So I know this is about 6 years too late, but god do I love this book. Starry Eyes is one of my favorite and definitely my favorite of Jenn Bennett's novels.

Not really my vibe. I kind of just ended up powering through because I didn't want to start off my reading session with a DNF. Big fan of the camping/glamping aspect, it definitely makes for a unique set of circumstances for the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers trope. Also, big fan of the nontraditional families here — I definitely think authors love to ignore the family tropes but they really do add character and flare. I was just kind of bored by the predictability.

See here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2069094922?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

STARRY EYES is such a fun, banter-filled romance perfect for enjoying on a warm summer or fall night. Zorie and Lennon used to be best friends, but since the homecoming dance, they've been pure enemies. Unfortunately, they still have several friends in common, and they end up having to share space on a group camping trip. If that wasn't bad enough, they get separated from the group and have to survive and escape the wilderness together. As they retrace what went wrong, something might be rekindling between them...

I love a good forced proximity romance, and Jenn Bennett writes tension like no other. From the first chapters, I was fully invested in Zorie and Lennon, and that only grew as they revealed more of their motivations and secret feelings. The banter is so witty and sharp and creates an excellent build up to their big conversations where they're (finally) honest with each other.

I would recommend any Jenn Bennett romance, but STARRY EYES might be my favorite, especially for the YA romance category.

I am normally a huge Jenn Bennett fan but I have struggled with this book. I have started it several times over the last couple of years (can't even tell you how many times I've checked it out of the library). But each time I get a few chapters in and then get distracted by other books. I'm not sure what it is about this one that doesn't grab me but gonna mark it as a DNF and focus on other books on my list.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a great and well-written book for young adult readers. Pretty good storyline and great characters.

First, let me thank netgalley and the publishers for approving my request for an early release of this book. All reviews of my netgalley books can be found on goodreads and youtube. Please be sure to check out the links attached.

Super, super cute YA romance! I absolutely fell in love with Jen Bennett’s writing after reading Alex, Approximately last year and Starry Eyes did not disappoint. She has a beautiful way of making such real characters that you can see yourself in. I adored Zorie and Lennon and their quarrel of enemies to friends to lovers.

The overall plot of Starry Eyes is pretty strong, which is why I'm sad we didn't get more of it. That stuck-in-the-mountains survival story is interesting and not something I've read a lot of in YA contemporaries although it's found in a lot of children's and adult novels. I love to see rom coms go outside the box with settings and storylines, and I think Starry Eyes set itself apart with a sexy camping adventure. I also absolutely adore Jenn's illustrated maps! Not many contemps are allowed those extra special design details by publishers. I think they added a really fun element to the book, and I thought it was cool that we could literally track Zorie and Lennon on their journey. Beautiful special touch.

Overall, I found Starry Eyes to be a mixed bag. It has really incredible highs and really frustrating low. I think my high expectations set me up for disappointment so I'll try be a bit more cautious the next time I see a book rated so highly among my friends. It's frustrating, but even when a book has all the elements we think will make us love it, sometimes the pieces don't quite fit into the wondrous final product we expect. It's a good lesson in managing expectations. But if you think Starry Eyes might be for you, by all means, give it a try! It's sexy and thoughtful and bursting with chemistry between two charming main characters. Based on the good parts, I'll definitely give Jenn's other YA books a try and hope they'll be a little more to my liking.

AMAZING!!! Everything Jenn writes hits my favorites list. This one was especially fun with the whole camping and wilderness aspects. And, as always, the chemistry between these characters was so much fun! Another fantastic book by my favorite author.

"Spontaneity is overrated. Movies and television shows would like us to believe that life is better for partygoers who dare to jump into pools with their clothes on. But behind the scenes, it's all carefully scripted. The water is the right temperature. Lighting and angles are carefully considered. Dialogue is memorized. And that's why it looks so appealing-because someone carefully planned it all. Once you realize this, life gets a whole lot simpler. Mine did. I am a hard-core planner, and I don't care who knows it." - page 1

First off let me say that I absolutely loved Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett, so when I saw she was coming out with a new book I knew I had to read it. Especially since there were so many things I loved about it before I even picked up the book! Jenn Bennett? Yes! Contemporary YA?? Double Yes! Best friends to enemies to lovers??? Triple Yes! Set in the wilderness???? Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! And let me tell you it did not disappoint.

Starry Eyes has a classic premise of two Best Friends who tried to take their friendship to the next level only to have a series of miscommunication and now no longer talk! We have Zoire who tries to live her life all planned out and Lennon who is all dry humor and snarky comments. And then our story starts and they are of course through circumstances thrown together and end up having to hash out what went wrong and why, all while trying to survive for a few nights in the wilderness. I absolutely loved Zorie and Lennon's development throughout the story, and every scene where they are interacting is gold! I especially appreciated how well you could tell they knew each other because it is established early on that they used to be best friends and there are actually moments where you can see their history shine through! One of my biggest YA pet peeves is when an author tries to establish a past history with two characters but one of the character learns all this new information that should have probably been known to them if the characters indeed spend as much time in each other lives as the author indicted. What's great though is that it's realistic, as in since Zorie and Lennon haven't spoken in a year, there are obviously new things that the other has to learn but it's nothing that they would have probably already known.

What's great about Starry Eyes the true to life diversity that was represented in the book. Nothing felt like it was just in there to check off diversity boxes; instead it felt very much like what a typical family (at least of what I know from growing up in New York) is like. Zorie is closest to her Korean-American stepmother (Zorie's mother died when she was young) and was best friends with Lennon who has a Muslim father and Lesbian mothers who own a sex shop next door to where Zorie and her family live and work in their massage practice. And as no one is perfect Zorie's father is a bit of a mess, being a bit of a homophobic racist who looks down on Lennon's family, while being a very flawed member of his own family. So while Starry Eyes starts off being about friendship and romance, there is a very human family element in it that ties the story together in such a beautiful yet not perfect (because real life is not perfect) way.

It was a fun, quick, sweet read, full of witty moments that tied together friendship, romance and the classic tale of what it's like to come of age. It was everything I wanted it to be.

I was a little nervous going into this one, because while I’d LOVED The Anatomical Shape of a Heart, I DNFed Alex, Approximately, TWICE. So I wasn’t sure if the first had been a fluke, or if it was just the second story that was bothering me. And I’m so glad to say that it was the second book itself, because to be honest, I loved Starry Eyes even more than TASOAH. It was fluffy, but realistic with the friendship aspects, and the romance at the center of it was so sweet and had just the right amount of angst to kill me but also revive me. And I loved that the backdrop of it was camping and the stars and surviving outdoors.

I could immediately relate to Zorie and how she was a planner. How very careful and detail-oriented she was. But it was a crutch, for her, and she couldn’t always recognize that. Because when life threw her curveballs, she never knew how to deal with them, so she lashed out and tried to hide. She was also afraid of letting people in, especially after getting burned a few times. She had to learn, though, that being careful is okay, but not to be TOO cautious and scared. And thanks to a little nudge from her stepmom, Zorie steps out of her comfort zone and rekindles her relationship with Lennon.

But oh god, like I said, they almost killed me. These two were so angsty and angry and stubborn, and they just could not get to a place of understanding fast, which I did think was realistic (even though it was basically just a lack of communication, like come on, kids). But having to survive the wilderness, together, they finally have the chance to talk and make up and have ALL THE SEX. (No, really, all the sex. I love how sex positive this book was and how the author showed that sometimes, teenagers just want to explore all of that with each other, and that’s okay!!). Plus, her and Lennon were just freaking CUTE.

The only negative thing I will say is that I didn’t always like the mental health conversations. Lennon’s dad had committed suicide, so he and Zorie talked about that, but in the way that said: he always seemed so happy, I just don’t understand why he would do that. I think it can be a normal response for people who could never see that coming, but it’s problematic and it’s not challenged in the eARC I read. And Zorie one day just suddenly decides that she can just ignore those inclinations. And while yes, that’s fine because sometimes it works, I thought Zorie’s OCD and anxiety was a bit stronger than that.

But yeah, aside from that, I fucking ADORED this one! I was kind of sad that Zorie and her ex-best girl friend could not make up (who just ditched her and Lennon in the woods, omg). But friendships are hard, especially at that age, and they don’t always last. But Zorie had Lennon, and a girl from her astrology club, and her stepmom (who was like her BFF, which I loved seeing because you don’t often get that with stepparents), AND Lennon’s moms. She had an army to help her deal with everything going on, and it was wonderful to see. The relationships just felt so genuine and real, and I loved that so much.

Rating: 4.5 Paw Prints!

Like Alex Approximately Starry Eyes is a super cute quick read! Also like it's predecessor the MC was slightly unlikable at least for me she was. Zorie just had a talent for making horrible decisions which put her pretty low on the likeability scale. Lennon was a great male lead and I enjoyed the fact that the two MCs were very different. Overall the story was enjoyable and fun and ultimately was the driving force that kept me interested and the camping setting made it the perfect summer time read. Id definitely recommend to any contemporary lovers out there and I look forward to the next book in this series!

4.5 stars.

STARRY EYES was such a treat. It's my first Jenn Bennett book, and I've heard so many amazing things about her writing-- and I can safely say they are all true. She writes incredible romance and discusses unique topics in her stories that I found to make this book stand out amongst the dozens of contemporaries I read each season. However, when comparing it to the literal hundreds of contemporary romances and coming-of-ages I've read over the years, this is rounded down due to it just not living up to my other five star rated books. It's sooo difficult to make this decision, but STARRY EYES has a firm 4.5 stars in my book and was a favorite of the month for sure.

STARRY EYES follows a mix of two of my favorite romance tropes: friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers. While I don't feel like this book really contains some true enemy action between the two main characters, their families have plenty of tension and hurt feelings mingle so I'll count it. Both characters were well-developed, able to stand on their own as compelling individuals with clear goals and desires. I enjoyed my time reading this so much I consumed almost 80% of it in one sitting, reading way too late into the night for someone with a 9am lecture. (I did survive the 9am class, thank goodness.) It's also somewhat a survival story, as Lennon and Zorie go camping in the backcountry alone for a week and face some truly terrifying things... I say, as someone who is afraid of ladybugs. But I can tell you that I did not envy them one bit in their trek through mountains. The setting was so vivid though that I don't even need to go. Thank you Jenn for saving me from that trauma.

Zorie has allergies and stress induced hives which was really fun to read about, in a completely normal sense. That, along with her experience with a birth mother passing and a stepmother she trusts coming into the picture, made her character more memorable than just a control freak who loves stars and outer space. Another thing I am very much afraid of but was interested by while reading. Who knew stargazing could be the perfect setup for some romance? But all that aside, Zorie's struggle with her parents and their marriage was the most surprising and intriguing part of the whole book to me. I have never read a YA book that dealt with something so heavy before, and combining that with Lennon's distinctive family history as well made for a truly special book. This is just one way Jenn Bennett stands out from the other Sarah Dessen similars.

The discussion of consent, communication, and the importance of both those things in any kind of relationship--romantic, platonic, and otherwise--were amazing additions to an already excellent book. Unfortunately, the coming-of-age aspect just didn't wow me the way it has in some other 2018 releases so this book didn't receive as high a rating as I may be alluding to it deserving. I would recommend this to anyone, especially those who want a book touching on more unique topics and exploring camping and stargazing in an up-front and clearly researched way. Also, lovers of maps. I loved the inclusion of the maps!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Pulse for sending me an e-arc to review! All opinions are my own. You can see my full thoughts on my Goodreads!

“When I looked up at the stars, I saw us. You were the stars, and I was the dark sky behind you.”

“Without dark sky, you couldn’t see the stars.”

Yeah, I'm a sucker. Freely admit that at this point in my life. Teen romances have a special place in my heart, especially the forbidden ones.

The first half of the novel was okay, the second half was where the true beauty was. I'm glad I hung in for the wild ride.

Can I give this book ALL THE STARS?

I loved Jenn Bennett's 2017 novel, ALEX APPROXIMATELY, but after STARRY EYES she has officially cemented her place in my list of favorite authors.

This is a unique take on the 'survival story' trope. After being straight up abandoned in the mountains by their (terrible) friends, they have to spend the next several days together hiking through the wilderness to get back to civilization. This is further complicated by the fact that Zorie is still hurt that Lennon ditched her for seemingly no reason when they were starting to get together the year before. Lennon, however, happens to be an expert camper and hiker, and comes up with a plan to get them to where they need to be.

Lennon and Zorie were honestly not my favorite characters at the beginning of the book, but they really grew on me! And not just in a "you're not so bad, after all" kind of way. They grew on me in a "I LOVE YOU AND I LOVE YOU TOGETHER. NOW KISS!" kind of way.

I love when a book's setting is so real and perfect that it makes you want to go there. The Northern California Sierra Nevadas are described beautifully throughout the book. As I was reading, I could practically smell that mountain air and hear the pinecones crunching underfoot. 

There are also a few sub-plots surrounding Lennon and Zorie's families. Jenn Bennett has SUCH a way of melding several fantastic plot lines and expertly tying them together by the end.

I don't want to say too much because I think it is best to read it without expectations. The family drama was really well-done and added a fantastic layer to the story that will leave you rooting for Lennon and Zorie even more. This book also has quite a bit of diversity, which is always a plus!

I want to read this book over and over again. I want to jump into it and tag along on Zorie's adventure through the mountains...but maybe at a distance. I certainly wouldn't want to be the one getting in the way of the romance!

STARRY EYES was easily my most anticipated book of 2018, and I'm so pleased to say that it was everything I wanted and more. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys romance with some added depth.

It certainly left me starry eyed.

Zorie used to be best friends with her neighbor Lennon and his family, but that all changed a year ago when Lennon stopped talking to her with no explanation. Her mother wants Zorie to go on a camping trip with her friend Reagan, but Zorie is reluctant to go until she finds out that her father has been cheating on her mother. Soon Zorie is off on an adventure with her friends, but Lennon also comes and Zorie doesn't know what to think about that. When Zorie and Lennon are abandoned by their "friends" after a big fight, they are forced to find their way out of the wilderness together. Will they be able to repair their friendship and make it out of the wilderness on their own?
I enjoyed this book overall. I love adventure and stories involving journeys, so I liked the plot and the events that happened in the story. Some of the situations were pretty funny or intense. I thought some of the descriptions of nature were well written and realistic, and the difficulties the characters faced in their relationships were realistically portrayed as well. The teenage drama was a little much for me, and I didn't like the profanity, underage drinking, or sexual content. I did enjoy reading about the unfolding relationship between Zorie and Lennon and I was satisfied with the way the book ended. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure and YA fiction (and those who don't mind objectionable content).
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Super cute YA romance with amazing characters and a solid storyline. The pacing of this book is on point and kept me reading until I finished in one sitting. I will definitely be recommending Starry Eyes to my fellow readers! Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!

Another great book from Jenn Bennett with quirky characters, flawed families, and realistic situations. Jorrie and Lennon’s close friendship had turned romantic and then fell apart because of some misunderstandings, which were completely believable when revealed later in the book. Both characters were interesting individuals who showed a lot of growth throughout the book, particularly Jorrie who never wanted to venture outside her comfort zone and had to plan out everything in her life. Since nothing in her life was going as planned, she took some risks and learned that she could cope with the unexpected and enjoy new experiences. Jorrie’s family’s problems were complex and felt authentic, without any easy resolution. Her close relationship with her stepmother was a refreshing departure from the typical stepmonster stereotype. Starry Eyes is the perfect summer read!

Another hit for Jenn Bennett! This was a book that I could not put down, and I am considering adopting it for our Summer Reading Program because I know the tweens will love it. Great characters- very likeable. The only downside to this book, terrible book hangover when I was finished.