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Roomies
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Roomies
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Roomies
Audiobook7 hours

Roomies

Written by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Narrated by Becca Battoe and Emily Eiden

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

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.

The first note to Lauren in San Francisco comes as a surprise; she had requested a single. But if Lauren's learned anything from being the oldest of six, 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 family relationships and childhood friendships 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.

With humor and heart, Sara Zarr, National Book Award finalist for Story of a Girl, and Tara Altebrando, acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Happiness, join forces for a novel about that time after high school, when everything feels like it's ending just as it's beginning.

A Hachette Audio production.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateDec 24, 2013
ISBN9781478925200
Unavailable
Roomies
Author

Sara Zarr

Sara Zarr is the author of six acclaimed novels for young adults, including Story of a Girl, The Lucy Variations, and Gem & Dixie. She's a National Book Award finalist and two-time Utah Book Award winner. Her novels have been variously named to annual best books lists of the American Library Association, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, the Guardian, the New York Public Library, and the Los Angeles Public Library and have been translated into many languages. She splits her time between Utah and California. You can visit her online at www.sarazarr.com.

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Reviews for Roomies

Rating: 3.4855769384615387 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

104 ratings23 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Two girls, from very different backgrounds and opposite coasts (New Jersey and San Francisco) exchange emails and begin to explore a friendship in their summer before college. Those who enjoy Sara Zarr's books (like me!) will find this book a little less biting than some of her other work, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lauren (the San Franciso gal) is a thrift store shopper with a bunch of younger siblings, who works an unglamorous job out of necessity and was hoping for single room and some delicious privacy. Elizabeth (but call her EB) is a little more privileged, though she works hard at her landscape job and already knows she wants a career working in landscape design. Plus EB is hiding a very awkward secret about her dad. The book is told in alternating chapters as the two girls exchange emails and get on with their last summer before college. Lauren explores new feelings for a coworker, while EB grapples with "should I or shouldn't I" virginity questions, and faces the fact her mother is going out with a married man. The ending wraps things up nicely in this stand-alone novel, a refreshing change from the current "everything's a trilogy" trend in YA. Easy to recommend to mid to older teen readers (particularly girls), looking for fun (yet substantial) YA realistic fiction.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    story unfolds through emails and texts over the course of the summer between two girls who have been assigned as roommates in college.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Two teens get to know each other via email the summer before they room together for their first year of college. The girls are living totally different lives and it's interesting to see them get to know each other.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wow! A great contemp with realistic characters and emotional situations. Recommended for older fans of Sarah Dessen and Sarah Ockler.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A novel about college, friendships, family, and first romances.

    Lauren and Elizabeth have been assigned as roommates for college in the fall, and when given her roommate's information, Elizabeth (EB) decides to email Lauren from her excitement of going away to college and sharing a room. Lauren, on the other hand, is a little disappointed about having to share a room after asking for a single, but it's justified, as she's the oldest of six and shares a room with her two younger sisters. As EB and Lauren continue their back and forth with email, they find a place where they can talk about things that they can't portray yet to their loved ones, but they quickly learn that email can be a tricky basis for a friendship.

    What drew me to the book was the concept of it, especially since I was a commuter and online student at my different schools. If I were in EB and Lauren's shoes, I'd imagine I'd be excited to meet my roommate as soon as possible as I'm also an only child like EB. At the same time, I related to a lot of what Lauren went through at home as far as not being able to afford new appliances, but also that closeness she had with her parents.

    The best part of this story was the girls' communication via email, and the authors did a great job of portraying how tricky email can be. Just like with texting, you don't get to see the other person's facial cues or hear their tone of voice. While sometimes it can be obvious, other times you're unsure, and you can end up making a big deal out of something that wasn't, or misread the other person's intentions. EB and Lauren learn this not too far into their long-distance friendship, and there's a bit of drama between the two due to some miscommunication.

    There was obviously some of that "summer before college" romance going on, though ones that might last a little after the summer (or so it was implied). I didn't really care for EB's new relationship with Mark, but I did like Lauren with Keyon because they just had a good chemistry between them. Still, I was glad the romances weren't the driving part of the book and more of a background story to go along with the real one.

    All in all, I did enjoy this book and I think it's a great read if you're in the mood for something light-hearted and that reads very easily.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Well done book about the time between high school and college. Authentic voice. Nice family and friend dynamics. Interesting and intelligent treatment of how far to go sexually with boyfriends. Some drinking and sex. Okay for high school -- maybe even 8th grade depending on the reader.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Roomies is a story of two girls beginning college. They end up e-mailing each other as they are going to be roommates. A coming of age story told by each of their points of view. Basically follows their journey (touching on lots of issues.)Maybe it's just because I'm not in this time of my life so it's not as interesting but this book was just kind of bland to me. Not sure what I expected (maybe thinking it would have a John Green vibe to it but it didn't.) I might would recommend it to those of the verge of having their own experience with the same thing.I received this book in exchange for an honest book review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    OK book about 2 girls getting ready to go off to college to be roommates. Total opposites as far as family is concerned but they end up doing OK together. Some issues with sex (especially with the one mother who is having an affair with a married man) and the first experience is a little too perfect but mostly behind the scenes. One boys has a tendency to say "s..." like a 4 year old who just learned his first swear word and that is his word for everything which gets aggravating--even to the character in the book. Probably not necessary for us.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was a great break from my usual paranormal/dystopian type books. It makes me wish I had gone away to college right after high school, just to have the experience of having a roommate. This book is a good read for high school-aged girls who are worried about their first away-from-home experience.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I adored the premise of Roomies, high school students counting down the days until the end of school, and spending that final summer before college getting to begin to correspond to their roomate for the fall. Personally, I never really had a roomie before college, I was an only child and never went to camp, etc. Elizabeth and Lauren are two different girls from different backgrounds but as they slowly share some of their life to a virtually anonymous girl on the internet, but also one that you will be living with in mere months. They begin to realize that they are more alike than possible. They both feel on the fringes as far as social circles go, they both have two jobs even if from different economic backgrounds, and they both have families that aren't traditional. Although stories told in poems or in letters (especially if that is the whole thing) aren't a great fit for me all of the time, the emails in this one didn't bother me. I think that it is because it is mostly in narrative and the emails are supplemental. Another thing that I liked was how they faux composed snarky or emotional before they figured out what they really wanted to say. Elizabeth and her family dynamics really intrigued me. As I said, I was an only child, so her having so many brothers and sisters opened my eyes to a different reality. She helped her parents a lot and she really loved her brothers and sisters, but at times she felt the weight on her shoulders and longed for a bit more quiet time to herself. I loved how close she was with her parents though, and how for the most part she really cherished their traditions--weekends together as a family. I was worried about the romantic threads because I knew it was going to be a summer book with Lauren moving across the country to pursue her dreams of being a landscaper and Elizabeth moving thirty minutes away. But it ended up working nicely and although the final answer for the relationships wasn't set in stone, they were both defined and had a plan for the future. There was always some drama, things that they told each other that they hadn't really confided in, and that made a strong bond between them. But they weren't in a state that nothing could shake that because some decisions and bad timing and mis-communication and replying when upset and taking anger out on someone else that shouldn't be the target. They weren't unshakable, but they made a good foundation for their future as roomies. I loved the themes of friendship and family that was presented in this one. Although there are some pretty dysfunctional parenting going on, the family that each girl lived with was solid in their own ways. Lauren's mom was dating a bunch of guys, some very inappropriate leaving Lauren to deal with her feelings on that, and she also tries to reach out to her gay father who of course is now separated and has been for most of Lauren's life. Then Elizabeth has both of her parents, but also has five brothers and sisters and she is the oldest, so at times she felt like a third parent instead of having the bonding memories with them, or so she thinks. But we get to see sweet moments with her and Gertie as well as Peej. But as time comes closer and closer for her to move out, there were also some pretty tender moments with EB as she likes to be called and her parents, particularly her dad. The humor that was in this book was good as well. That and some spot on discussions about stuff that teens really go through and think about. It was honest and some of it was the hard issues that most teens don't really talk about, or at least I know that I didn't. The ending was sweet and fit the book perfectly. It sets up that they are finally meeting in person, and though they have this summer of emails to get to know each other, it is still a first, and a huge step in their roomie-ness and friendship. Bottom Line: Funny, dramatic story of the emails between two girls who will be college roommates.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    EB (Elizabeth) decides to ask the age-old question, microwave or mini-fridge, of her freshman roommate when she receives Lauren's contact information in an e-mail. What follows is a summer of correspondence between the two that explores their feelings about leaving home, burgeoning relationships with boys, and fading connections with best friends. The two girls are featured in alternating chapters, which include both e-mails and narratives about the girls' lives. This fun premise delves into topics of ethics and morality while keeping the story relevant to teen readers. If you like Lauren Myracle's ttyl series or Sarah Dessen's romances, try this novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Roomies is a sweet coming-of-age story of two girls who, though seemingly an unlikely pair , become close through the beauty of email. When Elizabeth and Lauren are paired as freshman college roommates for the upcoming school year, they have the summer to come to grips with the changes in their life. And while they begin to learn things about each other through email, the virtual form of communication lends to a lot of slip-ups and misunderstanding. Can Elizabeth and Lauren come to terms with their rooming assignment - or should they both request a single?

    Roomies was well-written, funny, and incredibly sharp. The narration was authentic for two teenage girls faced with the difficulties of being teenage girls (family, relationship drama, friendships). I enjoyed that the narration was split evenly between Elizabeth and Lauren, and I felt that their narratives paired nicely together.

    The supporting characters and romantic subplots were enjoyable and pleasant to read about, but I do think the heart of this story lies in Elizabeth and Lauren's blossoming friendship and the idea of growing into oneself. I've personally been out of college for a few years, but I still related to this book so well.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Elizabeth can hardly wait to go to college. She's going all the way across the country to UC-Berkeley, as far as she can get from her controlling mother. When she gets an email with her housing assignment, she immediately contacts her new roommate to coordinate things for their dorm room.Lauren is less than thrilled to get Elizabeth's email -- she had requested a single. After sharing a room with two younger sisters, she was hoping for a little privacy. But being the oldest of six siblings means she is also able to adjust her expectations, so she writes back to Elizabeth, and a tentative friendship is formed.Over the course of the summer, the two girls will get to know each other through email, sharing anecdotes about friendships, parents, and boys, and looking forward to what's ahead. But when their communication hits a rocky patch, it starts to look like the girls will not be friends -- or even roommates -- by the time fall rolls around.Readers who enjoy realistic YA fiction dealing with these sorts of issues will enjoy this book. It's well-written and the characters are relatable, though readers may not always agree with their decisions or opinions.I listened to the audiobook, and while it was a fairly good production, I thought the two girls sounded too much alike, despite being voiced by different actors. I don't think this was an issue in the writing, and each segment was set apart with the date and location so it was easy to follow when there was a change between characters, but the two did sound fairly similar, so if I paused in the middle of a segment and came back to it later, it sometimes took me a little while to remember who was speaking. But it wasn't enough to really lessen my enjoyment of the story -- just a minor quibble.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Your senior year in high school is almost finished and you have been accepted into college. You receive a letter naming your college roommate. Many questions enter your mind. What is your roommate going to be like? Will you get along? This novel is about two very different girls who each receive a letter telling them that they will become roommates at college in the fall.Lauren and Elizabeth begin to exchange correspondence in anticipation of becoming roomies. As they exchange information they find that they are from very different backgrounds. As time goes on they begin to share very personal information in hopes that they will not only be roommates but best friends. The two find that deciding what information to share can potentially destroy or strengthen a friendship.The story is not only about their preparation for their future life in college but is is also about how to leave family and friends for another stage in life. I would recommend the book as a good read for the senior looking forward to college who may be experiencing the same roller coaster ride of emotions as Lauren and Elizabeth. It is definitely a book for the older YA reader.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Sadly, firmly in the new adult category, Zarr and Altenbrando create two very different girls/women who are going to be roommates in college and how they begin to understand each other. A bit too neat in a bow but good in that the story explores how two different people can end up at virtually the same place.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I would like to thank NetGalley for granting me the chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Though I received the e-book for free that in no way influenced this review. It's time to meet your new roomie. 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. As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships 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. Even though they've never met. National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.The two girls correspond exclusively through email, which is bound to cause some problems when they are not only strangers, but can't hear intonation or inflection in the other person's voice or have body language cues to read. Despite their differences we also get to explore all of their similarities. Lauren comes from a very large, close-knit family, while EB is an only child, living with her mother. One girl is a virgin and one is not. They are both different in many ways, yet they share so many of the same issues. The challenges of growing up, figuring out who you are, who you want to be, even what you want to be/do. Trying to define romantic relationships when they will be long-distance, how to cut the apron strings from family and still maintain a relationship with all parties understanding that the child is becoming an adult. With that comes the emotional roller-coaster ride of trying to find their balance between letting go of the familiar and embracing the new. Plus the lessons that come with the journey - you don't have to let go of the past to start something new, you simply find ways to create more space to include the new.The amount of emotional maturing the girls do over the summer before their freshman year is pretty astounding, not just for the reader but also for the characters. That ability to find the inner maturity is an excellent sign that it is time to move forward, that they are really ready and can handle it. Of course there will be bumps along the way, but it's only time to worry if it is a seamless transition.This story is well told, capturing the struggles of growing up. All the questions, insecurities, mistakes, growth, excitement, and fun, as well as feeling totally alone and as if no one else understands what you are going through. Then of course there's that feeling you share with best friends, the one where you feel you are each one half of the same person, very similar to the feeling you get with the romantic partner in your life - especially during the 'honeymoon' phase of a new relationship. This is a sweet look at what a pre-freshman, online relationship might become, with all its ups and downs.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is one of the times where I was really happy to have been wrong about what I expected a book was going to be about. For whatever reason, I though Roomies was an epistolary style novel. While I do love books written that way, I'm pretty thrilled Roomies wasn't.While Elizabeth and Lauren's email exchanges are a significant part of the novel, they're not all of it. It's in all that we learn of their lives outside of their their interactions that the story really works, that it really becomes a full story. We see each girl prepare for the start of college, their different family situations, the new boys they meet -- and their struggles to figure out how that fits in with their impending departure.Not only does this give a much better sense of each girl than if we were only to know them through what they chose to share in the emails, it puts the emails in a bit of a different light. We're able to see what they're holding back - from each other, from themselves, from those around them.Elizabeth and Lauren aren't falling apart at the idea of leaving home, of starting college. They're excited and, seemingly, ready to go, but also anxious.The way Roomies focuses both on their current lives, allowing things to still happen (like new boyfriend potential, friend drama) while the lead-up to leaving home is ever-present is pretty perfect. It's not all about the girl's imminent departure, all while it is.The things Lauren and Elizabeth experience are pretty universal (change, growth, loss, love, etc) things we've all experienced at some point, the college roommate situation is just how Altebrando and Zarr told them this time. It's a great read for all ages. You don't need to be getting your own college roomie(s) any time soon (or already have one) to enjoy Roomies and Lauren and Elizabeth's tale.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Roomies is the story about two young girls living in difference States who have been randomly paired as roommates for their upcoming first semester at UC Berkeley. Elizabeth lives with her mother and can't wait to escape her life as an only-child and begin a life of independence; Lauren on the other hand is unsure about leaving her family. They begin emailing to work out who brings what, but what they end up with is a very special relationship from a distance long before they even meet. I like how the book is written in two parts, giving each girl their own voice. There are a lot of sad and poignant moments in this book, and it will be a big hit with its target audience. I was given an advance copy for my review and honest opinion.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Read from October 29 to November 02, 2013 I started this one on accident. I was reading The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History and then remembered that I needed to see what was coming up for December's LibraryReads list. I downloaded this one and then just kept reading. When I put it down that first night, I was never in a rush to go back to it. A little reminded me of my own pre-college worries. I remember when I first got the name of my roommate I was so excited, my mom called to tell me while I was visiting my sister in Arizona. She read her name as "Mesan" instead of "Megan" so when I called and asked for "Mesan", I was told I had the wrong number. Go figure. Things started promising enough, we both were going with orange & pink for bedding. However, once the year got going, we quickly realized we were not going to be BFFs. Anyway...we didn't have a lot of communication over the summer, but I do remember having a lot of the same fears as Lauren and EB. But you know how some books stick with you, some don't. As soon as I finished this one, I thought..."it was pretty good and I'm glad the college experience is making more appearances outside of The Marriage Plot (which was kind of boring)." While I enjoyed Fangirl more than Roomies, I think fans of Rowell's novel will like this one, too.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.When I started Roomies, I was unsure about what to expect. I featured it on WoW, so clearly I wanted it... but... I didn't know how Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando would write together, so I was keeping my fingers crossed & my hopes at a manageable level. Turns out that I didn't need to be so worried. Because I enjoyed it, even if my final rating is three stars!I really liked the alternating points of view. Some remarked (and I silently agreed) that you can't tell who wrote each character, and it's totally true. Sara and Tara write very well together, to the point of being indistinguishable. But that doesn't mean that the characters were as such! I actually found Elizabeth and Lauren to be very well done - they had very different personalities, and I loved how they clashed and didn't. It made for a very interesting friendship.At first, I honestly wasn't even sure that they were going to be friends, because I actually didn't like Lauren all that much. But I'm proud to say that she grew on me throughout the book. There came a point when I just couldn't choose between them, because I loved them both as characters!I loved the idea that future "roomies" were emailing each other. It was an interesting concept. Their stories intertwined so well, and their personalities were so different that it was fun to read between the lines with them. Lauren was a lot more blunt that Elizabeth, which meant she didn't always think things through before she said them; and Elizabeth was a lot more... she was such an overthinker! Sometimes I just wanted to be all like "STAHP GIRLY IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED!" to her. I mean, I kind of think that she needed that!My only real problem with this book is how much they hurt each other. I mean, I know that people make mistakes and it's a fact of life, but they both did some things that I didn't really approve of. Sadly. On another note, I enjoyed the romances. Lauren and Elizabeth both have completely different lives, but I enjoyed the fact that they were going through a lot of the same things. It helped them to relate to each other, which was great. And, like I said, the romances. So cute! They weren't particularly rushed, and I feel like each character got a chance to get to know the other. Adorable!I liked the separate dramas. Elizabeth's with her mom and dad, and Lauren's with her big family. I loved Lauren's family, they gave her a certain depth. I felt like her family really made her a better character. I also liked the open ending. I'm not usually a fan, but it just fit for Roomies!All in all, I enjoyed this one. I would recommend it, but only if you don't mind reading character driven books.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Was or wasn’t this marketed as a story about friendship? The bond these two girls form through email even though they live on different sides of the coast? I picked this book up because I was in the mood to read a story focused on friendship and not just romance. I was sorely dissapointed. The frienship wasn’t even a good one and there was still a really large focus on romance.These two girls couldn’t be more different. Lauren is from a large family, has a great relationship with her parents, and works two jobs to save for college. Lauren was the likable one of the two.Elizabeth was an only child living with her divorced mother who was having an affair with a married man. She was a Jersey girl with the attitude to prove it. She was so high drama and really just annoyed me the whole book. She breaks up with her boyfriend of six months because he was pressuring her to have sex. I was like you go girl, kick him to the curb if he can’t respect you! Then all of a sudden she’s having sex with Mark, a guy she had only known for like two weeks, if that. It just seemed unbelievable and out of character for her. These girls couldn’t even email each other without fighting, there’s no way they would survive as college roomates without hating each other. Overall this was nothing but a big fat dissapointment in my eyes.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My Rating – 3 ¾ StarsI received a free copy of this book from Netgalley on behalf of Little, Brown books for young Readers in exchange for a fair review.Elizabeth “EB” can’t wait to move from New Jersey to Berkeley and get out of her small town. She has a strained relationship with her mom and her dad abandoned has a child when he came out of the closet. So when she gets an email from Student Housing with her future roommate’s information, she is eager to get the ball rolling on her new life and quickly sends off an email to introduce herself.Lauren “Lo” lives in San Francisco with her mom, dad and five younger siblings. She has two jobs and got lucky with a scholarship so she can afford Berkeley. She was crossing her fingers to get a single and finally have some peace and quiet. No such luck. She isn’t too happy about the idea of a roommate and definitely not one that seems to be as chipper as EB. They sort of reluctantly keep the emails going back and forth, letting little parts of their lives poke through. EB is way more forward that Lo and tends to share a lot more personal stuff but Lo breaks out of her shell a bit. They eventually form a nice friendship after some small bumps and one pretty big bump in the road. EB opens up about breaking up with a boyfriend she never really liked and finding a new boy that she actually loves with only a few weeks left before she moves across the country. Lo talks about the possible relationship with a guy that’s a different race. They share a lot about their fears of leaving friends, and home, and their families. How they each feel like terrible friends.It’s a coming of age type book. Who isn't nervous about starting a new adventure in their lives and want to make sure you are compatible with your new roommate? Both girls had their own voices and were both pretty relatable. I’d write a longer review but not much happens in the book. Which was something I didn't like but it was enjoyable enough. Also the interracial dating thing was brought up A LOT. It was mentioned at least once in every chapter of Lo’s point of view and it felt weird to me. It seemed to be a bigger issue than it should have been. Overall I thought it was cute. A nice quick summer read.You can read this review and more at Punk's House of Books and FicCentral
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Reading this book made me realize something. I missed out in college.

    My first two years of college were spent at the local community college, which is less that 5 miles from my childhood home. Then I transferred to the local University and commuted. So I never left home, I never had a roommate, and I never had that unique freedom of being by myself in a new city. Not that regret my path, not really, but I do find myself wondering what that would have been like.

    Roomies gave me a picture of what it would have been like. Of course, the title is a misnomer really…the two girls in this book are not roomies, yet. They are just going to be roomies once the school year starts.

    Anywho.

    The dual narration was interesting. Having never read either author before, I’m not sure who wrote what and honestly, it felt pretty seamless to me. With both girls coming from very different parts of the country, different types of families, and different world views, the dual authorship made each girl feel very separate and complete in themselves. In other words, it worked. The girls have never met, but after finding out they will be roommates in their first year of college, they start emailing each other to start the process of getting to know each other a little early. Their differences immediately start coming out. One is an only child and happy to have a roommate. The other is the oldest of 5 and wanted a single room. In typical fashion, an email note meant in jest is taken the wrong way. Yet they begin sharing things with each other they haven’t shared with anyone. One has a gay father who abandoned her as a baby. One is striking up something interesting with a black friend and she worries about what others will think. They become close confidants. But then something happens, a trust is broken, and they go to wondering if they can even live together.

    I really appreciated how both authors used their characters to illustrate real world problems and would think many a soon-to-be freshman could appreciate what these two girls go through. I know it is one I would like my own children to read someday for real guidance on what it’s like to be not only embarking on college life, but to be embarking on Real Life itself. This is the first book I’ve read by both Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando and look forward to exploring their works further.