ARC Review: Very in Pieces

Very in Pieces by Megan Frazer Blakemore

Published by Harper Teen

Expected publication: September 29th

Source: Edelweiss

Goodreads Description:

Very Sales-Woodruff is done being a good girl. Done being the only responsible one in a family that’s unraveling. Done being the obliging girlfriend in a relationship that’s sinking. Done saying no to what she wants—like Dominic, her rebellious classmate.

With her mom’s drinking, her dad’s extended absences from home, and her younger sister, Ramona, running wild, the path Very has always seen for herself doesn’t seem to matter anymore. At the same time, Very’s grandmother, a poet known less for her work and more for her exploits with the likes of Andy Warhol and Arthur Miller, is slipping away.

If everything else can fall to pieces, why can’t she?

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This book felt like it was missing something. I don't think it was bad or anything, but I felt like it needed more growth from the characters. I wanted to know more about Very's sister, and it seemed to not be explored in great depth. This was still an entertaining YA read that I did like, just not love. The plot wasn't anything overly unique, but it still had a few creative characters. It just needed MORE for it to be an amazing and memorable book.

Very was a character who I didn't connect with in the way that I have with other YA main female characters lately. I'm not sure what it was exactly, I found her to be a little on the boring side. It did bother me how she automatically did what was expected of her, but I still understand why, and I liked that she gradually came out of her shell. Ramona is Very's little sister who I didn't really get. I felt like the author didn't resolve this character the way that she should have. The supporting characters also lacked character development, which I felt like was desperately needed. However, I did enjoy Very's Grandma, specifically, I enjoyed the relationship that her Grandma had with Very. I felt like it was a the perfect combination of both sad and sweet. All of Very's friends were forgettable and her boyfriend at the beginning of the book was so boring. I got that she was with him because he was a safety net for her, but come on! Even her parents (and especially her grandmother) could see that he wasn't the right guy for her. I didn't exactly get why he was included at all, but he did help Very to grow and see that a guy like Dominic is more of what she needs.

I'd like to forget completely about the relationship between Very and Christian since it was so dull and predictable. Which means I'm going to focus more on what happened between Dominic and Very. Dominic has a reputation at her high school for being a rebel and also a drug dealer. Regardless of what he is, Very is automatically drawn to him, and he starts appearing everywhere once she starts her senior year. I liked the romance between them because it built in a slow and real way. Yes, parts of it still moved kind of fast, but it still felt realistic to me. One thing I did dislike was how the relationship wasn't really resolved. Very was still hesitant to be with Dominic which rubbed me the wrong way. I felt like she cared too much about what other people thought, and that bothered me.

I liked the family dynamics in Very in Pieces. Some of the book wasn't so great for me, but it still was a fast paced read. I was just waiting for more of my questions to be answered, and it was disappointing for me when they weren't. Anyway, I think some YA fans will enjoy this one. It has it's positive and negative moments, but it is still an okay read.