Somwhere at last: Julie Ann Knudsen. **

Somewhere at last.

Julie Ann Knudsen.

Ok, you should know I got this through a book group for an honest review.

In a nut shell: I'm not really sure how to start this, so I'm typing as I speak.
Julie Ann Knudsen's last novel, In the middle of Nowhere was what I would call a "Ground breaker" In other words, it really set the scene for something fantastic.
Honestly, I wasn't really thrilled to pieces with the sequel. Don't get me wrong, it was something interesting, and I did enjoy it, but most of the time I spent sitting around like "Dump his dumb ass girl!"
Ok, spoilers alert, I'm sorry.

So Willow. Sweet, naive, young, senseless, stupid, idiotic, Willow. You know, I like this girl. She reminds me of me, when I was sixteen. I'm not sure if saying that is a bad thing or not, but hey, lets just say I would happily travel back in time to slap myself around the back of the head for being so silly.
Willow could be cool, ok, I think under all of that need to be noticed, Willow is actually a lovely person. I love how she's willing to work for what she wants and how caring she is towards her family and friends, and I think that really Willow, more than anything, is just a typical, relatable teenager, whom I have come to like. Overall I think that Willow really is a heroine, and I'm sad that her adventure ends here.
Again, I keep the same opinion of Willow's mum. Seriously, I hate that woman, Brian, also I hate, and I'm glad they didn't appear a lot in this novel because they both make my blood boil.
Willow's little brother, he's adorable. I really love his character, and I wanted to see more of him, because I think I have a weird obsession with the little gaming cutie.
Tessa, I also wanted to hear more from, but this isn't what I want, it's about how I think she really shows us another side of Willow. Willow around her is jealous, and a little snappy, its kind of cute, but it also shows us this insecure version of her, and that makes her simply human.
Michael. Michael. Michael. I'll start on a positive note, and then end it on a positive note, because I think this book deserves recognition. But he's romantic, and his poems are cute.
I think he's got a few issues, and I really liked how we got to know all the different sides of him, that really made me feel as if I were getting to know him well. I felt closer to him, and really I think that part of me came to like Michael- until I realised how much of selfish, selfcentered, know it all ass he is.
First of all: kicks Willow out of the car when she confronts him after he starts a fight with her at a birthday party. Worst of all: in the middle of nowhere. (Yes referring back to the first book, coincidence? I'd like to think this has been done on purpose for a clever twist.) Willow then forgives him. Like that. After he's defended her honour.
He stops speaking to her when she's talking to another guy, then get's completely drunk.  Yes, she's a jealous type too, but lets be honest, that's a little out of line.
They have sex, he then suddenly expects it whenever they're alone. She doesn't put out, he gives her.. wait for it... the silent treatment. DUMP HIS ASS. Immature little sh... You get the picture.
But back to positivity, he really cares for Willow. I really like that, and again, this makes him human, and realistic. I like how many flaws his has, and this balances out his good points. Caring, smart, poetic, creative, romantic, he's not my dream guy, but he is Willow's, and that did come across in the book, even if I did take an instant dislike to him. (Sorry. I have people issues.)

Ok, so besides the Michael thing, this book is fan-dabby-dosey. It was cool, I'm sure that Knudsen really worked hard on it, because it shows. I think a lot of effort was put in to the story, and I can tell. I did like it. I know my review might seem otherwise, but I did.
The contrasts, the twists I didn't see coming, all of it was good.
Honestly, please don't think I'm a terrible person, but I was kind of hoping Willow would break up with him, or the other way around. I mean, he drank one beer, ok that's fine, then drove her home. HER DAD DIED FROM A DRUNK DRIVER. Surly that's common sense to you know, not drink and drive, oui?
Ok, it all comes back to Michael, I think giving how much I don't like him, I must have a weird twisted crush on him. You know he winks? All the time? Maybe there's something wrong with him..?

Well, I give you my thumbs up Knudsen, and I'll tell you keep up the good work. I'll be looking out for more Knudsen books in the future: Giving that Michael Cooper isn't in them. (Ah sorry.)

Good reads says: While adjusting to her new life on a tiny island, off the coast of Maine, sixteen-year-old Willow Flynn begins to enjoy the hot and carefree summer days most teenagers dream about.
Willow has only two priorities before the start of her junior year of high school: making money at her first real job and spending the rest of her free time with her boyfriend, Michael.
But dreams have a way of crashing, especially when a serious illness threatens the very survival of the boy she has come to love, the boy she’s begun to trust and the boy she cannot live without.