I acquired an ARC of this book from NetGalley and read it pretty quickly. The cover was what first attracted me to this book.  It’s just so… pretty with the blues and pinks and stars. I love the text and the imagery (which is entirely appropriate for the story) and… everything. The second thing that hooked me was the story concept, teen girl is pregnant… but she’s also the the daughter of a politician. I wanted to see how this drama unfolded. And honestly, it was not at all what I expected.

This is kind of an odd book. Not odd bad, just… hard to put my finger on how exactly to describe it.

16 year old Quinn is pregnant and has no recollection of ever having had sex. Sure, she’s messed around with her boyfriend, but nothing that could result in a baby! But there she was, pregnant.

This book follows Quinn throughout the nine months of her pregnancy while she tries to figure out when and how she ended up pregnant. She’s convinced it was rape and she has blocked any memory of the event. Until she discovers a secret about her grandmother.

I seriously can’t say much else about what happens without spoiling the story! I can say that I could not put this book down. I devoured it. I needed to know what happened next. At 76% I updated my reading progress on Goodreads with: “I still have no clue where this is going! And I’m loving it!” and my final thoughts were: “Wow! What a beautiful book.”

The only negative I have about this one aren’t really negatives about the story, just personal hatred for Quinn’s father. He just rubbed me the wrong way. I liked the rest of the family, but her dad is kind of a jerk.

So, I guess I’ll just tell you to give this book a chance and go into it with an open mind and be prepared for ambiguity.

Thank you very much for allowing me to read this title; I am trying to read as widely as possible ahead of the Carnegie/Greenaway nominations and awards for 2018 and your help is much appreciated.
As a Carnegie/Greenaway judge, I'm not allowed to comment about my opinions on specific titles so I can't offer an individual review on any title as I stated on my profile.

I started this book, but wasn't really interested, so I stopped reading.

What I really enjoyed about The Inconceivable Life of Quinn was that from the beginning we really did not know how her pregnancy came to be, but that the book really was about Quinn, her life and her family and not only the pregnancy.  In the beginning, the Cutlers seem pretty perfect, they have their home in Brooklyn, her father is running for Congress, Quinn's best friend is now her boyfriend, her sister's a cute, mad scientist . . . It all seems cozy and sweet and normal.

Then, when it is discovered that Quinn is pregnant, things go a bit sideways. Not only is she the pregnant sixteen-year-old daughter of a politician, she's claiming to be a virgin. The more decisions Quinn makes and the more she tries to convince others of the little she is sure of, the more frustrating it is for her.

Not knowing if Quinn's pregnancy was because of a night she didn't want to talk about, something she couldn't talk about, truly didn't remember or something else entirely opened some interesting avenues in the story. We see not only the distrust she has of herself and her mind/memory, but whether other's are willing to believe her and the steps they'll go to to find the truth. And what possible explanations people will come up with.

The deeper we got into the story, the more clear it became that Quinn's family was not quite the shinny-happy-perfect one they tried to portray. Both because of the stress they were under and because of secrets and lies from the past we begin to see more who they are. At times it's frustrating, confusing, heartbreaking or worrisome - or a combination of any/all of them. As a reader you really start to wonder what the truth is. Is it one of the more sorted possibilities being banded about? Is it something more ordinary and explainable? Or is it something you haven't even considered.

I really liked how the present day and the mystery surrounding Quinn's pregnancy (as well as the publicity) facilitated seeing glimpses of the past and, in the end, we really, finally understood who the family was and who Quinn was. It was an interesting and unique journey.

This book is about a young girl name Quinn, who finds out she is mysterious pregnant one day. Quinn cannot figure out how she got pregnant. Mean while, Quinn father is a politician running  for Office again. Quinn goes to the doctor and finds out she is pregnant but She thinks it is a joke. In fact she thinks it such a joke, that she tells a lady at her father's Political campaign party, which leads to news reporters finding out. At the same time her parents find out which causes Quinn to go on a big search of how this impossible pregnancy came to be. Now if you wish to know how Quinn actually ends up pregnant, go buy the book right now and read it. There is a lot of heaviness to this book but a lot of beautiful surprises too. 

Now I would like to add I was mad with Quinn parents at the beginning of this book. I felt like as a parent, they should not have doubt their daughter and her story. Someone who was lying would not continue with the same story over and over again. As for how Quinn ends up pregnant, that was so - so for me. I went into this book, thinking it was about Teenage pregnancy and YA romance but it ends up being a magical story about a pregnancy. I was lost by the writing a few times,  and to be honest, if I had purchase this book, it would have taken me a while to finish it. I am going to try and reread again to understand it better, but right now it was not what I thought it was. I felt like it was a very heart heavy story line at the beginning with the pregnancy and then proceed to try to become more light by adding magical elements. I know some people will love this kind of story because it  different then what is on the market right now in the way it was written. So to be honest, I think you would have to buy the book or even borrow it from the library to read, to see how you really like it. 

I rate this book a 3.5 stars because I love and hated the pregnancy story line development in this book. The author did a great job in describing things of the book that where major points to the storyline. I feel like you need to be in the right mood to read this book though. Now with all of that being said, please do check out this book and see if you want to read it. I am going to re-read this book again just because of the premise of the story and how it is so different.

I have mixed feelings about this one. On one side, the plot, some characters and writing are amazing. But on the other hand, the main character is unlikeable for me and some characters are too stereotypical. If you like magical realism, along with “is it or is it not” type of book, I think this one should be on your TBR.

Craft level: expert.
The author was such a command over words and stylistic elements that reading this book is like falling into the "reading trance" I love to achieve but hardly ever do. Her words create the illusion of reality because they're not cliche, or distracting, worn or boring. I cared deeply about Quinn and her situation, and loved how the author is never preachy, but just shows what this situation (of being a pregnant virgin) would be like for a teen. Although I had the preconceived image of the TV show Jane the Virgin, but where JTV is awesome and funny, Quinn's story is poignant and sweet in a way that really touched me. I loved getting a peek into the other characters, and seeing how they experienced this situation, and how they saw Quinn. the end was sweet and full of hope, and I felt a bittersweet pang in that last scene. The magical realism aspect was absolutely spellbinding. I stayed up until the early morning because I just had to know what happened with Quinn and her baby. Fantastic.

I took a bit of time because I forgot the password to Net Galley. So... I read this book and... well, it's unique and interesting, but I felt that there was many gaps and the story's development was a bit lacking for me. Maybe it was not for me, so I can't recommend for anyone, BUT I believe that some people will like its uniqueness.

My reading experience of this book was very much up and down which is kind of funny considering the water element to the story. At first, I couldn't really connect with Quinn. As expected, she was a privileged young girl with everything she wanted. She was a good daughter, and loves her boyfriend, Jesse with the vigor of teen innocence.

But all is not really perfect as it seems. The reveal of her pregnancy is the knot that ties everything together. It only gets bigger and bigger the more Quinn, her family and the rest of the world tries to make sense of it. It's what drove me to read each page, and the mystery of it all builds without you even realizing.

I loved how Quinn tried to make sense of what was happening her. Her investigating skills aren't too over exaggerated and match her age. I appreciated that as too many times in mystery/thriller novels that the main character makes uncharacteristic decisions. It frustrates me to no end! With Quinn, whenever she makes a silly decision it's aligned with who she is. It still leaves me frustrated, but it's believable.

Then there's the rest of the Cutler family. The dynamics balance between two extremes of either too controlling or too lovable. Quinn's older brother, the black sheep, has his moments but isn't too fully developed. Her younger sister, is a regular bratty kid. It's her Father I had the most issues with as he continuously discredits Quinn anytime she voices her opinion. Yet without him, there would be little conflict in the story itself.

Although, I didn't really understand where this book was headed it's what made it fun to read. If I had known that it dealt with magic realism, it would have been a different experience. It has a dream-like quality at times that might be difficult to read. Especially if you're set on getting practical answers. If that's what you want from this book, you'll surely be disappointed.

Yet if you're able to hang your disbelief, you'll enjoy the pace of the story as well as its' ending. I wasn't entirely satisfied, but at the same time I liked it. It was an odd and peculiar story that reinvents the stereotype of teen pregnancy.

I'll be picking up a copy of this beautiful book to sit amongst my shelves, and have a reread!

Being pregnant while you’re a virgin, is that even possible? In The Inconceivable Life of Quinn it’s possible. Or is it? You’ve to read the book for yourself to decide if it’s possible, or not. Marianna Baer instantly grabbed my attention with a topic like this. I actually didn’t know what to expect from this story and luckily it was a pleasantly surprising read. It was actually unique and fascinating and I’m glad I got to read the ARC.

What I liked
- The Cutler family and their history and background. It was well-developed and it added real depth to the story. For example, the way the actions of Quinn’s grandma influenced Quinn’s father by leaving him when he was young and eventually committing suicide. It made Quinn’s dad an anxious and overprotective dad. Continuously afraid of Quinn becoming depressed. More important, he’s afraid of Quinn’s obsession with water, the same obsession his mother had. Marianna Baer beautifully illustrates how the actions of a parent can define a child.
- The relationship between Quinn and Jesse. They were so good together, the real definition of soul mates. Even though, they didn’t have a relationship anymore and Jesse felt betrayed, he kept loving and supporting Quinn. He tried to understand her and believe in her, even when no one else did. Moreover, it wasn’t one-sided, Quinn would give up anything for Jesse as well. She leant on him in difficult times, but not once did I have the feeling she used him.
- The way the author let the readers choose for themselves. Is what happened to Quinn something supernatural or is she psychotic? Honestly, both explanations/beliefs could be right. We’ll never really know.
- That Quinn was an unreliable narrator. She’s unreliable because some chapters are told from another POV’s. How they viewed Quinn and her situation made me question her reliability. That realisation made the story so much more interesting. I was continuously guessing what really happened to Quinn and what was true or not.
- Quinn’s an intriguing main character. She’s doubting herself because she doesn’t know what’s the truth and what’s imagination anymore. I admire that she still did what she thought was right, instead of doing what others said was best for her. For example, deciding to keep her baby. Throughout the story she’s searching for the truth, a truth she’ll probably never find. However in her search for the truth, she finds herself and learns what’s important to her. She grows up.

What I didn't like
- Honestly, I can’t of anything I didn’t like.

The verdict
This book definitely deserves five stars, because it was a beautiful, breath-taking and unique read. I recommend this one to everyone. Period.

I was a little disappointed at how much I struggled with this book. The Inconceivable Life of Quinn tells the story of a 16-year-old high school student who finds herself pregnant. Quinn at first is adamant that she can’t be as she hasn’t had sex, but then has to face up to the reality that she is, along with the press presenting her as someone who thinks she’s the second Virgin Mary. The combination of political drama with the religious aspect grabbed my attention, and I was keen to see how well the author dealt with the religious aspect, I’m not particularly religious myself but I didn’t want to see the whole of Christianity painted as crazy fanatics, although I am well aware that like any religion you will find extremists.

So why did I struggle with it, there were a couple of reasons. One small fact that bugged me was her parents were referred to consistently by their given names and it took me a while to work out they actually were her parents, that and the fact her father really just didn’t come across as very likeable, I understand he was under the pressure of running for congress, and a story about his teenage daughter being pregnant would certainly complicate the campaign, without the additional reporting of Quinn’s virginity, but I just didn’t like the way he treated his daughter, there was a secondary plot relating to his mother and her suicide, and it was clear he was keeping things from Quinn, at one point I actually suspected that he’d been abusing her and that he was the father. I wasn’t particularly keen on Quinn’s mother either but I felt as though she redeemed herself a little more towards the end of the book.

My primary reason is the supernatural element that hit right towards the end of the story. This is partly my fault for not reading right to the end of the blurb, the idea of political scandal grabbed my attention and I was sold, so for me it really came out of the left field, up until this point in the story it’s played fairly straight and explores various possibilities including that fact she’s lying, or that she has suppressed memories of an attack due to trauma, it looks at the impacts that the press reporting has on all the family, from her father’s campaign to her younger sister’s guilt. The consequences for Quinn with the lack of support from friends at school and the stress that having religious fanatics camped outside the house has on everyone. This part of the book I really enjoyed and I was looking forward to finally getting an explanation when the local myth surrounding the island she grew up on and it’s connections to her grandmother were suddenly thrown into the mix – and the worst part we don’t actually ever get a firm conclusion it’s just left a bit in the air and you’re left to assume that this myth is true and was the reason she became pregnant. Now for some that might be enough, but I’m the sort of person, who if I’ve invested time in something, likes to find out an answer once and for all. I know life isn’t always so neat which is probably why I like the stories I read to be.

In terms of positives I quite enjoyed reading the different viewpoints – the story is told primarily from Quinn’s viewpoint but there are chapters throughout the book that pick up different viewpoints – These chapters are easily identified as they give the character’s name as a chapter heading. I thought this worked really well to bring in other viewpoints to the story, even, or perhaps especially, when the character involved really had quite a small role overall.

Would I recommend it?

I’m sure others may love this, the reviews on Goodreads are a bit of a mixed bunch but there are certainly a number of positive reviews on there. This book just wasn’t for me, I don’t mind a good fantasy book if I know that’s what I’m going into but this was so straight leading into the final act of the book it just completely threw me.

A sense of magic in an otherwise normal world was... strange. Especially since it arrived at a fairly late part of the book. Although I enjoy fantasy books filled with magic, this book didn't seem to need it. I think The Inconceivable Life of Quinn is much more about our society than anything else. The magic seemed to remove the credibility and the substance of what the book was really about.

There were religious undertones shown in both a good and bad light. Baer hasn't shown any bias towards or against the Christian faith here, she's just wrote about different types of people within the faith. She also talked about the media a lot, and that there's a lot of rumours and word twisting which can, to an extent, demonize people. I really liked that the book had a strong point to the story being told.

The book was slow, and the one question of 'Who's the father?' was the one thing that kept my interest. But, this answer was never given, which I'm assuming is one of the points of the book. The abrupt ending was also extremely odd as you dont quite know what to think. I'm also assuming that this is to again, link it towards the points the story is trying to make. You dont always know what to think when reading something.

Also, I personally disliked the different POV chapters. Although it was useful to find out more about the outside world, it didn't particularly help the story. The one I particular disliked, was Sam, the male religious fanatic. He had no actual bearing on the story, and removing his POV wouldn't have affected anything.

I would say The Inconceivable Life of Quinn is definitely worth reading, but it does take some time to really get into the story.

I wasn't expecting a supernatural book when I sat down to read this. If I had known that, I might have skipped it...

A cutesy story about a girl stuck in an impossible situation. I would have liked to have learned more about her grandmother and her grandmother's experience. I guess just in general I found the secondary characters to not be as fleshed out as they could be.

For Those Who Enjoyed: Juno, Jane the Virgin, Asking For It, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Lost Girls, To the Lighthouse, Chopin’s The Awakening

I was given an ARC copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Don’t ask me why, but I’ve always been fascinated by pregnancy plots. Anyone who’s familiar with my fiction writing knows I sneak it into my narratives at least once. So I was instantly interested in checking this book out. Given how taboo teen pregnancy is, I’ve seen very few books on the topic in the young adult market, so I was shocked when a chick lit type fluffy novel showed up. Why would a lighthearted book about teen pregnancy be out there in the world? I had a lot of questions about it and I needed the answer.

The plot itself isn’t a particularly original one, given Jane the Virgin’s been doing the same schtick for three years now. But the magical realism element gave it its unique heft. Unlike Jane the Virgin’s hook of an artificial insemination gone wrong, Inconceivable doesn’t tie itself to a logical explanation for Quinn’s virgin pregnancy. Most of the novel is spent trying to make sense of it and the mystery is what keeps the narrative afloat. I could have easily set this one aside one chapter in, but something about the intrigue of it all kept me going. There are so many I need to know where this is going paths that just about excuses the almost mediocre writing style. 

Baer addresses possibilities for how Quinn may have been impregnated without knowing in ways I haven’t seen YA authors address female sexuality before. Going into this novel, I didn’t think she would be touching up on drugs, rape, incest, and PTSD that might come with it as much as she did. And because this is supposed to be such a light fluffy novel, I found the tonal shifts very jarring. The assumption is that something horrible has happened to her to give her regressive memory, so much so that her parents are more willing to lie and convince her she’s been victimised than they are to believe something extraordinary has happened. There’s a really serious, intense, important message building there that Baer doesn’t quite drive home. As if she’s not fully committed to the severity of the situation. 

Her use of multiple narratives throughout gives Quinn’s character development some interesting depth. Quinn takes on the majority of the narration, but the novel is peppered with outsider narratives that really challenge her reliability as a narrator. There is nothing I love more than an unreliable narrator, so I would have liked Baer to really go there and make the reader seriously question whether she really is suffering PTSD or if she did have a divine experience. It would have been a far darker story, but I think it would’ve been stronger and more meaningful for it, especially as a novel written to counteract slut shaming, rape culture, gossip media and religious extremism. 

I really hope Abrams and Amulet market this with all those messages in mind, because this book is definitely trying to say more than it appears on the surface. It’s opening that dialogue, in however a fluffy way, and I think that’s important.

It took me quite a while to read this book andI can understand why! I'm still a bit perplexed as to the whole concept of the book.

It was very strange and wasn't what I expected at all.The Inconceivable life of Quinn includes a lot of magic realism and as much as I don't mind a bit of magic realism this one was very complicated!

I didn't really connect with many of the characters probably because the book was quite slow paced.

I adored this book so much. I wasn't sure at first how it would go, but I was happily surprised by how much of a discussion it was about believe and religion. It was really interesting to see Quinn and her friend consulting a priest and hearing about the different interpretations of the bible. It was also interesting seeing a character who was not at all Christian being the subject of the book. 

It showed every side of the issue. The people who called Quinn names and accused her of lying; the people assuming that she has some psychological issue and endeavor to help her find out what happened; the family, desperate to find out who the father is so they can find a solution to the issue; and of course the true believers who caused so much trouble. 

I also loved how much it was left open to the reader to believe what they wanted. It became such a beautiful book of magic realism and the ending was a nice satisfying ending while still leaving it up to the reader to decide what to believe. 

Quinn was such a great character and I'm so happy I got the opportunity to read this book.

The Inconceivable Life of Quinn was a beautiful, well-written story, and the elements of magical realism were lovely. I loved the premise and found the plot irresistibly compelling. I was dying to find out how this main character, Quinn, against all logic, insisted she was a virgin and therefore could not be pregnant. What I struggled with, however, was a sense that the story lacked closure. Quinn's journey and character arc felt complete, but the circumstances surrounding it didn't. I yearned for a more concrete hint at the end as to the question of the baby's conception (regardless where the reader's beliefs line up, I felt I still needed some sort of answer). All in all, it was a fun read, though. Perfect for fans of magical realism.

I thought the synopsis was incredibly interesting and I really, really wanted to know what happened and I really  needed to know how Quinn became pregnant. I got a bit of a Unbecoming of Mara Dyer vibe from this book so if you loved Mara Dyer, you might love The Inconceivable Life of Quinn as well.

The Inconceivable Life of Quinn is an odd little book, but I mean that in the best way. It's just a little hard to describe. Filled with magical realism and gorgeous imagery. The ending is a complete surprise I can almost guarantee you won't see coming. The story is essentially about a sixteen year old virgin who finds herself pregnant. Quinn wants to solve the mystery of how she got pregnant while the press gets wind of her pregnancy amidst her father's run for congress. I was pleasantly surprised by the use of mythology woven into the story. The characters were quite fun to read about. If you enjoyed The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer or like books with magical realism, make sure to check out The Inconceivable Life of Quinn on April 4th!