Review: Confessions of a High School Disaster by Emma Chastain

Confessions of a High School Disaster: Chloe Snow’s Diary by Emma Chastain
Series: n/a

Genre: YA Contemporary

Publication: March 7th 2017 by Simon Pulse
Length: 352 pages

Format: HC from publisher (Thank you!)

Goodreads

In the tradition of Bridget Jones’s Diary, a lovably flawed high school student chronicles her life as she navigates the highs and lows of family, friendship, school, and love in a diary that sparkles with humor and warmth.

I hadn’t heard of CONFESSIONS OF A HIGH SCHOOL DISASTER before I received a copy on my doorstep. It looked super cute and fluffy and a fast read, and it truly was! This novel, written through diary entries by our MC, Chloe Snow, pretty much encapsulates what high school is like.

This novel chronicles Chloe Snow through the freshman years, as she works through her parents’ separation, new friends, bullies, and boys. What I loved about this book was how relatable and honest Chloe was. It was kind of freaky how relatable Chloe was; her schedule was nearly the same as mine, and it just reminded me of how much I was like her when I was younger. It was kind of weird to read a book in which the main character is younger than I am, but I suppose that’s going to happen more frequently now (yikes!).

 

The main romance in this novel is Chloe’s growing friendship/affair with Mac Brody, a popular senior with a girlfriend. Towards the end of the novel, the dramatics between Chloe and Mac, as well as the consequences of being the other girl skyrocketed. While this was incredibly interesting to read about, this aspect of the book just seemed so unrealistic—I don’t know if it’s just my high school, but freshman-senior relationships are basically taboo, so I did a double-take every time Chloe and Mac kissed.

While Chloe and Mac had their thing going on, I appreciate that it didn’t take up the whole of the novel; Chloe discusses her other friends, Tristan and Hannah, who also reflect other parts of high school life—Tristan is gay, and Hannah is becoming more sexually active. I enjoyed reading about the dynamics between Chloe’s friendships and it felt super real. Family dynamics were also pretty prevalent; her mother and father are separating and are both looking towards different relationships. It’s truly a whirlwind for Chloe’s freshman year, and I really enjoyed the chronicle of this part of her life.

Overall, CONFESSIONS OF A HIGH SCHOOL DISASTER truly encapsulated a portion of Chloe’s life, and it really got me out of the book slump I’ve been in for the past few weeks. I’m really hoping for a sequel, chronicling Chloe’s sophomore year—that would be super cool. If you need a fluffy, dramatic, and honest contemporary, be sure to check this one out!

Thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and I was not compensated for this review. 

Are you planning to read CHLOE SNOW’S DIARY? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

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