[Review] The Weekend Bucket List - Mia Kerick

Summary: High school seniors Cady LaBrie and Cooper Murphy have yet to set one toe out of line—they’ve never stayed out all night or snuck into a movie, never gotten drunk or gone skinny-dipping. But they have each other, forty-eight hours before graduation, and a Weekend Bucket List.

There’s a lot riding on this one weekend, especially since Cady and Cooper have yet to admit, much less resolve, their confounding feelings for one another—feelings that prove even more difficult to discern when genial high school dropout Eli Stanley joins their epic adventure. But as the trio ticks through their bucket list, the questions they face shift toward something new: Must friendship play second fiddle to romance? Or can it be the ultimate prize? (Pub Date: Apr 19, 2018)

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

It's been a terrible senior year for Cady now he brother has been taken away because of drugs. Together with her best friend Cooper, she's always been the opposite of her twin and is now about to start college without having had any wild experiences. That's how their bucket list starts, and thanks to that they meet Eli, a handsome young man who seems to fit in perfectly in their duo. But his presence also makes things change and force them to deal with their impending separation for college.

This book was deep. A little too much for me, actually. I did like how Mia Kerick never seemed to think: this is not for YA. And I'm not talking about erotic scenes (there are none) or language. Just that YA books don't usually explore topics in such a realistic manner, in my opinion. But to be honest, that's also the safe ground I look when I get a YA book. Especially when the topic is two A-grade students going on a weekend of dares, I really don't want to reflect on stuff.

The second thing that made this not for me was exactly how introspective the book tended to be. There were many things happening but the characters kept going on stream-of-conscience mode. Not my thing, either. And much less what I was ready for when I read the summary, saw the cover, etc.

But you do notice all I said aren't flaws but just characteristics I wasn't into reading at the moment. At the same time I was thinking, "Not for me", I kept reading because I was amazed at the quality Mia Kerick offers in The Weekend Bucket List.

I must say this is a great book for actual teenagers to read. And probably those who work with them, as well. I can also see how the topics here present would give excellent discussions in a book club.

You should notice this story has LGBT characters. I admire a lot how Kerick approaches the bisexuality theme and also the coming-out topic. I won't spoil going further but do read this if you're interested. It'll be worthy of your time. It's not dramatic, but it's not simple either. Actually, I'd love to read a book of hers focusing on some LGBT theme, those have been in need of new ways to be explored.

Summing, I didn't have fun reading this book. As I said, it's not for me and nor I was into reading this type of story, but I'm sure this is a five-star to someone.

Rating: 3 out of 5.