Night Owls

Night Owls is a sensitive portrayal of a young man and woman’s developing relationship set against the background of difficult family situations. Bex has an estranged father and financial restraints, and Jack’s family, though wealthy, has a secret, which I won’t reveal.

The character of Bex, from whose point of view the book is written, captured me immediately. Her voice is distinctive, endearing and very realistic. She’s a talented artist who likes to draw dissected people. Jack, a graffiti artist, is also a complex, fully fleshed out character who is easy to relate to. These teens are no cardboard cut outs – which is just as well because this is a character driven story.

The plot, though basically about how they get together and the challenges they face during that process, has some unpredictable moments, and each page has just enough tension of one kind or another to keep you reading. The pace moves steadily along, and a giant hiccup in their relationship near the end adds just the right amount of drama before the conclusion.

All in all, this is a well written, enjoyable book that skilfully captures the feelings of one’s first ‘true love’ without being mushy or melodramatic. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys new adult romance or simply a good contemporary story. It’s suitable for adults and older teens - though the matter of sex has a role in the story’s progression, there is nothing explicit.

This book just completely blew me away. I don't know why but for some reason I utterly underestimated how awesome it was going to be. It was a book I thought I'd try but didn't expect to love. Well, I loved it. Totally and absolutely loved every single minute and every word of it. It was funny, heartwarming, sad, moving, beautiful, completely passionate and full of life and love and art.

Beatrix is determined to win a competitive student art competition and earn herself a scholarship. But to do so she will need access to a model. A dead model. Beatrix likes anatomy and is planning on becoming a medical illustrator. But after being stood up for a meeting with the director of the anatomy lab she catches the late bus home and meets Jack - gorgeous, charming Jack who seems to be responsible for the gold graffiti that has been appearing all over San Francisco. As Jack and Beatrix become closer they spend their summer traversing the city and slowly learning the others' secrets.

Beatrix is wonderfully hilarious. She makes a great narrator and I adored her from the first page. Her comments and internal remarks are fabulous. She is one part sarcastic, three parts dry wit and one part all her own style. Funny, dark, serious and yet so full of light. Jack is the perfect complimentary half - charming, troubled, ever so slightly insecure and meets Beatrix quip for quip. They make a great pair. The romance is quite steamy, and I loved how they talked openly with each other. Night Owls targets mature readers, with main characters who are seniors in high-school, topics of college and moving away from home, and the book's level of sexual content, which is tastefully executed through candid discussions and closed-door scenes.

Bex and Jack's families are an important part of this story. It is family that provides a lot of the complications and is where the more serious issues arise. Despite the serious undertone this book retains its lightness throughout. Teenage mental health is obviously a popular topic for young adult books this year. The mental health aspects of Night Owls emerges halfway through the book in a secondary character, and this provides a depth and meaning to the book, turning what would be a wonderful book into one that is also heartwarming and poignant.

This was a refreshing novel and highly enjoyable.

The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review written by Madison Dearnaley

Really enjoyed this YA! I thought the premise was interesting. The meeting setting for these two characters, Bex and Jack, was indeed very interesting: The down and out Owl. I would have loved 'the Owl' to play more of a role in the story, to be honest, but it was a great way for them to meet for the first time.

The two lead characters were both quite believable as teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, both taking more responsibility on than perhaps most their age, and as is the case with youngsters, not always making the right choices. I loved the idea of the visual arts being interwoven, and the contrast between the two artists. Graffiti and anatomical art? Loved it! They both had a few secrets and it was nice to see how they relented to share those parts of themselves. On the whole, their relationship was really sweet! The sentiment I kept thinking was 'grin-worthy cute'. All the way through, Bex and Jack were 'grin-worthy cute'
I like the way that Bex matures over time. At the start she seems a little afraid of stepping on toes, and as time goes on, although she remains very conscious of the feelings of others, she is also a little more courageous. That idea of 'evolution' is really important in most genres, really, but particularly in a YA book. I loved the theme that came from exploring how you might want something, but it might not turn out the way you want. That doesn't mean that you give up. If need be, you adapt that dream, and that isn't the same as compromising.

The pacing was great for a story like this, it was comfortable, I didn't feel it drag in any place, nor did I feel as though it was rushed. Not a super exciting tale, but a very pleasant read and I think the author did a great job!

Night Owls is a great emotional contemporary full of weird and wonderful characters - but I just can't help feeling it was missing something.

I have a lot of love for Bennett's characters. They're kind of brilliant in that each of them are quite unique in some sort of stand out way. Beatrix is determined in everything she does and her interest in anatomical drawing was creepily fascinating. This isn't a talent I've experienced in a book before, and Bennett writes it in a way that is captivating and moving. Jack's art is equally beautiful and meaningful. They're both kind of perfectly suited to each other and their relationship is lovely. It starts a little fast. I get instant connections, which these two absolutely had, but after only one meeting they can't stop thinking about each other and Jack's declarations come on a little too strong and quick for my comfort. But then it slows down and builds nicely, which was much more enjoyable. Bennett's secondary characters are also memorable, but I hesitate to go into detail. Some of them offer elements to the story that shouldn't be spoiled. Read Night Owls and learn about and love them for yourself!

The story of Night Owls is everything I should love. It's certainly got all of the contemporary YA makings - new romance, struggles with questions of who they are and what they want to do, strained family relationships. Truly the story is charming, and Jack's family life adds a depth I wasn't expecting. I would have liked more of Jack and his family, actually. As Night Owls is entirely from Beatrix's point of view, we only get a glimpse into his world and I think some potential for this story to be just a little more is missed. The thing is, I built up my own expectations of this book to be something a bit different than what it is, and so while I really liked Night Owls, I can't help but feel like I wanted more. More of what though I'm having trouble defining. I guess more fun, more of that alive feeling and risk the tagline alludes to. The midnight rides and city rooftops are not that prevalent. Neither are the excitement and danger of Jack's graffiti. The story is very enmeshed in Beatrix, which isn't a bad thing at all, but I'm left with a feeling that Bennett was building to something that just never came to par.

Night Owls is an enjoyable story with delightful characters, but it simply left me wanting.