Thursday, February 20, 2014

Review: Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas



Title: Ask Again Later
Author:
Liz Czukas
Publisher: HarperTeen
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
Release Date: March 11, 2014

Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.

Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?

Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?

Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...


My Review

I have no idea why I decided to read Ask Again Later later, but I surprised myself by enjoying it quite a bit. It was completely different from what I expected, full of fun characters, and made me reminisce about my own high school days.

When I started Ask Again Later, I thought it was going to be some madcap adventure for Heart as she tries to bounce back and forth between her two prom dates. I figured that she wouldn't be able to tell either of her two dates no when they asked and would be forced to juggle them. You know, since it's a funny romance, and she's living out both dates? Nope, that's not how it is at all. After we meet Heart and the other characters, we get to experience what would happen in each scenario (depending on whether she chooses Ryan or Troy) through alternating chapters. When I got to the first "alternate" scene, I was like "Whuuuut?!?", but I liked seeing how things went down.

Heart herself was a very realistic teenager that I could imagine myself having known in high school. I hung out with a crowd that wasn't exactly popular, but we all had lots of friends. Ask Again Later made me think of something like that because it handled the things that went on before, during, and after prom very realistically. There's going to be drinking, kissing, and fights. Czukas tackled these in such a way that did not glamorize the behavior while not seeming disconnected from what teens do. (Teens do naughty things, and that's that.) I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I tell you that Ask Again Later is probably the most realistic-seeming young adult contemporary novel that I've read.

Ask Again Later also reminds me of those AWESOME teen movies from the late 90s/early 2000s. Okay, maybe the book seemed realistic because I was a teen during that time, but still, the book would make good visual entertainment. There were parts that reminded me of She's All That, Can't Hardly Wait, and similar ilk, and please trust that I say this as compliment to the novel.

Ask Again Later is an adorable book that will be perfect to curl up with now and especially during prom season. It is sweet, funny, and an absolute pleasure to read.

- 4/5 Stars -

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond



To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received an advance copy of the book briefly for reviewing purposes through Around the World ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review. The book was likely provided to the tour by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome of my review. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.

2 comments:

  1. Oh this one sounds fun! Not my normal kinda read but sometimes that's a refreshing change.

    And YES to those movies - love love love!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is nothing but pure rom-com fun. If you like those movies, you'll like this!

      Delete

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