The Futures

The Futures (Anna Pitoniak, 2017)

How I stumbled upon it: I work with the author's husband who was kind enough to hook me up with an advanced copy!

What it's about: Evan and Julia are recent grads who have moved to New York City after they leave the bubble of an elite college.  While Evan is working in finance and finding himself in way over his head with a sketchy deal at his hedge fund, Julia is attempting to keep her head above water, too. They are twenty-two and transitioning in and out of jobs they hate, struggling with whether or not they are meant to be together--or whether they are meant for New York at all.  This book is about the dreams we have for our lives, and what we are willing to sacrifice to make them come true--even when we realize that what we have been chasing may not be our dream after all.

What I thought: This is the closest thing I have read that mimics the actual reality of being a slightly terrified recent grad living in New York City.  It's suspenseful and familiar and set on the backdrop of a fresh-eyed NYC--sprinkled with references to the actual bars, clubs, and restaurants that I find myself in every evening. It's the perfect thing to read when you need to remember that there is someone else out there who doesn't have it all figured out.  It reminded me of a cross between "La La Land" and a Curtis Sittenfeld book--rich plot and interesting twists with an overarching sense of melancholy because life is not always simple. Y'all should all pick up a copy for your winter reading list!

You can get it here.