A mad teenage drama with a plot as convoluted as Taming of the Shrew (which was adapted
excellently in the teen flick 10 Things I
Hate About You).
Seventeen-year-old Zoey Seever had three friends –
Alex, Wes and Skylar. She had a friends-to-lovers transition with Alex and then
dumped Alex rather cruelly despite knowing Alex had feelings for her. Alex and Wes
are now dating and the foursome has broken up. Skylar stuck with Zoey which
means that Zoey is left with just one friend. After dumping Alex, Zoey is on a love-‘em-and-leave-‘em
spree with all possible girls in their school. Skylar is as gay as Zoey. As a
part of going through all the girls, Zoey hooked up with someone Skylar liked. Despite
that, Skylar still stuck by Zoey and to make sure that there are no repeats, Skylar
looks for girls in other schools. Zoey’s very religious parents are not
accepting of her sexuality so she is out to them, but only kinda.
Skylar has been dating one Chelsea McDaniel for two months
and is really into her. Chelsea and Zoey went to middle school together and
were each other’s first kiss – something that Zoey decides not to share with
Skylar. Skylar plans to bring Chelsea to their prom, asking her to be her
girlfriend and has a hotel room booked for ‘later’. Except that when Skylar is
on her way to pick up Chelsea for the prom, Chelsea unceremoniously dumps her
via text messages. Chelsea was naïve and inexperienced Skylar’s first love, so
naturally, Skylar is devastated. Hurt and angry, Skylar wants Chelsea to
experience the same heartbreak and enlists hot bestie, Zoey, for help.
The plan: Zoey has to get involved with Chelsea and string
the latter along till Chelsea’s prom and then dump Chelsea on prom night. Zoey
reluctantly gets on-board this plan (still not telling Skylar that she knew
Chelsea way back when) and then proceeds to not stick to the plan.
Zoey is far, far, far from likeable. Right from the start. Especially
after knowing what she did to Alex and continues to do to her. It is amazing
that she with her reputation continues getting girls. Just how hot is she
supposed to be? Chelsea has a similar reputation – basically that she is an ass
with girls – in her school. She is also not too likeable, but Zoey is still
more not-likeable than Chelsea. Skylar, despite being coloured increasing
darker as the book proceeds, is strangely understandable in her
devastation-driven madness and bad choices and actions. The only nice character
in the whole book is Alex. She inspires a feeling of protectiveness and some
bit of character-crush.
Though individually Zoey and Chelsea are crap, their
chemistry is superb and together they are quite a readable couple. Every page
is high-octane drama perfectly capturing the turmoil-filled world of teens – an
age when everything is just so intense.
The build-up of the relationship between Zoey and Chelsea is excellently done.
This is a perfectly relatable and entertaining book for its target
audience of teenagers and young adults.
⭐⭐⭐
