Bethany Mangle

A rare example of the star rating being different from the review, here. I really liked seeing a disabled parent helping out their disabled teen! Oh, my own heart. I was just thrilled, and I felt somehow validated vicariously. I'm the only disabled one in my family. I don't have what the protagonist has, though. This book did make me laugh, and was written in an interesting way. It's also a standard romcom, -but- with a disabled teen as the protagonist. That was important to me. I understood why she made a lot of her decisions and I--I understood so much, I felt like. The way privilege and the lack of, was firmly addressed was -wonderful-. It was also such a pleasant surprise to see others pushing back on bullies, and getting different outcomes! Wow. Somehow, parts of me healed while reading this book. I had no idea that would happen and can't really explain how or what, except to say "This book made me feel better." I'm so glad it was written, and so glad I got to read it. I hope it's widely read and respected.… (meer)

TW: psychological and emotional abuse; parent death. Star and a half but barely. Years ago, I followed her on social media via a mutual, because she made me laugh. I was surprised when she made reference to writing a novel, and was so excited for her when this book popped up in my library's new releases. Ooh, the premise had me fascinated, and the reviews looked great too. This story wasn't what I thought it would be at all. I had imagined it something like "Armageddon Summer" by Bruce Coville and Jane Yolen, a YA apocalypse romance written in the 90s. This is a novel about a teenager under the control of her doomsday prepper hobbyist parents, who harbor various delusions and whose utter control of their children and worldviews breaks my heart. Becca starts out understandably bitter and angry at the whole world--she doesn't share her parents' beliefs, doesn't even like the guy they have arranged for her to marry, can't stand her younger sister, and has no friends. It took a bit for me to get used to everything. The world-building and pacing are jumbled, and it was hard to keep up at first.

The parents are military-level doomsday preppers as a -hobby-. It affects their financial situation severely, and pouring money into it is more important than their -children-. An insanely expensive, adrenaline-spiking hobby that they force their children to participate in where things could constantly end in serious injury or worse. They live in a community that supports their worldviews. There probably really are parents and communities like this, as much as I want to tell myself there aren't. It's because I've only met people like that in specific circumstances.

Becca hates everyone, then falls in love with the guy she's despised since their parents got them together because they're preppers. I disliked this, and quickly realized that's the whole point of this book: everything happens, but backwards and in a way that doesn't make sense. Like going from disliking her bratty sister who loves prepping, to being willing to sacrifice a full-ride scholarship for her because...why? The sister believes the prepping! Like magically getting into a fancy college -and- getting an unusual housing situation--okay, that -does- happen but it is way, way harder than the author makes it look and it's rare. It turns out the boyfriend doesn't like all this prepper stuff either, and somehow convinced everyone he's stupid. THE AUTHOR EXPECTED ME TO BELIEVE IT. And they get one friend, who's open and accepting after Becca hits her in the face, WITH NOT A LOT OF RECONCILIATION OR EXPLANATION OF WHAT DREW THEM TOGETHER. I didn't like the story development, either. Becca is a third parent to little sister Katie despite not liking her, then her dad gets into a crash and Becca is -fiercely- protective of her. WHY, BOOK, WHY? The mom is a cold-blooded monster who became a cartoon villain -fast-. I had to convince myself not to DNF at the 45% mark. I was gonna see how the book ended.

It got progressively implausible from there, and I shall not drive up my own blood pressure by describing everything. It could have been so much better with a few simple fixes, the main one being: 1. Have the dad get into the crash on the first page, which leads to 2. the mom getting massively into prepping which leads to 3. having indeed to work doubles as a nurse and be exhausted and arguing. She could have then wondered if she should have ever had kids because she never imagined being a single parent; which leads to 4. Becca having to become the third parent to Katie, who's suddenly more understandably into prepping and being so bratty and 5. Becca has grown up with Roy, doesn't really have time to notice him or is not interested until he is there after the dad's crash and helping her out, and commiserating about living in a prepper community when they don't believe in it and THAT WOULD BE SUCH A MORE INTERESTING, BELIEVABLE BOOK..… (meer)