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genieinanovel 's review for:
Sweethearts
by Sara Zarr
Cameron Quick was everything to Jennifer Harris, but when Cameron suddenly disappears, she’s lost. She’s the only outcast in elementary and middle school now that her best friend is gone. And the worst part is that everyone thinks he’s dead. So when her mom remarries and they move to a new district in town, Jennifer transforms herself into Jenna – the pretty, popular girl that she couldn’t be when she was younger.
And then Cameron shows up.
This book covers a lot of topics that are still just as relevant as when it was published back in 2008. Bullying, mental abuse, sexual/physical abuse, and even the beginnings of an eating disorder have affected both Jenna and Cameron when they were younger. The abuse was mostly done to Cameron, as his father was shown to be the one abusing him and his mother (possibly even his siblings). Then there was an incident where he involved Jennifer, which we get flashbacks to and it’s something she kept from her mom for years.
When Cameron comes back, all the memories do as well, and she realizes that he might need help. So she begins to spend more time with him, much to her boyfriend’s annoyance, but when someone meant the world to you, you can’t just let that go. The bond between these two was so sweet and pure that the ending just really made me sad.
I personally like how this book covers some of these topics, while not making it explicit. However, I do feel like maybe it could’ve been longer. Maybe that’s just me. Plus, I would have liked to see Cameron’s side of things. Overall though, this is a great, quick read that I think most YA readers will enjoy.
And then Cameron shows up.
This book covers a lot of topics that are still just as relevant as when it was published back in 2008. Bullying, mental abuse, sexual/physical abuse, and even the beginnings of an eating disorder have affected both Jenna and Cameron when they were younger. The abuse was mostly done to Cameron, as his father was shown to be the one abusing him and his mother (possibly even his siblings). Then there was an incident where he involved Jennifer, which we get flashbacks to and it’s something she kept from her mom for years.
When Cameron comes back, all the memories do as well, and she realizes that he might need help. So she begins to spend more time with him, much to her boyfriend’s annoyance, but when someone meant the world to you, you can’t just let that go. The bond between these two was so sweet and pure that the ending just really made me sad.
I personally like how this book covers some of these topics, while not making it explicit. However, I do feel like maybe it could’ve been longer. Maybe that’s just me. Plus, I would have liked to see Cameron’s side of things. Overall though, this is a great, quick read that I think most YA readers will enjoy.