My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
Blurb (on back of book):
"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."
The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.
As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?
A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.
MY OPINION: ****
My feelings are very undecided about this book..
So it's been a couple of days since I've finished this book and I just haven't had the time to get around to reviewing it yet (I just started HIGH SCHOOL) so forgive me if I forget character's names or whatnot.
When I was first hearing about this book, I was instantly intrigued. I love contemporary romance novels as you probably should already know and this one sounded like a light gem that would be great to pass the time by (and procrastinate with!). It wasn't disappointed but it failed to reach my, I admit, high expectations.
This book is about a girl named Samantha who watches her next door neighbors who have a ton of kids from her window porch area. She doesn't really know them at all because her mother dislikes them because of the state of their house (they're so busy!) and the number of kids they have (I can't remember exactly how many but it was somewhere around eight??). One day, one of the Garrett boys as they're called, Jase (LOVE THE NAME), climbs up and starts the romance off with, "Hey, need rescuing?" Now, ordinarily, that would be a pretty sentence coming from a boy's mouth in a romance novel but I think it threw me off from the whole story for a bit. Here this random boy is and it's instalove. He doesn't even think she's creepy for WATCHING them for so long.
Along the way, we learn that Sam's mom is running for senator and her new manager/boyfriend is willing to do anything to get her to win. Clay, as I believe he is called, definitely took first place for most disliked character of the book. He was just so "sleazy" as Tim so artfully puts it and I couldn't handle his faux personality.
We had beautifully written characters like George and Jase and I do remember liking Tim, though it seems that many disagree. George brought humor to the book and judging from where things went by the end, we really needed that. Jase is just Jase.
"I want to say right here that I am by no means the kind of girl who finds motorcycles and leather jackets appealing. In the least."
Sam's first thoughts when she sees Jase working on a motorcycle. Well, I can't say I agree.
Tim was written as a failure of life but by the end we can tell that he just took a couple of wrong turns and that he really has a brilliant mind and a great personality and is willing to help others. Other than his constant belittling of girls, I really liked his character.
The mom made me want to scream.
Nan. I didn't entirely understand how a friendship could just die like that but oh well. It happens.
Were there parts that made me laugh, cry, or scream in agony at the horrifying beauty of the words? Sure we can say that.
Overall, I didn't hate the book. Would I read a sequel? Definitely. Did I like the characters? Yes. Was it a little dramatic? Totally. I would recommend this book to readers looking for a Young Adult Contemporary novel. It is a darker and more political novel than you would expect just from looking at it though.
Main Character: Sam
Sidekick(s): Jase, Tim, Duff, George, Alice, etc
Villain(s): Misunderstanding, discrimination, accident, secrets, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: All of this was very real to life.
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