First & Then

Rating: 4.8 out of 5

Favorite Quote: "Close your eyes, real tight, and then count to three hundred. That's all you have to do. You just count to three hundred, and when you open your eyes, five  minutes will have passed. And even if it hurts or things are shitty or you don't know what to do, you just made it through five whole minutes. And when it feels like you can't go on, you just close your eyes and do it again. That's all you need. Just five minutes at a time."

Summary: Devon Tennyson wouldn't change a thing. She's happy silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon's cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive jock, Ezra, right where she doesn't want them--first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

With wit, heart, and humor to spare, First & Then is a contemporary novel about falling in love--with the unexpected boy, with a new brother, and with yourself.

Background Noise: I find that I listen to music a lot when I read, and I feel it can greatly enhance the reading experience. For this particular novel, I found myself listening to the Acoustic Spring playlist on Spotify. Check it out!

Review: I honestly don't know where to start. When I picked up this book, I expected it to be another cutesy love story that made me smile, but didn't stick with me for long. I expected it to get me through a few mindless hours and offer a bit of entertainment. What I didn't expect was how much I enjoyed this book; I simply devoured it. The writing was absolutely fabulous, almost poetic, and the characters were pleasantly dynamic. It has been a while since I have read a story where I have found myself captivated by even the simplest of appearances from characters/personalities that barely rank as minor. Mills has a gift for creating realistic, multi-dimensional beings. Devon, the protagonist, is commendable but not perfect. The author doesn't try to portray her as the epitome of good or beauty, but as someone who has flaws, knows them, and accepts them. Devon also has a life of her own; her mind doesn't just revolve around her love life, and she evolves not through her relationships with her romantic interest, but with her relationship with her cousin, Foster. I guess it has just been awhile since I have read a novel where the main focus was not on a protagonist's romantic woes. (Don't get me wrong, I love those books, but it nice to have a change of pace every once in awhile.) Foster, was an equally fascinating character. In the beginning, I thought he be nothing, but the sad, peculiar kid that needed a little kindness and understanding; however, as the book progressed, you see how strong he really is. As for the rest, I can not really put it in to words. I guess you will just have to read it and find out. 

(By the way, hope you had a great Easter!)