Smash It! by Francina Simone | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Give the gift of reading this holiday season!
Refreshingly authentic and bold… Don’t miss this smashing #ownvoices novel from Francina Simone, filled with heart, humor and a heroine to root for!
Olivia “Liv” James is done with letting her insecurities get the best of her. So she does what any self-respecting hot mess of a girl who wants to SMASH junior year does…
After Liv shows up to a Halloween party in khaki shorts—why, God, why?—she decides to set aside her wack AF ways. She makes a list—a F*ck-It list.
1. Be bold—do the thing that scares me.
2. Learn to take a compliment.
3. Stand out instead of back.
She kicks it off by trying out for the school musical, saying yes to a date and making new friends. Life is great when you stop punking yourself! However, with change comes a lot of missteps, and being bold means following her heart. So what happens when Liv’s heart is interested in three different guys—and two of them are her best friends? What is she supposed to do when she gets dumped by a guy she’s not even dating? How does one Smash It! after the humiliation of being friend-zoned?
In Liv’s own words, “F*ck it. What’s the worst that can happen?”
A lot, apparently.
#SMASHIT

Why Did I Listen To Smash It! by Francina Simone?

Smash It! by Francina Simone appealed to me because I like her Youtube videos! I know! I know! Granted, I don’t normally watch booktube at all, but every once and a while I would watch one of Francina Simone’s. She has a take on different things that pop up in the book community that I frequently agree with. Of course, it takes more than being a internet celebrity for a book to appeal to me. Smash It! has a premise that made it seem like it would be a fun read.

What’s The Story Here?

Francina Simone’s debut features Oliva “Liv” James, a high schooler who has let her insecurities get the best of her. When she goes to Halloween party wearing khaki shorts, LOL, she decides that she’s done being so insecure. So, she makes a Fuck It list, the fun version of a bucket list and I love that for her. Liv decides she’s going to go for it and stand out. She starts off by working up her courage and auditioning for the school musical. Liv gets a good part and she gets to know some new people. She also gets asked out. Oh, and Liv is trying to decide between three guys that she’s interested in.

How Did I Like Smash It!?

Smash It! was a fun read. It was a good break from the more serious stuff I sometimes consume. I felt like Liv was realistic and such a normal teenager. She didn’t feel holier than thou or too perfect. I hate when characters are too perfect and paragons of virtue with no imperfections. This book is sex positive and explores some of Liv’s first experiences in a way that comes off as funny but also poignant. And also! It is body positive too. Liv is fat. At first, that makes her insecure, but she comes to really love herself and to stop letting those insecurities get in her way. I did see in some reviews that some of the phrasing regarding a Hawaiian character and a character of Middle Eastern descent was problematic. However, with the second character Liv did call them out on that phrase. I will admit that listening to the audiobook a little bit sped up, it was blink and you miss it. However, I can also see how it would be hurtful.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook was a delight to listen to. Smash It! is narrated by Zakiya Young. Yet another narrator who is new to me. Young’s narration style comes across as youthful and perfect for Liv and her story. I did not find myself bored or wandering in attention while listening. The audiobook is 9 hours and 16 minutes long. Listening to it sped up to about 1.75x still made it easy to follow and understand what was going on.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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