Friday, February 15, 2013



Easy, By Tammara Weber
Mature YA/New Adult
4.5 Stars


This new sub-genre of romance has sprung up over the last decade for the college-bound young woman, ready to break out and feel the world without parental supervision.  I am constantly being aggrevated by this genre with the portrayal of extremely unhealthy decisions and then glorifying them.  Easy, by Tammara Weber was such a breath of fresh air.  Not only was the main subject of this book a very real threat to young women today, but the healthy relationships should be an inspiration to every young woman heading off to college.

In Easy, we are taken on a journey of a young woman Jacqueline, fresh from a devastating break-up from her long-term high school boyfriend in her Sophomore year of college.  Faced with being a God Damned Independent or as I fondly referred to my own self as a "GDI", Jacqueline is found at a frat party looking out for her greek BFF and roommate, Erin.  Grief puts herself in a vulnerable moment and in pursuit of a sick bastard and rapist.

Date rape and rape at the college level is a very real threat.  Over a decade ago, date rape was a new concept, and the girls that found themselves in those situations were asking for it.  They knew the guy, they were a "dick tease", a slut or whatever the excuse you would hear.  This little novel says loud and clear, IT IS RAPE.  No.  Means.  No.  I wish I and all the girls that I knew back in college received this book as a handout during freshman orientation.

**wink wink Penguin**

There were several moments that followed the typical temperamental drama and I did feel the predictable moments coming as they were happening. But because the underlying currents were so poignant I'll give the author an impasse.

When I started hearing stories from my close friends in college, and so many of them had stories to tell, it shocked the hell of out me.  Te fundamental reason I became involved during my junior year of college in student government was to set up measures for women to feel safe on campus.   Giving power back to woman in hopes of preventing assault should be the entirely community's responsibility.

While there is ugliness in this book, I will say the majority of it was lovely.  The romance between Jacqueline and her savior was buoyant.   Her roommate, Erin was a tribute to those gutsy females striving to stop the violence.   I was reminded of my girls younger days and hoped that I was just as much a support as Erin was to Jacqueline.