I never thought I would read a funny, charming, and mostly lighthearted book about abortion, and yet here we are. ( )

Positive messages and pretty good writing, but the whole 'madcap antics' thing just got tedious after awhile. ( )

teen fiction (humor/drama/roadtrip, essentially the Feminist AF-version of Harold and Kumar)
Loved this zany ride of a book, my one issue being the juxtaposition of Bailey's dad never wanting to be a father (and using that as an "excuse" to be a crappy parent) and Veronica's not wanting to stay pregnant/become a mother at that point in her life. There are reasons why those are different situations, but the similarities were jarring enough that I felt it deserved a little more consideration. ( )

First off, I want to give major thanks to the publishing company for going forward with this book’s release, as I know abortion is a controversial topic, and I’m sure there will sadly be backlash against this book and the authors. ⁣
I have mixed feelings about this book. I’m pro choice and found it quite refreshing to read a YA book that dealt with the subject of abortion, especially in our current political climate. We need more books that speak openly and honestly about these subjects. But in between the serious parts there were movie-worthy slapstick scenarios with oh-so convenient solutions that made me roll my eyes. This book has already been optioned for a movie, and I could tell that certain parts were written to be shown on the screen. It’s perfectly fine to write about a serious subject with some humor mixed in, but I felt that the humor to serious ratio wasn't balanced evenly. The villain of the story is also your typical over-the-top movie bad guy, and I had a hard time believing that Veronica never saw signs of this behavior previously. There is also the cliched and exaggerated third act “break up & make up” scene that I was really hoping this book wouldn’t succumb to, but alas it did. I was really interested in the friendship between Veronica and Bailey and thought the book would be more about that; it’s what first drew my interest. There are parts of it dedicated to their friendship yes, but I wished the story would have focused more on that instead of the silly parts. ⁣ ( )

Unpregnant follows a teen as she believes she wants an abortion from her unplanned pregnance. Upon starting the novel, I wondered how an abortion could be "sold" as understandable. When one plot twist happens, I saw the path forward for the plot. One wonders if she will actually get the abortion or not, as she has trouble even saying the word. I won't reveal her decision.

Veronica Clark, 17, takes a pregnancy test only to have it fall out of her hands and into the hands of Bailey Butler, the snarkiest and angriest senior. Bailey proceeds to guess who waits in the stall, guessing names of girls who are known to share their time with boys. Surprised and amused, she discovers Veronica Clark--probable valedictorian, prom court participant, wearer of a Christian purity ring, and former junior high best friend. After a short standoff with a taser, they each leave the bathroom. Veronica only hopes Bailey won't say anything. Usually Veronica spends the three-day weekend before finals studying with her friends at a fishing cabin, but this year she tells them she's spending it with Kevin, leading her parents to believe she is with her friends.

Veronica hopes Kevin will support her, but she discovers there's less to Kevin than she believed. After a strange evening where she expected to explain her pregnancy to Kevin and get a ride to an abortion clinic, she finds herself without transportation. She knows one person with a vehicle whom she feels she can trust: her former best friend, Bailey. Bailey agrees to accompany her.

I'm leaving so much out because it's a book one should experience. it's hilarious. I thoroughly and completely enjoyed it, expecting it to be in my top ten for 2021. It follows the journey motif, much like Huckleberry Finn. HF makes the reader laugh a lot, but it's also a harsh look at America as Huck and Jem journey down the Mississippi, actually showing what people are really like--and it's not positive. In Unpregnant, Veronica and Bailey travel across the country and encounter humanity--and it's not pretty either. You can easily tell they have a long-term relationship because they play off each other like old friends do. Veronica admonishes Bailey often, "Bailey......," she says with a warning tone. As with all journey motifs, everyone (the characters and the readers) grow from innocence/ignorance to experience/knowledge. It's outstanding and I loved it! ( )