RATING: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Published: April 05, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Format: e-Book
Pages: 328
“We’re all better versions of ourselves when we get that extra time to craft the perfect message.”
Synopsis:
Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?
It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.
In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?
Thoughts:
If you are looking for a book that involves romance, high school drama, family issues, and a secret penpal whose identity is unknown, then this book is for you. I highly enjoy this book. It was everything that I ever wanted with the mystery penpal trope and I think the author has executed that part so well.
But before I dive deeper into this review, let me acknowledge the first issue that I have encounter while reading this book: the writing style. It is not bad but it is not that good as well. There is something about it that does not sit well with me. The author has a way with words, I can tell you that. She can weave words and sentences together to make it beautiful. However, it feels somewhat different and I can’t pinpoint the right word to describe it. It may be that the writing style feels so 2016 but I am not so sure. But even so, the writing style issue became unnoticeable for me once I am so into the story.
The plotline is quite heavy at times because the main character is dealing with the loss of her mother. There are high school dramas as well, like fitting in, being the new girl in school, and of course a little bullying on the side. In a way, it was a typical contemporary romance that deals with a family issue. But the element of the story that makes the reading experience more fun is the mysterious person who emails Jessie on the first day of school offering some help to her on how to survive in this new school.
The penpal aspect of this story is my most favorite part. I have a fun time reading their conversation and also figuring out the mystery of who this person is. And the fun thing about this book is you do not have only one person to point out to. There are 2 or 3 possibilities as to who this person might be. And once you get to know the characters more, it’s fun to figure out which is which. Although it is quite predictable but you kinda swoon over the other love interest as well (or maybe it was just me).
In addition to that, the friendship dynamic in this book is also heartwarming, I just wish that we could have seen more from it. However, the family relationship is a bit frustrating and I can feel the main character’s struggle and sentiments because even I was feeling frustrated about her father’s decisions and actions. But even so, I like how the author gives an open ending to this aspect of the story because what happens between Jessie and her dad and the adjustment to the new setup would not be resolved in a few days, it would take time and I like that about this book.
All in all, this was a very fun read. I highly enjoy it. Definitely give it a shot.
That is all for this review. Be sure to check it out if you love You’ve Got Mail.
Also, once you finish the book, stare at the cover and read the title again. I only realized the connection of it all before I write this review and I seriously laugh out loud at how stupid I am to not notice it.🤣
Until next time guys! Have a nice day.
Maria❤
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