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afretts's review
4.0
This wasn't what I was expecting at all, but I still really enjoyed it. The story follows Lauren and EB as they navigate the summer after the senior year of high school and prepare to be roommates at UC Berkley. Each chapter is written from a different girl's point of view and includes an email written to the other roommate.
That's really about it. I think I was expecting this to be like Fangirl. It wasn't. The girl's stories are told separately and their only interactions are via email. It sounds boring, but it had it all- family drama, friend drama, sex, first loves, break ups, summer jobs, worries about being a freshman at college. It read very real. Very non-PC. Like 2 18 year old, confused, and scared girls were actually narrating. I felt like I was experiencing the summer with Lauren and EB and was totally on their teams.
I know this is a short review, but the book really is very simple. It's less than 300 pages and a quick read. I would recommend it for when you're in the mood to read realistic fiction about young women in transition.
That's really about it. I think I was expecting this to be like Fangirl. It wasn't. The girl's stories are told separately and their only interactions are via email. It sounds boring, but it had it all- family drama, friend drama, sex, first loves, break ups, summer jobs, worries about being a freshman at college. It read very real. Very non-PC. Like 2 18 year old, confused, and scared girls were actually narrating. I felt like I was experiencing the summer with Lauren and EB and was totally on their teams.
I know this is a short review, but the book really is very simple. It's less than 300 pages and a quick read. I would recommend it for when you're in the mood to read realistic fiction about young women in transition.
rdyourbookcase's review
4.0
This book was fantastic. I wish I could have read it when I was transitioning from high school to college. Lo and EB’s lives were completely opposite - and the juxtaposition of their stories made for a great read. They got to know each other via e-mail and that created some challenges for them. The whole time, I was rooting for them to be the best roommates ever! Overall, Roomies was a well-rounded, relatable novel that I recommend all girls read after graduating high school.
Bonus points awarded for the following:
1. The strong father-daughter relationship between Lo and her dad (it had me sniffling when he made her cinnamon roles.)
2. The importance of family in general.
3. Strong female relationships. There were no frenemies here. The girls were looking for a good friend and support.
Bonus points awarded for the following:
1. The strong father-daughter relationship between Lo and her dad (it had me sniffling when he made her cinnamon roles.)
2. The importance of family in general.
3. Strong female relationships. There were no frenemies here. The girls were looking for a good friend and support.
merkyr's review
4.0
Loved this. So engrossing that I flew through it in approximately 4 subway rides. (Though one of them was admittedly longer given the fact that I was so into the book that I forgot to get off...) I wished it had a bit more depth and drama and wistfulness sometimes, but overall what I loved is that it was such a slice of life, and so realistic.
jstar84's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this one--it got a little long-winded in the middle--but I thought the authors really nailed the emotions of the characters. I never really had a chance to communicate that much with my freshman roommate before move-in day, but I really connected to all the emotions the girls had about their "last summers." As a college counselor, I would definitely recommend this book to students making the transition from high school to college. The authors dealt with the issues students will face in a real and accessible way.
ashleighmacro's review
4.0
Refreshing novel about the scary summer before setting off to uni.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
I’ve got a thing for split narratives at the moment, it seems, and Roomies is a fantastic example of how brilliantly they can work if done well. The structure lends itself perfectly to the clever and unique storyline, which centres around the exchanges between Lauren and Elizabeth in the lead up to becoming roommates at university. They’re apart for 99% of this novel and each have their own stories to tell, so we get to follow both of them individually whilst witnessing their relationship develop from the very first email, and I loved it.
Both Lauren and Elizabeth are such wonderful characters. They’re well developed and relatable, flaws and all. I never once got confused between them, which is a real risk with split narratives, and I’m assuming that’s thanks to the contribution of two authors (this is one of the reasons why Lobsters by Lucy Ivison and Tom Ellen worked so well, too).
I really enjoyed the contrast between their lives. Elizabeth, or EB as she’s more fondly known, is an only child. Her parents are divorced and she feels quite lonely with such a distant family. Meanwhile, Lauren has a really close-knit family and a super-busy family life. Her family adores her, but she feels like it’s a bit too oppressive with lots of younger siblings that she feels quite responsible for. Despite being so different, Lauren and EB’s stories compliment each other perfectly, and it’s one of those times when you realise that the grass often really is always greener on the other side.
I found myself relating to this book a lot more than I expected to. It’s not too long ago that I was spending the summer panicking about starting university and living with a bunch of girls I’ve never met.
Not only that, but Roomies brings up a topic that I’ve not read about much in YA fiction and that’s interracial relationships, something very close to my heart because I’m in one! Very briefly, it annoyed me, because the way Lauren and Elizabeth talk about Keyon, who is black, is quite ridiculous.
For example, early on in the book, Lauren says: “I even write a little bit about Keyon being black and how this city is pretty diverse but he was my first nonwhite kiss… Then I read it all over and think I sound like an overdramatic idiot, and possibly racist. What if she’s not white and something I say offends her and she opens some kind of discrimination case against me and I become the most hated student at Berkley?”
Then later, when she visits Keyon’s house, Lauren says: “Keyon and Joe Junior were adorable kids. I’ve always thought black babies are the cutest, and I almost say that to Sue before realising there’s no way to say it without being totally offensive of making Sue think I’m an idiot. Race. It’s so tricky, even though we’re all supposedly enlightened and colour-blind. I don’t want it to be a Thing. But it kind of is a Thing, isn’t it?”
And at another point, Lauren says: “I hope it’s not as obvious to him as it is to me the lengths to which my parents are going to show how totally fine and not at all complicated it is that he’s black.”
When I actually thought about it, though, I realised that that really is how lots of people still react. If you’ve never been around people of another race, it’s difficult to truly understand that you don’t need to tiptoe around the subject. It’s highly unlikely that you’re about to offend anyone unless you’re outright being intentionally racist, but we all worry about it anyway (even I used to, but after 9 years of having a black second family, I realise how silly it was). So while it seemed ridiculous at first, I quickly realised that it was simply realistic, and actually quite refreshing. It’s honest, authentic, and I really hope to read more about interracial relationships in YA soon.
What made it even better was Kenyon’s jokes about his own race, and the jokes that he and Lauren were eventually able to share about it. Talking about race is the first step to understanding that it doesn’t matter, and that inside we are all the same. So even though I think some people who don’t fully understand that might find Roomies a bit unsettling, it’s not an untrue account of the subject and it’s absolutely relatable to me, one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel so much. (If you’re interested, I’ve written about my thoughts on interracial relationships here).
It’s quite a short read, and the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger that I don’t think we’ll ever get to read more about, leaving me feeling very much like I did at the end of Trouble by Non Pratt, but despite that I’d highly recommend it, particularly if you’re about to go to university yourself.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
I’ve got a thing for split narratives at the moment, it seems, and Roomies is a fantastic example of how brilliantly they can work if done well. The structure lends itself perfectly to the clever and unique storyline, which centres around the exchanges between Lauren and Elizabeth in the lead up to becoming roommates at university. They’re apart for 99% of this novel and each have their own stories to tell, so we get to follow both of them individually whilst witnessing their relationship develop from the very first email, and I loved it.
Both Lauren and Elizabeth are such wonderful characters. They’re well developed and relatable, flaws and all. I never once got confused between them, which is a real risk with split narratives, and I’m assuming that’s thanks to the contribution of two authors (this is one of the reasons why Lobsters by Lucy Ivison and Tom Ellen worked so well, too).
I really enjoyed the contrast between their lives. Elizabeth, or EB as she’s more fondly known, is an only child. Her parents are divorced and she feels quite lonely with such a distant family. Meanwhile, Lauren has a really close-knit family and a super-busy family life. Her family adores her, but she feels like it’s a bit too oppressive with lots of younger siblings that she feels quite responsible for. Despite being so different, Lauren and EB’s stories compliment each other perfectly, and it’s one of those times when you realise that the grass often really is always greener on the other side.
I found myself relating to this book a lot more than I expected to. It’s not too long ago that I was spending the summer panicking about starting university and living with a bunch of girls I’ve never met.
Not only that, but Roomies brings up a topic that I’ve not read about much in YA fiction and that’s interracial relationships, something very close to my heart because I’m in one! Very briefly, it annoyed me, because the way Lauren and Elizabeth talk about Keyon, who is black, is quite ridiculous.
For example, early on in the book, Lauren says: “I even write a little bit about Keyon being black and how this city is pretty diverse but he was my first nonwhite kiss… Then I read it all over and think I sound like an overdramatic idiot, and possibly racist. What if she’s not white and something I say offends her and she opens some kind of discrimination case against me and I become the most hated student at Berkley?”
Then later, when she visits Keyon’s house, Lauren says: “Keyon and Joe Junior were adorable kids. I’ve always thought black babies are the cutest, and I almost say that to Sue before realising there’s no way to say it without being totally offensive of making Sue think I’m an idiot. Race. It’s so tricky, even though we’re all supposedly enlightened and colour-blind. I don’t want it to be a Thing. But it kind of is a Thing, isn’t it?”
And at another point, Lauren says: “I hope it’s not as obvious to him as it is to me the lengths to which my parents are going to show how totally fine and not at all complicated it is that he’s black.”
When I actually thought about it, though, I realised that that really is how lots of people still react. If you’ve never been around people of another race, it’s difficult to truly understand that you don’t need to tiptoe around the subject. It’s highly unlikely that you’re about to offend anyone unless you’re outright being intentionally racist, but we all worry about it anyway (even I used to, but after 9 years of having a black second family, I realise how silly it was). So while it seemed ridiculous at first, I quickly realised that it was simply realistic, and actually quite refreshing. It’s honest, authentic, and I really hope to read more about interracial relationships in YA soon.
What made it even better was Kenyon’s jokes about his own race, and the jokes that he and Lauren were eventually able to share about it. Talking about race is the first step to understanding that it doesn’t matter, and that inside we are all the same. So even though I think some people who don’t fully understand that might find Roomies a bit unsettling, it’s not an untrue account of the subject and it’s absolutely relatable to me, one of the reasons I enjoyed this novel so much. (If you’re interested, I’ve written about my thoughts on interracial relationships here).
It’s quite a short read, and the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger that I don’t think we’ll ever get to read more about, leaving me feeling very much like I did at the end of Trouble by Non Pratt, but despite that I’d highly recommend it, particularly if you’re about to go to university yourself.
danjvrobertson's review
4.0
Roomies is a sweet coming-of-age story of two girls who, though seemingly an unlikely pair , become close through the beauty of email. When Elizabeth and Lauren are paired as freshman college roommates for the upcoming school year, they have the summer to come to grips with the changes in their life. And while they begin to learn things about each other through email, the virtual form of communication lends to a lot of slip-ups and misunderstanding. Can Elizabeth and Lauren come to terms with their rooming assignment - or should they both request a single?
Roomies was well-written, funny, and incredibly sharp. The narration was authentic for two teenage girls faced with the difficulties of being teenage girls (family, relationship drama, friendships). I enjoyed that the narration was split evenly between Elizabeth and Lauren, and I felt that their narratives paired nicely together.
The supporting characters and romantic subplots were enjoyable and pleasant to read about, but I do think the heart of this story lies in Elizabeth and Lauren's blossoming friendship and the idea of growing into oneself. I've personally been out of college for a few years, but I still related to this book so well.
Roomies was well-written, funny, and incredibly sharp. The narration was authentic for two teenage girls faced with the difficulties of being teenage girls (family, relationship drama, friendships). I enjoyed that the narration was split evenly between Elizabeth and Lauren, and I felt that their narratives paired nicely together.
The supporting characters and romantic subplots were enjoyable and pleasant to read about, but I do think the heart of this story lies in Elizabeth and Lauren's blossoming friendship and the idea of growing into oneself. I've personally been out of college for a few years, but I still related to this book so well.
jaimejustreadsromance's review
4.0
This book has been on my Kindle for a really long time and I just never seemed to get to it. I think it might have had to do with the fact that it is classified as a coming of age YA story and not a romance. Sometimes if romance doesn't seem to be a big part of a story it becomes less appealing to me. This is where the whole idea of TBR Tuesday has become something I'm truly thankful for. It's forced me to read books that at some point, interested me but that I haven't read for one reason or another and to realize that I miss out when I keep putting these books off.
This was absolutely a coming of age story with a heavy focus on friendship, family and change but I'm happy to report that there was a bit of romance as well.
The email relationship between EB and Lo was easy to relate to, especially in this age of social media. I was easy to relate to the fact that these two virtual strangers formed such a bond with each other strictly through online communication. It was intriguing to watch the relationship grow from introduction to their first argument and to question the level of loyalty, honesty and openness that is owed between two people who've never actually met.
It wasn't just about new friendship though. It also explored the changes that happen when someone is moving from one stage in their lives to another. Can childhood friendships survive time and distance? What happens to family when one of them leaves for bigger and better things? What happens when something amazing starts on your way out the door?
I love that the story was written with alternating POV's. It added more depth to the story while still flowing easily. It's a well-written coming of age tale that ended with never ending possibilities, which left me satisfied but wanting to know more at the same time. I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what happens next.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This was absolutely a coming of age story with a heavy focus on friendship, family and change but I'm happy to report that there was a bit of romance as well.
The email relationship between EB and Lo was easy to relate to, especially in this age of social media. I was easy to relate to the fact that these two virtual strangers formed such a bond with each other strictly through online communication. It was intriguing to watch the relationship grow from introduction to their first argument and to question the level of loyalty, honesty and openness that is owed between two people who've never actually met.
It wasn't just about new friendship though. It also explored the changes that happen when someone is moving from one stage in their lives to another. Can childhood friendships survive time and distance? What happens to family when one of them leaves for bigger and better things? What happens when something amazing starts on your way out the door?
I love that the story was written with alternating POV's. It added more depth to the story while still flowing easily. It's a well-written coming of age tale that ended with never ending possibilities, which left me satisfied but wanting to know more at the same time. I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what happens next.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
scythefranz's review against another edition
5.0
“Life is one of those experiments meant to be conducted in a stimulating, messy environment.”
Roomies, as the title speaks for itself, was about these two girls (Elizabeth and Lauren) who assigned to be roomies at the dormitory of a university they will be attending since they were college now. But the thing was they didn't know each other and that was the story went on.
Individually, both Elizabeth and Lauren had so many issues in life, so many stress and undertakings about leaving their families and friends behind and heading to college. Yet, those was the reasons I found the book immensely good.
I was hesitant to read it at first, since I assume it was all about just girls and stuff but I'm wrong (as always) because Roomies is full of "what the girls do before pursuing their studies away from home" which I found enjoyable and saddening to read at the same time.
Family, friendship, boyfriends/girlfriends, part-time jobs, career, college and everything normal about the everyday life are in this book, thus, it seemed real, it felt real. The characters are pragmatic and their voices are plausible.
And what I always eager to read in every chapter was their e-mails (Lauren's and Elizabeth's) with each other that actually pioneered their acquaintance and friendship. These e-mails which I found engaging to read, served as the bridge to know each other and to talk about hidden stuff they didn't want to share with the people they know in real life. And, unfortunately, the cause of some not-so-good instances for their blooming friendship.
It is really difficult for me to review realistic fiction especially this one but seriously I recommend this to everyone, not just for people who already attended or will be attending college away from home.
sasha_in_a_box's review
4.0
I went into this book thinking it was going to be all about squealing and girly things and an easy coming of age college romp. Nope! It was a lot deeper than that.
Elizabeth and Lauren both get into UC Berkley, and start e-mailing each other in June before their move-in date in August. They develop a tight friendship and go through a lot together in the couple of months before actually meeting. It touched on some interesting themes that I didn't expect to see - the accountability of adults, loyalty and selective truth-telling, and a very genuine look at the fleeting impermanence of that last summer before your life changes forever. Even a tiny thing about interracial relationship that felt fresh and realistic. Very touchy! I loved how that was handled, and everything else. The ending was exactly what I expected, and there was nothing wrong with it. Maybe it lost a little bit of its steam towards the end, but the book itself is very strong. Very recommended to everyone who is about to go off to college.
Elizabeth and Lauren both get into UC Berkley, and start e-mailing each other in June before their move-in date in August. They develop a tight friendship and go through a lot together in the couple of months before actually meeting. It touched on some interesting themes that I didn't expect to see - the accountability of adults, loyalty and selective truth-telling, and a very genuine look at the fleeting impermanence of that last summer before your life changes forever. Even a tiny thing about interracial relationship that felt fresh and realistic. Very touchy! I loved how that was handled, and everything else. The ending was exactly what I expected, and there was nothing wrong with it. Maybe it lost a little bit of its steam towards the end, but the book itself is very strong. Very recommended to everyone who is about to go off to college.