A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland

A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares

by Krystal Sutherland

From the author of Our Chemical Hearts comes the hilarious, reality-bending tale of two outsiders facing their greatest fears about life and love—one debilitating phobia at a time.
 
Ever since Esther Solar’s grandfather was cursed by Death, everyone in her family has been doomed to suffer one great fear in their lifetime. Esther’s father is agoraphobic and hasn’t left the basement in six years, her twin brother can’t be in the dark without a light on, and her mother is terrified of bad luck.
 
The Solars are consumed by their fears and, according to the legend of the curse, destined to die from them.
 
Esther doesn’t know what her great fear is yet (nor does she want to), a feat achieved by avoiding pretty much everything. Elevators, small spaces and crowds are all off-limits. So are haircuts, spiders, dolls, mirrors and three dozen other phobias she keeps a record of in her semi-definitive list of worst nightmares.
 
Then Esther is pickpocketed by Jonah Smallwood, an old elementary school classmate. Along with her phone, money and a fruit roll-up she’d been saving, Jonah also steals her list of fears. Despite the theft, Esther and Jonah become friends, and he sets a challenge for them: in an effort to break the curse that has crippled her family, they will meet every Sunday of senior year to work their way through the list, facing one terrifying fear at a time, including one that Esther hadn’t counted on: love.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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Rating: 4.5 Stars

I laughed, I cried, and I really loved this book.



Pro: So many awesome and quirky characters to love. Each character had a little quirk that defined them, and Sutherland used them well in the story.

Pro: I laughed so much while Esther and Jonah conquered the list. Jonah and Esther were fabulous enough together, with their chemistry, history, and banter, but the ways they came up with to slay Esther's fears were great.

Pro: I was laughing until I was crying. There are some very serious issues confronted in this book, most being of the mental health variety. I liked that Sutherland tempered the heavy with the light, because there are some really dark and serious moments that would have been overwhelming without that balance.

Con: So, I was a little unprepared for when stuff got real. The story was so light and fluffy, and then I was reduced to tears. This is small con, only because I am a sap and felt ill prepared for the sadness that ensued.

Pro: I was glad that Sutherland had these characters seek help for their illnesses. It's vital that mental illness not be associated with shame or something that you need to deal with in isolation. #ShatteringStigmas

Con: I was scratching my head a little at the ending, and I still am not sure about Death (was he solely in Esther's imagination?), but on the whole, the ending was satisfying, because Sutherland left me with a lot of hope for these characters.

Pro: Esther and her brother shared a strong sibling bond. She ached for him and he ached for her. It was special to be a part of it.

Pro: There was tons of love in this book. Esther's family was damaged and dysfunctional, but we got glimpses of things, that showed how much they loved each other. They were slightly broken, but when push came to shove, they were there for one another.

Overall: A captivating tale that combines some serious issues, humor, mystery, and a little bit of magic, which left me happy and hopeful.



**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 9 August, 2017: Finished reading
  • 9 August, 2017: Reviewed