Review: An Effortless Read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 13, 2013
In true honesty I'm a sucker for a good Young Adult book, and Effortless with you by Lizzy Charles is a GREAT effortlessly well written YA book!Do you remember being sixteen? I didn't until I read this story. I was taken back to all those emotions and feeling I had when I was Lucy's age. I couldn't help compare what she was feeling, struggling with what I had at that same age.Feeling, lost out-of-place. Wanting to fit in, be the "cool girl", or hang out with the "it" crowd even though that isn't her thing. And yes that is everything that Lucy is felling, going through. And let's not forget the love hate relationship with her parents. (Especially her mother) Eeek! *embarrassed* I remember struggling with all that as Lucy is.Lucy is a sixteen year old teenager, that finds herself trying to fit in after being at the hands of bullies. All she wants is for everyone to forget that girl and like the Lucy who hangs out with the "cool girl".The story is narrated by Lucy, we see everything through her eyes, we feel every emotion  she is feeling, from irritated, to awkward, to hurt, to those fluttering butterflies in the pit of our stomach due to a boy. We witness Lucy make mistakes, do the wrong thing trying to "fit in." Due to rebellion, and mistakes, Lucy's parent have enough of her lack of respect, her defiance to their authority her slacking and sneaking around that they make sure her actions have consequences."Honey, we decided that since you want to make your own decisions and desire the independence of an adult, you wouldn't mind going to work at all"They decide to get Lucy a summer job, but it isn't a laid back, mall type of job. Nope, it a hard laboured one of painting houses. Little does she know that this summer friends will show their true colors, betrayals will unfold, but a new blossoming friendship will take centre stage in not only her life but heart.Two piercing green eyes stare back at me. I don't even try to hide my groan. Justin. ~LucyJustin Marshall is cocky, smart, a popular jock, with the looks and the swooning girls chasing after him. He's dashing, funny, with a BIG ego! And that ladies and gents drives Lucy nuts in a bad way. If there is one person Lucy can't stand. That person is Justin. She thinks he is so conceited, she doesn't get why ALL the girls want to be with him.Justin may be gorgeous, but he is super annoying.~LucyLucy finds herself stuck all summer working along side Justin. And it is amusing to watch these two characters unfold. Their banter is funny, irritating, sweet, and the attraction is SO obvious to the reader but not to the characters. That you just want to scream at them to stop fooling themselves!I love that Lucy can't seem to figure out why Justin frustrates her so much! And it's quite obvious why. Their interactions as I said is all over the place. But I got to give it to Justin, he doesn't take himself seriously, he knows he irritates Lucy, so he gets off on bugging her even more.The more Lucy gets to spend time with Justin, her image of him morphs into something different... something better! She starts to see a different Justin. A Justin that most other people see, yet she hadn't blinded by her misconceptions of him. True to the saying `There is more then meets the eye`. As her view of him morphs, so does her feelings.I loved Justin, he is so much more than a handsome face, a gorgeous smile and hypnotic green eyes. He is sweet caring and a genuine guy all around. It will take Lucy a bit to realize this and hopefully they both will realize what each other really wants and really feel for the other.This is a fantastic debut novel by Lizzy Charles, it just gives you that fuzzy feeling, makes you smile, and takes you back to your once upon a time. I loved the story it was brilliantly written, and it touch so many realistic subjects. Not only the struggles of teenage-hood, trying to find one's identity, but it touches the struggles with mental health, shame, guilt, rancor, bullying, forgiving and so much more.All characters in this story are real, you love some, you hate some, but you cannot not feel something for all characters involved, no matter how big or small their part is in the book.This is a journey of self-discovery for Lucy.  Through her rollercoaster of emotions and feelings, we see her bloom into a centered girl. We see her grow and mend broken relationships, make bigger and better ones through the summer.The writing is spectacular, Lizzy Charles does an exceptional job, pulling the reader in and making them feel what Lucy is feeling. She knows how to make a sixteen year old girl believable. Reminding you of your teenage years. I cannot praise or recommend this book enough.Effortless with you is an adorable book, with a theme of hardship, trying to fit in, disappointment, friendship, loyalty, forgiveness, family, being true to oneself, new beginnings and first love.5 EFFORTLESS STARS!