Review: Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas

Review: Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas
Goodreads 
Release date: March 11th, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: No
Source: e-ARC
Adorably, swoony, witty fun! Fluff reading at its best.



Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin.

Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be?

Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests--even if he wants to share all his feelings?

Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...


Oh, this book was JUST what the doctor ordered. After a string of alternately grim and/or disappointing reads, I really needed to cleanse my readerly palate with something fresh and adorable that would make me giggle. Ask Again Later had all that an more, because I didn't merely giggle--I chokelaughed. And it wasn't just adorable--it was painfully, cuter-than-puppies adorable.

I want to hug this book.

This book is a little like Pivot Point minus most of the paranormal elements and the part where Kasie West decides to crush your ship soul same thing. Heart is a poorly named and brilliant realized teenage girl desperate to avoid any kind of prom date drama. She does what any reasonable high school girl would do, and agrees to go with her group of friends. Until two, stupid not-romantic-options boys with their stupid life-ruining ways decide to ask her to prom, and Heart decides to flip a coin and let fate take the reins. Also she can't make a decision to save her life, which is a trait I can relate to. Also romance is scary and should be avoided when your only romantic options are teenage boys. Heart, girl, I feel you.

From then on we get a kind of Sliding Doors divergent narrative. Heads she picks one date, tails she picks another, and we get to see the repercussions of both flips play out. The narrative is split between the two prom nights, and obviously both lead to dancing and kissing and wardrobe malfunctions and being locked in the trunk of a car. Normal teenage stuff.

So how does the shipping in this (completely love triangle free) book play out?

Heart: Banter banter snark snark.

Adorable love interest: Snark snark banter banter.

Heart: BANTER SNARK.

Adorable love interest, pining deeply: I banter to hide my overwhelming boy feelings.

Heart: I banter because banter also what's that about feelings?

A.L.I.: Oh. Um. I feel--I feel-- BANTER. SNARK. TEASE.

Me: Now kisssss.

Heart: Banter banter banter--

Me: No, seriously, kiss.

 

Plot: *intervenes*

Me: KISSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Shenanigans: *ensue*

OBEY, HALLUCINATORY PEOPLE.

There are puns, funny adorable nicknames, a ship, awesome friends, a No Drama Prom-a Crew, family jeopardy, and all sorts of prom-related disasters that I, who had a rather disastrous prom night herself, can fully relate to. Plus Heart, our narrator, is just hysterical. Christina pointed out in her review that your enjoyment of this book may be dependant on your enjoyment of Heart's voice and personality, and she's right. It never occured to me that people could dislike her, since I loved her so totally, but I can see how her brand of humor might not be the same as other people's.

But it was most certainly mine. She had me at page one, and the love interest had me at page three, aka the first time he calls her Spleen instead of Heart because he's FUNNY AND IT'S CUTE, OKAY? This is what dreams are made of, you guys. (PSA to my future currently non-existant husband: you'd better make some puns on my last name if you want to put a ring on this.) So, yeah. Have fun suffering the slow burn! The love interest made my heart melt and also my Heart melt. See what I did there? I'm almost as funny as Schroeder.



The story also resolves itself in both an adorable way AND an interesting, not-so-clear-cut way. This is the sort of book I'll certainly be rereading when my spirits need a little lifting, and I can't wait to buy a hard copy when it releases  next week!