Review: Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Summary: It's time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.
Kim's Review: I really enjoyed this book! It was a nice, short, relatively light-hearted read. I really liked the plotlines and the different twists and turns. Lauren and EB's relationship and their struggles were realistic and well done in how they dealed with them. My only complaint is that, even though it was written by two authors, I found it very difficult to separate the two narrators in my mind because their voices are so similar. Even after finishing the book, I still have trouble recalling which girl had which boyfriend/best friend/etc. It would be a lot easier if their "voices" were more distinct.

However, I loved both of the girls' romantic relationships, and I thought how they dealt with moving away from each other was very realistic and awesome. Even though they love their respective boyfriends, neither of them are clingy or annoying and are able to think for themselves, and that's something I always love to see in novels!

All in all, I think this book is fantastic. I seriously loved reading the development of Lauren and EB's friendship, and it would be awesome to see a sequel with the two of them finding their way around university life. If only it were easier to differentiate between the narrators, I could easily give this five stars.


This book will be released on December 24, 2013. Keep an eye out for it! :)

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving!!!