Elliot Gabaroche doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of her military family. So, under an assumed name, she applies to a crazy summer program-slash-academic competition in which a group of nerds competes for a college scholarship.

Like Anderson’s first book, The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You, this book is inspired by a classic: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Three confessions: I was part of my high school’s Academic Decathlon Team. I was the Literature specialist. And I can’t remember anything about The Importance of Being Earnest.

But this is good news, because that means you don’t need to know anything about the play to enjoy this book. I found Not Now, Not Ever to be pretty much non-stop fun while also offering up diverse characters and a lot of great pop culture references.

As the book opened, I had to get up to speed on Elliot’s extended family and remember the pretty large cast of characters at camp. But I loved that this book has the same fond depiction of nerd culture as The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, and generally hilarious. I was laughing at the snarky take on The Breakfast Club and The Hunger Games (though this book is a bit of a homage to both underneath the snark.) Plus there’s intrigue, double-crossing, scheming — and a sweet romance. What more could you want?

I also loved that Ben and Trixie from The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You were also characters in this story!

Definitely recommend this and I’m looking forward to reading the next thing that Lily Anderson writes!

Outstanding! I adored this book - funny and nerdy in all the best ways. I loved the characters and the setup and the conflicts and the "voice." Everything just clicked for me with this one. This is the second novel I have read by Lily Anderson, and I have adored both of them. I was sad to see this one end - if the author decides to write more about Ever, I would definitely read it! (some language)

I love books about teens (Young Adult lit) and this one was definitely interesting, as Ever (aka Elliot) has an interesting backstory. Her mom is in the military, and wants her to enlist. Her step-mom and father want her to go to college, but I believe somewhere nearby—she lives in California. Unbeknownst to all of them, this summer she's at a camp for geniuses, with the possibility of winning a college scholarship to Rayevich College—which is in Oregon.

There's a bit of a love story mixed in, of course, but the focus is mostly on Ever, and how she matures in only a few short weeks at camp. Things get complicated when she finds out her 15-year-old cousin, Isaiah, is at camp too, and ALSO didn't tell his parents where he is, but the two of them end up finding a solution.

Overall, I liked this book, although I'd be curious to know even more about Ever's background—she hasn't seen her biological mother since she was 5, for example, and I assume that's because the mother is in the military and always busy ... but it's not explicitly said.

I'd like to read the first novel in the "series" now, too, although it may have to wait a bit—both my TBR and "e-TBR" (e-copy) piles are crazy right now!

I'd recommend this novel for anyone who likes a good YA story or for anyone who is or has family in the military.

*I read Not Now, Not Ever in MAY 2017, reviewed it then, and posting it now, closer to release date. I read this as an ARC (THANKS ST. MARTIN’S PRESS). As always, this is my honest opinion.

Lily Anderson wrote The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You, which is one of my all time favorite books. Obviously, when my wish was granted by the publisher in May, I had to start reading immediately.


Disclaimer, I’ve never read anything by Oscar Wilde, so while this story is inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest, you can read an enjoy it without knowing the original story.

Ever is smart, and funny, and nerdy. I loved her from the getgo because she wasn’t afraid to do whatever it took for her to get what she wanted. Her constant sruggle over being divided between her family and the paths they wanted her to take was real.

This is the very real story of a teenager’s struggle of choosing her own path and trying to please everyone she cares about. And if that’s not what navigating career choices feel like, I must have missed the memo.

Can I talk about how much I loved Leigh? Like she’s freaking awesome. Her hair is probably as yellow as the cover of this book, but in my head she looked like a tiny Leigh Bardugo and it made it even better. She’s such a cool character, and I kind of want another novel with her as the main character *hint hint*. (I could also use another novel on Meg…and Trixie…and Ben…and… you get the picture).

Not Now, Not Ever is extremely nerdy. I probably missed a few because Sci-Fi isn’t my normal genre. Of course, Star Wars, Star Trek, Ender’s Game, etc references I understood. (I grew up watching Next Generation. I chose to go see one of the movies in the theater for a Father/Daughter date.)

It goes without saying that I loved The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You more, but only because Much Ado About Nothing is my favorite Shakespeare play, and the wit in TOTWTMIY is my kind of wit. However, Not Now, Not Ever is a strong second book, full of wit, and heart, and smart teens being unapolgetically smart.

Unapolgetically smart teens are now my favorite teens to read about.

You go, teens!

Five things I loved about this book:

1) Elliot/Ever's inner monologue is hilarious. I wanted to spend more time in her brain. This girl is the whole package. Super smart, athletic, funny, and gutsy. But she doesn't always see all those parts of herself. I enjoyed watching her navigate camp and make friends (loved her friendship with Leigh!), and embrace her nerdy-ness. But also start enjoying life more without just looking at what's ahead.

2) This is a retelling of The Importance of Being Earnest. Where Ever plays Earnest and makes up a new identity to attend a summer decathlon (nerd camp!). Things get even more dicey when her cousin Isaiah shows up at the same camp. Wilder's play is so much fun and this book captures its spirit well. But there's also depth in here, as Ever works through family obligation and her own expectations and desires for her life.

3) I didn't anticipate how much we'd get to see the characters from The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, even the love interest in this book! Not Now, Not Ever is set 3 years after the previous story, and it was so fun to see what everyone is doing now, especially Trixie and Ben.

4) Super Nerd Brandon. AKA The Love Interest. I loved seeing more of this boy. He is sweet and a bit of a mess, but also adorable and a really great match for Elliot. This book had a high factor of swoon that I didn't anticipate. I also loved to see how much the previous cast of characters care for him still. That was a great surprise. This book is entirely from Ever's POV, and while that completely works for this tale, I also wish there was even more of Brandon in the story.

5) Like Ever, this book is the whole package. Witty humor, nerd references, friendships and romance all wrapped up into one great story. Plus tree-houses, typewriters and a little bit of a mystery too. Don't miss this one!

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Self-contained story that's the second in a companion series. You can read each as a standalone, but I loved all the connections of reading them together. And I'd absolutely adore another story set in this world!

Book Review
Title: Not now, Not ever
Author: Lily Anderson
Genre: YA/Family/Romance
Rating: *****
Review: In the opening chapter of Not now, Not ever we meet Ever as she runs away from home to attend Camp Onward where she could get a full scholarship to Rayevich College, her dream school. She is also a huge reader and has an inner voice that she named Oscar Wilde. She also meets Cornell Aaron who is buddy to help her through the three-week summer school but in learning why Ever has run away we also learn that Ever Lawrence is Elliot Gabaroche and everyone close to Elliot thinks she is somewhere different to where she really is. The one side of his family almost always joins the military and the other half go into practical jobs like law and business, but Elliot wants to take a science fiction literature course. As she begins to settle into the Camp things take a dramatic turn when Isaiah her cousin shows up from the same programme. Ever/Elliot is obviously panicked by Isaiah’s arrival but since neither wants to end up in the academy they both agree to work together to keep their admission to the Camp a secret from everyone that knows them and in the progress of creating a cover story the cousins now become twins.
The competition both Ever and Isaiah are entered in is called the Tarrasch Melee and the prize is a fully paid 4-year scholarship to Rayevich College but everyone there is competing for the same prize. One thing that was interesting to see was the introduction scene, as all the campers are sorted into groups that will compete against each other they do an ice breaker to get to know one another. In the ice breaker they must introduce themselves and give their chosen major on which they are then quizzed and despite everyone being classified as a genius in some way some know their subject areas far better than others. As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel we see the cousins now twins settle into the camp life and try to get their life story straight to avoid detection and getting thrown out of their only chance at a life of their own choosing.
The first lesson Ever’s group has is literature obviously her favourite and in the college library she finds a book that she has never been able to get her hands on before because the author took it out of print. Despite being over a quarter of the way through Not now, Not ever not a lot has happened apart from settling into the school and starting lessons, it also seems a little stereotypical with everyone being friends and no real conflicts being presented to add texture to the characters but there is still plenty of book left for it to happen. In addition to the Melee there are other non-academic challenge the campers will face, the first being a strange game of tag in the dead of night which Ever wins with some smart thinking and self-preservation skills. I also see a hint of a possible romance between Brandon and Ever which would be great as they are both smart although Ever seems to be the outgoing while Brandon is very awkward, and I feel they would compliment each other.
I really liked the fact that almost everything involved in the camp experience is a test including the evening movie showing of the Breakfast Club (classic by the way). As we approach the halfway mark in the novel I was really getting into the experience and connecting with the characters. Despite this novel not being in my normal genre preference as I am hardcore into fantasy this novel was surprisingly enjoyable. As the group face their first mock Melee some find themselves unprepared for the level of knowledge required in a vast area of subjects as each has their own speciality. Things become a little more dramatic when some of the boys get their hands on the test schedule, so they can prepare for what is to come although this may come back to bite them on the behind if they aren’t careful. I really loved the constant references to modern literature from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Hunger Games, Battle Royale and Harry Potter, it makes the dialogue between nerdy friends seem far more realistic.
My inkling about the romance was spot on but that first kiss scene completely took me by surprise, I am so loving this pairing it is perfect. Ever’s group has realised that the tutors are pushing them so hard to see how quickly they break and as the information and test come faster and harder you can literally see the cracks appearing in some students. There also seems to be a thief on campus, while one or two binders went missing early on in the novel a total of 32 are now missing and harsher rules have been put in place for the campers and everyone seems to be holding their notes for the Melee closer than ever now. Despite the school dorms being divided by gender Brandon and Ever find some time to be alone and he even manages to find a way to get them off campus for a few hours to take her on their first official date. One thing I can say about this novel is it isn’t at all cheesy or bland despite playing on the summer school/camp romance which is a little overused in this genre and it gets bonus point for being diverse.
I really like how Anderson threads together the contemporary and mystery elements of this novel and it was a nice to see the pieces of the puzzle coming together when one of the missing binders is found in a tree house on campus. As we near the end of the novel the Melee battles finally begin, and the stakes are higher for some than others as well can see with Ever and Isaiah. In the final section of this novel we see the mystery resolved, relationship repaired, and one extraordinary person allowed to live their own life. Overall, I must say I really enjoyed Not now, Not ever although I would have like the reverse resolution but it was a quick, fun read that took me completely by surprise.

Not Now, Not Ever is clever and fun, the story of a teenager trying to escape to and find her place in before time runs out. But events never happen as they're planned out.

Elliot's looking for a place to escape to. A place where she doesn't have to worry about what other people want from her, what they expect her to do in the future. What about what she wants to do? Sure, the Air Force is in her family, but she's not exactly sure if she wants to enlist. So she takes a chance when she gets it, heading off to a somewhat stress-filled academic competition in order to win a scholarship to a college she'd love to attend. Not just because it's not the air force or pre-law, but because it could mean studying science fiction. But the camp is far more tense and competitive than she thought it would be, and her campmates are far weirder than she'd expected.

This book is fun, it had moments of genius teen snark and attitude, nerdy pop culture references, and teenage romance. I'd never read Wilde, so while I did look up the plot of the play beforehand, I imagine there were a few The Importance of Being Earnest references that I missed. It was nice to read another Lily Anderson book, to read about characters having abstract or geeky interests and acting like real people with flaws, dreams, and heaps of confusion. While I didn't necessarily like this one as much as the first book, this was still enjoyable.

Elliot Gabaroche has always been told what to do. Her mom thinks she should be working towards the ultimate goal of enlisting in the United States Air Force. Her dad and stepmom think she should do anything but that, as long as it’s a practical career path with a set retirement plan. Elliott has always felt torn between her families and their expectations for her life. But she’s ready to make her own path, even if it means bending the truth a little.

She goes to an intense, academic summer camp as Ever Lawrence for a chance to win a coveted full scholarship to her dream school. Elliott spins plenty of different lies and alibis for her various family members and sets out to Rayevich College to compete against other rising seniors, including a totally cute, typewriter owning nerd. She can be anyone she wants in a place where no one knows Elliott, only Ever–until her cousin shows up. This book is full of wacky hyjinks, nerdy trivia, and an adorable summer romance.

This contemporary novel is mostly lighthearted but it’s also a story about identity. Ever/Elliot feels that she needs to get away from home to be who she truly is. She feels torn between her divorced parents and doesn’t know how to choose a future without disappointing someone. Anderson writes beautifully about Elliot’s struggle with duality and running away from home to find herself but discovering that her family is what makes her unique. Elliot’s true passion is Science Fiction and she wants to be a Sci-Fi author. Rayevich has a Sci-Fi writing major and it also houses a large Octavia Butler collection. Elliot has never been able to reconcile her Sci-Fi dreams with her parents’ goals but she discovers that it’s okay to contain multitudes.

Not Now, Not Ever excels at creating a geeky summer camp atmosphere. I absolutely loved reading about Rayevich’s unique college campus with treehouses and art installations all over the place. The way that Anderson described the library, study nooks, and sharp-edged binders will make you actually want to grab a highlighter and–gasp–study! The nerdy summer campers all have their own specialities and you’ll learn lots of random tidbits of information through Ever’s friends. Though there were quite a few characters, each one felt developed with a unique personality and they added something to Ever’s experience at camp. Ever’s romantic interest is absolutely charming and you’ll root for the pair. The romantic aspect of the plot adds to the overall story without overshadowing the rest of the subplots. I loved the funny dynamic between Ever and her cousin, who has also run away and joined the competition for the scholarship. This book will make you actually laugh out loud.

This book is inspired by The Importance of Being Earnest and features characters from Anderson’s The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You but you don’t have to have any prior knowledge of these works to read Not Now, Not Ever (though this book will make you want to read those!). Though this book is coming out in November, it will be such a fun read in the summer. This story with diverse characters, Ever and her cousin are black, and a plot about enlisting in the military, which isn’t often included in YA, is a refreshing romantic comedy. Full of nerdy quips, this book will leave you laughing and wanting to see more of Ever!

Such a cute, fun, and hilarious book to read!

The geek shall inherit the earth

Anderson's first 'had me at hello' - a contemporary teen story based on my favourite Shakespeare comedy (much like Ten Things I Hate About You), set in a high school. A high school for genuises. So it really was a geek-fest of epic proportions, celebrating intelligence and wit.

I was absolutely prepared to break out the popcorn and feast for a second time of more of the same. And Beatrice and Benedick (or their modern counterparts) even feature as secondary characters!

This time, the world expands to feature a summer camp, in which high school students can win scholarships to an elite college by out-performing each other in a series of tests and challenges. Sneaking away from her aspirational family (half of whom want Elliott to follow the family military route), she reinvents herself as Ever, and even finds another relative doing something similar!

The stage is set for a comedy of errors as Ever/Elliott attempts to make friends, win the scholarship and keep her identity under wraps. All while quoting in her mind from Oscar Wilde.

The Wildean connection I found rather tenuous. I know 'Earnest' fairly well and just didn't see this as a modern retelling. Having Ever quote it regularly, because her stepmother has performed it so many times and rehearsed with her step-daughter just felt a little forced. I loved the book, but didn't feel it connected at all well, unlike its predecessor.

You can very easily read this without knowing Wilde, and though a knowledge of Anderson's first will help with some in-jokes and references, that isn't necessary pre-reading either.

The characters are not quite as sparky and punchily witty as Ben and Bea in the first tale, but Ever is a likeable sci-fi nerd, effortlessly cool in the physical trials of the summer camp (an athletic geek?!), with other characters around her just as standout on the page.

I was waiting for a 'handbag' moment, the final line or its equivalent from 'Earnest' but I did like the teen romance/comedy/geekfest I found.

And I look forward to seeing what classic Anderson looks to next for her inspiration.

With thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

Not Now, Not Ever is a fun read. It’s got a romance with a super cute couple, lots of nerd humor, and references to Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. (No unfortunate baby is misplaced in a handbag, though.) All pluses in my book!

Inspired by Wilde’s play, in which a character uses his fictional friend Banbury’s illnesses to escape his family obligations, Elliot Gabaroche lies to her family about her summer plans so she can sneak off to a summer program for genius kids. The highlight of the camp is an academic competition whose winners get a full scholarship to the college hosting the program. Elliot really wants to win to give her an out from her mother’s expectations for her (joining the Air Force) and her father’s (becoming something practical, like a lawyer). So, adopting the name Ever Lawrence, Elliot runs away, only to discover that her extremely annoying younger cousin, Isaiah, had the same idea, forcing her to pretend that he’s her brother so neither of them has to leave. When she falls for one of her teammates, Brandon, Elliot finds her life reflecting the farcical aspects of Wilde’s plot ever more closely, as she misleads him about her identity just like Wilde’s characters do their love interests. But of course, just as in Wilde’s play, the truth will come out eventually.

If you read and enjoyed Anderson’s The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, you should definitely read this. All the important characters from the earlier book show up here. That includes Brandon, who was a nerdy freshman in the first book and is Elliot’s completely adorable boyfriend in this one. It was fun to get another look into the lives of Ben, Trixie, and all of their friends, at least if you’re a reader like me who always wonders what happens to the characters after the book ends.

To get maximum enjoyment out of the story, it helps if you are a Wilde fan and are familiar with nerd culture. If you can identify Star Wars quotations, know where the word “gorram” comes from, or understand the meaning behind “It’s bigger on the inside,” this is the book for you. And while you don’t have to have read or seen The Importance of Being Earnest to follow the plot, it will definitely make the twists and turns of the story more meaningful.

On top for the funny bits and the sweet romance, the book has an important message for young people about growing up. Elliot and Isaiah are both struggling with family expectations for their careers. Ever especially is so caught up in figuring out the future that she’s in danger of forgetting to enjoy the here and now. The book highlights the importance of pursuing your own dreams, not living out your parents’ hopes and expectations, but also of not placing so much importance on your future path that you forget to appreciate the journey.

I liked this book a lot and would highly recommend it if it sounds like the sort of thing you might enjoy. I’m really looking forward to the author’s next book, which she described in an online interview as “Veronica Mars meets The Craft.” Now that sounds intriguing!

An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

When I first saw this book, I was very daunted - I haven't read The Importance of Being Earnest, heck I haven't even read a single Oscar Wilde books (plays?) but the synopsis is very interesting and intriguing, so I took a gamble. After finishing the book, I wanted to scream "winner, winner, chicken dinner!" on the top of my lungs but I don't think anyone would appreciate such dramatics.

Elliot, or should I say Ever? Is one heck of a character. She's that character that is so easy to love. It's quite impossible to hate on a girl as smart, nice, witty, and as loyal as her (and someone who loves books? Uhm, can we be best friends Ellie?). She, of course, has flaws and shortcomings; she doesn't justify those and it made her all the more lovable. The other characters were such a fun addition to the story, especially Brandon and Leigh. They [all] made the story all the more colorful and exciting.

As for the story-line, I liked it. There were a few chapters that kind of intimidated me because of the amount of facts and trivia being thrown around but, overall, I loved the story. It was unique, unconventional even, but with a beautifully written character what more could a reader ask for? The ending was kind of vague, felt rushed, but that's probably just me.

On a side note: I love how the epigraph foreshadows what would happen in the book, so fitting and witty.

"Save your sports metaphors for someone who gets them"

Lily Anderson does a great job with nerdy banter. She is the reigning queen.
I loved all the references that only a true nerd would get.

The storyline was interesting and engaging. A bunch of gifted kids compete for a college scholarship at a summer camp. Its a little bit like a nerdy Hunger Games. Fun.

I struggled though with keeping track of some of the secondary characters. There were so many secondary characters it got a little confusing at times. They tended to blend together. I also really struggled with the first chapter. I was very confused most of the first chapter and it was only a little bit later that I could piece together who the characters were and what was going on.

All in all this was a cute, fun book with lots of witty, nerdy banter.

Not Now, Not Ever is a delightful retelling of The Importance of Being Earnest. This book combines the wittiness of Oscar Wilde with the anguish of teenage love, set against the backdrop of a college filled with high school geniuses vying for scholarships. The cleverness of the characters is highlighted in the competitions they face and makes for delightful characters in surprising situations. This is a must read for fans of contemporary YA and fans of classical wit and comedy.

"Ever Lawrence didn't have any friends. Just a backpack full of sci-fi novels, a couple of protein bars left over from the train ride, and hella cool hair."

Not Now, Not Ever will surely make you smile—it's light, it's fun, and it's got heart. Though there are too many characters to remember them all, which has something more to do with the camp setting than the writing, the characters that take the center stage are their own people, distinct and flawed and real.

The camp is a place for geniuses, with the high-school-student-participants battling it out for a full scholarship to Rayevich College, the prize that's waiting for them at the finish line. They're separated into teams and appointed two counselors each team, counselors who are college students and may or may not be familiar to us (a bulk of them we'd know if we read Anderson's The Only Thing Worse than Me is You, the book this book is the sequel to, aka the book that your life needs ASAP if you haven't read it yet).

Ever Lawrence is one of the participants, having gotten in without her telling anyone, including her three parents, one of whom wants her to continue the family legacy of being part of the military force, and the other two wanting something else for her. For sure, though, all three of them will not agree with what Ever herself wants: to major in science fiction literature.

And so her journey begins. She takes a twelve-hour ride alone from Sacramento all the way to the camp, she meets the other characters, and she experiences the hellish environment of the decathlon. Through it all, though, she finds new friends (my love goes to Anderson for portraying a fun and understanding female friendship between Ever and Leigh, her roommate), respectful hot nerd Brandon, and a new view on life.

The first half of the book feels so long; it really took its time introducing the story. It's not that all of it, or even majority of it, was filler—it's just that it really is long, and it took me quite some time to move forward. I'm so glad I did, though, because the story became more interesting and sped up a couple of pages after, and this was when Brandon—who's quiet and owns a typewriter and was earlier mistaken for being a ghost, the same guy on Ever's team, the one she goes to the library to have study sessions with—pretended not to be able to solve a Rubik's Cube. Secrets spill out and make Ever and Brandon grow closer, until they finally transition into a romantic relationship in the most adorable way:

"...you're a six-foot-tall hot genius who can do parkour."

Yes, folks, this came from the beautiful lips of our resident nerd Brandon, taking Ever—and ME!!!—aback. HOOOOLY SHEEP, man. He's a total cutie in that adorkable way, but I've never really seen him beyond that . . . until that scene. Until that line. This is where I thought to myself, "Damn, Brandon has game."

But then it's even all the more realistic and all the more Brandon when he didn't assume anything between them and remained respectful of her body, not doing anything touchy without her consent and go signal, and that he even admitted to asking advice on how to do romantic things right because he's a "well-documented nerd" and hence not "naturally cool enough to know how to ask [her] out."

The secrets about the characters unfold in the best ways possible, and none of them are contrived. I was surprised so many times throughout the story (which has a LOT to do with my close-to-nonexistent knowledge on The Importance of Being Earnest), and every reveal made my experience with the book even better. The banter between the characters is a bonus, which made me snort at times I didn't expect, and smile at others.

Aside from the female friendship and the romance, I also have to highlight Ever's relationship with her cousin, Isaiah. It started out full of tension and misunderstandings, and though, in Anderson's usual realistic way of writing relationships, Ever and Isaiah didn't exactly become the best of friends at the end of the story, it was one of the things that showcased Ever's maturity and growth as a character.

I love how Ever was so intent on creating this false persona of her, to run away from her home, to experience even just for one summer a different life in hopes of continuing this life for the rest of her college days and the rest of her life, only to realize at the end that she doesn't have to think in endings. That she doesn't have to hurry. That, like every science fiction book, there is a beginning, a middle, and an ending, and it's okay to stay in the middle and not hurry to the end. This is what's most beautiful about the book—it teaches you that it's okay to enjoy your life right now and not outpace yourself, that it's perfectly fine to enjoy the breeze as you jog, to look at your surroundings and allow yourself to be happy and content. There is always a time for everything, and if you hurry too much, you lose out on a lot.

A fair warning that this isn't like other YA contemporaries that have happily-ever-afters with all the ends tied all-too-perfectly. The book left some things out in the open, true to the lesson it's trying to teach—we're still in the middle of our stories, like Ever and Brandon, and the end is still very much far away.

“I was ready to be comfortably in the middle of a story instead of running toward the end. I was done trying to outpace myself.”

This was such a fun book! There was drama and laughs and lots of fantastic banter - everything you could want from an Wildean-inspired tale. Not Now, Not Ever follows Elliot Lawrence Gabaroch as she reinvents herself as Ever Lawrence, and sneaks away to a genius camp for a chance to win a scholarship to her dream school. Ever’s love of scienec fiction writing puts her on the outs of her Air Force legacy family, but Ever is willing to do anything to make her dream come true. But complications arise and hilarity ensures as the teens battle it out for the scholarships. Not Now, Not Ever is an engaging tale of family expectation and reinvention.

Things I Liked
I really liked the inclusion of the quotes from The Importance of Being Earnest. Ever’s familiarity with the play from her stepmom’s recurring roles in local plays was great and didn’t feel forced. I loved seeing her applying the play to her situation.

There was such a great exploration of identity, secrets, and presentation of self - all of which perfectly reflect both Ever’s journey and The Importance of Being Earnest. I liked that we get to see that everyone has secrets and creates a performance for others.

I really loved seeing Ever and Leigh’s friendship develop. I’m always here for friendships in stories and I loved that they didn’t drift into competitive meangirls even when the scholarship prize is so lifechanging.

There was such great banter and humor! I was constantly laughing and smiling, and it made the story so easy to read. I didn’t want to stop. All the flirty banter between Ever and Brandon was fantastic too!

Things I Didn’t Like
It was a little hard to keep track of who all the other teammates were at the beginning of the story. Quite a few of them just ran together and I didn’t really differentiate them until about halfway into the story.

This was just such a fun story and there were so many great characters. The story was dramatic and charming and lively. Not Now, Not Ever is a must read for fans of humorous reads.

I received a copy of the book from Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

I read and reviewed Lily Anderson’s first book The Only Thing Worse than Me Is You (you can check my review here) last year. I loved it and I mentioned that I would be watching out for more of the author’s books. When a publicist from St. Martin’s Press got in touch with me offering me to take part in the blog tour for the author’s next book, I had to check it out. When I read that this time the author’s inspiration was Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest I knew I’d fight tooth-and-nail to take part if necessary. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that, but it would have been worth it.
Elliot/Ever (if you know Wilde’s play, you’ll know that there are several people using false identities for a variety of reasons, mostly to live a different kind of life away from prying eyes) is a seventeen year old African-American girl, who lives in California, with a somewhat complicated family background (the Lawrence, on her mother’s side, have a long tradition of joining the Air Force, and her mother, in fact, teaches at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, while she lives with her father, a lawyer of French descent. Her step-Mom, Beth, is an estate agent, white, and an amateur actress, and she has a half-brother, Ethan). Her mother and all of her mother’s family expect her to join the Air Force, while her father wants her to do anything but that (mostly go to College somewhere nearby). And Elliot… Well, she wants to study Science-Fiction Literature. She is a geek. Her step-mother is about to play Gwendoline for the sixth time in an amateur production of The Importance of Being Earnest (that Elliot knows by heart from so many performances and rehearsals) and she decides to take control of her life and avoid another farcical summer. She lies to everybody around her, creates a fake identity (inspired by Wilde’s play), and after passing a genius exam to enter a summer programme (to win a fantastic scholarship to the college of her dreams, mostly because they have an amazing sci-fi collection in the library and they offer a degree in Science-Fiction Literature) she sets off to Oregon, determined to win no matter what.
Elliot/Ever soon discovers that you cannot outrun Wilde and that there’s nothing more farcical than a camp for geniuses. She has a few surprises (she’s not the only one to use a fake identity or lie), meets wonderful people (and some not quite so wonderful), finds love, and discovers what’s really important.
Like in Anderson’s previous novel, we have a first-person narration, this time by Elliot, who is a clever, witty, and determined girl. In this case she was not aware she was a genius (another member of the family was always considered the clever one), but the summer camp is not that dissimilar to the high school in the previous novel, although in this case everybody, apart from the college students who facilitate the camp, are new to the place, they don’t know each other and are thrown together in pretty stressful circumstances. We have, again, many pop culture and bigger Culture references (some, I must admit went over my head, but I didn’t mind that), a diverse group of students, but all clever, studious, dedicated, nerdy, and quirky. I loved Leigh, Elliot’s roommate, Brandon (a guy who carries a typewriter around. Come on, I’m a writer too. Who would not love him), and most of the characters. The dialogue sparkles and the quotes from Wilde’s play, that keep popping up into Elliot’s head, are sometimes humorous (I particularly like the ‘A tree!’ ‘A handbag!’ comparison) but sometimes the author chooses quotes that reflect the serious matters at hand. Although at first, it seems the furthest possible setting for such a play, the summer camp works well, as we have many restrictions, a lockdown, rules that can be broken and people hiding secrets, overhearing things they shouldn’t, and getting into all kinds of problems.
There is cheating, friendships, betrayals, bizarre but vividly portrayed contests (Star Wars based fights to the death, The Breakfast Club themed memory tests…) and young romance.
I don’t know if it was because of the build-up and the identity changes but it took me a bit longer to get into the story than it did the previous novel, but once at the camp and when I got used to Elliot/Ever’s voice and her accurate descriptions of people and things, I felt as if I was there and could not put the book down.
The ending… Well, you’ll have to read it. It’s probably not what you expect but it’s good.
Once again I’ve highlighted many bits. A few random ones:
And he was wearing loafers. I couldn’t get my swoon on for a guy who didn’t wear socks.
Two narrow pressboard wardrobes that were less Narnia, more IKEA.
She sounded as though she really meant it, but that could have been because everything she said sounded vaguely like it was licensed by Disney.
He was cute and presumably very smart and, unlike so many other white dudes, he’d never told me how much hip-hop meant to him like my melanin made me a rap ambassador.
Another great YA novel that I’d recommend to people who enjoy sci-fi and pop culture references, people who love books and libraries, and who appreciate young female characters that have interests beyond school balls and boyfriends. And of course, if you love witty dialogue, farcical plots, and are a fun of Oscar Wilde, you are in for a treat. I’ll for sure be waiting for Anderson’s next novel.
Thanks to Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press) and to NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy of the novel that I freely chose to review.

This was one of my Can't-Wait Wednesday picks, and I must say, I had chosen well, because this was such a fun and delightful read. The synopsis does say this is a sequel, but my understanding is it's more of a companion. There are characters featured from Anderson's last book, which I am definitely going to read, but I did not feel out of the loop reading this book, without having read The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You (but I am immediately going to buy it!). There are so many things to love, and here's my short list.

•This is a great twist on The Importance of Being Earnest. Like Jack, Elliot had a lot of responsibilities. She had to forgo her own activities to babysit her younger bother and volunteer at her step-mother's theatre. She was also facing pressure from her mother's clan to uphold the family legacy, and enlist in the air force. Unable to pursue her own passions as herself, she created an alter ego, much like how Jack had Ernest, and set out to claim her dream of studying science fiction. Not only did the play inspire the story, it had a place in the story, as Elliot's step mother was repeatedly involved in a production of the play, and lines from the script worked their way into Elliot's inner monologues. I thought it was quite an ingenious way to include the original work, and found the passaged quoted quite brilliantly place.

•I fell in love with Elliot. I found her very fresh and a definite standout among YA protagonists. Her head was quite an entertaining place to be, as we shared her musings about serious and inane things, but I also loved the way she grew over the course of this book. It may have been a short time at the Melee, but it was a valuable experience for Elliot.

•The crew at Camp Onward featured so many fantastic characters. I so enjoyed being surrounded by this quirky band of geniuses. With that many uber-intelligent people in one place, you know we are going to get exposed to some great nerdy talk involving fandoms. Fabulous references abounded in this book, and I loved every second of it.

•The characters in general were very well done. Each felt well crafted, their characteristics carefully selected to enhance my reading experience.

•I loved the extra challenges at Camp Onward! They had me at amoeba tag.

•The romance was so sweet. I love a good romance, and I had no problem shipping this two from their first meeting. There was something special in their interactions and the way they were with each other, that just made me want them to succeed.

•The ending!!!! I know I complain about endings A LOT, but this one was spot on. All I am going to say is that it put a big, stupid grin on my face and I still have a little warmth in my heart as I write this review.

Overall: This was a fun and endearing nerdy romance, and I am so excited to have found a YA counterpart to fill that place in my world.

This was a very cute book with a wonderful romance. Just as good if not better than book one. I didn't know that when I joined this tour this was going to be a book two. But I already had read book one a little while ago so this worked out fine. This one is for the higher young adult crowd as all the well most of the characters are 17. This was a breath of fresh air for me since a lot of times the characters are not that old. I really loved that Elliott didn't let people stand in her way of going to this camp. I know that she defied her parents but at 17 its kind of time for the kids to learn to make choices on their own or they never will.

This story was full of fun and funny characters I couldn't put it down. The mystery was great I really liked that Elliot didn't get a free ride. She has to make some very hard choices in this one and the book doesn't shy away from it. I can't wait to check out the authors next story.