You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
'And Lennon? Keep her safe.'
'Don't worry,' he calls back. 'I always do.'
Oooooooooh what a sweet ride. I love everything about this book. Lennon and Zorie. Their camping adventures. The humor. The snark. Lennon as a person. And Zorie's relationship with her mom is so heartwarming too :
'You are mine. I don't need to give birth to you to love you, sweet thing.'
'Don't worry,' he calls back. 'I always do.'
Oooooooooh what a sweet ride. I love everything about this book. Lennon and Zorie. Their camping adventures. The humor. The snark. Lennon as a person. And Zorie's relationship with her mom is so heartwarming too :
'You are mine. I don't need to give birth to you to love you, sweet thing.'
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***Thank you so much to the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley!***
I cannot even BEGIN to form coherent sentences about how much I LOVED Starry Eyes, the newest novel from Jen Bennett that is bringing swoon back to YA. Set in Northern California (already a huge plus for me, an avid reader of West Coast fiction) the novel features a hate to love romance, mixed and unique family systems, dysfunctional and healthy parent-child relationships, and sex positivity. I want to jump up and down and scream from the rooftops about how perfectly crafted and balanced this novel is- it's the YA contemporary I've been waiting my whole reading and blogging life for, and my only regret is that I didn't get to read this when I was a teenager.
Starry Eyes follows protagonist Zorie, Type A, serial planner, future astrophysicist (amazing!) and also semi-awkward rising high school senior who gets roped into attending a summer camping/glamping excursion which happens to coincide with some family drama that she'd rather not deal with. Changing up her summer plans at the last minute is stressful enough for someone who doesn't like surprises, but she's thrown for a loop when her ex-best friend now arch nemesis Lennon ends up on the trip as well. Since I have so much love for this story and could just continue to babble in run on sentences, I'll break the reasons why Starry Eyes is amazing into some (hopefully) more succinct bullet points.
+ Lennon. As a potential YA love interest, Lennon bucks a lot of conventions. He's sort of goth/emo (ahhh that takes me back), loves reptiles, is a shameless trivia nerd, and also is super outdoorsy and attractive. I love that he was a classic stereotype and that his attractiveness was a unique combination of things that some characters were drawn to and others weren't. It was so realistic.
+The family dynamics here were super complex but never felt heavy handed. Zorie lives with her dad and her "stepmom" although they are super close since Zorie's biological mom died when she was 8. I loved seeing this blended family system where the roles of mom vs. stepmom weren't important and show that biology isn't the most important factor in parent-child relationships. Zorie's dad was a scumbag (to put it mildly, and it's not really a spoiler since you find this out pretty early on in the book) and I loved that he had to face consequences for it. And Zorie's grandparents through her stepmom's side were hilarious and badass and it was so cool to see grandparents being featured in playing a part in a YA protagonist's life. Usually it's rare to even get parents who are fully fleshed out, let along grandparents (ugh that scene with Grandma Esther at the end gives me LIFE).
+ There's a lot of different portrayals of camping in this book! At first I didn't know how much I was going to like the plot because I have not been legit camping since I was about three years old (my parent's first and last foray in camping with a tent), however I was surprised at not only how much I LEARNED about camping (bear canisters are necessary!) but it also showed different types of camping- from back country, truly isolated camping to camping at national campgrounds with several others to full on glamping in luxury yurts (which is now on my bucket list please & thank you).
+ The romance was actually full of tension and flaws and butterflies and was built up realistically and was just perfect. I am usually super wary of hate-to-love romances because they can be super cheesy or feel really rushed, but this one had just the perfect amount of tension and skepticism sprinkled throughout as ~feelings~ were developing (or reigniting, as it were). I also loved that Zorie and Lennon were both such different people with different interests but still had chemistry and respect for each other's hobbies. LOVE. Also so much playful + sassy banter.
Overall: Starry Eyes is my new favorite YA contemporary novel, hands down. It brings back the nostalgia of high school drama and relationships but in the best way possible, and it was fun and flirty and mature while still dealing with heavier family issues without feeling like it was trying too hard. I wish I could live in Lennon and Zorie's story forever, and though everything wrapped up nicely I'm still crossing my fingers for a sequel!This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
I cannot even BEGIN to form coherent sentences about how much I LOVED Starry Eyes, the newest novel from Jen Bennett that is bringing swoon back to YA. Set in Northern California (already a huge plus for me, an avid reader of West Coast fiction) the novel features a hate to love romance, mixed and unique family systems, dysfunctional and healthy parent-child relationships, and sex positivity. I want to jump up and down and scream from the rooftops about how perfectly crafted and balanced this novel is- it's the YA contemporary I've been waiting my whole reading and blogging life for, and my only regret is that I didn't get to read this when I was a teenager.
Starry Eyes follows protagonist Zorie, Type A, serial planner, future astrophysicist (amazing!) and also semi-awkward rising high school senior who gets roped into attending a summer camping/glamping excursion which happens to coincide with some family drama that she'd rather not deal with. Changing up her summer plans at the last minute is stressful enough for someone who doesn't like surprises, but she's thrown for a loop when her ex-best friend now arch nemesis Lennon ends up on the trip as well. Since I have so much love for this story and could just continue to babble in run on sentences, I'll break the reasons why Starry Eyes is amazing into some (hopefully) more succinct bullet points.
+ Lennon. As a potential YA love interest, Lennon bucks a lot of conventions. He's sort of goth/emo (ahhh that takes me back), loves reptiles, is a shameless trivia nerd, and also is super outdoorsy and attractive. I love that he was a classic stereotype and that his attractiveness was a unique combination of things that some characters were drawn to and others weren't. It was so realistic.
+The family dynamics here were super complex but never felt heavy handed. Zorie lives with her dad and her "stepmom" although they are super close since Zorie's biological mom died when she was 8. I loved seeing this blended family system where the roles of mom vs. stepmom weren't important and show that biology isn't the most important factor in parent-child relationships. Zorie's dad was a scumbag (to put it mildly, and it's not really a spoiler since you find this out pretty early on in the book) and I loved that he had to face consequences for it. And Zorie's grandparents through her stepmom's side were hilarious and badass and it was so cool to see grandparents being featured in playing a part in a YA protagonist's life. Usually it's rare to even get parents who are fully fleshed out, let along grandparents (ugh that scene with Grandma Esther at the end gives me LIFE).
+ There's a lot of different portrayals of camping in this book! At first I didn't know how much I was going to like the plot because I have not been legit camping since I was about three years old (my parent's first and last foray in camping with a tent), however I was surprised at not only how much I LEARNED about camping (bear canisters are necessary!) but it also showed different types of camping- from back country, truly isolated camping to camping at national campgrounds with several others to full on glamping in luxury yurts (which is now on my bucket list please & thank you).
+ The romance was actually full of tension and flaws and butterflies and was built up realistically and was just perfect. I am usually super wary of hate-to-love romances because they can be super cheesy or feel really rushed, but this one had just the perfect amount of tension and skepticism sprinkled throughout as ~feelings~ were developing (or reigniting, as it were). I also loved that Zorie and Lennon were both such different people with different interests but still had chemistry and respect for each other's hobbies. LOVE. Also so much playful + sassy banter.
Overall: Starry Eyes is my new favorite YA contemporary novel, hands down. It brings back the nostalgia of high school drama and relationships but in the best way possible, and it was fun and flirty and mature while still dealing with heavier family issues without feeling like it was trying too hard. I wish I could live in Lennon and Zorie's story forever, and though everything wrapped up nicely I'm still crossing my fingers for a sequel!This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
“I dare you to go to Condor Peak. Let me take you there. I can do it. I know I can. You used to trust me.”
“You used to give me reasons to.”
“I never stopped. You just quit paying attention.”
—» 3.5 Stars
[b: Starry Eyes|35297469|Starry Eyes|Jenn Bennett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497542946l/35297469._SY75_.jpg|56664282] is an enjoyable coming of age story about discovering yourself and deciding what is truly important in life.
—» Would I Recommend? If you’re interested in a YA story, with a childhood ex-bestfriend romance, this book is for you.
—» Would I Read Again? Maybe
Originally, we were supposed to read a different novel for class and then we were told not to finish it. We needed to find a book to read in its place. I was torn between this and another book for my new realism category so when there was an opening I used this in place.
I am not quite sure if I would teach this book in school. I think some students could get a lot out of the relationships between all the different characters, but I am not sure if this is the right book to do so. I think it would just depend on the course outline if it comes down to logistics.
Warnings: drugs (stealing alcohol, underage drinking though not every teen participates), sex (sex shop, lots of kissing towards the end of the book, protected sex, knowledge of sex taking place over a small period of time, "sexlaxation"), R&R (a lesbian couple who run a sex shop, a father having multiple affairs, said father blackmailing a teenager, verbal and physical fights, divorce, abandonment in woods after a fight), language (quite a bit of swearing), violence (fights, cheating, abandonment)
I am not quite sure if I would teach this book in school. I think some students could get a lot out of the relationships between all the different characters, but I am not sure if this is the right book to do so. I think it would just depend on the course outline if it comes down to logistics.
Warnings: drugs (stealing alcohol, underage drinking though not every teen participates), sex (sex shop, lots of kissing towards the end of the book, protected sex, knowledge of sex taking place over a small period of time, "sexlaxation"), R&R (a lesbian couple who run a sex shop, a father having multiple affairs, said father blackmailing a teenager, verbal and physical fights, divorce, abandonment in woods after a fight), language (quite a bit of swearing), violence (fights, cheating, abandonment)
"Starry Eyes" is a beautiful and heartwarming young adult romance novel that takes the reader onto an adventurous hiking journey with the main character Zorie and her friends. The seemingly safe journey suddenly changes into a dangerous one when the hiking team get into a fight with each other and the friends decide to abandon Zorie and her worst enemy Lennon.
Lennon is definitely my favourite character from this book. Besides good looks, he seems to be very good at his hobby and next to the main character, seems pretty grown up. The story itself feels realistic and keeps me guessing even if I have a hunch about what will happen. I also really like how the mystery matter with Zorie's father was dealt with. The story is gripping and it's easy to forget myself while reading it.
I would recommend this book to young souls and maybe even parents who want a glimpse of what's going on in their teenagers' heads.
Lennon is definitely my favourite character from this book. Besides good looks, he seems to be very good at his hobby and next to the main character, seems pretty grown up. The story itself feels realistic and keeps me guessing even if I have a hunch about what will happen. I also really like how the mystery matter with Zorie's father was dealt with. The story is gripping and it's easy to forget myself while reading it.
I would recommend this book to young souls and maybe even parents who want a glimpse of what's going on in their teenagers' heads.
Estranged best friends, Zorie and Lennon, fell out a year ago after she was stood up by him at the homecoming dance and Zorie's father is only too happy that the pair are now best enemies instead. Struggling socially, reluctant Zorie (who had a perfect plan for summer) is given a bit of a nudge by her step mother to step outside of her comfort zone and attend a glamping trip away with the popular kids. Little does Zorie know, but Lennon too will be there. And after said kids desert them in the middle of the national park, leaving her alone with Lennon, she finally learns the truth about why Lennon stood her up all those months ago and they both starts to gradually heal old wounds.
I picked up Starry Eyes because I desperately needed a light and fun read, and a break from the heavier books I have been reading lately, and it delivered this in spades. A few pages in, and I was delighted to read, "Astronomy is my holy grail. Stairs, planets, moons, and all things space. Future NASA astrophysicist, right here." I'm something of a science geek myself, and loved to not only feel a kindred kind of connection with Zorie, but just simply seeing the field represented in print meant everything.
So many science fields are male dominated and it's so important that movies, novels, comics, media, represents and reflects girls in these roles, so that we get more young women dreaming and believing that they too can build a career in science.
But even once we step past my initial appreciation of Zorie's astrophysics interests, I found the story a delightful and heart warming read. I found myself easily connecting with her, and having spent a few weeks out camping myself, enjoyed that aspect of the novel too. The growing reconciliation between Zorie and Lennon was sweet, and had me hooked and I appreciated the nod to safe sex practices tucked in there too.
And if that wasn't enough, we also had the loving relationship between Zorie and her step-mom showing that love extends far beyond genes and biological ties. And throughout it all, Zorie learns some important lessons about how planning can't save you from everything. That change is inevitable and uncertainty is a given.
* This eBook ARC was provided by Simon & Schuster (Australia) through NetGalley for an honest review.
I picked up Starry Eyes because I desperately needed a light and fun read, and a break from the heavier books I have been reading lately, and it delivered this in spades. A few pages in, and I was delighted to read, "Astronomy is my holy grail. Stairs, planets, moons, and all things space. Future NASA astrophysicist, right here." I'm something of a science geek myself, and loved to not only feel a kindred kind of connection with Zorie, but just simply seeing the field represented in print meant everything.
So many science fields are male dominated and it's so important that movies, novels, comics, media, represents and reflects girls in these roles, so that we get more young women dreaming and believing that they too can build a career in science.
But even once we step past my initial appreciation of Zorie's astrophysics interests, I found the story a delightful and heart warming read. I found myself easily connecting with her, and having spent a few weeks out camping myself, enjoyed that aspect of the novel too. The growing reconciliation between Zorie and Lennon was sweet, and had me hooked and I appreciated the nod to safe sex practices tucked in there too.
And if that wasn't enough, we also had the loving relationship between Zorie and her step-mom showing that love extends far beyond genes and biological ties. And throughout it all, Zorie learns some important lessons about how planning can't save you from everything. That change is inevitable and uncertainty is a given.
* This eBook ARC was provided by Simon & Schuster (Australia) through NetGalley for an honest review.
A cute little contemporary romance! I really liked both Zorie and Lennon. I always enjoy how Jenn Bennett gives her characters very unique interests. Fun camping shenanigans!
4 Stars
4 Stars
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book made the top reads for 2019. A perfect contemporary. I loved Zorie. Her need for lists and order reminded me a lot of my sister. She is also a bit of a pushover with the people that she cares about and a little insecure about her own place in the world. Lennon is a pretty perfect boy next door ( across the street ). He is different. Kind of emo. Owns a reptile as a pet. This was a very cute story. Friends to Enemies to Lovers.