Review: Coming of Age magicness....
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 4, 2014
4.5 stars -- OK, I don't even remember what I was thinking, but I was only partially interested in this book when it came out.  Maybe it's because I don't have a sister?  I don't even remember what my preconceptions were, but this book basically just blew those out of the water.  Seriously, such a fun and heartwarming coming of age book times 2....  Oh, before I forget, I was given a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for my honest opinion....I had a harder time getting a feel for Charlie, probably b/c I just don't have much in common with her personality wise.  But at the same time, I really felt for her struggles with who *she* wanted to be.  My heart broke for her, always feeling second best and somewhat lost while all of her friends are starting their next chapters in life.  <spoiler>I am so torn on the relationship with Drew.  I loved their cute summer fling, and since the story was really more about Charlie and Lucy, it was kind of nice that it was just a side story, and that it didn't necessarily end with some epic HEA....  But on the other hand I really liked Drew for Charlie, so I want more!  I don't want it to have ended!  It just seemed so out of nowhere!</spoiler>Lucy, on the other hand, is my girl....  I could totally empathize with so much of what she was going through -- from being the younger sister with the brains that pleases the parents, but still feeling really boring and unnoticeable.  And while I wasn't quite as cripplingly shy as Lucy, I can totally vibe with that aspect of her personality too.  It was like she was made of me.  And she did better than I did -- I didn't get my first kiss til I was 19!!  I ADORED the side relationship with Luke -- he was just so perfect and patient with her.  So sweet!!!  I want more!!!This book had so much more to it than many of the YA's out there.  It wasn't about some epic love story (though the love stories contained in it were truly satisfying).  And it wasn't about some epically screwed up teenagers....it was more about normally screwed up teenagers.  Two girls dealing with issues that, while not some horrible form of abuse and neglect, are still really big and daunting and affecting for a teenage self.  I really appreciated that.I also really appreciated the subtleness of the growth in the sister relationship.  It wasn't some miraculous turn around, but a slow changing of the tides where you see that there is still lots of work to be done, but at least they are both finally seeing the other more clearly, and recognizing that while they might be completely different, they share many of the same fears and insecurities.So yeah, well done authors.  I thought this might be one of those books that I would only be meh about and have to give a dreaded "it was ok" review, but you totally surprised me, in the best possible way.  Feel free to write a sequel.  ;)