Title: If I’m Being Honest
Author: Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
Rating: ★★★★★

I finished this at 3:37am after staying up all night to read it, so I guess you could say I liked it. I’m pretty picky when it comes to YA Contemporary, but If I’m Being Honest was pure perfection and completely cured my reading drought!

The premise of the story draws inspiration from The Taming of the Shrew, in which our protagonist Cameron attempts to “tame” herself in order to win back the affections of her crush. If I’m Being Honest bypassed any expectations I had going into this. I absolutely loved Cameron’s character growth and self-discovery throughout the novel. It was not a smooth ride and she had a few moments of regression, but the way it was written was so honest and real. The book highlights the fact that no one is perfect, and that we should surround ourselves with people who love us despite our flaws, and more importantly learn to love ourselves because of them.

The characters were really the heart of the story. The authors did a fantastic job of creating characters that were fleshed out and relatable. Another positive aspect of the book were all the different relationships; good and bad, old and new. They brought a lot of depth and really made the story stand out. In particular, I thought the relationship that Cameron builds with Brendan was amazing! I am one hundred percent here for cute, nerdy guys a the love interest.

If I was in high school, this would have been the type of book I would have brought with me from class to class and forced all my friends into reading. If I’m Being Honest is a fun, engaging, delightful read that I highly recommend!