Ashleigh Macro 15th November 2019

Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

A romantic YA gem that was hidden away on my TBR shelf.

Starry Eyes Summary

Best-friends-turned-worst-enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together. What could possibly go wrong?

As the two travel deeper into the wilderness, fighting each other as well as the forces or nature, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can they make their way to safety? And will Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world?

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Starry Eyes Review

Don’t you just love it when a book really surprises you? I had Starry Eyes on my shelf from a book event I’d been to, but didn’t know anything about it and had never read anything by Jenn Bennett before. One morning, I was about to leave for work when I realised I needed a new book to take with me, so I asked Ryan to go to my TBR shelf and pick out any book he wanted. He came back with this one.

Starry Eyes is exactly the reason I ask Ryan to choose me a book sometimes, because if he hadn’t picked this out I probably wouldn’t have prioritised it, and may have taken months if not years to get round to it. What a shame that would have been!

I knew right away that I was going to race through Starry Eyes. The writing style is easy to read, but doesn’t lack in substance. The setting and the adventure these characters embark on conjures up clear and vivid imagery that you’ll hang onto long after you’ve finished reading.

Zorie and Lennon’s romance is exactly the kind I enjoy reading about. It centres around friendship, it’s not so brand-new that there’s a frustrating feeling of insta-love, and boy is it swoon-worthy. They have their differences, but those meant that they learn from each other and grow as individuals as they are forced to spend time together in the most unlikely of situations.

I found Zorie to be a really relatable character, and particularly liked the starry themes from her interest in astronomy that ran throughout.

I loved the moments of action and their contrast with the quiet moments of reflection that they shared with one another. It’s a beautifully written book that I’d recommend to any YA romance lover. I can’t wait to read more from this author soon.

Also, maps! This book has maps!