Ready or Not

New
Ready or Not
Author(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
July 02, 2024
ISBN
978-1665907026
Buy This Book
      
An anxious teen hopes that a summer of adventure and offbeat dares will keep her friend group together after graduation in this luminous coming-of-age graphic novel with the feel-good vibes of Booksmart and Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.

With senior year finally behind them, Cassie and her three best friends are on their way to what’s next. Like their parents, the crew has always been inseparable: there’s Marcy, the artist, for whom style is self-expression and sarcasm is a love language; Aaron, the future lawyer, whose good humor balances out his competitive streak; Nico, the musician, whose flirtatiousness, obliviousness, and recent interest in a rising senior are becoming increasingly unbearable to Cassie; and of course, Cassie herself, the only one who doesn’t have her future all figured out.

This summer is their last chance to make memories together in New York City before everyone but Cassie scatters across the globe for college—and she’s determined to make the most of it. Her plan? They’ll spend August playing the game of dares and risks they invented as kids! From adventurous to outrageous, these dares will definitely make for an unforgettable summer. Even better, Cassie is hopeful they’ll help the group stay friends no matter what…because she is not ready for a future without them.

Editor review

1 review
A engaging coming of age graphic novel
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
In Ready or Not, the main character, Cassie is a bit anxious about what comes after her senior year of high school. Cassie’s friends all have college plans that are about to take them across the globe therefore this is their last chance to make memories. Cassie plans to have them spend the summer playing the game, dares, and risks, they invented when they were kids.

What I Loved

The cover of this book drew my attention due to the diverse traits of the characters shown. I was excited to read the story and learn more about each of the characters shown. I was not disappointed as I opened the book and fell in love with the art style and storytelling from the first page.

I appreciated that the author color-coated the characters as they were text messaging and as they spoke in solo boxes. The change of colors made the story easy to follow and to know who was speaking. The colors used for each character also gave me a piece of their personality as we learned more throughout the story.

Cassie had me yelling at her throughout the story which is what I want from a main character in a young adult book. I love to yell at the teenagers in young adult stories for things they do and then remember that I would have done the same at that age. I love that this story brought me back to that transition period after high school and how it felt to be undecided about what came next. I appreciate the way the author shows Cassie’s anxiety through small details such as the fidgeting of her hands and the moments in which she is struggling with breathing.

One thing that stood out to me in this book was how supportive everyone we meet is throughout the story. While Cassie, Marcy, Nico, and Aaron struggle with their parent's authority, you can see how much those parents care for their children. I loved reading about how Cassie, Marcy, Nico, and Aaron's parents are friends and how they each care for the other’s children. I loved the mother/daughter moment between Cassie and her mom as she validated her feelings and encouraged her to say goodbye to her friends.

What Left Me Wanting More

The romance between Cassie and Nico left me frustrated with them at various times throughout the book. This romance comes together too quickly to wrap up the story making Lyla feel like an optional character for this story. I was frustrated with how Cassie and Nico’s relationship was wrapped up and felt something was missing. I appreciated the wrap-up that Cassie got with Marcy and Aaron which made the romance piece seem unnecessary for the closure of the story.

The Final Verdict

Ready or Not is a great summer read for young adults finishing their senior year of high school. This book shows the result of allowing fear and insecurity to control your actions and how much damage can be caused when you keep things from your friends. This is a book that adults will also enjoy as they reminisce about their teenage/early college years and the trouble they got into at that age.
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