By Your Side by Kasie West

 

By Your Side by Kasie West
Series: N/A
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published January 31st, 2017
Genres: Ya, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 346
Format: Paperback
Buy: Book Depository | Amazon

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

Wow. This was something. First book I’ve ever read by Kasie West and for sure I’m not stopping here. I’ve heard great things about her books but for some reason, I never picked them up until now, because I felt like reading something light. Well… I couldn’t stop. I read it in one sitting and it made me cry my heart out.

This book is about Autumn. She accidentally gets trapped in a Library over a weekend – instead of going to a party like she was supposed to – with another guy from her school named Dax. According to rumors, he is not the best of persons, and for sure not the person preferred to be enclosed in a library with. But while that is going on, no one comes to get her, not even her almost-boyfriend, Jeff. She slowly starts bonding with Dax and discovers that he is nothing like everyone says he is. But one of the reasons no one comes to get her is because Jeff had an accident, which put him in the ICU, and everyone thought she was with him and the time of the accident and so, were searching there.

She is torn between doing what’s right, what she is expected to, and what makes her feel good. How is her life going to be after getting out of the library?

The best thing about this book was how amazing the characters were. I loved every single one of them and how relatable they were. Autumn suffers from anxiety and occasional panic attacks, and I related to her reactions a lot. I saw myself in her some years ago and it just made this book a whole other level for me. I’ve seen anxiety being portrayed in many ways, and everyone is different, but this particular character and her problems really spoke to me. I think it was portrayed in an amazing way and it made the book even more tense and gripping.

Overall the plot was really interesting and exciting to me, I really cared about the characters and everything happening. I felt every emotion possible. I just absolutely lived for this. I loved Autumn and her family, Dax, Jeff, Autumn’s friends; the library situation, which I found super exciting; Autumn’s and Dax’s slowly growing connection. It was just absolutely swoon-worthy! Also, the love triangle in this book was actually something that I didn’t mind at all. I actually enjoyed it. It was interesting, compelling and it just felt natural and emotional.

The writing is also really compelling, light and yet emotional, and easy to follow. Overall it’s just a really easy and fast read, that will warm your heart every step of the way. I would definitely highly recommend it!

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Let’s discuss it in the comments below!