Summer Reads - My Life Next Door

I love this book. I absolutely love it. This was probably my third time reading it and my opinion of My Life Next Door has never changed. It's an amazing debut novel by Huntley Fitzpatrick, filled with fun characters, real-life issues, and a summer romance. The best part is that it has a sequel (squeal!) coming out next year!



The main character is Samantha Reed, a seventeen year old girl who spends most of her nights on the balcony watching the Garrett's, the family next door, who are so different from her own. One day Jase Garrett climbs up to officially meet her and both of their summers, and lives, are inexplicably changed.

One of my favorite things about the book is that there isn't this whole "will they or won't they" with Samantha and Jase. You don't have to spend most of the book yelling "GET TOGETHER ALREADY" at them. (You don't do that? Must just be me!) You get to see the ups and downs of their relationship, which is refreshing in a YA novel.

I also really love the Garrett's as a family. Each has their own unique personality, but they just all fit together as a unit. My favorite is George, one of Jase's younger brothers. He seems so sweet and cuddly, and he seems like kids I know in real life.

The book isn't all warm fuzzies though, there are definitely real problems. My Life Next Door addresses politics, family struggles, financial burdens, lying, and even addiction through the character of Tim. These are real issues people face today but they're presented in a realistic way, not as if all of these problems are just thrown into the story forsaking the plot.  Everything works together to fit in this wonderful package.

This is one of those books that I recommend to pretty much everyone I know. Read it in the summer. Read it during fall. Read it during winter when you're pining for the warmth of summer. Read this book during the springtime when you're just waiting for the rain to go away so you can have your own summer adventure. Just read this book.