Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett [Review]

RELEASE DATE: April 3rd, 2018
AUTHORS:  Jenn Bennett
GENRE: Young-Adult, Contemporary, Romance. 
PUBLISHER: Simon Pulse
SUMMARY:

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?

“Planning can’t save you from everything. Change is inevitable and uncertainty is a given. And if you plan so much that you can’t function without one, life’s no fun. All the calendars, journals, and lists in the world won’t save you when the sky falls.”  

I’ve had my eye on this book for a while. I loved Jenn Bennett’s Alex Approximately and this is the second book I’ve read by her.  Starry Eyes was a fun read with sweet romance and I really enjoyed it. It was a cuteness overload and I liked the main characters Zorie and Lennon, they’re totally fun and adorable. To be honest, I didn’t loved this book as much as Alex Approximately, but still I think it was a wonderful YA contemporary romance novel. If you like second chance YA romance then you’ll definitely fall in love with this book, It was so good. The story was heartwarming, emotional, and romantic. The adventurous aspect in this book made the story even more fun to read. 

Seventeen Year old wannabe astrophysicist Zorie, and goth boy Lennon used to be best friends, but when they decided to take their relationship to another level(the great experiment) things didn’t go well. Since the last year’s homecoming dance best friends turned into enemies. They try to avoid to each other. On top of that, Zorie’s father hates Lennon and his parents. When Zorie and her friends goes to a camping trip, she’s surprised to find Lennon there. After their camping trip goes wrong, both of them gets stranded on the wilderness alone. Zorie wanted to escape from her family issues by going to the glamping but she didn’t expect that things would turnout badly. With no one else for company, they both work together to find the safety. During their journey in the wilderness, they fight with each other through insults and jabs. When old feelings resurfaces they both confide their secrets to each other, but are they enough to rekindle their relationship? or will they go back to being enemies after they reach their safe destination.

The author has done a great job in building the characters. Zorie and Lennon are totally adorbs. I really liked Zorie even though her crush on Brett really annoyed me. That guy was awful, what did she see in him? he’s so uncharming. I’m glad she quickly realized that he’s not the right guy for her. I quite loved her relationship with her step mother Joy who’s a korean-american. On the other hand, her father is a complete A*hole, I didn’t like him at all. Lennon is definitely my favorite character in this book. I loved his snarky, sweet, and fun personality. His relationship with his moms was super adorable. They’re really great moms and together they’re hilarious. Have I told you guys that they own a adult sex toys shop. The romance between Zorie and Lennon was super cute, sweet, swoony, and fun. I enjoyed their chemistry, their connection, and how their relationship slowly developed. Their banters is another thing I loved in their relationship. As for the other characters, I hated Reagan, Zorie’s frenemy. She had a tragic past but she didn’t have to be such a mean bitch. I liked Avani Desai, Zorie’s other friend who’s in her astronomy club. I wish there was a bit more girl friendship in this book. 

It has a very interesting and unique plot that’ll keep you engaged till the end. The story felt very realistic and I’m glad to see how sex discussed in a positive way. There’s some sexy scenes in the book but they’re not explicit. Besides the cute adventurous romance, I loved the family dynamics and the diverse aspects. They’re definitely what made this a great read. I liked how the story was divided into three parts and also the picture maps at the start of each part, they’re kinda cute especially that last map. The pacing was good and I loved the descriptive writing style. The story was written in Zorie’s POV but I wish we had a few glimpses of Lennon’s mind too. The characters were well built and well developed. Zorie and Lennon felt very realistic. They’re quite opposite to each other but together they’re compatible. Both of them were dealing with some family issues and I liked how they found solace in each other’s arms. Those scenes are emotional and also cute.

Overall, I loved this  book! It’s a heartwarming YA read that deals with family, friendship and love. If you’re looking for a perfect summer read then add this to your list, you won’t regret it. I really can’t wait to know what Jenn has in store for us next.

Recommend it?
YES

I highly recommend this book to everyone who’s looking for a fun YA Contemporary read with a swoony romance and adventure. 

MY RATING:[4/5 Stars]

So, What do you think of this book? Have you read it yet? Do you Plan to read it?
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See You In The Next Post and Have a Great Day! 🙂