Ask Again Later Review

Ask Again Later
Liz Czukas
HarperTeen
March 2014
4/5
Quotes: 
“It doesn't matter if it's the real world or fictional," I insisted. "Crushes are the best part of liking someone, and they are completely safe. You get all the benefits of fantasizing about someone, but none of the he-loves-me-he-loves-me-not drama. It's all the good parts with none of the parts that make you lie awake at night all angsty.” 
 “It was weird the way you could be friends with someone but not really know the ugly parts of their lives. We all had our secrets, I supposed.” 
 “If everybody jumped off a cliff, would you?”
"If there were a kick-ass party at the bottom of the cliff, I absolutely would.”
"God, you suck.” 

This was a cute and light read that is yet another YA book that I have no clue how I missed it when it first came out. This book won't be good for you if you're not big on predictable high school romance books, but it's perfect if that's something you really enjoy reading. I guess what I'm trying to say is that not everyone is going to like it, but it's ideal for those looking for some light end of the summer reading.

Her biological name might be Heart, but this teen has absolutely no interest in love. Her mom was only 18 when she had Heart's older brother, and 19 when she had her. After giving birth to her, she left her family shortly after. So Heart made a rule that she'd avoid relationships so she would never end up like her mother. Anyway, she ends up unsure of what to do when she has two guys asking her to prom. To decide, she flips a coin and gets to somehow live out both of these fantasies.

The characters in this book are absolutely fabulous. The most memorable is probably our hilarious narrator Heart, who is witty and charming all at once. None of the events that go down during prom would be as funny without Heart's voice. I really love how sassy and likable she is from the very first page. Another character that I found myself invested in was Ryan, one of the boys who asked her to prom. Ryan becomes a close friend to Heart throughout the novel and I love all his wisdom and hilarious moments. I also loved Chase, or Schroeder, as Heart calls him. He's also a smart and likable character and I was always eager to read any scenes that he appeared in. I'm going to talk more about him in the context of Heart (it's pretty impossible not to).

Heart and Chase have an adorable relationship, mostly due to the fact that it grows from friendship to more. The banter between them from the very first chapter is endearing and funny to read. For example, Heart calls him Schroeder since he reminds her of the Peanuts character due to the fact that he plays piano and has the same look. He calls her different body parts like Lung, Kidney, and Pancreas because of her name. It's a lot more adorable than it sounds, you just have to read it!

In short, I recommend this book because it can be read in just one sitting. It was a great read for me considering I've been reading such heavy books lately, this was a refreshing break from all of that. Sometimes reading a predictable and cute book is just what you need. I loved the authors witty and creative writing style and now I'm dying to read more of her work!