Review: Destined to Fail

Title:  Destined to Fail
Author:  Samantha March
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Marching Ink LLC
Release Date:  October 11, 2011
File Size/Pages:  358 KB/292 pgs
Source:  Bought
Challenge(s):  eBook Challenge; Chick Lit Challenge

My Rating:  5/5

Summary:  Jasmine Jones is ready to begin her new life as a college student, and is ecstatic to have best friend Abby by her side. But weeks into their new college life, Abby drops the bomb- she is pregnant, and dropping out of college. Jasmine can’t handle the fact that Abby is wasting her opportunity to get an education, and going back to her cheating, abusive boyfriend. She struggles to move on from her friendship with Abby, and befriends two new girls at college- Kiley and Cari. Everything seems back on track for Jasmine- great new friendships and roommates, a strong relationship with boyfriend Nate, and excelling at her college courses. But Jasmine’s newfound happiness is shattered when her pregnancy test comes out positive. Does she have to drop out of college now and become a young mother? Will Nate stay with her? How can she afford a child? Jasmine’s life has been filled with obstacles and challenges along the way- from a missing father, sexual and physical abuse, and addictions that tore her family apart. With this latest setback, Jasmine fears her life will always be a struggle. Destined to Fail is one woman’s story about overcoming adversity in life, about taking the negatives and finding a positive, and about never giving up hope.

Review:  I'm so happy that I was finally able to read this book; I've been wanting this book since before Christmas, bought it in February, and I finally got the chance to read it.  The prologue of this novel immediately draws you in because of its intensity; the action literally begins as soon as you read the prologue.  Jasmine Jones is 19-years-old, getting ready to leave for college, and has been dealt a really bad hand in life.  When Jasmine attends a college that is four hours away from home, she leaves behind her mother, her boyfriend, and her family secrets, or so she thought.  After a month or so of moving to Des Moines with her best friend Abby, she finds out Abby is pregnant and is leaving Irving to return back to Julien with her abusive boyfriend, Jason.  Just when things are getting back to as normal as they possibly can be for Jasmine, she finds out she's pregnant.  This novel was NOT what I expected at all, it was even better, and I had pretty high expectations for this novel, so it was wonderful!  I didn't expect for Jasmine to have so many obstacles on top of being pregnant, but it kept me wanting to know more of her story.  I was thinking this was going to be a light, fun read, but it dealt with some pretty heavy issues; as a reader I respected all the issues, but as a writer, I appreciated the issues even more.  It's important, to me, when I read novels or watch films that deal with such heavy issues, because in my opinion you can never have too much information on these subjects.  I feel as if Samantha did a great job of bringing awareness to these issues, without taking away from the novel.  I absolutely loved Jasmine, I respected her, and I thought that she was very easy to relate to.  I think every girl should read this book at some point in her life and I think everyone should stop what they're doing right now and buy this book; I promise you will NOT be disappointed!!