Author: Lauren Spieller
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA contemporary
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Release date: 9/10/19
Synopsis:
“Sisters April and Jenn haven’t been close in years. Jenn’s too busy with school, the family antique shop, and her boyfriend, and April would rather play soccer and hang out with the boy next door.
But when April notices her older sister is sad about staying home for college, she decides to do something about it. The girls set off to revive a pact they made as kids: spend an epic day exploring the greatest hits of their childhood and all that Los Angeles has to offer.
Then April learns that Jenn has been keeping a secret that could rip their family—and their feuding parents—apart. With only one day to set things right, the sisters must decide if their relationship is worth saving, or if the truth will tear them apart for good.”
This book was so much fun and totally worth losing tons of sleep over! And no, that wasn’t sarcasm. I could hardly put this book down once I started it and I stayed up until VERY early in the morning devouring every addicting page. She’s the Worst is a lovely tale of two sisters that will keep you reading until you’re done.
The characters in this book were crafted masterfully. April and Jenn were both uniquely flawed and utterly human. The way their mind sets and feelings had developed from their toxic home environment were well written. It was interesting to see how these two girls, who were raised under the same roof, could become so. . . different in their understandings of the people in their family. I LOVE reading messy sister relationships in books and April and Jenn’s was no exception! When reading between their POVs it was impossible not to appreciate their individual voices (which WERE in fact distinguishable and different. There is nothing more frustrating than a book of dual POVs that have the same narrative throughout).
Oh, and I have a major crush on one of the side characters. Nate. The next door neighbor. I am a huge fan of friends to lovers romance/ boy next door romance and this one was so cute! It was sprinkled in and balanced with the plot perfectly. I couldn’t get enough of Nate and April’s adorable friendship bond.
The setting in this book brought the story to life. I felt completely transported into the sisters’ adventures throughout Los Angeles and all the unique spots they visited. From the family thrift store to an ice skating rink, She’s the Worst came alive in Los Angeles. It felt like I was there in the story getting to explore a city I’ve never been to, which is a feeling I love to get in contemporary novels.
My last note about this story is less positive (but not bad at all because, as you can see, I really enjoyed this story). I wanted to put it out there that if you aren’t a huge fan of miscommunication being used for the sake of plot you may not enjoy this book! It’s full of secrets, reveals, and characters not understanding each other’s actions. The development is crafted well but I wanted to include this note as I know some readers don’t love miscommunication in their stories.
Back to my gushing. . . THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE. I’m here for the messy sister relationship, LA adventure, and excellent writing. I’m still exhausted after staying up to finish this, BUT I have no regrets. There’s nothing like a good book to keep you up at night.
Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of She’s the Worst in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.
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