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99 Days #1
99 Days
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.
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.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 21, 2015
810 people are currently reading
37488 people want to read
About the author
Katie Cotugno
23 books2,392 followersKatie Cotugno is the New York Times bestselling author of seven messy, complicated feminist YA love stories, as well as the adult novel Birds of California (Harper Perennial, 2022). She is also the co-author, with Candace Bushnell, of Rules for Being a Girl. Her books have been honored by the Junior Library Guild, the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, and the Kentucky Association of School Librarians, among others, and translated into more than fifteen languages. Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, The Mississippi Review, and Argestes, as well as many other literary magazines. She studied Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College and received her MFA in Fiction at Lesley University. She lives in Boston with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,795 reviews
February 4, 2016
I like complicated situations and characters. What I don't like are characters who continue to willfully hurt others over and over and over and over and over again--including the few innocent/nice bystanders--and who otherwise have absolutely zero interesting or redeeming qualities. The double standard of girls being judged for sleeping around when guys aren't is a valid point, but it's mostly lost in the shuffle when the main character is so incredibly, knowingly stupid and behaves in such devastatingly hurtful ways.
Nearly everyone in this book is a huge asshole who does shitty things to everyone else. You're upset people can't forgive you for your past mistakes? Then stop being a such an unforgivably selfish jerk to everyone around you. JFC.
A (n unsolicited) review copy was provided by the publisher. Two books, two strikes with this author, so it's safe to say I won't be trying this again.
Nearly everyone in this book is a huge asshole who does shitty things to everyone else. You're upset people can't forgive you for your past mistakes? Then stop being a such an unforgivably selfish jerk to everyone around you. JFC.
A (n unsolicited) review copy was provided by the publisher. Two books, two strikes with this author, so it's safe to say I won't be trying this again.
June 24, 2015
Gabe’s still got his palm on my knee. He squeezes a bit, then slides his hand farther over, fingertips picking at the seam on the inner thigh of my jeans.I would recommend this book if you're really into brother-brother love triangles, cheating, and repeatedly making the same mistakes. The only reason this book didn't receive a 1 from me is that it was well-written, the characters felt real, and I did have some serious sympathy for the main character initially. Halfway through, this all changed and I wanted to bash my head against the wall. You know the saying about learning from history? This never, ever happened in this book.
That’s when Patrick nudges his leg against mine. My breath comes fast and ragged all of a sudden, and I concentrate on slowing it down so nobody will hear.
The worst part is I can feel myself responding in other ways also, the low swoop of want in my stomach and the skin all over my body tightening up—and I don’t even know who I’m responding to. What is up with me, how messed up am I, that I think it might be both of them?
Cheating is a touchy issue. It's taboo, certainly, but people do make mistakes. The important thing is that mistakes should be a learning experience in order for the main character to be a better person. The main character in this book cheats. She suffers from the consequences, but she never expresses any true regret about the fact that she cheated. For her, the people involved are almost interchangeable. If one isn't available: go after the other one. Rinse, repeat. That is what I cannot forgive.
The main character is incredibly selfish, incredibly self-centered. Whatever sympathy I had (and I had a lot) for her disappeared in the second half of the book.
There is good reason to be sympathetic for 17-year old Molly. Her mom, a famous author, wrote a book about her. That would be an invasion of its own, but what's worse is that the book is about when Molly cheated on her boyfriend Patrick with his big brother, Gabe. Now Molly is the town pariah. She wears a scarlet letter. Everyone knows that she cheated. Everyone talks about her behind her back. There is outright antipathy towards her, notes left for her calling her a slut, and worse.
I think of the note on my windshield—dirty slut—and feel my skin prickle hotly, imagining everyone here somehow saw it, too, or wrote it or is thinking it even if they didn’t do either of those things. This is what it was like before I left. Julia once called my house phone and left a message, pretending to be from Planned Parenthood saying my STD test had come back positive.There is a definite sense of double standards here, because the other party in the affair, her boyfriend's big brother, doesn't get much negative attention at all.
“It feels unfair, though, right?” Gabe says. “I mean, if you’re a dirty slut, then I’m a dirty slut.”What bothers me about this is that, while Molly acknowledges she broke her childhood friend, her first love, her first boyfriend's heart...with his big brother, she never really truly feels bad about any of it.
“Patrick Donnelly?” she says, the affection palpable in her voice, the way you talk about your favorite song or movie or person. “Why, you know him?”Yes, she acknowledges that she broke his heart, but there is no real remorse. Her sadness is more due to the fact that she is hated by everyone more than anything dealing with the fact that she cheated. Once things go back to normal...once she begins to get back into her friend's good graces...she shows too clearly that cheaters will continue to cheat and a leopard can't change its stripes.
He was my best friend. He was my first love. I had sex with his big brother. I broke his fucking heart.
“You love me, and you care about me.” Patrick snorts. “Okay.”Molly continues to hurt people over and over and over again. She can't make up her mind.
“I do!” I protest, stung by the dismissal. “Why the hell else would I have done what I did with you all summer, huh? Why would I have risked hurting Gabe like that—?”
“I don’t know; why did you do it last time?” Patrick demands. “Because you like the attention. That’s what it is with you. You’re a poison, you want—”
And Gabe on her heels: “What’s going on?” he asks.This book was a mine of unexplored potential. It had such potential to be a fantastic book. I wanted to see more character development, the relationship between Molly and her mother, in particular. That could have been developed more than it did. Her mother is callous, not intentionally hurtful, but severely insensitive. I wanted to see more of them, and I didn't get much.
Patrick focuses his reply on his brother: “Why don’t you ask your girlfriend?” he suggests nastily. “And while you’re at it, why don’t you ask her what the fuck else she’s been doing, the whole time she’s been fucking you?”
“You’re my mom!” I counter, my voice cracking in a way that betrays all the nasty coldness I’ve spent the last year and a half cultivating, an ugly break in the shell. I shake my head, slam the coffeepot down on the counter hard enough I’m afraid it might shatter. “Or, like—you were supposed to be. You chose me, remember? That’s what you always said. But really you just wanted to sell me for parts.”What a waste of an interesting concept.
My mom blanches at that, or maybe I just want her to. “Molly—”
February 25, 2023
„I feel like the absolute worst person.“
You are.
You are.
June 2, 2015
2 stars!
I found this book through an ad that popped up when I was watching Pretty Little Liars and thought to myself, why not give it a try? It was on sale, I didn’t know what to read and because of the polarizing premise, I knew at the very least the story would keep my attention, a quality that’s very hard to find in books I read nowadays. And I was right – I was never bored but that ends the list of compliments I could ever give this book.
“He was my best friend. He was my first love. I had sex with his big brother. I broke his fucking heart.”
I have to make clear that love triangles and cheating don’t make me automatically blacklist a book and I’ve loved many stories with these sensitive themes if they’re done well. I went into this book with a very open mind and vowed to not cast judgment on any one character. Unfortunately, that noble idea of mine didn’t last long as I wanted to throat-punch literally EVERYONE by the first quarter of the book.
-The heroine Molly Barlow: the most indecisive, wishy-washy heroine I’ve EVER read. Compared to Kiera from Thoughtless (which I loved by the way) she’s 10 times worse. In the beginning I cut her some slack because she’s just a teen trying to find herself but this girl actively cheated. It’s like she’s wired to want the two brothers at the same time and having just one of them isn’t enough. For me, cheating books appeal to me only if I can tell the attraction is just dying to boil over, like the characters in question can’t help but be drawn to each other. But in this book, there was literally zero chemistry between Molly and either brother, which lead me to ask WHY did Molly even cheat on one brother with the other?
-Patrick Donnelly: Molly’s first love and the guy who got his heart broken. Not going to sugarcoat, the dude is an asshole. I get that Molly’s betrayal stings and probably turned him into a cynical guy but even when he was with her he was so aloof and from Molly’s memories, everything was not farting rainbows and unicorns. Like I mentioned before, I didn’t feel any chemistry or connection Molly had with either brother so I don’t even get why Molly was in a relationship with Patrick in the first place. I think if the author added more details about Molly and Patrick when they were younger and how they went from friends to a couple it would’ve made their connection much more believable.
-Gabe Donnelly: the black sheep of the Donnelly family, Patrick’s older brother, and the guy Molly slept with. With the author making Patrick sort of a jerk and Gabe a smooth-talking hottie, I think I was supposed to lean towards rooting for Gabe and Molly. Nope, didn’t happen. I flat-out hated Gabe. He knew how badly Molly was ostracized and tormented after them sleeping together came out, but what does he do? He goes after her once again the moment she returns to town, regardless of Molly’s feelings and what kind of backlash would occur. Selfish prick! >_<
Then there were side characters like Gabe and Patrick’s sister Julia Donnelly who wouldn’t stop torturing Molly and Molly’s mom who was the genius who told the whole world her daughter got involved with both Donnelly boys in the book she wrote...ugh I can’t even with these characters.
To an extent, the story did feel ‘real’ and it was definitely raw and ugly, thus I’m sure this is a story that will appeal to a certain group of readers. Usually that’s enough for me as well, but the big difference between this love triangle book and others that I’ve loved is that the characters’ choices were NOT made out of love for the heroine/family/others. They ALL did what they thought would hurt each other the most and would benefit themselves first. As a result, there was no emotional angst or real ‘love’ or that heavy inner turmoil that naturally comes with love triangle books in this story; instead, all I felt was annoyance and wishing the book would end already to put me out of my misery.
The only reason I’m not giving this just 1 star is because the writing is engaging and the book did keep my attention and that does count for something. I feel like most readers will either really, really love this book or really, really hate it – few will fall in the middle. Since I was close to murdering these characters, I’m definitely in the hate category. Anyone who decides to read this book, I salute you and wish you all the luck in the world ^_^
99 Days is a YA fiction standalone with a huge ass love triangle.
I found this book through an ad that popped up when I was watching Pretty Little Liars and thought to myself, why not give it a try? It was on sale, I didn’t know what to read and because of the polarizing premise, I knew at the very least the story would keep my attention, a quality that’s very hard to find in books I read nowadays. And I was right – I was never bored but that ends the list of compliments I could ever give this book.
“He was my best friend. He was my first love. I had sex with his big brother. I broke his fucking heart.”
I have to make clear that love triangles and cheating don’t make me automatically blacklist a book and I’ve loved many stories with these sensitive themes if they’re done well. I went into this book with a very open mind and vowed to not cast judgment on any one character. Unfortunately, that noble idea of mine didn’t last long as I wanted to throat-punch literally EVERYONE by the first quarter of the book.
-The heroine Molly Barlow: the most indecisive, wishy-washy heroine I’ve EVER read. Compared to Kiera from Thoughtless (which I loved by the way) she’s 10 times worse. In the beginning I cut her some slack because she’s just a teen trying to find herself but this girl actively cheated. It’s like she’s wired to want the two brothers at the same time and having just one of them isn’t enough. For me, cheating books appeal to me only if I can tell the attraction is just dying to boil over, like the characters in question can’t help but be drawn to each other. But in this book, there was literally zero chemistry between Molly and either brother, which lead me to ask WHY did Molly even cheat on one brother with the other?
-Patrick Donnelly: Molly’s first love and the guy who got his heart broken. Not going to sugarcoat, the dude is an asshole. I get that Molly’s betrayal stings and probably turned him into a cynical guy but even when he was with her he was so aloof and from Molly’s memories, everything was not farting rainbows and unicorns. Like I mentioned before, I didn’t feel any chemistry or connection Molly had with either brother so I don’t even get why Molly was in a relationship with Patrick in the first place. I think if the author added more details about Molly and Patrick when they were younger and how they went from friends to a couple it would’ve made their connection much more believable.
-Gabe Donnelly: the black sheep of the Donnelly family, Patrick’s older brother, and the guy Molly slept with. With the author making Patrick sort of a jerk and Gabe a smooth-talking hottie, I think I was supposed to lean towards rooting for Gabe and Molly. Nope, didn’t happen. I flat-out hated Gabe. He knew how badly Molly was ostracized and tormented after them sleeping together came out, but what does he do? He goes after her once again the moment she returns to town, regardless of Molly’s feelings and what kind of backlash would occur. Selfish prick! >_<
Then there were side characters like Gabe and Patrick’s sister Julia Donnelly who wouldn’t stop torturing Molly and Molly’s mom who was the genius who told the whole world her daughter got involved with both Donnelly boys in the book she wrote...ugh I can’t even with these characters.
To an extent, the story did feel ‘real’ and it was definitely raw and ugly, thus I’m sure this is a story that will appeal to a certain group of readers. Usually that’s enough for me as well, but the big difference between this love triangle book and others that I’ve loved is that the characters’ choices were NOT made out of love for the heroine/family/others. They ALL did what they thought would hurt each other the most and would benefit themselves first. As a result, there was no emotional angst or real ‘love’ or that heavy inner turmoil that naturally comes with love triangle books in this story; instead, all I felt was annoyance and wishing the book would end already to put me out of my misery.
The only reason I’m not giving this just 1 star is because the writing is engaging and the book did keep my attention and that does count for something. I feel like most readers will either really, really love this book or really, really hate it – few will fall in the middle. Since I was close to murdering these characters, I’m definitely in the hate category. Anyone who decides to read this book, I salute you and wish you all the luck in the world ^_^
99 Days is a YA fiction standalone with a huge ass love triangle.
April 24, 2015
*This review is ranty and will possibly contain spoilers.
Right off the bat, I need to tell you guys that Molly is an inconsiderate bitch . Half of the time I wished I could go into this book and teach this girl a lesson, because apparently, she can't learn from her mistakes on her own. She has to go prancing around and repeating the mistakes she's made before, and then throws herself a fucking pity party afterwards.
See, the whole town shunned her for sleeping with her boyfriend's brother. And when she's given the chance to clean her slate and start anew, she does it again! *slow claps* Really girl, you deserve a fucking award. You could say that the guy started it, but SHE COULD HAVE STOPPED HIM. But noooo. One guy isn't enough for this fabulous young creature here .
I mean, Gabe and Patrick are pretty okay as individual characters. Gabe was sweet (although some of his actions were questionable and didn't have any legitimate excuses) and he was a smooth-talker. Patrick was more of an angst-ridden character, but he had reasons to do what he did. But mix them up with the train-wreck that is Molly, all hell breaks loose.
Okay, now that I got that off my chest, let's talk about family. HA. Family. We all have misunderstandings with our parents, yeah? But what kind of mother would willingly turn her daughter's mistake into a public story that will obviously change the way people look at her for the worse? And what for, to get her name on the best-sellers list? She doesn't even feel the least bit sorry for sort-of ruining her daughter's social life.
Even if it did seem like I hate the book (okay, I did really hate the book), I totally respect Katie Cotugno for writing this . There are lessons to be learned, and important societal cliches that were tackled (although not necessarily dealt with), such as:
a.) When sexual issues are involved (aka cheating), females are more likely to be called "sluts", while men are set to roam around like nothing happened. Why? This was the case with Molly and Gabe at first, no matter how hard Gabe tried to convince Molly that they were both outcasts.
b.) In life, you're not given infinite chances. Some times too much is too much, and you just have to let go and accept what's given to you.
Overall, even if I couldn't appreciate what the book was trying to tell us, I think that a handful of romance readers will completely fall for this book and what it was written for.
***I received a free copy for review from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***
May 16, 2015
Review 2.0
WHAT THE CRAP I don't remember ever being so angry with a contemporary book I would have smash it if it wasn't in my kindle. I desperately wanted to love this book.
Oh god honestly....
Okay this book is about a girl who use to dates a guy, but ends up breaking up with him because she screwed up with his brother.
Now the synopsis makes it extremely intriguing right?
Like it got me into wondering
1) how will she resolve such a crisis
2) who is the guy she truly loves
Now DONT LET IT FOOL YOU
The plot is underdeveloped I swear... nothing literally seems to happen for like 99 days according to the chapters names. Personally I usually care less of the plots in contemporary , but one like bursted all anger concealed in me.
Okay "takes deep breath" LIKE BAD PLOT IS NOT BAD ENOUGH the characters are just pure agony.
Oh god the protagonist is the most boring and lamest protagonist I've read for such a long time... I just don't get how she manages to make TWO BOYS not one to fall in love with her. Given the fact that she is NOT EVEN NICE and has no "real" sense of humor. So Throughout the book I just kept an empty face of disgust, waiting for change.
Okay and Honestly I could deal with plain characters. But THROUGHOUT THE BOOK THERE WAS NO NO obvious character development. The protagonist (whom After all this time I still can't remember her name) REPEATS THE SAME DAMN MISTAKE. I WONT EVEN CALL THIS A SPOILER I MEAN I'D KNEW IT WAS COMING FROM PAGE 10 or SO. But most of all it was really her being such a distant voice that bugs me, as if in late 60% I felt as if I'm only reading to page 2.
As for her other two love interests I have no idea what to make of them. Given they had known each other for such a long time, I don't feel any chemistry between them at all but just LUST ALL OVER THE ROOM.
But overall IT WAS REALLY THE ENDING THAT ANNOYED ME THE MOST. Nothing nothing got resolved it's just after 99 days YOU DONT EVEN HAVE A DECENT (just a decent one would be fine) SOLUTION FOR YOUR MESSED UP PROBLEMS and for that I hereby declared my utmost hatred towards this book.
I have no idea how I even manage to finish this
The end.
I hope I did not offended anyone, as this is utterly from my own perspective.
WHAT THE CRAP I don't remember ever being so angry with a contemporary book I would have smash it if it wasn't in my kindle. I desperately wanted to love this book.
Oh god honestly....
Okay this book is about a girl who use to dates a guy, but ends up breaking up with him because she screwed up with his brother.
Now the synopsis makes it extremely intriguing right?
Like it got me into wondering
1) how will she resolve such a crisis
2) who is the guy she truly loves
Now DONT LET IT FOOL YOU
The plot is underdeveloped I swear... nothing literally seems to happen for like 99 days according to the chapters names. Personally I usually care less of the plots in contemporary , but one like bursted all anger concealed in me.
Okay "takes deep breath" LIKE BAD PLOT IS NOT BAD ENOUGH the characters are just pure agony.
Oh god the protagonist is the most boring and lamest protagonist I've read for such a long time... I just don't get how she manages to make TWO BOYS not one to fall in love with her. Given the fact that she is NOT EVEN NICE and has no "real" sense of humor. So Throughout the book I just kept an empty face of disgust, waiting for change.
Okay and Honestly I could deal with plain characters. But THROUGHOUT THE BOOK THERE WAS NO NO obvious character development. The protagonist (whom After all this time I still can't remember her name) REPEATS THE SAME DAMN MISTAKE. I WONT EVEN CALL THIS A SPOILER I MEAN I'D KNEW IT WAS COMING FROM PAGE 10 or SO. But most of all it was really her being such a distant voice that bugs me, as if in late 60% I felt as if I'm only reading to page 2.
As for her other two love interests I have no idea what to make of them. Given they had known each other for such a long time, I don't feel any chemistry between them at all but just LUST ALL OVER THE ROOM.
But overall IT WAS REALLY THE ENDING THAT ANNOYED ME THE MOST. Nothing nothing got resolved it's just after 99 days YOU DONT EVEN HAVE A DECENT (just a decent one would be fine) SOLUTION FOR YOUR MESSED UP PROBLEMS and for that I hereby declared my utmost hatred towards this book.
I have no idea how I even manage to finish this
The end.
I hope I did not offended anyone, as this is utterly from my own perspective.
October 7, 2019
The storyline and the major characters are all shades of effed up. Seriously. I wanted to slap Molly’s mom in the face a hundred times, Molly a hundred and fifty. I was yelling every creative curse I can at her for all the times she succumbed to her weaknesses, selfishness and indecisiveness. I wanted to kick Patrick’s head for being a jerk and for experimenting on power tripping. I wanted to smash his and Gabe’s heads together for their egotistical contests at the expense of a girl’s feelings although I’ll probably cure Gabe’s because he’s too sweet.
But I must confess that I just could not stop reading. Ms. Katie Cotugno’s writing has that pull on me. I remember feeling pretty much the same on her debut novel, How to Love. Like no matter how flawed her characters are, they find a way of creeping up to that soft part of my heart that wants to empathize and understand and in the end it did.
It takes more than one person to break a relationship and all these double standard on women are just too exhausting. I’m glad the author touched this issue. Girls are usually blamed as the seductress who deserve to be the social pariah but in the story, Molly never forced herself on the Donnelly brothers. Yes, she was hurt, young, weak and reckless and I’m not justifying her actions but she grew up with both brothers and all I’m saying is that it’s not so hard to understand she’d develop feelings for both and both the brothers for her. Why does she have to take all the blame?
Molly does realize she’s being a bitch and she paid dearly for it. It probably took her long to come to her senses but that’s the reality of life. People don’t come clean in a matter of just a few days, not even 99 days and this is why I’m cutting her some slack because everybody deserves a second chance, even a third and I’m glad Molly gets hers.
I believe the author is simply trying to put across the idea that just because people commit supposedly unacceptable things, they’re already bad people. These characters were simply messed up by their situations and their experiences and the author was able to realistically portray it.
This is definitely one of those books that reminded me I don’t have to fall in love with the story to appreciate it. Hats off to Ms. Cotugno for the great risk she took in writing this novel. It certainly paid off.
But I must confess that I just could not stop reading. Ms. Katie Cotugno’s writing has that pull on me. I remember feeling pretty much the same on her debut novel, How to Love. Like no matter how flawed her characters are, they find a way of creeping up to that soft part of my heart that wants to empathize and understand and in the end it did.
It takes more than one person to break a relationship and all these double standard on women are just too exhausting. I’m glad the author touched this issue. Girls are usually blamed as the seductress who deserve to be the social pariah but in the story, Molly never forced herself on the Donnelly brothers. Yes, she was hurt, young, weak and reckless and I’m not justifying her actions but she grew up with both brothers and all I’m saying is that it’s not so hard to understand she’d develop feelings for both and both the brothers for her. Why does she have to take all the blame?
Molly does realize she’s being a bitch and she paid dearly for it. It probably took her long to come to her senses but that’s the reality of life. People don’t come clean in a matter of just a few days, not even 99 days and this is why I’m cutting her some slack because everybody deserves a second chance, even a third and I’m glad Molly gets hers.
I believe the author is simply trying to put across the idea that just because people commit supposedly unacceptable things, they’re already bad people. These characters were simply messed up by their situations and their experiences and the author was able to realistically portray it.
This is definitely one of those books that reminded me I don’t have to fall in love with the story to appreciate it. Hats off to Ms. Cotugno for the great risk she took in writing this novel. It certainly paid off.
May 13, 2018
Re-read 5/11/18: 2015 Chelsea definitely had way stronger feelings about this one than 2018 Chelsea, lol. I still enjoyed this one a whole lot, it’s definitely one of the more realistic YA contemporaries that I’ve read. HOWEVER. This time I picked up on some weirdness re: fatness and it really turned me off. It was one of those “you’re not fat, you’re beautiful” moments that imply fat people aren’t beautiful and it made me headdesk real hard 🙄 buuuuut other than that I did really like the story at its core and I very much enjoyed my re-read.
Original read 9/17/15: Wow, okay. So I ended up really enjoying this. It deals a lot with cheating and families and I know that a lot of people didn't like this book BECAUSE of that, but I feel like it was pretty well handled. I mean, obviously cheating sucks and there's pretty much no way around that, but I feel like this book is a great demonstration of WHY it sucks so much to cheat on someone who loves you and all the people it affects. Idk. I really enjoyed this. I definitely think it's better than Katie Cotugno's other book and that it's worth checking out.
Original read 9/17/15: Wow, okay. So I ended up really enjoying this. It deals a lot with cheating and families and I know that a lot of people didn't like this book BECAUSE of that, but I feel like it was pretty well handled. I mean, obviously cheating sucks and there's pretty much no way around that, but I feel like this book is a great demonstration of WHY it sucks so much to cheat on someone who loves you and all the people it affects. Idk. I really enjoyed this. I definitely think it's better than Katie Cotugno's other book and that it's worth checking out.
December 30, 2015
I finished 99 days last night and I woke up this morning still thinking about it. I’m not going to lie, it’s a tough read, and I feel like people are either really going to love this or really going to hate this. Cheating is always a hard topic to really get into. But here’s the thing… while the cheating may be the catalyst to a lot of what happens in this story, it’s not really what it is about once you get to that final page.
Molly Barlow lives in the small town of Star Lake… she’s grown up with the Donnelly family, but one year ago she abruptly left to get away from the dirty looks, the people she used to call friends, and the gossip. Her mom did the unthinkable and took a secret she shared with her and turned it into a best-selling novel… The thing is, everyone was able to tell that story wasn’t all fiction… they knew it was about her.
I’m going to try to do this without spoiling anything so consider this your fair warning.
From the very beginning I found myself connecting with Molly… Not in the way that I could understand what she did, instead I could sympathize for her situation. I understood her feelings of betrayal, her sadness over the loss of her friends and ‘family’ and her heartbreak over losing the guy her life revolved around.
I think what Katie Cotugno does amazingly well is create real, flawed and layered characters…. She did it in How To Love, and she does it again here. Each one is crafted with such care and while you may not like the person she’s created, their actions and reactions feel completely real to me.
I’ll say it right now, Molly makes some really stupid choices in this story… but they aren’t off base. She’s only 18, she’s just finding her way in life, trying to figure out who she wants to be and what she wants to do and those stupid choices… they make sense. Believe me… I remember making ones just as stupid, and I don’t have the excuse of being young under my belt!
The relationships between the characters in this story were also really well done. When Molly left Star Lake, she also ditched out on her best friend… a friend who she didn’t contact for a full year, and when she returned she expected to just jump right back into that role with Imogen but things have changed and I wanted to dislike Imogen for how she was treating Molly, but I couldn’t and when Imogen finally tells her what it was like for her when she disappeared, I got it. What I really loved though, was that these two were able to move past it and rebuild that friendship and despite the things that Molly does wrong she’s able to accept her and advise her and be there for her when things crumble down.
Because they absolutely do crumble down.
Molly is in no way a saint or innocent in all of this, and yet Cotugno really builds on how people as a society tend to automatically think… blame the girl.
That was horribly frustrating to read because it’s sad that that’s what it comes down to. Gabe took barely any backlash from friends and family for what happened between him and Molly and yet she’s the one who gets tormented and teased and harassed. It’s a sad, yet accurate portrayal of typical reactions when this happens.
And the relationship between these boys. Patrick and Gabe seem to not have any love lost between them which is sad since they are brothers. But it was hard for me to tell if their issues stemmed from their feelings for Molly or if there was a larger issue at play here. Either way, it was really heartbreaking.
As far as the romance-y stuff. I have to say that I was really cheering for Gabe and Molly from the very beginning and that only got stronger as I continued to read. I have my reasons for this, and I know when you read you’ll see why. Gabe is super sweet and just wonderful with Molly (even though I don’t totally agree with something he admits to in the end) and even though there are all these reasons why they shouldn’t be together he isn’t shy about what he wants, but he never truly pressures her or pushes her into any decisions.
This book will go on my favorites shelf, right next to my copies of How To Love, once it’s released. Katie Cotugno is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for smart, complicated, stories that will challenge your feelings about tough topics and make you look at the whole picture dispite any preconceived feelings you might have about it.
Thank you to Balzer & Bray and Edelweiss for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
Molly Barlow lives in the small town of Star Lake… she’s grown up with the Donnelly family, but one year ago she abruptly left to get away from the dirty looks, the people she used to call friends, and the gossip. Her mom did the unthinkable and took a secret she shared with her and turned it into a best-selling novel… The thing is, everyone was able to tell that story wasn’t all fiction… they knew it was about her.
I’m going to try to do this without spoiling anything so consider this your fair warning.
From the very beginning I found myself connecting with Molly… Not in the way that I could understand what she did, instead I could sympathize for her situation. I understood her feelings of betrayal, her sadness over the loss of her friends and ‘family’ and her heartbreak over losing the guy her life revolved around.
I think what Katie Cotugno does amazingly well is create real, flawed and layered characters…. She did it in How To Love, and she does it again here. Each one is crafted with such care and while you may not like the person she’s created, their actions and reactions feel completely real to me.
I’ll say it right now, Molly makes some really stupid choices in this story… but they aren’t off base. She’s only 18, she’s just finding her way in life, trying to figure out who she wants to be and what she wants to do and those stupid choices… they make sense. Believe me… I remember making ones just as stupid, and I don’t have the excuse of being young under my belt!
The relationships between the characters in this story were also really well done. When Molly left Star Lake, she also ditched out on her best friend… a friend who she didn’t contact for a full year, and when she returned she expected to just jump right back into that role with Imogen but things have changed and I wanted to dislike Imogen for how she was treating Molly, but I couldn’t and when Imogen finally tells her what it was like for her when she disappeared, I got it. What I really loved though, was that these two were able to move past it and rebuild that friendship and despite the things that Molly does wrong she’s able to accept her and advise her and be there for her when things crumble down.
Because they absolutely do crumble down.
Molly is in no way a saint or innocent in all of this, and yet Cotugno really builds on how people as a society tend to automatically think… blame the girl.
That was horribly frustrating to read because it’s sad that that’s what it comes down to. Gabe took barely any backlash from friends and family for what happened between him and Molly and yet she’s the one who gets tormented and teased and harassed. It’s a sad, yet accurate portrayal of typical reactions when this happens.
And the relationship between these boys. Patrick and Gabe seem to not have any love lost between them which is sad since they are brothers. But it was hard for me to tell if their issues stemmed from their feelings for Molly or if there was a larger issue at play here. Either way, it was really heartbreaking.
As far as the romance-y stuff. I have to say that I was really cheering for Gabe and Molly from the very beginning and that only got stronger as I continued to read. I have my reasons for this, and I know when you read you’ll see why. Gabe is super sweet and just wonderful with Molly (even though I don’t totally agree with something he admits to in the end) and even though there are all these reasons why they shouldn’t be together he isn’t shy about what he wants, but he never truly pressures her or pushes her into any decisions.
This book will go on my favorites shelf, right next to my copies of How To Love, once it’s released. Katie Cotugno is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for smart, complicated, stories that will challenge your feelings about tough topics and make you look at the whole picture dispite any preconceived feelings you might have about it.
Thank you to Balzer & Bray and Edelweiss for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
September 21, 2020
I don't even know what to say about this book.
Was the main character a dumb bitch? 100%
Were the love interests the worst? Yes for sure
But was it a bad read? No...?
Was the main character a dumb bitch? 100%
Were the love interests the worst? Yes for sure
But was it a bad read? No...?
August 28, 2017
Look, I enjoyed HOW TO LOVE, Katie Cotugno's debut novel last year. I thought it was original, a complex blend of ya and new adult with real life issues and solid writing. There's gonna be a LOT of spoilers happening in this post.
What the flying frak happened here?
Let's start with Molly. Molly comes home (aptly titled Day 1) and her house gets egged by her former boyfriend, Patrick's, sister Julia. Well, no big shock there. Molly did break apart Julia's family by sleeping with Julia and Patrick's older brother, Gabe.
This is NOT how you keep it in the family, my friends. You're doing it wrong.
But we do learn that Molly was outed because her NYT bestselling mom wrote a book about her daughter and her torrid affair with one brother behind the other brother's back. And then gave an interview with People magazine saying it was BASED ON HER DAUGHTER. Mom of the Year right here, guys!
So Molly comes back to town and decides to hunt down former bestie Imogen who she basically blew off after the scandal hit and she fled town, but now that Molly's back and Netflix and RedVines aren't cutting it socially, she goes to see if Imogen will rekindle their friendship.
Imogen? Not exactly rolling out the welcome mat for Molly, but who can blame her. As Molly leaves, who does she see? GABE.
Cue epic sobfest as she breaks down on Main Street in Gabe's arms. But he's all, "There, there Molly. Come to a party with me!"
And she's all, "I can't show my face! I'm hated by all!" *sobs*
But he convinces her to come. And she goes to the party and sees people she grew up with. Including, Patrick. You know, her first love? Gabe's little brother? The guy they both d*cked over?
Patrick is infuriated and amazed that they could show their faces (which, to be fair, Molly thought Patrick was gone for the summer, but big bro Gabe knew Patrick was back and might be at the party - it's like the Manson Family reunion up in here). Molly runs away. Literally. Runs. She runs a lot in this book, enough to make me think she should buy stock in Nike.
It's here where I started to lose all interest in this disaster of a book. Here's the highlights:
Molly befriends Tess, Patrick's new girlfriend.
Gabe and Molly rekindle their forbidden love.
Molly decides it would now be in her best interest to hook up with Patrick (thus stabbing Tess in the back and giving Gabe a taste of his own medicine).
But it's OK! Because Gabe admits that really he just wanted what Patrick had back when he and Molly hooked up behind baby bro's back.
Oh, hold on. Except now he has actual feelings for Molly. So maybe there's hope?
And no one writing this review gives a crap about Molly's feelings.
What the flying frak happened here?
Let's start with Molly. Molly comes home (aptly titled Day 1) and her house gets egged by her former boyfriend, Patrick's, sister Julia. Well, no big shock there. Molly did break apart Julia's family by sleeping with Julia and Patrick's older brother, Gabe.
This is NOT how you keep it in the family, my friends. You're doing it wrong.
But we do learn that Molly was outed because her NYT bestselling mom wrote a book about her daughter and her torrid affair with one brother behind the other brother's back. And then gave an interview with People magazine saying it was BASED ON HER DAUGHTER. Mom of the Year right here, guys!
So Molly comes back to town and decides to hunt down former bestie Imogen who she basically blew off after the scandal hit and she fled town, but now that Molly's back and Netflix and RedVines aren't cutting it socially, she goes to see if Imogen will rekindle their friendship.
Imogen? Not exactly rolling out the welcome mat for Molly, but who can blame her. As Molly leaves, who does she see? GABE.
Cue epic sobfest as she breaks down on Main Street in Gabe's arms. But he's all, "There, there Molly. Come to a party with me!"
And she's all, "I can't show my face! I'm hated by all!" *sobs*
But he convinces her to come. And she goes to the party and sees people she grew up with. Including, Patrick. You know, her first love? Gabe's little brother? The guy they both d*cked over?
Patrick is infuriated and amazed that they could show their faces (which, to be fair, Molly thought Patrick was gone for the summer, but big bro Gabe knew Patrick was back and might be at the party - it's like the Manson Family reunion up in here). Molly runs away. Literally. Runs. She runs a lot in this book, enough to make me think she should buy stock in Nike.
It's here where I started to lose all interest in this disaster of a book. Here's the highlights:
Molly befriends Tess, Patrick's new girlfriend.
Gabe and Molly rekindle their forbidden love.
Molly decides it would now be in her best interest to hook up with Patrick (thus stabbing Tess in the back and giving Gabe a taste of his own medicine).
But it's OK! Because Gabe admits that really he just wanted what Patrick had back when he and Molly hooked up behind baby bro's back.
Oh, hold on. Except now he has actual feelings for Molly. So maybe there's hope?
And no one writing this review gives a crap about Molly's feelings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2014
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
A story about a love triangle? And I kinda liked it? I’m pretty sure I’m going to Hell for this one. Let me check the good book to make sure . . .
Yep, the Bird Bible says I should get my handbasket ready ‘cause I’m going to burn for eternity.
99 Days is the story of Molly Barlow and the Donnelly family who have been friends forever. At some point Molly’s playdates with the three siblings morphed into a different sort of playdate with Patrick Donnelly, alone. The two were a couple forever, it seems . . . . Until Molly started thinking about attending a boarding school that was offering her a running scholarship, Patrick decided to break things off, and Molly found herself falling into the arms of Patrick’s brother, Gabe, for comfort.
I know, right? Everyone else is probably already hating this. Buuuuuuuut, in Molly’s defense . . .
and she quickly realized she had made a huge mistake. Molly thought her little snafu would be a secret she and Gabe kept forever, but her author mother decided to steal a little “inspiration” from her daughter’s situation and penned a bestseller that outed all the details to the world. Molly fled town, choosing to attend boarding school after all, in order to escape her problems. Now school is done and there are 99 days before college begins. She finds herself back in the same small town, still hated by Julia Donnelly and still caught in the middle of the two brothers . . .
I get that a lot of people aren’t going to like this book. I really do. There’s a good chance that I would have not liked it if I had read it at any other time, but 99 Days happened to be at the right place at just the right time. And while I won’t say that it had quite the same amount of magic that How To Love had, there’s just something about Katie Cotugno’s writing, and I really dig that she is willing to be so up front and just go there with taboo subject matter in YA romance stories. I’ve read enough of the “who will she choose” B.S. plotlines like in The Hunger Games and Twilight and on and on and on where the boys all sit around pining for the girl and her decision of who she will love. I was soooooo ready for the ugly truth of what happens when a person decides to “dip their toes in a couple of different swimming pools,” if you will. 99 Days dealt with the love triangle issue in such a realistic way. Molly realized she was a selfish butthole and knew things would eventually blow up in her face . . . but she couldn’t stop herself from having feelings for both brothers. And you know what? I didn't hate it.
ARC received through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
A story about a love triangle? And I kinda liked it? I’m pretty sure I’m going to Hell for this one. Let me check the good book to make sure . . .
Yep, the Bird Bible says I should get my handbasket ready ‘cause I’m going to burn for eternity.
99 Days is the story of Molly Barlow and the Donnelly family who have been friends forever. At some point Molly’s playdates with the three siblings morphed into a different sort of playdate with Patrick Donnelly, alone. The two were a couple forever, it seems . . . . Until Molly started thinking about attending a boarding school that was offering her a running scholarship, Patrick decided to break things off, and Molly found herself falling into the arms of Patrick’s brother, Gabe, for comfort.
I know, right? Everyone else is probably already hating this. Buuuuuuuut, in Molly’s defense . . .
and she quickly realized she had made a huge mistake. Molly thought her little snafu would be a secret she and Gabe kept forever, but her author mother decided to steal a little “inspiration” from her daughter’s situation and penned a bestseller that outed all the details to the world. Molly fled town, choosing to attend boarding school after all, in order to escape her problems. Now school is done and there are 99 days before college begins. She finds herself back in the same small town, still hated by Julia Donnelly and still caught in the middle of the two brothers . . .
I get that a lot of people aren’t going to like this book. I really do. There’s a good chance that I would have not liked it if I had read it at any other time, but 99 Days happened to be at the right place at just the right time. And while I won’t say that it had quite the same amount of magic that How To Love had, there’s just something about Katie Cotugno’s writing, and I really dig that she is willing to be so up front and just go there with taboo subject matter in YA romance stories. I’ve read enough of the “who will she choose” B.S. plotlines like in The Hunger Games and Twilight and on and on and on where the boys all sit around pining for the girl and her decision of who she will love. I was soooooo ready for the ugly truth of what happens when a person decides to “dip their toes in a couple of different swimming pools,” if you will. 99 Days dealt with the love triangle issue in such a realistic way. Molly realized she was a selfish butthole and knew things would eventually blow up in her face . . . but she couldn’t stop herself from having feelings for both brothers. And you know what? I didn't hate it.
ARC received through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
June 2, 2015
SO sorry guys, but this is just me ranting!
This book pissed me off. BIG TIME.
To be honest this was the first time I really wanted to set a book on fire. Which for me is sort of blasphemous.
Like, don't get me wrong. I applaud Katie Cotugno for writing a story like this and for her writing style. But I can't say I loved this book, because these characters were SO annoying.
Both guys were a**holes. The main protagonist was dumb.
At the beginning I felt sympathy for her, but then I just wanted to shake her. We all do mistakes, but when you do the same mistake OVER and OVER again, how can you still ask for forgiveness?
To be fair, though, she wasn't the worst character. When it comes to me, those a**hole brothers were the most ridiculous, aggravating and disgusting characters in this book.
I disliked Gabe from the start, even though he was the 'nice' one. No buddy. You didn't fool me.
There is one thing I dislike more than love triangles. And that's love triangles including siblings.
Like seriously? You are BROTHERS. Don't fight over a girl, you idiots. Ugh, I'm going to stop now, this ranting isn't helping.
My favourite part of this book is probably the ending. Which is definitely not a popular opinion, but I don't even care. :'D
I'm going to hide this book somewhere so I'm not forced to keep staring at it. Because otherwise....let's just say: this book should be scared of me. :P
___________________
I guess giving this book 3 stars and then just rant about it, was a bad idea. Some people asked me why I still gave it 3 stars, which is a pretty good question!
Like I said above, it wasn't a review, I just wanted to show my frustration with these characters. In a review I would have pointed out why I gave it 3 stars.
So I'm just going to do it now real quick. :D
Like I said I APPLAUD Katie Cotugno for writing this book! Her writing is amazing, and the topic she chose courageous. I couldn't give it less than 3 stars, because the only thing that I hated where some of these characters. And I feel like you aren't even supposed to like them. It's just a pretty realistic story. So overall this book would definitely deserve 4-5 stars but I had to take a star, because of my growing frustration with these characters. I hope now it clear now. :D :)
Like I said before: SORRY for my incomprehensible jabbering :'D
This book pissed me off. BIG TIME.
To be honest this was the first time I really wanted to set a book on fire. Which for me is sort of blasphemous.
Like, don't get me wrong. I applaud Katie Cotugno for writing a story like this and for her writing style. But I can't say I loved this book, because these characters were SO annoying.
Both guys were a**holes. The main protagonist was dumb.
At the beginning I felt sympathy for her, but then I just wanted to shake her. We all do mistakes, but when you do the same mistake OVER and OVER again, how can you still ask for forgiveness?
To be fair, though, she wasn't the worst character. When it comes to me, those a**hole brothers were the most ridiculous, aggravating and disgusting characters in this book.
I disliked Gabe from the start, even though he was the 'nice' one. No buddy. You didn't fool me.
There is one thing I dislike more than love triangles. And that's love triangles including siblings.
Like seriously? You are BROTHERS. Don't fight over a girl, you idiots. Ugh, I'm going to stop now, this ranting isn't helping.
My favourite part of this book is probably the ending. Which is definitely not a popular opinion, but I don't even care. :'D
I'm going to hide this book somewhere so I'm not forced to keep staring at it. Because otherwise....let's just say: this book should be scared of me. :P
___________________
I guess giving this book 3 stars and then just rant about it, was a bad idea. Some people asked me why I still gave it 3 stars, which is a pretty good question!
Like I said above, it wasn't a review, I just wanted to show my frustration with these characters. In a review I would have pointed out why I gave it 3 stars.
So I'm just going to do it now real quick. :D
Like I said I APPLAUD Katie Cotugno for writing this book! Her writing is amazing, and the topic she chose courageous. I couldn't give it less than 3 stars, because the only thing that I hated where some of these characters. And I feel like you aren't even supposed to like them. It's just a pretty realistic story. So overall this book would definitely deserve 4-5 stars but I had to take a star, because of my growing frustration with these characters. I hope now it clear now. :D :)
Like I said before: SORRY for my incomprehensible jabbering :'D
December 8, 2014
I don't normally discuss books I didn't like on here, but this is one I can't NOT say something about.
There will be spoilers so feel free to stop reading. You have been warned.
If you have strong feelings against cheating, you will want to avoid this book. Cheating, betrayal, lies, bullying, self-pity and irresponsibility flow rampant throughout this story. Like Niagara Falls.
Molly claims to love Patrick yet she sleeps with his older brother Gabe, who I actually liked for five minutes. But the crap hits the fan (in part because of her Mom) and Molly flees. When she returns the following summer, she acts surprised when people don't welcome her with open arms. Especially Patrick and Gabe's sister Julia.
Molly tries to right the wrong she caused by hooking up with Gabe--again. Because consistency and smart choices.
Then Patrick shows up with a sweet new girlfriend, and Molly decides she might be confused about her feelings. Jealous too. She combats this by becoming friends with the GF and hooking up with Patrick behind Gabe and the GF's back.
Then Gabe.
Then Patrick.
Back and forth all summer long.
Because that's what you do when you love someone, you cheat on them with their own brother. Repeatedly.
Lots of clothes come off during all of this, bodies tangle in water, campers, against trees (ouch, btw), and beneath sheets and yet there is not one mention or discussion of birth control or protection. Because responsibility.
The crap hits the fan AGAIN, and Molly is right back where she started.
It takes two people to cheat. Two people to bear the consequences and responsibility for the choices made. Or in this case, three. And yet, no one does.
As a reader, it's incredibly FRUSTRATING to walk away from a book feeling no sympathy or respect for any of the characters. None of them experienced any real growth and none of them were redeemable by books end. Disappointing too.
There will be spoilers so feel free to stop reading. You have been warned.
If you have strong feelings against cheating, you will want to avoid this book. Cheating, betrayal, lies, bullying, self-pity and irresponsibility flow rampant throughout this story. Like Niagara Falls.
Molly claims to love Patrick yet she sleeps with his older brother Gabe, who I actually liked for five minutes. But the crap hits the fan (in part because of her Mom) and Molly flees. When she returns the following summer, she acts surprised when people don't welcome her with open arms. Especially Patrick and Gabe's sister Julia.
Molly tries to right the wrong she caused by hooking up with Gabe--again. Because consistency and smart choices.
Then Patrick shows up with a sweet new girlfriend, and Molly decides she might be confused about her feelings. Jealous too. She combats this by becoming friends with the GF and hooking up with Patrick behind Gabe and the GF's back.
Then Gabe.
Then Patrick.
Back and forth all summer long.
Because that's what you do when you love someone, you cheat on them with their own brother. Repeatedly.
Lots of clothes come off during all of this, bodies tangle in water, campers, against trees (ouch, btw), and beneath sheets and yet there is not one mention or discussion of birth control or protection. Because responsibility.
The crap hits the fan AGAIN, and Molly is right back where she started.
It takes two people to cheat. Two people to bear the consequences and responsibility for the choices made. Or in this case, three. And yet, no one does.
As a reader, it's incredibly FRUSTRATING to walk away from a book feeling no sympathy or respect for any of the characters. None of them experienced any real growth and none of them were redeemable by books end. Disappointing too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2019
How can this one ended up feel like a super realistic read to me??
Well as realistic as a love triangle involving a pair of brothers can be anyway.
Which to be honest, is it even plausible in real reality?? (Did I just said ‘real reality’?, I’m obviously still too muddled from just finishing it mere minutes ago...) It’s fun and game reading it in print though and boy did I devoured this!
But, then again let’s review things I like in my fictions:
I don’t mind love triangles, never have.
Love a good dose of angst.
Fine with reading about cheating.
And I’m in the mood for a light romance read.
So seriously it would have been bizarre if I didn’t speed through this in one day flat. Which I did and loved every minute of it.
rating: ★★★★½
Well as realistic as a love triangle involving a pair of brothers can be anyway.
Which to be honest, is it even plausible in real reality?? (Did I just said ‘real reality’?, I’m obviously still too muddled from just finishing it mere minutes ago...) It’s fun and game reading it in print though and boy did I devoured this!
But, then again let’s review things I like in my fictions:
I don’t mind love triangles, never have.
Love a good dose of angst.
Fine with reading about cheating.
And I’m in the mood for a light romance read.
So seriously it would have been bizarre if I didn’t speed through this in one day flat. Which I did and loved every minute of it.
rating: ★★★★½
January 9, 2020
I very much did not like this novel.
To start off, it was quite boring for the first half of the book, so boring that I was contemplating DNF'ing it.
Next, I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES I am a firm believer of everybody has a one and only true love. And Molly just went absolutely crazy with everything she was doing.
Also, I feel this novel depicted women (Molly) as sort of a game to have fun with. As Gabe and Patrick were feeling challenged over and always needed to one-up each other.
Truthfully, I liked Patrick the most with Molly for some reason but I really don't know.
BUT I absolutely did not connect with any of these characters they were all sort of blah to me. And I was never like OMG NOOOOOO THIS CANT BE HAPPENING because I really just didn't care.
I thought I would enjoy this more but oh well I gave it a try.
To start off, it was quite boring for the first half of the book, so boring that I was contemplating DNF'ing it.
Next, I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES I am a firm believer of everybody has a one and only true love. And Molly just went absolutely crazy with everything she was doing.
Also, I feel this novel depicted women (Molly) as sort of a game to have fun with. As Gabe and Patrick were feeling challenged over and always needed to one-up each other.
Truthfully, I liked Patrick the most with Molly for some reason but I really don't know.
BUT I absolutely did not connect with any of these characters they were all sort of blah to me. And I was never like OMG NOOOOOO THIS CANT BE HAPPENING because I really just didn't care.
I thought I would enjoy this more but oh well I gave it a try.
May 19, 2016
Reviewed by: Hello Beautiful Book Blog
A different kind of summer romance with a concept that will keep you fully engaged, even though some of the content will have you scratching your head.
Despite some of the main character’s terrible choices there was definitely a level of entertainment something like a soap opera would bring to you. I just had a hard time connecting with the main character and some parts of the story line. However, 2 stars does not mean I hated it, it just means I thought it was okay. If I can finish a book, it means I liked it on some level. I’m also sort of an emotional reader and an impulse reader so maybe i just read it at the wrong time.
Molly Barlow has basically wronged her boyfriend and the whole town knows about it and hates her for it. The main premise of the story is totally believable and cheating happens like every day, so that’s not the part I had an issue with. I don’t really even care about the cheating aspect. I don’t like cheating, but hell I don’t like a lot of different things that happen in books and cheating is a real thing so writing stories about it is inevitable, but I digress. The part I had an issue with was the part about the whole town turning against her. Why do they all care about Patrick so much? He was basically shutting everyone out and a tad antisocial so I’m confused why everyone was on his side. I mean yeah, Molly did some questionable things, but damn, give her a break. She literally had to uproot her life and move across the country to gain some peace. I was not convinced that this was believable, when the author made such believable characters.
The main character Molly definitely seemed like a confused teenager, which so many of us are or used to be, but damn girl, learn from your mistakes. I wanted to root for her, I really did, but she made it hard when every time she got on the wagon, she was falling right off again. I wanted to shake her on multiple occasions. She wasn’t all bad though, when someone was nasty to her I was rooting for her to win or get them back. I know I still kind of liked her if I was hoping for the bullies’ demise.
My favorite part of the book was the book within the book, Driftwood. Molly’s mother is a bestselling author and wrote her latest bestseller based on her daughter Molly’s life and her cheating on Patrick. Subsequently making her daughter’s life a living hell. I thought this idea for a novel surrounding the life of a girl in a novel was very clever. I also really liked how each day was a chapter and followed the days one by one.
Overall, the parts I just couldn’t get over led me to rate this kind of low, but really it was pretty good and don’t let that stop you from giving it a chance! I actually borrowed it from the library so no harm, no foul!
***********
I keep going between 2 and 3 stars. I liked the writing style and I love YA summer books, but the content just had me scratching my head. The MC is pretty dumb when it comes to relationships and I kept getting so mad at her.
Review to come.
A different kind of summer romance with a concept that will keep you fully engaged, even though some of the content will have you scratching your head.
Despite some of the main character’s terrible choices there was definitely a level of entertainment something like a soap opera would bring to you. I just had a hard time connecting with the main character and some parts of the story line. However, 2 stars does not mean I hated it, it just means I thought it was okay. If I can finish a book, it means I liked it on some level. I’m also sort of an emotional reader and an impulse reader so maybe i just read it at the wrong time.
Molly Barlow has basically wronged her boyfriend and the whole town knows about it and hates her for it. The main premise of the story is totally believable and cheating happens like every day, so that’s not the part I had an issue with. I don’t really even care about the cheating aspect. I don’t like cheating, but hell I don’t like a lot of different things that happen in books and cheating is a real thing so writing stories about it is inevitable, but I digress. The part I had an issue with was the part about the whole town turning against her. Why do they all care about Patrick so much? He was basically shutting everyone out and a tad antisocial so I’m confused why everyone was on his side. I mean yeah, Molly did some questionable things, but damn, give her a break. She literally had to uproot her life and move across the country to gain some peace. I was not convinced that this was believable, when the author made such believable characters.
The main character Molly definitely seemed like a confused teenager, which so many of us are or used to be, but damn girl, learn from your mistakes. I wanted to root for her, I really did, but she made it hard when every time she got on the wagon, she was falling right off again. I wanted to shake her on multiple occasions. She wasn’t all bad though, when someone was nasty to her I was rooting for her to win or get them back. I know I still kind of liked her if I was hoping for the bullies’ demise.
My favorite part of the book was the book within the book, Driftwood. Molly’s mother is a bestselling author and wrote her latest bestseller based on her daughter Molly’s life and her cheating on Patrick. Subsequently making her daughter’s life a living hell. I thought this idea for a novel surrounding the life of a girl in a novel was very clever. I also really liked how each day was a chapter and followed the days one by one.
Overall, the parts I just couldn’t get over led me to rate this kind of low, but really it was pretty good and don’t let that stop you from giving it a chance! I actually borrowed it from the library so no harm, no foul!
***********
I keep going between 2 and 3 stars. I liked the writing style and I love YA summer books, but the content just had me scratching my head. The MC is pretty dumb when it comes to relationships and I kept getting so mad at her.
Review to come.
August 27, 2016
DNF --- 40%
I. Do. Not. Recommend. This. Book.
I was looking for a cute summer read to end of my summer break with.
Gabe is adorable.
The Writing-style is amazing.
So why did I DNF this?
Because of Molly. I don't think I've ever hated a book character as much as her. She is so self-absorbed and clueless and gosh I cannot stand her. All she does is blame everything else on her problems when it is her own fault. She is the one who cheated and she will not take any responsibility for it. Like no.
Molly is absolutely horrible and there are many words that come to mind to describe her but I am not going to post them on here, but just know that how the secondary characters in the book describe her is completely accurate.
If you are looking for a one-dimensional character who sees nothing wrong with cheating, slut shaming, and terrible parenting, well then go for this book. If not, I beg of you to avoid this book at all costs.
I. Do. Not. Recommend. This. Book.
I was looking for a cute summer read to end of my summer break with.
Gabe is adorable.
The Writing-style is amazing.
So why did I DNF this?
Because of Molly. I don't think I've ever hated a book character as much as her. She is so self-absorbed and clueless and gosh I cannot stand her. All she does is blame everything else on her problems when it is her own fault. She is the one who cheated and she will not take any responsibility for it. Like no.
Molly is absolutely horrible and there are many words that come to mind to describe her but I am not going to post them on here, but just know that how the secondary characters in the book describe her is completely accurate.
If you are looking for a one-dimensional character who sees nothing wrong with cheating, slut shaming, and terrible parenting, well then go for this book. If not, I beg of you to avoid this book at all costs.
December 23, 2020
I need to sit with this for a bit before I rate it. I'm going to be filming a rant review in the next day or two though.
If you like cheating, two brothers involved in a love V, and an all around clusterfuck, this book is for you. It's messy af and some Choices™ were made. Often.
Okay, I've sat with it long enough. I'm thinking 1.5/5. The .5 comes from the fact that I liked the writing, Imogen, and Tess. I hate love Vs, especially between family, and cheating stories are definitely not for me, especially the kind that play out like this. And don't even get me started on the double standards in this book. UGH I'm so mad. More to come in the video, I need to just yell incoherently about this for a little.
If you like cheating, two brothers involved in a love V, and an all around clusterfuck, this book is for you. It's messy af and some Choices™ were made. Often.
Okay, I've sat with it long enough. I'm thinking 1.5/5. The .5 comes from the fact that I liked the writing, Imogen, and Tess. I hate love Vs, especially between family, and cheating stories are definitely not for me, especially the kind that play out like this. And don't even get me started on the double standards in this book. UGH I'm so mad. More to come in the video, I need to just yell incoherently about this for a little.
November 3, 2015
Review to come later!
May 18, 2015
An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are my own.
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I'm just going to get to the point straightaway: there probably won't be many in-betweeners on this one. 99 Days is a book that you're likely to either love or loathe, depending on your stance on cheating and love triangles and how open-minded you are to either concept. I don't particularly enjoy reading about these things, but I'm not opposed to reading for great writing, despite what happens in the story. And I really, really liked How to Love , so I knew I had to give this book a chance.
I'm really glad I didn't let ideas that make me uncomfortable keep me from picking up this story. 99 Days was genuine, gritty, and realistic. It was complicated. It was messy. But there's so much more to the story than just cheating. It also explores society's tendency to automatically assume the girl is at fault when something like this happens, to start with the insults and end with harassment while the guy sees no punishment for his actions. This book also features a unique mother-daughter relationship that was painful to read about and probably much worse to endure in real life.
Every single character in this book is just so flawed. I don't think you're necessarily supposed to like them, but I actually found that I did, even if I didn't always (read: ever) agree with their choices and actions. But I get it. At eighteen, you don't always make the best decisions. I know I didn't. I always feel the need to divulge too much when a story likes this comes along, but I'm going to refrain from that now. Instead, I just think it crucial to point out that many of us have made mistakes of this proportion, even if they weren't necessary of this caliber. Also, everyone deserves a second chance.
The relationships in this book are just as complicated as the characters in them. From the flawed mother-daughter relationship I mentioned earlier to the brother triangle the main character finds herself in, these characters have issues. I appreciated that self-deprecating Molly was able to acknowledge in the end that it wasn't just her own actions that resulted in her current circumstances but a culmination of hers and those that loved her. She started this book out so miserable and alone, and even though the ending was rather bittersweet -- but entirely of her own making -- I still smiled at the fact that Molly was getting her second chance.
99 Days was a hard book to read but also a very difficult story to put down. There's just something so addicting in reading about someone else's misery, especially when it's so relatable. It's hard to look away from something like that, and this story is no different. It's not even 2015 yet, and this book has already made my favorites list for the year.
GIF it to me straight:
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
I'm just going to get to the point straightaway: there probably won't be many in-betweeners on this one. 99 Days is a book that you're likely to either love or loathe, depending on your stance on cheating and love triangles and how open-minded you are to either concept. I don't particularly enjoy reading about these things, but I'm not opposed to reading for great writing, despite what happens in the story. And I really, really liked How to Love , so I knew I had to give this book a chance.
I'm really glad I didn't let ideas that make me uncomfortable keep me from picking up this story. 99 Days was genuine, gritty, and realistic. It was complicated. It was messy. But there's so much more to the story than just cheating. It also explores society's tendency to automatically assume the girl is at fault when something like this happens, to start with the insults and end with harassment while the guy sees no punishment for his actions. This book also features a unique mother-daughter relationship that was painful to read about and probably much worse to endure in real life.
Every single character in this book is just so flawed. I don't think you're necessarily supposed to like them, but I actually found that I did, even if I didn't always (read: ever) agree with their choices and actions. But I get it. At eighteen, you don't always make the best decisions. I know I didn't. I always feel the need to divulge too much when a story likes this comes along, but I'm going to refrain from that now. Instead, I just think it crucial to point out that many of us have made mistakes of this proportion, even if they weren't necessary of this caliber. Also, everyone deserves a second chance.
The relationships in this book are just as complicated as the characters in them. From the flawed mother-daughter relationship I mentioned earlier to the brother triangle the main character finds herself in, these characters have issues. I appreciated that self-deprecating Molly was able to acknowledge in the end that it wasn't just her own actions that resulted in her current circumstances but a culmination of hers and those that loved her. She started this book out so miserable and alone, and even though the ending was rather bittersweet -- but entirely of her own making -- I still smiled at the fact that Molly was getting her second chance.
99 Days was a hard book to read but also a very difficult story to put down. There's just something so addicting in reading about someone else's misery, especially when it's so relatable. It's hard to look away from something like that, and this story is no different. It's not even 2015 yet, and this book has already made my favorites list for the year.
GIF it to me straight:
April 17, 2018
99 Days is a book about facing your mistakes, and learning to start over. When Molly’s mom turns her biggest mistake into a best-selling novel, Molly’s first instinct is to run. After being away at boarding school for the past year, it’s time for her to return to her small town for the summer, to face the past she left behind, and the biggest mistake she ever made.
It’s not often that I read a book where I felt both sympathy and insane frustration for a main character. That’s exactly how I felt about Molly while I was reading this book. There were SO many decisions that she made throughout the story that made me shake my head, or really, made me want to shake some sense into her. But then, in a way, I kind of get why she did the things that she did. Not that I agree with them at all, but I get it. Otherwise, I love how strong her character seemed to be. While all that was going on around her, when everyone blamed only her for what happened, she stayed headstrong, and didn’t let anyone bring her down. I always find that admirable.
All of the characters in the book are very well written. No one is perfect in this story; a few of them are super far from it, but they are all interesting nonetheless. I think Gabe was my favorite character in the whole book, and even he had many flaws. There are also characters in the book that you are REALLY going to hate, or at least I did. I didn’t appreciate at all how some of the girls treated Molly. Yes, she made a few bad choices in the book, but I don’t see how that was any of their business at all, and it made me SO angry how they treated her.
I’m not a huge fan of drama, but in this book, it was addictive! And it wasn’t just the drama, this whole book was addictive. Even while was reading it and thing how completely wrong so many things were as I turned the pages, I still couldn’t stop reading the book. It was this really weird type of intense, one that was, at times, uncomfortable. And I just HAD to know how it was all going to end. Also, I really enjoyed the writing style for the book, and that each chapter was written for the specific day in Molly’s life. I really enjoyed the ending of the book as well.
Overall; while this book made me super uncomfortable in parts, I still really enjoyed reading it. I liked that the book was different than what I expected, that the characters and decisions made were so imperfect, and that the storyline was so realistic. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Katie Cotugno soon.
Happy Reading!!
It’s not often that I read a book where I felt both sympathy and insane frustration for a main character. That’s exactly how I felt about Molly while I was reading this book. There were SO many decisions that she made throughout the story that made me shake my head, or really, made me want to shake some sense into her. But then, in a way, I kind of get why she did the things that she did. Not that I agree with them at all, but I get it. Otherwise, I love how strong her character seemed to be. While all that was going on around her, when everyone blamed only her for what happened, she stayed headstrong, and didn’t let anyone bring her down. I always find that admirable.
All of the characters in the book are very well written. No one is perfect in this story; a few of them are super far from it, but they are all interesting nonetheless. I think Gabe was my favorite character in the whole book, and even he had many flaws. There are also characters in the book that you are REALLY going to hate, or at least I did. I didn’t appreciate at all how some of the girls treated Molly. Yes, she made a few bad choices in the book, but I don’t see how that was any of their business at all, and it made me SO angry how they treated her.
I’m not a huge fan of drama, but in this book, it was addictive! And it wasn’t just the drama, this whole book was addictive. Even while was reading it and thing how completely wrong so many things were as I turned the pages, I still couldn’t stop reading the book. It was this really weird type of intense, one that was, at times, uncomfortable. And I just HAD to know how it was all going to end. Also, I really enjoyed the writing style for the book, and that each chapter was written for the specific day in Molly’s life. I really enjoyed the ending of the book as well.
Overall; while this book made me super uncomfortable in parts, I still really enjoyed reading it. I liked that the book was different than what I expected, that the characters and decisions made were so imperfect, and that the storyline was so realistic. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Katie Cotugno soon.
Happy Reading!!
May 4, 2015
Cheating has a big part in this book and I personally felt uneasy reading about it. How could I root for someone who is cheating?
It was addicting though and I couldn't stop reading.
Full Review
99 Days is the sophomore novel for Katie Cotugno. Living up to How to Love is almost impossible but I was willing to give 99 Days a go. 99 Days' plot was easy to get into and get hooked on. It counts up the days by each chapter. I was so excited to read it because, I mean, read the synopsis! Girl comes back from out of town after she somehow fled the town when something big happened that ruined her friendship and relationship with Patrick, Gabe, and Julia. You see, Molly used to date Patrick but apparently she cheated on him with his brother, Gabe.
This was months before the book started and I was ready for Molly to face the consequences of her mess up and see where the author would take us from there. Unfortunately the author took us exactly back to how it was instead this time, the brothers' roles were switched. It bugged me so so much that a) Molly STILL didn't learn from her mistake of messing with these two and b) SHE IS STILL CHEATING. I hate hate hate books that have cheating in them.. especially protagonists that justify it and keep doing it again and again and again. I grew so tired of Molly.. so unbelievably disgusted by her and her ability to easily swing from one boy to the other claiming love. I hated how she never questioned what the hell she was doing and when she did.. it was short and fleeting and then justified.
If I rate this book alone on Molly, I would give it 1 star. However plot, progression of story, and pacing all should be accounted for. Which is why I gave 99 Days three stars. For one, I couldn't put this book down.. even if I tried.. I would just pick my nook up and continue reading. Another, I really do enjoy Cotugno's writing. She has a way of writing that really appeals to me. and three, she didn't shy away from ending it the way she did. I literally gasped towards one of the last chapters because of how shocked I was at something. So in all, this isn't a book I would be recommended to anyone because I don't care to read any books about cheating but I must say it is an addicting contemporary.
It was addicting though and I couldn't stop reading.
Full Review
99 Days is the sophomore novel for Katie Cotugno. Living up to How to Love is almost impossible but I was willing to give 99 Days a go. 99 Days' plot was easy to get into and get hooked on. It counts up the days by each chapter. I was so excited to read it because, I mean, read the synopsis! Girl comes back from out of town after she somehow fled the town when something big happened that ruined her friendship and relationship with Patrick, Gabe, and Julia. You see, Molly used to date Patrick but apparently she cheated on him with his brother, Gabe.
This was months before the book started and I was ready for Molly to face the consequences of her mess up and see where the author would take us from there. Unfortunately the author took us exactly back to how it was instead this time, the brothers' roles were switched. It bugged me so so much that a) Molly STILL didn't learn from her mistake of messing with these two and b) SHE IS STILL CHEATING. I hate hate hate books that have cheating in them.. especially protagonists that justify it and keep doing it again and again and again. I grew so tired of Molly.. so unbelievably disgusted by her and her ability to easily swing from one boy to the other claiming love. I hated how she never questioned what the hell she was doing and when she did.. it was short and fleeting and then justified.
If I rate this book alone on Molly, I would give it 1 star. However plot, progression of story, and pacing all should be accounted for. Which is why I gave 99 Days three stars. For one, I couldn't put this book down.. even if I tried.. I would just pick my nook up and continue reading. Another, I really do enjoy Cotugno's writing. She has a way of writing that really appeals to me. and three, she didn't shy away from ending it the way she did. I literally gasped towards one of the last chapters because of how shocked I was at something. So in all, this isn't a book I would be recommended to anyone because I don't care to read any books about cheating but I must say it is an addicting contemporary.
August 31, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was an enjoyable YA contemporary romance, and as I got further into it I was desperate to know what would happen!
I liked Molly, and I felt sorry for her and the way her mother had spilled all her secrets to the world. I can’t imagine that having your love life turned into a book and having everyone reading your most intimate confessions would be easy! I did think that Molly had done things that maybe weren’t a good idea, or the best thing to do, but it was also easy to see how she made those mistakes. Sometimes you just get wrapped up in the heat of the moment, and common sense goes out the window!
The storyline in this was pretty good, and it improved as it went along. I did wonder what on earth Molly was doing at points though. I mean a love triangle with 2 brothers? Has she read ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’? Dating brothers is never going to be a good idea. At some point you’re going to either end up breaking both their hearts, or you’re going to compare them in bed and possibly find similarities, or you’re going to end up married to one of them, whilst knowing what the other one is like in bed! Talk about a mess!
Anyway, as I’ve said, we got a love triangle in this book, and as we slowly found out just what had gone on as the book progressed, we also started to see some similarities between what had previously happened, and what was happening between Molly and the 2 brothers during this story! Crazy!
The ending to this was pretty good, but I didn’t really want the book to end! I wanted to know more about Molly, Gabe, and Patrick, and I wanted the shenanigans to continue on for a bit longer! I have to say that I’d really like a sequel to this book.
7.5 out of 10
This was an enjoyable YA contemporary romance, and as I got further into it I was desperate to know what would happen!
I liked Molly, and I felt sorry for her and the way her mother had spilled all her secrets to the world. I can’t imagine that having your love life turned into a book and having everyone reading your most intimate confessions would be easy! I did think that Molly had done things that maybe weren’t a good idea, or the best thing to do, but it was also easy to see how she made those mistakes. Sometimes you just get wrapped up in the heat of the moment, and common sense goes out the window!
The storyline in this was pretty good, and it improved as it went along. I did wonder what on earth Molly was doing at points though. I mean a love triangle with 2 brothers? Has she read ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’? Dating brothers is never going to be a good idea. At some point you’re going to either end up breaking both their hearts, or you’re going to compare them in bed and possibly find similarities, or you’re going to end up married to one of them, whilst knowing what the other one is like in bed! Talk about a mess!
Anyway, as I’ve said, we got a love triangle in this book, and as we slowly found out just what had gone on as the book progressed, we also started to see some similarities between what had previously happened, and what was happening between Molly and the 2 brothers during this story! Crazy!
The ending to this was pretty good, but I didn’t really want the book to end! I wanted to know more about Molly, Gabe, and Patrick, and I wanted the shenanigans to continue on for a bit longer! I have to say that I’d really like a sequel to this book.
7.5 out of 10
November 25, 2019
¡FELICIDADES A MOLLY! Por ser una de las protagonistas más horrendas con las que me crucé en mi vida, le dediqué una entrada en mi blog: PROTAGONISTAS QUE MERECEN UN FLECHAZO EN LA FRENTE , en donde explico por qué es horrenda y por qué no le recomendaría este libro ni a tu peor enemigo :D
No se la pierdan ;)
1.5 y solo porque el final fue decente (lo único, de hecho).
I JUST CAN'T.
Este libro atrasa al menos 100 años.
Es irritable y misógino. En un momento de enojo, Molly se acuesta con el hermano mayor de su novio de toda la vida, la descubren, huye, vuelve, se victimiza y, lo peor, REPITE TODO EL MISMO PATRÓN DE VUELTA. Pero, por supuesto, al final todo se alinea para que sea culpa de los demás, porque ella es un snowflake perfecto, y la protagonista de la historia, así que jamás asume su responsabilidad en nada, porque no le corresponde y solo merece ser feliz, tras boludear a dos chicos y toda su familia durante todo el libro.
Todo el mundo comete errores, pero la forma en la que este libro lidia con ello es tan estúpida, egoísta y arcaica, que simplemente es imposible ser compasivo.
No se la pierdan ;)
1.5 y solo porque el final fue decente (lo único, de hecho).
I JUST CAN'T.
Este libro atrasa al menos 100 años.
Es irritable y misógino. En un momento de enojo, Molly se acuesta con el hermano mayor de su novio de toda la vida, la descubren, huye, vuelve, se victimiza y, lo peor, REPITE TODO EL MISMO PATRÓN DE VUELTA. Pero, por supuesto, al final todo se alinea para que sea culpa de los demás, porque ella es un snowflake perfecto, y la protagonista de la historia, así que jamás asume su responsabilidad en nada, porque no le corresponde y solo merece ser feliz, tras boludear a dos chicos y toda su familia durante todo el libro.
Todo el mundo comete errores, pero la forma en la que este libro lidia con ello es tan estúpida, egoísta y arcaica, que simplemente es imposible ser compasivo.
July 1, 2015
I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT...why is there no more book? I think my book is missing pages or something.
I stayed up until 2 am for this really anticlimactic ending, my stomach rumbling from hunger with no red vines or twizzlers in sight. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the cuteness of it all. I rated it a 4 because Molly pissed me off a lot haha and I'm still not sure how I feel about the way it ended. The characters were 2 and a half dimensional (so not quite 3D but almost) and I felt connected at some parts while during others I was lost or just royally pissed. The way the characters seem to turn on each other without explanation just showed how fragile their relationships were. I loved how that played out. I don't want to spoil anything but yeah if I could write a character sketch of these characters I would have the time of my life. Overall it was a good contemporary that I didn't want to put down at all over the past few days and apparently until early hours in the morning. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes drama haha. A more in depth review coming up on littleyellowbookshop.com soon.
I stayed up until 2 am for this really anticlimactic ending, my stomach rumbling from hunger with no red vines or twizzlers in sight. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the cuteness of it all. I rated it a 4 because Molly pissed me off a lot haha and I'm still not sure how I feel about the way it ended. The characters were 2 and a half dimensional (so not quite 3D but almost) and I felt connected at some parts while during others I was lost or just royally pissed. The way the characters seem to turn on each other without explanation just showed how fragile their relationships were. I loved how that played out. I don't want to spoil anything but yeah if I could write a character sketch of these characters I would have the time of my life. Overall it was a good contemporary that I didn't want to put down at all over the past few days and apparently until early hours in the morning. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes drama haha. A more in depth review coming up on littleyellowbookshop.com soon.
April 2, 2017
Um... wow. I can definitely see why this has so many low ratings - I'm sitting at 2.5 stars. I'm just really not a fan of how the storyline went (there were so many directions it could've travelled but this is what was chosen?) the open ending, and how little remorse the heroine actually has for her actions. There's no decision making processes or care for how she was hurting many of her friends over and over.
Side note: I despise when guys use like a lot.
"Like, I don't even know who you are right now."
"I just... like, what do you want me to say?"
"Who cares? I don't even, like, get his problem"
LOL, no. Stop it.
Side note: I despise when guys use like a lot.
"Like, I don't even know who you are right now."
"I just... like, what do you want me to say?"
"Who cares? I don't even, like, get his problem"
LOL, no. Stop it.
April 16, 2015
4.5 stars
99 Days was a book I found myself immediately caught up with, usually when a character finds their back against the wall, I always find myself rooting for them to pick themselves up and fight back. Molly Barlow made a big mistake and yes it ended up ruining one of the best relationships she had with the Donnelly’s, but this doesn’t mean she was the only one to blame, there were two people that made the mistake, but Molly was the only one who ended up dealing with the backlash and this aspect I didn’t like at all. So when Molly did come back after her time being isolated I wanted all the bad stuff to stop and to find out what really went down.
Normally when two brothers are involved, I typically tend to stay away from reads such as these, but honestly Gabe and Patrick couldn’t be any more different (and does anyone else have a weak spot for certain characters names?, well Patrick is at the top of my list, I don’t know why I’ve always associated it with a hot Irish guys and when certain Patrick’s come along with stormy grey eyes I’m a gonner.) Anyways I digress, I honestly thought I knew who was right for Molly, when Molly was just dropped by everyone and returned, Gabe was the one who really took interest and actually encouraged her to stop moping inside and tried to make Molly believe that she wasn’t the only one to blame. But then over the course of the book when Patrick starts opening up a bit more I was a 100% team Patrick, this guy could just turn me to mush with his straight to the heart lines, he was a person who when he was being honest about his feelings I just fell for him even more. But then there was parts when we got more of Patrick’s and Molly’s back story that made me all mad that I kind of liked it when Gabe stepped in and told Molly what she needed to hear. I had a see-saw sort of relationship with both Gabe and Patrick, as I ended up liking them both so much at times, that even if you asked me now I don’t think I could choose between them. But with the way things ended, I sort of have an idea in my head of how things could end up later down the line and with whom (I actually wish that this would happen).
I know this sort of story featuring two brothers wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea, especially with some of the things that happen part way through. But especially for me I think Cotugno did a brilliant job with this book, I love my books which keep me hooked from the very first page and with the amount of books I go through these guys, it’s kind of hard to do that. Also I never had an inkling about how things could turn out or who Molly would choose, so the way things ended up completely took me by surprise! I think the way the story was told was one of my favourite aspects too, there’s 99 days left until Molly leaves for college, so we’re given the story as a sort of a countdown until Molly can leave, but in between the 99 days we’re given snippets into Molly’s time when she was living back at home and before everything hit the fan. And these aspects I hugely appreciated, as these scenes did give a lot of insights into why certain people were acting the way they were, but also I loved getting to know these characters in the past a little bit more.
99 Days was a book which ended up surprising me in a lot of ways, I’m quite steadfast in what I do and don’t like in a book, but this time around things which would have probably grated on me, I found I didn’t mind at all. Cotugno’s writing may have contributed significantly to this, as it was so easy to find myself caught up in the story because of her gorgeous writing (my kindle overfull with highlighted quotes is proof of this). Cotugno really did impress me with her debut read How to Love two years ago and now she has impressed me yet again with 99 Days. I can safely say Cotugno will be an author whose future books I will immensely look forward to getting my hands on.
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
99 Days was a book I found myself immediately caught up with, usually when a character finds their back against the wall, I always find myself rooting for them to pick themselves up and fight back. Molly Barlow made a big mistake and yes it ended up ruining one of the best relationships she had with the Donnelly’s, but this doesn’t mean she was the only one to blame, there were two people that made the mistake, but Molly was the only one who ended up dealing with the backlash and this aspect I didn’t like at all. So when Molly did come back after her time being isolated I wanted all the bad stuff to stop and to find out what really went down.
Normally when two brothers are involved, I typically tend to stay away from reads such as these, but honestly Gabe and Patrick couldn’t be any more different (and does anyone else have a weak spot for certain characters names?, well Patrick is at the top of my list, I don’t know why I’ve always associated it with a hot Irish guys and when certain Patrick’s come along with stormy grey eyes I’m a gonner.) Anyways I digress, I honestly thought I knew who was right for Molly, when Molly was just dropped by everyone and returned, Gabe was the one who really took interest and actually encouraged her to stop moping inside and tried to make Molly believe that she wasn’t the only one to blame. But then over the course of the book when Patrick starts opening up a bit more I was a 100% team Patrick, this guy could just turn me to mush with his straight to the heart lines, he was a person who when he was being honest about his feelings I just fell for him even more. But then there was parts when we got more of Patrick’s and Molly’s back story that made me all mad that I kind of liked it when Gabe stepped in and told Molly what she needed to hear. I had a see-saw sort of relationship with both Gabe and Patrick, as I ended up liking them both so much at times, that even if you asked me now I don’t think I could choose between them. But with the way things ended, I sort of have an idea in my head of how things could end up later down the line and with whom (I actually wish that this would happen).
I know this sort of story featuring two brothers wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea, especially with some of the things that happen part way through. But especially for me I think Cotugno did a brilliant job with this book, I love my books which keep me hooked from the very first page and with the amount of books I go through these guys, it’s kind of hard to do that. Also I never had an inkling about how things could turn out or who Molly would choose, so the way things ended up completely took me by surprise! I think the way the story was told was one of my favourite aspects too, there’s 99 days left until Molly leaves for college, so we’re given the story as a sort of a countdown until Molly can leave, but in between the 99 days we’re given snippets into Molly’s time when she was living back at home and before everything hit the fan. And these aspects I hugely appreciated, as these scenes did give a lot of insights into why certain people were acting the way they were, but also I loved getting to know these characters in the past a little bit more.
99 Days was a book which ended up surprising me in a lot of ways, I’m quite steadfast in what I do and don’t like in a book, but this time around things which would have probably grated on me, I found I didn’t mind at all. Cotugno’s writing may have contributed significantly to this, as it was so easy to find myself caught up in the story because of her gorgeous writing (my kindle overfull with highlighted quotes is proof of this). Cotugno really did impress me with her debut read How to Love two years ago and now she has impressed me yet again with 99 Days. I can safely say Cotugno will be an author whose future books I will immensely look forward to getting my hands on.
This review can be found on: The Readers Den
October 7, 2015
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Katie Cotugno’s debut novel, How To Love, was one of my favorite novels in 2013 and I was so psyched to hear about her new book. She excels in writing very complicated stories that I enjoy and I can definitely say her sophomore novel is just as messy but captivating.
I couldn’t stop myself from devouring 99 Days. It was such a frustrating read in a really good way. Molly Barlow is facing the harsh consequences of cheating on her boyfriend Patrick with his brother Gabe. In the 99 days she waits until she can go off to college, surely she can survive the nastiness and the slut-shaming. She at least has one person on her corner, albeit the guy she cheated with, who is particularly very charming. But it’s a long summer and Molly is still prone to mistakes- as much as anyone else.
Can you love a book that made you angry? Apparently yes, at least for me. I hated the shit Molly had to put up with. I hated that she had to put up with it. I hated that she did what she did and the things she does further along the story. But I loved how Molly was such a realistic protagonist. Loved how genuinely convoluted her relationships were. Loved how much I just understood because the narrative allowed me to. Loved that there were lessons to be learned and things to be realized, not only for Molly but for the reader.
The book tackled these unlikeable topics (cheating, bullying and double standards) and characters and yet I still appreciated how I was really there just feeling everything that Molly was going through. Though I’ve never been through what she had, never done the things she did, there was still a connection between her and me as the reader. To put simply, I sympathized with the main character, no matter how many stupid choices she made. There was room for much growth and I was glad to that Molly’s character did develop really well in the end. All this, I think, is a testament how strong and authentic Katie Cotugno’s writing is. I’m in awe once again.
99 Days is a novel to be read with an open mind. It’s a challenging read with absolutely flawed characters in really uncomfortable situations. Still, I think 99 Days is worth reading if you like conflicting stories about imperfect people. It won’t be for everybody but if there’s a shot that you could get into this, I say read it.
Katie Cotugno’s debut novel, How To Love, was one of my favorite novels in 2013 and I was so psyched to hear about her new book. She excels in writing very complicated stories that I enjoy and I can definitely say her sophomore novel is just as messy but captivating.
“I don’t know how I became this person, one of those girls with a lot of drama around her. A person whose romantic garbage literally fills an entire book.”
I couldn’t stop myself from devouring 99 Days. It was such a frustrating read in a really good way. Molly Barlow is facing the harsh consequences of cheating on her boyfriend Patrick with his brother Gabe. In the 99 days she waits until she can go off to college, surely she can survive the nastiness and the slut-shaming. She at least has one person on her corner, albeit the guy she cheated with, who is particularly very charming. But it’s a long summer and Molly is still prone to mistakes- as much as anyone else.
“We’ve finally destroyed each other, finally eaten each other alive. We’re never coming back from this.”
Can you love a book that made you angry? Apparently yes, at least for me. I hated the shit Molly had to put up with. I hated that she had to put up with it. I hated that she did what she did and the things she does further along the story. But I loved how Molly was such a realistic protagonist. Loved how genuinely convoluted her relationships were. Loved how much I just understood because the narrative allowed me to. Loved that there were lessons to be learned and things to be realized, not only for Molly but for the reader.
“I think of how he knows my ugly parts and likes me anyway, how he’s not perpetually disappointed by the person I turned out to be.”
The book tackled these unlikeable topics (cheating, bullying and double standards) and characters and yet I still appreciated how I was really there just feeling everything that Molly was going through. Though I’ve never been through what she had, never done the things she did, there was still a connection between her and me as the reader. To put simply, I sympathized with the main character, no matter how many stupid choices she made. There was room for much growth and I was glad to that Molly’s character did develop really well in the end. All this, I think, is a testament how strong and authentic Katie Cotugno’s writing is. I’m in awe once again.
“A lot of times it feels like I’m the only one still lost.”
99 Days is a novel to be read with an open mind. It’s a challenging read with absolutely flawed characters in really uncomfortable situations. Still, I think 99 Days is worth reading if you like conflicting stories about imperfect people. It won’t be for everybody but if there’s a shot that you could get into this, I say read it.
September 19, 2015
I’m surprised about my reaction to 99 Days. This is a book I normally wouldn't like because of the love triangle between a girl and two brothers, but for some reason it kept me interested, and I never really had the urge to punch Molly in the face. I must have been in a really good mood because under different circumstances, I would have dropped this story like a bad habit.
99 Days takes place after Molly returns home after finishing her senior year at a boarding school states away from her hometown. When she last left, she was the center of attention after her romance between Gabe and Patrick went public and caused a backlash among her friends. The details of the publicity had my blood boiling because her mother, who happens to be an author, wrote a story based on Molly’s romance between her and the two brother.
First off, there weren't too many people I liked in this novel. I couldn't stand the mother. I don't care if her profession is writing fiction, but to use your daughter for fodder was just unacceptable. And most importantly, I couldn't understand how her mom refused to apologize for ruining her daughter's life. She seemed so disconnected and uncaring. Just wow…
Also, Molly never really tried to make things easy on herself. She kept jumping from brother to brother and when people would attack her for her stupid choices, she was a jellyfish! It takes two people to cause a scandal, and I wish she would have stood up for herself sooner.
Lastly, I never really got the sense that Patrick was a nice guy, so the fact that Molly cheated (which she really didn’t – they were on a break… cue Friends) on him, I wasn’t that moved by the whole debacle. Not saying he deserved it, but rather, I just didn’t care.
Overall the story took me by surprise. Not a book I would normal enjoy but the writing was entertaining and the story kept flowing, so I stuck with it. Not great, but not terrible either.
99 Days takes place after Molly returns home after finishing her senior year at a boarding school states away from her hometown. When she last left, she was the center of attention after her romance between Gabe and Patrick went public and caused a backlash among her friends. The details of the publicity had my blood boiling because her mother, who happens to be an author, wrote a story based on Molly’s romance between her and the two brother.
First off, there weren't too many people I liked in this novel. I couldn't stand the mother. I don't care if her profession is writing fiction, but to use your daughter for fodder was just unacceptable. And most importantly, I couldn't understand how her mom refused to apologize for ruining her daughter's life. She seemed so disconnected and uncaring. Just wow…
Also, Molly never really tried to make things easy on herself. She kept jumping from brother to brother and when people would attack her for her stupid choices, she was a jellyfish! It takes two people to cause a scandal, and I wish she would have stood up for herself sooner.
Lastly, I never really got the sense that Patrick was a nice guy, so the fact that Molly cheated (which she really didn’t – they were on a break… cue Friends) on him, I wasn’t that moved by the whole debacle. Not saying he deserved it, but rather, I just didn’t care.
Overall the story took me by surprise. Not a book I would normal enjoy but the writing was entertaining and the story kept flowing, so I stuck with it. Not great, but not terrible either.
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