Latest Read: You Are Here

Here are the basics ...
Book: You Are Here
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Site: http://www.jenniferesmith.com/
Category: Young Adult

Summary: Emma Healy has grown used to being the only ordinary one in her extraordinary family. But when she finds a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, along with a death certificate dated just two days later, she realizes why she never felt quite whole. She sets off on a trip to visit her brother’s grave. Peter Finnegan, her neighbor, comes along for the ride. Emma thinks they can’t possibly have anything in common, but with each passing mile, they find themselves learning more and more about themselves and each other. (Adapted from goodreads.com) 

My thoughts…

The good:  You Are Here incorporates some of my favorite things in young adult books. Chapters that alternate between two different characters, a quirky family, the boy next door, that journey of accepting who you are and.. road trips! Compared to some of the other books I've read with a similar premise, this one is a bit slower because it's a lot more introspective. Emma and Peter are two very real, very normal and somewhat awkward teenagers and I appreciated that about them. They're used to going through life feeling unnoticed and detached from everything around them so it surprises them both when they end up on this trip together.  And even then, don't expect long conversations talking about their feelings and why they're running off. It's more about these little moments that they experience while on the road where they feel connected to the other.  The thing about Peter and Emma is that they each have their own distinct story.  Peter isn't just the love interest and Emma isn't interested in falling in love (but you know it's headed in that direction). Emma's perspective of her family has changed with the discovery of her twin and Peter has suffered a loss of his own that he's never been sure how to handle. The book does a great job of intertwining their stories and taking us on this journey with them.  A journey where they're both looking for a similar emotional outcome without even realizing it.

The bad:  It is slow and nothing super dramatic happens. It's simple and steadily paced which can I can see being an issue for people who prefer books that move more quickly.

Do I recommend?: I do. If you're a fan of Jennifer E. Smith, I think you'll enjoy this (although The Statistical Probability.. is still my fave).  But if you're in the mood for a thoughtful and poignant read and you don't mind a slow pace, I think this is worth checking out.

Happy reading!