The Unlikelies

by Carrie Firestone

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight This was a super cute, pick-me-up sort of story. Sadie is just a nice girl who happens to do a nice thing for someone (and sure, kind of risks her life in the process) when she's suddenly catapulted into the media spotlight. She gets nominated as a "hometown hero", and through that is introduced to four other people her age. They're all very different, which is nice, but they come together to try to do some good- plus, they genuinely seem to enjoy each other's company.

While some of the events that occur in the book were a bit far-fetched, I think that in this type of book it's not a terrible thing. The group tackles issues like cyber bullying, even drug use. They just want to do good, and help people feel better. Sure, they get in over their heads, but they do mean well. I also liked that it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies- not everything that Sadie and her friends did turned out the way they'd hoped.

I loved the friendships that were formed during the course of the book, and yes, the romance too. And I absolutely adored the romance. But the focus was definitely more on the platonic friendships, which I appreciated. There's also some focus on an unhealthy relationship, and friends trying to work together to overcome that, too. Family is also very key in this one- not just Sadie's family, but the families of others too.

Bottom Line: This book had a very uplifting message, and characters who were just good kids trying to make a positive impact on the world. Add to it friendships and family relationships, and it was a win, despite some unbelievability.

*Copy provided by publisher for review