4.5 stars! A fantastic conclusion to a series that started off rocky, but became quickly awesome.
Wow, I was really looking forward to this last part in the series and I am not disappointed. Of course there were some things that I didn't like and that is why I didn't give it the full 5 stars. But I have to say that this one is the best one of the series. After a really disappointing first book, I was actually worried to continue with this series, but I found out that each book is from the POV of another friend (first was Tia, then Harper and now Kaye), of course stuff from the previous books pop up, as this is still a continuation on the previous stories, but at least it had different characters, which was a huge relief. And I can also honestly say that after finishing this series that I am liking Tia and Will more and more, unlike the first book where I didn't like them that much, especially Tia was one that I didn't like. Maybe I will reread the first book and see if I like it better now that I have seen the characters from other perspectives and found out more about them and their lives.
Now back to this last book. This one focusses on Kaye and Sawyer. Kaye our vice-president, long girlfriend of the terrible Aidan (sorry, never liked him, and after this book that dislike turned to hate), awesome cheerleader, great friend and overachiever (though that is mostly to blame to her parents (more on them later)). Kaye is a fantastic character and she felt truly real. Her struggles with her parents, her trials with Sawyer and Aidan, her insecurity about so many things. A lot of time I don't like characters who keep staying insecure, even if people tell them they are totally awesome and that they rock. But for some reason I only had a few times that I wanted to shake Kaye, other than that? I just felt sorry for the girl, and she did her best to improve, to see the world around her, to stand up for herself, to figure out where she stood. Kaye is really a terrific character and I truly liked her. Of course she makes some mistakes, things that she wish she could take back, but that is OK. It also made her see her life could be different, that her life didn't need to run perfectly.
I loved how she stood her ground with Aidan. I am glad that she finally had guts to do that, as Aidan was one manipulative little screw-up. I was just cheering and applauding when she just had the guts to say no, to say what she wanted to say and then just turn away. Go Girl! o/
Sawyer, I still remember that I didn't always like him from the first book, but as the books progress we see him change. I think out of all the characters he is the one to change the most. From a guy who is misunderstood, uses drugs and drinks, has sex (or at least hops from one girl to the next), he is now a guy who is trying his best in school, who tries his best doing what he loves, tries to earn money, he stopped with drinking and drugs, and he changed his diet (though he truly needs to do more research on that topic, as I am wondering how he is still alive if that is the only thing he eats). In this book we see even more of him, we see him at his most vulnerable, we find out more and more about his parents, about his life, and how he turned out to be what he was in the beginning of the series.
We also see even more of the sweet Sawyer that I love, the sweet and kind Sawyer who is acting all tough and secure, but is actually insecure, is worried and actually wishes to be with that one girl he has been looking forward to having as his girlfriend for several years. It was just adorable to see him like this and I was just sighing in happiness to see him open up, to find out more about Sawyer. Because Sawyer is truly my favourite character from this series now. He is funny, smart, great, sweet and adorable.
Kaye and Sawyer? I won't spoil anything, but let me just tell you that at times it will frustrate you (the drama!) but it will also make you swoon and sigh happily at the sweet moments.
Then we have the mom, dear Lord, what a horrendous bitch that woman is. At times I just wanted to shout at my book, shout at that piece of crap of a mother. Sorry for my language, but I hate people like this. Who expect everything to follow the lines they set, to follow everything, and then if their kid decides to do something else, get angry, put her down, burn her to the ground and make remarks that NO parent should EVER EVER make. The things she said to Kaye over the course of the book were disgusting. And not only to Kaye but also to Kaye's brother, to her husband, to frankly everyone who didn't meet her sky high standards.
And sure, she had a fucked-up youth, her family is gone, she lived in the slums and what ever more, but is that any reason to treat your kids like this? To treat them like shit and expecting them to do all kinds of things because you are worried they might just go the way you yourself prevented back when you were younger? You know, it is funny, from what I generally see, this kind of shit actually makes kids go do the wrong things, or make them more sneakier, and otherwise they will just wait until they are gone and out of the house. Do you want that? Do you want your kids to be so stressed and so scared around you? Because this is what you will get if you act this way.
I also hated that she would drive her KIDS to the slum she lived in. A fucking slum filled with drugs users, drugs dealers, prostitutes and God knows what else. She would endanger them to learn them a lesson. What the hell is wrong with you woman? That is not the way to teach your children. That just shows them you are one messed up woman.
And no I don't care what happened at the end, nice redeeming arc, but I wasn't interested in that woman by then and I don't believe for one bit that she would just do a 180 degree turnaround to change. :|
Aidan, I already didn't particularly like him, but this book. Dear Lord, what is wrong with that guy. Putting down Kaye constantly, or if she dared to score higher then him, dared to defy him, dared to be better than him, making rotten remarks. And then we find out other stuff about Aidan and I was just so disgusted with this guy. Of course I was pissed at Kaye as well for going along with this for so long, but as the book progressed I could see why she would stay with that guy. Still I wish she had just dumped him. No one deserves a guy who treats his girlfriend as shit. Who wants the woman to be lower than him on the scale, who wants a woman who will just nod and listen to him quietly without resistance. A woman he could just use. Sick. So very sick.
The dad, I didn't like him a lot, I found him too passive, and I while he spoke up quite a bit or tried to calm his wife, I am still not sure why they are together. Mismatch is one thing, but this was just weird and awkward. At times I was happy that he was there for Kaye, but the times where he was needed he often stayed quiet or just tried to calm his wife. :
Phew, now that is off my chest. The story was perfect, there was lots of swoony romance, lots of snarky remarks between Sawyer and Kaye, there was lots of friendship (it is so nice to see Tia and Harper again) and in overall it was just a fantastic and fun book that I really loved. The ending was perfect! I will be sure to add this book to my collection. And I would recommend this and the second book to everyone. Be sure to read this series! I will just keep hoping that maybe we will get some more books, just this time from the guy's point of view. I would love a Sawyer or a Will book. Or maybe a college book about our girls and their boyfriends! I want to see how everyone is doing!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/