Skyler has always had a plan: keep away from boys until she's 18, go to college, be different than the rest of the women in her family. You see, women in her family have a weakness for bad boys, and Skylar doesn't want that to happen to her. But when Cole, with his charming smile and gorgeous blue eyes comes her way, Skyler is not that sure anymore. And that's how every little bad idea starts coming her way.

Every Little Bad Idea is a wonderful story written in verse. A small story that encapsulates teenage feelings, mother-and-daughter bonds, friendship, self-love and the right and wrong choices, as well as the impact they can have on our lives. I loved the form of the story, as well as its content. Kudos for a wonderful ending. Strongly recommended YA read.

Skyler has promised her mother for years that she would stay away from the bad boys because her family has a history of falling for men like that. She has plans to go to college and study to be a doctor, and she spends a great deal of time with her best friend Layla. One night she meets Cole, and slowly she finds herself falling for the bad boy and putting her dreams on hold. Soon she has to make a difficult decision between her relationship with Cole and what will ultimately be the best for her.
This was a quick read, but a very unique one because it's completely written in verse. The message of the book is so much more effective because it isn't written in a traditional manner, and I think Skyler's feelings are conveyed well in poetic form. I didn't agree personally with some of the views presented, but I think the overarching message is an important one for people to grasp: toxic relationships should be avoided and people should choose what is best for their own well-being, especially if the other person in the relationship is selfish and abusive. This is a great read for teens and is powerful in its message about relationships.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

i was not able to review this book as it was unreadable. i expected the publisher to provide another review copy, but they did not

This book was definitely different for me! I haven’t read a poetry book, let alone a YA poetry book that tells the story in verse.

Due it’s format, it was a quick read but the story it told was powerful. It tells the story of Skyler over the summer before she turns 17. How she falls in love with a boy and how that boy becomes her world.

I was happy that Skyler was able to get away from Cole but I was upset to see the repercussions of her action. I was happy that she was able see she was making a mistake and that she was able to refocus on her, Skyler.

I just wasn't impressed with this one. I think if it hadn't been written in verse, it would have been a more enjoyable read especially since it covers a pretty important topic.

I have a special place in my heart for books written in verses. I love how they flow and how clever the writing is. Bad Idea is a phenomal story told cleverly through verses. It does a great job of showing emotions and connecting you to the characters through a few words. It's a story about a girl and her mom. They are close until boys come between them and they have to find their way back together. I loved everything about this story but especially the writing.

This just become the best read this year or my entire life and I'll tell you why.

The story follows Skyler, a straight A student, a good daughter and a great friend then she met "the love of her life" Cole which is popular being a bad boy. Her life became a rollercoaster because of him. My emotions becomes a rollercoaster because of them.

It was told in poetic way, I never thought I would read a book like this, there not enough details about thesurroundings but I can feel every word, every lines in here. The way Skyler narrates it, it was straight to the point and very emotional,it almost felt like a kid was narrating it.

When I requested this I thought it would be an another bad boy became a good boy kind of book, that the girl changed him and they live happily ever after. The End. No it is not. This story can happen to anybody. When we fall in love and become confused, we could give up everything for that person even if we didn't know if it's a right thing.

Skyler was an ordinary teen, she loves her mother so much, her friends then she met Cole the bad boy. I feel bad about everyone when she choses Cole over everyone, even her mother. I couldn't blame her though because she makes mistakes and her mistake is just to fall in love with a wrong person.
Then we have Cole, the bad boy. I never thought I would hate a bad boy on a novel because our 'typical' bad boy has goodness somewhere in his heart. I didn't saw that to Cole. He became possesive to Sky that he made her choose between everyone or him.

I love the way this was written, as I said before it was written in a poetry form which made me curious on what's going to happen next as it didn't have details on it. It made you wonder what might be the subject on the next poetry.
There are a lot of beautiful poetries that could punch your heart.

Overall, I should say this was a rollercoaster ride for me. Sometimes I'm so happy and relief then there's another heartbreak again coming. A rollercoaster ride with a lot of loops. Realistic and relevant to the current and future generations, it has a valuable lesson to everyone Not only in romantic relationship but also in friendship, relationship between parents and making mistakes. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BOOK.

This book was really good. It moved really fast since the whole thing was written in verse so you didn't have a lot of unimportant scenes or dialog which made it refreshing. The book starts out with our main character Skylar falling hard for a boy she knows. A bad boy named Cole. Things are going great for the two love birds until they
slowly start to change for the worse. I liked how slowly Cole changed and how it wasn't a sudden change. I like how it showed SKylar questioning what she did wrong to anger Cole, what she did to upset him. It showed how much of a hold he had on her and how it was turning very wrong. I found this book to be very eye opening and I think that everyone should read this because it shows a lot of what an abusive and one sided relationship is like, and how easily it can happen. Nice and quick read but i enjoyed it none the less and I think the ending had to be
one of my favourite parts. The only thing that I didn't like was I found the whole story a little predictable, I could have said from the very beginning how it was all going to turn out and I would have been right.

"Time flies
when every sunset
is pink and purple
and every song
on the radio was
written for you."
-Caitie McKay

Time flew as I read "Every Little Bad Idea" in one sitting, I consumed it like a dog eating its first meal in days. Because it is written in verse, it is easy to get into. But the story is so believable and relatable, and that's why I didn't put it down.

I saw so much of my teenage self in Skyler. Smart, driven, focused on the end goal. But then Cole came into her life and everything suddenly changes. It's funny how you can feel so plain and then a cute boy gives you attention and your entire life flips into something you don't ever expect for yourself. This is what happens to Skyler, and as I read through it, I could feel her slipping away from herself. Turning into someone that she doesn't recognize, and someone that she doesn't even know that she doesn't want to be.

The journey through this book made me feel all the feelings I had as a 16 year old in love. It reminded me of what it was like to be with someone who was bad for me. It reminded me what it was like to see a person as perfect but to still know their flaws. It reminded me what it was like to be completely blinded by the love you feel from someone else, when you lose the other people who are close to you because you can't see them anymore.

I was so frustrated as I read this because it reminded me of me.

I won't spoil the end for you, but I will spoil the fact that this is a must read for any teenage girl or the parent of a teenage girl. "Every Little Bad Idea" shows exactly what a bad idea can do to you - and what can happen if you don't escape from it.

Thank you to Netgalley and West 44 Books for sharing a galley with me in exchange for an honest review!

A beautiful story told in verse about the power of a relationship to heal you or tear you down.

Skyler Wise wants to break the curse of the women in her family: leave her neighborhood and go to college without falling for a bad boy. Enter Cole Baker, who makes Skyler feel in ways she never has before.

Some might say “Every Little Bad Idea” is simple, that it’s predictable. And it might be. But I loved it for its simplicity, for the columns of words that unravel and then rebuild Skyler’s life, and her relationships with her friends and family. To add in other elements, such as characters or plot lines, would dilute the power of Skyler’s story, which is captivating. I liked how every character felt necessary, from Skyler’s mom’s new boyfriend, to her encouraging English teacher.

I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, exactly, but I always wanted to know what Skyler would choose next, what she would decide to pursue. I kind of identify with Skyler’s desire to be a perfect person, and live up to her mom’s expectations, but also want to find out what else in the world is worth discovering, so I sympathized with Skyler’s high and low points.

The relationship between Skyler and Cole felt perfectly developed. I not only saw, but also felt, how Skyler fell in love and then out again, all while trying to figure out who she was in the wake of her world shifting. I liked how she maintained the goal of being a doctor, and helping others, even as her path to that goal shifted.

The only part I didn’t like was Layla, Skyler’s best friend. I felt like she was a bit hypocritical of Skyler’s choices in romance, when Skyler had supported her endeavors in the past.

All in all, 4 stars for an amazing book about love in different forms, and what it takes to stay true to yourself when everything changes.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Every Little Bad Idea by Caitie McKay is about of a six part series called the YA Verse. This particular story is about an ambitious sixteen year old girl named Skylar with dreams of becoming a doctor. However, the women in her family are known to be attracted to "bad boys" which almost always end in heartbreak. Skylar didn't think it would happen to her because she had plans and goals and made promises.

But...things don't always work out how people want. Enter Cole: a notorious bad boy with a penchant for drinking, jail, and pressuring others. At first everything was fine (except not fine). To Skylar, it was perfect. To the readers + her family/friends...it wasn't.

Cole becomes possessive, tried to pressure her into things she didn't want, essentially made her alienate the people she loves, put her down, etc. Casebook case of toxic relationships. We slowly watched as Skylar strayed further and further from herself.

I thought this book was highly realistic. I've known people like Cole and Skylar. I know how tragic toxic relationships can be and how difficult they are to get out of it.

I think if it wasn't written in verse it wouldn't have that big of an effect on the readers (at least me). I'm not saying this topic shouldn't be talked about, I'm saying for Skylar's particular story verse form worked. It allowed me to clearly see these characters for who they are while also forcing me to put on rose colored glasses due to the whimsical quotes.

The only huge problem I had with this book is that it was formatted weird? Some of the words had letters missing and I'm not sure if that was intentional or just a problem on my part. It didn't have so many missing letters where I couldn't understand it. Instead you just filled in the gaps as you read. Again, no clue if that was on purpose.

Other than that I really enjoyed this. It was a quick read under 200 pages written completely in verse. Even the minor characters were written in a way that was in depth. Skylar's story is a cautionary tale we've all heard of. It's a tale I think (especially young girls around that age) should check out. As long as they can clearly understand the message and able to take off the rose colored glasses to see the story for how it is: harsh and realistic rather than romantic and something they should strive for.

Every Little Bad Idea by Caitie McKay is set to be released August 1st! Solid 3.5/5.0 stars :) give it a try if you want to read something different yet still impactful

I haven’t read that many books in verse and this one was really good! Everything was done very nicely and the story was told beautifully. I’m defiantly going to have to check out more verse novels after this! Thank you so much for allowing me to review this book.

GREAT READ!

Being a huge fan of both poetry and books, I am so glad I came across this amazing read! Before giving my review, I want to thank West44 books for funding this Caitie Mckay masterpiece, and, of course, to NetGalley for giving the chance to read this book in advance and for free!

So as I said earlier, I am a huge fan of poetry and I am not expecting this book to give me big impact towards the end. I mean, at first, it will seem like you're just reading poems and stuff but as you continue flipping the pages, Caitie Mckay lured me into her wonderful skills of story telling and character development. And it was an awesome experience!

Technically, Every Little Bad Idea revolves on a story, told in a poem format, of a girl named Skyler who happens to be an intelligent and conservative girl. Having no boyfriend since birth (NBSB) due to her mom's restrictions for the reason of, as how it was told in the book, their family has a weakness when it comes to bad boys. Unfortunately, Skyler met a bad boy in shining armor in the name of Cole Baker. The catch is, will Skyler pursue her feelings for Cole knowing that somehow she can lose everything she has or will she let go of him and continue moving forward and grab her dreams.

This great story, though focused on Skyler's love story, gives us more of what we will have in life- from treasuring your family to valuing your real goals. That's it! A 5-star review for this book! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Every Little Bad Idea follows Skyler Wise and her family’s long history of terrible taste in men and making bad decisions when it comes to men. all the women in Skyler’s family seem to have a weakness for “bad boys”, and Skyler’s convinced that this supposed curse does not extend to her since she’s never ever been interested in any boys before. she’s a good girl, a wise girl, a girl who wants to go to college for premed and who has her whole future before her thanks to her hardworking single mom, who has done everything she can to give Skyler the life she deserves after Skyler’s dad left the family. but then Cole comes around, a certified Bad Boy™, and he makes Skyler question everything she thought she knew about herself and her life.

excuse me while i just *projectile vomits all over the floor*.

this is a very dangerous book. scratch that, this is an EXTREMELY dangerous book. i’m only giving it two stars because it redeems itself in the end and i understand the message it wants to convey and how it’s supposed to be a representation of a heavily toxic relationship. however, said toxic relationship is romanticized like nothing i’ve ever seen, so i’m about to go on a extra large rant.

Skyler is manipulated by Cole in every way you can imagine. she’s charmed at first, of course, because she believes Cole to be the sweetest boy she’s ever met despite the bad boy façade. she doesn’t listen to her best friend, she doesn’t listen to her mom. she believes she knows him better than everybody else, that she knows “the real Cole”. Skyler proceeds to be pushed into situations that she doesn’t want to be in, forced into doing things she doesn’t want to do. she considers leaving everything behind for Cole. college, her mom, her friends, her future. everything.

if anything i can give this book it’s that it made me feel things. i don’t know if the author was going for “extremely angry”, but i’m there, all right. it made me feel an intense protectiveness over Skyler, because i see myself in this girl. i’m the wise girl. i’m the good girl. i’m the innocent girl. i have a very close relationship with my mom and i surround myself with female friends almost exclusively. and that’s not a bad thing to be. society pushes young women to seek out relationships even when they’re toxic and destructive. society tells young women that they have to be sexy. that they can’t be smart if they want to be sexy. that they should prioritize a husband and a family before a career. that they’re not worth anything if they’re not loved by a man. thoughts similar to these plague Skyler’s head and i wanted to pull her back so bad. i wanted to sit her down and tell her that she doesn’t deserve this, that she deserves so much better and that life doesn’t start and end with a boy.

this is a dangerous book, and i honestly don’t care that everything is okay by the end of it. the middle was enough to make up my mind. this book isn’t a lesson, it’s a step-by-step guide on how to romanticize toxic relationships even when you can see that they’re destroying you.

“She doesn’t have a clue
about the bridge,
about the lights,
about the city,
about my heart.

“And I know I could
never tell her. Ever.

“I won’t do it again,
I say.

“I try to tell myself
it's not a lie
to keep a
burning truth
locked inside.”

Skyler Wise happily lives with her mom, who wishes Skyler avoids making the mistakes she herself made in the past. She wants Skyler to go to graduate high school and go to college. And that’s what Skyler wants too. Or is it?

This book has themes that everyone can relate to. Some unhappy: conflicts with parents, friends, and lovers; heartbreak; rejection; and disappointing others and yourself. Others happy: finding yourself; imagining and creating your future; independence; and hope.

The writing is beautiful. The book is written in verse, and it’s incredible. Not only do the words speak for themselves, but the form reels you in and helps you empathize with Skyler.

Worth special note: McKay expertly created an LGBTQ+ character in a way that I really admire. The character wasn’t included in the story to prove a point about her sexuality, and this wasn’t necessarily her defining feature. Instead her relationships with men and women were casually stated without fanfare. This felt normalized in a way that I think readers will really appreciate.

Every Little Bad Idea is an excellent book that teens will connect with and find themselves in. It’s beautifully written and executed, and I highly recommend it.

I read this book in less than an hour. It is all short sentences and verses which made it easy. IT is the second book in a row I have read about a girl dating and abusive/angry boy. At first Skylar is super happy when she meets Cole because she has never had a boyfriend and he is so nice to her. Slowly she starts lying to her mom and best friends and changes her life to be with him as much as possible. She realizes eventually that this is not what she wants or who she wants to be. This book is short quick and to the point. It is a quick read but definitely packs a punch and girls can learn from this book about what an abusive or unbalanced relationship is like. Def worth reading! Thanks NG!