Mara's Reviews > Last Chance Books

Some Critical Notes: Last Chance Books

My Dear Sir/Madam—
It is with deep regret that I must address the travesty that is “Last Chance Books” by Kelsey Rodkey. Once again, I was arrested by a cute and pretty cover, but was then deeply misled by its Description.

I anticipated this novel to be something of a YA version of “You’ve Got Mail” - only having removed all of the aspects of said film which I dislike (namely, Meg Ryan and everything not relating to the bookstores). I anticipated a cute enough rivalry between male lead and female lead, steeped in bookishness, fluff, and charm.

Regrettably, “Last Chance Books” ended up being like buying the big bag of cotton candy and then really wishing you’d gone with the pretzel instead.

It took two attempts to actually finish “Last Chance Books.” I sentenced it to the Discard stack after a mere 10 pages, the Heroine irritated me so. I only picked it up again because I had a bizarre hankering to read something I knew I wouldn’t like. My first impression was entirely. . . .right.

Madeline leads with a bad attitude and ends with a bad attitude. *Everything* upset her. And if overreaction is an option, she chooses it every time. While many of the upheavals in her life are understandably upsetting - a deadbeat mom careening back into her life, the loss of a family business she’d wanted to inherit - her demeanor is so perpetually bitchy that it was nearly impossible to see her as anything more than a scowling brat. While I could understand her iciness towards her mom, I came to the realization very quickly that the moment Dahlia arrived on page, she never once did anything that warranted Madeline’s rude behavior. Given that Madeline treated everyone rudely, it was difficult to chalk it down to broken trust like we were supposed to.

And whatever her attachment and trust issues may be, nothing could excuse her using - yes, using - Jasper’s emotions for her own needs. She’s made fully aware of just how serious Jasper is about a relationship with her, and rather than being up front with him about her own uncertainty, she continues to “enjoy the moment” even though “it’ll all be over after summer.” And then engages in sexual actions because she needs a distraction from her poor crumbling life. But it’s just a little summer fling, right? It won’t hurt anyone when it ends. Except maybe the boy who *wants* something serious. On no level is that acceptable behavior and this whole notion that physical intimacy can and should be casual is poisonous and damaging.

From the beginning, Jasper’s infatuation with Madeline made little sense, as there’s simply nothing all that likable about Madeline’s personality. Maybe this would’ve been different if she hadn’t begun with a bad attitude already in place and led with an obnoxiously fangirlish stream of narration. Her hatred for Prologue, the shop next door, didn’t make a whole lot of sense until Jasper started “stealing” her marketing ideas (you can find the same marketing ideas on Pinterest). Book people shop at multiple bookstores. If Books & Moore had been there for as long as is claimed, they would have plenty of loyal customers who always chose them first simply because - or would shop at both locales.

Might we also address Madeline’s brand of “bookishness”? I can’t be so arrogant as to claim that there is only one way a book person must be or they’re not a real bookish person. But Madeline felt like a fan service to today’s YA fangirls - or how they *wish* they were. She’s best friends with that “quirky” bubbly Booktube star, customers always love her recommendations, her book displays and signage are always cute, she works in an amazing little indie bookstore, she can snag a bestselling author for an impromptu tour stop just like that - in short, she has all the book connections and prowess. But how often do we see evidence of her *loving* books beyond the popular trends? Hazel in *The Fault in Our Stars* annoyed me with her pretentious obsession with the obscure hipster books, but in many ways it somehow made her love of books feel more genuine, rather than a regurgitation of what every fangirl wishes she was.

The ending offers no redemption, even in Madeline’s admittance that she had been behaving rather badly this whole time. She may admit it verbally, but I saw no echo in her actions. Madeline gets everything she wants with very few, if any, consequences for her bitchiness and life goes on.

I definitely wish I had gotten the pretzel instead of the bag of cotton candy.

With Deepest Critical Regards,
Mara @ The Reading Hedgehog