REVIEW: How to Be a Better Adult by Jacque Aye |

HOW TO BE A BETTER ADULT

Author: Jacque Aye
Series: N/A
Source: Kindle Unlimited

Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: January 29, 2023

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation: Black main character, Disabled main character

Summary:

Hope Obiako, disillusioned by her mundane existence as a lowly account specialist, discovers a mysterious handbook that drastically changes her life.

Hope is a master performer, making a show of her competence and compliance. And while she really is both competent and compliant, no one at William Hensley & Associates seems to see it. But what they never saw coming, behind her quiet and agreeable personality, is Hope’s drive to “make it” by any magical means necessary.

Purchase*:

Amazon (KU) | Libro.fm

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Content Warning: suicidal thoughts (ideation), racism, sexism, mental illness, anxiety attack (on page)

Oh boy, I think I’m just not the audience for this book. The whole time reading I felt myself be irritated by Hope, the setting, and the system. There were a lot of pieces off the bat that frustrated me about the workplace environment, the bus routes, and Hope in general. Some of it didn’t make sense in terms of reality and while I understand this is magical realism, the realism still needed to be there.

I was disappointed with the writing style and the structure which really took me out of the story. I think being in Hope’s perspective was fine, but a few switches to different perspectives didn’t add enough context or content for the story. Instead, it took away from being in Hope’s perspective and understanding what was happening within the world.

Again, I’m thinking I’m just not the audience and this wasn’t the book for me.

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