Review: 3 stars
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 08 23, 2013
Let me start by being very honest...I don't really read this type of book, this young, high school life thing, I do pick some up occasionally, but I'm explaining this because it influences my review.The storyCharlotte has just lost her mother, her sister hates her and behaves horribly, and her father is lost in his grief. They leave for the summer to an island her mother visited when she was young. She meets Ezra, the cute boy next door. she struggles with insomnia, missing her mother, dealing with her horrific sister and attempting to connect with Zombie-Dad. I appreciated how emotional this story was, she's hurt and sad, and angry, and ashamed of her anger, she's not sure what to do about her sister or dad and she feels like she's completely lost herself. The story moved a little slowly for me, I think just because instead of being a story about things happening and progressing, it is about Charlotte and how she feels. I felt relief when Ezra appeared for the simple fact that the first 16% of the book was just so sad.charlotte was a good, strong character. Even though she was broken and hurt, she was strong and likable and wise beyond her years in a way that happens when you are put in the position she was. I adored her. Se did show her lack of maturity with the whole Ezra thing toward the end. This is a big part of why I don't read books with people this age, because they just act in a way that makes me kinda want to blow my brains out. Though I understood her being maybe hurt that Ezra hadn't opened up to her, the fact that she was so angry and said she couldn't trust him and yelled at him that they've known each other for "a whole month" and she couldn't comprehend why he would have kept that part of his life to himself, I was like..Grow Up!God! He was almost too perfect...I mean really. Like...perfect perfect. I didn't understand why he thought that Charlotte would think less of him for anything he did, especially considering what he was doing!Ella...well, I tried to find a picture that conveyed Queen of the Bitches, but I couldn't find a good one. I was glad that things went the way they did with her, it was the only alternative to killing her character off completely.Their dad...aw man, he hurt me. I felt so badly for them, and badly for him. It was just very sad.Things I didn't care forOne...as I've said before, they aren't quite old enough for me, some of the immaturity in Charlotte and Ella's behavior was killing me. The story was a little too clean. With the exception of Ella, there was no problems, and I know this story is really about Charlotte and how she is dealing with her family and the loss, but it was so...clean. I don't know. The ending...was so neat, tidy, wrapped everything up perfectly. I am also going to list this point as things I did like because I'm just that way.Things I likedI liked the characters that were present. I enjoyed Charlotte immensely--except for that time she pissed me off. I like that the whole thing wasn't about how "hot" Ezra was, and them constantly being all over each other--though if I'm being perfectly honest, I enjoy a lot of steam (another reason I don't read about youngsters). I appreciated Charlotte trying to find her way again, and being honest with herself and not in a pathetic and whiny way. Loved Ezra, I mean...could he be more perfect?! The ending...everything worked out for everyone.Taken as a story about a young girl and her feelings and life for her one summer, I would give this 4 stars. Overall enjoyment of it for me was maybe 3 stars because I enjoy a lot more character interaction and this book was seriously focused on Charlotte and not much about interaction with others, even Ezra.I'm going with 3.5 as I recognize that the book was well written and a good story, with good characters, it just mostly wasn't my kind of book. If this author writes about older characters, I would definitely read more from her.