BOOK REVIEW: We Thought We Were Invincible by Michelle Lynn

We Thought We Were Invincible

Author: Michelle Lynn

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: February 8th, 2017
Publisher: Creativia

Book Description:

California "Callie" McCoy feels most alive when her feet are planted firmly on her surfboard on a big swell. And one day, she dreams of riding that wave out of her small town. Away from everyone.

Her plan is simple: graduate high school. With Callie's best friend gone away to college, she plans on spending her senior year skating by. She isn't looking for friends, and especially not for love - all she needs are her waves and her twin brother. Even if he comes with an annoying best friend, Jamie Daniels, who she can't stand.

Jamie is a care-free, easy-going surfer who has everything. On the surface, his life appears perfect, but reality is far from it. He has his share of secrets, including one that burns deeper than any other. It's a good thing Callie hates him because if she didn't, Jamie knows there's no way he'd be able to stay away.

And then, one night, everything changes. And nothing will ever be the same.

WARNING! Book one of the two part Invincible series is a full length book with heavy themes, lots of emotion, and a story that will make you look deep. Be prepared to laugh, to be weighed down with anger, to fall in love. And as always - make sure to have plenty of tissues.

Don't read this book if all you're looking for is a fantasy. Only turn the page if you are ready to see the real world and deal with what it means to be both broken and strong.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

This was a solid start to what could and what I hope will be an intriguing series. I really loved the opening chapters. The story took off at a quick pace and got right down to business - no setting the scene with excessive backstory - which I really liked. We meet California McCoy, Callie for short, who can't wait to get through her senior year at Gulf City High, even though she has no idea what she wants to do after graduation. As a matter of fact, the only thing on Callie's mind is hitting the waves on her surfboard and leaving the weight of the world behind her. Aside from her twin brother, Colby, her aunt, Kat, and her best friend, Jayden, Callie doesn't have much of a social life, so when Jayden goes off to college, she finds herself becoming close to his troublesome brother, Jamie Daniels, who also happens to be her brothers best friend. Tall, dark and brooding, Jamie might just be the distraction Callie has longed for since the death of her mother. But, they have to try and get along first.

We Thought We Were Invincible was definitely an enjoyable story for the most part. I especially liked how distinct the characters were. It was easy to remember each and every one of them. Good use of dialogue that made me laugh out loud at times. I loved the banter between Callie and Jamie, though I still didn't get why she disliked him so much. There were never any concrete reasons given, and apart from him mocking her at times, her attitude towards him wasn't justified. Even Jamie had no idea why she detested him. Still, I liked these two characters. Not sure I was convinced by their chemistry, but as individual characters they were well portrayed.

There's a lot that goes on in this book, from the budding love story between Callie and Jamie to Callie trying to overcome the loss of her dear mother. I don't mind a story with many layers, but the subplots have to be well connected, which wasn't always the case with this book. The transition between events weren't always smooth. At times, the book felt as though it contained many stories, an anthology of sorts, as opposed to one whole story. One minute you're focused on the rollercoaster relationship between Jamie and Callie, the next you're thinking about who Callie's dad could be, then you find yourself facing a tragedy that sees lives lost. At times, there were no build-up to upcoming events or any indication whatsoever of what could potentially be around the corner, so when these events cropped up, I found it jarring, which made me disconnect from the story, oftentimes wondering what the actual core of the story was.

Yes, Callie was a fun character, but I found myself not really caring much about her journey - well, she didn't seem to care much herself. Having no direct goal or direction, it became a point where her story seemed less significant. She didn't have much of a drive, and largely because of this, the story seemed repetitive, particularly by the time you get midway into the story. We experience the same events over and over again. It became a little tiresome and a little less enjoyable. The story felt a little rushed about three quarters of the way through, spanning a good decade by the time it ended - an ending which was an unexpected surprise. I hadn't expected this cliffhanger, and it did leave me pondering. Let's just say I'm curious as to how the second book will unfold.

Overall, this was a good start to the series.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Author