Review: Since Forever Ago by Olivia Besse

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Since Forever Ago on 2014
Pages: 173
Read it as: eBook
My rating:
Check it out in Goodreads
Synopsis

Fresh off the heels of a devastating breakup, Riley Benson is a mess. But with her ingenious plan to become a ball-busting heartbreaker herself, she’s pretty sure she’ll survive. After all, what better way is there to get revenge than to move on?

Riley’s determined to become the perfect bachelorette—she’s going to drink like a bro, belch like a beast and swear so much that she’ll make even the most seasoned sailors blush. After all, those are the qualities that every guy’s secretly looking for…. aren’t they?

Max Fletcher is in love with the girl who gave him chicken pox and his first broken leg. When his best friend seems to finally be out of the picture, he can’t help but want to keep Riley all to himself. And, after coaching her with the very best of the very worst love advice, it seems as if he might actually get what he's wanted after all those years. But just as the two come to the realization that they're actually kind of perfect for each other, along comes a secret that threatens to tear them apart.

 

 

I checked the Goodreads reviews (after finishing the book), and I found that many people actually enjoyed this book. o.o. I’m gonna detail why I didn’t. For the record, I did keep the author’s warning in mind. She made a note saying her characters were intended to be immature and clueless because that’s how 21st year olds behave.

I swear I kept reminding myself this a lot of times.

Things that weren’t so bad:

• It is realistic, to some extent, I guess. Because, it’s true, people are complicated and make mistakes and sometimes are plain irrational. Not everything is a fairy tale.
• Um…

Things that were bad, bad, bad:

• The level of stupidity Riley, the MC features. -_- Riley had just broken off a very long relationship with her boyfriend because of his cheating on her. So, she was a bit rusty in the dating department. This is where Max swoops in and starts telling her advice on how to go around dating again: How to dress, how to speak, and what to talk about. Only, this advice is all horrible, and intended for her dates to be a disaster and for her to make a fool of herself.

Okay. So… she didn’t question this even once? Any sane person would’ve stopped to think at least twice, about burping in front of the guy they’re on a date with. Instead, Riley is like: “OMG! That’s so clever! It makes SO much sense.”

That’s not being clueless, that’s being stupid. That’s all.

• Riley needs a guy to be happy, which might be okay at the beginning, if the story showed us this is not the right way to go. Instead, it’s just cheating guys the ones who suck, but selfish friends are completely fine.
• CAPS. WE DON’T NEED CAPS TO KNOW SOMEONE IS SCREAMING! CAPS AND AN EXCLAMATION MARK IS REPETITIVE. YOU DON’T NEED CAPS!
• Crazy Internal talk. I think this book’s dialogue was. 50% characters talking to themselves, 40% Irrelevant dialogue, %10 cussing and  5% things we actually needed to know. See? Even my math has been messed up.
• Nonsense. I just don’t get why anyone would like Riley in the first place. See, I was reading, and trying very hard to not to roll my eyes so that I wouldn’t go blind, or pop an artery, when I really had to pause. I realized I couldn’t muster any pity for her boyfriend cheating on her. I seriously couldn’t. Her friend, Liz, I felt a pang of sadness for her, but Riley? Riley is bossy, irrational, obsessive, moody and manipulative. I can understand why Noah had ‘doubts’ about their relationship. This story’s MC needs some redeeming qualities.
• There were no serious consequences to these character’s drinking problems. They drank, and drank, and got wasted again and again, but the effects were short, and then they were all perfect and good to go.

Not for me, and I hope girls out there have enough judgement that when they read this book, they will not get the wrong idea and start having ideas of that because  moping around and pining for guys is ‘common’, it makes it normal.

I’ve always thought writers, due to the gift they have, also have a moral obligation, like film-makers, to deliver a story that teaches something. Some will be super preachy, with the message almost stated in the title, and others, you’ll have to dig deeper. But it has to be there. This one didn’t give that, and that’s what bothers me the most.

Like with all books I read, I don’t dive in hoping I’ll hate it. I do it hoping my mind will be blown away, and my heart shattered to pieces or be filled with hope and happiness, and fullfillment. But this book really didn’t do it, and I’m sorry.

 

 

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