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Review: Undecided by Julianna Keyes



Blurb from Goodreads:
Nora Kincaid has one goal for her second year of college: be invisible. Last year’s all-party-no-study strategy resulted in three failed classes and two criminal charges, and if she messes up again she’ll lose her scholarship. But there’s one problem with her plan for invisibility, and his name is Crosbie Lucas: infamous party king, general hellraiser…and her new roommate’s best friend.

Crosbie’s reckless reputation and well-known sexcapades aren’t part of Nora’s studious new strategy, but as she’s quickly learning, her new plan is also really boring. When Crosbie’s unexpected gestures of friendship pull her head out of her books long enough to see past his cocky veneer, she’s surprised to find a flawed and funny guy beneath it all. The muscles don’t hurt, either.

But as Nora starts to fall for Crosbie, the weight of one of last year’s bad decisions grows even heavier. Because three failing grades and two misdemeanors are nothing compared to the one big secret she’s hiding…
My Review:
I am so so glad that Nick talked this one up on GR after she read it (definitely an instance where an early review helps!), because I immediately wanted to read it.  It's rarer and rarer to find good new adult and I've been less than impressed after loving The Deal last year.  That being, said, Undecided ranks right up there as one of my all time favorite NAs and I want everyone to read it.  First, Nora is awesome -- I hate to use the word flawed but she's real and reminded me of being in college.  And Crosbie, I fell for him pretty quickly -- maybe it's his love of Arrested Development and illusions but, despite some less than favorable reviews of his past, he's a good friend and he falls for Nora, hard.  I guess what draws me to this book so much is that it didn't need something horrific about anyone's past to drive the action and conflict -- it is straight forward and, ultimately, simply about a guy and girl in college, each of whom have made some mistakes but just want to be together.  It takes them a minute to figure that out but in the end, the entire book rang so true for me and made me nostalgic for college, which sometimes is all I want when reading contemporary NA.  I loved this and I know I will re-read it often!

I highly recommend this to fans of contemporary NA, this one will cure your NA blues and make you smile, smile, smile. Easily a favorite of this year so far and it joins and surpasses a lot of my other favorite contemporary NA books.  Aside from The Deal and Undecided, I also LOVE and recommend On An Edge of Glass, Flat-Out Love, The Hook-Up, Undeclared, After Math and Him.  Undecided comes out todayApril 4, 2016, you can purchase HERE, and I think you'll love it! 
He shoves open the door and nudges me in first, "I don't want to talk about this right now."  And then the tentative kisses from the tree are gone, replaced by hot and wet and dirty.   Soon my coat is on the floor and I'm kicking off second-hand cowboy boots, not caring where they land.  Crosbie scoops me up like I weight nothing and I wrap my legs around his broad waist, hard muscles pressed against the tender insides of my knees.

Comments

  1. Yes all of this!!! Especially just wanting to feel nostalgia for college. This did that for me completely. So much love for this book. Great review!

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  2. Ok, I'm convinced! I have been unimpressed with most NA books lately, but this one sounds great. Adding it to my wishlist!

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  3. Glad to hear you really liked this one! I am quite curious, I have to say. I want to read more NA, but so many of them seem to follow the same over-angsty trope, so yay for something new!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

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  4. I've not read any contemporary NA in what feels like ages. I used to read a ton of it but then got burned out and it all started blending together, never good Lol I've seen a few reviews for Undecided recently and they've been peaking my interest. Now after reading your review I'm totally convinced that I need to add this one to my TBR. Great review :)

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  5. I read this one and reviewed it! The review comes out in a few days :) I'm so excited I saw Alyssa's (Eater of Books) review because it motivated me to request this one and wow! As you said, The Deal is something out of this world (you didn't say that, but you know what I mean). That book is my fave NA novel so when I also read Nick's review, saying it was high up, pretty much next to The Deal, I knew I needed for sure!

    Lovely review!

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    Replies
    1. I love The Deal so I like that you characterized it as out of this world! Can't wait for Kellan's story!!

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  6. Great review! It is hard to find good NA. Well at least for me since I don't read many. Thanks for the review you have convinced me to add it to my to read list. :D

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  7. Eeep! You guys have me SO excited for this book! I definitely LOVED The Deal, so I know I'll love this one too! I have it for review, so I hope I can start it in the next few days! I love what you said about it being a simple love story without all this added drama to fuel the storyline! I love books like that!

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  8. I'd shied away from this book because the cover made me wary there might be a love triangle, something I don't necessarily enjoy but can endure, but I'm intrigued by your review and the others I've seen lately. You've not steered me wrong in the past. ;) This is definitely going on my wishlist.

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  9. It's official, I'll definitely be reading this one soon. I am loving the reviews for this one. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. Yessss! I enjoyed this one so much! Crosbie was adorable with his illusions~ I can't wait for Kellan's story :D

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  11. I read this because of Nick too! I really liked it, I read it in a day which was super rare for me. It definitely had those The Hook Up/The Deal vibes that I love in NA books. I want more NA books like this!
    -you've read the hook up right???

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  12. Well, well, your favorite of this year so far… that’s promising. I agree it’s hard to find something interesting and fresh in NA, I mostly pick up books in this genre when I’m in the mood for a sexy and mindless entertainment. So glad to hear you enjoyed this one, I need to read it ASAP!

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  13. This actually looks good. Gotta check this one out!

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  14. Mega swoon! I feel like this one is *everywhere* in my feed this week and it has me so ready to pick it up. Great review, Eva!

    Tanya @ Girl Plus Books

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  15. So apparently this book isn't all about a love triangle! I'm definitely intrigued now, haha. It's been a while since I've read a NA (The Deal was my last big fav of the genre too), but I'm thinking I need to pick this up soon!
    Lovely review, Eve!

    Cyn @ Bookmunchies

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