Monday, December 4, 2017

Review: Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

Title: Love, Life, and the List
Author: Kasie West
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: HarperTeen (December 21, 2017)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Contemporary
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings Abby isn’t going to take any chances.

Which is where the list comes in.

Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being. But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems… and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself.


This is the first in a set of three standalone books with crossover characters.






I have always loved Kasie West's stories. From her endearing characters to the heartfelt story line that always leaves you with a smile on your face by the end. But there are some, that just resonate with me and Love, Life and The List was one such story.

I connected so much with Abby in a deeper emotional level than I thought I would. In some areas she spoke to me in ways that I haven't had happen in a YA story in a really long time and because of it, I simply couldn't put this down. I read it in one sitting and barely even took breaks to get a drink or answer a text. Something about Abby's story just spoke to me and I can't even say for sure why other than West is just an amazing writer and just knows how to put enough emotion and depth into her stories and characters that almost anyone can't help but love them and feel for them. 

This truly was a favorite from West and a story that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. I love when an author can speak to you and change you and worm their way into your very soul and West succeeded brilliantly here in doing so. 




*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or the publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

54 comments:

  1. I really need to try more of her books!

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  2. I love West and can't wait to get to this one. So glad you enjoyed it!

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    1. I think you're really going to like it as well, it's such a cute read. :D

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  3. I really need to read her books! I still haven't read any, shame on me!

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    1. *gasp* j/k. But really, do try her, she is such a great writer and one of the few in the genre I still take the time to read. ;)

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  4. This is one of the first books I've enjoyed from her in a very long time. I don't think I loved it as much as you did - I really liked Abby's character and her family, but really disliked the love interest. I kept hoping the other guy was the actual love interest LOL!
    Glad you enjoyed it though, Ali!

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    1. Oh that's too bad Nick but at least you did like it.

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  5. I love when a book is so good you read it in one sitting!

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    1. Same Kim. Those are always the really good ones.

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  6. I really loved this one too! Kasie West is the best :)

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  7. I keep hearing this a good one! I still need to read a West novel.

    -lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  8. Glad you liked it Kindlemom, thanks for sharing! xo Happy Monday

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  9. I loved this book, and it seems like West is back in fine form. I just adored Abby and her family, and the concept of how she constructed the list was very sweet.

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  10. I love her books too and have not read near enough of them! I didn't know about this one. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Glad I could and yeah, she really is a fun author. :D

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  11. It is the best when a book just resonates with you and you might not have even expected it. It sounds like a cute premise.

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    1. I agree, I love when that happens, especially when it is unexpected. ;)

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  12. Honestly, I haven't been in the mood to read much YA contemporaries lately but I have to say, Kasie West has always been on my TBR list. Glad you enjoyed this one!

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    1. I haven't either, I read very few any more but I always make time for her because I love her so much.

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  13. I didn’t know about this one. I still haven’t read her last one that came out in the summer. I was really disappointed in the one before that in the library. Hope I like this one.

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  14. Glad to see you really liked this one, hope that means I do too :)

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  15. I know her last few books weren't getting good reviews, but I'm happy to see this one has her cute contemporaries back on track. I only read and really enjoyed two of them. Definitely want to read more from her.

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    1. I think I'm behind on reading one but yeah, this did seem more like her earlier work.

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  16. I have yet to read her and I do think I'll make sure I'll put this one on my wishlist.

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  17. This is the first I am hearing of the author. You peaked my interest so I am going to add it to my wishlist.

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  18. Ohhh, sounds like my kind of book <3

    xx
    Vanessa @ Blushing Geek

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  19. Looks like a fun and touching read. And it must have been good to read it in one sitting! All her books look fun and engaging though- glad this one was so good! :)

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    1. They really are, at least all the ones I've tried so far. ;)

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  20. I just finished this. I love Abby a lot! This book brought it back and reminded me of her first book and why I love her books.

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    1. Me too and I've seen a lot of people saying that so I know it isn't just a few of us that think so.

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  21. This sounds super cute, but maybe a little deep, too. Glad to hear the characters and situation resonated with you so much. Wonderful review! :)

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    1. Thanks and it was, all hers have some depth to them, even if it's just a little bit. ;)

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  22. Oh I can see you love this book so much. Thanks for sharing your awesome review. I haven’t read any books by this author but have heard great things about her books. ❤️😁

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  23. You should definitely try her, she really is a fabulous writer.

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  24. Yall tempt me so much with her books! Such cute covers, too :)

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  25. This book made me laugh and want to cry. The ending was hard won, and I was proud of Abby for how she handled herself, even if she didn't get everything she wanted (or think she could).

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  26. Best-friends-to-more is hard to pull off in a story, but Kasie West got it perfect. These two best friends are the cutest.

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  27. This book made me laugh and want to cry. The ending was hard won, and I was proud of Abby for how she handled herself, even if she didn't get everything she wanted (or think she could).

    Best-friends-to-more is hard to pull off in a story, but Kasie West got it perfect. These two best friends are the cutest.

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