Starry Eyes is a young adult contemporary novel that follows teens Zorie and Lennon. Zorie and Lennon used to be best friends but, because of something that happened at the homecoming dance, they are now sworn enemies and do everything they can to avoid one another at all costs. I had never read a book by Jean Bennett before and knew absolutely nothing about these characters, but as soon as I read that in the synopsis, I was dying to know what happened at that dance to drive them apart.

I then read further down the synopsis and saw that these enemies somehow not only end up on a camping trip together, but somehow they end up stranded in the wilderness together. It sounded like a recipe for disaster, but also a recipe for a fantastic read!

As if the mystery of what happened between Zorie and Lennon and whether or not they would kill each other on this camping trip wasn’t compelling enough, the synopsis goes on to describe their parents as modern day versions of the Montagues and Capulets from Romeo and Juliet. That right there was more than enough to have me dying to read this book. I mean, seriously…bffs who now hate each other and who have families who are also feuding? Does that not just scream “READ ME”? Well, it did for me anyway…

And I loved every page of it. Jenn Bennett delivers a moving story filled with characters that I fell in love with. Even though on the surface, Starry Eyes is a book about a camping trip gone wrong, it’s also about family, love, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and so much more. It captured all of my emotions and was just everything I hoped it would be.

First of all, I just loved everything about Zorie. I found her addiction to planning and organization, along with her sense of humor and her fondness for astronomy, so endearing. I also found her incredibly relatable at times, especially when she first encounters Lennon. They’re enemies at this point and she would rather do just about anything than have to come face-to-face with him. Haven’t we all been in that position before? Equally relatable was her questionable taste in romantic interests. Zorie has a crush on a guy named Brett, and I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I’m just going to say this guy is just the worst. I couldn’t figure out what in the world she saw in him. But again, haven’t we all been there at some point? I think what I liked most about Zorie, however, was how much she matured throughout the story. Again, no spoilers, but between what happened with Lennon and what has been going on within her own family, Zorie has a lot of issues that she is dealing with and I think she shows tremendous growth as we move through the story, In many ways, it’s actually a coming of age story for her.

Even though I thought going in that I would side with either Zorie or Lennon, I found myself equally attached to both of them. Lennon is just this cool guy. He’s a little dark and emo at times, but he loves reptiles and he loves camping and nature so he’s a pretty well rounded and interesting individual. He really won me over though in an early scene where he’s working in a pet shop and showing reptiles to a young child. He was just so great with the child that it warmed my heart and made me all the more curious about what happened between him and Zorie. I mean, how could you not want to be friends or even more than friends with such a great guy!

Zorie and Lennon together. Yes, you read that correctly! Even though I almost always whine and moan when there is a romance in a book, I adored watching Zorie and Lennon together as they attempted to rebuild their relationship. Their chemistry felt real because they already had so much history together, and I loved how authentic the awkwardness felt when they first start trying to talk to each other again, and because I liked them both so much, I just really wanted them to have a second chance, either as friend or hopefully as more than friends since they seemed so perfect together.

Great secondary characters. Bennett does a fantastic job with most of the parents in this story. I loved Lennon’s moms and their Toys in the Attic sex shop. They were hilarious and also two of the best parents I’ve come across in books in a long time. I especially love how protective they are of Zorie, even though they’re supposed to be feuding with Zorie’s dad. Zorie’s stepmom is wonderful too. The bond she has with Zorie was lovely, especially since they aren’t related by blood. Zorie’s dad is a different story in that I loathed him, but I will say he was not a flat character either.

Glamping. I confess that I completely related to Zorie’s aversion to going camping because I don’t do the outdoors either, especially the whole sleeping in a tent with nothing but some canvas between you and whatever else it out there in the wild, lol. That said, however, I could totally get down with glamping. It sounded fabulous, especially the wonderful sleeping accommodations, the showers, the chef, and the cocktail hours. Sign me up!

I could literally go on and on about what I loved, but you get the idea…

Aside from wanting Brett to get eaten by a bear, I didn’t really have any issues with this book.

This may have been my first Jenn Bennett read, but it will most certainly not be my last. If you’re looking for a heartwarming read about family, friendship, and first loves, I’d highly recommend Starry Eyes.

You were the stars, and I was the dark sky behind you."

"Without dark sky, you couldn't see the stars."

"I knew I was useful," he says.

"You're essential."

This was so adorable and some parts were just hilarious - I laughed out loud reading this when traveling home by train, and some passengers shook their heads and looked at me, as if I've lost my mind (I JUST QUOTED JOHN LENNON HAHAHA). #noshame

This is my first time reading a YA contemporary novel with camping in it. I see camping in fantasy novels all the time, and I think it should totally appear more in contemporaries, because it's fun to read about! I've read a lot of Zoie @ Whisked Away By Words's blog posts about traveling to US national parks, and I have always dreamed of visiting one of those. In this book, the characters hiked in the High Sierras, and I was amazed by what they saw on the way - the animals, the mountain valleys and the waterfalls.

What I liked the most about this book's definitely the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers thing going on between Lennon and Zorie hahahaha. Friends-to-lovers is my favorite trope of all time, and friends-to-enemies-to-lovers is even better! Excuse me while I freak out a little.

I hated Brett, whom Zorie has had a crush on since elementary school. He is a jerk, and does not care about Zorie's feelings at all. Zorie keeps describing him as funny and outgoing, but I disagreed with her - Brett is annoying and self-absorbed. I already knew he is going to do something bad to Zorie (i.e. kiss Reagan in front of her and break her heart + abandon her at the campsite). Plus, he's a big liar. He forgets to close his food container and leads a bear to their campsite, then says the lid of his container is broken when really, it isn't.

In contrast, Lennon is thoughtful, smart and trustworthy. Although Zorie's mad at him, he continues doing all kinds of stuff for her and other people, for example, chasing away the bear and treating Zorie's snakebite.

And Lennon's moms and Zorie's (step)mom are such amazing people! Lennon's moms own a sex toy shop (my first time seeing one in YA novels lolol) and they have such interesting conversations - I think it would be fun living with them hahahaha. And although Zorie's mom isn't related to Zorie by blood, she is there for her when Zorie's dad isn't and she's just a wonderful person - she is nice, forgiving and an acupuncturist, which makes her even more awesome.

Overall rating

★★★★.5

Starry Eyes is such a cute book (plus there's a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers relationship in it and I'm highkey screaming because it's so adorable) <3 I also learned more about backpacking, camping and hiking, and NOW I WANT TO HIKE THE HIGH SIERRAS! I love Jenn Bennett's writing so much and I'll definitely give Alex, Approximately and The Anatomical Shape of a Heart a try soon.

I fell in love with Jenn Bennett’s YA books last year when I read Alex, Approximately. The story and writing was exactly what I love in a realistic contemporary. When I finished Alex I moved on to The Anatomical Shape of a Heart. Same writing and story vibe that I love. Bennett seems to just click with what I love. So when Starry Eyes was announced I was beyond excited. And although it I wasn’t as in love with it as I was with her other two, it’s up there with some other favorites.

Starry Eyes is about Zorie, a girl with a plan. No, seriously, she has a plan for everything! And her plan fo the summer is to work, see a meteor shower, and to stay away from her former best friend Lennon who broke her heart. Unfortunately life doesn’t go according to plan. Suddenly Zorie finds herself abandoned in the woods with only Lennon to rely on to get them home. When plans are no longer an options Zori starts to learn things she never knew and has to deal with the aftermath of it all.

My favorite part of Starry Eyes was Zorie and Lennon’s relationship and history. It’s clear early on that there are things about their relationship that is a mystery to both of them. Honestly they are both missing parts of their own story. Reading as they delve into the past and see what went wrong really endeared them to me. It showed just how teenager-ish they were. Instead of talking they shut out. It was pretty perfect. And Bennett unfolded there story in a way that was paced perfectly.

Like I said, I didn’t love it as much as the first two Bennett books I’ve read, but I think that’s a me thing. I’m an indoor girl so the extended woods part was a tad too much for my city girl loving heart. But with that aside this book was really great. It shows friendships changing, parents failing, and character growth. Definitely one to get on the TBR.

I loved the characters. I do wish that we could have known Zorie and Lennon before, when they're relationship was truly formed, because the resolutions felt rushed. Also, the reasons for the rift, though heartbreaking, seemed more convenient than plausible. That said, it's a fun ride and one that I think teens will definitely enjoy. 3.5 stars rounded up.

The book was a solid read and a cute romance, but it relied heavily on tropes. Really loved the camping and outdoor northern California setting.

Fun teen romance with a California wilderness setting. Parental issues and friendship issues abound. Characters are believable and likable. There is an added interest of hiking and astronomy.

I usually don’t post reviews here for Young Adult romances because first of all I don’t read many, and because this is primarily and adult blog. But there were so many things to love about Starry Eyes I knew I had to post a review!

The setting! A locale I’m pretty familiar with was like another character in the story, and Jenn Bennett’s beautiful descriptions made it come alive! I could almost smell the pines and picture wading through the ferns while reading.

Backpacking! I used to be and avid backpacker so I loved that a good portion of Lennon and Zorie's story takes place while backpacking through the big redwoods. Trying to survive in the wilderness is a great way to be forced together again, and all those quite nights spent by the fire or in a little tent, set the stage for steamy encounters! Makes me want to rough it all over again!

Second chance romance! Zorie and Lennon are at odds, but circumstances throw them together again and I was thrilled with every step they took to get it right this time. I adore Jenn Bennett’s romances! So swoony!

I couldn’t stand Zorie’s dad! Ack! He was such a total dick! Judgmental and prejudice with he had ABSOLUTELY no right! What a hypocrite! Jenn Bennett creates characters you can’t help but care for so my emotions tend get a little high, lol. Especially when it’s in defense of another character.

If you haven’t read one of Jenn Bennett’s Young Adult romances Starry Eyes is an excellent place to start, but I’ve also adored Alex, Approximately and The Anatomical Shape of a Heart. All are guaranteed to melt your heart!

I liked this book. . .just not as much as I'd hoped that I would. Bennett's other book "Alex, Approximately" is one of my favorite books, so my expectations were so high for this one! The characters just didn't resonate withe me in this book the way I wanted them to. I did like Lennon, and the third section of the book really made me like and understand him better. I just wanted a little more magic and spark between the two main characters.

Overall really enjoyed this book! I read Bennett's book last year, Alex Approximently and loved it so I was expecting great things from this one and really loved it as well!!
I loved the hiking and camping aspect of this book and the romance of Zory and Lennon is just so adorable!
A perfect summer read and a cute and fun one at that!!!

Jenn Bennett’s Starry Eyes suffers from an interesting synopsis that never quite gets delivered on page. Zorie and Lennon were once best friends, but now regard each other with nothing less than scorn. Though the synopsis boasts of a turbulent relationship between their families, the reality is less dramatic. Zorie’s mother has always been friendly with Lennon’s moms. The major point of contention between the two families is Zorie’s father. His bitterness about the failure of his career and his own bigotry toward Lennon’s moms are what fuels the tension between the two families. At times, the novel felt too long and the conflict between Zorie and Lennon felt too short-lived that the initial animosity at the beginning felt rather pointless.

I liked that Zorie, a devoted planner, learns to appreciate spontaneity, that she learns that there is value in the unexpected. Her relationship with her mother is my favorite in the novel. Joy is patient and understanding with Zorie. She never ridicules her daughter for bad decisions, but is always there to help her through her problems. Joy makes a striking contrast to Zorie’s father, Dan, and much of the time, I wondered what he really brought to the table in their marriage and Zorie’s upbringing. So much of the novel hinges on Zorie’s father’s destructive behavior without giving the character anything else to work with. As a result, Zorie’s father falls very flat. The revelations surrounding his character and the consequences with regard to his relationship with his daughter did not have a strong impact on me as a reader because I never could value him as an important influence in Zorie’s life.

One of my major issues with the novel is the hostility between the main character and her love interest. Part of the build-up is revealing what went wrong between former best friends, Zorie and Lennon. Though the two do their best to avoid one another, it seemed obvious from the beginning that this wasn’t something that Zorie felt strongly about. I expected a relationship with more tension, but after only a couple of bantering scenes, the two were already quickly on their way to reconciliation. My problem with this whole dynamic is when everything is put on the table, I could not help but shake my head because a little communication could have saved both characters from a lot of heartache. Strangely enough, I was more interested in finding out more about their friendship than their thwarted romance. It’s an aspect that is forced to take a backseat, but one I was more invested in.

Starry Eyes will probably appeal to those who enjoy second-chance romances and Bennett’s previous novel Alex, Approximately, but left me wanting more overall.

Another Fantastic book by Jenn Bennett. You can't help but fall in love with Zorie and Lennon. Everyone you follow them in their adventure GREAT READ

Adorable fun contemporary ya romance! If you liked Alex, Approximately, then you will also enjoy this book!

When I first heard about Starry Eyes, I was so excited to read it. I'd read this author's previous release, Alex, Approximately, so I was curious about her next book, especially when I read the summary. If you've read any of my reviews, you probably know that I LOVE the hate-to-love trope. This book had that and second chance romance so my interest was peaked.

I enjoyed so much about this book; I feel like it was fairly different from some other YA contemporaries. You can really tell that Jenn Bennett either knew a lot or researched the stuff in this novel very well. Everything was written so well and so detailed.

What I really loved about the characters was that we get to know them so well, particularly their hobbies. Seeing what they liked, I think, helped develop the characters more, so that they seemed less like flat characters and more like real people. The relationships in this book were also so well-developed; not just the romantic ones, but also the family ones. You might've read my review for Kissing Max Holden, and honestly, this book had some of the same plot lines: forbidden (by the dad) romance and the cheating fathers. However, Starry Eyes definitely handled these better, especially the cheating dad (I am still so SALTY about KMH okay). Anyway, back to the family relationships: I loved Zorie's relationship with her stepmom. Never does she have any tension between herself and her stepmother; even when Zorie worries that her dad's, uh, promiscuity will damage their relationship, it still holds true, and I really enjoyed reading about their relationship.

The romance was sooooo good too!! A goth love interest who knows you as well as yourself, wow. And of course, being a hate-to-love story means there was a LOT of buildup. But of course, it was all worth it in the end *insert smirking emoji*.

Starry Eyes was a cute read with amazingly developed characters and relationships. With an extended camping trip and a main character who loves astronomy, what more can you want? A perfect spring read, Starry Eyes should be at the top of your tbr list.

The first thing that I have to say about this book is that I love it! It was so well written and kept me interested the entire time. I really wanted to know how it was going to end and what was going to happen to the characters. 

This book has so much going on but it was so amazing! I feel like there were a lot of small conflicts rather than one big one, but I loved how well they all connected to each other. It also features the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope, but it was done really well. 

Zorie, the main character, was very oblivious/immature in the beginning which I did not really like, but by the middle of the book I think she really developed a lot. I fell in love with Zorie and Lennon, and I could not get enough of their relationship. It was so cute, and I could not wait to see where it went. 

Lennon was such a great character. His personality towards the other characters was so funny because he is so sarcastic, but when it came to Zorie, he was compassionate, caring, and just so sweet. 

I also really liked the setting of this book. I have gone camping quite a few times in the last year, so the struggles they had were struggles I could relate to. This made the story so much better for me. Also, I think that really added to the romance of it. 

I think the synopsis does not do this book justice, because there is so much more to it than just the camping trip gone wrong aspect, but I don't want to spoil anything. 

Overall, the story was just both beautiful and heartbreaking, but the ending made my heart so happy and full. 

I am definitely going to buy the finished copy of this book once I get a chance, and I can not wait to read the other Jenn Bennett book I own!

Jenn Bennett is my jam! She has forever changed my life with her beautiful, charming, realistic stories and unforgettable characters. Starry Eyes was no exception, and even made me want to go camping, which is not normally a desire that I have.

I loved living vicariously through Zorie (awesome name, btw), and experiencing her anxiety and need for plans and organization. The thing about Jenn Bennett's books... they all resonate with me in some way. I'm usually able to relate to multiple characters, which doesn't happen very often. I have a strong urge to plan every little thing, but having kids quickly changed that. I can barely plan dinner, so an entire day is out of the question. I understood Zorie on a very deep, emotional level. Her stress was my stress, but without the hives.

My husband loves, loves, loves to go camping. He would backpack across the world for the rest of his life, if he could. I prefer short walks and camping in cabins. I loathe mosquitos and they adore me. We like to take short hikes as a family, and I love the solitude it provides. You're really stuck with your thoughts, and it gives you a chance to think about everything and nothing. All of these things, the mosquitos, the quiet, the thoughtfulness--it's all mentioned in this book. It's a story that speaks to the soul.

I love that Lennon has two moms and then a dad. Mac and Sunny sound like ridiculously awesome parents. I don't think I'll be able to see or hear the word "shrimp" without laughing to myself. Zorie's family was unconventional, but also enjoyable. I loved her relationship with her stepmom, and how the two of them were friends and not just mom and daughter. Oh, and Grandpa Sam was one of my favorite characters even though he's only mentioned a few times and seen once.

Giant sequoia trees, the Perseid meteor shower, and even a few creatures were all a part of this wonderful story. I always find it more difficult to review the books I love, because I feel like there is so much to say, but also like I cannot adequately put my feelings into words. I love how sex-positive this author is, and how her characters always seem to discuss it with maturity and responsibility. Cursing and sex are not taboo, and they shouldn't be. Most teenagers are sexually active, or at least having thoughts about it. Like I said, realistic.

Starry Eyes was about two people trying to navigate their emotions and the wilderness. I loved watching their journey and seeing the world through their eyes. If you haven't read something by Jenn Bennett, I highly recommended that you do!

I cannot even BEGIN to form coherent sentences about how much I LOVED Starry Eyes, the newest novel from Jen Bennett that is bringing swoon back to YA. Set in Northern California (already a huge plus for me, an avid reader of West Coast fiction) the novel features a hate to love romance, mixed and unique family systems, dysfunctional and healthy parent-child relationships, and sex positivity. I want to jump up and down and scream from the rooftops about how perfectly crafted and balanced this novel is- it's the YA contemporary I've been waiting my whole reading and blogging life for, and my only regret is that I didn't get to read this when I was a teenager.

Starry Eyes follows protagonist Zorie, Type A, serial planner, future astrophysicist (amazing!) and also semi-awkward rising high school senior who gets roped into attending a summer camping/glamping excursion which happens to coincide with some family drama that she'd rather not deal with. Changing up her summer plans at the last minute is stressful enough for someone who doesn't like surprises, but she's thrown for a loop when her ex-best friend now arch nemesis Lennon ends up on the trip as well. Since I have so much love for this story and could just continue to babble in run on sentences, I'll break the reasons why Starry Eyes is amazing into some (hopefully) more succinct bullet points.

- Lennon. As a potential YA love interest, Lennon bucks a lot of conventions. He's sort of goth/emo (ahhh that takes me back), loves reptiles, is a shameless trivia nerd, and also is super outdoorsy and attractive. I love that he wasn't a stereotype and that his attractiveness was a unique combination of things that some characters were drawn to and others weren't. It was so realistic.

-The family dynamics here were super complex but never felt heavy handed. Zorie lives with her dad and her "stepmom" although they are super close since Zorie's biological mom died when she was 8. I loved seeing this blended family system where the roles of mom vs. stepmom weren't important and show that biology isn't the most important factor in parent-child relationships. Zorie's dad was a scumbag (to put it mildly, and it's not really a spoiler since you find this out pretty early on in the book) and I loved that he had to face consequences for it. And Zorie's grandparents through her stepmom's side were hilarious and badass and it was so cool to see grandparents being featured in playing a part in a YA protagonist's life. Usually it's rare to even get parents who are fully fleshed out, let along grandparents (ugh that scene with Grandma Esther at the end gives me LIFE).

-There's a lot of different portrayals of camping in this book! At first I didn't know how much I was going to like the plot because I have not been legit camping since I was about three years old (my parent's first and last foray in camping with a tent), however I was surprised at not only how much I LEARNED about camping (bear canisters are necessary!) but it also showed different types of camping- from back country, truly isolated camping to camping at national campgrounds with several others to full on glamping in luxury yurts (which is now on my bucket list please & thank you).

-The romance was actually full of tension and flaws and butterflies and was built up realistically and was just perfect. I am usually super wary of hate-to-love romances because they can be super cheesy or feel really rushed, but this one had just the perfect amount of tension and skepticism sprinkled throughout as ~feelings~ were developing (or reigniting, as it were). I also loved that Zorie and Lennon were both such different people with different interests but still had chemistry and respect for each other's hobbies. LOVE. Also so much playful + sassy banter.

Overall: Starry Eyes is my new favorite YA contemporary novel, hands down. It brings back the nostalgia of high school drama and relationships but in the best way possible, and it was fun and flirty and mature while still dealing with heavier family issues without feeling like it was trying too hard. I wish I could live in Lennon and Zorie's story forever, and though everything wrapped up nicely I'm still crossing my fingers for a sequel!

4 1/2 Stars!!

Zorie and Lennon have been best friends for a really long time, until the Great Experiment when their feelings for each other changed. But, last year when the two decided to go public, Zorie found herself stranded at homecoming by Lennon with no explanation and a single “I’m sorry” via text.

Now it’s a year later, summer time, and Zorie finds out from her step mom that she has been “invited” by a girl named Reagan on a glamping trip (camping for rich people). At first, Zorie doesn’t really want to go, but when she discovers a letter addressed to her mother that has something to do with her father – Zorie finds it as a way to escape until she can decide what to do about this new information. What Zorie did not expect was for Lennon to be joining the trip, nor the events that follow suit.

This was such a cute read. I absolutely adore Jenn Bennett’s YA romance. They are definitely a bit on the older side of the YA adult, but they are just so well done. I love that it’s sex and safety positive. I love that it generally has awesome parent’s (with the exceptions of Zorie’s father in this case) and such great, well developed characters.

I enjoyed the setting and the duo’s adventure as they make their way through the state park after getting stranded. I learned a thing or two about camping myself that I was not aware of. I love the relationship between the two characters and they were just both such great kids. The romance was sweet, wonderful and believable. Lennon had really great parents (two mothers). Zorie had an awesome relationship with her step-mother Joy and that just made my heart sing.

Thought I enjoyed the large part of this book, I had gripes with Reagan and her friends. I understood the girl had issues because she did not get what she has been training for all her life, but I did not like what she did to Zorie and Lennon. I also did not understand why the others just followed suit with her decision. It felt like it could have gone so terribly wrong and there just wasn’t enough repercussion for their actions. I also felt like Summer and Kendrick should have stopped her, because they did not seem like the type of kids from what I got out of them in the book, that would be capable of doing something like that.

Oh, and Zorie’s father really got under my skin with his actions and lack of thought for his daughter. I understand that he lost a wife, but Zorie lost a mother and he should have been a better parent in this situation – but he was not. I did adore that Joy – her step-mother was just such a fantastic character and was able to step right in.

Overall, this was just another awesome read from this author. Her writing flows, her characters are extremely likable for me, I enjoyed the story and the writing and looking forward to her next book.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
Starry Eyes is a survival story primarily set in the wilderness and canyons of northern California.
Zorie is an amateur astrophysicist who can’t wait to attend a star party on Condor Peak in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. But trouble at home is brewing. She finds a way to escape the newly-discovered news of her father’s philandering by joining her one-time best friend Reagan on a glamping (glamorous camping) adventure, with plans to find her way to the star party afterward. Then Zorie learns that Reagan has invited several boys -- including super sexy Brett and a cute hiking expert to be named later -- along on the girls’ trip. That’s slightly against the rules Zorie’s parents would be comfortable with, but Zorie is fine with the plan until she finds out the hiking expert is Lennon, the boy who used to be Zorie’s best friend. The same boy who crushed her heart at homecoming and who hasn’t talked to her since. The same boy whose parents are in a business war with Zorie’s parents. That guy.
To make matters worse, Reagan and the rest of the crew leave Zorie and Lennon all alone in the wilderness after the group gets into a free-for-all fight over boys, responsibility, and hurt feelings. Suddenly, Zorie finds herself in the heart of the wilderness with the one person she dislikes the most -- and she’s reliant on him for getting them safely out of the woods, and either back home or to the star party on Condor Peak that Zorie so badly wanted to attend.
Starry Eyes is both an adventure story about finding your way through adversity and a novel of self-discovery. Even if you’ve never gone camping or looked at the stars with wonder, Starry Eyes will have you wanting to lace up your hiking boots and head for the trailhead. Jenn Bennett weaves an interesting story with several complex characters. While Reagan, Brett, and a number of minor characters are formulaic and stiff, Lennon and Zorie are compassionate and empathetic characters we come to care about. Zorie’s stepmother also offers readers a unique perspective as Zorie wonders what might happen if -- or when --news of her dad’s cheating splits up their marriage, because Zorie is closer to her stepmother than her own father. There is also some valuable back-country camping advice woven into the story, which can’t hurt if students get inspired to get out on the trail. Starry Eyes inspired me to pull out the topographic maps and start planning my next hiking adventure!
Because of some sexual content I’m recommending this book for grades ten and up.

There was a time when Zorie and Lennon were friends exploring the potential for something more between them. But things have changed, and what could have been something is nothing of the sort now. Fate, it seems, has a different outcome in store for these two as their paths cross yet again when they end up on a camping trip together with some mutual friends. Faced with navigating complicated friendships and hiking through the wilderness, Zorie and Lennon might just discover that they're meant to be something more after all...

Plot? I realize that with my summary up there, I've made this one sound purely like a contemporary YA romance. While there is definitely a big romantic aspect to this one (and I really liked it!), it's actually got so much more to the story. It's about complicated friendships, figuring out who you are or who you'd like to become, dealing with familial difficulties, making peace with the past and navigating the wilderness. I wound up sucked right into this story once I'd started reading it, which has been my experience with Jenn's previous novels too.

Characters? I enjoyed getting to know Zorie. She felt incredibly real to me, leaping right off the page from the start in a way that had me sympathizing with her even as I also wanted to give her a little advice. She really comes into her own as a character, in my opinion, and it was lovely to watch that unfold. Jenn also does a bang-up job bringing to life the people that surround Zorie - her family, her friends, and Lennon, to name a few.

Writing? I've always enjoyed reading Jenn Bennett's stories. That still remains true after reading this one! It was really easy to read, and I was completely invested from start to finish. Plus, I admire Jenn's ability to make me feel like these characters are people I could be acquainted with in real life (especially because they're perfectly flawed in the way most humans are).

Overall? I really enjoyed Starry Eyes! It's honestly just such a great contemporary story, and it has the added bonus of being set in the wilderness and featuring things you might experience when you go camping or hiking. I liked Zorie's story a lot, and it just reaffirmed the fact that I'm likely to read anything Jenn releases in the future.

I must be the only one, but I found that I wasn't a fan of this story. From the start, I kept being pulled out of the story, and couldn't relate to any of the characters. I liked Lennon least of all, and couldn't understand why Zorie even liked him. There was way more sex and foul language than needed for a YA, if I was in the mood for that I would have picked up a NA book instead. (by the way, I've read NA books that are tamer than this!) Normally I wouldn't care about those things, but the summary gives no warning at all about the adult content in this book, and I was expecting more of a sweet romance, but that's not at all what I ended up with. I haven't read any of this author's other works, but after this one, I'm not so sure I'm missing much.