Originally Published: April 12, 2012

By: Rainbow Rowell

In her debut young adult novel, author Rainbow Rowell hits many important themes while creating a love story for the ages that rivals fellow YA authors.

Eleanor has a hard life and doesn’t look like the “pretty girls” do. Park would tend to disagree. He falls for her quickly and seems to know how to make her happy. However, the two know that first loves never last, but they’re willing to try.

You’ll feel deep in your heart for Eleanor. She’s a likable character that has everything going wrong for her. Her stepfather Richie abuses her, her mother and her siblings and she gets bullied at school for her looks and weight. At times, what she’s going through can be triggering, but it’s important to see stories like this.

Final say: Hard to love at times, but beautiful nonetheless. ★★★★☆