[Review] The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publishing Date: Apr. 8, 2014
192 Pages
Format: ARC, ebook

Synopsis 

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world...if she lets go of the one thing she's found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twleve. Except Prenna didn't come from a different country. She came from a different time - a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they're from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she's told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very unique book. It wasn't really what I was expecting, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The synopsis makes it seem like the romance is a huge factor in the story. But I actually didn't find that to be true. Yes, Ethan and Prenna fall for each other, but I think the story is about so much more than that. They're friends, and when Prenna is confronted about the world she came from, she's told she can trust Ethan. They go on a journey together to find out whether they can change the future and prevent the pandemic from killing so many people.

I read a poll on Goodreads the other day asking what we're most sick of with young adult books. The choices were: insta love, the chosen one, or love triangles. I couldn't decide what I'm most annoyed with at this point.. it's probably a 3-way tie.Which is why I'm happy to say that this novel didn't really have any of those! Yes, Prenna and Ethan fell for each other, but to me, it didn't seem like it was "insta love." They were friends and kept it that way for a while; they knew they liked each other, but didn't act on it or fall in love immediately. Prenna also wasn't the "chosen one." Yes, it becomes up to her whether or not the future is the same as the world she came from. But it didn't feel like she was the only one who could. Ethan was there too and played a big role in it. Plus another character in the book was also involved in trying to change things. And finally - no love triangle!

I'm glad I was able to read and review this book. It was definitely different than what I've previously read. I also wasn't aware that it was written by the same author that wrote Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants!