You Are Here, by: Jennifer E. Smith

Blurb

​       Emma Healy has grown used to being the only ordinary one in her rather extraordinary family. But when she finds a birth certificate for a twin brother she never knew she had, along with a death certificate dated just two days later, she realizes why she never felt quite whole. She sets off on a trip to visit her brother's grave. Peter Finnegan, her neighbor, comes along for the ride. Emma thinks they can't possibly have anything in common, but with each passing mile, they find themselves learning more and more about themselves and each other.

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       You Are Here (81%) is the perfect short, summery, road trip read. I have read several books by Jennifer E. Smith, including This is What Happy Looks Like, and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and both were wonderful contemporaries to read. My expectations were pretty set for this book, and it definitely made them.
       I really loved our main character, Emma, and her story. The fact that her family hid an entire part of her life from her was a really big deal, and the way she handled the situation seem pretty realistic throughout the story. Also, I loved how Smith wrote Emma into a genius family with ease. Her place in her family, although uncommon, seemed very natural in a sense.
       The plot of this story roped me in with from the start. (I am a sucker for road trip books.) The fact that Emma just decides to pick up and leave on an adventure is an interesting one, and something I have always wanted to do. When Peter joins her on her journey, the adventure gets a little more interesting. The fact that they don't immediately fall in love and live a happy ever after is beautiful in its own way, and very unexpected. This book was a nice change of pace from your average young adult romance novel.

Review

       What did you think of Jennifer E. Smith's newest novel? Comment below to share your thoughts!

From her imaginary road trip,
Ashton

And for the first time in his life Peter understood what the opposite of lost was: that it had nothing to do with maps or directions or staying on course; that it was, in fact, nothing more than being found."
-Jennifer E. Smith, You Are Here