The Accidentals: A Young Adult Novel

I really liked the premisses of this story. I started the book feeling this is going to be hard to put down... but I noticed that it was frustration that made me read on. I was waiting for some big issues and hurt to be dealt with, which did nt happen. the girl needed to figure it all out herself, when she should have had help. The ending was touching, but i did not feel that the adults in the book deserved to get away with things do easily.

I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — For a first foray into young adult, Ms. Bowen really nailed the feel of it — I ADORED IT!!! I loved all the different struggles we got to experience with Rachel. From navigating through her grief, adjusting to a father she’s never met, friendships that change and grow, and first love, it was all beautifully poignant, but not without its humour as well. Rachel was pretty easy to like. I felt for everything she was going through, and I even recalled some of my own struggles with grief as a teenager. While I was fortunate enough to have a loving mother to hold me up, I still recognized that great sense of loss. A strange thing that I appreciated in Rachel was that she didn’t always behave the best, or make the best choices…she very much felt like a teenager testing boundaries, experiencing fear, and becoming irrational over different things. It can make it hard to read sometimes, but it also made her feel more authentic. I also appreciated that while we eventually learn a few things about Frederick and how his role as Rachel’s father played out, there wasn’t some magical reason why he was absent. Ms. Bowen didn’t let him off the hook, because sometimes people just make bad choices and then they have to live with those consequences. I appreciated the way their relationship developed over the course of the book. It might have seemed smoother at the beginning, but that’s partially because Rachel wasn’t opening herself up to him out of fear of being abandoned. So it was interesting to see her act out in different places once she became a bit more sure. Frederick had a lot to learn himself, and I appreciated that he didn’t magically become super Dad, but we saw him fumble his way along with good intentions. I loved the side plot with Jake, and the romance that developed there. I wouldn’t classify the book as a romance, but we did get lots of great goosebumpy stuff between the two of them. I was in love with Jake from the first email, and he was swoonworthy through the whole thing. I love a good nerdy boy, he was so sweet and just…GAH! I also appreciated that we got to see his own insecurities, and that they had their own stumbling blocks. Again, it felt very real. So many other great side characters. I LOVED Rachel’s roommate Aurora…she was sassy and funny, and while it was totally foreshadowed to the reader what she was hiding, I thought it played out in a satisfying way. And I came to really appreciate Norah as well, even as Rachel struggled with her. I love how so many of these little storylines really showcase all the fumbling blocks of being a young adult, and showcase Rachel’s growth in different ways. I will admit that Alice didn’t grow on me as much, but I think she wasn’t supposed to. It was interesting to see so many flawed characters in this story…all with their own baggage. I could understand them even as I wanted to throttle them. But the trifecta of Franklin, Ernie, and Carlos was perfection. It was so nice to see such genuinely good guys in the background. I could write more and more, though at this point I feel like I’m just repeating myself. I ADORED the musical touches in the story, from the rock side, to the a cappella side, to bits of musical theory. Straight shot, this was YA perfection in my opinion. I kind of wish I’d had more time to dedicate to reading it start to finish, without large gaps in between. Guess I’ll have to save that for a reread.

This book is a lesson on why not to start reading at 9pm. Once I started, I couldn't stop until I reached the end at 2am when I had work the next day. This book is everything I've come to expect from Sarina Bowen. It has amazing characters, made me laugh, and, at parts, made me cry. I loved everything about this book!!