I had some serious problems with this book.

First, Jesse and every other character is a flaming stereotype. It's okay to be butch, or do whatever you want to express your orientation/gender identity/political beliefs- that's chill. It's just that it's THE ENTIRE BOOK. Everyone is a liberal radical who fights the system and listens to NPR and has quirky accessories and causes. That, or they're an objectivist (Wyatt, gay best friend (if they're both gay, does that stereotype count? Is there a lesbian best friend trend? Is that a thing?)) or part of the machine supporting big corporations (Wyatt's father, Emily). It wasn't any *one* stereotype or ridiculous thing that really made me angry when I was reading this... it was all of it heaped together. It got old very fast.

Second, there was such a missed opportunity in the whole Jesse/Emily relationship. It felt like ships passing in the night. My expectations from the cover blurb weren't met at all. I keep being told their making out is "awesome" and "the best thing ever" and "so intense" (drinking game (with water or juice for the under-aged, of course): take a drink every time they use the word "intense" in this book), but there's nothing there. Nothing. I suppose that's the point- their connection is purely physical and they even mention that they don't talk to each other normally and that's why

Spoiler

the relationship ultimately fails

- but it just came off wrong to me.

Third, the way she chose to narrate characters. Emily herself was a disappointment. She's the only almost the only character we hear from first-person and this probably contributed to why I spent the whole book wanting to slap her. She rationalizes and rationalizes and back-stabs and UGGGHHH. We only ever hear from Jesse in third, which worked and was alright, but Jesse's boring. She has little flaws... but her perspective isn't nearly as interesting as the minor characters (like Esther- I really liked her first-person sections), even ones who don't get that much screen time. Jesse came off as the empty stereotype that she is, which is disappointing because she had so many opportunities not to be. She has a mom in remission from cancer, she's in a sort-of-relationship with a closet case (is Emily bi? Lesbian? never resolved, neither possibility even discussed- bi people exist!), she has weird relationships she could explore and people to figure out (Snediker? What is up with you?? Why are you so mean? What caused your about-face? Never resolved.)... she has the ideal set-up for a character and I think that's her biggest weakness: the quirks and cool minor characters stopped Jesse from ever being fully developed and that's really too bad/angering.

Also, there was this little passage about which I'm still not sure how I feel:

"Ester has taken a little notebook out of her book bag and is writing something across the top of one page in big letters.
'To do!' she crows.
'It sounds like a lot of hard work,' Jesse said listlessly."

Emphasis mine, but get it? Because it's a to-do list? And it's not Jesse making it? Ba ha ha. Was this an inadvertent pun? Or was it an intentional stealth pun? If the latter, four for you, Glen Coco! You go Glen Coco...

(ahem). But back on point. The final thing that bothered me about this book (and a lot of realistic YA I've been reading, actually) is that NOTHING IS RESOLVED. Emily and Jesse:

Spoiler

Sure, they broke up (from whatever their weird sneak-make-out-but-Emily-still-has-a-public-boyfriend relationship was), but what about Jesther? (Yes, I just made a couple name portmanteau. I blame the Internet.) Jesse and Esther dance together at the end... but are they going to get together? Were they dancing as friends?? Damn you, Madeleine George!

Wyatt/minor characters:

Spoiler

So what, Jesse- you get to be a bitch for most of the book to people who love you (Wyatt, you made that comment about cancer to your MOTHER, etc) and they're just chill with it without you ever really apologizing? Okay.

And worst of all, StarMart:

Spoiler

WHAT THE HELL? This was the main secondary conflict in the story that underscored the tense relationship of Emily and Jesse... and you're leaving it completely open-ended. Will the coalition of weirdos (Jesse calls herself that) raise enough money to combat the StarMart store and stop it from coming to their town? Will the school's corporate sponsorship end? Who the hell knows, you ENDED THE BOOK. //book hits wall//

Overall, just a let down. It hurts to be this critical- I love YA and anything with LGBTQIA themes- but this book just didn't do it for me.