What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton
"How can you talk about something you can’t remember?
Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (on the bottom of the pyramid, but still…) a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she finds herself on a ski lift next to hunky local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled. But Dax takes everything from Sid – including a lock of her perfect red curls – and she can’t remember any of it. Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she could just shake the nightmares, everything will be perfect. Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a story about moving on after the unthinkable happens." (Summary from goodreads)
Okay, I think I'm finally ready to sit down and write my review. To say I loved it might be a little bit of an understatement. Basically, I ran around for the last week telling anyone who so much as mentioned a book in my presence that they simply HAVE TO READ IT RIGHT NOW. That applies to anyone reading this review right now, DONT EVEN READ ANY FURTHER JUST GO OUT, PICK UP THIS BOOK, AND READ IT. RIGHT MEOW!
Now that that's out of my system let's talk about it's merits.
1) Sid is possibly one of the best "flawed" heroines I've read in a while. She isn't the type that's super beautiful but apparently is the only one who doesn't know it. She isn't extremely talented at something. She isn't super popular. She isn't wealthy. And that, rings a lot truer than many of your typical ya heroines.
1b) Sid is a redhead. I mean, I basically went through the whole book picturing her as Merida with an American accent and a Beyonce body. Whatevs.
2) All the other characters. Even the annoying popular girl who I would probably punch in the throat if I met her in real life.
3) Colleen Clayton's background as a social worker made this novel that deals with several very touchy subjects in a way that felt very, very real.
4) The romance. I'm not going to lie, it doesn't matter what a book's about the romance is my favorite part and Colleen did a magnificent job of writing a realistic, swoon inducing, NATURALLY DEVELOPING romance that had me going, "GOOD GOD WILL YOU TWO FIGURE IT OUT ALREADY?!" more than once.
4b) The fact that Corey didn't fix Sid. He helped Sid fix herself. I know, I know, you're sitting there going "Is there a difference?" You bet your bottom dollar there is. I don't think there's anything more annoying than a character who is "saved/fixed/whatever" by love. Thankfully that isn't the case here.
5) Now I have never been sexually assaulted, I can't even begin to fathom what a person who's been through a sexual assault feels like. But, I have felt ostracized and bullied and ugly because of my appearance. I have felt like "maybe if I was thinner", "maybe if I showed less cleavage" and so I really really related to a lot of the self image issues Sid suffers with after her encounter with Dax.
Basically, I just can't say enough good things about this book. It was poignant and heartbreaking. It made me laugh out loud and I'm not ashamed to say I cried... twice.
This is a book I will recommend to everyone and anyone.
