"Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date" by Katie Heaney

Photo cred: Goodreads

I HAD to pick up Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date," (Grand Central Publishing) by Katie Heaney, because it had been out for only one day and I had already read about it countless times all over the internet.  Katie Heaney is a 25 year old who has (kinda) not dated, but has surely never had a boyfriend.  I was smiling the entire time I read this book.  Her stories of "love," or at least the trials and hopes of trying to get there, start in kindergarten and work up to her  current age.  We are both Midwesterners, went to catholic grade school, had crushes on some of the same 90s heart throbs, and have never had a boyfriend.  Although I do really like Apples to Apples, and have not done some of the things she has.  Katie is over all pretty relatable; I found myself laughing, cringing, and wanting to cry. So relatable in fact that after reading about her younger hers, I myself had a weird middle school feeling, like it just totally brought me back.  I found myself reading parts out loud because I just couldn't get over how true they were (and how funny)!  I am baffled at how Heaney could write and publish this (I could never), but I am so glad she did!  As you follow her adventures in crushing you will learn so much more about friendship.  Some of these pages may be from her (Lisa Frank) diary, but more importantly it is a beautiful ode to her friendships. 
I think the last two lines sum of the book best "Falling in love is totally unimaginable to me.  I think maybe the best things often are." 

Published: January 14, 2014