{Book Review} My Life Next Door

My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Pages: 395
Release Date: June 14th 2012
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4 Birds

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another
“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?
A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over

In a world of YA books where parents are no where to be found, My Life Next Door doesn’t just have them around, they are some of the most important players in the story. It was a refreshing change if I am being honest.

The Garrets and the Reeds may live next door to each other, but the same street name in their address’ is where the similarities end. Samantha Reed’s mother is, well too put it bluntly, an uptight, over achieving, neat freak politician.

Jase Garret’s mother, isn’t. And that fact alone is enough of a reason for Mrs. Reed to hate Mrs. Garrett, and her brood of 6 children, messy front yard and pool that she leaves the floaties in over night.
Years of living next door to each other and not communicating once ever, ends one evening when Jase see’s Samantha sitting on her roof and climbs up to join her. Romantic much? Yeah, it just keeps getting better and better after that :)

You will be fed a veritable buffet of teenaged life challenges in only 395 pages, and you won’t ever feel like too much was squished into too small of a space. Some of the covered topics: Lying, cheating on tests, drug use, politics, drama, drinking, speeding, sneaking out + more. The great part of this is that unlike some of the YA’s I have read, you will see what happens on both ends of the spectrum when something goes down, not just how effects on party, but everyone. My Life Next Door is real, honest, and down to earth.

If you’re looking for a well rounded, contemporary that has a little bit of everything in it – this is the book for you!! I gave it 4 birds – click the book cover up top to add it to your TBR pile!

Find Huntley FitzpatrickWebsite
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