Book Review: This is Now by Maggie Gilbert

The Deal: No one really expects much of Jess other than falling in line and get back together with her drug-dealer ex, and get over her dreams of finishing high school (She can't imagine what her siblings would say if she let them know she not only wants to finish high school but also go to college someday). 

But Jess wants more for herself, even if that other life is all she has ever know, but she's also easily distracted by parties and clubbing with friends and drinking - which usually leads her back to her ex's bed, even if he's currently dating someone else - so her progress is rather slow. 

And then she meets Sebastien, a talented musician from a rich family who takes an interest on her, and the two of them soon begin dating. But Jess can't bring herself to tell her about her life or bring him home and she's puzzled that he wants to take it slow between them. 

Still, next to Sebastien, Jess starts to think she really has a shot at a different life, until her past catches up with her. 

My Thoughts: I was actually very excited to read This is Now, last year I read Maggie Gilbert's Riding on Air and I totally loved it, sadly This is Now didn't live up to it. 

To start with, is not always easy to empathize with Jess - she kind of shoots herself in the foot a few times, and she often comes off as lacking a backbone. Her one redeeming quality for me was that she was a hard worker, but half of the time I didn't feel like she took her dreams seriously. 

Then there is Sebastien, who comes of a bit snobbish more often than not, he is not necessarily a bad sort but I just didn't find the swoon factor with him. 

The rest of the characters weren't all that great either, they fade largely to the background and when they show up it's usually just to bring/keep Jess down. 

Also, this is one of those "what? no grovel?" books. Sebastien does something really crappy to Jess toward the end and I was not happy with how that was handled.