Book Review - The Distance Between Us

 The Distance Between Us

Author: Kasie West 

Standalone

Genres: Contemporary | Young Adult

Release Date:  2nd July 2013
Publishers: Harper Teen

No. Pages: 312

Source: Purchased

Rating: 

Buy From: Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes and Noble | Waterstones 

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.

Ah man I wish I read this sooner. It has been sitting on my kindle for nearly a year now but it wasn't until Amanda aka Book Badger (Link to her review) kept talking about it and how it was one of her favourite of the year that I decided to read it for myself. And I've been kicking myself ever since for waiting this long.

While it reminded me a lot of This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (in no way as good haha) I still found myself devouring it in a day. It was just one of those books that once started, wouldn't leave your hand until it was done. For me, girly contemporary books were never my thing growing up. I loved fantasy the best, in books and films. But then I picked up a Sarah Dessen book and my likes changed from then, I had a new found appreciation for contemporary books and even though I have found some stinkers a long the way, I'm happy to say that I have found hidden gems too, The Distance Between Us being one of them.

For me, Caymen was not a hard character to like at all. Her sarcasm and dry humour made me warm to her instantly (my partner is the most sarcastic so and so you will ever meet and I guess you could say that being with him has in a way dulled my reaction to sarcasm) and I really liked how she would go out of her to do things that she didn't want to do because it would make things easier on her mum. Xander on the other hand was a character that I didn't love straight away but one who ended up being my favourite. The first time he and Caymen met I thought he was just an arrogant stuck up rich kid with too much money and time on his hands (not so much different to what Caymen though haha) but then when you start to see past those layers and realises he is the way he is because its all he's ever known, that its his parents that have all the money and he wants different things to his parents.

I loved the relationship between Caymen and Xander, it built up over time instead of being there one minuet. I've read too many YA contemporary books where the characters are at each others throat one minuet and madly in love the next without any real development. But in The Distance Between Us, Caymen and Xander take their time to get to know one another. And while it is obviously a love story, it doesn't centre around the romance, its about both Caymen and Xander trying to better themselves and just being lucky enough to find love in the process.

The only thing I did not like about this book was the ending, I just thought the book would have been so much better if what happened didn't. I might be the only one who thinks it, but like I said, I just think the book would have been better off without it.

If you couldn't already tell, I loved this book. The characters were well thought out and it made me want to vomit with how sweet and gushy it was a times. It had me smiling from ear to ear and reminded me of some of my favourite books (in a good way). It is without a doubt worth a read for those who have a thing for contemporary, or if you are like how I was, it wouldn't be a bad book to start of with :)

“So Caymen..."
"So, Xander..."
"Like the islands."
"What?"
"Your name. Caymen. Like the Cayman Islands. Is that your mom's favourite place to visit or something?"
"No, it's her third favourite place. I have an older brother named Paris and an older sister named Sydney."
"Wow." He opens the bag, takes out a muffin, and hands it to me. The top glistens with sprinkled sugar. "Really?"
I gently unwrap it. "No.”