Roomies by Sara Zarr, Tara Altebrando Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers on Dec 24, 2013
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 288
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
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It is time to meet your new roomie.
When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer - and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.
As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.
National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
My review:
This is the perfect read for those who will be staying with roommates at college or university. Meeting new people is fun, exciting and there’s a good chance that you will be friends with them for a very long time. But to be sharing a dorm, room, hostel, etc for months? It is like sharing half of your uni or college life with them. Of course, it really depends on your luck and manner of approach towards your new roommate(s) before you find out if both of you can ‘live’ with each other.
In Roomies, Elizabeth or EB from New Jersey takes the first step to send an e-mail to her future roommate, Lauren from San Francisco. EB only wants to get to know Lauren better and shows much enthusiasm in her e-mail. Lauren, who had requested for a single occupant dorm room, was actually disappointed to know that she would be sharing a room with someone else.
Despite the initially cold-sounding e-mail between the two girls, they began opening up to each other about their lives, families, friends, boyfriends, etc. They soon find solace and comfort while reading the other’s e-mail as they give out their own advice and opinions as well.
The girls, however, had a meltdown due to a misunderstanding and the stress they were each facing in their muddled lives. Can they handle this difficult time? Will they be able to patch up again? Are they still going to be roommates?
Roomies is a quick and easy Young Adult read that gets you thinking back about your days in college or university (if you have already graduated). If not, it might get you excited about experiencing this unforgettable part of your study life. The chapters, which alternate between EB’s and Lauren’s points of views, contain their e-mail to each other as well.
About Sara Zarr
Sara Zarr is the acclaimed author of five novels for young adults, most recently The Lucy Variations, which the New York Times called “an elegant novel.” Her sixth, a collaborative novel with Tara Altebrando, came out December 2013. Her books have been variously named to annual best books lists of the American Library Association, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, the Guardian, the International Reading Association, the New York Public Library and Los Angeles Public Library, and have been translated into many languages. Born in Cleveland and raised in San Francisco, she currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband.
About Tara Altebrando
Tara Altebrando is the author of these novels – The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life, Dreamland Social Club, The Pursuit of Happiness and What Happens Here. She also cowrote the young adult novel Roomies with Sara Zarr. Her middle-grade debut would be The Battle of Darcy Lane. She lives in Queens, New York, with her husband and two young daughters, Ellie and Violet.