I wanted to pick STARRY EYES up after reading Alex, Approximately last year. While I did enjoy the tension-filled angsty love story, the book didn't hold me captive like I was hoping.

Zorie and Lennon used to be best friends until trial period out of the friend zone went south, leaving Zorie with a broken heart. They grew up together and now their parents' businesses are right next door, which causes its own set of complications. Lennon's parents own a sex shop and Zorie's parents own a massage and acupuncture business, the latter of which is struggling. Zorie's dad blames the sex shop for their failing business.

Zorie's friend invites her on a camping trip that she reluctantly agrees to on. Upon arrival, she finds that Lennon was invited too, causing Zorie to regret her decision immediately. When things don't go as planned, their friends leave them stranded in the backcountry alone. These two frenemies are forced to face each other and speak the unspoken words held inside for so long.

I enjoyed the fusion of a romance and adventure story. The tension between the two leads was palpable and couldn't wait for them to just let everything out. Zorie and Lennon were both cute and witty, which made their dialogue really fun to read. With the action increasing while they attempt to find their way out of the backcountry, I found myself becoming less interested. This is likely due to the novel's long length, which I definitely felt needed further editing.

I'm not a fan of sanitizing young adult and was pleased to see that this book didn't do that. However, I did feel like the anti-sanitization message was taken a bit to far with the characters owning a sex shop and be talking about dildos.

Readers who enjoy real teens falling in love, out of it, and back into it again will enjoy this young adult contemporary but may struggle at times with the novel's length.

* Thanks to Simon Pulse for providing me with an early copy for review.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book. I love anything to do with hiking, camping and the outdoors. I also really liked Lennon as a character. Zorie on the other hand was a bit boring and one dimensional to me. This was your typical YA contemporary with plenty of fluff and adolescent angst. The plot was a little dramatic at times but it was a quick read. Now I seriously want to go camping.
I received an ARC of this book vis Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Zorie is invited on a camping trip by her friend Reagan. Much to her chagrin she also invited her ex-best friend/boyfriend Lennon, causing her much tension and anxiety. Throughout the book Zorie learns lessons about friendship, trust, and betrayal. Readers will enjoy watching Zorie's feelings toward Lennon evolve throughout the trip. The characters are stock types that fill specific roles and could be outright cartoonish at times but Bennett does an excellent job keeping readers vested in what happens to Zorie during her trip. Secrets are exposed and relationships change but throughout the book readers root for Zorie and Lennon.

I've been devouring Bennett's books lately, they've just been satisfying the need for great Contemporary YA books, they're refreshingly fun, bring such swoony relationships and I just don't want to put them down. So, when I first heard about Starry Eyes, I knew it would be a book that I couldn't wait to have in my hands and let me just say this book is so worth it. I love books that feature best friends to enemies trope, especially more so here, as Bennett really gave us this story between Zorie and Lennon well. I liked how we didn't really know what had caused this rift between them, but I was dying to know, as they had been the best of friends for a long time, and then things just came to an end one night. And Zorie's dad didn't really like Zorie spending time with Lennon either and what was up with that?

I liked the whole set up that we got from this book, with Zorie and her friends going on a glamping (glamourous camping) trip with her friends and Lennon turns up unexpectedly. But in a way it was probably good that he did, as everyone else seems clueless with what to do. And when they got kicked out and had to go on their own, Lennon's the one that takes the lead and tries to keep everyone on track. This glamping trip didn't really turn out the way that Zorie was expecting, she thought she'd be able to spend time with friends, but she ends up being ditched and stuck with Lennon instead. But to be honest for me, this was really the better alternative for Zorie, there were still so many unresolved issues between her and Lennon and I really wanted to get to the bottom of them, also what she had with Lennon before everything hit the fan, was amazing, and I was hoping that there would be the chance for Zorie and Lennon to salvage some of it at least. When the truth was actually revealed about what really went down, I was quite surprised, as I wasn't expecting it, but it really explained and justified the reasoning behind one of the characters behaviour. It really was an emotional upheaval for our characters having to deal with this, but I think Bennett did an excellent job giving us this aspect of the story.

I'm glad to say that I was actually right in my assessment of characters for once, I had an inkling of which characters were about to kick off and which weren't worth the time either. It was kind of awful these characters living up to some of the things that I expected to happen, especially when they hurt a lot of other people along the way, but you know those self-absorbed characters that only really think about themselves? seriously they weren't worth it, but they riled me up either way, like how can you be completely clueless? This minor annoyance aside, Starry Eyes really was a beautiful read, I loved the whole stargazing aspect that Zorie was interested in, but also how emotional and raw this story could be too. Bennett's storytelling was again done eloquently and I loved getting lost on this trip with Zorie and Lennon.

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.

Confession time! This was my very first Jenn Bennett book! But fret not friends, for it shan’t be my last. Confession number two: I don’t often “do” fluffier books. Oh, but how glad I am that this one called to me!

First of all. Who would not love what is basically a hybrid of friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers? This book combines all the favorite romance tropes into a romance that you cannot help but root for. Zorie is kind of my fave from the start, because I related to her so very much. I mean, she thinks camping is the worst, and she also gets idiopathic hives, which SAME, girl! I wanted to high-five her many times, but I feel like the hives solidified my love for her early on.

Anyway. Camping she goes, after some (totally legit) hesitation. And I’ll be damned if Zorie’s adventure didn’t make me think for a hot second that maybe camping wouldn’t be *all* bad? Though in fairness, I think it’s the epic love affair that appealed to me, and maybe less of the camping. I digress. Lennon used to be Zorie’s bestie, but Zorie’s crappy father, as well as some other stuff that would be spoiler-y to talk about, have put the kibosh on their friendship. So who ends up on the camping trip with Zorie and her friends? Of course, it’s Lennon!

Only…. Zorie’s friends are a wee bit garbage, and she and Lennon end up together, and not in the “glamping” grounds her friend promised. This is where I’ll start getting vaguer because of spoilers, and we shall talk about all the other things I loved about this book!

-It’s both sex and birth control positive! Oh, this is such a win. The author really, really does this topic service. And I’ll leave it at that.

-I am always, always here for survival stories. And things are tough out there in the wilderness! I’d have died, probably. So getting to watch Zorie and Lennon navigate these tense moments, while still trying to figure out what their relationship is/was/will be was kind of epic.

-Zorie’s relationship with her step-mother Joy made me happy on so many levels. First, that the step-mother is the parent of choice is refreshing. Second, that their mother-daughter bond is just lovely in general was great- I feel like theirs is one of my favorite of said dynamic that I’ve read. Ever.

-I wanted to punch Zorie’s father so many times, but many of the characters agreed with me! Lennon’s moms (who were also freaking awesome characters, by the by) probably would have kicked him in places he deserved to be kicked. View Spoiler »

Bottom Line: Oh, I am here for this book. I flew through it, loved the relationships, the plot, all of it. Guess it’s time to binge the rest of Jenn Bennett’s books- good thing I own them! 😀

Originally posted on Forever Young Adult on 2018 March 27

BOOK REPORT for Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Cover Story: Fireside Chat
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 9
Talky Talk: Straight Up With A Swoony Twist
Bonus Factors: Diversity, Camping?!, Astronomy
Relationship Status: #1 On My To-Do List

Cover Story: Fireside Chat

This cover makes camping look downright charming; if it were me on there, it would include a lot of bug spray, mosquito bite welts, and a general look of despair. Take note, because this will be a theme.

The Deal:

Zorie and Lennon used to be best friends, until he stood her up at homecoming. Now, even though they’re neighbors, they avoid each other like the plague. He’s an odd duck anyway—a gothy sort who loves reptiles and has no problem with the embarrassing sex shop his moms own—so she’s totally better off.

As luck would have it, though, Lennon and Zorie end up on the same backpacking trip. Zorie is in it for the star-gazing potential, and Lennon…well, who knows why he’s going? Mysterious Reptile-Raising Dudes don’t have to explain themselves. Besides, Zorie is interested in another guy on the trip…and if that makes Lennon jealous, so much the better.

When it all goes wrong and their not-so-merry band of friends abandons them in the wilderness, though, the two are forced to work together—and perhaps work through their issues—if they want to get back to civilization.

BFF Charm: Yay!

I adore Zorie, who is a detailed, anxiety-ridden planner like me. The fact that she’s a junior astronomer only makes her cooler. Then, of course, she is absolutely opposed to camping, also like me, so I believe we would get along just fine, from the comforts of our bug-proof couches, in enclosed, sturdy structures.

Swoonworthy Scale: 9

Look, if you’re not reading Jenn Bennett’s books already, I don’t know what to do with you. Hands down, she is my favorite YA contemporary romance author; her books are sweet and sex-positive, with characters who respect each other and get enthusiastic consent. On top of that, they’re just hot. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but while not graphic in the least, this book did more to make me consider camping than the years of complaining/begging/guilt tripping from my more outdoorsy significant others.

Talky Talk: Straight Up With A Swoony Twist

Bennett’s characters and dialogue are always a treat; she writes with warmth and authenticity, and seamlessly creates multi-layered characters whose inner lives are just as complex as yours and mine. Her teenagers are self-centered, as many people are at that age, but inevitably discover that the people around them are fighting their own battles and keeping their own secrets. They often deal with mental illness, betrayal, and all of the curveballs that life throws our way. That character growth is a great deal of why I love Bennett’s books so much.

Bonus Factor: Diversity

The diversity in this book is a pretty natural representation of life, especially in San Francisco: the non-white, non-heterosexual characters are abundant. (Lennon, in particular, has a very interesting family background.)

Bonus Factor: Camping?!

I am extremely indoorsy, so when I say that I put this book down and thought, “Huh. Maybe camping doesn’t sound so bad after all,” that’s basically the equivalent to Nicholas Sparks putting a non-white or straight main character in his books…you never thought it’d happen. Do I want to be abandoned by my peers and forced to seek shelter and civilization? No. Do I like the idea of being out with a hot dude under the stars, having to huddle for warmth? SIGN ME UP.

Bonus Factor: Astronomy

I can’t remember the last time I read a YA novel where the characters had an interest in astronomy, so this was fun and refreshing.

Relationship Status: #1 On My To-Do List

Here’s the plan, book: when I make my Sexy Camping packing checklist (oh you know I have one), I’m putting you at the top, along with some survival guides and every other conceivable item one could possibly need. Was I skeptical that you could make me love camping? Sure, but then you dangled “gothy reptile king/former boy scout love/hate relationship” in front of me, and, well, the rest is between you, me, and the bears lurking behind every tree. OH MY GOD, WHAT WAS THAT SOUND?!

I am a big fan of contemporary books taking on tough issues. A lot of times, contemporaries can be just sweet and “fluffy,” for lack of a better term. There’s obviously nothing wrong with this, as I’ve read more than my fair share of these kinds of books. In fact, they’re kind of my guilty pleasure. But when a book can touch on tough topics that are incredibly relevant in today’s world, such as cheating and divorce, I absolutely love it.

Zorie is faced with a lot of tough decisions throughout the course of the book, that really give her a chance to grow and discover who she is outside of a family setting. Zorie is a character who typically plans everything down to the tiniest of details, so when things start going wrong and throwing her plans out the door, she has to decide if she can learn to roll with the punches.

I did not expect this book to make me nostalgic for camping, but it sure did, and now I feel the need to go camping this summer. Starry Eyes has a lot of fun and hilarious moments, and I absolutely devoured it. I felt like the characters were extremely easy to relate to, and they show a lot of growth and character development. I gave Starry Eyes 5/5 stars. It’s a perfect summery read.

After absolutely loving both of Jenn Bennett's other books, I was incredibly excited to get my hands on STARRY EYES. Cristina and I were both thrilled to get this one early and decided it would make for a fun Book Buddies post. In the book, there's kind of a hate-to-love, Romeo and Juliet-style warring families, childhood-friends-to-more, stuck-in-the-wilderness-together plot... all of which are right up my alley. My boyfriend has been super into researching camping and hiking things for this spring (someone please help me) so it was actually a lot more timely and interesting than I expected it to be.

I couldn't get rolling at the beginning for whatever reason. Zorie and Lennon weren't clicking with me at first, but with every page I read... I fell in love with them even more. The chemistry that Bennett wrote was so incredibly good and believable. I was shipping them so quickly and so hard. The book is incredibly sex positive, which is excellent and realistic as always. I love how Bennett was able to utilize so many of my favorite romance tropes in this story and have everything blend together nicely. Zorie's father never got along with Lennon's moms (especially because they opened a sex toy shop right next to their spa, and because he was clearly homophobic), so there was a warring families / forbidden romance going on initially. They were also childhood friends and neighbors who clearly always had some kind of feelings for each other. On top of that, the two of them were feuding for the last year because of an ~incident~ that you learn about throughout the story.

There were a lot of complicated family/friend things happening along the perimeter that affected Zorie and Lennon's relationship, as well as Zorie's relationship with her parents. I absolutely loved her (step)mom because of how supportive and funny she was. Her father was a shitbag and the friends they initially went glamping with were also definitely shitbags. I wanted to punch all of them multiple times throughout the story.

I read most of the book in one sitting, staying up until 3 AM when I had work the next day. I was definitely addicted and determined to see them make it through the wilderness and be happy together. The ending was really great and oh mannnn what an OTP.

Do you want to know the outcome when people lie and keep secrets from each other and avoid confronting their problems? Starry Eyes definitely delivers on that front. Are you thinking, wait I thought this was going to be a cute contemporary? It is, and that’s what makes this one a great read. The voices come across as real, and the situations are relevant. The story really takes off once they start hiking. I loved the descriptions of the landscape and all the feelings. The relationships felt authentic and modern. I only took a star off because the story dragged a bit in the beginning. I put this one down and read several other books before I picked it back up. The main couple also talk quite maturely for their age. Starry Eyes was such a fun read once I got into it, both romantic and poignant. If you loved Alex, Approximately then I think you’ll love this one also.

4.5 stars

This book was exactly what I have been in the mood to read.

After reading so many fantasies, I’ve been in the mood for just a cute and romantic contemporary read that wasn’t trashy-feeling but also wasn’t super serious.

Starry Eyes satisfied every desire I had for this type of novel, and I couldn’t be happier. I had enjoyed Alex, Approximately a couple months ago, and although it was a little cliché, this book fixed some of the things that Alex, Approximately didn’t do as well with.

The plot felt a lot more unique and I really liked how quirky it was without being super extra. There’s all these layers–Zorie finding out her father cheated on her mom, that feud with the family who owns the sex toy shop next door, the past between Zorie and Lennon, plus all sorts of friendship and “fitting-in” struggles.

Oh! And almost all of it takes place in the middle of the wilderness. So lots of camping scenes (bears, perhaps?).

I sped through this whole thing in one evening and even though it’s on the longer side for a contemporary, it went by so quickly.

I was totally engrossed in the plot and I ended up staying awake for much longer than I was supposed to be just because I wanted to finish this book and revel in the satisfying ending. It was paced really nicely and you know you’ve found a great contemporary novel when all the subplots are not only present, but well balanced.

It felt really cohesive, and everything just worked.

I found Zorie to be relatable, much more than Bailey was in Alex, Approximately, because she struggles with that common teenage idea of “fitting in” and having friendship problems and dealing with mean friends and crushes.

But I also really liked how some elements from those guilty-read clichés were still present–the ex-best friend to lovers trope and a teensy bit of a love triangle (but not really). The romance was as hopeful and sweet as you would expect. And I felt like Zorie and Lennon worked really well together.

I do think it’s good to realize what you’re walking into when reading this.

Despite how many strides Bennett has made in adding more diverse characters in this when compared to Alex, Approximately, I would like to see it present in the main characters in her future works. There’s a ton of awesome side characters who are POC or LGBTQ+ or something else–Zorie’s stepmom is Korean and the family next door is a f/f couple–but I’m still waiting to see someone besides a white heterosexual person portrayed as an MC.

It doesn’t have to be a super huge deal–even just being like “Hey! I’m half-Asian” and not making it the focus of the novel would be huge strides in that contemporary romance genre.

There is not enormous social commentary or extremely deep meaning in this. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad book. It’s an enjoyable romance that was engrossing and fun without feeling guilty for being trope-ridden.

Bennett manages to make her readers feel good about themselves–about themselves when they read this, about themselves with respect to their lives. It gives readers a chance to escape their problems and immerse themselves in someone else’s story that turns out to be a success.

I found Starry Eyes to be a really enjoyable read, even more so than Alex, Approximately. So, even though it’s not the epitome of literature, I think it’s a book many people will enjoy for when they’re looking for a sweet, romantic, but still entertaining and fun read.

The links will go live on March 30th and will also be shared on Twitter.

Jenn Bennett can do no wrong! You guys know how I've slowly drifted away from a lot of YA books, but Jenn is the one author who will always bring me back to YA. After loving both The Anatomical Shape of a Heart and Alex Approximately, I knew I was in for a treat with Starry Eyes. I devoured this book from start to finish. It's a story that's just full of heart and I can't wait for everyone else to read.

Jenn Bennett always takes so much care when fleshing out her characters. They are beautifully developed and so intricate they almost feel like real people that I know. With Starry Eyes, she has yet again created such characters. Zorie was such a breath of fresh air. She had a lot of wonderful qualities, but perhaps my favorite part about her was her love for astronomy. The girl knew her stars and telescopes and it was adorable to see get unapologetically nerdy about the topic. Besides her love for astronomy, Zorie was also a girl with a big heart. She was one of the sweetest human beings I've had the pleasure of reading about. Zorie's anxiety was also at the forefront of Starry Eyes, and it was explored with a lot of thoughtfulness. It's something that she coped with using organization and planning, and it was refreshing to see such an honest depiction of how crippling anxiety can be. What really touched me though about Zorie was her relationship with her step-mother. They had a unique bond, and it was gorgeously written. Serious props to Jenn Bennett for not villainizing the step-mother and for actually depicting a healthy relationship between the two. I just loved the love and respect they had for each other. It was absolutely endearing, especially when you considered her relationship with her skeevy dad, who was so unlikeable.

I'm sure you are dying to know what I thought of Lennon. Well, if you've read anything by Jenn Bennet you know that she writes the sweetest, softest boys ever, and of course, Lennon was no different. What a stellar guy he was! He was so patient, funny, kind and had as big of a heart as Zorie. I loved his relationship with his moms, who owned a sex-toy shop! Together, they were a hoot. The romance between Zorie and Lennon was just so butterflies-in-the-stomach inducing. Jenn Bennett really does know how to write the best romances. Zorie and Lennon were best friends whose relationship developed into more, but circumstances pit them against each other. At the beginning of Starry Eyes, there was a bit of a hate dynamic going on between them. Their chance at reconciliation presented itself in the form of a camping trip, that goes horribly wrong. As the two of them try to take Zorie to her destination, their feelings for each other re-bubbled. It was lovely watching the two reconnect, open up to each other and realize how much they care for each other.

Starry Eyes was another winner from Jenn Bennett! If you haven't read her books yet, seriously, what are you doing with your life? If you like your books to be heartwarming, wonderful, with the best characters, you need to pick up her works!

Future astrophysicist Zorie is a planner. She plans to attend an upcoming star party with her friend Avani. She plans to avoid her neighbors, the Mackenzies. She plans to help out her mom and stay out of her dad’s way. When her friend Reagan invites her on a spur-of-the-moment camping trip, all of Zorie’s plans are in disarray. Even though she hates disrupting her plans, drama with her parents helps her make the decision to go. The camping trip is nothing like Zorie’d expected – what was supposed to be a girls weekend ends up co-ed and it’s not long before Zorie finds herself stranded in the woods with Lennon Mackenzie, her former best friend turned biggest enemy.

I’ve never been a camper. I’m from Wisconsin, where camping is the thing to do and I’ve never even once slept in a tent. I can’t imagine making the decision to just rough it and hang out in the wilderness for a week, but apparently, this is a thing that people do! More power to them, but it’s not for me. Except… after reading this book, I kind of want to go camping in the middle of nowhere!

Jenn Bennett checked all of my boxes in this cute, swoony romance. We’ve got childhood friends who had a falling out. Enemies-to-lovers. Multiple friendships getting hashed out. Interesting, multilayered characters. Some family drama that is actually properly dealt with and not just swept under the rug. There’s also a healthy discussion of safe, consensual sex, which is always a plus for me (and something that I wish would have been more common when I was an actual Young Adult).

I really and truly loved this book and was legitimately upset every time I had to put it down. Luckily, I had downloaded it to my phone so I was able to sneak in a few pages here and there! I ended up finishing in less than 24 hours, just as I did with Alex, Approximately.

Jenn Bennett is an author to watch and Starry Eyes is sure to be one of my top books of the year.

I received a free advance copy of Starry Eyes from The Fantastic Flying Book Club in exchange for my honest review and participation in this blog tour. Thank you!

This is my second book by Jenn Bennett and I found it just as addicting as I did Alex, Approximately. It was a quick, easy read that kept me glued to the pages.

Ok, so let me get the things that didn’t sit great with me out of the way. There was some mocking of religion, which I never appreciate. There was much more adult content than I appreciate in a young adult novel. I found Zorie and Lennon to both be a little more on the immature side, so the adult stuff made me feel just that much more uncomfortable. BUT, there wasn’t really anything graphic, so there’s that. Lennon is described as kind of a goth, but other than wearing some black and being into some horror stuff he didn’t really fit the bill. It almost felt like Bennett was trying a little hard to make the characters “diverse” in a way that didn’t really impact the character or story that much.

I did end up really liking Zorie and Lennon. Their miscommunication for a good portion of the book drove me insane, but they finally got over that and I shipped it. They had some good banter, which I enjoyed – Lennon, especially. I identified with Zorie’s anxiety and her need to plan things and appreciated her growth throughout the story. Another thing I related to were the things Zorie finds out about her father. Whether you’re a teenager or in your 30s, finding out those things about a parent has many of the same emotions and thoughts. Several books I’ve read lately have had this particular theme and I am finding them so cathartic right now.

The events in the synopsis do not happen until almost half-way through the book. Usually that really annoys me, but I found I didn’t mind it here. I thought the character development leading up to that was really well done and was essential for what would happen next. I also really enjoyed the setting, which is another unusual thing for me. I normally don’t care much about description or anything outdoors, but I really enjoyed the imagery of the wilderness and the stars. It never felt over the top or too much. It really set the scene well and I enjoyed it.

Overall, I really enjoyed Starry Eyes. I loved the setting, the character growth, and how relatable I found many things about Zorie to be. I found the writing to be really addicting, too. Even though it wasn’t really fast paced at all, I didn’t want to put it down. I definitely recommend this one to YA Contemporary fans. I know it’s one that I will re-read in the future.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

My Thoughts:

I could not have picked a more perfect time to read Starry Eyes. I was on a multi day backpacking hiking trip in New Zealand when I read it! I was literally out in the forest and the great outdoors as I read about Zorie and Lennon hacking it out there. Firstly, a little bit of background: I love hiking! I also love overnight backpacking trips! So many of the things they talked about or went through, I related to! (Minus the bears. No bears in my experience, whew.) So I'd just like to take a quick moment to commend Jenn Bennett on her accuracy and her attention to detail, particularly her mention of "leave no trace" and other hiking etiquitte!! It's a big pet peeve of mine when I see terrible camping and/or hiking behavior because it's nature that suffers. I was practically applauding out loud at the emphasis of leave no trace and other hiking etiquette details! (I also found it quite funny that as I was reading this, I had a beef stroganoff dehydrated meal and Zorie did too. I was like this is so amazing! Like I said, perfect timing to read this!)

Anyway, in Starry Eyes, our main character Zorie finds herself out of her element. She winds up on a trip with friends out camping which is not her usual thing and who else should be there but her former best friend Lennon. They used to be best friends and then more than friends until an incident the year before blew things up. But now that they're forced to spend some time together, things start to change.

I loved Zorie and Lennon's relationship so much. You can just tell how much they miss the other, the gap they each leave in the other's lives. They have so much chemistry together that you root for them right off the bat. You need them to figure things out! And what better setting to do that than in the beautiful outdoors?

I also loved Zorie's relationship with her step mother. They are so close and I always love reading a good mother-daughter relationship. Not to mention, Lennon's moms. They are just fantastic. All of the amazing family feels in this book. Loved the dynamic so much.

In short...

This was such a fantastic contemporary featuring amazing characters, romance and family dynamics. It had the fluttery romance feels I enjoy in my contemporaries as well as delving down on a deeper level with family relationships and hardships. I just felt like this one had a good balance of everything I enjoy. Me loving hiking and camping was the frosting on the cake because I related to so many of the things. However, even if you don't like nature, you will still love reading Zorie and Lennon's adventure out there.

This was such a cute and fun read! I seriously love Jenn Bennett's books. We're reading from Zorie's point of view and I think she a really likeable character. The love-interest, Lennon, is quite different from most "bad boys" that I've read. Between Zorrie and Lennon, I think Lennon is my favorite character because of his dark and morbid humor. He can be an asshole at times but I really liked their relationship growth.

Plot-wise, this book wasn't what I expected. I knew that they were going to be stuck in the wilderness but I didn't expect that it was totally off-the-grid, type of wilderness. Furthermore, the family drama was just something I did not see coming as well.

Character-wise, I loved them all so much, especially Zorie's mom. This isn't really a spoiler since it was mentioned in the beginning of the book but I love how Joy cares so much for Zorie even if she didn't give birth to her. Also, I love Lennon's moms. The diversity in this book is really great which I appreciated a lot. We should see more of this with other books(:

I’m a sucker for anything that hints at R+J or BFF to more, but to have both AND it comes with Jenn Bennett’s name attached to it? Yeah, I’m sold.

Love love love Zorie and Lennon. She’s addicted to planning and organization and loves the stars. He’s snarky and maybe a bit sullen and loves hiking. Together there’s a lot of history and hurt and feeeeeeeeelings between them and I absolutely loved reading them figure it all out. There are some others characters, but it quickly becomes the two of them and that’s when the magic happens.

Plot wise, it’s quite interesting because it’s a setting that I wouldn’t normally be interested {I’m much like Zorie in the beginning and believe the outdoors can be avoided}, but I was captivated at how the scenery was described. There is a fair share of drama, but it’s tempered with positive and present parents, sweet swoons, and kissing. Not to mention the fact that Zorie and Lennon talk talk talk and there are some very sex positive scenes.

Overall, I loved these characters and this story and basically want to read Jenn’s words forever.

**Huge thanks to Simon Pulse for providing the arc free of charge**

I loved this book. After reading Alex, Approximately I fell in love with Bennett's writing. I highly recommend this book for young adults and adults alike.

I started reading this and while it is Not For Me, I really think that this will be a really enjoyable read for many other people.

I’ve really enjoyed Jenn Bennett’s two prior YA contemporaries, Anatomical Shape of a Heart and Alex, Approximately. So I went into Starry Eyes with a lot of expectations.

Expectations met!! This book is my favorite of Bennett’s so far!

Zorie was a girl I could relate to. After her mother’s death, she finds comfort in keeping her life as orderly and predictable as possible. Her dad has remarried, she loves her stepmother, but she and her family have entered into a bit of a standoff with her former best friend Lennon and his moms.

When Zorie gets invited on a camping trip with some friends, she packs Benadryl (for her outbreaks of hives) and her telescope (she’s an aspiring astronomer). Unfortunately, right before she leaves she makes a dismaying discovery about her dad. And when the trip starts, she makes another dismaying discovery: her former friend Lennon is going to be on the trip too.

Starry Eyes proves that it IS possible to weave a bunch of themes and issues into a realistic fiction book without it seeming too heavy-handed. The story does a great job of dealing with family issues and friendship issues. I loved Zorie’s relationship with her wonderful stepmom. I also loved the way the book portrayed the complicated tangle of friendship that leads to Zorie and Lennon being stranded in the backcountry … together.

Lennon – let’s talk about him. At first, I was skeptical. He’s a goth guy into reptiles, a guy with a pet red bearded dragon lizard that he walks on a leash. This was … a bit off-putting to me. But I’m glad I kept an open mind, because in the end he was a really great guy. Not the guy I’d fall for, but a guy I loved watching Zorie fall for. Their romance built slowly and believably.

Then there was the outdoor adventure stuff. I’m not the most outdoorsy person, but I really loved the way the book incorporated the wilderness into the story. Basically, Zorie thought she was going on a “glamping” trip but got anything but, which was not the best for her control issues. Watching her worry about bears and flash flooding and snakes really upped the tension for me.

I always hope to find a book with memorable characters that I become completely invested in, and Starry Eyes was definitely that kind of a book. Be sure to check it out if you’re a Jenn Bennett fan, and if you haven’t yet tried her books, this is the perfect place to start. (I haven’t read her adult books, but I’m definitely checking them out!)