This week for the Fiction Friday feature, I am reviewing the young adult fiction novel, Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens. This book was published in August 2017 by HarperCollins and has a page count of 368 pages. The following overview is provided from the B&N page: As the tomboy daughter of the town’s preacher, Billie McCaffrey has always struggled with fitting the mold of what everyone says she should be. She’d rather wear sweats, build furniture, and get into trouble with her solid group of friends: Woods, Mash, Davey, Fifty, and Janie Lee. But when Janie Lee confesses to Billie that she’s in love with Woods, Billie’s filled with a nagging sadness as she realizes that she is also in love with Woods…and maybe with Janie Lee, too. Always considered “one of the guys,” Billie doesn’t want anyone slapping a label on her sexuality before she can understand it herself. So she keeps her conflicting feelings to herself, for fear of ruining the group dynamic. Except it’s not just about keeping the peace, it’s about understanding love on her terms—this thing that always been defined as a boy and a girl failing in love and living happily ever after. For Billie—a box-defying dynamo—it’s not that simple. Readers will be drawn to Billie as she comes to terms with the gray areas of love, gender, and friendship, in this John Hughes-esque exploration of sexual fluidity.
I loved this book so much. I can’t wait to read it again. I loved that they referred to their friend group as a hexagon. So much of this story reminded me of my own upbringing and I was not a preacher’s kid like Billie. The writing is fantastic, and I found myself so emotionally attached to the characters that I didn’t want the book to end. I cannot recommend this book enough. I have always been someone who believes in found/chosen families are the best thing a person can have. So, this book hit all the feels for me. It was real in the conflicts that can happen especially during the teenage years. It shows the magic that happens to a person who has such a friend group. Again, I love this book and think everyone should read it.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Tomorrow for the Missing Person Saturday feature, I am highlighting the missing person’s case of Anne A. Lyday. Next week for the Fiction Friday feature, I am reviewing the mental health book, The Trauma Therapy Series by Minerva Veilleux. Until then keep reading on; Nerd out!
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