Review: By Your Side by Kasie West

By Your Side
By: Kasie West
Release Date: January 31, 2016

Description:
In this irresistible story, Kasie West explores the timeless question of what to do when you fall for the person you least expect. Witty and romantic, this paperback original from a fan favorite is perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson.

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?

Review:

This book definitely went on a different tangent then Kasie West’s normal YA Contemporary novels, but regardless I loved it.  This book bought out new issues that need to be focused on, this opened my eyes to issues that people face every day and I’ve never been able to completely understand but with this I understand it that much more.  Kasie West has a way of bringing you into the world of her characters and making you feel what they feel, it’s a great skill in a great writer.

We meet Autumn who gets locked inside the library.  This is something that you usually don’t experience but I guess it happens, which is fine if you didn’t suffer from a serious case of anxiety.  It also doesn’t help that the only people who know are her family and to them she’s off with her friends for the long weekend.  So this is an adventure on its own, but luckily for Autumn, she’s not alone.  The mysterious guy from school is there, you know the one who was in juvie.  Can we just say, entertaining?  It’s always fun trying to get through to the guy who is always alone and doesn’t want any attachments.  Breaking through all those barriers and finding what is deep down inside. 

They both help each other out in the library during their few days being stuck there, sure events changed and they had to leave earlier than expected but this is just when the story starts getting even better.  I don’t want to say too much because really you have to read the book to find out all the little details.  You know you want to, after all it’s a Kasie West book.  But I will say that there are some really great characters throughout the book, whether it’s Autumn’s family, her friends or even just Dax himself, everyone plays a very important role in this story. 

We learn more about anxiety and how it affects the person who has anxiety and the people around them, even if they don’t know about it there is a way that they are perceived because of it.  It’s interesting I always felt like anxiety is something you should be able to control but sometimes it gets the better of you and we experience that throughout the book.  We also learn a lot more about Dax and the kind of person he is and some of the things he’s gone through.  I don’t want to say too much but I can definitely say that not everyone’s home life is peachy keen.  Again super interesting and entertaining. 

I loved the interaction between the two because even though Dax and Autumn are so very different but because of their interactions and their agreement to be each other’s distractions it leads to a truly great relationship between two people, one that helps make them complete and functional in everyday society. 

This was definitely not the usual young adult contemporary but regardless it was remarkably impressive and impressionable.  I love the cover, and can I just say I want me some cute wedge boots.  The cover was exactly how I pictured the main characters and that’s always a positive thing.  Great book.