Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

I have been so excited for this book release, so I jumped at the chance to be a part of this blog tour! Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett is a cute contemporary that follows Zorie, a teen girl looking to go on a week-long camping trip with her friends to escape some personal drama. Turns out, some of that drama follows her on the trip, and after a mishap at the campsite, the whole week becomes something Zorie never could have planned for. 

Official Synopsis

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?

My Review

I absolutely adored this book! While I'd never read anything by Jenn Bennett before, I'd heard so much about her books, and the hype is definitely justified. I loved the main characters in this story, and I really identified with Zorie. Zorie is a planner girl (all the way down to her washi tape!) like me, and just like Zorie I panic when things aren't fully planned out in advance. I thought it was really unique that Zorie had a passion for astronomy, since this is something you don't see too often in YA. I loved Lennon as well. I just wanted to reach into the story and hug him for everything he'd been through. Some of the minor characters really rubbed me the wrong way, but I know they were supposed to. Watching Zorie's family dynamic in this book was a bit hard. From her mail discovery at the beginning, to her dad's firecracker temper, I really felt for Zorie and what she was dealing with.

I flew through this read. While that's usually the case with contemporaries, I didn't even realize how quickly I was moving through this one until I was almost at the end. I thought the writing style and language were definitely appropriate, and did not feel like an adult "trying too hard" to write for teenagers. I loved that the typical YA trope of "absent parent syndrome" wasn't a thing here, and that Zorie's parents were actively engaged (even if sometimes in the wrong way) in what was going on in their daughter's life.

Unfortunately I was just left wanting more, as is true with many contemporaries. The ending seemed a little rushed and was over too soon for my taste.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

About the Author

Jenn Bennett is an award-winning author of young adult books, including: Alex, Approximately; The Anatomical Shape of a Heart (aka Night Owls in the U.K.); and Starry Eyes. She also writes romance and urban fantasy for adults. Her books have earned multiple starred reviews, won the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award, and been included on Publishers Weekly Best Books annual list. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two dogs. Visit her at www.jennbennett.net.

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Be sure to follow the other stops on this blog tour to learn more about Starry Eyes! Thanks so much to Simon Pulse and Fantastic Flying Book Club for early access to a digital copy of this read.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett releases this week on April 3, so be sure to pick up a copy via any of the links below! Also be sure to enter the giveaway for your chance to win one of three galley copies (US only) of this great book!

    Goodreads  //  Amazon  //  Barnes & Noble  //  Book Depository
Kobo  //  IndieBound  //   iBooks

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