Review: DRIVE by Stephanie Fournet
I have loved everything I’ve read from Stephanie Fournet, and DRIVE did not disa[...]
This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills Published by Henry Holt and Co. on October 4, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads • Amazon •
Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.
Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.
Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.
This book took me by surprise. See, I was in a reading slump. I picked up and set aside 3 books because I just… wasn’t in the mood. This was the third book {wink}. But after about a week of not reading, I was bummed out, so I decided I was going restart This Adventure Ends and sit and make myself read 2 chapters. I read 3 or 4 that night, and the next day I pretty much consumed it in one sitting! This was the book I didn’t even know I needed, and I now have a new favorite author.
The story begins with Sloane having recently moved to a small tourist town in Florida, and she’s actually cool with it, as she didn’t have close friends that she left behind. Being somewhat of a loner, she uses humor to hide that she actually cares. One night her jokes and need to stand up to a bully lands her with a new group of friends – Vera and her twin Gabe, Frank, Remy, and Audrey. From there, we see her develop relationships with these characters, as well as insight into her fantastic relationship with her father. Sloane doesn’t quite get what people see in her, or why they want to be her friend, but she goes along for the ride… It was great to watch her realize her best friendship with Vera, and the (super) slow burning romance with Gabe. Oh, and Frank, you can’t help but love him. Seriously, the best part about this book is the character development and the relationships – every character had a vital role. I loved it!
What was surprising is that This Adventure Ends reads like a light hearted book, but then you get about 3/4 of the way in and realize just how powerful it is. It’s a coming-of-age story with friendship, an awesome family dynamic, road trips, fandom, romance, and a quest. What makes it so powerful is the honesty of the writing. Mills nailed the voice of a 17 year old, the friendship development, and what it means to be part of a fandom.
This Adventure Ends is as beautiful as its cover. Honest and heart-tugging. This book made me laugh out loud in one moment, and cry the next. One of my favorite reads this year; I highly recommend it to those that love a character-driven story.
