Unique and Character Driven! My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp

Posted 24 March, 2015 by Danny in Blog / 2 Comments

Unique and Character Driven! My Best Everything by Sarah TompMy Best Everything by Sarah Tomp
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on 2015-03-03
Genres: Country Life, Dating & Sex, Drugs, Alcohol, Substance Abuse, Lifestyles, Love & Romance, Social Issues, Young Adult
Pages: 400
Goodreads
4 Stars

You say it was all meant to be. You and me. The way we met. Our secrets in the woods. Even the way it all exploded. It was simply a matter of fate.

Maybe if you were here to tell me again, to explain it one more time, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so uncertain. But I’m going back to the beginning on my own. To see what happened and why.

Luisa “Lulu” Mendez has just finished her final year of high school in a small Virginia town, determined to move on and leave her job at the local junkyard behind. So when her father loses her college tuition money, Lulu needs a new ticket out.

Desperate for funds, she cooks up the (definitely illegal) plan to make and sell moonshine with her friends, Roni and Bucky. Quickly realizing they’re out of their depth, Lulu turns to Mason: a local boy who’s always seemed like a dead end. As Mason guides Lulu through the secret world of moonshine, it looks like her plan might actually work. But can she leave town before she loses everything – including her heart?

The summer walks the line between toxic and intoxicating. My Best Everything is Lulu’s letter to Mason – though is it an apology, a good-bye, or a love letter?

I love books that are set after Graduation and, this one sounded especially exciting with a girl who desperately wanted to leave her town and would do anything to achieve her dreams!

A young girl who’s desperate wish is to leave her town and become a scientist…

… and if life would be fair, then Lulu would have been able to go. But then, life isn’t fair and her Dad one day admits that he had to empty her College Fond. Lulu of course is furious, as leaving her small town was always her dream and everything she every worked for. And, I was furious with her! Also, because the way her Dad brushed over the loss of her dreams was downright cruel. Don#t get me wrong, Lulu’s Dad was no really a curl man, but somehow ended up in a bad situation and had no way to get out of it again..

So, how to get your dreams anyways? Well, … making Moonshine might be an Option? But, is it also a smart one?

One day Lulu has the idea  – by making and selling moonshine she and her friends could make enough money over the summer to achieve all their dreams. It goes without saying that in the end this was a stupid stupid idea, but everyone was young ones, and I think everyone can relate that when you are young, you think nothing bad will ever happen to you. Lulu and her friends weren’t criminals, but more stupid kids that thought the world would belong to them…

And here, is when Mason comes into play. The School drop out with a sad past, a difficult upbringing who knows more about making Moonshine than Lulu and her friends, decided to help them.

Unconventional storytelling and an intense character driven story makes this Coming of age story truly unique!

The story is written from Lulu’s POV and directed to Mason. I admit, it took me a while to get used to the “you” and I was also hoping it was just the first chapter, but then I got used to it somehow. I’m still not sure if the story would have worked slightly better. But, this story lives from the characters, their lives and their development over the summer. It has all the wonderful things a great YA story needs, a strong heroine who doesn’t take “no” for an answer, a cast of great friends, (who were also so wonderfully developed), a sweet sweet romance, the value of friendship and some darker themes like alcoholism too.

Bewitched Rating

Bottom Line

My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp is told in a very unusal way of storytelling that definitely stands out. With carefully developed characters and some great coming of age themes – My Best Everything most definitely belongs to your spring reading list!

 

 contemporary  

And? Have you heard about this great story? Have you read other books that are addressed to a single person? 

Danny_Signature_muchloveI
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2 Responses to “Unique and Character Driven! My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp”

  1. LOL– yeah, making and selling moonshine to raise money to pay for college is certainly one way to do it! Better than stripping, I guess. 🙂
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    Danny 3/24/2015

    Haha yes it was a stupid idea;-) but it turned out to be a great story!! Oh and I missed you so so much Mary!! Big big hugs

    Reply »

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