Review: What Happens Now - Jennifer Castle

Synopsis

"Ari Logan is battling to win her war against depression and the dark night she hurt herself on purpose. It’s not easy: her best friend is drifting away, her mom’s emotionally checked out, and she spends her days playing caregiver to her handful of a half-sister, Danielle. But it’s summer, and anything is possible...

That’s when Camden Armstrong steps onto the beach of Ari’s local swimming lake. 

At first, Ari quietly longs for Camden from afar, seeing in him everything she wants to be. When the two discover a true connection the following summer, Ari lets herself fall not just for the quirky and self-assured Camden but also his friends, tumbling into their world of independence, adventure, and shared sci-fi fandom. As Ari’s romantic dreams come true, she must unlock the mysteries of the very real and troubled boy behind her infatuation, while also struggling with her own demons, obligations, and loyalties." (Goodreads)

Hook, Line, Sinker

I stumbled upon this book while looking at the cataloging shelf at work. There were a bunch of YAs prepped to be put in the system, but this one caught my eye because I hadn't heard of it. If you follow me on IG or have read past posts on this blog, you might have seen that I'm in a bit of a slump and I feel like I've been reading a lot of mediocre books. It's been a while since I cracked a spine, read the first couple of sentences, and felt compelled to keep going. That happened with What Happens Now. The prologue is beautiful and relatable and hooked me right away. Jennifer Castle, a new-to-me author who wrote The Beginning of After (I've seen that book everywhere), writes thoughtfully and beautifully and that really hooked me.

A Realistic Approach

Our main character, Ari, spends the first chapter pining for a boy from afar. She knows very little about him (though she knows his name is Camden), but she is fascinated. Castle writes about longing in a very real and vivid way. Sometimes our fantasies become memories. That might sound creepy, but I think that, especially when someone is emotionally vulnerable, people build relationships with their dreams and goals. I remember listening to music in the backseat of my parents' car, in my own little world, thinking about what my life could be. Those daydreams often stand out to me more than actual memories. 

It's not a spoiler to say that Ari and Camden come together the next summer. I love that Castle explores the complexities of a new relationship, especially one that was formed with preconceived notions. To Ari, Camden is a symbol of the carefree person she can't seem to be. It's rare that people meet our expectations. I adored this approach. In a genre rife with insta-love and high standards of commitment, it was a refreshing change of pace.

Losing Focus

Ari has depression and she started getting help through therapy and medication after she purposely injured herself. That is a serious issue. Self-harm, depression, and other forms of mental illness and health problems need to be taken seriously. Considering Ari is doing okay on her regimen, I guess it makes sense that Castle wouldn't focus exclusively on this issue. However, a lot of time was spent on Ari and her new friends participating in cosplay for a TV show they all love. I get that finding people who love something as much as you do can be a unifying experience, but I kept wanting to get back to the meat of the story. I don't care about a cosplay contest, especially if the outcome of that contest doesn't really seem to affect the outcome of the story. I don't think this book needed to go into the deep darkness of depression, but a little bit more focus would show how important this can be in a person's life and that it has to be fixed with professional help, not new relationships. 

Overall

I was excited to find a book that had engaging writing, but I didn't feel that the pace kept up as the story went on. It was a well-written book, but I think the characters and story are ultimately forgettable for me.