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My Ticket Out
A senior basketball player. A mysterious new girl. A secret romance…
Charlie Baker wants out. She wants out of her small, southern hometown of BluHaven and she has her sights set on a basketball scholarship to a college as far away as her dreams can take her. Everything is going according to plan until she moves to town.
Aspen Sullivan is breathtaking. She is beautiful, smart, talented…. She evokes feelings in Charlie that she hadn’t thought possible. When their friendship blossoms into something more, Charlie discovers a new truth about herself. But with Aspen’s mysterious past, they must keep their relationship a secret.
Will their love be strong enough to endure the trials of deceiving those closest to them?
Do they have what it takes to escape the constraints of the south and the closet together?
My Ticket Out is a Young Adult, LGBT story about love, and self-discovery. If you enjoy stories that include romance, heartbreak, and embracing who you are, then you will definitely love this book by author J.N. Marton.
Pick this book up today to see if Charlie will find her ticket out.
Charlie Baker wants out. She wants out of her small, southern hometown of BluHaven and she has her sights set on a basketball scholarship to a college as far away as her dreams can take her. Everything is going according to plan until she moves to town.
Aspen Sullivan is breathtaking. She is beautiful, smart, talented…. She evokes feelings in Charlie that she hadn’t thought possible. When their friendship blossoms into something more, Charlie discovers a new truth about herself. But with Aspen’s mysterious past, they must keep their relationship a secret.
Will their love be strong enough to endure the trials of deceiving those closest to them?
Do they have what it takes to escape the constraints of the south and the closet together?
My Ticket Out is a Young Adult, LGBT story about love, and self-discovery. If you enjoy stories that include romance, heartbreak, and embracing who you are, then you will definitely love this book by author J.N. Marton.
Pick this book up today to see if Charlie will find her ticket out.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 17, 2020
53 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
J.N. Marton
1 book9 followersJ.N. Marton graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelor’s degree in education. Along with educating the future of our nation, she enjoys taking her daily morning run, reading any book she can get her hands on, and binge watching the latest shows on Netflix. Marton happily lives with her wife, Hollis, and their Lab/Basset Hound mix, Sam.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
December 30, 2020
A new author for me with a young adult and coming of age story. In my late fifties, I'm definitely not part of the target audience, but I have to say the story sucked me in. A story about finding yourself, standing up for yourself, family, friends, first love, bullies, loss, grief, and finding your own way.
Charlie lives in a small town and is one of the basketball stars of her high school. Her best friend is also her rival for a basketball scholarship to get out of this town. Aspen is new to the school and there are rumors about why she moved here in the middle of a school year. Charlie and Aspen become friends pretty quickly and as feelings develop beyond just friendship, Charlie realizes why she always felt she never really fit in the community and why she had no interest in boys.
Told from Charlie's point of view, we witness her development into a strong young woman who learns to stand up for herself and find her way. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions, with falling in love the first time, discovering you're a lesbian, learning what it's like to be bullied, having friends who stand in front of you, the elation of being in love, and heartbreak. I'm afraid that in many small towns it can still happen just like that, although I still hope that one day same-sex love will be as common as straight love.
It is a very emotional book and I rejoiced and cried along with Charlie. It could have been just another young adult romance but the author had other things in mind, life is not always as we would like it to be, there are always violent low blows from which you can hope to come out stronger. For that the end of the story is bittersweet.
I loved Charlie, I even fell a little bit in love with her. Her childhood was not easy and she and her brother Matty grow up with their grandparents which did not make her coming out easier. Through their past, however, the siblings have a strong bond.
Aspen is a woman with two sides, she can be strong and brave when she is with Charlie, but also very vulnerable and insecure when it comes to her father. Over time we learn what her family is all about and understand her better.
Riley, Charlie's best friend, is a wonderful friend and great young woman. I like that the author didn't always make it all sunshine here either, but the two survive the rivalry for the scholarship. And when necessary, Riley always stands by Charlie's side. All the other characters are important too and bring depth to the story.
There are really sweet moments but also a lot of angst and drama, including homophobia and bullying and loss, but also friendship and love. Maybe the story is a little bit packed but for a debut novel, I happily congratulate J.N. Marton.
My rating 4 stars
ARC provided by the author and BookSirens.com in exchange for an honest review
Charlie lives in a small town and is one of the basketball stars of her high school. Her best friend is also her rival for a basketball scholarship to get out of this town. Aspen is new to the school and there are rumors about why she moved here in the middle of a school year. Charlie and Aspen become friends pretty quickly and as feelings develop beyond just friendship, Charlie realizes why she always felt she never really fit in the community and why she had no interest in boys.
Told from Charlie's point of view, we witness her development into a strong young woman who learns to stand up for herself and find her way. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions, with falling in love the first time, discovering you're a lesbian, learning what it's like to be bullied, having friends who stand in front of you, the elation of being in love, and heartbreak. I'm afraid that in many small towns it can still happen just like that, although I still hope that one day same-sex love will be as common as straight love.
It is a very emotional book and I rejoiced and cried along with Charlie. It could have been just another young adult romance but the author had other things in mind, life is not always as we would like it to be, there are always violent low blows from which you can hope to come out stronger. For that the end of the story is bittersweet.
I loved Charlie, I even fell a little bit in love with her. Her childhood was not easy and she and her brother Matty grow up with their grandparents which did not make her coming out easier. Through their past, however, the siblings have a strong bond.
Aspen is a woman with two sides, she can be strong and brave when she is with Charlie, but also very vulnerable and insecure when it comes to her father. Over time we learn what her family is all about and understand her better.
Riley, Charlie's best friend, is a wonderful friend and great young woman. I like that the author didn't always make it all sunshine here either, but the two survive the rivalry for the scholarship. And when necessary, Riley always stands by Charlie's side. All the other characters are important too and bring depth to the story.
There are really sweet moments but also a lot of angst and drama, including homophobia and bullying and loss, but also friendship and love. Maybe the story is a little bit packed but for a debut novel, I happily congratulate J.N. Marton.
My rating 4 stars
ARC provided by the author and BookSirens.com in exchange for an honest review
December 8, 2020
Update: This review has been on my mind for several days. I have decided to raise the rating to four stars because I have to admit that it was still an engaging book and more or less on par with the books I've rated four stars. So it would be unfair to rate it any lower.
A coming-of-age story about self discovery.
An ARC was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This Young Adult lesfic romance book is fairly well-written for a debut book but I’m not sure how I feel about it. Here’s why.
Charlie lives in a conservative small town like a square peg in a round hole. She doesn’t know why she isn’t interested in the boys at school nor the ones that her best friend Riley sets her up with. All she knows is that a basketball scholarship is her ticket out of town. But when Aspen walks into the school canteen one day, Charlie finds herself unexplainably drawn to her. And as the two girls grow closer, they discover love in high school. But they have to keep it a secret because of the homophobic town they live in and Aspen’s mysterious past.
This is a book about self discovery, high school puppy love, school bullying and the struggle to come out. I had expected a fair amount of heartbreak and angst as with many other books of this genre. And I think it is fair to say that I got more than I would have liked to deal with.
The author created a town that was so archiac, the story became much more intense than I would have liked. And because of that, the perennial issues with the town folks overshadowed the romance part. But to give credit to the author, the sweet bits did come through more strongly in the later part of the book.
I know that there are different opinions on same gender relationships. But the reactions to it and the repeated talk about finding a man to settle down had me checking if the time period of this book was the 21st century and it took me by surprise that it was. I suppose such towns do still exist and people can be cruel. I would have added blind dates to the list, but I know that's part of the culture in some towns. But I wasn't comfortable with how the boys in school were behaving, which felt more like harrassment than persistence.
Charlie is likeable and she is one brave character. As for Aspen, I pegged her for the rebel type so it surprised me a little that she wasn't. But I guess its because Charlie sees how Aspen is, that made Charlie so brave. I love how the author made good use of the best friend character and I liked Riley alot by the end of it.
There are other parts of the book I would have liked to talk about, but it would mean giving the whole story away. So this review will end here.
Overall this is a good debut book and you won't be bored. Just maybe heartbroken at some point.
A coming-of-age story about self discovery.
An ARC was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This Young Adult lesfic romance book is fairly well-written for a debut book but I’m not sure how I feel about it. Here’s why.
Charlie lives in a conservative small town like a square peg in a round hole. She doesn’t know why she isn’t interested in the boys at school nor the ones that her best friend Riley sets her up with. All she knows is that a basketball scholarship is her ticket out of town. But when Aspen walks into the school canteen one day, Charlie finds herself unexplainably drawn to her. And as the two girls grow closer, they discover love in high school. But they have to keep it a secret because of the homophobic town they live in and Aspen’s mysterious past.
This is a book about self discovery, high school puppy love, school bullying and the struggle to come out. I had expected a fair amount of heartbreak and angst as with many other books of this genre. And I think it is fair to say that I got more than I would have liked to deal with.
The author created a town that was so archiac, the story became much more intense than I would have liked. And because of that, the perennial issues with the town folks overshadowed the romance part. But to give credit to the author, the sweet bits did come through more strongly in the later part of the book.
I know that there are different opinions on same gender relationships. But the reactions to it and the repeated talk about finding a man to settle down had me checking if the time period of this book was the 21st century and it took me by surprise that it was. I suppose such towns do still exist and people can be cruel. I would have added blind dates to the list, but I know that's part of the culture in some towns. But I wasn't comfortable with how the boys in school were behaving, which felt more like harrassment than persistence.
Charlie is likeable and she is one brave character. As for Aspen, I pegged her for the rebel type so it surprised me a little that she wasn't. But I guess its because Charlie sees how Aspen is, that made Charlie so brave. I love how the author made good use of the best friend character and I liked Riley alot by the end of it.
There are other parts of the book I would have liked to talk about, but it would mean giving the whole story away. So this review will end here.
Overall this is a good debut book and you won't be bored. Just maybe heartbroken at some point.
March 10, 2021
Emotional and Intense. Pulls at the heartstrings. I dig it.
I was annoyed at the stuff the boys got away with doing and saying in this book. Then again, it's happening in real life so it made the story realistic in that regard. I was shocked by what happens and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, so I'm sitting on the middle with this one.
I was annoyed at the stuff the boys got away with doing and saying in this book. Then again, it's happening in real life so it made the story realistic in that regard. I was shocked by what happens and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, so I'm sitting on the middle with this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2020
3.5 stars - I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is an emotionally charged read, full of impossibly heightened adolescent angst. It is the story of Charlie, a small town basketball star in her last year of high school. The book follows Charlie as she grows into herself, prepares for the future and falls in love for the first time.
It is impossible not to fall hard for Charlie. Certain that she doesn’t belong in her small town, she devotes herself to her basketball - her ticket out. I love Charlie’s intense friendship with her friend and rival Riley and I love her complicated relationship with her brother. Charlie’s background is complicated and her relationship with her grandparents is fragile. Charlie is a fighter, she’s a survivor and she’s pretty fabulous.
I’m not entirely sure why this book is marketed as a romance. It is definitely a coming of age story and it is definitely a young adult, not a new adult read, but I’d argue that the focus of this book is the growth we see in Charlie herself over the school year. Without spoilers, there is a romance element to the book but it is a difficult, fractured romance for most of the book and the storyline doesn’t use a conventional romance novel structure.
My initial reaction to the dramatic storyline around Charlie’s coming out experience was disbelief - but sadly I’ve seen enough American news in 2020 to understand that small town America is quite possibly as hostile to LGBT teens as Charlie’s story suggests. However, I do feel like the book gets unnecessarily preachy in places - especially at the end where resolutions feel too easy and a bit trite. I’m not sure deep hurts can be healed quickly with pretty apologies. Charlie, Riley and Matthew feel like complicated, fully developed characters. I didn’t quite know how to feel about Aspen in various parts of the story - but all of the other characters feel a little bit too simplistic. Either goodies or baddies, there isn’t much room for multifaceted humans in this book.
I recognise that as a teacher in my 40s, I’m definitely not the target audience for this book. I think the angst, the emotional turmoil and the intense romantic scenes will resonate better with teen readers than they did with me. It’s all a little too much for me but it did make me smile - and cry.
This is an emotionally charged read, full of impossibly heightened adolescent angst. It is the story of Charlie, a small town basketball star in her last year of high school. The book follows Charlie as she grows into herself, prepares for the future and falls in love for the first time.
It is impossible not to fall hard for Charlie. Certain that she doesn’t belong in her small town, she devotes herself to her basketball - her ticket out. I love Charlie’s intense friendship with her friend and rival Riley and I love her complicated relationship with her brother. Charlie’s background is complicated and her relationship with her grandparents is fragile. Charlie is a fighter, she’s a survivor and she’s pretty fabulous.
I’m not entirely sure why this book is marketed as a romance. It is definitely a coming of age story and it is definitely a young adult, not a new adult read, but I’d argue that the focus of this book is the growth we see in Charlie herself over the school year. Without spoilers, there is a romance element to the book but it is a difficult, fractured romance for most of the book and the storyline doesn’t use a conventional romance novel structure.
My initial reaction to the dramatic storyline around Charlie’s coming out experience was disbelief - but sadly I’ve seen enough American news in 2020 to understand that small town America is quite possibly as hostile to LGBT teens as Charlie’s story suggests. However, I do feel like the book gets unnecessarily preachy in places - especially at the end where resolutions feel too easy and a bit trite. I’m not sure deep hurts can be healed quickly with pretty apologies. Charlie, Riley and Matthew feel like complicated, fully developed characters. I didn’t quite know how to feel about Aspen in various parts of the story - but all of the other characters feel a little bit too simplistic. Either goodies or baddies, there isn’t much room for multifaceted humans in this book.
I recognise that as a teacher in my 40s, I’m definitely not the target audience for this book. I think the angst, the emotional turmoil and the intense romantic scenes will resonate better with teen readers than they did with me. It’s all a little too much for me but it did make me smile - and cry.
September 25, 2021
DONT WASTE YOUR TIME ITS A DEAD LESBIAN TROPE DONT EVEN BOTHER
AND NOT ONLY IS IT A DEAD LESBIAN TROPE IT MAKES YOU THINK ITS GONNA BE A HEA AND THEN KILLS HER OFF
0 STARS IF I COULD
AND NOT ONLY IS IT A DEAD LESBIAN TROPE IT MAKES YOU THINK ITS GONNA BE A HEA AND THEN KILLS HER OFF
0 STARS IF I COULD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2021
Because in the end all we’re left with is ourselves. Once he figures this out, he decides he’s going to do whatever it takes to get off that island. That’s when he discovers the group of people that already live there, and finally understands that he was never really alone after all.
About 75% into this book I read that quote and thought “ah, this is the thesis of this book” and then I was promptly proved wrong. So what is the thesis of this book?
I have no idea.
I was ready to DNF this at 25% but I thought I would give it until at least 50% because I liked the premise. I should’ve quit while I was ahead.
This book was littered with errors (missing punctuation, doubled up punctuation, the incorrect use of “your”) but that’s not why I rated it so low. I read fanfiction, I can see past some grammatical errors for a good story. But this wasn’t a good story.
This book is told from the point of view of our protagonist, Charlie. We’re led to believe that Charlie is a bit of a tomboy, though we’re never given any information on that other than she plays basketball and doesn’t want to date any of the (straight up douchey) boys at school. Ben is particularly persistent and Riley, Charlie’s best friend, is insistent that Charlie date him. Why? Because she should just date someone. Ben is a gross high school boy from a small town, I’m not going to waste too much time talking about him because he just disappears mid-way through the book. What I will say is that Charlie went on one date with him before the book and it Did Not Go Well. Riley thinks she just didn’t give him a chance. Oh, Riley.
Then we meet Aspen, mysterious new girl at school who Charlie is instantly attracted to. Why? She’s very pretty with her caramel hair and hips and breasts. They start lying to their respective guardians about school projects in order to hang out and bond over their shared trauma.
Charlie’s trauma comes in the form of her mother being a drug addict. Her father got her hooked and then left. This led their mother into a depression and she almost burned their apartment down, so she lost custody of Charlie and Charlie’s brother, Matty. (As far as we know, that’s his full name. Matty.) They go to live with their christian grandparents in small town BluHaven.
Aspen’s trauma is, in my opinion, a little more traumatic. She started dating a girl and when her parents found out, her dad was furious but her mum was supportive. Her parents began fighting a lot and one night, Aspen and her mother got into a pretty bad accident. Her mother died and her father decided it would do some good to move them back to BluHaven.
Of course this didn’t do anything, because Aspen and Charlie fall in love and start dating within the first few chapters. Aspen doesn’t want her dad to find out so they decide to keep it on the DL.
Except that they suck at keeping it a secret and sneak off to make out at a party the whole school is at and get caught. Mean girl Skylar catches them and takes a photo. Charlie and Aspen get into a huge fight. Aspen is terrified her dad will find out and her life will be uprooted again. Charlie is angry she won’t come out because Charlie wants to be public. They break up.
Skylar posts the photo on Instagram and everyone sees it - including Aspen’s dad who then outs Charlie to her grandparents. (Her Nana tries to convert her, her gramps eventually comes around.)
This party happens on Saturday. The following Monday at school she sees Aspen with a boy, Brandon, and Riley (who happens to know all about Charlie and Aspen’s relationship) says “I heard they’re a thing now.” To this I say: how? When? Who is Brandon? There are so many douchebags to choose from - Will, Trey, Ben - why introduce a new one? Where did Ben go?
Also, what happened to Andrew - the boy from down the road who was originally Aspen’s cover for dating Charlie, who her dad approved of and who agreed to be her beard because he is also gay. What happened to that guy?
Throughout this there’s another subplot: a college in Arizona is interested in both Charlie and Riley, but can only accept one of them. Charlie is continuously horrible to Riley about this, as if it’s her fault the college wants her. She’s particularly mad that other schools are interested in Riley and that she doesn’t need a scholarship due to her family’s financial standing. Riley makes it clear that no other schools have offered her anything and that she actually wants to go to this school. The thing is, this book opens with Charlie missing the winning shot. She plays badly throughout the book and even though Riley actually talks to the recruiter before Charlie, the Arizona school wants her. But Riley is totally cool with this of course because a school in New Mexico offered her something first and she took it. (The epilogue tells us Riley blows out her knee and ends her career in the WNBA about a year and a half in, so I find this whole recurring argument between them pointless.) Anyway, the principal tells Charlie that the picture of her kissing a girl puts her scholarship in jeopardy. She calls the recruiter and her scholarship is safe, they don’t care that she’s gay.
They go to another party. Charlie kisses another girl, Makenzie, and immediately feels guilty because she’s still in love with Aspen. They agree to be friends, and then this happens in the next chapter:
I’ve hung out with Makenzie a few times since the party. She’s introduced me to a few of her friends that are also like us. I have to admit, it feels great being surrounded by people who understand and know exactly what I’m going through. On Saturday, I spend the morning playing pickup games with Riley and several other girls from the team.
That night, I go over to Makenzie’s and we spend the evening watching some independent films that she saw at a film festival last summer. It’s after dodging two kisses that she lands the third. I don’t freak out like I did at the party and I’m not surprised to learn that she’s a pretty good kisser.
What? The persistence isn’t cute on Ben and I don’t think it’s cute on Makenzie. I thought Charlie wasn’t ready? Huh?
They date for a bit but Aspen eventually comes around and Charlie chooses her. Makenzie is cool with this.
Charlie asks why Aspen has moved in with her Aunt Beth (her dad’s sister who is wonderful and supportive) and that her dad is trying to make amends. Not long before Charlie and Aspen are about to go to Arizona for college, Aspen goes to her dad’s house and they have a very pleasant dinner. On the drive back she’s telling Charlie how nice it was, how he’s really trying-
And then she crashes.
And then she dies.
What?
At the funeral, Aspen’s dad and Skylar both apologise for their role in what happened and come to accept both Charlie and Aspen. Great.
Charlie momentarily considers staying in BluHaven because it doesn’t feel right going to Arizona without Aspen (even though she was planning to go before they met) but Aunt Beth talks some sense into her by saying that’s not what Aspen would’ve wanted.
Charlie leaves.
The epilogue is set seven years later. We find out about Riley’s career, Matty goes to MIT and Charlie has started some sort of LGBTQ+ support group. Every year on Aspen’s birthday, her dad donates in her honour. Oh, and Charlie is about to propose and is only here visiting Aspen’s grave because her girlfriend, Lucy, said she should. Charlie says this:
“Every decision, every moment, every opportunity, has led me to where I am now. And it all started the day you walked into the cafeteria at school. I thought a scholarship was my only ticket out—oh how I wanted nothing more than to escape this place. I was wrong. You showed me everything I was missing; opened my eyes to the beauty of this world, and for that I’ll always be grateful.”
So. I get where they were going, except that Charlie was going to leave before she met Aspen. And if we’re considering the alternative “out”, she was never even in the closet, she just didn’t know girls were an option. From the moment she confessed she liked Aspen, she was okay with it. Aspen was always the one hiding from her sexuality and I think that, for this reason, this book would’ve benefited from a dual perspective. From Charlie’s point of view, Aspen just came across as wishy-washy. It would’ve strengthened the plot to have some understanding of what she was going through.
To an extent.
I don’t see why Aspen had to die. She didn’t. The only thing that served to do was make mean girl Skylar, a character who only server to further the plot and meant nothing to Charlie, and Aspen’s dad, who only mattered to Aspen, come around. And for what? I don’t care about Aspen’s dad because Charlie doesn’t care. Aspen cared, and this would’ve been a lot more impactful if we’d seen that.
I almost gave the book 3 stars, but I’m sick of LGBT characters dying in order to be accepted. That isn’t the representation I want and it’s not the representation we need.
About 75% into this book I read that quote and thought “ah, this is the thesis of this book” and then I was promptly proved wrong. So what is the thesis of this book?
I have no idea.
I was ready to DNF this at 25% but I thought I would give it until at least 50% because I liked the premise. I should’ve quit while I was ahead.
This book was littered with errors (missing punctuation, doubled up punctuation, the incorrect use of “your”) but that’s not why I rated it so low. I read fanfiction, I can see past some grammatical errors for a good story. But this wasn’t a good story.
This book is told from the point of view of our protagonist, Charlie. We’re led to believe that Charlie is a bit of a tomboy, though we’re never given any information on that other than she plays basketball and doesn’t want to date any of the (straight up douchey) boys at school. Ben is particularly persistent and Riley, Charlie’s best friend, is insistent that Charlie date him. Why? Because she should just date someone. Ben is a gross high school boy from a small town, I’m not going to waste too much time talking about him because he just disappears mid-way through the book. What I will say is that Charlie went on one date with him before the book and it Did Not Go Well. Riley thinks she just didn’t give him a chance. Oh, Riley.
Then we meet Aspen, mysterious new girl at school who Charlie is instantly attracted to. Why? She’s very pretty with her caramel hair and hips and breasts. They start lying to their respective guardians about school projects in order to hang out and bond over their shared trauma.
Charlie’s trauma comes in the form of her mother being a drug addict. Her father got her hooked and then left. This led their mother into a depression and she almost burned their apartment down, so she lost custody of Charlie and Charlie’s brother, Matty. (As far as we know, that’s his full name. Matty.) They go to live with their christian grandparents in small town BluHaven.
Aspen’s trauma is, in my opinion, a little more traumatic. She started dating a girl and when her parents found out, her dad was furious but her mum was supportive. Her parents began fighting a lot and one night, Aspen and her mother got into a pretty bad accident. Her mother died and her father decided it would do some good to move them back to BluHaven.
Of course this didn’t do anything, because Aspen and Charlie fall in love and start dating within the first few chapters. Aspen doesn’t want her dad to find out so they decide to keep it on the DL.
Except that they suck at keeping it a secret and sneak off to make out at a party the whole school is at and get caught. Mean girl Skylar catches them and takes a photo. Charlie and Aspen get into a huge fight. Aspen is terrified her dad will find out and her life will be uprooted again. Charlie is angry she won’t come out because Charlie wants to be public. They break up.
Skylar posts the photo on Instagram and everyone sees it - including Aspen’s dad who then outs Charlie to her grandparents. (Her Nana tries to convert her, her gramps eventually comes around.)
This party happens on Saturday. The following Monday at school she sees Aspen with a boy, Brandon, and Riley (who happens to know all about Charlie and Aspen’s relationship) says “I heard they’re a thing now.” To this I say: how? When? Who is Brandon? There are so many douchebags to choose from - Will, Trey, Ben - why introduce a new one? Where did Ben go?
Also, what happened to Andrew - the boy from down the road who was originally Aspen’s cover for dating Charlie, who her dad approved of and who agreed to be her beard because he is also gay. What happened to that guy?
Throughout this there’s another subplot: a college in Arizona is interested in both Charlie and Riley, but can only accept one of them. Charlie is continuously horrible to Riley about this, as if it’s her fault the college wants her. She’s particularly mad that other schools are interested in Riley and that she doesn’t need a scholarship due to her family’s financial standing. Riley makes it clear that no other schools have offered her anything and that she actually wants to go to this school. The thing is, this book opens with Charlie missing the winning shot. She plays badly throughout the book and even though Riley actually talks to the recruiter before Charlie, the Arizona school wants her. But Riley is totally cool with this of course because a school in New Mexico offered her something first and she took it. (The epilogue tells us Riley blows out her knee and ends her career in the WNBA about a year and a half in, so I find this whole recurring argument between them pointless.) Anyway, the principal tells Charlie that the picture of her kissing a girl puts her scholarship in jeopardy. She calls the recruiter and her scholarship is safe, they don’t care that she’s gay.
They go to another party. Charlie kisses another girl, Makenzie, and immediately feels guilty because she’s still in love with Aspen. They agree to be friends, and then this happens in the next chapter:
I’ve hung out with Makenzie a few times since the party. She’s introduced me to a few of her friends that are also like us. I have to admit, it feels great being surrounded by people who understand and know exactly what I’m going through. On Saturday, I spend the morning playing pickup games with Riley and several other girls from the team.
That night, I go over to Makenzie’s and we spend the evening watching some independent films that she saw at a film festival last summer. It’s after dodging two kisses that she lands the third. I don’t freak out like I did at the party and I’m not surprised to learn that she’s a pretty good kisser.
What? The persistence isn’t cute on Ben and I don’t think it’s cute on Makenzie. I thought Charlie wasn’t ready? Huh?
They date for a bit but Aspen eventually comes around and Charlie chooses her. Makenzie is cool with this.
Charlie asks why Aspen has moved in with her Aunt Beth (her dad’s sister who is wonderful and supportive) and that her dad is trying to make amends. Not long before Charlie and Aspen are about to go to Arizona for college, Aspen goes to her dad’s house and they have a very pleasant dinner. On the drive back she’s telling Charlie how nice it was, how he’s really trying-
And then she crashes.
And then she dies.
What?
At the funeral, Aspen’s dad and Skylar both apologise for their role in what happened and come to accept both Charlie and Aspen. Great.
Charlie momentarily considers staying in BluHaven because it doesn’t feel right going to Arizona without Aspen (even though she was planning to go before they met) but Aunt Beth talks some sense into her by saying that’s not what Aspen would’ve wanted.
Charlie leaves.
The epilogue is set seven years later. We find out about Riley’s career, Matty goes to MIT and Charlie has started some sort of LGBTQ+ support group. Every year on Aspen’s birthday, her dad donates in her honour. Oh, and Charlie is about to propose and is only here visiting Aspen’s grave because her girlfriend, Lucy, said she should. Charlie says this:
“Every decision, every moment, every opportunity, has led me to where I am now. And it all started the day you walked into the cafeteria at school. I thought a scholarship was my only ticket out—oh how I wanted nothing more than to escape this place. I was wrong. You showed me everything I was missing; opened my eyes to the beauty of this world, and for that I’ll always be grateful.”
So. I get where they were going, except that Charlie was going to leave before she met Aspen. And if we’re considering the alternative “out”, she was never even in the closet, she just didn’t know girls were an option. From the moment she confessed she liked Aspen, she was okay with it. Aspen was always the one hiding from her sexuality and I think that, for this reason, this book would’ve benefited from a dual perspective. From Charlie’s point of view, Aspen just came across as wishy-washy. It would’ve strengthened the plot to have some understanding of what she was going through.
To an extent.
I don’t see why Aspen had to die. She didn’t. The only thing that served to do was make mean girl Skylar, a character who only server to further the plot and meant nothing to Charlie, and Aspen’s dad, who only mattered to Aspen, come around. And for what? I don’t care about Aspen’s dad because Charlie doesn’t care. Aspen cared, and this would’ve been a lot more impactful if we’d seen that.
I almost gave the book 3 stars, but I’m sick of LGBT characters dying in order to be accepted. That isn’t the representation I want and it’s not the representation we need.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2021
5 stars
Wow, wow, Wow! I will carry this story with me for quite a while. You will care so much about the characters in this book. You will feel every emotion with them...good and bad. It is so real. I just finished reading it and must say I'm having a difficult time expressing how well written an emotional this story is.
I don't normally read YA stories but since it was about a young women 6 mos from graduation and involved her basket ball playing and her team, I thought I'd give it a try. The synopsis does not give you an insight to what you will experience. It is so much more.
I don't want to spoil it for you by telling too much and if you start reading a review that starts telling too much.....stop reading it. You will want to experience all the surprising events, of which there are many. This is probably the best coming out and coming of age stories I will ever read. I laughed, I was surprised, I was scared and I cried. Oh did I cry.
This is J.N.Marton's debut novel and is available with kindle unlimited. I will definitely be looking for Marton's next book.
(Lex, Diane, Pen, Bonnie.....get this one soon)
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, wow, Wow! I will carry this story with me for quite a while. You will care so much about the characters in this book. You will feel every emotion with them...good and bad. It is so real. I just finished reading it and must say I'm having a difficult time expressing how well written an emotional this story is.
I don't normally read YA stories but since it was about a young women 6 mos from graduation and involved her basket ball playing and her team, I thought I'd give it a try. The synopsis does not give you an insight to what you will experience. It is so much more.
I don't want to spoil it for you by telling too much and if you start reading a review that starts telling too much.....stop reading it. You will want to experience all the surprising events, of which there are many. This is probably the best coming out and coming of age stories I will ever read. I laughed, I was surprised, I was scared and I cried. Oh did I cry.
This is J.N.Marton's debut novel and is available with kindle unlimited. I will definitely be looking for Marton's next book.
(Lex, Diane, Pen, Bonnie.....get this one soon)
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 14, 2021
Charlie is a senior in a high school in a small Oklahoma town. While her best friend encourages her to give boys a chance, she seems unable to connect with them and feel anything. She's hoping that getting her ticket out and going away to college will help her discover who she is. But the only way that will happen is if she gets a basketball scholarship. A few months into school, Aspen enters the picture as the new girl. Charlie is entranced by her and it seems that the feeling is mutual. But it takes Charlie a while to understand just what her feelings mean. Once she does, the two enter into a passionate and fraught relationship made difficult by their environment and Aspen's homophobic father.
The above description only covers about half of this very long book that explores a multiplicity of issues that queer teens experience. This is a well written, intense book that had me sobbing through the last 20%. But in the end it is a story of growth and resilience. Highly recommended.
The above description only covers about half of this very long book that explores a multiplicity of issues that queer teens experience. This is a well written, intense book that had me sobbing through the last 20%. But in the end it is a story of growth and resilience. Highly recommended.
November 23, 2020
Check out our full post for MY TICKET OUT on Wicked Reads OR our full post for MY TICKET OUT on Wicked Reads: YA Edition, our teen-friendly blog.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
This is an emotionally charged read, full of impossibly heightened adolescent angst. It is the story of Charlie, a small town basketball star in her last year of high school. The book follows Charlie as she grows into herself, prepares for the future, and falls in love for the first time.
It is impossible not to fall hard for Charlie. Certain that she doesn’t belong in her small town, she devotes herself to her basketball – her ticket out. I love Charlie’s intense friendship with her friend and rival Riley, and I love her complicated relationship with her brother. Charlie’s background is complicated and her relationship with her grandparents is fragile. Charlie is a fighter, she’s a survivor, and she’s pretty fabulous.
I’m not entirely sure why this book is marketed as a romance. It is definitely a coming of age story and it is definitely a young adult, not a new adult read, but I’d argue that the focus of this book is the growth we see in Charlie herself over the school year. Without spoilers, there is a romance element to the book but it is a difficult, fractured romance for most of the book and the storyline doesn’t use a conventional romance novel structure.
My initial reaction to the dramatic storyline around Charlie’s coming out experience was disbelief – but sadly I’ve seen enough American news in 2020 to understand that small town America is quite possibly as hostile to LGBT teens as Charlie’s story suggests. However, I do feel like the book gets unnecessarily preachy in places – especially at the end where resolutions feel too easy and a bit trite. I’m not sure deep hurts can be healed quickly with pretty apologies. Charlie, Riley, and Matthew feel like complicated, fully developed characters. I didn’t quite know how to feel about Aspen in various parts of the story – but all of the other characters feel a little bit too simplistic. Either goodies or baddies, there isn’t much room for multifaceted humans in this book.
I recognise that as a teacher in my 40s, I’m definitely not the target audience for this book. I think the angst, the emotional turmoil, and the intense romantic scenes will resonate better with teen readers than they did with me. It’s all a little too much for me but it did make me smile – and cry.
Shannan – ☆☆☆
My Ticket Out is a young adult angsty story.
Charlie is a senior in high school. She doesn't feel she belongs in her hometown. She has hopes to get a basketball scholarship to be her ticket out. When Aspen is a new student, Charlie immediately notices how beautiful she is. Together they form a friendship that grows into something more.
The pace was very slow for me in the beginning, it did seem to move better the further I got into the read. I didn't feel as though I connected with the characters as much as I wanted to. As a young adult read, this is a very high-angst book, but with teenagers that is pretty realistic. The ending seemed a bit too easy for me, with a few apologies it was wrapped up in a bow. I did like that it touched on very realistic issues affecting LGBTQ teens.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
November 22, 2020
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
First, I want to say how happy I am that I stumbled upon the author's FB post about needing ARC readers. Normally, I don't read books blindly and I don't generally read young adult fiction. This story took me by surprise. I was not expecting to be pulled in so strongly and so quickly. Twenty years has passed since I was in high school, but that familiar feeling of needing acceptance and fearing what others would think for being different, bubbled up inside me when reading this story that I was able to relate to how the characters felt at times. I went through an array of emotions during the entire book. Anticipation, anger, rage, sadness, heartache, happiness, sorrow. I could go on. I loved watching Charlie and Aspen's relationship slowly bloom from friendly strangers, to cozy friends, to first-time lovers. I was reminded what it was like to fall in love and so young and how you feel like nothing could wrong or ruin it as long as you have each other. I broke for Charlie several times throughout, she was such an honorable, honest, sweet young woman coming into her own, learning what she liked and wanted, only for people to sh*t all over her happiness. Charlie, however, was resilient and strong, and I commend her for standing up for herself and for what she wanted, even if it was terrifying, she stuck by her word. The side characters added more depth and emotion to the story, some characters being amazing, sticking by Charlie, and some being absolute stinkers. This story was seeped in drama, a lot of it being typical teenage drama, but there was also deeper, more personal family problems that helped further the story along. Just when I thought all was great and everyone was going to run off into the sunset with a rainbow in the sky, the story took a somber, dark turn. Brava to Marton for not shying away from something that, in my opinion, is feared to write about within the lesfic community, but Marton earned my respect for going there.
Oh, my heart, that damn ending caught me off guard where I was rocking back and forth in my chair, fighting my tears, probably resembling someone who's off her rocker ;)
I give this a 4 out of 5 for the fact that my connection to the characters wasn't as deep as I originally thought given my lack of emotion toward the darker aspect of the story. (I don't want to spoil anything, given my coded words.)
First, I want to say how happy I am that I stumbled upon the author's FB post about needing ARC readers. Normally, I don't read books blindly and I don't generally read young adult fiction. This story took me by surprise. I was not expecting to be pulled in so strongly and so quickly. Twenty years has passed since I was in high school, but that familiar feeling of needing acceptance and fearing what others would think for being different, bubbled up inside me when reading this story that I was able to relate to how the characters felt at times. I went through an array of emotions during the entire book. Anticipation, anger, rage, sadness, heartache, happiness, sorrow. I could go on. I loved watching Charlie and Aspen's relationship slowly bloom from friendly strangers, to cozy friends, to first-time lovers. I was reminded what it was like to fall in love and so young and how you feel like nothing could wrong or ruin it as long as you have each other. I broke for Charlie several times throughout, she was such an honorable, honest, sweet young woman coming into her own, learning what she liked and wanted, only for people to sh*t all over her happiness. Charlie, however, was resilient and strong, and I commend her for standing up for herself and for what she wanted, even if it was terrifying, she stuck by her word. The side characters added more depth and emotion to the story, some characters being amazing, sticking by Charlie, and some being absolute stinkers. This story was seeped in drama, a lot of it being typical teenage drama, but there was also deeper, more personal family problems that helped further the story along. Just when I thought all was great and everyone was going to run off into the sunset with a rainbow in the sky, the story took a somber, dark turn. Brava to Marton for not shying away from something that, in my opinion, is feared to write about within the lesfic community, but Marton earned my respect for going there.
Oh, my heart, that damn ending caught me off guard where I was rocking back and forth in my chair, fighting my tears, probably resembling someone who's off her rocker ;)
I give this a 4 out of 5 for the fact that my connection to the characters wasn't as deep as I originally thought given my lack of emotion toward the darker aspect of the story. (I don't want to spoil anything, given my coded words.)
April 8, 2021
My Ticket Out is what I would call a coming of age slash emotionally charged romance. Charlie and Aspen are two star crossed lovers that battle their own families and community to be together. Ultimately, they must confront the fears and insecurities placed on them by society and those that love them to love each other. It is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet that is impassioned and poignant. Marton’s storytelling is emotional and gut-wrenching at times, but well-worth the tears and tissues.
There is so much to appreciate about this story. Marton absolutely nails the tone and the voice. Told in first person from Charlie’s point of view, Marton captures the essence of youth and self-discovery from this perspective and gives readers so much to consider. Charlie’s voice carries the story easily and readers readily connect with her. She is a well-developed character that has real substance. Marton eloquently gives readers a front row seat to Charlie’s fears, trepidations and heartache as she journeys to find herself and her place in her world. They understand who she is and what motivates her. Most importantly, though, readers care about her and want love and acceptance for her.
Charlie and Aspen’s love story is a window for readers to understand the struggles many teens experience during high school. It sheds light on the hate and marginalization many same sex couples feel during adolescence. It’s real, it’s valid, and it’s tenderly told. Marton does an exceptional job tackling the vulnerability of her characters. She handles it with finesse and grace.
Final remarks…
This is Marton’s first book. It isn’t perfect. It has a few typos and the storytelling could be tighter in a few places. However, it is still quite good. Marton is a natural storyteller and writes a compelling and heartfelt book. This story and these characters stay with readers; it’s very affecting. That’s talent. This is a powerful book, and I would absolutely recommend it.
Strengths…
Compelling
Heartfelt
Moving
Splendid voice
Perfect tone
There is so much to appreciate about this story. Marton absolutely nails the tone and the voice. Told in first person from Charlie’s point of view, Marton captures the essence of youth and self-discovery from this perspective and gives readers so much to consider. Charlie’s voice carries the story easily and readers readily connect with her. She is a well-developed character that has real substance. Marton eloquently gives readers a front row seat to Charlie’s fears, trepidations and heartache as she journeys to find herself and her place in her world. They understand who she is and what motivates her. Most importantly, though, readers care about her and want love and acceptance for her.
Charlie and Aspen’s love story is a window for readers to understand the struggles many teens experience during high school. It sheds light on the hate and marginalization many same sex couples feel during adolescence. It’s real, it’s valid, and it’s tenderly told. Marton does an exceptional job tackling the vulnerability of her characters. She handles it with finesse and grace.
Final remarks…
This is Marton’s first book. It isn’t perfect. It has a few typos and the storytelling could be tighter in a few places. However, it is still quite good. Marton is a natural storyteller and writes a compelling and heartfelt book. This story and these characters stay with readers; it’s very affecting. That’s talent. This is a powerful book, and I would absolutely recommend it.
Strengths…
Compelling
Heartfelt
Moving
Splendid voice
Perfect tone
November 19, 2020
**I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.**
My Ticket Out is a young adult angsty story.
Charlie is a senior in high school. She doesn't feel she belongs in her hometown. She has hopes to get a basketball scholarship to be her ticket out. When Aspen is a new student Charlie immediately notices how beautiful she is. Together they form a friendship that grows into something more.
The pace was very slow for me in the beginning it did seem to more better the further I got into the read. I didn't feel as though I connected with the characters as much as I wanted to. As a young adult read this is a very high angst book, but with teenagers that is pretty realistic. The ending seemed a bit to easy for me, with a few apologies it was wrapped up in a bow. I did like that it touched on very realistic issues affecting LGBTQ teens.
My Ticket Out is a young adult angsty story.
Charlie is a senior in high school. She doesn't feel she belongs in her hometown. She has hopes to get a basketball scholarship to be her ticket out. When Aspen is a new student Charlie immediately notices how beautiful she is. Together they form a friendship that grows into something more.
The pace was very slow for me in the beginning it did seem to more better the further I got into the read. I didn't feel as though I connected with the characters as much as I wanted to. As a young adult read this is a very high angst book, but with teenagers that is pretty realistic. The ending seemed a bit to easy for me, with a few apologies it was wrapped up in a bow. I did like that it touched on very realistic issues affecting LGBTQ teens.
December 20, 2020
Soooo..Well written and for what I understand to be self published, well edited as well... tough one to rate though, for me anyway. Young adult coming out story but if it can happen it pretty much does in this book. Emotional as well and I cant give a crap rating just because I did not like the ending. Real crap happens in real life as well. The end of the book was wrapped up well and you pretty much know what happens to everyone. 4 stars and will read her next book as well if there is one.
June 5, 2024
I was not expecting Aspen to die I cried for a solid 30 minutes because it was so sad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2021
My Ticket Out is a well-written book that takes the reader from the highest to the lowest.
Two high school friends, Charlie Baker and Aspen Sullivan have their whole lives ahead of them. Filled with dreams and aspirations, they search for new worlds beyond their small southern town.
Soon the budding friendship begins to grow into more than either expected. With a past dipped in mystery, a basketball scholarship on the line, will new revelations about their relationship hold up against the secrets kept in the dark and new challenges emerging to the surface?
This book caused me to evolve on so many levels, touching me in ways never before. You know a book is good when it makes you feel all the emotions deep from inside. Being a YA book, I never expected to be touched and to relate to the characters as deeply as I did. The characters drew me in and stirred all the emotions that remained buried inside me. Their journey carried me to places that my imagination has never travelled.
The ending was powerful and, I was left stripped raw and disarmed. I am giving this book a 5-star review because the author achieved what she wanted to achieve, a forever lasting impression. I enjoyed the book, and it broke me to my core, so, Kudos to Ms Marton. It was quite the journey.
This was a great book. The story pulled me in completely and took me into the world of Charlie and Aspen.
I am at peace with the fact that even in books, sometimes, life isn’t fair.
The character development was outstanding, making it impossible not to fall in love with them. Their chemistry is undeniable, making you instantly: Team Charlie and Aspen.
The author touched my emotions deeper than most. An author that can achieve this with a reader earns the highest honour. I reiterate: it is a very well-written book. My utmost admiration to J.N. Marton; this was extraordinary. I thank you.
I received an ARC copy of the book from the author and voluntarily leaving my review.
Two high school friends, Charlie Baker and Aspen Sullivan have their whole lives ahead of them. Filled with dreams and aspirations, they search for new worlds beyond their small southern town.
Soon the budding friendship begins to grow into more than either expected. With a past dipped in mystery, a basketball scholarship on the line, will new revelations about their relationship hold up against the secrets kept in the dark and new challenges emerging to the surface?
This book caused me to evolve on so many levels, touching me in ways never before. You know a book is good when it makes you feel all the emotions deep from inside. Being a YA book, I never expected to be touched and to relate to the characters as deeply as I did. The characters drew me in and stirred all the emotions that remained buried inside me. Their journey carried me to places that my imagination has never travelled.
The ending was powerful and, I was left stripped raw and disarmed. I am giving this book a 5-star review because the author achieved what she wanted to achieve, a forever lasting impression. I enjoyed the book, and it broke me to my core, so, Kudos to Ms Marton. It was quite the journey.
This was a great book. The story pulled me in completely and took me into the world of Charlie and Aspen.
I am at peace with the fact that even in books, sometimes, life isn’t fair.
The character development was outstanding, making it impossible not to fall in love with them. Their chemistry is undeniable, making you instantly: Team Charlie and Aspen.
The author touched my emotions deeper than most. An author that can achieve this with a reader earns the highest honour. I reiterate: it is a very well-written book. My utmost admiration to J.N. Marton; this was extraordinary. I thank you.
I received an ARC copy of the book from the author and voluntarily leaving my review.
January 31, 2021
An angst filled coming of age YA story which takes place in a conservative small town. It does represent all the stereotype views on homosexuality, but I still see these taking place in my own small town and do not believe it is outdated. It is not an easy read. It is filled with emotion and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of feelings. I highly recommend it.
November 15, 2021
This is a well written young adult small town coming out story. The characters characters were nicely developed. It captured my attention right from the first chapter. There were some surprise twists that kept me engaged. It brought me through a garnet of emotions. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last!
January 16, 2021
Super wooden characters in a clunky coming of age YA book that just seems to go through the motions without any heart or feeling.
November 23, 2020
Friends-to-lovers and coming out tales have forever been favourites of mine, no matter when that dawn of awakening occurs. I’ve particularly loved books about two girl friends falling in love since reading my very first: Hey Dollface by Deborah Hautzig, many moons ago. It remains a charming coming of age story to this day, despite being more than a mite dated, having been published in 1978. This book makes that one seem…fluffy. Quaint. While both are told from the POV of a teenager who finds herself falling for her new best friend, forty years makes for a very different read.
Charlie and Aspen’s story is far from a ‘romance’ in many ways. They spend as much of the novel apart as they do together, and those shared times often focus on the difficulties they face, rather than the romance aspect. Although there were some lovely moments of emotional intimacy, these insights were often shared retrospectively by Charlie. Expressed through sorrow when she and Aspen were forced apart, rather than shown during their together times. All my favourite scenes were their stolen moments spent curled up, watching movies and simply hanging out. I would have loved more of these and a mite less angst but that is purely a personal preference.
The students and school setting were written so well and captured so vividly, I felt myself transported back in time. So much so, I wouldn’t have been surprised to feel a sore throat coming on. Or a headache. Period pains. Appendicitis. The peer pressure and spite, bitchiness and bullying were palpable. How I felt for Charlie in those scenes and admired her strength in both facing them and remaining true to herself.
I rooted for Charlie and Aspen all the way, no matter how fractured their relationship became at times. They had a helluva lot to overcome in order to be together. It was hard to judge Aspen for falling in line with her fathers wishes and trying to placate him because being a teenager is tough enough without losing the love of a lone parent. Her subsequent actions were less easy to forgive…if understandable in the face of that fear. He was a difficult man with his own issues, which is a scary tightrope to walk without further inciting their ire.
It was harder to forgive Charlie at times for being a very selfish sort of friend. Riley is a fabulous character and loyal to the last. I possibly liked her, Matty (Charlie’s brother), and Aspen’s Aunt Beth most of all. Charlie treated Riley dreadfully when their rivalry for the basketball scholarship reared its head. Riley may have had more options open to her, but Charlie’s passive-aggressive attempts to guilt her into giving up the place, should she earn it, made me very uncomfortable. Charlie’s dreams may have depended on what she deemed her ‘ticket out’, but the pressure she put on Riley to reject the opportunity was most unfair. Particularly when Charlie herself uses the expression ‘it’s not fair’ very often when things don’t go her way.
Living in the UK, it is shocking to witness such everyday religious bigotry. Homophobia tends to be a…visceral reaction to same sex couples here; be that a personal hatred or learned within a family. While I’m sure we must have extreme evangelical Christians intent on praying the gay away, I never come into contact with them. While I have known devout Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, English Protestants don’t tend to vehemently expound their beliefs. The bigotry Charlie and Aspen faced from God-fearing folk was gut wrenching, heartbreaking. It makes me sick to my stomach that people who preach that God is love spend so much time proclaiming hatred.
This story is a rollercoaster ride of emotion, rather than a romance. It focuses on Charlie’s personal growth rather than that of her relationship with Aspen. A fact which seems borne out by the ending of the book, so don’t hold out in hope of a hea for its heroines. However, if you enjoy well-written stories that put you through an emotional wringer of very real feels, this is for you.
Charlie and Aspen’s story is far from a ‘romance’ in many ways. They spend as much of the novel apart as they do together, and those shared times often focus on the difficulties they face, rather than the romance aspect. Although there were some lovely moments of emotional intimacy, these insights were often shared retrospectively by Charlie. Expressed through sorrow when she and Aspen were forced apart, rather than shown during their together times. All my favourite scenes were their stolen moments spent curled up, watching movies and simply hanging out. I would have loved more of these and a mite less angst but that is purely a personal preference.
The students and school setting were written so well and captured so vividly, I felt myself transported back in time. So much so, I wouldn’t have been surprised to feel a sore throat coming on. Or a headache. Period pains. Appendicitis. The peer pressure and spite, bitchiness and bullying were palpable. How I felt for Charlie in those scenes and admired her strength in both facing them and remaining true to herself.
I rooted for Charlie and Aspen all the way, no matter how fractured their relationship became at times. They had a helluva lot to overcome in order to be together. It was hard to judge Aspen for falling in line with her fathers wishes and trying to placate him because being a teenager is tough enough without losing the love of a lone parent. Her subsequent actions were less easy to forgive…if understandable in the face of that fear. He was a difficult man with his own issues, which is a scary tightrope to walk without further inciting their ire.
It was harder to forgive Charlie at times for being a very selfish sort of friend. Riley is a fabulous character and loyal to the last. I possibly liked her, Matty (Charlie’s brother), and Aspen’s Aunt Beth most of all. Charlie treated Riley dreadfully when their rivalry for the basketball scholarship reared its head. Riley may have had more options open to her, but Charlie’s passive-aggressive attempts to guilt her into giving up the place, should she earn it, made me very uncomfortable. Charlie’s dreams may have depended on what she deemed her ‘ticket out’, but the pressure she put on Riley to reject the opportunity was most unfair. Particularly when Charlie herself uses the expression ‘it’s not fair’ very often when things don’t go her way.
Living in the UK, it is shocking to witness such everyday religious bigotry. Homophobia tends to be a…visceral reaction to same sex couples here; be that a personal hatred or learned within a family. While I’m sure we must have extreme evangelical Christians intent on praying the gay away, I never come into contact with them. While I have known devout Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons, English Protestants don’t tend to vehemently expound their beliefs. The bigotry Charlie and Aspen faced from God-fearing folk was gut wrenching, heartbreaking. It makes me sick to my stomach that people who preach that God is love spend so much time proclaiming hatred.
This story is a rollercoaster ride of emotion, rather than a romance. It focuses on Charlie’s personal growth rather than that of her relationship with Aspen. A fact which seems borne out by the ending of the book, so don’t hold out in hope of a hea for its heroines. However, if you enjoy well-written stories that put you through an emotional wringer of very real feels, this is for you.
February 11, 2021
I really really enjoyed this book, but at the same time I have some conflicted feelings, because at times it was hard to read, because of its themes. But I still had a really good time overall, and I love reading about two girls falling in love :D
First of all, I really loved Charlie and Aspen - their chemistry was so good, and they just worked really well together, from the start with their friendship and then growing to something else - the self discovery journey Charlie goes on, and trying to figure out how she feels, and the emotion of certain things just clicking on her brain now that she thinks back to her past. Their romance is both sweet and so cute, and a bit filled with angst, but it never felt like it was too much... not in a way that made me stop liking them.
Besides the love story, the friendships were also great!!! From Charlie and her brother, Matty, to especially Riley - the support Riley offers, the love she offers always, the way Charlie knows what's to have someone have her back always, and even Riley's boyfriend, Tyler, was really good and fun, showing this simple support, that just made me happy. And then Mackenzie and Charlie were also really good, and I feel a portrait of something important, which is how lgtbqia+ people are drawn to others, this safety this offers, which I feel was such a relatable and important feeling to express.
Now this is my first warning, and that's the homophobia. I wasn't expecting it to be this present and hateful, especially since it's coming from their families, which just made it really hard to read at times - making me just want to cry and punch homophobes. But I'll say there's an interesting journey for some of the characters, with actual work put into it, which I very much appreciate
My second warning is the ending is a bit heartbreaking, and that's the most I can say without spoilers, so read forward at your own risk.
I really enjoyed this book and I wanna recommend it, but take into account my warnings and what you're comfortable reading :) And maybe it's just because I read this after finishing "The Wilds", but if you like that show (the flashbacks, relationships and characters, but also the themes and possible consequences :) no weird islands and survival techniques here), I would recommend this book too :D
(I received this book through BookSirens in exchange of an honest review :) )
First of all, I really loved Charlie and Aspen - their chemistry was so good, and they just worked really well together, from the start with their friendship and then growing to something else - the self discovery journey Charlie goes on, and trying to figure out how she feels, and the emotion of certain things just clicking on her brain now that she thinks back to her past. Their romance is both sweet and so cute, and a bit filled with angst, but it never felt like it was too much... not in a way that made me stop liking them.
Besides the love story, the friendships were also great!!! From Charlie and her brother, Matty, to especially Riley - the support Riley offers, the love she offers always, the way Charlie knows what's to have someone have her back always, and even Riley's boyfriend, Tyler, was really good and fun, showing this simple support, that just made me happy. And then Mackenzie and Charlie were also really good, and I feel a portrait of something important, which is how lgtbqia+ people are drawn to others, this safety this offers, which I feel was such a relatable and important feeling to express.
Now this is my first warning, and that's the homophobia. I wasn't expecting it to be this present and hateful, especially since it's coming from their families, which just made it really hard to read at times - making me just want to cry and punch homophobes. But I'll say there's an interesting journey for some of the characters, with actual work put into it, which I very much appreciate
My second warning is the ending is a bit heartbreaking, and that's the most I can say without spoilers, so read forward at your own risk.
I really enjoyed this book and I wanna recommend it, but take into account my warnings and what you're comfortable reading :) And maybe it's just because I read this after finishing "The Wilds", but if you like that show (the flashbacks, relationships and characters, but also the themes and possible consequences :) no weird islands and survival techniques here), I would recommend this book too :D
(I received this book through BookSirens in exchange of an honest review :) )
March 29, 2024
The characters will stick with me for some time, but overall the book was way too sad. I felt like the guys were constantly very rapey in ways that made me sick to my stomach, and the homophobia was constant and soul crushing. Maybe a good read for someone outside the community who wants to see how shitty things can be, but for someone in the community this book was just way too sad. The pacing was off maybe... like the highs were short and mild, and the lows were crushing and constant. And the ending killed me... I hate that Aspen died, and so randomly like that in a car crash. She was the soul of the book. I ended the book just feeling emotionally destroyed and sobbing and without any real sense of redemption or meaning... it was just depressing.
For the above reason, I initially rated this one star since I probably wouldn't recommend anyone else put themselves through this, but since there were some really beautiful parts of the book and I did love the main two characters, I raised my review to 2 stars once I felt less upset.
As another reviewed wrote, though, this isn't the kind of representation I want... I read queer womens' love stories because I feel identified with them and they help me connect with parts of myself, so having one of those parts killed off just hurt, a lot. My wife walked in to find my sobbing on the couch and was like "what happened!?" I knew going in this book would have sad parts, but I hoped the pacing would be more like characters struggle and then prevail, not characters struggle, find 5 minutes of happiness, and then literally die / have their lives ruined.
Finally, I'll say that if the thesis was that the main character was really surrounded by friends the whole time... that didn't require killing Aspen and also I didn't feel like it succeeded anyway, because the pacing was off and it felt like they were really depressed through the whole ending. If that's the story you wanted to tell, I'd have had Aspen die early before we get so attached to her and instead have the book mostly be about the friendships - but instead, the book felt mostly about Aspen and the main character's love for her (which was beautiful), and so when she died it just felt like the book had no point and everything was awful.
For the above reason, I initially rated this one star since I probably wouldn't recommend anyone else put themselves through this, but since there were some really beautiful parts of the book and I did love the main two characters, I raised my review to 2 stars once I felt less upset.
As another reviewed wrote, though, this isn't the kind of representation I want... I read queer womens' love stories because I feel identified with them and they help me connect with parts of myself, so having one of those parts killed off just hurt, a lot. My wife walked in to find my sobbing on the couch and was like "what happened!?" I knew going in this book would have sad parts, but I hoped the pacing would be more like characters struggle and then prevail, not characters struggle, find 5 minutes of happiness, and then literally die / have their lives ruined.
Finally, I'll say that if the thesis was that the main character was really surrounded by friends the whole time... that didn't require killing Aspen and also I didn't feel like it succeeded anyway, because the pacing was off and it felt like they were really depressed through the whole ending. If that's the story you wanted to tell, I'd have had Aspen die early before we get so attached to her and instead have the book mostly be about the friendships - but instead, the book felt mostly about Aspen and the main character's love for her (which was beautiful), and so when she died it just felt like the book had no point and everything was awful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2021
I received a free MOBI copy of this book from BookSirens post-release, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I would give this book 3.5 stars - with the amount of time I spent deciding between 3 or 4 stars, I think it’s appropriate to give a rating between these two.
My Ticket Out got progressively better as it went on. In the beginning of the book, I was slightly disappointed by the eye roll worthy American teenage social clichés, and the sudden arrival of the new girl Aspen causing “social pandemonium” (as I’d put it) for everyone including protagonist Charlie. But, I did enjoy the theme of basketball that recurred throughout the whole story.
This book’s plot focuses around homophobia, specifically within a relationship between Charlie and Aspen (this isn’t a spoiler because we all knew this was on the cards). Upon reading this book, I thought the attitudes towards lesbian relationships was a little too harsh, but reading about rural America’s attitude to gay/lesbian people, I now understand this was appropriate. Homophobia is unfortunately still a huge issue across the world, and I’m grateful a light is shined on it in this book, to educate people like me who haven’t experienced it. Linking onto this -I enjoyed the character development of Charlie’s Nana and Gramps, the fact that the fact her Gramps was more progressive than her Nana made me smile.
To receive 5 stars, I would have liked this book to break the mould a little. Sure, I wasn’t expecting the tragic ending (I feel this was a little unnecessary), but I feel the plot stuck too close to adolescent romantic/coming of age archetypes. Also - the term of endearment “babe” or “baby” is a minor detail, but it REALLY irritated me. So all in all, if this book was a little more The Fault In Our Stars or Love, Simon, I would have enjoyed it more.
I would give this book 3.5 stars - with the amount of time I spent deciding between 3 or 4 stars, I think it’s appropriate to give a rating between these two.
My Ticket Out got progressively better as it went on. In the beginning of the book, I was slightly disappointed by the eye roll worthy American teenage social clichés, and the sudden arrival of the new girl Aspen causing “social pandemonium” (as I’d put it) for everyone including protagonist Charlie. But, I did enjoy the theme of basketball that recurred throughout the whole story.
This book’s plot focuses around homophobia, specifically within a relationship between Charlie and Aspen (this isn’t a spoiler because we all knew this was on the cards). Upon reading this book, I thought the attitudes towards lesbian relationships was a little too harsh, but reading about rural America’s attitude to gay/lesbian people, I now understand this was appropriate. Homophobia is unfortunately still a huge issue across the world, and I’m grateful a light is shined on it in this book, to educate people like me who haven’t experienced it. Linking onto this -I enjoyed the character development of Charlie’s Nana and Gramps, the fact that the fact her Gramps was more progressive than her Nana made me smile.
To receive 5 stars, I would have liked this book to break the mould a little. Sure, I wasn’t expecting the tragic ending (I feel this was a little unnecessary), but I feel the plot stuck too close to adolescent romantic/coming of age archetypes. Also - the term of endearment “babe” or “baby” is a minor detail, but it REALLY irritated me. So all in all, if this book was a little more The Fault In Our Stars or Love, Simon, I would have enjoyed it more.
September 18, 2022
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
This is a deep, provocative bittersweet YA story. So why, after all the challenges, the angst, the revelations, the highs and the lows does the author need to gut punch Aspen's dad, Charlie, and the readers even if she does find a way to restore hope?
By this point in the story we have watched Charlie become aware of who she is, understand why dates with boys never felt right, struggle with the basketball scholarship competition with her best friend, learn to take risks and stand up for herself against bullies and others who small mindedly try to change her mind about who she is. And we've rode the rollercoaster of emotions as her relationship with Aspen struggles because of Aspen's father's homophobia.
So we've had a profound story of resilience in the face of adversity and when things are beginning to turn around, the author pulls the rug out and we're gut punched into despair so we can once again observe Charlie learn how to go on with life.
Still as devastating as the story now becomes after the highs of profound growth with positive changes and surprising reconciliation, the author moves the story forward with the unwavering support of Charlie's best friend, her brother, and Aspen's aunt and we watch Charlie rise from the ashes and choose to live the life she's fought and sacrificed so much for.
Even with this challenging twist, the author has written a realistic and powerful story with strong characters, which pulls you in holding you captive unto the end. And this story of triumph is not only worth a read but it will stay with you encouraging you in your own life challenges.
I received a BookSirens ARC and I'm leaving an honest review.
This is a deep, provocative bittersweet YA story. So why, after all the challenges, the angst, the revelations, the highs and the lows does the author need to gut punch Aspen's dad, Charlie, and the readers even if she does find a way to restore hope?
By this point in the story we have watched Charlie become aware of who she is, understand why dates with boys never felt right, struggle with the basketball scholarship competition with her best friend, learn to take risks and stand up for herself against bullies and others who small mindedly try to change her mind about who she is. And we've rode the rollercoaster of emotions as her relationship with Aspen struggles because of Aspen's father's homophobia.
So we've had a profound story of resilience in the face of adversity and when things are beginning to turn around, the author pulls the rug out and we're gut punched into despair so we can once again observe Charlie learn how to go on with life.
Still as devastating as the story now becomes after the highs of profound growth with positive changes and surprising reconciliation, the author moves the story forward with the unwavering support of Charlie's best friend, her brother, and Aspen's aunt and we watch Charlie rise from the ashes and choose to live the life she's fought and sacrificed so much for.
Even with this challenging twist, the author has written a realistic and powerful story with strong characters, which pulls you in holding you captive unto the end. And this story of triumph is not only worth a read but it will stay with you encouraging you in your own life challenges.
I received a BookSirens ARC and I'm leaving an honest review.
Read
September 25, 2021Really good action as far as basketball playing in the moment, and of course the silent tension before small moments between the couple. I really liked the pacing and really realistic social media use/ teenage to young adulthood realistic conversation and cadence.
I read it in one go. It was supposed to be a light Sunday night read before Monday. And I cried a little bit. It was really good at having a realistic family life/ what I remember of high school and the difficulties and pressures of small-minded and small towns when it comes to LGBTQIA+ issues with identity, coming out, and first love.
It really gets going after the 20% mark and really picks up. There are some typos throughout like recruit instead of the recruiter for a few instances. Also, the use of fictitious towns and colleges kinda threw me, probably because I am from Arizona and we have some good basketball teams here for college, it's like all AZ has so sad to see no love for any of the schools here.
For the five stars I think tightening up the beginning and shortening some of the descriptors at the beginning, they were too long and didn't tell me anything. I think one of the most memorable examples is the description of the new girl coming in the first time and there's a sentence about her that's just adjectives like enchanting and utterly beautiful. It's just that's not chef kiss good. Tell me the gut punch Charlie got when she first saw her, because that's gotta hurt and be confusing to finally wake up to that.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I read it in one go. It was supposed to be a light Sunday night read before Monday. And I cried a little bit. It was really good at having a realistic family life/ what I remember of high school and the difficulties and pressures of small-minded and small towns when it comes to LGBTQIA+ issues with identity, coming out, and first love.
It really gets going after the 20% mark and really picks up. There are some typos throughout like recruit instead of the recruiter for a few instances. Also, the use of fictitious towns and colleges kinda threw me, probably because I am from Arizona and we have some good basketball teams here for college, it's like all AZ has so sad to see no love for any of the schools here.
For the five stars I think tightening up the beginning and shortening some of the descriptors at the beginning, they were too long and didn't tell me anything. I think one of the most memorable examples is the description of the new girl coming in the first time and there's a sentence about her that's just adjectives like enchanting and utterly beautiful. It's just that's not chef kiss good. Tell me the gut punch Charlie got when she first saw her, because that's gotta hurt and be confusing to finally wake up to that.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 27, 2021
4.5 stars deserving of being rounded up to 5.
This is a well-written LBGT coming-of-age story. The hero, Charlie, lives in a small town and is a basketball player who hopes to earn a college scholarship. Her love interest, Aspen, loves art and has just moved to the town.
This is a solidly high school YA novel – definitely not a cross into new adult. Without giving away the plot or too much, this novel is filled with angst and drama. Adult readers who have forgotten what high school is like might find it a bit much or a touch too overwrought, but I felt like it added to the realism—because that is what high school is.
Overall, I thought the characters were well-crafted and interesting. Each had some flaws and good points, and I felt like they acted consistently. The plot was solid and believable.
The book itself was well-edited; I’m not someone who looks for typos but there was certainty nothing in the copy I received that interfered with my enjoyment of the story.
Finally, while hopefully not revealing spoilers, I would not consider this novel a traditional romance (so if you’re looking for the specific elements of a romance, this book may disappoint). It’s best described as a coming-of-age love story.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for providing a complimentary ebook copy of this novel. This did not impact my rating or review which are my own opinions.
This is a well-written LBGT coming-of-age story. The hero, Charlie, lives in a small town and is a basketball player who hopes to earn a college scholarship. Her love interest, Aspen, loves art and has just moved to the town.
This is a solidly high school YA novel – definitely not a cross into new adult. Without giving away the plot or too much, this novel is filled with angst and drama. Adult readers who have forgotten what high school is like might find it a bit much or a touch too overwrought, but I felt like it added to the realism—because that is what high school is.
Overall, I thought the characters were well-crafted and interesting. Each had some flaws and good points, and I felt like they acted consistently. The plot was solid and believable.
The book itself was well-edited; I’m not someone who looks for typos but there was certainty nothing in the copy I received that interfered with my enjoyment of the story.
Finally, while hopefully not revealing spoilers, I would not consider this novel a traditional romance (so if you’re looking for the specific elements of a romance, this book may disappoint). It’s best described as a coming-of-age love story.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for providing a complimentary ebook copy of this novel. This did not impact my rating or review which are my own opinions.
January 9, 2021
4 soggy stars.
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking book. It accurately portrays the struggle of being different in a small town where being gay equates to being wrong.
Charlie is an amazing character, with a strength that just becomes more apparent as the book goes on. Her struggles with coming to accept who she is and the fallout from that at school and home kept me absorbed, I had to read this in one sitting. There is one POV, the narrative is completely centered on Charlie. Aspen is a big part of Charlie’s life and personal growth and this is a love story, but their love is more a motivation for Charlie’s evolution. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite as back seat as it is but it works.
I enjoyed that not everyone was portrayed as unaccepting (which seems to happen in many books of this genre) and that she had some strong support, it made the entire town seem less like a caricature and more fully realized.
The supporting characters were very well written and understandable; even while I disagreed with their actions and decisions, I understood why they were making them. I especially enjoyed Charlie’s best friend Riley.
There are no obvious villains (well aside from one horrible girl), just people dealing with the way they were brought up and reacting to events that happened in their life. It allowed believable character growth.
My one big criticism of My Ticket Out is the massive unexpected event, this is the sort of thing that I like to have some indication of. I’m sure many readers will consider this to be a part of the books’s appeal but I had to remove a star from what had been a 5 star read up to that point.
If you are looking for a beautiful but angsty LGBTQ+ positive story with a very memorable MC I recommend reading My Ticket Out. Just have the tissues nearby.
This was a beautiful and heartbreaking book. It accurately portrays the struggle of being different in a small town where being gay equates to being wrong.
Charlie is an amazing character, with a strength that just becomes more apparent as the book goes on. Her struggles with coming to accept who she is and the fallout from that at school and home kept me absorbed, I had to read this in one sitting. There is one POV, the narrative is completely centered on Charlie. Aspen is a big part of Charlie’s life and personal growth and this is a love story, but their love is more a motivation for Charlie’s evolution. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite as back seat as it is but it works.
I enjoyed that not everyone was portrayed as unaccepting (which seems to happen in many books of this genre) and that she had some strong support, it made the entire town seem less like a caricature and more fully realized.
The supporting characters were very well written and understandable; even while I disagreed with their actions and decisions, I understood why they were making them. I especially enjoyed Charlie’s best friend Riley.
There are no obvious villains (well aside from one horrible girl), just people dealing with the way they were brought up and reacting to events that happened in their life. It allowed believable character growth.
My one big criticism of My Ticket Out is the massive unexpected event, this is the sort of thing that I like to have some indication of. I’m sure many readers will consider this to be a part of the books’s appeal but I had to remove a star from what had been a 5 star read up to that point.
If you are looking for a beautiful but angsty LGBTQ+ positive story with a very memorable MC I recommend reading My Ticket Out. Just have the tissues nearby.
October 24, 2022
I have given this book three stars as some things let it down.
Pro’s
Build up to Aspen arriving was good.
The religious people and their views seemed accurate (from what I’ve seen of America on documentaries anyway).
Did keep me reading and was mostly an easy read.
Cons
I was shocked that no one flagged to the author how derogatory the word ‘spaz’ is these days. I know many people would put this book down to 1 star just for that or stop reading entirely. I know this was self published but how can anyone not know this word is not to be used?
There were spelling errors a fair few times. I used the kindle dictionary for one word and they had no idea what it was and neither did google so I had no idea what it was supposed to say.
The story was quite predictable at the end and the attitude of Skylar and Aspen’s dad towards the end seemed too easy.
As a UK reader I had no idea about basketball so that didn’t make much sense to me. I had to look a few things up on google to understand what was meant (such as ‘slick spot’) which seems a silly name as there was a storm so obviously it was wet.
The use of ‘baby’ was a bit cringey and over used.
Many thanks to Book Sirens for this arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Pro’s
Build up to Aspen arriving was good.
The religious people and their views seemed accurate (from what I’ve seen of America on documentaries anyway).
Did keep me reading and was mostly an easy read.
Cons
I was shocked that no one flagged to the author how derogatory the word ‘spaz’ is these days. I know many people would put this book down to 1 star just for that or stop reading entirely. I know this was self published but how can anyone not know this word is not to be used?
There were spelling errors a fair few times. I used the kindle dictionary for one word and they had no idea what it was and neither did google so I had no idea what it was supposed to say.
The story was quite predictable at the end and the attitude of Skylar and Aspen’s dad towards the end seemed too easy.
As a UK reader I had no idea about basketball so that didn’t make much sense to me. I had to look a few things up on google to understand what was meant (such as ‘slick spot’) which seems a silly name as there was a storm so obviously it was wet.
The use of ‘baby’ was a bit cringey and over used.
Many thanks to Book Sirens for this arc. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 12, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I’ve read a lot of reviews about this book that knocked it a few stars due to the intense homophobia and seemingly archaic town. Some even pointed out that it’s 2021 and they felt like they needed to check the year. As an LGBT human with a trans child from a town just like this, these parts of the book actually really hit home. There’s nothing in this book I haven’t heard repeatedly over my lifetime, often said about me or my kiddo. This is, very much, what life is like across the US for many LGBT humans, not to mention other countries.
The story itself was great and I really enjoyed it until it broke my heart. Even then, I enjoyed it, I was just mad it made me cry. The characters were really likeable and I think I enjoyed Charlie’s support system (Riley, Matty, Tyler and Aunt Beth) even more than I did the main characters. Those relationships were definitely well thought out. It opens up with and contains bits of basketball terminology and I’ve never watched basketball, so I was lost right from the get go for a minute and almost lost interest but I’m glad I stuck with it.
I’ve read a lot of reviews about this book that knocked it a few stars due to the intense homophobia and seemingly archaic town. Some even pointed out that it’s 2021 and they felt like they needed to check the year. As an LGBT human with a trans child from a town just like this, these parts of the book actually really hit home. There’s nothing in this book I haven’t heard repeatedly over my lifetime, often said about me or my kiddo. This is, very much, what life is like across the US for many LGBT humans, not to mention other countries.
The story itself was great and I really enjoyed it until it broke my heart. Even then, I enjoyed it, I was just mad it made me cry. The characters were really likeable and I think I enjoyed Charlie’s support system (Riley, Matty, Tyler and Aunt Beth) even more than I did the main characters. Those relationships were definitely well thought out. It opens up with and contains bits of basketball terminology and I’ve never watched basketball, so I was lost right from the get go for a minute and almost lost interest but I’m glad I stuck with it.
January 5, 2021
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens.com for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
OK so where to start. First of all, this book BROKE ME. I finished this at 1am and immediately texted my friend to tell her that I was sat in bed crying over a book. The book was so well written, it was like I was experiencing everything with Charlie (the book is written from her POV). I honestly fell a little bit in love with Charlie as this book went on. I felt sorry for Aspen throughout the entire thing too. The adults in this story were just awful, I hated pretty much every single one of them at some point, except Aunt Beth. Matty and Riley were very good supporting characters too.
When I read the plot to this story, I genuinely thought it was just another romance story between two young women trying to realise their feeling for each other in high school. It was not. This book made me cry MULTIPLE times. It had depth to it. I rarely cry at books if I am being honest, but it was like I was experiencing everything myself.
OK so where to start. First of all, this book BROKE ME. I finished this at 1am and immediately texted my friend to tell her that I was sat in bed crying over a book. The book was so well written, it was like I was experiencing everything with Charlie (the book is written from her POV). I honestly fell a little bit in love with Charlie as this book went on. I felt sorry for Aspen throughout the entire thing too. The adults in this story were just awful, I hated pretty much every single one of them at some point, except Aunt Beth. Matty and Riley were very good supporting characters too.
When I read the plot to this story, I genuinely thought it was just another romance story between two young women trying to realise their feeling for each other in high school. It was not. This book made me cry MULTIPLE times. It had depth to it. I rarely cry at books if I am being honest, but it was like I was experiencing everything myself.
May 14, 2024
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.
This is the type of book that will have an effect on your soul. It has the heights of love and understanding; it has the lows of prejudice and disaster.
I'm not going to give much away. I'll just say that two girls, Aspen and Charlie, go to the same school and find love. They also find hate from others in the school and from their own family.
They have hope for the future but what happens if that future goes away?
This is an excellent examination of what is going on in our society today, where love is expected to be limited to those 'acceptable' couples. It's a world where hate becomes predominant and if you don't toe the correct line of those in love you become an outcast, seen as some form of evil, deformed being that has no right to love the 'wrong' person.
There are many times in reading this book when I came close to breaking down in tears. The ending is beautiful, but the price to get to that ending is so very high.
This is the type of book that will have an effect on your soul. It has the heights of love and understanding; it has the lows of prejudice and disaster.
I'm not going to give much away. I'll just say that two girls, Aspen and Charlie, go to the same school and find love. They also find hate from others in the school and from their own family.
They have hope for the future but what happens if that future goes away?
This is an excellent examination of what is going on in our society today, where love is expected to be limited to those 'acceptable' couples. It's a world where hate becomes predominant and if you don't toe the correct line of those in love you become an outcast, seen as some form of evil, deformed being that has no right to love the 'wrong' person.
There are many times in reading this book when I came close to breaking down in tears. The ending is beautiful, but the price to get to that ending is so very high.
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