Review - Her And Me And You by Lauren Strasnick

Her And Me And You by Lauren Strasnick -
3.5 out of 5 stars (release date )

Summary via goodreads.
First love, broken friendships, and heartache all play a part in this evocative, voice-driven novel about Alex, a girl whose world is ripped apart when her father’s affair splits her family in two.

Alex moves with her mess of a mother to a new town, where she is befriended by hot, enigmatic Fred—and alternately flirted with and cold-shouldered by Fred’s twin sister, Adina. Others warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, whose sibling relationship is considered abnormal at best, but there’s just something about Fred—and something about Adina—that draws Alex to them and makes her want to be part of their crazy world…no matter the consequences.


REVIEW:
First of all let me say that I recently finished Lauren Strasnick's debut novel NOTHING LIKE YOU and I LOVED it. It is easily one of my favorite reads so far this year. If you haven't read NOTHING LIKE YOU, you should definitely check it out!

Because of my love for Strasnick's first book, I had high hopes for HER AND ME AND YOU. I think she delivered when it comes to a complex, realistic character, stuck in a situation that has no easy answers. Alex is dealing with so many difficult issues: a father who completely let her down, a mother who can't cope, a best friend who's moving on without her, conflicting emotions about her sexuality, and being the new girl in town.

I loved that Alex was struggling to figure out who she was in so many ways. Is she the good girl? Does she like boys or girls? Does she need to fit in with the "right" group or the right group for her? All of this is handled realistically, and is well done.

When Fred and Adina enter the picture, things get interesting, twisty, and dark. I loved the dynamic between Fred and Adina, and the fact that Strasnick didn't shy away from Adina's serious mental health issues. I would've liked to have seen more development of Fred and Adina, and Alex's relationship with them. Fred and Adina, as well as Alex's parents and best friend Evie, all felt a bit underdeveloped. Mainly because they all had the potential to be so interesting and complex had we gotten to know them better.

What I love about Strasnick's books is that people don't get redeemed just because it's the end of the book. Just like in real life, not everything ends happily or gets resolved easily.

HER AND ME AND YOU is a very short book, written in spare prose. I would've loved to have seen the entire story fleshed out more, with a little more insight into everyone. That's where the book fell a bit flat to me. It was maybe a bit rushed. I think it says a lot about Strasnick's writing though, that I was left wanting more rather than the other way around. I'm already looking forward to her next book! If you love contemporary YA, I highly recommend you check out NOTHING LIKE YOU and HER AND ME AND YOU.

Cover: OMG I love this cover SO MUCH! Even better, it does actually fit the story, sort of.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Plot: 3.5/5

Overall Rating: 3.5/5