Review for What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton!

 

*TRIGGER WARNING: ABUSE*

Oh, man. This is the first book I have read from Colleen and I know that it will NOT be my last. This woman completely caught me by surprise. I definite punch to my face. This book gripped my heart so hard, I felt myself suffocating as I read. It hit so close to home that I considered not finishing it. But, I powered through and I now have a favorite book because of it.
This book follows a 16 year old girl, Sid. Her pain was palpable through the pages and it rattled me to my core. She has some of the BEST people anybody could have in their life and it broke my heart to see it when she couldn’t. She goes through things nobody should ever even come close to experiencing and the way she deals with the situations are incredibly realistic. I found myself struggling alongside with her and sometimes I was pissed at her. I wasn’t proud of some of the things she did but that’s what made her so incredibly human. But other than those bumps in the road, she is a strong character and it was obvious from the way she carried herself. She wasn’t difficult to relate to at all.
The way that Colleen wrote this story was unbelievable. I found myself completely forgetting it was a novel. The words hit me like I were being attacked and I felt like Sid herself was writing me a letter. I could hear her voice as if she were right next to me. It felt as if she was my best friend who was confiding something to me that she couldn’t do in person. Sid struggles with self-image and it was difficult to see her not loving herself when I could see what an amazing person she really is.
I was also introduced to a new favorite character: COREY!!!! That guys is absolutely hilarious, I couldn’t stop laughing whenever he came up. My first impression of him was amazing and one of the best I’ve stumble upon!! It’s safe to say it was love at first sight. He was a crucial part to the story and I am so glad he was apart of it. His actions and words (Oh, lord his words!!) and his overall personality were my ultimate addiction. He made me cry from happiness and from pain. Only bad thing I have to say about him is that my expectations in guys are now even more high.
I was so invested in their relationship that whenever it wasn’t all flowers and rainbows, I was sobbing. I wanted the best for them but sometimes bad things happen and I had to deal with it.
This book brought out so many emotions from me, it was ridiculous. I cried, I laughed, I was scared, I was giddy and I was heart-broken. I was completely shut off from real life and read this in one sitting. I don’t think I have ever laughed as hard I laughed over this book. (In the appropriate moments, of course.) I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop throughout it all and when it did, I couldn’t stop sobbing my eyes out. This book was brutal. It broke my heart and I definitely needed a fluffy read right after.

5/5 stars!