Ads 468x60px

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Title: The Distance Between Us
Author: Kasie West
Format Acquired: Paperback
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publishing House: Harper Teen
ISBN: 9780062235657
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she's pretty sure they're only good for one thing - spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother's shop.


So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he's oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he's one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Because if there's one thing she's learned from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.


She knows her mom can't find out - she wouldn't approve. She'd much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn't been raised by money. But just when Xander's attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realized. And that Xander's not the only one she should've been worried about.



(Image, summary and information courtesy of Goodreads)

Review:


Caymen thinks that all rich people get bored easily, which is why she's trying to keep her distance from Xander. But as Xander tries to prove against Caymen's judgment that he's different from the others, Caymen finds out the truth that someone has desperately kept hidden.

I'll admit that what sold me on this one was Caymen's fascination with rich people. Much to both my chagrin and enjoyment, I do browse through the Rich Kids of Instagram Tumblr, just to see glimpses of spoiled kids in all their glorified excess. What people back in the day constitutes as bragging is now today's ticket to fame, which I guess, also says a lot about today's culture. 

I might be a little biased when it comes to the characters of this book because there's little I'd enjoy more than sarcasm and dry humor. Luckily, Caymen's more than ready to indulge readers with that, even if it's possibly more of a defense mechanism thing. Caymen might come off as cruel at times, but really, it's only her practical side talking. It's not that she wants to hurt people's feelings either, it's just that sometimes she doesn't know how to deal with them. Caymen doesn't know how to deal with Xander either. He's rich, and gorgeous (of course), and is about as unexpected as a polar bear in Hawaii. Normally, I say "Ick!" when people share drinks (unless of course, they're immediate family members) but Xander has had me wanting to share his drink with me. (Gosh Michelle, you are so disturbing, trust me I know.) Xander is very sweet, which of course, almost always catches Caymen off-guard.

I can't really go on to detail as to what events transpired in the novel, as that would give it away, but I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, this book is totally adorable, but on the other, the events were just too okay-where-did-that-come-from-OH-THERE-REALLY-LIKE-WHAT. The events leading to the end might be a little off, but I wouldn't discourage people who like snarky, adorable romance.

As far as contemporary romances go, this one was one of the enjoyable ones I've read. The Distance Between Us is often light and entertaining, which is perfect for when you've just finished a pretty heavy book. Fans of contemporary might want to pick this up, if they don't have it in their book shelves already.

Rating:
   
            


3 comments:

  1. I absolutely loved Kasie West's Pivot Point, so I was really curious about this one as well. And it didn't disappoint! :) All around super fun and heart warming book, with charming and lovable characters. Also, have I mentioned my not so little crush on Xander?! :)
    Great review! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. To my own dismay, I haven't read any of Kasie West's works. But this particular book caught my attention for quite some time now.... I might pick it up soon!
    Thanks for the awesome review!

    ReplyDelete