Title: Last Year's Mistake
Author: Gina Ciocca
Pub Date: June 9th, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Page Count: 256
Me and this book certainly had disagreements. And that's putting it lightly. Bluntly, I couldn't agree with anything or anyone in this novel. I found the relationships to be unhealthy and the characters in need of a dose of reality. - Nova @ Out of Time
Jeez, this book. I was very disappointed in the beginning and downright angry at the end. In my opinion, this is such an unrealistic and petty way of viewing romance and how a relationship should work. I'm not an expert, never having a boyfriend but let's talk about love for a second. Regardless if it's a significant other or family, it's still love and I think all of us have felt love sometime or other. Anyway, this book described love as "keeping your feeling quiet and then getting mad when the other person moves on." I don't know how many times it happened because it was more than once. Even worse! The book is told from past and present, meaning that while three years went by between the past and present - the characters continued to make the same mistakes and had no growth.
There is nothing cute about treating the person you "love" like shit and then getting angry when they get angry. I thought if you like someone, you tell them and ride off into the sunset [that or get your best friend and tubs of Ben and Jerry's.]
The main characters, Kelsey and David felt very stupid to me. Both of them were on awkward terms in the present because of something that went wrong a few summers ago. When we found out what went wrong, I can't say I'm surprised. While some might've expected a deep and heartbreaking reason, it was basically Kelsey making a stupid decision that hurt everyone.
In the "present," we're told that Kelsey's moved on, she's got friends and a great boyfriend. She's worked so hard for this and though I don't know why anyone wants to be friends with her. Kelsey likes to slut shame [her friend] but it's perfectly justifiable because she's... "jealous."When her friend shows interest in David it's like:
David is no better - playing hot and cold the entire time. They're both stringing each other along, being nice to each other sometimes and then for whatever reason, having a mood swing and stabbing the other in the back. David is also supposed to be really "nice" but he hung out with the people who bullied Kelsey even though he's her "best friend." If someone treated my best friend like shit, I know exactly whose side I would take.
Something else that really bothered me was how David used a girl to make Kelsey jealous. Near the end, he was dating this girl and Kelsey said, "don't date a girl to make me jealous." Obviously, David got defensive. A few days later, he'd gone to Kelsey [or she went to him - I forget] and they made up the last time. The girl he used was sent to oblivion, now dumped, she had no relevance to the story. And that bothered me. People got hurt because Kelsey and David couldn't just say, "I like you. We should date."
I don't recommend this book at all unless you're into this kind of stuff. However, checking Goodreads, I'm not the popular opinion so if you wanted to check this one out, go for it and then we can discuss!
Author: Gina Ciocca
Pub Date: June 9th, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Page Count: 256
Before:
Kelsey and David became best friends the summer before freshman year and were inseparable ever after. Until the night a misunderstanding turned Kelsey into the school joke, and everything around her crumbled—including her friendship with David. So when Kelsey's parents decided to move away, she couldn't wait to start over and leave the past behind. Except, David wasn't ready to let her go...
After:
Now it's senior year and Kelsey has a new group of friends, genuine popularity, and a hot boyfriend. Her life is perfect. That is, until David's family moves to town and he shakes up everything. Soon old feelings bubble to the surface and threaten to destroy Kelsey's second chance at happiness. The more time she spends with David, the more she realizes she never truly let him go. And maybe she never wants to.
Told in alternating sections, LAST YEAR'S MISTAKE is a charming and romantic debut about loving, leaving, and letting go.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Chapters Indigo
Me and this book certainly had disagreements. And that's putting it lightly. Bluntly, I couldn't agree with anything or anyone in this novel. I found the relationships to be unhealthy and the characters in need of a dose of reality. - Nova @ Out of Time
Jeez, this book. I was very disappointed in the beginning and downright angry at the end. In my opinion, this is such an unrealistic and petty way of viewing romance and how a relationship should work. I'm not an expert, never having a boyfriend but let's talk about love for a second. Regardless if it's a significant other or family, it's still love and I think all of us have felt love sometime or other. Anyway, this book described love as "keeping your feeling quiet and then getting mad when the other person moves on." I don't know how many times it happened because it was more than once. Even worse! The book is told from past and present, meaning that while three years went by between the past and present - the characters continued to make the same mistakes and had no growth.
There is nothing cute about treating the person you "love" like shit and then getting angry when they get angry. I thought if you like someone, you tell them and ride off into the sunset [that or get your best friend and tubs of Ben and Jerry's.]
The main characters, Kelsey and David felt very stupid to me. Both of them were on awkward terms in the present because of something that went wrong a few summers ago. When we found out what went wrong, I can't say I'm surprised. While some might've expected a deep and heartbreaking reason, it was basically Kelsey making a stupid decision that hurt everyone.
In the "present," we're told that Kelsey's moved on, she's got friends and a great boyfriend. She's worked so hard for this and though I don't know why anyone wants to be friends with her. Kelsey likes to slut shame [her friend] but it's perfectly justifiable because she's... "jealous."When her friend shows interest in David it's like:
David is no better - playing hot and cold the entire time. They're both stringing each other along, being nice to each other sometimes and then for whatever reason, having a mood swing and stabbing the other in the back. David is also supposed to be really "nice" but he hung out with the people who bullied Kelsey even though he's her "best friend." If someone treated my best friend like shit, I know exactly whose side I would take.
Something else that really bothered me was how David used a girl to make Kelsey jealous. Near the end, he was dating this girl and Kelsey said, "don't date a girl to make me jealous." Obviously, David got defensive. A few days later, he'd gone to Kelsey [or she went to him - I forget] and they made up the last time. The girl he used was sent to oblivion, now dumped, she had no relevance to the story. And that bothered me. People got hurt because Kelsey and David couldn't just say, "I like you. We should date."
I don't recommend this book at all unless you're into this kind of stuff. However, checking Goodreads, I'm not the popular opinion so if you wanted to check this one out, go for it and then we can discuss!
Gina Ciocca graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in English. She lives in Georgia with her family. Gina is a member of the writing and blogging group YA Misfits and you can find her online at WritersBlog-Gina.blogspot.com. Last Year’s Mistake is her first novel.
Gina Ciocca graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in English. She lives in Georgia with her family. Gina is a member of the writing and blogging group YA Misfits and you can find her online at WritersBlog-Gina.blogspot.com. Last Yea - See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Gina-Ciocca/474501842#sthash.e2RZLnpm.dpuf
I feel completely the same about this book as you. The amount of stupidity both main protagonists showed in this book astounded me. This is one of the worst "romance" novels I have ever read (I am not even sure if this deserves to be called a romace). Great review!
ReplyDeleteLucia @Reading Is My Breathing
So glad we can agree! And ugh, if this is romance i don't want a part in it
DeleteWow. OUCH. Haha, I think this is the harshest I've seen you get, Nova. If this book, this ONE BOOK, was able o make you blow up like this...no, thanks, I'll steer clear. Did I mention I love this review? <3
ReplyDeleteYou like Harsh Nova? Oh.... Meh, I'm usually not this angry but this book really messed with me because of its themes.
DeleteI had my doubts about picking this book up in the first place, but I think now I'm definitely going to avoid it. I'm not always huge on drama and romance-focused stories, so I like to be selective. I'm glad to hear your opinion on this, because Last Year's Mistake just seems like a story would infuriate me. I can understand your annoyance with the back and forth thing between the two main characters. You can't just use people, or even in this case, manipulate their lives to work to your benefit. Life doesn't work like that. I hate it when there's unnecessary drama or something like slut shaming used as a plot device just to push the story forward when there were so many alternatives. Loved the review though!:)
ReplyDeleteClaire @ Cover to Cover
It's awful because I know people do this horrible stuff but this book shows that they deserve love and not to be called out on their problems. That, I don't agree with.
DeleteI've seen so many not positive reviews on this one from other bloggers that I follow that I think I am just going to skip over this one completely. Books with unhealthy relationships are not something I enjoy, especially when the are marketed for Young Adult readers. Great Review Nova! (I love the GIFs!)
ReplyDeleteAmber ❤ The Book Bratz
Thank you Amber, and yes! The Mean Girls gif just worked so well!
DeleteI hate that kind of hot/cold drama. And romance that only ends up hurting other people in the process, just so you could be happy, is disgusting. Why. Why would you treat other people like trash. Ugh, nope, not touching this one. Thanks for the review, Nova!
ReplyDeleteI actually don't mind hot and cold if it has a purpose. When it's just to hurt people and cause drama, that's when I'm like, "i'm going to need y'all to step back."
DeleteWell, this sounds awful. But your gif usage was perfection! I don't like any of that nonsense- you just do NOT use people OR jerk people around and use their emotions as pawns. So wrong, all of it. I am most definitely going to be taking a pass on this book. Blech.
ReplyDeleteShannon @ It Starts At Midnight
Aw, Shannon you flatter me :P
DeleteI feel like that kind of message on characters who don't get ANY karma is awful. I get that it happens but it isn't what we should be broadcasting where it comes without consequence. I wouldn't want to live in a world with these characters :(
This book would have made me so angry had I read it!! I really hate stupid teenage "love stories" like this one. The characters sound absolutely insufferable. >.<
ReplyDeleteI hope your next read is much, much better, dear!
Nope. Sorry. I'm not into this kind of premise either. I'm not a fan of those hot and cold type of characters AND characters who slut shames. Great review Nova! And thanks so much for saving me =))
ReplyDelete