Guys, this book was adorable, and right up my alley!!! I really really enjoyed it and sped through reading it.

Before I get too far into the review, I want to debunk any myths that this is a sequel to Lily Anderson’s other book. I guess it’s more of a companion novel? I have yet to read her first book but did not feel at all lost while reading this one.

Okay, so the first thing I loved about this book was Elliot. She’s spunky, witty, and shares my endless love of books.

Second, I loved the premise of a competitive pre-college program! Having attended a pre-college program when I was in high school, I loved reliving the first time experiences of a college-like lifestyle.

Third, Brandon. His love for that typewriter was a fun element to his character, and I mean, how can you not love HIM after reading this book?!

Fourth, Leigh! Elliot’s roommate Leigh was such a sweetheart. I love it when roommates are portrayed as great friends, against the common rumor that roomies don’t end up as friends.

This book was totally a breath of fresh air. It was oozing cuteness, but full of smart writing and characters! I highly highly recommend you check it out, and I can’t wait to read Anderson’s other books!

Opening line: There was no empirical evidence that the Lieutenant wasn’t a robot.

– Not Now, Not Ever. pg. 1

Elliot aka Ever is a badass, but doesn’t know it. She’s stuck between a military family and a civilian one. Her mother and father may differ on their dreams of Elliott’s future, but damn if they’re not a united front about wanting the best for her. Instead of the typical dual family drama, it comes from being transracial with a white step-mom.

»FYI: Real Meaning of Transracial«

She’s an Octavia Butler loving Sci-fi nerd that thinks about the ethics of ghost busting before investigating if someone really is a spectre. She fiercely loves her little brother and helps her step-mom with her community plays. Ever “runs away” to a summer camp to try and win a scholarship to the only program specializing in Sci-Fi literature.

Ever’s government name, Elliot, is masculine coded and she’s actually named after a relative. Sp she deals with other’s preconceptions hearing the name, then seeing her as as tall, strong black woman. She handles this, not by putting down masculine coded things nor by embracing stereotypes. She just does her.

There is a throwaway line about coconut oil protecting her hair in the very beginning and I couldn’t help but snort given the Twitter conversations going on. Ya’ll really need to follow her on there. I could be wrong, but it felt like a timely middle-finger to white supremacy and stereotypes. After letting that bird fly, it is promptly never mentioned again. Bye, bye birdy! (<—-I had way too much writing out those puns.😆 )

Now, do not misunderstand. Her fro is mentioned often in all its glory, for how tall it makes her look and being against regulations. But that is not the same thing.

Dear fellow white people, don’t act like coconut oil is all it takes to be black and forget “coincidently” that coconut oil is all over white pinterest like a fucking cult.

AIR FORCE VS. CIVILIANS: DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED FOES?

It’s rare for me to find books with military families, let alone one where they aren’t macho problematic (to put it gently) white people. My family were all “ground-pounders” so not quite the same as Elliot’s but I get the pressure and duty more than most people.

Did you know the Air Force is 14% Black or African American? Check out more stats here!

Unfortunately, Not Now, Not Ever is even more timely given recent hate crimes and the ever present systematic discrimination.

While it doesn’t delve into these issues or mention them, that’s okay. It doesn’t have to. The positive rep and experience are also necessary. And valid. Maybe later we’ll get a sequel with Elliot a couple years down the line. Maybe we won’t.

Maybe it’s damn okay just to fucking exist without making educating white people the focus with providing struggle porn to get a load off.

Happiness is a radical act for Brown Girls img banner

OTHER GOOD SHIT:

Immediately engaging. Like jump of page, grab you by the throat and make you feel alive engaging.
NERDASTIC
Brilliant overachieving fuck up teenagers
Ever’s a realistic head on her shoulders and meets a dude that’s all starry eyed. This reflects the reality I know: girls are thinking about the future and worrying about commitment while
Best possible ending. Love how Ever squared up to deal with the fall out.
The typical romantic creepy gestures are avoided.
Major props for how they dissect The Breakfast Club. Privilege and intersectionality are a day to day concern for these teens.
I. Did. NOT. SEE THAT comiNG!
Fuck yes: Awesome step-mom and half-sibling relationship
Ever and her cousin fight like enemies because of Reasons™ and family and gosh, I love their push/pull relationship of being so different but so similar with misperceptions.
Do not worry if, dare I say it,you’re not a fan of the classics, or have never read it. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I haven’t either. Thank fuck there are badass librarian authors like Lily Anderson that can re-write the shit for modern times and people!
FAVORITE QUOTES:

And he was wearing loafers. I couldn’t get my swoon on for a guy who didn’t wear socks.

-Chapter 2, loc 222

Because how could we know we were on a collage campus if there wasn’t a loner with a hakey sack?

-Chapter 16, loc 1431

You had to leave home to make a home. You couldn’t wait to leave to be yourself.

–Chapter 16, location 1440

Now I was feeling the heat get cranked up and my sand was figuring out how to melt.

-Chapter 16, loc 1458

I was pretty sure when real college kids got in trouble, no one told them to sit crisscross applesauce.

-Chapter 24, loc 2375

I could almost hear Sid’s voice in my ear, telling me to go faster, to wear my Lawerence on the outside.

-Chapter 31 loc 3157



OTHER SIMILAR RECS:

If you like this, or it sounds right for you, please also check out Future Leaders of Nowhere by Emily O’Beirne with more wilderness and a W/W romance. It’s another high ranking read for me, though I haven’t posted my review for it yet. Sorry

Super intelligent Elliott "Ever" Gabaroche feels suffocated by the expectations of others. Her mother expects her to enter the Air Force. Her father wants her to go to college and then law school. Topping it off, her step-mother is in yet another performance of The Importance of Being Earnest with the local community theater. Taking a cue from the Oscar Wilde play, Elliott runs away, under an assumed name (Ever Lawrence), to an academic summer camp at a college in Oregon. Competition at the camp is fierce, but she could win a full ride to Rayevitch, the college of her dreams, and the only place she could major in science fiction literature! Will she be able to keep her true identity a secret? Will her life at camp become a Wildean farce?

The list of things to love about Not Now, Not Ever is long: Oscar Wilde's constant presence, super snappy dialogue, and all the sci-fi feels (!), plus it's a book about smart kid camp. Ever knows
The Importance of Being Earnest as well as many of us know The Princess Bride or Monty Python's Holy Grail; she's got a quote for everything. It's stereotype crushing, apropos to the story, and laugh-out-loud funny. The dialogue in the book brims with zingers and science fiction references. I saw a lot of myself in the way Ever loves science fiction, and I couldn't help but wonder whether author Lily Anderson is a fellow sci-fi nerd girl or just a really good researcher.

As a kid, I had the good fortune to be able to attend academic camps at Purdue University in the summers between 7th and 10th grades. Although my camp experience was nowhere near being a cutthroat competition, Anderson perfectly described other aspects of nerd "boot camp": the relief of being around other like-minded kids, the shared references, the awe of the collegiate library, getting to know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and trying on a new personality/way of interacting away from the pressures of home. Anderson really gets it.

After so many positive points, you may wonder what keeps Not Now, Not Ever from being a five birdie book. I confess. I really did not love the ending. I don't want to give anything away, but the mystery at the heart of the book was not solved in a satisfying way for me, and the loose ends did not all get tied together. Also, Ever made some choices that did not feel totally in character for her, or were not adequately foreshadowed. Still, I very much enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of Lily Anderson's books!


Reader's Note: This book is a hard PG-13 for language.

Elliot Gabaroche doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of her military family. So, under an assumed name, she applies to a crazy summer program-slash-academic competition in which a group of nerds competes for a college scholarship.

Like Anderson’s first book, The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You, this book is inspired by a classic: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Three confessions: I was part of my high school’s Academic Decathlon Team. I was the Literature specialist. And I can’t remember anything about The Importance of Being Earnest.

But this is good news, because that means you don’t need to know anything about the play to enjoy this book. I found Not Now, Not Ever to be pretty much non-stop fun while also offering up diverse characters and a lot of great pop culture references.

As the book opened, I had to get up to speed on Elliot’s extended family and remember the pretty large cast of characters at camp. But I loved that this book has the same fond depiction of nerd culture as The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, and generally hilarious. I was laughing at the snarky take on The Breakfast Club and The Hunger Games (though this book is a bit of a homage to both underneath the snark.) Plus there’s intrigue, double-crossing, scheming — and a sweet romance. What more could you want?

I also loved that Ben and Trixie from The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You were also characters in this story!

Definitely recommend this and I’m looking forward to reading the next thing that Lily Anderson writes!

Outstanding! I adored this book - funny and nerdy in all the best ways. I loved the characters and the setup and the conflicts and the "voice." Everything just clicked for me with this one. This is the second novel I have read by Lily Anderson, and I have adored both of them. I was sad to see this one end - if the author decides to write more about Ever, I would definitely read it! (some language)

I love books about teens (Young Adult lit) and this one was definitely interesting, as Ever (aka Elliot) has an interesting backstory. Her mom is in the military, and wants her to enlist. Her step-mom and father want her to go to college, but I believe somewhere nearby—she lives in California. Unbeknownst to all of them, this summer she's at a camp for geniuses, with the possibility of winning a college scholarship to Rayevich College—which is in Oregon.

There's a bit of a love story mixed in, of course, but the focus is mostly on Ever, and how she matures in only a few short weeks at camp. Things get complicated when she finds out her 15-year-old cousin, Isaiah, is at camp too, and ALSO didn't tell his parents where he is, but the two of them end up finding a solution.

Overall, I liked this book, although I'd be curious to know even more about Ever's background—she hasn't seen her biological mother since she was 5, for example, and I assume that's because the mother is in the military and always busy ... but it's not explicitly said.

I'd like to read the first novel in the "series" now, too, although it may have to wait a bit—both my TBR and "e-TBR" (e-copy) piles are crazy right now!

I'd recommend this novel for anyone who likes a good YA story or for anyone who is or has family in the military.

*I read Not Now, Not Ever in MAY 2017, reviewed it then, and posting it now, closer to release date. I read this as an ARC (THANKS ST. MARTIN’S PRESS). As always, this is my honest opinion.

Lily Anderson wrote The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You, which is one of my all time favorite books. Obviously, when my wish was granted by the publisher in May, I had to start reading immediately.


Disclaimer, I’ve never read anything by Oscar Wilde, so while this story is inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest, you can read an enjoy it without knowing the original story.

Ever is smart, and funny, and nerdy. I loved her from the getgo because she wasn’t afraid to do whatever it took for her to get what she wanted. Her constant sruggle over being divided between her family and the paths they wanted her to take was real.

This is the very real story of a teenager’s struggle of choosing her own path and trying to please everyone she cares about. And if that’s not what navigating career choices feel like, I must have missed the memo.

Can I talk about how much I loved Leigh? Like she’s freaking awesome. Her hair is probably as yellow as the cover of this book, but in my head she looked like a tiny Leigh Bardugo and it made it even better. She’s such a cool character, and I kind of want another novel with her as the main character *hint hint*. (I could also use another novel on Meg…and Trixie…and Ben…and… you get the picture).

Not Now, Not Ever is extremely nerdy. I probably missed a few because Sci-Fi isn’t my normal genre. Of course, Star Wars, Star Trek, Ender’s Game, etc references I understood. (I grew up watching Next Generation. I chose to go see one of the movies in the theater for a Father/Daughter date.)

It goes without saying that I loved The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You more, but only because Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite Shakespeare play, and the wit in TOTWTMIY is my kind of wit. However, Not Now, Not Ever is a strong second book, full of wit, and heart, and smart teens being unapolgetically smart.

Unapolgetically smart teens are now my favorite teens to read about.

You go, teens!

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for my ARC of Not Now, Not Ever. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review; this does not affect my opinion. Any quotes mentioned below are taken from the ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

I have fallen in love with Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson. This book is funny, adorable, and perfect for anyone interested in a nerdy romantic comedy. This diverse contemporary young adult story is about Ever and her summer at a competitive camp for geniuses where she has the chance to win a scholarship to her dream school. The only catch is that everyone in her family thinks she is somewhere else and no one at camp knows her real identity.

"Elliot Gabaroche was everywhere and nowhere. Ever Lawrence, seventeen-year-old girl and newly certified genius, was going to summer camp."

Not Now, Not Ever is inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest and that makes the story that much more interesting. The book has the best vibes and if you are interested in young adult books that actually show the characters studying, this is it. Not only those this novel gives you the best nerdy fantasy vibes, it also has a romantic plot that will make readers swoon. The relationships that exist between all of the characters, especially the deep friendships that develop, are what makes this book so great.

“We could be two people who like each other, who care about each other. I want to know you. I want to know what happens when you go home. I want to know what you think about things and what you’re reading and what you see.”

If you want a light young adult story with romantic, nerdy, hilarious and just plain heartwarming moments, Not Now, Not Ever is a great choice. Don't hesitate to grab this book at your bookstore or at your library. The cast of characters is diverse, the main character is a black girl and there is no shortage of characters that people will relate to. There is so much about this book readers will fall in love with.

Five things I loved about this book:

1) Elliot/Ever's inner monologue is hilarious. I wanted to spend more time in her brain. This girl is the whole package. Super smart, athletic, funny, and gutsy. But she doesn't always see all those parts of herself. I enjoyed watching her navigate camp and make friends (loved her friendship with Leigh!), and embrace her nerdy-ness. But also start enjoying life more without just looking at what's ahead.

2) This is a retelling of The Importance of Being Earnest. Where Ever plays Earnest and makes up a new identity to attend a summer decathlon (nerd camp!). Things get even more dicey when her cousin Isaiah shows up at the same camp. Wilder's play is so much fun and this book captures its spirit well. But there's also depth in here, as Ever works through family obligation and her own expectations and desires for her life.

3) I didn't anticipate how much we'd get to see the characters from The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, even the love interest in this book! Not Now, Not Ever is set 3 years after the previous story, and it was so fun to see what everyone is doing now, especially Trixie and Ben.

4) Super Nerd Brandon. AKA The Love Interest. I loved seeing more of this boy. He is sweet and a bit of a mess, but also adorable and a really great match for Elliot. This book had a high factor of swoon that I didn't anticipate. I also loved to see how much the previous cast of characters care for him still. That was a great surprise. This book is entirely from Ever's POV, and while that completely works for this tale, I also wish there was even more of Brandon in the story.

5) Like Ever, this book is the whole package. Witty humor, nerd references, friendships and romance all wrapped up into one great story. Plus tree-houses, typewriters and a little bit of a mystery too. Don't miss this one!

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Self-contained story that's the second in a companion series. You can read each as a standalone, but I loved all the connections of reading them together. And I'd absolutely adore another story set in this world!

Book Review
Title: Not now, Not ever
Author: Lily Anderson
Genre: YA/Family/Romance
Rating: *****
Review: In the opening chapter of Not now, Not ever we meet Ever as she runs away from home to attend Camp Onward where she could get a full scholarship to Rayevich College, her dream school. She is also a huge reader and has an inner voice that she named Oscar Wilde. She also meets Cornell Aaron who is buddy to help her through the three-week summer school but in learning why Ever has run away we also learn that Ever Lawrence is Elliot Gabaroche and everyone close to Elliot thinks she is somewhere different to where she really is. The one side of his family almost always joins the military and the other half go into practical jobs like law and business, but Elliot wants to take a science fiction literature course. As she begins to settle into the Camp things take a dramatic turn when Isaiah her cousin shows up from the same programme. Ever/Elliot is obviously panicked by Isaiah’s arrival but since neither wants to end up in the academy they both agree to work together to keep their admission to the Camp a secret from everyone that knows them and in the progress of creating a cover story the cousins now become twins.
The competition both Ever and Isaiah are entered in is called the Tarrasch Melee and the prize is a fully paid 4-year scholarship to Rayevich College but everyone there is competing for the same prize. One thing that was interesting to see was the introduction scene, as all the campers are sorted into groups that will compete against each other they do an ice breaker to get to know one another. In the ice breaker they must introduce themselves and give their chosen major on which they are then quizzed and despite everyone being classified as a genius in some way some know their subject areas far better than others. As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel we see the cousins now twins settle into the camp life and try to get their life story straight to avoid detection and getting thrown out of their only chance at a life of their own choosing.
The first lesson Ever’s group has is literature obviously her favourite and in the college library she finds a book that she has never been able to get her hands on before because the author took it out of print. Despite being over a quarter of the way through Not now, Not ever not a lot has happened apart from settling into the school and starting lessons, it also seems a little stereotypical with everyone being friends and no real conflicts being presented to add texture to the characters but there is still plenty of book left for it to happen. In addition to the Melee there are other non-academic challenge the campers will face, the first being a strange game of tag in the dead of night which Ever wins with some smart thinking and self-preservation skills. I also see a hint of a possible romance between Brandon and Ever which would be great as they are both smart although Ever seems to be the outgoing while Brandon is very awkward, and I feel they would compliment each other.
I really liked the fact that almost everything involved in the camp experience is a test including the evening movie showing of the Breakfast Club (classic by the way). As we approach the halfway mark in the novel I was really getting into the experience and connecting with the characters. Despite this novel not being in my normal genre preference as I am hardcore into fantasy this novel was surprisingly enjoyable. As the group face their first mock Melee some find themselves unprepared for the level of knowledge required in a vast area of subjects as each has their own speciality. Things become a little more dramatic when some of the boys get their hands on the test schedule, so they can prepare for what is to come although this may come back to bite them on the behind if they aren’t careful. I really loved the constant references to modern literature from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Hunger Games, Battle Royale and Harry Potter, it makes the dialogue between nerdy friends seem far more realistic.
My inkling about the romance was spot on but that first kiss scene completely took me by surprise, I am so loving this pairing it is perfect. Ever’s group has realised that the tutors are pushing them so hard to see how quickly they break and as the information and test come faster and harder you can literally see the cracks appearing in some students. There also seems to be a thief on campus, while one or two binders went missing early on in the novel a total of 32 are now missing and harsher rules have been put in place for the campers and everyone seems to be holding their notes for the Melee closer than ever now. Despite the school dorms being divided by gender Brandon and Ever find some time to be alone and he even manages to find a way to get them off campus for a few hours to take her on their first official date. One thing I can say about this novel is it isn’t at all cheesy or bland despite playing on the summer school/camp romance which is a little overused in this genre and it gets bonus point for being diverse.
I really like how Anderson threads together the contemporary and mystery elements of this novel and it was a nice to see the pieces of the puzzle coming together when one of the missing binders is found in a tree house on campus. As we near the end of the novel the Melee battles finally begin, and the stakes are higher for some than others as well can see with Ever and Isaiah. In the final section of this novel we see the mystery resolved, relationship repaired, and one extraordinary person allowed to live their own life. Overall, I must say I really enjoyed Not now, Not ever although I would have like the reverse resolution but it was a quick, fun read that took me completely by surprise.

Not Now, Not Ever is clever and fun, the story of a teenager trying to escape to and find her place in before time runs out. But events never happen as they're planned out.

Elliot's looking for a place to escape to. A place where she doesn't have to worry about what other people want from her, what they expect her to do in the future. What about what she wants to do? Sure, the Air Force is in her family, but she's not exactly sure if she wants to enlist. So she takes a chance when she gets it, heading off to a somewhat stress-filled academic competition in order to win a scholarship to a college she'd love to attend. Not just because it's not the air force or pre-law, but because it could mean studying science fiction. But the camp is far more tense and competitive than she thought it would be, and her campmates are far weirder than she'd expected.

This book is fun, it had moments of genius teen snark and attitude, nerdy pop culture references, and teenage romance. I'd never read Wilde, so while I did look up the plot of the play beforehand, I imagine there were a few The Importance of Being Earnest references that I missed. It was nice to read another Lily Anderson book, to read about characters having abstract or geeky interests and acting like real people with flaws, dreams, and heaps of confusion. While I didn't necessarily like this one as much as the first book, this was still enjoyable.

Elliot Gabaroche has always been told what to do. Her mom thinks she should be working towards the ultimate goal of enlisting in the United States Air Force. Her dad and stepmom think she should do anything but that, as long as it’s a practical career path with a set retirement plan. Elliott has always felt torn between her families and their expectations for her life. But she’s ready to make her own path, even if it means bending the truth a little.

She goes to an intense, academic summer camp as Ever Lawrence for a chance to win a coveted full scholarship to her dream school. Elliott spins plenty of different lies and alibis for her various family members and sets out to Rayevich College to compete against other rising seniors, including a totally cute, typewriter owning nerd. She can be anyone she wants in a place where no one knows Elliott, only Ever–until her cousin shows up. This book is full of wacky hyjinks, nerdy trivia, and an adorable summer romance.

This contemporary novel is mostly lighthearted but it’s also a story about identity. Ever/Elliot feels that she needs to get away from home to be who she truly is. She feels torn between her divorced parents and doesn’t know how to choose a future without disappointing someone. Anderson writes beautifully about Elliot’s struggle with duality and running away from home to find herself but discovering that her family is what makes her unique. Elliot’s true passion is Science Fiction and she wants to be a Sci-Fi author. Rayevich has a Sci-Fi writing major and it also houses a large Octavia Butler collection. Elliot has never been able to reconcile her Sci-Fi dreams with her parents’ goals but she discovers that it’s okay to contain multitudes.

Not Now, Not Ever excels at creating a geeky summer camp atmosphere. I absolutely loved reading about Rayevich’s unique college campus with treehouses and art installations all over the place. The way that Anderson described the library, study nooks, and sharp-edged binders will make you actually want to grab a highlighter and–gasp–study! The nerdy summer campers all have their own specialities and you’ll learn lots of random tidbits of information through Ever’s friends. Though there were quite a few characters, each one felt developed with a unique personality and they added something to Ever’s experience at camp. Ever’s romantic interest is absolutely charming and you’ll root for the pair. The romantic aspect of the plot adds to the overall story without overshadowing the rest of the subplots. I loved the funny dynamic between Ever and her cousin, who has also run away and joined the competition for the scholarship. This book will make you actually laugh out loud.

This book is inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest and features characters from Anderson’s The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You but you don’t have to have any prior knowledge of these works to read Not Now, Not Ever (though this book will make you want to read those!). Though this book is coming out in November, it will be such a fun read in the summer. This story with diverse characters, Ever and her cousin are black, and a plot about enlisting in the military, which isn’t often included in YA, is a refreshing romantic comedy. Full of nerdy quips, this book will leave you laughing and wanting to see more of Ever!

Such a cute, fun, and hilarious book to read!

The geek shall inherit the earth

Anderson's first 'had me at hello' - a contemporary teen story based on my favourite Shakespeare comedy (much like Ten Things I Hate About You), set in a high school. A high school for genuises. So it really was a geek-fest of epic proportions, celebrating intelligence and wit.

I was absolutely prepared to break out the popcorn and feast for a second time of more of the same. And Beatrice and Benedick (or their modern counterparts) even feature as secondary characters!

This time, the world expands to feature a summer camp, in which high school students can win scholarships to an elite college by out-performing each other in a series of tests and challenges. Sneaking away from her aspirational family (half of whom want Elliott to follow the family military route), she reinvents herself as Ever, and even finds another relative doing something similar!

The stage is set for a comedy of errors as Ever/Elliott attempts to make friends, win the scholarship and keep her identity under wraps. All while quoting in her mind from Oscar Wilde.

The Wildean connection I found rather tenuous. I know 'Earnest' fairly well and just didn't see this as a modern retelling. Having Ever quote it regularly, because her stepmother has performed it so many times and rehearsed with her step-daughter just felt a little forced. I loved the book, but didn't feel it connected at all well, unlike its predecessor.

You can very easily read this without knowing Wilde, and though a knowledge of Anderson's first will help with some in-jokes and references, that isn't necessary pre-reading either.

The characters are not quite as sparky and punchily witty as Ben and Bea in the first tale, but Ever is a likeable sci-fi nerd, effortlessly cool in the physical trials of the summer camp (an athletic geek?!), with other characters around her just as standout on the page.

I was waiting for a 'handbag' moment, the final line or its equivalent from 'Earnest' but I did like the teen romance/comedy/geekfest I found.

And I look forward to seeing what classic Anderson looks to next for her inspiration.

With thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Not Now, Not Ever is a fun read. It’s got a romance with a super cute couple, lots of nerd humor, and references to Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. (No unfortunate baby is misplaced in a handbag, though.) All pluses in my book!

Inspired by Wilde’s play, in which a character uses his fictional friend Banbury’s illnesses to escape his family obligations, Elliot Gabaroche lies to her family about her summer plans so she can sneak off to a summer program for genius kids. The highlight of the camp is an academic competition whose winners get a full scholarship to the college hosting the program. Elliot really wants to win to give her an out from her mother’s expectations for her (joining the Air Force) and her father’s (becoming something practical, like a lawyer). So, adopting the name Ever Lawrence, Elliot runs away, only to discover that her extremely annoying younger cousin, Isaiah, had the same idea, forcing her to pretend that he’s her brother so neither of them has to leave. When she falls for one of her teammates, Brandon, Elliot finds her life reflecting the farcical aspects of Wilde’s plot ever more closely, as she misleads him about her identity just like Wilde’s characters do their love interests. But of course, just as in Wilde’s play, the truth will come out eventually.

If you read and enjoyed Anderson’s The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, you should definitely read this. All the important characters from the earlier book show up here. That includes Brandon, who was a nerdy freshman in the first book and is Elliot’s completely adorable boyfriend in this one. It was fun to get another look into the lives of Ben, Trixie, and all of their friends, at least if you’re a reader like me who always wonders what happens to the characters after the book ends.

To get maximum enjoyment out of the story, it helps if you are a Wilde fan and are familiar with nerd culture. If you can identify Star Wars quotations, know where the word “gorram” comes from, or understand the meaning behind “It’s bigger on the inside,” this is the book for you. And while you don’t have to have read or seen The Importance of Being Earnest to follow the plot, it will definitely make the twists and turns of the story more meaningful.

On top for the funny bits and the sweet romance, the book has an important message for young people about growing up. Elliot and Isaiah are both struggling with family expectations for their careers. Ever especially is so caught up in figuring out the future that she’s in danger of forgetting to enjoy the here and now. The book highlights the importance of pursuing your own dreams, not living out your parents’ hopes and expectations, but also of not placing so much importance on your future path that you forget to appreciate the journey.

I liked this book a lot and would highly recommend it if it sounds like the sort of thing you might enjoy. I’m really looking forward to the author’s next book, which she described in an online interview as “Veronica Mars meets The Craft.” Now that sounds intriguing!

An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

When I first saw this book, I was very daunted - I haven't read The Importance of Being Earnest, heck I haven't even read a single Oscar Wilde books (plays?) but the synopsis is very interesting and intriguing, so I took a gamble. After finishing the book, I wanted to scream "winner, winner, chicken dinner!" on the top of my lungs but I don't think anyone would appreciate such dramatics.

Elliot, or should I say Ever? Is one heck of a character. She's that character that is so easy to love. It's quite impossible to hate on a girl as smart, nice, witty, and as loyal as her (and someone who loves books? Uhm, can we be best friends Ellie?). She, of course, has flaws and shortcomings; she doesn't justify those and it made her all the more lovable. The other characters were such a fun addition to the story, especially Brandon and Leigh. They [all] made the story all the more colorful and exciting.

As for the story-line, I liked it. There were a few chapters that kind of intimidated me because of the amount of facts and trivia being thrown around but, overall, I loved the story. It was unique, unconventional even, but with a beautifully written character what more could a reader ask for? The ending was kind of vague, felt rushed, but that's probably just me.

On a side note: I love how the epigraph foreshadows what would happen in the book, so fitting and witty.

"Save your sports metaphors for someone who gets them"

Lily Anderson does a great job with nerdy banter. She is the reigning queen.
I loved all the references that only a true nerd would get.

The storyline was interesting and engaging. A bunch of gifted kids compete for a college scholarship at a summer camp. Its a little bit like a nerdy Hunger Games. Fun.

I struggled though with keeping track of some of the secondary characters. There were so many secondary characters it got a little confusing at times. They tended to blend together. I also really struggled with the first chapter. I was very confused most of the first chapter and it was only a little bit later that I could piece together who the characters were and what was going on.

All in all this was a cute, fun book with lots of witty, nerdy banter.

Not Now, Not Ever is a delightful retelling of The Importance of Being Earnest. This book combines the wittiness of Oscar Wilde with the anguish of teenage love, set against the backdrop of a college filled with high school geniuses vying for scholarships. The cleverness of the characters is highlighted in the competitions they face and makes for delightful characters in surprising situations. This is a must read for fans of contemporary YA and fans of classical wit and comedy.

"Ever Lawrence didn't have any friends. Just a backpack full of sci-fi novels, a couple of protein bars left over from the train ride, and hella cool hair."

Not Now, Not Ever will surely make you smile—it's light, it's fun, and it's got heart. Though there are too many characters to remember them all, which has something more to do with the camp setting than the writing, the characters that take the center stage are their own people, distinct and flawed and real.

The camp is a place for geniuses, with the high-school-student-participants battling it out for a full scholarship to Rayevich College, the prize that's waiting for them at the finish line. They're separated into teams and appointed two counselors each team, counselors who are college students and may or may not be familiar to us (a bulk of them we'd know if we read Anderson's The Only Thing Worse than Me is You, the book this book is the sequel to, aka the book that your life needs ASAP if you haven't read it yet).

Ever Lawrence is one of the participants, having gotten in without her telling anyone, including her three parents, one of whom wants her to continue the family legacy of being part of the military force, and the other two wanting something else for her. For sure, though, all three of them will not agree with what Ever herself wants: to major in science fiction literature.

And so her journey begins. She takes a twelve-hour ride alone from Sacramento all the way to the camp, she meets the other characters, and she experiences the hellish environment of the decathlon. Through it all, though, she finds new friends (my love goes to Anderson for portraying a fun and understanding female friendship between Ever and Leigh, her roommate), respectful hot nerd Brandon, and a new view on life.

The first half of the book feels so long; it really took its time introducing the story. It's not that all of it, or even majority of it, was filler—it's just that it really is long, and it took me quite some time to move forward. I'm so glad I did, though, because the story became more interesting and sped up a couple of pages after, and this was when Brandon—who's quiet and owns a typewriter and was earlier mistaken for being a ghost, the same guy on Ever's team, the one she goes to the library to have study sessions with—pretended not to be able to solve a Rubik's Cube. Secrets spill out and make Ever and Brandon grow closer, until they finally transition into a romantic relationship in the most adorable way:

"...you're a six-foot-tall hot genius who can do parkour."

Yes, folks, this came from the beautiful lips of our resident nerd Brandon, taking Ever—and ME!!!—aback. HOOOOLY SHEEP, man. He's a total cutie in that adorkable way, but I've never really seen him beyond that . . . until that scene. Until that line. This is where I thought to myself, "Damn, Brandon has game."

But then it's even all the more realistic and all the more Brandon when he didn't assume anything between them and remained respectful of her body, not doing anything touchy without her consent and go signal, and that he even admitted to asking advice on how to do romantic things right because he's a "well-documented nerd" and hence not "naturally cool enough to know how to ask [her] out."

The secrets about the characters unfold in the best ways possible, and none of them are contrived. I was surprised so many times throughout the story (which has a LOT to do with my close-to-nonexistent knowledge on The Importance of Being Earnest), and every reveal made my experience with the book even better. The banter between the characters is a bonus, which made me snort at times I didn't expect, and smile at others.

Aside from the female friendship and the romance, I also have to highlight Ever's relationship with her cousin, Isaiah. It started out full of tension and misunderstandings, and though, in Anderson's usual realistic way of writing relationships, Ever and Isaiah didn't exactly become the best of friends at the end of the story, it was one of the things that showcased Ever's maturity and growth as a character.

I love how Ever was so intent on creating this false persona of her, to run away from her home, to experience even just for one summer a different life in hopes of continuing this life for the rest of her college days and the rest of her life, only to realize at the end that she doesn't have to think in endings. That she doesn't have to hurry. That, like every science fiction book, there is a beginning, a middle, and an ending, and it's okay to stay in the middle and not hurry to the end. This is what's most beautiful about the book—it teaches you that it's okay to enjoy your life right now and not outpace yourself, that it's perfectly fine to enjoy the breeze as you jog, to look at your surroundings and allow yourself to be happy and content. There is always a time for everything, and if you hurry too much, you lose out on a lot.

A fair warning that this isn't like other YA contemporaries that have happily-ever-afters with all the ends tied all-too-perfectly. The book left some things out in the open, true to the lesson it's trying to teach—we're still in the middle of our stories, like Ever and Brandon, and the end is still very much far away.