Ryn has one unread text message on her phone. And it’s been there for almost a year.
She hasn’t tried to read it. She can’t. She won’t. Because that one message is the last thing her best friend ever said to her before she died.
But as Ryn finds herself trapped in the Denver International Airport on New Year’s Eve thanks to a never-ending blizzard on the one-year anniversary of her best friend’s death, fate literally runs into her.
And his name is Xander.
When the two accidentally swap phones, Ryn and Xander are thrust into the chaos of an unforgettable all-night adventure, filled with charming and mysterious strangers, a secret New Year’s Eve bash, and a possible Illuminati conspiracy hidden within the Denver airport. But as the bizarre night continues, all Ryn can think about is that one unread text message. It follows her wherever she goes, because Ryn can’t get her brilliantly wild and free-spirited best friend out of her head.
Ryn can’t move on.
But tonight, for the first time ever, she’s trying. And maybe that’s a start. (Pub Date: Nov 28, 2017)
Review based on an ARC provided by Edelweiss. I also want to thank the publisher for giving me this opportunity.
As my first book by Brody, I had no idea how it was going to be. I just didn't expect to like it so much.
Ryn lost her best friend almost a year ago and still hasn't found the right way to grieve. Instead, she holds on the one unread message in her phone and keeps searching for answers to every random question that pops up into her head. Stranded at the Denver Airport during a snow storm on the day before the first anniversary, she meets Xander and a parade of unique people. They seem to get the closest anyone has ever been to making her move on.
This was lovely, both funny and emotional. I don't have enough words to describe how much I connected with Ryn's situation. Some times, it felt like I had really lost my best friend. I think Brody's win was to really focus on this instead of the same-old "love can cure any hurt"—we do have a plethora of cute romantic scenes too, don't worry. But as I said, the story also had funny moments, lots of them. She knew how to insert each of these moments in a way the book felt at the same time hilarious and heartbreaking.
The side characters aren't very believable but the whole situation of being stuck at an airport on new Year's Eve is so unusual that you don't question the chances. Brody's writing contributes to the idea of being sent into a parallel dimension, and it's so much fun even I wanted to be in the middle!
The only character that really bothered me was Lottie. She was Ryn's best friend, killed in a car accident, but Ryn can still hear her speak only to her. My problem was with how much Ryn idealized Lottie. I know it's part of the intention, but I still find it too much. It took me a while to warm up to Lottie thanks to that.
The part with the conspiracy theories in the airport was also distracting, making me wonder why the author and even some kid prodigy would waste time on that.
Aside from that, I wish we had a little more about Xander. In the end, I was left with a feeling something lacked. He could have received more depth. Aside from that, he was an okay book boyfriend. Not my type but not one I would ever hate. I'd say many readers will like him, in fact.
This is very recommended for book clubs, since the themes on grieving and family might generate nice discussion.
So yes, I really liked this book. You can see by how trivial my complaints are. I'm sure fans of contemporary YA will fall in love. I believe it should also please who enjoyed Before I Fall and If I Stay, since the storytelling reminded me of those. Brody's style really got me so I'm looking forward to more of her works.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
No comments:
Post a Comment