A review by mirrorchaser
Technically, You Started It by Lana Wood Johnson

2.0

This book was not good. The first issue is probably my fault. I didn't realize it was an alternative style (entirely written via text messages) so I suppose I can't dock too many points for not liking that aspect of it. Otherwise though... the plot is practically non-existent and the plot that is there just is not a good one. Two cousins have the exact same name and take the same classes in the same grade at the same school, one texts a girl named Haley from their classes asking about an assignment and thus an online/text friendship begins. After a while, it becomes apparent to Martin (the guy) that Haley thinks she is talking to his cousin, whom she doesn't mind, not him, who she apparently hates because her friends hate him.

All of that sounds pretty okay and realistic because... teenagers? But they seriously never talked in person at school even after having been friends and only one time does Haley try to talk to (who she thinks is) Martin and he totally ignores her which doesn't actually upset her at all? The whole thing is just wild and not really in a good way. The prose (or dialogue, since it is literally entirely dialogue) is very stilted and awkward to read. My copy was digital and it was also rarely clear who was actually speaking but that is possibly the fault of my copy just being crappy.

All in all I'm giving it two stars instead of one because I made it through the book.