This one started out not great for me. I struggled to get through it, even with some of the really good parts to it. While the story itself was interesting, and the characters were likable for the most part, I just struggled for some reason moving through it quickly. I did really enjoy the little group meetings they had every Friday night and the funny “minutes” they took at each meeting. The banter and snarky conversations also kept me going throughout the story as well. Liyah’s experience her freshman year of college is very similar to what mine was, and actually I was pleasantly surprised to hear that her reaction/coping mechanism was also similar to how I think I dealt with my own experience.

I just strugged a lot I think with the back and forth of their issues about the other one not really being interested. I feel like how hateful Liyah was to Daniel was a little over the top for what it was about, especially after he apologized to her. Even with knowing what part of her trauma was, it still was a little more than I felt was necessary.

There was a lot of good to the story though, great humor, friends, situations, and I loved all the parts about Chicago and of course the Field Museum where I set one of the first novels I attempted to write myself. So I think if it sounds like one you’d be interested in, you should give it a try, but if it doesn’t, then you might pass for now and come back when you have more time to fit it in.