hello everyone! today i am going to be talking about now and when by Sara Bennett Wealer. i gave this book 4/5 stars. honestly, this was a decent book, there was somethings that were missing, or just needed more explaining. but, it was still a decent book. thank you so much Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an arc of this book.
trigger warning- cheating, self harm
first thing that needed more explanation was why Truman was such a bad person. like Skyler went on and on about how she hated him, and how can’t believe in the future she marries him. but, we never got told why or what he did to Skyler that made her hate him with a burning passion. like we only go told that he was this really smart guy and that he was in the debate team, and things like that. but, nothing that can really her hate him as much as she did.
but, i did find the whole app thing to be kind of cool. i mean, it adds a whole level of if this doesn’t happen, or this thing happens, it will majorly change the outcome of how your life is going to turn out. like, if she goes on a date with Eli, she might not get married to Truman, but if she goes to study with Truman, they are going to get married. and also just the fact that they could see themselves and each other as adults was kind of cool, in my mind.
there was also some cheating in this book that was no unnecessary. it was kind of like the second kissing booth movie where Joey King’s character is like i love Noah, but then she still kisses Marco. like that was exactly what happened in here. Skyler was like i love my boyfriend Eli, but i’m still gonna make out with Truman. and honestly i just hate cheating so much, it just made me so pissed. and it literally had nothing to do with the plot, in the grand scheme of things.
it also got super annoying because there was this part bout teenage pregnancy. and then Skyler was shaming people that get pregant when tehy are teenagers. like this whole thing just pissed me off, and i literally cannot stand when they slut shame or when they teen pregnancy shame in any book. and in here she went on and on about it, which just made me so mad.
there also was this part when they talk about how one of Skyler friends, went to the hospital since she was self harming. i know there are people on goodreads who think the rep is fine. but, i honestly didn’t like it. since, they literally brought no awareness to this, and they just used it when it was convenient to the plot, which is so annoying. and i only hate when they do that so much.
this book also gave me major back to the future vibes. that is probably one of my favorite movies of all time, so with this being kinda similiar to it, it was honestly pretty cool. and i honestly think this is a really cool modern way to look at these movies and make it where more teenagers can relate and like it.
the start of this books writing was also kind of shitty. like, as the book went on, it definitely got better, but the beginning it was kind of bad. which, at this point is kind of basic. but, i still really liked it, even if the writing was kind of questionable. and i guess it just took a bit for the author to come into her skin.
there was also no chemistry between Eli and Skyler. which, i mean at one point it is understandable, but it was still annoying. and i just found it kind of hard to think that these two are this stable and in love couple that has been together for a hot second if they have zero chemistry. like there has been far more characters in non romance books that have more chemistry.
there was also so much talk about the garden. which, to teach it’s own, it sounds okay and it’s important. but, then again it got to be kind of annoying. even if this whole part got to be kind of annoying. since, there was so much talk about this.
and i also thought the whole talk about prom was decent. like, it wasn’t even that bad, but it just got to be so much after awhile. it was honestly kind of cute how it ended though, and what happened in the last couple of pages. and i honestly really cute. especially how Eli asked her to go, that was kind of cute.
spoiler-
okay so there is this like almost sex scene, and basically they were at Skyler’s sisters apartment, and they were in the living room doing their thing. and the sister walks threw the front door, and i honestly don’t know how she doesn’t see them naked. cause, the only way she wouldn’t if there was a wall there, but i don’t even think there is, and she wasn’t like “why are you guys having sex on my couch?” which, to teach its own i guess.
end of spoiler
Skyler- overall, she was a decent character. she had points that she was kind of flat and boring, and definitely very predicable. she also had parts where she was annoying, but that is kind of normal for YA characters.
Eli- Eli was pretty much the basic prep kid. i mean, he was one of those basic preppy kids that we see in boarding school books, which isn’t a terrible thing. but, he didn’t have any chemistry with Skyler.
Truman- he wasn’t the worst character in the world, but also not the best. i mean, he was kind of sweet, but he was also into school it got to be annoying. and i mean, he did have some good mortals in the end of it all.
anyway, that is all for today! i honestly really liked this book, and i thought it was so cool. and i honestly really liked the whole back to the future and how it was kind of similar. but, i do wish there was more romance in this book, since it honestly didn’t have that much in my mind.
r.bookish 