Love and Leftovers

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: December 27, 2011
Format: Advance Reader Copy
Source: Publisher
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Verse, Romance
Buy: Amazon | IndieBound

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.
(If only it were that easy.)

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “vacation” has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up.

But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it? (Goodreads)

This was such a fun read! I was surprised by how much I loved reading in verse, which I was unsure of going in. I was quickly pulled into the story, and had a hard time putting it down. This is a heart-warming story of a girl navigating life between her parents getting divorced and learning what real love is all about.

This novel is written as Marcie’s private journal, a notebook where she writes about her personal thoughts and experiences. Since she loves writing poetry, it’s all written in verse. This style made it easy to feel emotionally connected to her as a character.

Marcie’s parents are getting divorced after her Dad reveals he’s gay and in a new relationship. Her mother escapes to New Hampshire, with Marcie, to be near family and falls deep into depression. Marcie was forced to leave behind her friends and boyfriend, a group that calls themselves the Leftovers. She’s lonely in a new place, not sure if she’ll be staying or eventually moving back to Idaho. She’s juggling being a teenager while having to take care of her mother. She craves love and affection, and finds it in JD, a boy she meets at her new school in New Hampshire. Meanwhile, she’s trying to keep her relationships with her friends in Idaho.

I have to say that I absolutely loved the Leftovers. I could totally relate, since this is the group I was with in high school, expect I referred to it as being a Floater… I found a bit of my HS friends in each of the characters, and this made the story even more enjoyable for me!

This is a cute, quick read and I highly recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction. Love & Leftovers is a great debut for Sarah Tregay – I can’t wait to read more from her!

Author Links: website | goodreadsfacebook

Share →
Buffer

3 Responses to Review: Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

  1. […] with THE Katherine Tegen, of the Harper Collins imprint Katherine Tegen Books (think Divergent, and Love & Leftovers)! Yes, she exists, and is so nice! We all geeked out and had to take turns getting a picture with […]

  2. […] week I’m excited to post my interview with Sarah Tregay, the author of the novel in verse LOVE & LEFTOVERS! I’ll also share my reviews for PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry and Letters to Elise: A […]

  3. […] Today A Book and a Latte has a special guest! Please help me welcome Sarah Tregay, the author of Love & Leftovers (click title for my review)!  My […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge