TrevorPTweedleD

Received a copy of Last Minute Decision by Lisa Anderson through the BookLikes giveaway program in exchange for an honest review

This is a sensitive subject that transcends time and can speak to many people across the globe. Anyone that has gone through the transition from elementary/primary school to high school/secondary school understands that the search for one's self can lead to a person going down a different social path. At first it hurts, and as time goes on you understand it, at first you don't like it, and as more time goes by you appreciate the fact that it was probably best for everyone involved. Differences are often attributed to the onset of hate, but differences also lead to cliques and the harmless alignment of like-minded individuals. In my case growing up I was quite heavy, and by heavy I mean big, and by big I mean fat, so how in the world am I going to relate to a guy that can do a 3 foot Ollie onto a handrail or kick-flip over a 7 foot ledge. Sure I can appreciate it, but I think it would be best if they found some guys/girls that speak the same language. What I found was that when your younger you take friends for granted, everyone is very much the same, and as you get older and become more of a thinker, you realize things that really only undermine the relationships that you have in the end. Appreciate the similarities, however small they may be, you may just gain a friend, or learn a few things along the way.

When I read a short story collection or a novella for that matter, I go in with the understanding that it merits the methodology behind it and really packs a punch. The author executed the emotions of the characters, especially Amy very well and the tone was consistent from beginning to end. Unfortunately, in the end I felt this story failed to live up to my expectations. I hate being hard on this story due to the sensitive subject matter, but in a lot of ways many people have lived these circumstances personally or vicariously and there just wasn't a whole lot more to it. It would be a perfect study for early teenagers to prepare for potential troubling situations that may come their way even if the story happens to be close to thirty five years of age. The ending presented a lot of questions and many people may be put off by the open-ended nature. I am all about endings that leave the responsibilities to the readers subjectivity but this story didn't deserve it. This was too monotonous, flat and one-note. I was going crazy with anticipation, waiting for the twist, patiently expecting the turn, hoping for it to delve deeper, but in the end all hope was lost. I would have liked to see the aftershock of what happened to Amy and Jenny, or even some kind of one year later, five years later perspective of how the characters evolved and how the course of events changed their lives. If there is a follow-up in store there are many avenues to go down and interest will be raised but I am not anticipating much different with respect to levels of engagement.

Definitely recommended for younger adults, especially ladies as they get ready for the adventure that is the "best" times of their lives and for men looking to learn how not to behave.