Hello
happy readers! I hope you had a great
weekend. I managed to listen to a cute
little audiobook in some of my down time at work so I call that a win. What I don't call a win is humidity so high
it set off some smoke detectors….yeah that happened. Fun.
Still I got to read/listen to my first book by Kasie West. I had the pleasure of getting to meet and
hang with her a couple years back. I've
had several of her books for a while always finding the covers and summary so
cute and adorable but always getting pushed back but now I have done it, I
started. The first book I went with was
my audiobook, By Your Side.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Locked
in the library for an entire long weekend.
This is what happens to Autumn when she makes a last minute run to the
bathroom before leaving with a group of friends. Trapped without any supplies or access to any
phones or computers as it snows outside and you realize you will be trapped for
the long holiday weekend. But she is not
alone. She finds Dax Miller, the school
loner and bad boy who did time in juvie and may be a druggie, is also in the
library this weekend. Autumn is convinced in the start that her
friends will realize she is missing and come back for her, especially Jeff the
guy she has a crush on and has been flirting back and forth with for a
while. But no one comes. Instead they have to make the most of their
time and try to live off the food left over in the fridge and maybe try to get
to know one another or at least that is Autumns now plan. But can the things learned in a long weekend
stuck together survive the library and being pulled into real life?
So
this caught my eye because come on stuck in a library….as a book lover it
sounds like an awesome idea. But as a
practical person I realize that it would suck because at least my library never
had the most comfy furniture, no food, and iffy comfort supplies so being
locked in not the best. Books….yes. Basic hygiene products and food…no. Add to it the cold and I'd have to say not a
dream location any longer. All things
Autumn, who isn't a huge book nerd, comes to realize as well. She also has another problem….she has anxiety
and doesn't have her medication and this is the definition of a stressful situation. I liked that Autumn was very down to Earth
and relatable. She has anxiety, which I think
was handled very well. She also reminded
me a lot of myself in that she doesn't feel comfortable in the spot light and
wants to please everyone hating the idea of someone not liking her, even if it
makes her uncomfortable to participate.
Dax
on the other hand does seem to enjoy the library and reading time. But Autumn is ready to get to know him. She finds many different things to try and
pass the time, from the TV in the break room with a couple of channels to the games
she comes up with. I loved it. I would have enjoyed some book related games
as well but you can't win them all.
Slowly she starts to understand Dax much better and sees he isn't what
everyone says. He is a very interesting
character and I wanted to help him in any small way.
"Possibilities are exciting and endless. Realities are final."
The
whole store doesn't take place in the library.
Half is library half is after. I
really enjoyed the library moments for sure but what happens after really upped
the game. There is a lot happening and
it would stress anyone out but to add that on to normal anxiety and it's a pot
at boiling point. Dax and Autumn can
both offer the other something they need.
Dax is so set on no commitment or friends but maybe Autumn has worked
her way in there. Autumn is so set on
making others happy she never thinks about her own wants and needs, maybe Dax
rubbed off on her a little too. The
story was very interesting for sure and I loved the slow build up of characters
and romance. Autumn and Dax are central
for sure but I loved seeing her friend group as well and how it functioned
nicely where you can have a large group but most of the times there is that one
best friend like Lisa. I could have
enjoyed a story completely set in the library but seeing the aftermath of
getting out really made things real.
All
and all this book was uber cute and I can't wait to dive into many more of my
Kasie West books. I highly recommend
it. If you have read her other books
which should I dive into next?
Until
next time…
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