Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton

ARC provided by Netgalley for a fair review.
Publish date: January 15, 2019

Movie loving Andie is fresh to Punxsutawney but has managed to encounter romance with her own meet-cute. When she finds herself reliving the first day of her new high school she immediately thinks she is living out her Ground Hog’s Day so she can have the perfect day with the boy she likes. She ends up breaking barriers with a number of people and learning that though they may seem cliche on the surface they reveal surprising personalities once given the chance to show them.

The Story

This book was perfect for me. It hit all my needs for a light and just angsty-enough ya contemporary. Though entirely predictable, I enjoyed every minute. As Andie is reliving each day, Laurie did a wonderful job making the story not feel like the same thing happening over and over (even though it sort of was). Just when I thought I was going to get tired of hearing how she adjusted each day, we started to get the shortened versions.

Though it is honed as a Pretty in Pink meets Ground Hog’s Day, John Hughes’ films play a big role throughout the entirety of the book with many references to other movies such as The Breakfast Club and 16 Candles. There have been other times wen I thought an author was asserting their own likes for JH films or 80’s stuff, but Laurie does well by incorporating the appreciation for the decade through her mom, while still allowing her to have her own opinions and interests.

I think this is a winner for anyone who loves light YA contemporary, and I personally cannot wait to discover more of her books. In fact this ended up being my favorite book for January, 2019. So freaking cute and left me feeling so good.

The Characters

As much as characters being classified into a JH cliche cache, I thoroughly enjoyed the exploration of people. Major cliques were explored and while still keeping the traits that tend to separate the kids, the each had redeeming personalities that made them each stand out. I don’t think a lot of people really enjoy the whole clique groupings, but they exist for a reason, most people just want to find where they fit in. I enjoyed how each character was able to break out of the invisible barrier that social standards and expectations set on them.

My favorite was of course our Duckie character (in reference to Pretty in Pink). My favorite part was that despite how differently Andie acted that one person stayed true to the way they treated her. It didn’t change much from what she was wearing or acting.

The Soundtrack

Thompson Twins – If You Were Here