Tuesday, August 18, 2015

{REVIEW} 99 Days by Katie Cotugno

Title: 99 Days
Author: Katie Cotugno
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ★★ ish

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”


Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.


My Reaction/Thoughts:

Okay this really upsets me. I wanted to love this book. I wanted this to be my new favorite contemp because it was a total cover buy for me. This book is so adorable there was no way the inside wasn't as adorable. Boy was I wrong. I thought this book was going to be about facing your mistakes and owning up to them...not about repeating them! I honestly felt so torn reading the entire book. I was loving it, but hating it at the same time. I admit I was completely addicted to the plot and had to finish it all in a day just so I could find out what happened next, but I can't say I am satisfied with the outcome. I get that it's realistic and all that jazz, but for this novel I just craved a little bit more

I hated how Molly completely broke Patrick. Twice. The second was completely his fault because he was a completely douchenozzle 75% of the time, but I was just so desparately rooting for him to get his crap together! But nope. I honestly thought he was playing some sick game with her. And as for Gabe? Oh my sweet, Gabe, poor baby. He was so sweet and didn't deserve to get his heart stomped on. If you can see from my GR updates, I was so frustrated that she wouldn't just tell Gabe what was going on when it was still innocent.

Patrick was the worst. Let's just let that be clear right now. This guy had me feeling the biggest case of whiplash I've ever felt. I didn't know whether I should love him or hate him. In the end, I was just annoyed. In all Molly's memories Patrick is such a little brat that you have to wonder how she stayed with him for so long. He was so moody and Molly was comfortable with their bubble that I felt like maybe it was a good thing she cheated on him with Gabe just so she got out of that clearly unhealthy relationship. However, I was rooting for them a little. I felt like Patrick and Molly had some unfinished business and maybe they needed this to get their crap together and finally fix what they both broke. But like I said, Patrick gave me whiplash. He was so hot and cold! I mean this is the guy that treated Molly so poorly and was the biggest a-hole all because he "was trying not to lose her" WHAT EVEN?!

Gabe, on the other hand, was a joy. I really don't think he did any wrong. Yes, he shouldn't have made Molly out to just be something he had to win. but his true intentions were there. That was evident from the beginning. I just loved Gabe. He was so patient with Molly and truly a sweetheart. I loved this cutie pie.

This is so difficult for me because I honestly don't know how I should be feeling. I don't hate this book, but I didn't love it at all either.

I really enjoyed the writing though. I found myself really enjoying the way Cotugno wrote scenes or depicted the way Molly was feeling because I knew exactly what she meant. I could feel it too.

I did enjoy how Molly finally stood up for herself! It was long overdue and I am so proud of her. There was no way she deserved all the crap she went through. It is a double standard for girls and it sucks. She isn't the only one that made a mistake and it's completely ridiculous that she would leave town a year ago and only come back to still be a victim of so much torment!

My biggest problem was all the cheating! SO MUCH CHEATING!

I mean Molly is totally screwed up. She spends all her time either thinking about Patrick while she's with Gabe and comparing the two or just thinking back to memories she spent with Patrick. Clearly this girl has no idea what she even wants or feels. I was so confused right along with her. But did we really have to repeat history, but switch the two brothers? I wanted to bang my book against the wall just so the characters would maybe get some sense! They made the dumbest decisions that I can't even remember how many times I rolled my eyes behind its sockets.


I don't know...This book had good writing, good characters regardless of their stupidity but it just kind of feel like we went in a complete circle. We ended where we started. However, a little bit more accepting and wiser on Molly's part, so I suppose that's all that matters.


Is it strange that I actually kind of want a sequel? I want more Gabe!


1 comment:

  1. Hey Randee! I tagged you to do the Book Cover Guessing Challenge, you can see my post here! http://theoverflowingshelf.blogspot.com/2015/08/book-cover-guessing-challenge.html#more

    ReplyDelete