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Review: Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Title: Roomies
Author: Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando
Year Published: 2013

Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 279
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Location (my 2014 Google Reading map)USA (California and New Jersey)

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): When Elizabeth receives her freshman year roommate assignment at the beginning of summer, she shoots off an email to coordinate the basics: TV,microwave, mini-fridge. She can't wait to escape her New Jersey beach town, and her mom, and start life over in California.

That first message comes as a surprise to Lauren in San Francisco; she had requested a single. But if Lauren's learned anything from being the oldest of six siblings, it's that you can't always get what you want--especially when what you want is privacy. Soon the girls are emailing back and forth, sharing secrets even though they've never met. With childhood friendships and family relationships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives... and each other.

Review: I ended up not reading this book. I got to page 30 and realized it would be a fun one to read with my daughter, who is 14 and interested in going to boarding school, maybe. I suggested she read as far as I had gotten then we could read it aloud, alternating chapters. This story is told by both characters, alternating chapters and I thought that would be a fun way for us to read the book together. She never gave the book back. She finished it on her own.

That's a good sign. My daughter used to read a lot, but in the past year or so hasn't. It was so great to see her with her nose in a book again! When she finished this book she picked up another and kept reading, so thank you Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando!

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