artsy musings of a bibliophile

I am going to give it straight and I am going to say that Going Under is one of the best reads of 2012. I loved it! It had been so long since I last read a good contemporary young adult book and Going Under was perfect to remind me why I should read more contemporary YA books. Jessie and Claire are so likable and engaging. I was engrossed from the first chapter.

Jessie is a bad boy with good intentions and so I never can resist a story about an unwilling bad boy. I couldn't stop wondering about the tattoo on his upper left arm! Jessie just got transferred into a rich and preppy high school and went headfirst into conflict from day one. I really liked how he had this thing about never backing down especially from a challenge. I loved his interactions with Forbes, the ex-starting quarterback.

Claire is one of a kind. The one whose life seems perfect on the outside but in truth, it is just a facade because she doesn't feel so perfect but is afraid to come out of the comfort zone. Then having Payton as a BFF kind of rubbed off on her and I absotively loved how they had this habit of constructing new words. Payton was hilarious.

Going Under is so much more than I expected it to be. It is drenched in emotions and so be expected to go on one hell of an emotional ride. I loved how Georgia handled the conflict Jessie was in and Going Under was a very unpredictable read for me. But in the best of ways possible. I loved the chemistry between Jessie and Claire!

Jessie accepts who he is which is why he doesn't hope. He has lived a life unimaginable for an 18-year-old to be living. But he has. While, Claire is not as fragile as everyone believes. She is feisty and stubborn as hell. I really liked how the relationship and the story unfolded for Jessie and Claire. It couldn't have been better than that. Go on and read Going Under and you'll know what I am talking about.