The Aussie Zombie

The synopsis of Me Since You was what first grabbed my attention - although I'm very particular when it comes to Young Adult contemporaries, some of my favourites are those that fall into the realistic fiction genre - because the good ones really stick with me.

Rowan is an average teenage girl who makes one choice that changes the lives of her whole family, and herself.  It's not even something earth-shattering - just a decision to skip school with her best friend to meet up with a couple of boys.  Despite the fact that her parents border on being helicopters, there's obviously a lot of love in her family which is obvious from the very beginning.  And although the synopsis hints at quite a heavy romantic theme, this is very much a book about family, grief and how every person has different reactions to difficult situations.

The one thing I really disliked about this book was Rowan's best friend, Nadia.  Right from the very beginning her attitude grated on me, and it only got worse as the book progressed.  I don't believe that Wiess was actually trying to make Nadia a good person with a few flaws, but was instead trying to show how true friendship is a very difficult thing to find, and for that I loved this book even more - it was just frustrating that Rowan couldn't see it herself.

That point aside, this is a very emotional book - it's raw and emotional, and although I'm not a crier when it comes to books, this one really hit home - I could FEEL Rowan and her family's pain, and I loved that Wiess really went in deep - this is a book that is unflinchingly honest and realistic and doesn't try to glamorise or gloss over just how a tragedy can have a ripple effect through many different people.

Although I did mention that there isn't a heavy romantic element to the story, the relationship between Rowan and Eli is particularly heartfelt and very realistic - everything didn't fall neatly into place for them and it didn't feel insta-lovey - it was just the kind of romantic theme that I really like.

Me Since You is a heart-breaking look at how one decision can change many people's lives, and it's a roller coaster of emotions, but it's also incredibly satisfying and is definitely a story that will stick with me for a long time.