My Life After Now

by Jessica Verdi

• ISBN10: 1299649300
• ISBN13: 9781299649309
• Publish Date: 1 January 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 25 February 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Sourcebooks Fire
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 305
• Language: English

Reviews

[Ashley]

Nose Graze — Young Adult book reviews

Life After Now was incredibly powerful and absolutely heartbreaking. For the first quarter of the book, my heart was HAMMERING. It's that scared, nervous, anticipating feeling you get when you know something bad is going to happen and you're morbidly curious but also a bit terrified. I knew the story was about HIV, I knew Lucy was going to get it, but part of me was curious to see how it happened, and the other part was terrified. It's just SO SAD. It broke my heart just thinking about it and it was like watching something happen in slow motion. I knew what was going to happen, but I was afraid to see it through.. but also curious.

This book manages to deal with some intense and deeply saddening issues, but in a non-judgmental way. On the one hand, I knew it was "wrong" for Lucy to have unsafe sex, but seeing it through her eyes made me sympathize with her instead of judge her for her mistake. I thought it was brilliantly crafted, and that allows the book to send a strong message without it being so in your face.

Lucy's parents (a male gay couple) were some of my absolute favourite characters. There was just something so sweet about them. They were such adorable, supportive parents, and I loved how open they were with Lucy. They were almost like close friends with her in the sense that they were always on her side and supporting her without question.

I highly recommend My Life After Now to anyone who loves contemporary and is looking for a sad, heartbreaking, but extremely powerful read. I read this book from front to back in one sitting because I was completely hooked. At 2:30am, my boyfriend turned to me and said, "It's time for bed, babes." But I just gave him that "MY BOOK IS SO GOOD" look and he knew he wouldn't be able to pry me away. So he stayed up with me until I finished (what a sweetheart ♥ ). I promise that you will completely power through this book and love it from front to back!

[layawaydragon]

Lucy was really, really stupid at times. I get that she's the naive and sheltered type but hooking up with her ex with a condom and then shying away from the new dude because "they didn't want to risk it and go there"? Ugh. And it's not like she learned her lesson about fucking Ty without telling him and felt bad about. She just felt stupid because he's a douchebag and she was stupid to fuck him again. (even without being HIV+ that was a dumb move.)

And fuck the mom blaming. That shit is so weak. You don't need a druggie mom who was never there in order to make dumb decisions like getting drunk, having a one night stand and not using it condom. It doesn't take that circumstance to go into denial and not want to deal with your diagnosis. But noooo, Lucy couldn't stop blaming herself, which was self-destructive so let's blame the mom! That's healthy. Such a fucking cop out.

I did like how she handled the principal and the play idea at the end.

The last line is so cheesy, I fucking hate it. Why would you do that? Ugh. It reminds me of South Park's HIV episode where Cartman says he's "positive" about everything after being diagnosed.

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

As soon as I saw that My Life After Now was about HIV, I knew I had to read it! I don’t think I’ve seen another YA book that covers this subject, so it’s definitely something different to read. There’s this general misconception that the only people who get HIV are gay men, drug uses, and highly promiscuous person. Well, My Life After Now turns that notion on its head! Lucy is 16 years old, an aspiring actor, has good grades, and before the novel starts, she’s only had sex with one guy. Not the typical HIV candidate, so what happened?

Lucy was just having a rough few days. She didn’t get the lead in the school play, her boyfriend cheated on her and didn’t bother to break up with her until she confronted him, and her dead beat mother has moved in with her and her dads. She just wants to escape her life for a night, and makes a huge mistake with a muscian she’s met. Then the social worker at the free clinic informs her that she’s HIV positive. Lucy’s life is never going to be the same.

I found it interesting how My Life After Now includes characters who fit the stereotypical HIV patients. Lucy’s fathers are gay and her mother is a heavy drug user, but it’s Lucy who ends up contracting the virus. It just goes to show that anyone can get it if they don’t protect themselves. Lucy also ended up isolating herself from her friends, rather than them shutting her out. This is because she keeps it a secret and worries that people are just going to know by looking at her. It doesn’t help that the one person she does tell, flinches away from her touch.

The author presents HIV in a way that is realistic, but not scary. I don’t want to become a hermit and avoid all human contact after reading My Life After Now. I actually learned quite a bit about the virus and my awareness has definitely increased. There’s definitely a stigma attached to being HIV positive, and I think Lucy’s story will help fight that a bit even if it is just fiction. Overall, My Life After Now is a wonderful YA Contemporary that deals with a serious issue that is completely relevant in today’s world. It’s not preachy or depressing. It just sheds some light on the issue and presents it in an approachable way.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.