Bullet-Point Book Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

I’ve been in a contemporary-loving mood lately so I decided to turn to one of my favorite contemporary writers to soften my heart. Starry Eyes is the second Jenn Bennett book that I’ve read after Alex, Approximately, and let me say, her books do not disappoint. Her romances are always filled with the most fun and playful banter where you can’t help but root for the couple. At the same time, she manages to incorporate relevant yet serious topics to make the reader ponder a little more. 💖

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STARRY EYES  by Jenn Bennett

PUBLISHED BY Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster) on April 3rd, 2018

GENRES: Contemporary

PAGES: 421

ADD TO GOODREADS     //    BOOK DEPOSITORY

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Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern-day Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?

TW: adultery, sexual content, underage drinking, homophobic language, anxiety, discussion of parental death, mention of suicide, toxic friendship

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What I Loved 💘

  • Best friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope…I LOVE IT!! MY HEART 😍❤
  • The story is set out in the wilderness where the characters go camping, and all the descriptions of the night stars and peaceful waterfalls makes me want to pack my bags and go on an adventure.
  • Zorrie is an organizer (just like me!!) She loves having a schedule and sticking to a plan.
  • The main character, Zorrie, and her stepmother have a strong and supportive parental relationship. Typically, most stepmothers in YA get portrayed as evil or mean, but it was refreshing to see a supportive and positive relationship. 💫
  • The story is filled with a realistic and diverse set of characters. Zorrie’s step-mother is Korean American while Lennon has two moms and a Muslim Egyptian-American dad.
  • Sex positivity!!
  • This book is was super easy to get into, and I would highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator did a fantastic job. 🎵

What I Didn’t Love 💔

  • Even though we receive closure between the main couple, I would have liked to see better resolution between the friendships of Zorrie and one of her childhood friends.
  • More diverse main characters. This is by no means a sole critique of only this book, but I would love to see more LGBTQ+ and POC as the star of a romance. This didn’t take away from a fantastic story, but I hope we see greater representation in more contemporaries.

“Uncertainty isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes it can even be filled with extraordinary potential.” 

Overall, Starry Eyes was a fantastic read that I’d definitely recommend, especially to all you contemporary lovers out there. If you get the chance to listen to the audiobook, I’d also recommend it because the narration is both soothing and captivating. I can’t wait to read more of Jenn Bennett’s works!

Have you read Starry Eyes? What were your thoughts? 💕

10 thoughts on “Bullet-Point Book Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

  1. I loved Starry Eyes! In fact I just placed an order for a signed copy! This book had so many things that made me happy. I loved Lennon and his family so much! I’ve forgotten some of the details already, yet my love for this book remains. I might have to do a reread once I get my copy. Wonderful review!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. OMG That’s so exciting!!! I loved Lennon and his family so much too. They were so supportive and chill. I can’t wait to read Jenn Bennett’s next book, Serious Moonlight. I’m so glad that I started reading her books because she’s definitely one of my favorite authors now ❤ I'm so glad you also liked my review!! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Ahh I can’t wait to read that one! I’ve read two Jenn Bennett books so far and Starry Eyes is on my TBR, I can’t wait to read it. It sounds amazing and I’m all for these different settings in the wildnerness, too! 🙂
    Lovely review! ❤ ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I have a feeling you’ll love it, Marie!! I’m so in love with Jenn Bennett’s writing and stories ❤ I just started Serious Moonlight, and I can already tell that I'll enjoy it too 🙂 I can't wait for you to read Starry Eyes because it's just so wonderful. I don't even consider myself an outdoorsy type of girl, but this made me want to spend some quality time in nature!!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. For the most part, we have similar thoughts about “Starry Eyes”. However, I don’t feel the same about your negative bullet points. I don’t mind that there wasn’t any seen resolution between Reagan and Zorie. I don’t think their problems could have been solved within the time span of the story. Plus, sometimes friendships are never restored. That’s just real life. I think Jenn Bennett doesn’t write diverse main characters because she doesn’t have the same experience as someone of a marginalized group. I personally prefer that she recognize her limitations as a Caucasian author, implement diversity where she can, and let POC and otherwise diverse authors write authentic representation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That definitely makes sense and are things I should’ve considered more. I’m really glad that you’re bringing it up too so that I’m more aware. 🙂 I guess I was hoping for some type of conversation between Reagan and Zorrie to conclude the book because I thought it felt unfinished, but I can also see why it’s important to not have it since it shows the realistic sides of friendships (and that it’s not always happily ever after where they’ll become friends again).

      And yes! I’m really glad as well that she implements diversity where she can and let POC authors write their own characters at the forefront. Thank you for taking the time to comment on my post, Lydia 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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