Karen McCullah Lutz

Sometimes I totally forget how or why a book lands in my to-read pile. I usually only add books from trusted sources with pretty enthusiastic reviews.

I'd love to know who led me to this book because other than being a light book (which I like to read now and again). It was a really peculiar read that I can't really imagine who would have recommended to me.

It was decently well written - the characters were fairly fleshed out - but instead of feeling like a raunchy romp or what ever the author was intending - it felt sort of awkward and vaguely unsettling.

****SPOILER*****

There is a pretty strong sub-plot in this book about the main character (Zadie) - a high school English Teacher lusting after one of her seniors. I tried to accept this in the light hearted manner it was presented in - but really - it made me feel just icky.

The ante is upped later in the book when the protagonist actually acts on her desires. (but we are encouraged to accept that this is okay(?!?) because she finds out that he is 19)

ugh. I don't know. I kept thinking how if the gender was flipped this book would never have made it to print. How creepy and weird to have all these teachers and older adults leering over a student.

Anyway - the rest of the book fell flat for me. Zadie never resonated as sympathetic to me. I honestly felt so disconnected from all the characters that I really never felt invested in any of the story lines.… (meer)