Review: Carefully Everywhere Descending by L.B. Bedford
Note: This ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Audrey Anderson's life is far from perfect. That's what happens when you live an impoverished life, but she also knows that she's fortunate to have the family that she has and that she's got a best friend she can lean on. She's focused on keeping her grades up in order to get into a good college, so she doesn't have time for an actual social or love life. Then Scarlett West, one of the popular girls in her class, asks for her help re-writing an essay, and Audrey finds herself distracted. She and Scarlett don't have much in common other than they both happen to be gay. As much as the attraction appears to be mutual, Scarlett is in a committed relationship with someone else, but when Audrey overhears a conversation about Scarlett, she feels torn. Can Audrey really find happiness with the girl she wants even if it costs Scarlett a broken heart?
Carefully Everywhere Descending is a young adult (YA) LGBTQIA novel from L.B. Bedford and published by Harmony Ink Press, an imprint of Dreamspinner Press. This was a fairly quick read about a high school junior named Audrey Anderson whose priorities have always been family and school. She's known Scarlett West for a few years and while their first encounter was less than pleasant, they've become somewhat tolerant of each other. When they begin spending one-on-one time together, the two girls begin to develop feelings other than friendship. The story shows the innocence that comes with this kind of romance. There aren't any exchanges involving declarations of love, which I think was rather apt and gave this book a more realistic flavor. Audrey and Scarlett may be different but they seem to work as a couple.
While I did enjoy reading about Audrey's relationship with her family and best friend and her budding romance with Scarlett, I felt that the side story involving the mysterious neighbor wasn't necessary. It just seemed as if it was added to create an air of suspense and when everything came to a head, it was this sudden thing and didn't really bring much in terms of overall story. Had this book stuck to Audrey's life at home and school, I would have given it a higher rating. I appreciated that this wasn't about a teen struggling with her sexual identity because there are a lot of books that already tackle that particular subject. I don't think it's too fantastical an idea that the characters are more than accepting of everyone else's sexual orientation. It's one of the reasons Carefully Everywhere Descending is a four-starred read. ♥
Release Date: 01 October 2015
Date Read: 02 October 2015
Learn more about L.B. Bedford here.
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