Starry Eyes - Jenn Bennett
Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.
But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.
What could go wrong?
With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.
And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?
Zorie and Lennon, you guys. YOU GUYS. I loved this book to the moon and back. Pun absolutely-freaking intended. At first I wasn't a Zorie fan because it's like she's TOO type A. Too perfectionist, too much of an over the top, organized planner otherwise she actually breaks out in hives. While I'm some of those things, I can also go with the flow, something Zorie can't really do.
Cue glamping trip which goes to hell because as it turns out, for all her planning, she picks really terrible friends who would ditch her in the wilderness.
Alone.
With Lennon.
Lennon, her former best friend/experimental boyfriend that never really took off. There's drama between the families and that was interesting but I'm not going to focus on it because the heart of the story is Lennon and Zorie and them finding their way back to each other while in the wilderness of California. Now, I cannot imagine being a teenager on the trip they are on and that alone makes ME break out in hives but I absolutely loved this book. I hadn't read anything by this author before (I am maybe one of the only people who hasn't read Alex, Approximately) but I will be putting her on my wish list because this was great. She doesn't shy from teenage angst and feelings, the awkwardness of first love, teenage sex, and issues that teenagers face all while showing that they CAN be responsible and make it out in the world just fine without parents hovering over them every second.
This is a YA book so if that isn't your jam, you likely won't love it but I did because I not-so-secretly love YA books. If you're looking for a book for your teen, this would be a great one. Yes, there is teenage sex but it's sweet and responsible and it isn't exploitative at all. It's really perfect and I would be fully OK letting my daughter read this.
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