by Janet Gurtler
Heart attacks happen to other people #thingsIthoughtweretrue
When Morgan’s mom gets sick, it’s hard not to panic. Without her mother, she would have no one—until she finds out the dad who walked out on her as a baby isn’t as far away as she thought…
Adam is a stuck-up, uptight jerk #thingsIthoughtweretrue
Now that they have a summer job together, Morgan’s getting to know the real Adam, and he’s actually pretty sweet…in a nerdy-hot kind of way. He even offers to go with her to find her dad. Road trip, anyone?
5000 Twitter followers are all the friends I need #thingsIthoughtweretrue
With Adam in the back seat, a hyper chatterbox named Amy behind the wheel, and plenty of Cheetos to fuel their trip, Morgan feels ready for anything. She’s not expecting a flat tire, a missed ferry, a fake girlfriend…and that these two people she barely knew before the summer started will become the people she can’t imagine living without.
Janet Gurtler writes relatable, imperfect characters and puts them in challenging, thought-provoking situations. This is especially apparent in #16thingsithoughtweretrue where each character is dealing with important issues.
I didn’t quite LOVE any of the characters, but I grew fond of them. Morgan’s insecurities are something that most everyone goes through, as is her need to feel validated—which she attains through the number of Twitter followers she has. I can also relate to the spontaneous road trip. Last summer, I got a couple friends to agree to go on a road trip with me, so I could visit and get to know my to-be boyfriend better (the story was that I wanted to go ballroom dancing… my dance partner, who’d introduced my boyfriend and me, lives in the same area and told me about the dance). The point of the story? Road trips are a lot of fun, and I highly recommend them. It’s a great way to hang out with friends and get to know each other better.
The supporting characters are wonderful as well. There’s great chemistry among them, and I love how complex the relationship are. I especially enjoy how Morgan, Adam, and Amy become close friends over the course of the road trip and remain strong even after a certain couple forms within this circle. Usually, I’d be squeeling here over the cuteness of the couple. And they are pretty cute in how they can’t get enough of each other during their makeout scenes. What really stands out to me, however, is the trio’s friendship and their wonderful banter. It’s fantastic and so. much. fun. Amy in particular is a beautiful character
What kept me from getting as into the story as I might’ve was the writing. It doesn’t feel as put together as previous Janet Gurtler books I’ve loved. Much has to do with how events don’t quite seem to flow together and sometimes even feel out of place. There’s also the time lapse between certain situations and the lack of appropriate tension build up for certain situations, such as tea with her dad and a certain big event that takes place near the end of the novel. Many issues come up in this book. While it isn’t possible to address them all to the same degree, they aren’t integrated as cohesively as other books by Janet Gurtler that I’ve loved.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book about learning to be comfortable with who you are. I recommend #16thingsithoughtweretrue for those looking for a fun contemporary summer read that touches on some difficult issues involving life, death, and illness.
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On another note
It was a bit misleading how the synopsis focuses on the road-trip element. It wasn’t until about a third into the novel that it gets going, and it only lasts about that long. I also feel like the real changes take place happen around the road trip though it is important in helping Morgan come to terms with a lot of things.
Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
Christina Fiorelli says
This sounds like a wonderful read!!
I like that the characters are all interesting and that they're flawed!
Lovely review 🙂
Crystal says
It's a fantastic book. Thanks, Christina!
Natasha Monty says
This looks like a really cute read! I've actually been wanting to read it for quite a while!
Crystal says
It's a wonderful read. I hope you enjoy it, Natasha! 🙂
Karen says
I have this one on my Kindle. I'm glad you mentioned the road trip element because that was something I was looking forward to. I'll still read it but it's nice to have adjusted my expectations.
Crystal says
It definitely would have been nice for me to know going in! It's still a great read. I hope you enjoy, Karen!
The Girl who Loved to Write says
Looks like a good read for the summer!
Crystal says
It's a wonderful read. I hope you enjoy it!