Tennessee is not something I'm used to, but it lent the characters an authenticity and character that made them more believable.
Read
April 2, 2018Story about a girl who's been in a car accident, her boyfriend lying in the hospital in a coma, and her growing attraction to the hot fraternity brother of one of her siblings.
I've read Abbi Glines books before and they are a particular thing - very romance-y in an old-school romance novel way. And I can absolutely, definitely be up for some romantic melodrama, which is what the blurb made this book sound like. And as I read, I wished for melodrama, because the book was pretty blah most of the way through. Despite the dramatic-sounding premise, the writing was flat and the characters were just sort of there. However, I could see it as a guilty pleasure for some YA readers - it's a quick (and undemanding) read for sure.
The plot does take an unexpected turn toward the middle, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. If the characters and their relationships had felt better developed I think the plot shift could have been much more interesting. My blogger friend Lauren makes a great point in her review, which I hadn't thought of as I think I zoned into boredom while reading, but (BIG SPOILER under protection- beware)
This didn't feel triangle-y (if that's an issue for you).
Abbi Glines books are not for everyone but she has definitely written better books. If you haven't read anything of hers, this might not be the best book to start with.
Read more of my reviews on Check out my Or check out my
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
I've read Abbi Glines books before and they are a particular thing - very romance-y in an old-school romance novel way. And I can absolutely, definitely be up for some romantic melodrama, which is what the blurb made this book sound like. And as I read, I wished for melodrama, because the book was pretty blah most of the way through. Despite the dramatic-sounding premise, the writing was flat and the characters were just sort of there. However, I could see it as a guilty pleasure for some YA readers - it's a quick (and undemanding) read for sure.
The plot does take an unexpected turn toward the middle, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. If the characters and their relationships had felt better developed I think the plot shift could have been much more interesting. My blogger friend Lauren makes a great point in her review, which I hadn't thought of as I think I zoned into boredom while reading, but (BIG SPOILER under protection- beware)
This didn't feel triangle-y (if that's an issue for you).
Abbi Glines books are not for everyone but she has definitely written better books. If you haven't read anything of hers, this might not be the best book to start with.
Read more of my reviews on Check out my Or check out my
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
April 23, 2018
Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford have been together since they were six years old. On the night of their high school graduation they are in a terrible car accident that leaves one of them in a coma. The other does their best to visit everyday, but college is just around the corner and they have to make the decision to either move on together or apart. Vale comes from a large family and their support is very important to her. People come in and out Vale and Crawford's lives as they try to deal with the circumstances they are under. The most notable is Slate Allan, a friend to Vale's brother, Knox, whose reputation is not the most desirable. He reads sports magazines and has a heart of gold. Will Vale and Crawford be able to move forward together or is their life better apart?
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Let me say, this book held my attention from the very beginning. Vale is a very interesting character and you immediately want to be her friend and a part of her family. I read this book in 2 days. Wherever I went, I was reading it. There was a huge twist a little more than half way through the book, that made me yell and curse!!
This is a YA Romance book. The characters are all 21 or under and it made me feel a bit nostalgic. Took my back to my college days with roommates and friends all over campus. How much life changes when you get to college.
Vale and Crawford have a lot on their plates. The accident has changed them and made Vale, especially think about her life with and without Crawford. Everything has always been the way he wanted, even the college they both decided to go to was his idea. It's not too bad, though because her brother is there too.
Will this relationship last? Will the past 12 years of their life come to an end after this accident? Will they be able to push through and continue the relationship through college? Will Slate Allan be able to prove to the world what a great guy he is or will his reputation as a playboy be all that anyone will see?
This is the first book I have read by Abbi Glines, but it will not be my last. This book held and kept my attention from the very start until THE END!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Let me say, this book held my attention from the very beginning. Vale is a very interesting character and you immediately want to be her friend and a part of her family. I read this book in 2 days. Wherever I went, I was reading it. There was a huge twist a little more than half way through the book, that made me yell and curse!!
This is a YA Romance book. The characters are all 21 or under and it made me feel a bit nostalgic. Took my back to my college days with roommates and friends all over campus. How much life changes when you get to college.
Vale and Crawford have a lot on their plates. The accident has changed them and made Vale, especially think about her life with and without Crawford. Everything has always been the way he wanted, even the college they both decided to go to was his idea. It's not too bad, though because her brother is there too.
Will this relationship last? Will the past 12 years of their life come to an end after this accident? Will they be able to push through and continue the relationship through college? Will Slate Allan be able to prove to the world what a great guy he is or will his reputation as a playboy be all that anyone will see?
This is the first book I have read by Abbi Glines, but it will not be my last. This book held and kept my attention from the very start until THE END!!
July 12, 2018
RECENSIONE COMPLETA QUI:
Quando tutto sembra andare per il meglio, quando imbocchi la strada della felicità, quando le emozioni ti tolgono il respiro e senti il cuore battere all'impazzata, succede che la vita ti sorprende con un imprevisto e in un battito di ciglia ti toglie tutto ciò per cui hai sempre amato e lottato. Come può la vita regalarti tutto e poi strappartelo delle mani? Vale McKingley e il suo fidanzato Crawford hanno finito il liceo e si preparano per imboccare la strada dell'università. Un nuovo inizio per due innamorati che vogliono vivere e sentirsi invincibili. Ma un incidente stradale distrugge per sempre le loro vite. Da quella maledetta notte Crawford è in coma. Vale vive ogni giorno per andarlo a vedere e pregare che lui senta la sua voce e apra gli occhi. Desidera con tutto il suo cuore ritornare a sentirlo vicino, a sognare insieme e a progettare la loro vita insieme. Ma passano i mesi e Crawford non ha miglioramenti, finché un giorno Vale si scontra con Slate Allen. Slate è un bad boy, uno di quei ragazzi abituati ad avere le ragazze ai loro piedi. E' attraente, possiede quel genere di bellezza che ti fa girare per strada, ma a lei non importa. Il suo cuore appartiene a Crawford. Vale è spaventata, si sente sola e un po' persa. Ma deve andare avanti, deve continuare a vivere e inseguire i suoi sogni, non può rimanere bloccata in quel limbo. Giorno dopo giorno Vale e Slate si conoscono, si avvicinano, conoscono il proprio dolore. Vale si sente in colpa nei confronti di Crawford perché lui si trova in un letto di ospedale a lottare contro la vita e la morte e lei cerca di andare avanti, di godersi la vita fino in fondo, anche senza di lui. Ma la vita è in grado di sorprendere sempre e di rimescolare ancora una volta gli eventi.
Con il suo stile semplice e scorrevole Abbi Glines ci dona una storia difficile e vera delle circostanze della vita. Vale è un personaggio interessante. Mi è piaciuto entrare nei suoi drammi, la vita senza Crawford la spaventa perché con lui ha condiviso tutto fin dall'infanzia, senza di lui si sente persa. Ho provato il suo dolore, la sua angoscia, le sue difficoltà ad andare avanti. Vale scopre nel modo più duro che la vita può distruggere tutti i suoi piani, anche quelli pianificati nei minimi dettagli, ma la vita non può fermarsi lì, la vita scorre e deve cogliere l'attimo, deve vivere e amare intensamente, lottare e non arrendersi mai. Slate nonostante il suo essere donnaiolo, si è fatto amare fin dall'inizio. Appare come un ragazzo che fa di tutto per portarsi a letto una ragazza diversa ogni notte, ma nel profondo nasconde un cuore grande in grado di donare amore e affetto, in grado di consolare, di darti un motivo per non arrenderti. Abbi Glines è una delle autrici più importanti nel panorama del genere rosa che narra storie bellissime e romantiche. Ho sempre amato i suoi romanzi, ma "Quando tutto cambia" non mi è piaciuto molto, soprattutto nella seconda parte. E' il tipo di storia che ti fa immedesimare nei protagonisti e ti spinge a chiederti cosa faresti in una situazione simile e come affronteresti un determinato evento.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
Quando tutto sembra andare per il meglio, quando imbocchi la strada della felicità, quando le emozioni ti tolgono il respiro e senti il cuore battere all'impazzata, succede che la vita ti sorprende con un imprevisto e in un battito di ciglia ti toglie tutto ciò per cui hai sempre amato e lottato. Come può la vita regalarti tutto e poi strappartelo delle mani? Vale McKingley e il suo fidanzato Crawford hanno finito il liceo e si preparano per imboccare la strada dell'università. Un nuovo inizio per due innamorati che vogliono vivere e sentirsi invincibili. Ma un incidente stradale distrugge per sempre le loro vite. Da quella maledetta notte Crawford è in coma. Vale vive ogni giorno per andarlo a vedere e pregare che lui senta la sua voce e apra gli occhi. Desidera con tutto il suo cuore ritornare a sentirlo vicino, a sognare insieme e a progettare la loro vita insieme. Ma passano i mesi e Crawford non ha miglioramenti, finché un giorno Vale si scontra con Slate Allen. Slate è un bad boy, uno di quei ragazzi abituati ad avere le ragazze ai loro piedi. E' attraente, possiede quel genere di bellezza che ti fa girare per strada, ma a lei non importa. Il suo cuore appartiene a Crawford. Vale è spaventata, si sente sola e un po' persa. Ma deve andare avanti, deve continuare a vivere e inseguire i suoi sogni, non può rimanere bloccata in quel limbo. Giorno dopo giorno Vale e Slate si conoscono, si avvicinano, conoscono il proprio dolore. Vale si sente in colpa nei confronti di Crawford perché lui si trova in un letto di ospedale a lottare contro la vita e la morte e lei cerca di andare avanti, di godersi la vita fino in fondo, anche senza di lui. Ma la vita è in grado di sorprendere sempre e di rimescolare ancora una volta gli eventi.
Con il suo stile semplice e scorrevole Abbi Glines ci dona una storia difficile e vera delle circostanze della vita. Vale è un personaggio interessante. Mi è piaciuto entrare nei suoi drammi, la vita senza Crawford la spaventa perché con lui ha condiviso tutto fin dall'infanzia, senza di lui si sente persa. Ho provato il suo dolore, la sua angoscia, le sue difficoltà ad andare avanti. Vale scopre nel modo più duro che la vita può distruggere tutti i suoi piani, anche quelli pianificati nei minimi dettagli, ma la vita non può fermarsi lì, la vita scorre e deve cogliere l'attimo, deve vivere e amare intensamente, lottare e non arrendersi mai. Slate nonostante il suo essere donnaiolo, si è fatto amare fin dall'inizio. Appare come un ragazzo che fa di tutto per portarsi a letto una ragazza diversa ogni notte, ma nel profondo nasconde un cuore grande in grado di donare amore e affetto, in grado di consolare, di darti un motivo per non arrenderti. Abbi Glines è una delle autrici più importanti nel panorama del genere rosa che narra storie bellissime e romantiche. Ho sempre amato i suoi romanzi, ma "Quando tutto cambia" non mi è piaciuto molto, soprattutto nella seconda parte. E' il tipo di storia che ti fa immedesimare nei protagonisti e ti spinge a chiederti cosa faresti in una situazione simile e come affronteresti un determinato evento.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
May 18, 2020
This book set feminism back 50 years.
I hated basically everything about this one. Line after line of slut shaming and girl on girl hate. If a girl wears a skirt that’s short, she’s shallow. If a girl wants to sleep around, she’s shallow. And of course every single girl is instantly attracted to our love interest, Slate because he’s just sooooo dreamy.
But our main character, she’s not like other girls. Oh no, she was raised in a household with brothers so she doesn’t wear makeup as much as other girls. She doesn’t want to sleep around because she’s different, she’s above that. She CARES. I mean, really, gag me please.
There was a twist that came in halfway through this book that was so jarring and unexpected and it makes me so! angry! Because it basically makes the entirety of part 1 USELESS. So you’re telling me I read 150 pages of slut shaming and girl hate for it to contribute nothing to the second half of this book? As well as not one but TWO full blown sex scenes that made me want to bleach my eyeballs? Unreal.
Honestly, I cannot think of a single redeeming thing about this book. If you’re looking for a good YA contemporary that deals with grief don’t look here, because this ain’t it.
I hated basically everything about this one. Line after line of slut shaming and girl on girl hate. If a girl wears a skirt that’s short, she’s shallow. If a girl wants to sleep around, she’s shallow. And of course every single girl is instantly attracted to our love interest, Slate because he’s just sooooo dreamy.
But our main character, she’s not like other girls. Oh no, she was raised in a household with brothers so she doesn’t wear makeup as much as other girls. She doesn’t want to sleep around because she’s different, she’s above that. She CARES. I mean, really, gag me please.
There was a twist that came in halfway through this book that was so jarring and unexpected and it makes me so! angry! Because it basically makes the entirety of part 1 USELESS. So you’re telling me I read 150 pages of slut shaming and girl hate for it to contribute nothing to the second half of this book? As well as not one but TWO full blown sex scenes that made me want to bleach my eyeballs? Unreal.
Honestly, I cannot think of a single redeeming thing about this book. If you’re looking for a good YA contemporary that deals with grief don’t look here, because this ain’t it.
dnf
March 12, 2018I was already on the fence about whether to continue with this one, and now that I know the twist, I'm even more on the fence. But the thing really holding me back is the writing. It all seemed very surface, formulaic, and very tell-heavy. First impressions and excerpt video coming soon.
April 4, 2018
Well. Well. Well. What do we have here?
A book that I received as an eARC that I actually FINISHED the day it was released.
Hooray for me!
The accurate part of the synopsis: On the night of her high school graduation, Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford are in a terrible car accident that leaves Crawford in a coma. They were supposed to spend the summer planning for college, for a bright future full of possibility. Together. Instead, Vale spends long days in the hospital, hoping Crawford will awaken.
Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.
What did I think?
How bout a handy dandy list of pros and cons?
No? Well, you are going to get them anyway.
A list of "Yay's":
1. Quick read.
2. "Bad boy" hero.
3. A teensy, gigantic twist .
A list of "WHY DID YOU DO THIS?":
1. Too quick of a resolution, wrapped up in a lovely bow.
2. Not a terrible cover, but not a great one either.
3. The synopsis + the book? Not exactly accurate. Me no like.
At the end of the day, I did like this book. Why did I give it 3 stars? The resolution. It was too quick for me to justify giving it any higher of a rating.
Reader beware. Mostly YA, but has some NA moments.
Thank you to the publishers and those over at NetGalley for giving me an eARC of this book.
As She Fades is currently on sale at a retailer near you!
A book that I received as an eARC that I actually FINISHED the day it was released.
Hooray for me!
The accurate part of the synopsis: On the night of her high school graduation, Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford are in a terrible car accident that leaves Crawford in a coma. They were supposed to spend the summer planning for college, for a bright future full of possibility. Together. Instead, Vale spends long days in the hospital, hoping Crawford will awaken.
Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.
What did I think?
How bout a handy dandy list of pros and cons?
No? Well, you are going to get them anyway.
A list of "Yay's":
1. Quick read.
2. "Bad boy" hero.
3. A teensy, gigantic twist .
A list of "WHY DID YOU DO THIS?":
1. Too quick of a resolution, wrapped up in a lovely bow.
2. Not a terrible cover, but not a great one either.
3. The synopsis + the book? Not exactly accurate. Me no like.
At the end of the day, I did like this book. Why did I give it 3 stars? The resolution. It was too quick for me to justify giving it any higher of a rating.
Reader beware. Mostly YA, but has some NA moments.
Thank you to the publishers and those over at NetGalley for giving me an eARC of this book.
As She Fades is currently on sale at a retailer near you!
April 9, 2018
ARC from Netgalley
3.5 stars
Abbi Glines is an author who has been on my radar for years, but if you know anything about me, it’s that I am not one to give in to the the hype. If I don’t read a book before it’s released and there’s a lot of buzz surrounding it, it’ll probably be a good two years before I finally read it. When I saw the blurb for this book, though, I couldn’t resist it. Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t say this blurb is incredibly misleading (thought I can't tell you why without spoiling,) but I enjoyed it anyway.
Here is what I really liked about this book:
Crawford’s situation may have been serious, but there was a light-heartedness to this story that I wasn’t expecting.
Vale’s family � I loved that they were so close-knit, but that even her four overprotective brothers weren’t overdone. The family dynamic was so wonderful, and the love they had for each other leapt off the pages. Knox, especially was a standout character for me. He could be a bit overbearing, but he was quick to back off when Vale gave him the ‘I got this� vibe.
Slate � I really liked Slate’s character. He was the character who showed the most growth, and I thought the changes were credible, and I could see him becoming a better person throughout this story.
Uncle D � The man was a hoot, and it was clear he would do anything for his nephew. It really was his relationship with his uncle that showed us who Slate really was, and their scenes together made my heart melt.
The pacing � I really enjoyed this pacing. As She Fades was such a quick read, and I feel like the pacing was steady right up to the very end.
The twist � The twist here really worked for me. Because I’m a romantic, I like to think love transcends anything, and I love the idea behind this twist.
I did have a few issues with this book:
Catty females � Why are we not over this yet? Women are not nearly as clingy after one night stands as fiction would have you believe, and when someone has a reputation like Slate’s, they know the score going in and are unlikely to borderline stalk him afterwards. Let alone threaten his only female friend.
Crawford � There were a few things about his character that bothered me. First of all, he was the one driving when the accident occurred, but we never saw remorse or guilt from him, and while I know he wasn’t at fault because of the circumstances, I think it is still something that would have plagued him on some level.
Overall, I thought As She Fades was an enjoyable read, and I’ll be keeping my eye out for more from Abbi Glines in the future!
This review was originally posted on
3.5 stars
Abbi Glines is an author who has been on my radar for years, but if you know anything about me, it’s that I am not one to give in to the the hype. If I don’t read a book before it’s released and there’s a lot of buzz surrounding it, it’ll probably be a good two years before I finally read it. When I saw the blurb for this book, though, I couldn’t resist it. Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t say this blurb is incredibly misleading (thought I can't tell you why without spoiling,) but I enjoyed it anyway.
Here is what I really liked about this book:
Crawford’s situation may have been serious, but there was a light-heartedness to this story that I wasn’t expecting.
Vale’s family � I loved that they were so close-knit, but that even her four overprotective brothers weren’t overdone. The family dynamic was so wonderful, and the love they had for each other leapt off the pages. Knox, especially was a standout character for me. He could be a bit overbearing, but he was quick to back off when Vale gave him the ‘I got this� vibe.
Slate � I really liked Slate’s character. He was the character who showed the most growth, and I thought the changes were credible, and I could see him becoming a better person throughout this story.
Uncle D � The man was a hoot, and it was clear he would do anything for his nephew. It really was his relationship with his uncle that showed us who Slate really was, and their scenes together made my heart melt.
The pacing � I really enjoyed this pacing. As She Fades was such a quick read, and I feel like the pacing was steady right up to the very end.
The twist � The twist here really worked for me. Because I’m a romantic, I like to think love transcends anything, and I love the idea behind this twist.
I did have a few issues with this book:
Catty females � Why are we not over this yet? Women are not nearly as clingy after one night stands as fiction would have you believe, and when someone has a reputation like Slate’s, they know the score going in and are unlikely to borderline stalk him afterwards. Let alone threaten his only female friend.
Crawford � There were a few things about his character that bothered me. First of all, he was the one driving when the accident occurred, but we never saw remorse or guilt from him, and while I know he wasn’t at fault because of the circumstances, I think it is still something that would have plagued him on some level.
Overall, I thought As She Fades was an enjoyable read, and I’ll be keeping my eye out for more from Abbi Glines in the future!
This review was originally posted on
December 19, 2017
After reading the other reviews, I am glad I gave up on this book before the "major plot twist". It wouldn't have made sense to me and would have made the time I put into reading that much less worthwhile. I found the one-note main character very hard to relate to.
September 27, 2022
Efectiv nu am simtit nimic. Din descriere ma asteptam la ceva frumos si cu sentiment, si suferinta si regăsire. In schimb am gasit jurnalul unei adolescente, pentru că așa m-am simțit cand am citit. Mult prea simpla si abruptă in actiune, partea buna este ca se citeste suuuuper repede, gen daca stai de ea în 2 ore e gata. 😑🤐
April 6, 2018
This was just your cliche contemporary but I actually really enjoyed it and found if very fun!
April 1, 2023
rating: 3.5
ok first of all, i know the goodreads synopsis for this book currently describes it as YA... it's definitely New Adult. there are a few pretty descriptive sex scenes and several discussions about sex that are pretty vulgar.
anyway: thank you Macmillan for sharing an ARC of AS SHE FADES! here are my very honest thoughts. I have only read an ARC version so please let me know if anything I mention has been changed in the final copy.
this book was very entertaining and a wild ride... but definitely had some small problematic moments weaved in, basically. i read it in two sittings (the first 70 pages ish are pretty uneventful, so that was my first sitting. after that it got wild, and then by the time it gets kinda boring again, there are only about 50 pages to go so i just read all the way to the end), which definitely shows how addicting this book is.
some things this book did really well:
� AMAZING plot twist & great structure for the book considering the plot twist (pacing to build up to that plot twist was good- twist introduced at the just right spot. my only criticism is that the beginning chunk in the hospital was really long)
� addicting!!!
� though the relationships w/ the two love interests that vale has are both unhealthy imo, they're very entertaining! and *moments* can be swoonworthy, though as a whole, i would not swoon over these relationships...
� the occasional cheesiness/pettiness in this book (which comes naturally in any romance book w/ multiple love interests) makes it more interesting instead of getting annoying
some trigger warnings/more vague descriptions for the problematic things if you don't wanna be spoiled: invasive virginity questions, abusive relationship (controlling, kiss without consent + with physical restraining), slut shaming, praising mediocre men for doing basic relationship things, saying "OCD" as a personality trait, holding girls/guys to different standards in relationships
some problematic/annoying things (w/ spoilers)
ok first of all, i know the goodreads synopsis for this book currently describes it as YA... it's definitely New Adult. there are a few pretty descriptive sex scenes and several discussions about sex that are pretty vulgar.
anyway: thank you Macmillan for sharing an ARC of AS SHE FADES! here are my very honest thoughts. I have only read an ARC version so please let me know if anything I mention has been changed in the final copy.
this book was very entertaining and a wild ride... but definitely had some small problematic moments weaved in, basically. i read it in two sittings (the first 70 pages ish are pretty uneventful, so that was my first sitting. after that it got wild, and then by the time it gets kinda boring again, there are only about 50 pages to go so i just read all the way to the end), which definitely shows how addicting this book is.
some things this book did really well:
� AMAZING plot twist & great structure for the book considering the plot twist (pacing to build up to that plot twist was good- twist introduced at the just right spot. my only criticism is that the beginning chunk in the hospital was really long)
� addicting!!!
� though the relationships w/ the two love interests that vale has are both unhealthy imo, they're very entertaining! and *moments* can be swoonworthy, though as a whole, i would not swoon over these relationships...
� the occasional cheesiness/pettiness in this book (which comes naturally in any romance book w/ multiple love interests) makes it more interesting instead of getting annoying
some trigger warnings/more vague descriptions for the problematic things if you don't wanna be spoiled: invasive virginity questions, abusive relationship (controlling, kiss without consent + with physical restraining), slut shaming, praising mediocre men for doing basic relationship things, saying "OCD" as a personality trait, holding girls/guys to different standards in relationships
some problematic/annoying things (w/ spoilers)
April 2, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
I have now read 28 books by Abbi Glines, and I keep coming back to her, time after time, because she fills a certain reading need of mine. Though this book was a lot lower drama than her previous books, it still had many of Glines' signature elements, which never fail to delight me.
•Pro: One of my favorite things in this book was the family focus. Vale was the youngest of five, with four protective older brothers and loving, present parents. I really enjoyed my time with the McKinley family, and was glad Glines shared so many of their family moments with us. The way the Mckinley family welcomed Slate in his time of need tugged on my heartstrings, and I was happy knowing he had a support system.
•Pro: Slate was quite the interesting character. He had a reputation, but there was really so much more going on beneath that. Between his backstory and the lovely relationship he shared with his uncle, I really grew to like him a lot.
•Pro: Underneath it all, this was a story about self growth and the belief that we can grow and change. Vale had to face that she was not the same person she was before the accident, and after dealing with ill uncle, Slate realized that he wanted more from his relationships than he had in the past.
•Pro: After a traumatic event, many people will reevaluate their lives, and Vale recognized that her perfect relationship wasn't so perfect. I thought her struggle was very genuine and I was both happy and sad for her, when she reached her resolution
•Pro: The twist was interesting. I kept thinking back to the "before" part of the book, to look for clues. There are actually a lot of things I would discuss with you right now if this was book club, but since we have not all read the book I will just say, it was a very intriguing approach, which I enjoyed.
•Con: The ending seemed a little rushed. It was sweet, but everyone knows how greedy I am about endings.
•Pro: Glines made me feel a bunch of things, and I even cried a little. That's always something I am looking for when I read a book.
•Pro: I don't know if it was tongue-in-cheek or unintentional, but I think Glines acknowledged her love for odd names via a character in this book.
Overall: A touching journey of growth and change with a sweet romance and a surprising twist.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
| | | | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
I have now read 28 books by Abbi Glines, and I keep coming back to her, time after time, because she fills a certain reading need of mine. Though this book was a lot lower drama than her previous books, it still had many of Glines' signature elements, which never fail to delight me.
•Pro: One of my favorite things in this book was the family focus. Vale was the youngest of five, with four protective older brothers and loving, present parents. I really enjoyed my time with the McKinley family, and was glad Glines shared so many of their family moments with us. The way the Mckinley family welcomed Slate in his time of need tugged on my heartstrings, and I was happy knowing he had a support system.
•Pro: Slate was quite the interesting character. He had a reputation, but there was really so much more going on beneath that. Between his backstory and the lovely relationship he shared with his uncle, I really grew to like him a lot.
•Pro: Underneath it all, this was a story about self growth and the belief that we can grow and change. Vale had to face that she was not the same person she was before the accident, and after dealing with ill uncle, Slate realized that he wanted more from his relationships than he had in the past.
•Pro: After a traumatic event, many people will reevaluate their lives, and Vale recognized that her perfect relationship wasn't so perfect. I thought her struggle was very genuine and I was both happy and sad for her, when she reached her resolution
•Pro: The twist was interesting. I kept thinking back to the "before" part of the book, to look for clues. There are actually a lot of things I would discuss with you right now if this was book club, but since we have not all read the book I will just say, it was a very intriguing approach, which I enjoyed.
•Con: The ending seemed a little rushed. It was sweet, but everyone knows how greedy I am about endings.
•Pro: Glines made me feel a bunch of things, and I even cried a little. That's always something I am looking for when I read a book.
•Pro: I don't know if it was tongue-in-cheek or unintentional, but I think Glines acknowledged her love for odd names via a character in this book.
Overall: A touching journey of growth and change with a sweet romance and a surprising twist.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
| | | | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
March 26, 2018
"Everything was different now. I was lost. Alone. I didn't know how to find myself. I needed Crawford. Knox worrying about me liking the wrong guy was ridiculous. I loved Crawford and I had my entire life. A pretty smile and incredible eyes weren't going to change that. I wasn't shallow."...
Vale and Crawford met as children. From friendship to a plan of life long commitment. The whole world was before them. Until the night of graduation, when an accident leaves Crawford comatose.
Vale sits day after day, waiting and hoping for Crawford to wake up. She’s sure when he does they’ll just pick up where they left off, and live happily ever after.
Even though she makes a new friend, Slate, she keeps him at a distance. There is no one but Crawford in her heart. She has the support of her close family, but it’s not enough. College will have to wait. Life will be on hold until Crawford wakes up.
After a little convincing Vale sees she needs to go on with her life. Crawford would want her to wouldn’t he? Her feelings are a mass of confusion as Slate drifts in and out of her life. As she starts her new life away from home, in range of Slate. Will the girl she once was become a different woman? "As She Fades" from a teenager into an adult things change, as they do for all of us.
What happens in the aftermath of that accident? A plot twist I never saw coming. So unexpected, so clever!
This young adult novel was heartbreaking, and at the same time Vale is learning that life isn’t always what you plan it to be. I really liked Vale, and her family and friends. Great characters and a fitting end.
Thank you Abbi Glines, Netgalley, and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Vale and Crawford met as children. From friendship to a plan of life long commitment. The whole world was before them. Until the night of graduation, when an accident leaves Crawford comatose.
Vale sits day after day, waiting and hoping for Crawford to wake up. She’s sure when he does they’ll just pick up where they left off, and live happily ever after.
Even though she makes a new friend, Slate, she keeps him at a distance. There is no one but Crawford in her heart. She has the support of her close family, but it’s not enough. College will have to wait. Life will be on hold until Crawford wakes up.
After a little convincing Vale sees she needs to go on with her life. Crawford would want her to wouldn’t he? Her feelings are a mass of confusion as Slate drifts in and out of her life. As she starts her new life away from home, in range of Slate. Will the girl she once was become a different woman? "As She Fades" from a teenager into an adult things change, as they do for all of us.
What happens in the aftermath of that accident? A plot twist I never saw coming. So unexpected, so clever!
This young adult novel was heartbreaking, and at the same time Vale is learning that life isn’t always what you plan it to be. I really liked Vale, and her family and friends. Great characters and a fitting end.
Thank you Abbi Glines, Netgalley, and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
February 11, 2020
*5 Stars*
This book was awesome. I was really getting into the story, getting to know everyone, particularly Vale and Slate, and then it threw me for a huge loop. I really did not see that coming!
I really liked Vale. She had really great character development, and was easily likeable. Slate was also a character that had a lot of hidden depth, and was worth getting to know.
I can't really say much without giving away important parts of the storyline, so I'll just say I was hooked on this from the start, it kept me guessing, and I loved it.
Follow me on:
This book was awesome. I was really getting into the story, getting to know everyone, particularly Vale and Slate, and then it threw me for a huge loop. I really did not see that coming!
I really liked Vale. She had really great character development, and was easily likeable. Slate was also a character that had a lot of hidden depth, and was worth getting to know.
I can't really say much without giving away important parts of the storyline, so I'll just say I was hooked on this from the start, it kept me guessing, and I loved it.
Follow me on:
August 26, 2018
To see review click
I have taken sort of a sabbatical reading YA this month, and of course I broke the sabbatical by reading some puerile garbage.
To be fair, I would say that for the most part As She Fades is a fairly insipid YA/NA book. However, it has one dumb ass twist that I didn’t even really see as relevant to the book. It’s saving grace though was that it’s mercifully short.
Going into this one, I sort of knew that there was a high likelihood that I would hate it. While I have a penchant for contemporary romance, I know that there is a high likelihood for shit when I read it. Abi Glines books especially. I have her Field Party series on my shelves, but after the first one they have been sitting there collecting dust. But I figure one day I’ll get to them (i.e. sometimes I like reading trash).
As She Fades was a standalone that came out earlier in spring 2018, the blurb interested me because it sort of had a While You Were Sleeping storyline only turns out the book wasn’t like that.
First of all, the book relied heavily on exhausted tropes such as the “Mean Girl� “Man Whore with Heart of Gold� and “Squeaky Clean But Bad Boyfriend�
Can you say gag me?
To be fair, these tropes can be done correctly. Not that they’re often done correctly, but when done correctly it can make a story engaging. I wasn’t engaged when reading this. In fact, I just started skimming after awhile.
The general setup is weak at best. The blurb makes it seem like What’s-Hear-Face (Vale-I had to look that up) and Crawford had this amazing relationship. However, other than being told how in love Vale is with Crawford we really don’t see them interact. Even after the book gets sort of weird.
As for the obvious love interest Slate all I know is that he’s a man whore, has a dying uncle, and is named after a rock.
I just really didn’t care for this one. Even after reading it, I’m trying to figure out the purpose of that twist. It made half of the story irrelevant. I get having it in there for shock and awe and all that jazz, but what was the point other than that? It didn’t add to anything, it was only usually referenced in a sort of flippant fashion.
Sigh.
Was this the worst thing that I ever read? Hell no. It was bland and banal and stupid. There were also some mildly offensive things said in the book too. For example, at one point in the novel, the character gets a job at a Hooters type of restaurant and states that the outfit is offensive. She is told to suck it up and show her ass because she’ll get decent tips. And then the entire thing is dropped.
Okay, that’s not the dialogue verbatim, but that’s pretty much how the scene plays out. To say the least I was disgusted with the justification of this. Or for that matter why it was even included in there in the first place.
But again, I’ve read way worse YA. Which seriously has me wondering about the choices I’ve been making in my reading to be desensitized so much.
Regardless, I don’t recommend this one even as a guilty pleasure. It is poorly written, and quite honestly it sucks.
I have taken sort of a sabbatical reading YA this month, and of course I broke the sabbatical by reading some puerile garbage.
To be fair, I would say that for the most part As She Fades is a fairly insipid YA/NA book. However, it has one dumb ass twist that I didn’t even really see as relevant to the book. It’s saving grace though was that it’s mercifully short.
Going into this one, I sort of knew that there was a high likelihood that I would hate it. While I have a penchant for contemporary romance, I know that there is a high likelihood for shit when I read it. Abi Glines books especially. I have her Field Party series on my shelves, but after the first one they have been sitting there collecting dust. But I figure one day I’ll get to them (i.e. sometimes I like reading trash).
As She Fades was a standalone that came out earlier in spring 2018, the blurb interested me because it sort of had a While You Were Sleeping storyline only turns out the book wasn’t like that.
First of all, the book relied heavily on exhausted tropes such as the “Mean Girl� “Man Whore with Heart of Gold� and “Squeaky Clean But Bad Boyfriend�
Can you say gag me?
To be fair, these tropes can be done correctly. Not that they’re often done correctly, but when done correctly it can make a story engaging. I wasn’t engaged when reading this. In fact, I just started skimming after awhile.
The general setup is weak at best. The blurb makes it seem like What’s-Hear-Face (Vale-I had to look that up) and Crawford had this amazing relationship. However, other than being told how in love Vale is with Crawford we really don’t see them interact. Even after the book gets sort of weird.
As for the obvious love interest Slate all I know is that he’s a man whore, has a dying uncle, and is named after a rock.
I just really didn’t care for this one. Even after reading it, I’m trying to figure out the purpose of that twist. It made half of the story irrelevant. I get having it in there for shock and awe and all that jazz, but what was the point other than that? It didn’t add to anything, it was only usually referenced in a sort of flippant fashion.
Sigh.
Was this the worst thing that I ever read? Hell no. It was bland and banal and stupid. There were also some mildly offensive things said in the book too. For example, at one point in the novel, the character gets a job at a Hooters type of restaurant and states that the outfit is offensive. She is told to suck it up and show her ass because she’ll get decent tips. And then the entire thing is dropped.
Okay, that’s not the dialogue verbatim, but that’s pretty much how the scene plays out. To say the least I was disgusted with the justification of this. Or for that matter why it was even included in there in the first place.
But again, I’ve read way worse YA. Which seriously has me wondering about the choices I’ve been making in my reading to be desensitized so much.
Regardless, I don’t recommend this one even as a guilty pleasure. It is poorly written, and quite honestly it sucks.
September 7, 2018
The ‘big twist� in this book completely ruined the entire thing. I was so invested and interested until the second half of the book begun.
Biggest disappointment of 2018...
If you are curious you can read here:
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Biggest disappointment of 2018...
If you are curious you can read here:
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January 14, 2023
Cartea asta m-a cam luat prin surprindere prin direcția spre care a luat-o. Nu pot să spun mai nimic despre sinopsis pentru că o să vă dau spoiler și nu vreau asta.
Prima parte a cărții mi-a dat un vibe de “Gilmore Girls� și l-am asemănat pe Slade cu Logan. Toate astea fiind spuse, vă dați seama că mi-a plăcut destul de mult. Relația dintre personaje a fost ușor clișeică, dar tot mi-a plăcut să o descopăr pagină cu pagină.
În a doua parte întâmpinam o schimbare a situației, una pe care eu nu am prevăzut-o deloc și care m-a surpins. Și dacă mai sus vă spuneam că prima parte mi-a plăcut destul de mult, aici vă spun că nu m-a încântat prea tare. Povestea a fost cam grăbită și nu pot spune că am receptat aceleași sentimente de la personaje. Cred că ar fi meritat puțin mai multă atenție și această parte.
Per total, mi-a plăcut cartea si cred că ar fi primit nota maximă dacă s-ar fi pus mai mult accent și pe a doua jumătate a cărții.
Prima parte a cărții mi-a dat un vibe de “Gilmore Girls� și l-am asemănat pe Slade cu Logan. Toate astea fiind spuse, vă dați seama că mi-a plăcut destul de mult. Relația dintre personaje a fost ușor clișeică, dar tot mi-a plăcut să o descopăr pagină cu pagină.
În a doua parte întâmpinam o schimbare a situației, una pe care eu nu am prevăzut-o deloc și care m-a surpins. Și dacă mai sus vă spuneam că prima parte mi-a plăcut destul de mult, aici vă spun că nu m-a încântat prea tare. Povestea a fost cam grăbită și nu pot spune că am receptat aceleași sentimente de la personaje. Cred că ar fi meritat puțin mai multă atenție și această parte.
Per total, mi-a plăcut cartea si cred că ar fi primit nota maximă dacă s-ar fi pus mai mult accent și pe a doua jumătate a cărții.
Read
April 5, 2018As She Fades started out strong, but I’m sorry to say it faded for me about midway.
March 28, 2018
I was sent an advanced reader’s copy of this book by Pan Macmillan Australia in exchange for an honest review. This does not impact my thoughts on the book at all.
Okay, so I did like this book, Vale was a lovely main character, very sweet, she loved her family and her boyfriend, and was shattered when he became comatose after a tragic accident. I found myself feeling sad for her, but I’m glad she decided to do something for herself and allow herself to experience the whole university thing, I loved it when Vale was doing little things such as getting her first job and experiencing things, rather than just being doting by her boyfriend’s side whilst she waits for him to wake up; I agree, I don’t think Crawford would have wanted her to put her life on hold whilst he was recovering.
I liked the dynamic between Vale and her brothers, and I liked the scenes Vale shared with Charlie and Mae; both proved to be a comfort to Vale, I think.
I say, I think, because this is where things became slightly confusing � just after Vale and Slate (who when the reader met him, he was described as being a “slut�, which to be honest I didn’t think was necessary, but there you go), we embark into part 2 of the book, where everything gets flipped on it’s head.
To avoid spoilers, I won’t go into too much detail but everything I thought I knew about the story was flipped on it’s head, and I found it confusing, I was waiting for something to click and make sense but it just didn’t happen. The dramatic irony was definitley real though, and I only wish the story as it was in part one continued into part 2, because there were a lot of enjoyable parts � I loved the childhood innocence of Vales� nieces, who spied Slate and one of the Nurses making out in the hospital, it made for some chuckles in amongst the angst of Crawford being comatose. And I really was cheering for Vale when she realised that she needed to do things for herself, and I liked the fact that this constantly had me wondering what was happening, even if I ended it on a confusing note. The sudden switch in points of view were great though, it was interesting seeing things as Slate did, and it definitely slightly warmed me up to his character, and his thoughts and feelings regarding both Vale and his own ailing Uncle were quite effective at times. I just wish that part two didn’t take that confusing turn, as I’m still piecing together what might of happened.
All in all, although I found it confusing, it was a fast paced read that kept me wondering what was happening, at times I couldn’t put it down!
As She Fades is released on the 10th of April 2018, thank you again to Pan Macmillan Australia for the review copy.
Okay, so I did like this book, Vale was a lovely main character, very sweet, she loved her family and her boyfriend, and was shattered when he became comatose after a tragic accident. I found myself feeling sad for her, but I’m glad she decided to do something for herself and allow herself to experience the whole university thing, I loved it when Vale was doing little things such as getting her first job and experiencing things, rather than just being doting by her boyfriend’s side whilst she waits for him to wake up; I agree, I don’t think Crawford would have wanted her to put her life on hold whilst he was recovering.
I liked the dynamic between Vale and her brothers, and I liked the scenes Vale shared with Charlie and Mae; both proved to be a comfort to Vale, I think.
I say, I think, because this is where things became slightly confusing � just after Vale and Slate (who when the reader met him, he was described as being a “slut�, which to be honest I didn’t think was necessary, but there you go), we embark into part 2 of the book, where everything gets flipped on it’s head.
To avoid spoilers, I won’t go into too much detail but everything I thought I knew about the story was flipped on it’s head, and I found it confusing, I was waiting for something to click and make sense but it just didn’t happen. The dramatic irony was definitley real though, and I only wish the story as it was in part one continued into part 2, because there were a lot of enjoyable parts � I loved the childhood innocence of Vales� nieces, who spied Slate and one of the Nurses making out in the hospital, it made for some chuckles in amongst the angst of Crawford being comatose. And I really was cheering for Vale when she realised that she needed to do things for herself, and I liked the fact that this constantly had me wondering what was happening, even if I ended it on a confusing note. The sudden switch in points of view were great though, it was interesting seeing things as Slate did, and it definitely slightly warmed me up to his character, and his thoughts and feelings regarding both Vale and his own ailing Uncle were quite effective at times. I just wish that part two didn’t take that confusing turn, as I’m still piecing together what might of happened.
All in all, although I found it confusing, it was a fast paced read that kept me wondering what was happening, at times I couldn’t put it down!
As She Fades is released on the 10th of April 2018, thank you again to Pan Macmillan Australia for the review copy.
March 26, 2018
For a more in-depth review watch:
This book felt like a basic coming of age/going off to college book but the lack of character development and slut shaming with male chauvinism made this book disappointing.
We received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book felt like a basic coming of age/going off to college book but the lack of character development and slut shaming with male chauvinism made this book disappointing.
We received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2018
First off, I have to start with the fact that I am a big Abbi Glines fan which is why I read this book. I was so excited and couldn't wait to start. I read the blurb, and it made me even more excited. Car Crash, Coma and then the clincher Amnesia. My favorite things and again the fact Abbi Glines wrote it. The book started out great with the main characters being in a car accident and Vale and her boyfriend Crawford end up in hospital. Vale comes out fine but her boyfriend Crawford ends up in a coma. Vale sits by his bedside every day hoping for him to wake up - all summer, she has loved him since she was six years old. While in the hospital Vale meets Slate - her brother's frat buddy. The pair has a rocky start but eventually become friends and later when she decides to go to college, she starts to wonder that maybe she could have a relationship with Slate and that she should as everyone says to move forward from Crawford? Just as she's about to tell Slate, she loves him and vice versa, Part #2 happens. Now, this is where I was expecting Crawford to wake up and forget her, just as the blurb on the cover flap said would happen. But Guess what folks, THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. Instead, it was like a role reversal where we saw Vale in the coma, and Crawford just continued with his freaking life and cheated on Vale and was the complete opposite to what Vale was like. I freaking hated Crawford for this part, but I still had hope that maybe Slate would pop up somehow and that Vale could as she was about to in Part #1 end up with him. I would have enjoyed this book may be a bit more if the author had been honest with us in the beginning, as there is no reason I can see why the blurb had to be as misleading as it was. Abbi, we love you - people would have still read the book and enjoyed it like I would have. If you want a good New Adult book then this is for you, but I advise you DO NOT READ THE BLURB as it will only leave you feeling disappointed.
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