All Our Worst Ideas
Ratings1
Average rating4
15
Ratings1
Average rating4
Two teens who have nothing in common work together at a record store in All Our Worst Ideas, a powerful and voice-driven YA novel from Vicky Skinner. When Amy, on her way to becoming valedictorian of her graduating class and getting accepted to her dream school, gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she takes a job at a record store to ease the pain. She needs a distraction, badly. Oliver, Amy’s record store co-worker, isn’t so sure about Amy—his complete opposite—but what he is sure of is his decision not to go to college. He just can’t figure out how to tell his mother. As they work late-night shifts at the record store, Amy and Oliver become friends and then confidantes and then something more, but when Amy has a hard time letting go of what she thought was her perfect future with her ex, she risks losing the future she didn’t even know she wanted with Oliver.
Reviews with the most likes.
I loved the evolution of Oliver and Amy's relationship, but I wish we saw more of them together. That was a brief period of the book, and I always enjoy the moments where the characters just exist.
I have to admit that I was lowkey stressed throughout the book because of Amy's quest to be valedictorian. It brought back all the stressful high school memories.
They work in a record store, so of course, there are music references galore. I'd always stop and queue up whatever song they were listening to/talking about, which makes me feel more connected. I may have gotten a bit frustrated when they talked about a song, but didn't say the name of the song. (There is a playlist in the back of the book, but I may have spent 10 minutes trying to find a two and a half minute Nothing But Thieves song).
All Our Worst Ideas is a great teen read – the stress of high school and figuring out your future, balancing parents' expectations, and love. I'd absolutely recommend it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
