REVIEW: The Careful Undressing of Love by Corey Ann Haydu - 5 stars

Title: The Careful Undressing of Love

Genre: YA Contemporary Alternate Reality

Author: Corey Ann Haydu

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers

Publication: January 31st 20177

Cover Rating: 5/5

Goodreads | Amazon

Upon starting The Careful Undressing of Love I didn't really know what the book was about. I am glad I didn't read the synopsis because the surprise I felt when I realized I was enjoying this book was amazing. The best way I can describe this book is a more up-to-date Virgin Suicides. This book was beautiful and full of so much sorrow.If you are looking for a unique YA book I definitely suggest this book. In a world where most books are just stems from someone else's original idea, finding a book that is unique is a treasure.

The book takes place in and alternate version of NYC in this community that lives on a certain street.  A few years prior, a 9/11 type event happened that ended up killing a lot of the fathers on this street. To me, it felt like a more present day NYC if 9/11 had happened more recently due to some of the events you learn about throughout the book. One scene in particular where the characters go to visit 'ground zero' where this tragic event happened made me really connect 9/11 to this book. Then we are told about this curse that apparently all the women who live on this street for more than a year end up acquiring. The curse being that if any woman on this street falls in love, the man will end up dying. It sounded stupid  and silly and very cult like in the mentality that these women actually believed this curse. But, it sucked me in and wouldn't let me go.

We are told this story through Lorna's eyes. She is one of the girls of Devonairre Street, justly titled the Devonairre Street Girls, or as Lorna put it throughout the book, LornaCruzCharlotteDelilahIsla, Cruz being the one guy who is a part of their little group. These girls are beautiful and smart and desirable. That is what made this curse become such a big thing, right? If the girls weren't so beautiful and mysterious there wouldn't a curse to speak of, or at least much of a curse to speak of. This entire situation probably would have gone on unnoticed by everyone. But nope, the girls are beautiful and it draws people to them. Both male and female. But the females aren't the ones who have to worry. It is the men that the curse kills.

The rules are simple, or at least the rules the girls have set for themselves are simple. You can screw as many guys are you want but you can never fall in love. But, someone didn't follow this one rule and someone ended up dead.  And that death is what began the whole slew of "outsiders" trying to wiggle their way in so they can the scoop on what is really going on with the residents of Devonairre Street.

All the events in this book are really creepy. It has all the perfect ingredients of a psychological thriller and it came out wonderful! I hate to say this, because I really didn't like this particular book, but if you liked We Were Liars then I really think you would like this book.

I didn't think I would even remotely enjoy this book but I ended up really loving it. It was such a quick and impactful read for me. I will probably ending up adding this book to my favorites shelf. I also didn't expect that ending. I mean, I expected the Cruz thing and maybe a few other parts but the MAIN thing that happened... Didn't really see that coming. I did, however have a few unanswered questions that will keep me thinking about this book for a while.

Overall, I gave the book 5/5 stars.

This part is somewhat spoilery. It isn't like omg you ruined the entire book, spoilery, but it still stands so this is the final warning before I start speaking on a subject in the book.

Okay, so the main tragedy of this book was a bombing that happened a few years back that ended up killing a few of the fathers on Devonairre Street. This event is VERY reminiscent of our very real 9/11 tragedy. 

So, the more spoilery part is.... There is a scene where some bad stuff went down and everyone started fearing and hating the people who live on Devonairre Street. A few of the characters decided to go see ground zero where their fathers died. There are a bunch of other people there and a fight-type situation ensues. A woman tells these characters to leave and they are imposing on this towns tragedy by being there. The one character got so sick of hearing the shit that she just exploded. She asked this woman who she PERSONALLY lost in this bombing. The lady proceeded to say we all feel the loss and are suffering as a community. The girl asked again WHO DID YOU PERSONALLY LOSE? The woman started to answer again but the character said BECAUSE WE LOST OUR FATHERS HERE. THIS IS A PERSONAL TRAGEDY TO US BUT IT IS JUST AN EVENT TO YOU(these are not the exact words or anything, just my version of what was said).

With all that being said, it really made me sit down and think. It is good to come together as a group of people after a tragic event but we really need to think about the people these events true affected. Yes, we lost our sense of security on 9/11 but what about the people who lost their loved ones, their jobs, their homes. 9/11 was as much an American tragedy as it was a personal one BUT we need to remember that while we can go about our daily lives and occasionally stop to think about that horrible time, some people never forget. It is a daily struggle for some people and we need to be here for them instead of seeking out some sort of self-security and acting like we were personally wounded by this event. 

This entire rant/whatever you wish to call it also comes after I found this documentary on a woman who came over here after the 9/11 tragedy and took the limelight from the people who were really affected by pretending to have not only been IN the towers when the planes hit but also lost her fiance in the towers. It was a really crazy store and I seriously can't believe someone even had the balls to do that kind of shit.