Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

In stores Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Starry Eyes is a survival story primarily set in the wilderness and canyons of northern California.

Zorie is an amateur astrophysicist who can’t wait to attend a star party on Condor Peak in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. But trouble at home is brewing. She finds a way to escape the newly-discovered news of her father’s philandering by joining her one-time best friend Reagan on a glamping (glamorous camping) adventure, with plans to find her way to the star party afterward. Then Zorie learns that Reagan has invited several boys -- including super sexy Brett and a cute hiking expert to be named later -- along on the girls’ trip. That’s slightly against the rules Zorie’s parents would be comfortable with, but Zorie is fine with the plan until she finds out the hiking expert is Lennon, the boy who used to be Zorie’s best friend. The same boy who crushed her heart at homecoming and who hasn’t talked to her since. The same boy whose parents are in a business war with Zorie’s parents. That guy.

To make matters worse, Reagan and the rest of the crew leave Zorie and Lennon all alone in the wilderness after the group gets into a free-for-all fight over boys, responsibility, and hurt feelings. Suddenly, Zorie finds herself in the heart of the wilderness with the one person she dislikes the most -- and she’s reliant on him for getting them safely out of the woods, and either back home or to the star party on Condor Peak that Zorie so badly wanted to attend.

Starry Eyes is both an adventure story about finding your way through adversity and a novel of self-discovery. Even if you’ve never gone camping or looked at the stars with wonder, Starry Eyes will have you wanting to lace up your hiking boots and head for the trailhead. Jenn Bennett weaves an interesting story with several complex characters. While Reagan, Brett, and a number of minor characters are formulaic and stiff, Lennon and Zorie are compassionate and empathetic characters we come to care about.  Zorie’s stepmother also offers readers a unique perspective as Zorie wonders what might happen if -- or when --news of her dad’s cheating splits up their marriage, because Zorie is closer to her stepmother than her own father. There is also some valuable back-country camping advice woven into the story, which can’t hurt if students get inspired to get out on the trail. Starry Eyes inspired me to pull out the topographic maps and start planning my next hiking adventure!

Because of some sexual content I’m recommending this book for grades ten and up.