REVIEW
I was hesitant to read this because, well, my life is full of awkward moments. That being said, I thought “Why not?” I have to admit, this book was slow for me. I couldn’t seem to get into it. It was well-written and kind of sweet, overall.
The first thing about this book that really stands out is the fact that I don’t know why it was written. The blurb made this sound like the stalker was a prominent part of the storyline. It really felt like a footnote. The awkward moments were there, but they felt downplayed. I didn’t laugh over the ridiculous situations, I didn’t feel angst about touchy situations. There were plenty of moments when the MC had anxiety over something, but that emotion frequently felt clinical and failed to cross to the reader. When a character has anxiety, I want to feel anxious, too. I want the depth of emotion to channel through, and it rarely did. The transitions occasionally felt kind of rough due to the fact that I’m pretty sure the scenes could have been fleshed out.
I’m not sure the author really understands anxiety. The one thing I was really excited about with this book is the fact that author tackles mental illness: something that is becoming more common, but still hard to find an MC that has one. Unfortunately, many of the descriptions of the MC’s emotions and reactions come across as extremely clinical and I don’t get the impression that we really know what she feels. The downplaying of the stalker by the MC is the hardest part to swallow. I just can’t imagine a person who has serious anxiety with a side of paranoia brushing this aside…not matter how much she’s trying to be independent.
Overall, this was a decent sweet-ish romance with some bit of conflict, but it was really underwhelming. I wanted more…more emotion, more description, more nuance. I gave it 3 stars because it is techinically well-done and because, despite the underwhelming descriptive and hook factors, the author does step outside the regular with her attempt at an MC with serious mental illness.
Twelve Months of Awkward Moments
Lisa Acerbo
Publication date: August 30th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
Dani can’t wait for senior year at college. A straight-A scholar whose anxiety is a daily struggle, being awkward, introverted, and studious has become a way of life. She vows this year will be different. It’s time to move beyond her comfort zone, but that’s not easy.
Dani’s wild roommate and handsome best friend hate each other; her crazy family won’t leave her alone; and a new job forces her to be social. Unfortunately, when college romance finally calls, Dani is unable to answer thanks to a stalker who has her all tied up.
Can she stay alive long enough to find love and graduate?
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Author Bio:
Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and adjunct faculty at the University of Phoenix. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, daughters, two dogs, and horse. When not writing, she mountain bikes, hikes, and tries to pursue some type of further education.
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