Hello Girls

by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight .

Parts of this book were super. Like a road trip! And two young women being completely over the patriarchy! And strong female friendships! But for whatever reason (and I can't fully articulate them which I realize makes me the worst), I just never fully connected to the characters, and by extension, the story. 

Here's the thing: most of the people in this story are pure and total garbage. Not Lucille and Winona, they're just caught in the crosshairs of a lot of bad actors. Winona's dad is the trashiest garbage of them all, abusing his daughter every chance he gets. He's giving meteorologists everywhere a bad name, tbh. And I was glad as anything when Winona ran the hell away from him. And Lucille helping her? Yep, made me love her too. 

Lucille isn't exactly doing great either. Mom's always working, and her brother is a drug dealer who stole all her money. So it's... depressing at best. And most of the people they encounter along the way are also pretty much human dumpsters. Maybe it's the hopelessness of the whole thing that made it hard for me to connect? I am not really sure. 

For what it's worth, the road trip itself is fun, and the plot itself was entertaining enough to make me want to keep reading. I also liked the characters, but more at a surface level, if that makes sense? Regardless, it was all enough to be at least a worthwhile read! 

Bottom Line: While I didn't love it quite as much as I'd hoped, I am always here for strong women taking control of their destinies. And also driving across the country.