Back To You by Annie Brewer

Back To You by Annie Brewer

★ ★☆☆☆

Two/five stars

I had such high expectations for this book. I’m friends with Annie on Goodreads and her reviews and updates always make me laugh, so I really wanted to like Back To You and give it an awesome, massive review. Unfortunately, I did not like this book, but it was ok. I really hate to say it, but it was almost cringe-worthy.

Just before I start, I just want to say that I don’t want to be mean! I’m just being honest. Constructive criticism, perhaps? I’m not being mean!

Ok, so I’ll start with the grammar and the writing. The writing was cringe worthy. It was forced and awkward. The dialogue was even worse! I was cringing! The writing started out fine, then the dialogue came in between Abby and Sarah and from then on, it just went downhill in my opinion. The other thing that annoyed me was the lack of contractions. Contractions are allowed. Do you know how frustrating it is to constantly read “I will”, “I do not”, “I have not”? Please, please, please use contractions! It was so annoying. Other than that, the writing wasn’t that bad, just really annoying.

Abby was alright. She wasn’t anything special, nor was she completely horrible. She was meh. She didn’t do anything for me. She was a weird character, very moody and indecisive. Her moods were really strange, like… she could get really angry over something small, but could be completely calm over something massive. *SPOILER* Like her best friend, Brooke and her boyfriend, Brady.

Brady. One word: asshat. I just… I didn’t like him, at all, right from the beginning, until the end.

Sarah was bipolar. I don’t mean to be rude or offensive when I say that, but seriously, she was crazy. Her moods were insane. One moment she was a loving younger sister…

She was a crazy bitch.

Sarah’s moods were giving me headaches! Honestly. She was jumping from one mood to the next instantaneously, without any warning what so ever. In the end she turned out to be alright, but really truly deep down, she was nuts.

Now… the love interest, Lucas. He was certainly interesting. Didn’t approve of Abby cheating on Brady, but didn’t really make any moves to stop her coming onto him. Lucas didn’t do much for me. He didn’t make me lust after him or anything. He was definitely a “meh” character.

Last but not least in the character department was Abby and Sarah’s mum. She was… weird; a very, very laid back mum, indeed. She was strict on some things, but also very lenient on others. She clearly had a favourite child too, and that was Abby. I have a pretty awesome mum, who I’m super comfortable with and would tell absolutely everything to, but Abby’s mum’s character was a little overboard.

There wasn’t really much of a plot. Okay, maybe I lie, there was one, but it was boring and not at all exciting. There weren’t any “Oh-my-god-edge-of-my-seat” moments or really depressing moments. The whole “plot” was “bleh”. (To put it in music terms, it had an unmoving, occasionally jumping melodic contour).

Okay. One thing that super-duper really annoyed me about this book was the singing. WHAT SINGING?! Abby is in the school choir and her dream is to be in Broadway musicals, but there was hardly anything about her singing. She wasn’t completely devoted to it and it didn’t consume her time. I’m in the Conservatorium of Music and I devote half of my time practicing violin and my life doesn’t even depend on it! Abby barely did anything singing wise. She skipped choir. I don’t even skip practice. Singing is Abby’s career choice and she hardly does anything about it in the book. Violin isn’t even my career choice (mostly) and my life revolves around it! And I’m 14! Sorry about the comparisons, but this “singing career” of Abby’s really annoyed the crap out of me.

The romance was also an issue with me. I wouldn’t even call it a “romance”. It was forced and ugly. I don’t know how Lucas did it; dating an already taken girl. That’s just messy. The relationship between the two was forced and moved very quickly. I understand that they had already dated and that they’d know each other for years and been through heaps together, but a relationship is different to a friendship, especially now that they are older. There are more things to… consider.

Overall, the book was alright. It was confusing and jumpy. It was definitely clear it was Brewer’s first book. I’ve asked for an ARC of Brewer’s second book, Choices, which I’m positive, will be so much better!

Sorry Annie, I really wish I enjoyed this so much more, but it just didn’t work with me. I hope I love the rest of your books so much more!