Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr is published by Little, Brown Young Readers and is Highly Recommended.
Cameron Quick and Jennifer Harris are the best of friends. Understanding each other at the truest level and helping each other through difficult childhoods, neither needs anyone else until one day Cameron mysteriously disappears. Devastated, friendless and overweight, Jennifer does all that she can to become a completely different person. She has the chance to completely remake herself when her mother remarries. She moves to a new town, changes her name to Jenna and takes on her new stepfather’s last name.
Jenna Vaughn is a successful senior at her small private charter school where each class contains a mere sixteen students. Surrounded by friends and a brand new boyfriend (a bit possessive, I thought) Jenna works hard to keep herself on an even keel with the components of her new life firmly in place. Seeming to have a sixth sense about impending doom, Jenna starts dwelling on her past just as Cameron Quick returns from his haunting disappearance- sending Jenna spiraling toward old habits and memories that she wished to keep hidden from everyone, even herself.
I was into this book right away. One thing which was particularly good from the start was the characterization of Jennifer as a child and then Jenna as a teenager. They were so distinct and well-drawn that I thought of them separately while understanding how the child contributed to the existence of the teenager, and to the shaping of her character. I’m usually not one for a whole lot of dialogue in books because I have found that it can be stilted or just not right, but the dialogue here was smooth and well done. Jenna’ characterization was wonderful and consistent. The things she did and how she starts to unravel made sense even as I was rooting for her to make different choices.
I was in for a big surprise with this one because as I skimmed the back of the book, I made the assumption that Cameron was a girl. So I’m thinking maybe a mean girls type thing after they find each other again, leading to an eventual acceptance if not outright reconciliation. See how I make things up? Hello! Cameron is a boy, and the relationship between Jenna and Cameron takes many turns. I love the passion and suspense filled quality underlying everything. Neither Jenna, nor I, knew what to expect when he comes back into town and I couldn’t wait to get to the bottom of the mystery and see what happened to him all those years ago. I had a general idea, and I wanted t know if I was right as soon as possible but the story unfolded at its own pace. That’s a good thing because it just the right amount of nail-biting as I raced to see what would happen next.
Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr is a great book to read. It’s supposedly for the young adult crowd, but that’s never stopped me before, and I think a wide variety of ages can benefit from this bittersweet coming of age story which palpably explores the meanings of love. The dramatic tension on this book is unbelievable and I can’t even tell you how I felt about the end. It’s a wonderfully different take on what constitutes love and real relationships.
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21 Responses to “Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr”
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Great review! I love when one gets faked out over the identity of a character – it really exposes ones’ assumptions. I like Sara Zarr too – she really seems to have a good sense of what goes on with young people. (I read “Story of a Girl” by her.)
rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..“I Used to Be Snow White, But I Drifted…” Guest Blog by Author Linda Gillard
I would like to read more by her. She’s really good.
Oooh! Your review definitely makes me want to read this book! Terrific job.
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Thanks Julie!
Hmm…having desired some light beach reads, this book is so spot on! It sounds very substanced but fun!
I don’t know if I would qualify this as light. don’t let the cover fool you. It was pretty quick though, beacuse I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
Loved your review Nicole!! I’ve loved the cover since I first saw it and the premise sounds fun and intriguing!!
Thanks Staci! The cover always reminds me of a cupcake.
I want to know what happened to Cameron too.
Kathy´s last blog ..Wondrous Words Wednesday
And you’ll really want to know when you’re reading it!
You made me want this book desperately. The cover is also very cute which helps.
The cover reminds me of cake, even though it’s not an easy read at all.
You’ve made the book sounds so intriguing! I’d love to read this.
gaby317´s last blog ..Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan through the Barnes and Noble First Look Book Club
It is intriguing! I couldn’t take it.
I love young adult books….I think I appreciate how difficult they must be to write now that I’m older. Lovely review!
Michele´s last blog ..WTF Wednesday
The sounds great. And, I’m a sucker for a good YA book. I’m intrigued by the disappearance already and need to find out what happened.
Great review! I love books like this, where the past comes back and the characters have to deal with it in the present.
Thanks for the recommendation! I brought this with me on my beach vacation this week & loved it. You’re right that it’s light & on the bittersweet side, but I’m so glad I read it!
Kelly´s last blog ..Review: Sweethearts
Sweethearts sounds like a cute book. While it might not suit the 50-year old in me, it sure would be good for the younger girls.
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