Thursday, October 07, 2010

The Lighter Side of Life and Death (YA)

The Lighter Side of Life and Death. C.K. Kelly Martin. 2010. May 2010. Random House. 240 pages.

There are certain things you know you'll always remember. 

What you see is what you get in C.K. Kelly Martin's newest YA romance. In this case, an intimate look at firsts. Mason, our narrator, loses his virginity to his best friend, Kat. Since Kat was more than a little under the influence at the time and definitely angry at her boyfriend--whom she caught with another girl--this doesn't make the two any closer. In fact, Kat and Mason are no longer able to be friends.

So what's a sixteen year old guy to do now? How about hooking up with a twenty-three year old woman that he meets at his new step-mom's party? Yes, Collette, flirts shamelessly with him--off and on. Sometimes playing the role of a responsible, mature adult who knows that becoming sexually involved with a sixteen year old boy is just a bad idea. And sometimes choosing what feels right in that moment. Mason? Well. He knows it's all lust, knows it's all temporary. And he's more than okay with that.

This YA romance didn't quite work for me. If it's supposed to be a romance between Kat and Mason--two friends who can't decide if they like each other like that, if they want more--then it didn't work for me. Because for the most part what we see as readers is Mason and Collette. Again and again. Sure there are awkward moments where Kat is refusing to talk to Mason. And awkward moments between Mason and his friends. But. This isn't a romantic story. It isn't about how much the hero and heroine love each other--or even like each other.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

1 comment:

Janssen said...

I've disliked both of her other two books, so I won't even give this one a go.