(Not So) Lost in the Wild • Starry Eyes

There was a time when Zorie and Lennon were friends exploring the potential for something more between them. But things have changed, and what could have been something is nothing of the sort now. Fate, it seems, has a different outcome in store for these two as their paths cross yet again when they end up on a camping trip together with some mutual friends. Faced with navigating complicated friendships and hiking through the wilderness, Zorie and Lennon might just discover that they're meant to be something more after all...

Plot? I realize that with my summary up there, I've made this one sound purely like a contemporary YA romance. While there is definitely a big romantic aspect to this one (and I really liked it!), it's actually got so much more to the story. It's about complicated friendships, figuring out who you are or who you'd like to become, dealing with familial difficulties, making peace with the past and navigating the wilderness. I wound up sucked right into this story once I'd started reading it, which has been my experience with Jenn's previous novels too.

Characters? I enjoyed getting to know Zorie. She felt incredibly real to me, leaping right off the page from the start in a way that had me sympathizing with her even as I also wanted to give her a little advice. She really comes into her own as a character, in my opinion, and it was lovely to watch that unfold. Jenn also does a bang-up job bringing to life the people that surround Zorie - her family, her friends, and Lennon, to name a few.

Writing? I've always enjoyed reading Jenn Bennett's stories. That still remains true after reading this one! It was really easy to read, and I was completely invested from start to finish. Plus, I admire Jenn's ability to make me feel like these characters are people I could be acquainted with in real life (especially because they're perfectly flawed in the way most humans are).

Overall? I really enjoyed Starry Eyes! It's honestly just such a great contemporary story, and it has the added bonus of being set in the wilderness and featuring things you might experience when you go camping or hiking. I liked Zorie's story a lot, and it just reaffirmed the fact that I'm likely to read anything Jenn releases in the future.

Favorite map? Oh man, allow me to introduce you to the rose gold scratch-off map that I would really like to own one day. I'm a sucker for rose gold, first of all, and I also just like the idea of a map where I could scratch off the places I've already visited. It's currently my favorite map! 

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Publisher: Simon Pulse | Publication Date: April 3, 2018

Source: e-galley downloaded from the publisher (Thanks)