But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be. (From Goodreads)
Sometimes books tear out your heart and then reach into your soul and start punching. When that happens, read this book next. With the different ways a book can tear you up and send you into spiraling depression, this one will put you back together and lift you up.
One night I started Slammed by Colleen Hoover. I was up until 4AM sobbing, much to the concern of my poor roommate. The next morning I woke up pretty depressed, of course. And there was Meant to Be on my shelf all full of colors and it pretty much just beckoned to me. It was incredibly successful in bringing me from the -nothing is every going to be okay again - spectrum all the way to the other side -life is amazing and all I want to do is be happy forever!
So let's start with the London part. Put an awkward, shy girl on a plane to anywhere but here and it's so my life. I was Julia in high school - minus some of the organizational skills. It still doesn't fail to amaze me how much traveling can change a person. Being able to adjust, learn, and thrive in a new environment is strengthening, Even if it's hard to see the difference from when you leave and when you come back, it's there. Julia is still herself by the end of the book, but she has those small differences. And of course the actual - being in London - part was fabulous. The sights and the culture were all there, vivid and beckoning (someone get me a plane ticket now please).
Then there's the Jason. He is such a high school boy. I could have walked back into my memories, plucked a guy from my class and put him in this situation and he would have behaved the exact same way. I'm talking about the fact that he sneaks out, disregards rules and acts like an idiot in public places. He's a big kid. And he owns it, which also makes him pretty endearing.
Also, the whole Julia has a crush on Mark who is this perfect shining example of what a boy should be, but he doesn't know she exists thing. Yeah, count me in on another reason I relate, and why so many readers will relate, to Julia. It was kind of fun for me to watch my Mark fall from his pedastal. And so when I saw that Mark was going down (pretty early on the book, Julie doesn't catch on for awhile, but Mark is obviously a tool) I got pretty excited.
I currently have a handful of books that I go back to for re-reads when I'm in a slump or when I just need something familiar - mainly Harry Potter, Wanderlove, and the Stephanie Perkins book. But I'm adding this book to my re-read list. I know I'm going to be coming back when I need to be picked up or put back together. Because this book is powerful - it hits you with happiness and fun.
