I want to thank Abrams for the chance to review this book. I absolutely adored it, and I hope my review gets you guys to preorder it ASAP!
Margot Wood is the founder of Epic Reads and has worked in marketing for more than a decade at publishing houses both big and small. Born and raised in Cincinnati, and a graduate of Emerson College, Wood now lives in Portland, Oregon and works in comic book publishing. She once appeared as an extra in the Love, Simon movie. You can find her online at margotwood.com.
A hilarious and vulnerable coming-of-age story about the thrilling new experiences––and missteps––of a girl's freshman year of college
Some students enter their freshman year of college knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Elliot McHugh is not one of those people. But picking a major is the last thing on Elliot’s mind when she’s too busy experiencing all that college has to offer—from dancing all night at off-campus parties, to testing her RA Rose’s patience, to making new friends, to having the best sex one can have on a twin-sized dorm room bed. But she may not be ready for the fallout when reality hits. When the sex she’s having isn’t that great. When finals creep up and smack her right in the face. Or when her roommate’s boyfriend turns out to be the biggest a-hole. Elliot may make epic mistakes, but if she’s honest with herself (and with you, dear reader), she may just find the person she wants to be. And maybe even fall in love in the process . . . Well, maybe.
Huge thanks to Abrams for the influencer box. My child ate the Cheez-It's before I could utter a word, so there that.
FRESH is a raw, realistic approach to one's freshman year in college and accurately portrays the struggles of a woman on the brink of adulthood while she struggles with school work, relationships, and finding her place in the world. The sarcastic narrator will reel you in if this super awesome cover doesn't.
What I loved most was Elliot's voice; her narration was both hilarious! She's such a mess, but she's a good mess. She makes mistakes, but learns from them and that's all we can ask for. Her view on the world gave her character the connection I needed. I'm a sarcastic person, so I related to Elliot on the deepest level.
Sex positivity is something I look for in books. As Elliot explores all avenues in relationships, we get someone who isn't afraid to express her sexuality and dismisses those who look at it in a negative light. She knows who she is, and is comfortable with it, but she grows so much as a person throughout this book. She goes from someone flippant about college and relationships to learning what it feels like to have a genuine connection both sexually and emotionally, and finding a mjor she's good at.
THere are hilarious footnotes on some of the pages. I know some people will be put-off by them, but I think it made my reading experience that much more fun.
OMG, so I'm from Boston so that upped the book to six stars. I'd be remiss if I failed to mention that my dog is also named Bugsy and I nearly screamed when I saw his name mentioned! He's my baby, and I just may send a photo of him so the author, so here's your heads up, Margot!
There is a trigger warning at the beginning of the book I have, but I'm not sure where it will be on the finished version. There is an instance of on-page sexual assault.
Overall, I enjoyed every second of this book, and I cannot WAIT to see what else the author has in store for us next.
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