Review: Sea Change by Aimee Friedman

Title: Sea Change
Author: Aimee Friedman
Page Count: 292 pages
Summary: "16-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science...and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship...and reality.

Is Leo hiding something? Or is he something that she never could have imagined?"

Review: I just finished this book. Literally, like a few minutes ago. I was sitting in my boyfriend's bed and I got up and threw it at the wall. Some spoilers, just because I'm annoyed.

Let's backtrack: this was not a terrible book, although the main character was really annoying and so socially awkward - I know she's supposed to be a science nerd and all, but come on. She seems to not have any social skills whatsoever and even though she claims to be really smart, she's actually kind of stupid. I figured out things - many things - before her, and she's supposed to be the intelligent one? I just didn't get it.

Her romance with Leo left a lot to be desired. Once I got over the fact that neither of them knew very much about each before their first kiss, I could kind of get into them. But I hate it when an author doesn't take the time to develop a romance and credits some kind of supernatural spark (a la love at first sight, blah blah blah) as the basis of their relationship. It always comes off as incredibly unrealistic. Some of their scenes were a little steamy, which I liked, but (and here comes a spoiler), it just bothers me when characters offer themselves up to a boy, AKA have sex with him, and they've done nothing but kiss first. This is so annoying and unrealistic and it happens in YA so much. I don't know any teenage couple that has gone all the way without doing anything but kissing first. It doesn't make any sense to me that people write this way.

And finally, we come to the end. Ah, the ending of the book. The stupid ending that leaves just about nothing resolved. I spent the whole book wondering whether or not this mysterious Leo was in fact a supernatural creature or not (actually not wondering, waiting for it to be revealed), and you never find out! Never! I really don't understand how this book came to be published if the ending wasn't really an ending. I guess this book was just a set-up for a series or something? If so, it did a really poor job. It just made me angry.

Onto some better stuff: the character development was totally good, which I love. This is a pretty light read, so if you're expecting something deep and entrancing, this isn't it. However, it wasn't a terrible book. I was just very frustrated with the end. Others might enjoy this ending, but it just really bothered me. Don't tease your readers if you aren't going to reveal anything.

Overall, I thought Sea Change was okay. It was light and fluffy and easy to read, if a little frustrating at times. Not my cup of tea, but others might enjoy it!

Romance: 3/5 stars

Overall: 3/5 stars