Starry Eyes
By: Jenn Bennett
Publication: April 3rd 2018 by Simon Pulse
432 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Source: Personal Kindle Library
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Goodreads description--In this romantic dramedy from the author of Alex, Approximately, a teen girl’s way-too-ordinary life is driven off the beaten path when she’s abandoned in the wilderness with her worst adversary—the boy who broke her heart.
Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.
But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.
What could go wrong?
With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.
And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?
Sigh. Well Starry Eyes is a mixed bag for me.
What I liked:
In a lot of ways Zorie reminded me of myself. She is a planner and a scheduler because it gives her a sense of being in control. I am the same way. If things go off plan Zorie begins to freak out with anxiety to the point of getting hives. Now I'm not this bad. My mood is certainly influenced by whether or not things are going according to my plans and I definitely struggle with anxiety when I can't control certain aspects of my plans, but I don't break out in hives. And with being a parent I've 100% learned that no matter how much I might wish otherwise I can't control other people. But all of this made her relatable to me.
Lennon. At first, I didn't know what to think about him. He obviously has some strong feelings toward Zorie but I wasn't sure of his motivation. As his story and perspective are revealed my heart completely broke for him. He was an absolute rock through most of the book and I loved that about him.
The camping adventure. Now I'm going to be honest and say that I have no true desire to go camping much less backpacking at this point in my life. But it was fun to read about. The Sierras provided a setting I don't often read about, and I really enjoyed it.
What I didn't like (minor spoilers ahead):
The cheating. This is something I don't enjoy reading about. I know it happens because it has touched my own family. But that's why I'm so sensitive to reading about it. It brings back memories and emotions that I'd just rather keep in the past.
LGBT. Lennon's birth mother is now married to another woman. While I liked Sunny and Mac individually in what instances they were present in the story. They were very supportive of Lennon, and they were more present and supportive than Zorie's own father. But I just don't agree with this lifestyle and don't enjoy reading about it any more than I enjoy reading about cheating or time travel.
Meagan. I didn't feel like her character was completely flushed out. She was apparently angry with Zorie for her friendship with Avani yet Meagan didn't even seem to like Zorie all that much from a personal level. I mean obviously they have issues but how were they even friends in the past much less enough for Meagan to be jealous. Plus Meagan was the one who'd made a new group of friends.
So yeah. Starry Eyes had some parts that I really enjoyed and others that I didn't care for. For that reason, I'm giving Starry Eyes 3 Stars. Have you read Starry Eyes? What did you think? Let me know!
