Fresh

Fresh tells the story of Elliott, a freshman starting her first year at Emerson College in Boston. She arrives with few expectations beyond experiencing independence and figuring out who she wants to be. Elliott navigates new friendships, romantic encounters, and academic challenges during her first semester. Her experiences with dating and sexuality lead to both exciting and uncomfortable situations as she learns to set boundaries and understand herself better. The narrative follows Elliott's attempts to balance her social life, schoolwork, and personal growth while dealing with relationship drama and family dynamics back home. Her friend group becomes central to her journey through the ups and downs of college life. The novel explores themes of self-discovery and sexual identity while examining how young adults create their own definitions of success and happiness. It presents an unfiltered look at contemporary college experiences and the process of finding one's place in the world.

Readers describe Fresh as a light, fun take on the college freshman experience that doesn't shy away from messy relationships and sexuality. The book maintains a 3.66/5 rating on Goodreads from 3,000+ ratings. Readers appreciated: - Authentic portrayal of college life and hookup culture - LGBTQ+ representation without coming out trauma - Sex-positive themes and frank discussions - Humor and pop culture references Common criticisms: - Plot feels meandering and lacks direction - Main character can be immature and hard to root for - Some scenes feel unrealistic for freshman year - Too much focus on partying/drinking Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.66/5 (3,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (150+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 3.9/5 (30+ ratings) Several reviewers noted the book reads like "a queer Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters" while others found it "too chaotic and unfocused to fully connect with."

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🎓 "Fresh" is Margot Wood's modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Emma," set at Emerson College in Boston. 🎬 Before becoming an author, Wood worked in book marketing and created the popular YouTube channel "Epic Reads," which helped promote young adult literature. 📚 The protagonist's struggle with academic probation reflects Wood's own college experience, making the story partially autobiographical. 🌈 The book features positive LGBTQ+ representation and explores themes of sexual identity without making it the central conflict of the story. 🎭 Many of the novel's scenes take place in actual Boston locations, including specific dorm buildings and common spaces at Emerson College, allowing readers familiar with the area to trace the characters' footsteps.