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Sunday, January 19, 2014

Joint Review: Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando

by:  Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando 
published by:  Little Brown Books for Young Readers
publish date:  December 24, 2013

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

Roomies is told in alternating view point between Elizabeth aka EB and Lauren.  Each girl comes from a very different background, but they're both struggling with the changes that come with leaving home to go college.   When EB starts the correspondence between the two girls it sets off a crazy whirlwind of drama between them.   The book really highlighted the problem with email.  It makes it so hard to read the tone of someone's message unless you already know them.  Oftentimes, you end up reading way too much into it and things get way out of hand.  This book was a perfect example of that.

I liked this book.  I thought it was kinda cute and fun.  But, I'm in school now.  I'm old (Haha!!) but I can look around at all the young'uns around me and see all their bubbling optimism and how they're so excited to make their new college friends.  I think it's cute,  like I thought this book was cute.



I was the opposite of Autumn.  I listened through to the second disc of the audiobook and then gave up. One of the things that grated on my nerves was the voice of EB. For me the reader can make a big difference.  
I also had a hard time connecting with the two girls. Maybe I'm too old to sympathize, but I felt like they were a little whiny.  College is about new experiences.  Suck it up and see what happens.  This may have resonated more with me had I read this when I was younger.  Autumn thinks it's because I mentioned that I haven't had many good roommate experiences.  Maybe I'm still bitter...

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