Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Book Info
Kindle Edition, 288 pages
Expected publication: December 24th 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ASIN B00CO7FI0E
edition language English
other editions (6)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

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.

My Thoughts

Elizabeth or EB to her friends and Lauren share one thing in common, they are both looking forward to leaving home to attend college now that they have graduated high school. Their lives are very different as Elizabeth is an only child and Lauren has a houseful of younger siblings that she is helping her parents take care of while working to save for college.

The way the story uses different POV couched in the emails exchanged between EB and Lauren, interactions with their friends and the girl’s innermost thoughts as their summer countdown to start of college provides the reader with unique insight as well as showing that using technology can be a freeing way to share oneself but at the same time not as satisfying as actual physical one on one communication.

The changes both Elizabeth and Lauren go through over the summer include finding out not only do they actually have a lot more in common than they thought at first but that the very differences in their lives give them something to be thankful for, even when they do not feel that way. Having grown up in a household with only one parent and as an only child EB envies the chaotic but love filled homelife described by Lauren, while Lauren on the other hand feels at times that she would have been much happier without brothers and sisters.

It always amuses me when people feel that someone else has it better than they do, it is only when they are admitted “behind the scenes” that they understand that it is not always true as appearances can certainly be decieving!

Those crazy hazy summer days between high school and college are captured perfectly and both Lauren and Elizabeth's perspectives prior to leaving home are captured eloquently as well.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]