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Juniors
Lea Lane has lived in between all her life.
Part Hawaiian, part Mainlander. Perpetual new girl at school. Hanging in the shadow of her actress mother’s spotlight. And now: new resident of the prominent West family’s guest cottage.
Bracing herself for the embarrassment of being her classmates’ latest charity case, Lea is surprised when she starts becoming friends with Will and Whitney West instead—or in the case of gorgeous, unattainable Will, possibly even more than friends. And despite their differences, Whitney and Lea have a lot in common: both are navigating a tangled web of relationships, past disappointments and future hopes. As things heat up with Will, and her friendship with Whitney deepens, Lea has to decide how much she's willing to change in order to fit into their world.
Lea Lane has lived in between all her life. But it isn’t until her junior year that she learns how to do it on her own terms.
Part Hawaiian, part Mainlander. Perpetual new girl at school. Hanging in the shadow of her actress mother’s spotlight. And now: new resident of the prominent West family’s guest cottage.
Bracing herself for the embarrassment of being her classmates’ latest charity case, Lea is surprised when she starts becoming friends with Will and Whitney West instead—or in the case of gorgeous, unattainable Will, possibly even more than friends. And despite their differences, Whitney and Lea have a lot in common: both are navigating a tangled web of relationships, past disappointments and future hopes. As things heat up with Will, and her friendship with Whitney deepens, Lea has to decide how much she's willing to change in order to fit into their world.
Lea Lane has lived in between all her life. But it isn’t until her junior year that she learns how to do it on her own terms.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2015
42 people are currently reading
2316 people want to read
About the author
Kaui Hart Hemmings
10 books519 followersI'm the author of The Descendants, House of Thieves, The Possibilities and Juniors, a YA novel. My next novel, How to Party with an Infant will be published August 9 2016. Visit my website:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
May 17, 2018
3.5: i’m still mulling this over, but i loved the relationship ship and the general atmosphere of the story. it’s definitely a more quiet/contemplative contemporary.
February 21, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
Looking for a way to hold onto summer for just a little while longer? Juniors is the ultimate summer beach read with realistic friendships and a tropical beach setting. Also, the main character is very relatable due to her independence and very strong will, making Juniors a fun and entertaining read.
The story line of Juniors is very grounded. When reading a contemporary, I find it much more enjoyable when I can relate to the plot. Every relationship in Juniors has its ups and downs, much like real life. Lea and Whitney behave as most teen girls do. They have wicked fights, but also find a way to make peace and move forward. Hemmings has certainly hit the nail on the head with this accurate portrayal of friendship.
The setting of Juniors is one to fall in love with. The book takes place in the guest house of a mansion in a tropical location. Do I need to say more? The depictions are so breathtaking that readers will definitely find themselves whisked away to the tropics. It is the perfect backdrop for drama and adds so much fun to the plot of Juniors.
Lea is an incredible main character for Juniors. She really changes throughout the novel to become a strong person. What I really enjoyed about her is how independent she is. Lea’s father left and her mother is an actress, so she has learned not to rely on the support of others. It is her spunk and determination that gives the book its dimension and makes the book connect with the reader.
Juniors is the perfect summer read with its realistic relationships, tropical setting and spunky main character. I definitely think fans of Morgan Matson will enjoy this book, as the writing style and summer theme is pretty similar. This is the perfect book for the end of summer!
Looking for a way to hold onto summer for just a little while longer? Juniors is the ultimate summer beach read with realistic friendships and a tropical beach setting. Also, the main character is very relatable due to her independence and very strong will, making Juniors a fun and entertaining read.
The story line of Juniors is very grounded. When reading a contemporary, I find it much more enjoyable when I can relate to the plot. Every relationship in Juniors has its ups and downs, much like real life. Lea and Whitney behave as most teen girls do. They have wicked fights, but also find a way to make peace and move forward. Hemmings has certainly hit the nail on the head with this accurate portrayal of friendship.
The setting of Juniors is one to fall in love with. The book takes place in the guest house of a mansion in a tropical location. Do I need to say more? The depictions are so breathtaking that readers will definitely find themselves whisked away to the tropics. It is the perfect backdrop for drama and adds so much fun to the plot of Juniors.
Lea is an incredible main character for Juniors. She really changes throughout the novel to become a strong person. What I really enjoyed about her is how independent she is. Lea’s father left and her mother is an actress, so she has learned not to rely on the support of others. It is her spunk and determination that gives the book its dimension and makes the book connect with the reader.
Juniors is the perfect summer read with its realistic relationships, tropical setting and spunky main character. I definitely think fans of Morgan Matson will enjoy this book, as the writing style and summer theme is pretty similar. This is the perfect book for the end of summer!
October 29, 2015
I wish I had enjoyed this book more! I didn't HATE it, don't get me wrong, but I don't know if I would necessarily recommend it... as a Christian, I felt very uncomfortable with some of the content in this book; there was some mature/inappropriate content, as well as some strong swearing. Overall, it was just a lot of drama, which could be addictive at times, but overall I just felt "blehhh" while I was reading- kind of... "dirty", I guess the word would be.
I did really like the main character; I could relate to her in the sense that she's an awkward, strange-minded at times, introverted teenage girl.
All of the characters different quirks and habits made them feel very real to me.
The West family is a strange one... they seemed kind of... mysterious in a way, to me. Like, we know them, but there are secrets behind each character. I think that they're family shows how flawed people can be, and how reluctant, also, people can be to acknowledge those flaws, but I liked the development some of the family members went through throughout the novel.
Honestly, I think I will miss these characters! It took me a while to get through this book so it feels like I've been with them a while and I'm now finding that I've become attached to a few of them. :P
I don't want to sound at all like I'm bashing this author, other than the fact that I wish it had been cleaner, I actually really enjoyed the writing style, it was quick and easy to read, the characters were quirky and funny. I did enjoy it, but I would have liked it a lot better if it was cleaner. If you don't care about this sort of thing, then I'm sure you'll enjoy it as a fun, quick, summer contemporary. I liked the setting, parts of it sort of reminded me a bit of Morgan Matson's "Since You've Been Gone", but overall, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
*DISCLAIMER* I was sent this book to read and review.
I did really like the main character; I could relate to her in the sense that she's an awkward, strange-minded at times, introverted teenage girl.
All of the characters different quirks and habits made them feel very real to me.
The West family is a strange one... they seemed kind of... mysterious in a way, to me. Like, we know them, but there are secrets behind each character. I think that they're family shows how flawed people can be, and how reluctant, also, people can be to acknowledge those flaws, but I liked the development some of the family members went through throughout the novel.
Honestly, I think I will miss these characters! It took me a while to get through this book so it feels like I've been with them a while and I'm now finding that I've become attached to a few of them. :P
I don't want to sound at all like I'm bashing this author, other than the fact that I wish it had been cleaner, I actually really enjoyed the writing style, it was quick and easy to read, the characters were quirky and funny. I did enjoy it, but I would have liked it a lot better if it was cleaner. If you don't care about this sort of thing, then I'm sure you'll enjoy it as a fun, quick, summer contemporary. I liked the setting, parts of it sort of reminded me a bit of Morgan Matson's "Since You've Been Gone", but overall, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
*DISCLAIMER* I was sent this book to read and review.
May 14, 2021
3 Stars, Completed September 23, 2015
In Juniors, Lea Lane goes through a number of changes her junior year of high school. She transfers to Punahou School, the largest independent academy in the United States and considered one of the most prestigious, and moves into a nice house owned by the prominent West family in upscale Kahala. After the move, Lea finds herself missing her rundown apartment in Oahu and her best friend, Danny, who is also part-Hawaiin like herself and seems to understand her the most. But then she befriends Whitney West and develops a secretive relationship with the unattainable Will West. Lea is just beginning to find herself accustomed to the attention with being connected to the West family. However, some foreseen drama sprouts, and Lea has to ask herself what she really wants out of life, whether to live on the safe side of the shore or to take risks and just ride the waves.
I’m actually primarily a fantasy/paranormal reader, but as you guys could probably tell, lately I’ve been in a contemporary phase. With that being said, I think I am more critical towards this genre than most readers. For a contemporary, I expect realism, gripping plot, and unique writing. Juniors delivered all these. Well, sort of. Let me explain.
Hemmings proved she was a fantastic writer with The Descendants, her bestselling adult novel also set in Hawaii and actually became a film that featured George Clooney and Shailene Woodley in 2011. From my understanding, Juniors is a similar but still unique watered-down version of The Descendents. As Juniors‘ Kirkus starred review mentions “Hemmings turns her plot on intergenerational family complexities and contradictions, secrets and revelations.” There are realistic portrayals of human tendencies, and the protagonists (for both The Descendants and Juniors) are quintessential representations of their age groups. Lea’s narrative was very believable. She’s a perfect depiction of a teenager. The silly things that young girls do when they’re in like-not love-was expressed. I admit I was one of those infatuated girls once upon a time. And I cringed when I read Lea’s naivety. But that’s just it, Lea’s impulsive and clueless but I actually didn’t dislike reading her narrative. She was just very real.
I also loved the dynamics between Lea and Whitney’s friendship. Even though this was Lea’s story, it was really intriguing to get to know Whitney’s character through their friendship. Whitney is wealthy, beautiful, popular, and pretty much everything her mother and her school expects her to be. However she’s also a closet reader, low self-esteemed, and vulnerable. Everyone sees her but not for who she really is. When Lea notices Whitney’s brokenness Lea heals Whitney by being honest, not judgmental, and a true friend to her. The Lea and Whitney scenes illustrated a lot of qualities that can be commonly found in friendships: fake sincerity, shallowness, the “importance” of hierarchical status, the feud and separation between cliques, etc. Ironically enough, a few days ago, my friend and I just talked about how some group pictures among friends can appear so shallow. Behind bright eyes and smiling faces, there can be tension and an insincerity an onlooker or photographer would never know. How appropriate, that this book sold this idea so inimitably.
However, despite my praise and delight with the deep messages this book was able to encompass, I felt Juniors didn’t reach it’s full potential in terms of the overall plot. As I read the wonderfully written scenes, at times moved my how it could depict human flaw so well, I forgot the main focus of the story: Lea’s struggles with not “being stuck in between” and to make her junior year epic with her own decisions. It wasn’t until the very end with Lea and Whitney’s “walk” did I feel myself reeling back to the initial scene with Punahou Peer Counseling “truth walk” and the main point of the story. Also, the writing was good but it wasn’t remarkable or blew me away as I had been this year with other contemporaries. So I was a bit disappointed in that respect as well.
Yet, I found the distinctive setting an incredible bonus for Juniors. I was very happy to learn a little more about Hawaii and Hawaiian culture. It was evident from page one that Hemmings spent time in Hawaii as a kid. The incorporation of some pidgin and the continuous reminder of “vog,” the fog created from volcanic ash and smog, were details that made this book stood out among other young adult literature.
Overall, this was a very fun summer-y book with excellent depictions of island life, surfing, and other tropical imagery. Juniors isn’t exactly a strong young adult debut, but it’s a great standalone if you’re starting to feel the chills of Autumn and want to revisit summer.
---
Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons for giving me the opportunity to read and review this. In no way did this affect my reading experience or honest review.
---
More reviews at Xingsings
In Juniors, Lea Lane goes through a number of changes her junior year of high school. She transfers to Punahou School, the largest independent academy in the United States and considered one of the most prestigious, and moves into a nice house owned by the prominent West family in upscale Kahala. After the move, Lea finds herself missing her rundown apartment in Oahu and her best friend, Danny, who is also part-Hawaiin like herself and seems to understand her the most. But then she befriends Whitney West and develops a secretive relationship with the unattainable Will West. Lea is just beginning to find herself accustomed to the attention with being connected to the West family. However, some foreseen drama sprouts, and Lea has to ask herself what she really wants out of life, whether to live on the safe side of the shore or to take risks and just ride the waves.
I’m actually primarily a fantasy/paranormal reader, but as you guys could probably tell, lately I’ve been in a contemporary phase. With that being said, I think I am more critical towards this genre than most readers. For a contemporary, I expect realism, gripping plot, and unique writing. Juniors delivered all these. Well, sort of. Let me explain.
Hemmings proved she was a fantastic writer with The Descendants, her bestselling adult novel also set in Hawaii and actually became a film that featured George Clooney and Shailene Woodley in 2011. From my understanding, Juniors is a similar but still unique watered-down version of The Descendents. As Juniors‘ Kirkus starred review mentions “Hemmings turns her plot on intergenerational family complexities and contradictions, secrets and revelations.” There are realistic portrayals of human tendencies, and the protagonists (for both The Descendants and Juniors) are quintessential representations of their age groups. Lea’s narrative was very believable. She’s a perfect depiction of a teenager. The silly things that young girls do when they’re in like-not love-was expressed. I admit I was one of those infatuated girls once upon a time. And I cringed when I read Lea’s naivety. But that’s just it, Lea’s impulsive and clueless but I actually didn’t dislike reading her narrative. She was just very real.
I also loved the dynamics between Lea and Whitney’s friendship. Even though this was Lea’s story, it was really intriguing to get to know Whitney’s character through their friendship. Whitney is wealthy, beautiful, popular, and pretty much everything her mother and her school expects her to be. However she’s also a closet reader, low self-esteemed, and vulnerable. Everyone sees her but not for who she really is. When Lea notices Whitney’s brokenness Lea heals Whitney by being honest, not judgmental, and a true friend to her. The Lea and Whitney scenes illustrated a lot of qualities that can be commonly found in friendships: fake sincerity, shallowness, the “importance” of hierarchical status, the feud and separation between cliques, etc. Ironically enough, a few days ago, my friend and I just talked about how some group pictures among friends can appear so shallow. Behind bright eyes and smiling faces, there can be tension and an insincerity an onlooker or photographer would never know. How appropriate, that this book sold this idea so inimitably.
However, despite my praise and delight with the deep messages this book was able to encompass, I felt Juniors didn’t reach it’s full potential in terms of the overall plot. As I read the wonderfully written scenes, at times moved my how it could depict human flaw so well, I forgot the main focus of the story: Lea’s struggles with not “being stuck in between” and to make her junior year epic with her own decisions. It wasn’t until the very end with Lea and Whitney’s “walk” did I feel myself reeling back to the initial scene with Punahou Peer Counseling “truth walk” and the main point of the story. Also, the writing was good but it wasn’t remarkable or blew me away as I had been this year with other contemporaries. So I was a bit disappointed in that respect as well.
Yet, I found the distinctive setting an incredible bonus for Juniors. I was very happy to learn a little more about Hawaii and Hawaiian culture. It was evident from page one that Hemmings spent time in Hawaii as a kid. The incorporation of some pidgin and the continuous reminder of “vog,” the fog created from volcanic ash and smog, were details that made this book stood out among other young adult literature.
Overall, this was a very fun summer-y book with excellent depictions of island life, surfing, and other tropical imagery. Juniors isn’t exactly a strong young adult debut, but it’s a great standalone if you’re starting to feel the chills of Autumn and want to revisit summer.
---
Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons for giving me the opportunity to read and review this. In no way did this affect my reading experience or honest review.
---
More reviews at Xingsings
October 18, 2015
I got around 65% through the book before DNFing. I have a pretty good scope and idea of the book though, so I feel comfortable reviewing the title.
From my understanding this is Kaui Hart Hemmings young adult debut, and it shows. She brutally miscalculates the inner-workings of a 17 year-old's brain, actions, and thoughts, and it severely affects the novel. The characters are highly unrealistic and unlikeable in everything they do and say. I couldn't understand or connect with any of them. The story goes nowhere for most of the book, and the protagonist spends most of her time pining over someone she hardly knows. The setting is gorgeous yet errs on the side of lacking description. Overall this book was a disaster that I just couldn't stand to continue.
From my understanding this is Kaui Hart Hemmings young adult debut, and it shows. She brutally miscalculates the inner-workings of a 17 year-old's brain, actions, and thoughts, and it severely affects the novel. The characters are highly unrealistic and unlikeable in everything they do and say. I couldn't understand or connect with any of them. The story goes nowhere for most of the book, and the protagonist spends most of her time pining over someone she hardly knows. The setting is gorgeous yet errs on the side of lacking description. Overall this book was a disaster that I just couldn't stand to continue.
February 9, 2022
Juniors isn’t a contemporary that only focuses on romance and I really loved that about this, it focuses mostly on friendship and family and I really enjoyed it.
May 30, 2015
Lea is the daughter of an actress filming a TV series in Hawaii. Her mother agrees to live in the guest house of one of the richest families on the island. They have a daughter Lea's age who happens to be in her class at school. Lea has a crush on Whitney's brother, and Whitney is dating Lea's best friend. Teen drama ensues.
I wanted to really like this, but it's just OK. The setting is great, and clearly the author knows Oahu. I just wanted more.
I wanted to really like this, but it's just OK. The setting is great, and clearly the author knows Oahu. I just wanted more.
November 16, 2018
I thought this was an interesting exploration of family and friendship. I found myself more wrapped up in the friendship aspect than the family aspect. Lea was trying to navigate a new school, form new friendships, and continue an old friendship in a new context. Lea made many mistakes, because she was young, but she learned and grew, and in the end, she found people she could be real with and who were real with her.
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September 21, 2015
Review
Lea and her mother have just moved to Hawaii - where her mother is from and they have visited throughout her life. Lea is used to moving so that's not too big of a deal. What is is moving into the guest cottage of the big shot West family whom her mother is friends with. She will now be living there and going to school with the family's two kids - Whitney and Will. She is surprised when she becomes friends with them, as she is not normally the popular type. But is she changing too much to fit in? Is her mother doing the same?
This book was so addicting for me because I found Lea to relatable in that imperfect lost teenager way. She totally made some really dumb decisions but I could understand them all. It is super easy to get swept up in things especially when you're new and don't have a lot of friends. Still, I love that we got to see her grow and really come into herself by the end. Also her thoughts and inner quirks I found really endearing
Her relationship with her mom was pretty awesome. They seemed like friends but her mother clearly was still her mother. They seemed to move around quite a bit because her mother is an actress but it came off like they made a good home no matter where they were. Her dad was never around and was something that, though she denied it, she clearly had issues about.
Whitney was someone I was sure I would hate. She came off as kind of the typical spoiled rich girl. And she did have her moments that fit that stereotype. But Lea brought out a different side in her. Someone who was more real. I liked watching their friendship develop even with the many bumps in the road. One of those bumps was Whitney's brother Will, who Lea was clearly attracted to.
One of her childhood friends Danny, who is not of the rich prominent type, was also around. He seemed to be attracted to Whitney - and she was into him too. This brought out some jealousy in Lea. She just couldn't place if it was because she felt like a third wheel, or she felt like she was losing a friend or if she had feelings for him.
The worst character was the West matriarch Melanie. She was pretty much a Real Housewife clone if that helps paint a picture. They actually talked about her wanting to be on the new Hawaiian edition of a similar show. She was clearly using Lea's mother to try and gain some sort of way into that scene since she was an actress. She was just super fake and only cared about appearances. The worst.
Ultimately this was a book focused on family, friendship and growing into yourself (with a dash of romance). The setting and its description were wonderful and I felt like I was in Hawaii. It was a super quick read that I didn't want to put it down. Also, the ending out a smile on my face. I can't wait to go back and read more of Kaui Hart Hemmings other books!This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
Lea and her mother have just moved to Hawaii - where her mother is from and they have visited throughout her life. Lea is used to moving so that's not too big of a deal. What is is moving into the guest cottage of the big shot West family whom her mother is friends with. She will now be living there and going to school with the family's two kids - Whitney and Will. She is surprised when she becomes friends with them, as she is not normally the popular type. But is she changing too much to fit in? Is her mother doing the same?
This book was so addicting for me because I found Lea to relatable in that imperfect lost teenager way. She totally made some really dumb decisions but I could understand them all. It is super easy to get swept up in things especially when you're new and don't have a lot of friends. Still, I love that we got to see her grow and really come into herself by the end. Also her thoughts and inner quirks I found really endearing
Her relationship with her mom was pretty awesome. They seemed like friends but her mother clearly was still her mother. They seemed to move around quite a bit because her mother is an actress but it came off like they made a good home no matter where they were. Her dad was never around and was something that, though she denied it, she clearly had issues about.
Whitney was someone I was sure I would hate. She came off as kind of the typical spoiled rich girl. And she did have her moments that fit that stereotype. But Lea brought out a different side in her. Someone who was more real. I liked watching their friendship develop even with the many bumps in the road. One of those bumps was Whitney's brother Will, who Lea was clearly attracted to.
One of her childhood friends Danny, who is not of the rich prominent type, was also around. He seemed to be attracted to Whitney - and she was into him too. This brought out some jealousy in Lea. She just couldn't place if it was because she felt like a third wheel, or she felt like she was losing a friend or if she had feelings for him.
The worst character was the West matriarch Melanie. She was pretty much a Real Housewife clone if that helps paint a picture. They actually talked about her wanting to be on the new Hawaiian edition of a similar show. She was clearly using Lea's mother to try and gain some sort of way into that scene since she was an actress. She was just super fake and only cared about appearances. The worst.
Ultimately this was a book focused on family, friendship and growing into yourself (with a dash of romance). The setting and its description were wonderful and I felt like I was in Hawaii. It was a super quick read that I didn't want to put it down. Also, the ending out a smile on my face. I can't wait to go back and read more of Kaui Hart Hemmings other books!This review was originally posted on Rebel Mommy Book Blog
October 29, 2015
Lea and her mother have upped and moved to Hawaii, which is where her mother is originally from. Moving isn’t anything new for Lea, so she’s not at all bothered by this move. What does, however, bother her is that they are residing in the Cottage of the West Family, who is an extremely wealth family friend. The Wests have two children, Whitney and Will, how are both Lea’s age. Lea, Whitney, and West get into all kinds of teenage trouble and are having a blast, but Lea soon realizes that she’s not like these people, and is changing herself quite a bit in order to feel like she fits in.
The characters in this story were a lot of fun. The friendships were strong, and the parent/sibling relationships were even stronger. I really enjoyed how loyal and protective they all were, even while making the normal mundane mistakes we’ve all made in the past. Nobody is perfect, and neither were these characters, which is what made it all even more realistic. There was a “villain” though that added a lot of fuel to the fire, and that was Melanie West. She wasn’t just wealthy, she was conceited, entitled, and overly willing to use whoever was in the way to get where she wanted to go… including Lea’s mother. (Trust me, you’ll love to hate this witch!)
I also have to mention the setting because… HAWAII!! I haven’t come across many books taking place in Hawaii, so this was a huge bonus for me. The sights and sounds are ones I’ve only dreamed of experiencing. I’d love to visit Hawaii some day.
I had heard such great things about this book, so my hopes were pretty high going in. It didn’t disappoint one bit. A solid YA contemporary that is loads of fun and also carries with it quite a few values lessons. This is one that contempt fans won’t want to miss!
Audiobook Impressions:
Jorjeana Marie is an experienced narrator that never disappoints. I’ve listened to The Boy Most Likely To also narrated by her, and I enjoyed her narration of that one as well. She has a wonderful teenage voice and portrays the teenage persona perfectly. I’m always happy when I see Jorjeana Marie is narrating a book that I’m listening to.
(Thanks to Listening Library & G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
The characters in this story were a lot of fun. The friendships were strong, and the parent/sibling relationships were even stronger. I really enjoyed how loyal and protective they all were, even while making the normal mundane mistakes we’ve all made in the past. Nobody is perfect, and neither were these characters, which is what made it all even more realistic. There was a “villain” though that added a lot of fuel to the fire, and that was Melanie West. She wasn’t just wealthy, she was conceited, entitled, and overly willing to use whoever was in the way to get where she wanted to go… including Lea’s mother. (Trust me, you’ll love to hate this witch!)
I also have to mention the setting because… HAWAII!! I haven’t come across many books taking place in Hawaii, so this was a huge bonus for me. The sights and sounds are ones I’ve only dreamed of experiencing. I’d love to visit Hawaii some day.
I had heard such great things about this book, so my hopes were pretty high going in. It didn’t disappoint one bit. A solid YA contemporary that is loads of fun and also carries with it quite a few values lessons. This is one that contempt fans won’t want to miss!
Audiobook Impressions:
Jorjeana Marie is an experienced narrator that never disappoints. I’ve listened to The Boy Most Likely To also narrated by her, and I enjoyed her narration of that one as well. She has a wonderful teenage voice and portrays the teenage persona perfectly. I’m always happy when I see Jorjeana Marie is narrating a book that I’m listening to.
(Thanks to Listening Library & G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the review copy!)
Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!
July 6, 2016
As the first book I've read by Kaui, I enjoyed it quite a lot.
This story follows Lea Lane, a daughter to a single mother who is also an actress. She's moved a lot in her lifetime and her mom's career takes her back to Hawaii. The move into a guest cottage that belongs to a wealthy family, and old family ;friend.' They have two children, Will and Whitney.
We follow her as she tries to build friendships and other emotional ties with those around her. I didn't really get a good first impression of Lea and my opinion didn't really change after reading the last page. I didn't like how much she cared about what others thought of her. She was super gullible and I just wanted her to grow a backbone more than anything. She asked too many questions too so basically, she wasn't what I look for in a favorite main character. And because this story focused on her, it put a damper on my reading experience.
The main reason why I give this such a low rating was that as much as I liked some characters, I didn't connect to them in an emotional level, or in any way at all. I felt like there was a wall between me and them and I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
I loved the relationship between Lea and her mother from the very start. It made me wish I was as close to mine as she was with hers. Their banter and interactions were believable. They were close, but the mother-daughter dynamic didn't suffer in the process.
Cue in Will and Whitney West. I never liked Will. He always gave me a bad feeling in my stomach. I could've done without his appearances.
I honestly didn't believe Whitney and Lea were friends until the very end. Their friendship didn't feel real to me. They weren't mean to each other but I would've called them acquaintances instead of friends. The way they interacted isn't how I see friends interacting but, luckily, all that changed on the last chapter. The last few pages made me feel proud for how far they came in their friendship. I was all smiles for them so I decided to give this 3.5 stars instead of just 3.
My favorite character award goes to Danny, Lea's childhood friend. Their friendship chemistry was my favorite thing to witness out of everything. He was genuine and kind, two major things any guy could possess. He showed me that he actually cared for Lea in his every action and I loved that. I really wished that this story focused on them instead of everything else. If there is ever a sequel, I hope Danny is the main focus!
This story follows Lea Lane, a daughter to a single mother who is also an actress. She's moved a lot in her lifetime and her mom's career takes her back to Hawaii. The move into a guest cottage that belongs to a wealthy family, and old family ;friend.' They have two children, Will and Whitney.
We follow her as she tries to build friendships and other emotional ties with those around her. I didn't really get a good first impression of Lea and my opinion didn't really change after reading the last page. I didn't like how much she cared about what others thought of her. She was super gullible and I just wanted her to grow a backbone more than anything. She asked too many questions too so basically, she wasn't what I look for in a favorite main character. And because this story focused on her, it put a damper on my reading experience.
The main reason why I give this such a low rating was that as much as I liked some characters, I didn't connect to them in an emotional level, or in any way at all. I felt like there was a wall between me and them and I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.
I loved the relationship between Lea and her mother from the very start. It made me wish I was as close to mine as she was with hers. Their banter and interactions were believable. They were close, but the mother-daughter dynamic didn't suffer in the process.
Cue in Will and Whitney West. I never liked Will. He always gave me a bad feeling in my stomach. I could've done without his appearances.
I honestly didn't believe Whitney and Lea were friends until the very end. Their friendship didn't feel real to me. They weren't mean to each other but I would've called them acquaintances instead of friends. The way they interacted isn't how I see friends interacting but, luckily, all that changed on the last chapter. The last few pages made me feel proud for how far they came in their friendship. I was all smiles for them so I decided to give this 3.5 stars instead of just 3.
My favorite character award goes to Danny, Lea's childhood friend. Their friendship chemistry was my favorite thing to witness out of everything. He was genuine and kind, two major things any guy could possess. He showed me that he actually cared for Lea in his every action and I loved that. I really wished that this story focused on them instead of everything else. If there is ever a sequel, I hope Danny is the main focus!
July 6, 2022
This book is criminally underrated and under-read. I absolutely adored it! TAKE ME BACK TO HAWAII! OMG this hit my soul. The author went to Punahou and I taught at Punahou for a while and all the Hawaii-isms (Oahu specifically) just *chef's kiss.* Sometimes I miss that place in my bones and this gave me that loving ache for a place and a time I knew and loved for almost a decade. I found the relationships and the issues these juniors & seniors are dealing with realistic AF and loved it for that. And for the island setting, of course. Loved revisiting old haunts of mine through these pages like Fighting Eel, Kailua, Waimea Bay, Doris Duke's estate, Punahou's campus, Muumuu Heaven (which sadly I've heard has since closed down) & so much more.
Need one now with Chinatown First Fridays & HoMa nights.
I want more books like this in my life. Contemporary Hawaii books. ASAP. Inject them into my veins.
Need one now with Chinatown First Fridays & HoMa nights.
I want more books like this in my life. Contemporary Hawaii books. ASAP. Inject them into my veins.
February 21, 2017
Juniors is a likeable YA beach read. A typical tale of teenage friendship/relationship drama interspersed with a bit of adult relationship drama. Nothing special, but I enjoyed the use of the Hawaiian landscape in the novel. - light, easy read.
July 8, 2016
I love Kaui Hart Hemmings’ short stories – love! So I was thrilled when she turned her pen to a young adult book – particularly because when she wrote about youth in her ‘House of Thieves’ collection, they’ve been some of my favorite stories. ‘Juniors’ is more of what marks Hemmings writing so unique and complex – Hawaii setting and concentration on social dynamics and clash of classes. It all comes together in ‘Juniors’ about a teenage girl called Lea who is part Hawaiian, part Mainlander and all outsider. But when she enrols at the prestigious Punahou school and finds herself befriending the prominent West family, Lea’s world is turned even more upside down … Hemmings’ tale of a teen just trying to fit in may sound ho-hum, but the unique Hawaiian setting and complexity of upper-class families elevates it to something so much more and absolutely riveting.
I think this is likely to get compared to E. Lockhart’s 2014 smash-hit YA book, ‘We Were Liars’ – for the beachside setting, complicated romance, and upstairs/downstairs look at teen family dynamics. But they’re completely different, and where Lockhart’s was very much driven by that mystery plot, the beauty of ‘Juniors’ is Hemmings bringing her knife-point characterisation and connections to the YA readership.
Setting plays a big part in this book too, and especially in echoing protagonist Lea’s feelings of not fitting in anywhere – she’s part Islander, part Mainlander and when we first meet her, she’s being plonked into a Hawaiian school and new home, which makes her feel that duology more keenly than ever.
Hemmings is shattering the outsider perception of a care-free, laid-back surfer lifestyle in Hawaii, that most people associate with the island state (and indeed, she ripped that veneer away in her book-turned-movie ‘The Descendants’ too). Reading ‘Juniors’ I was reminded of this line that a character says in one of her short stories from 2005 collection ‘House of Thieves’ – when a young surfer girl sums their life growing up in Hawaii thusly to her friends; “We’re just kids growing up on an island, doing bad things in pretty places.” And that’s very much the underlining thread that Hemmings is picking apart on a larger scale in ‘Juniors’, to great effect.
But I think the big draw-card of this book is the upstairs/downstairs plot, and Lea’s complicated feelings for rich boy, Will West.
I take a few steps back so he's not towering over me.
"Don't," he says. "I like how much taller I am than you. I like looking down on you."
"Impossible," I say, rising up on my toes. "That needs to be earned, and not by inches."
This is also what Hemmings has always done really well, in writing very tangled webs and relationships in which characters have to balance sacrifices – big and small – to be with the one that they think they want. Hemmings has always explored this beautifully and pointedly in her adult books and short-stories, but the high-stakes translates just as beautifully to these younger characters, if not more so for how much more keenly they feel these sacrifices alongside amplified first times.
I think this is likely to get compared to E. Lockhart’s 2014 smash-hit YA book, ‘We Were Liars’ – for the beachside setting, complicated romance, and upstairs/downstairs look at teen family dynamics. But they’re completely different, and where Lockhart’s was very much driven by that mystery plot, the beauty of ‘Juniors’ is Hemmings bringing her knife-point characterisation and connections to the YA readership.
Setting plays a big part in this book too, and especially in echoing protagonist Lea’s feelings of not fitting in anywhere – she’s part Islander, part Mainlander and when we first meet her, she’s being plonked into a Hawaiian school and new home, which makes her feel that duology more keenly than ever.
Hemmings is shattering the outsider perception of a care-free, laid-back surfer lifestyle in Hawaii, that most people associate with the island state (and indeed, she ripped that veneer away in her book-turned-movie ‘The Descendants’ too). Reading ‘Juniors’ I was reminded of this line that a character says in one of her short stories from 2005 collection ‘House of Thieves’ – when a young surfer girl sums their life growing up in Hawaii thusly to her friends; “We’re just kids growing up on an island, doing bad things in pretty places.” And that’s very much the underlining thread that Hemmings is picking apart on a larger scale in ‘Juniors’, to great effect.
But I think the big draw-card of this book is the upstairs/downstairs plot, and Lea’s complicated feelings for rich boy, Will West.
I take a few steps back so he's not towering over me.
"Don't," he says. "I like how much taller I am than you. I like looking down on you."
"Impossible," I say, rising up on my toes. "That needs to be earned, and not by inches."
This is also what Hemmings has always done really well, in writing very tangled webs and relationships in which characters have to balance sacrifices – big and small – to be with the one that they think they want. Hemmings has always explored this beautifully and pointedly in her adult books and short-stories, but the high-stakes translates just as beautifully to these younger characters, if not more so for how much more keenly they feel these sacrifices alongside amplified first times.
March 13, 2015
Warning: I read an Advance Reader’s Copy
What I Knew Going In: Hemmings wrote The Descendants. Which became that movie with George Clooney. And Tris, from Divergent.
What You Should Know: Lea Lane moved to Hawaii midway through her Junior year and started attended the best school in the country. Her mom’s an actress. Her dad isn’t in the picture. And she’s just trying to fit in, but Hawaii's a unique culture, even if you've visited their your whole life, and Punahou school is filled with kids who've known each other since they were give. It's hard. Then her mom moves into the guest house of her old friend and his wife, the richest people on the island, who happen to have two beautiful children who are the same age as Lea. Lea proceeds to befriend the daughter and fall stupidly for the brother while her hot, hot, awesome best friend watches, rejected. It’s sad.
Best Thing: this is an absolutely true telling of the troubles and awkwardness of being a teenager, set in the backdrop of the most gorgeous place in the country. It's the story of an outsider looking in on a world she doesn't understand, and finding the places where she belongs. It's also about my high school. I am bias.
Worst Thing: Hemmings is real into realism. This is not a typical YA fairytale. The main character is awkward and uncomfortable and painfully, achingly lonely.
Favorite Quote:
Moment I Felt the Most Emotion: every scene with Danny, the local local.
OVERALL: I really liked this story, but I don’t know how much of that was because it was my high school. And I don’t know how much my displeasure stemmed from the story not resonating with what was in my head, you know? Like, “We did have a lily pond in the middle of campus.” But, “We did not have French! Rich people weren’t rich for reasons, they just were.”
What I Knew Going In: Hemmings wrote The Descendants. Which became that movie with George Clooney. And Tris, from Divergent.
What You Should Know: Lea Lane moved to Hawaii midway through her Junior year and started attended the best school in the country. Her mom’s an actress. Her dad isn’t in the picture. And she’s just trying to fit in, but Hawaii's a unique culture, even if you've visited their your whole life, and Punahou school is filled with kids who've known each other since they were give. It's hard. Then her mom moves into the guest house of her old friend and his wife, the richest people on the island, who happen to have two beautiful children who are the same age as Lea. Lea proceeds to befriend the daughter and fall stupidly for the brother while her hot, hot, awesome best friend watches, rejected. It’s sad.
Best Thing: this is an absolutely true telling of the troubles and awkwardness of being a teenager, set in the backdrop of the most gorgeous place in the country. It's the story of an outsider looking in on a world she doesn't understand, and finding the places where she belongs. It's also about my high school. I am bias.
Worst Thing: Hemmings is real into realism. This is not a typical YA fairytale. The main character is awkward and uncomfortable and painfully, achingly lonely.
Favorite Quote:
In Hawaii we all give ourselves so much credit for being a melting pot, but I don’t think we melt—we just pick from one another’s cultures, then carry out the things we like best.
Moment I Felt the Most Emotion: every scene with Danny, the local local.
OVERALL: I really liked this story, but I don’t know how much of that was because it was my high school. And I don’t know how much my displeasure stemmed from the story not resonating with what was in my head, you know? Like, “We did have a lily pond in the middle of campus.” But, “We did not have French! Rich people weren’t rich for reasons, they just were.”
September 24, 2015
Why you should read it: I used to live in Hawaii and really enjoyed the setting and backdrop of the story. There’s a lot of teenage angst, and this is a perfect YA for either a warm summer day or while curled up in the rain wanting to travel to the beach (in your head!). I love the relationship between Whitney and Lea. The romance between Will and Lea was … interesting, but overall, it’s a very cute light contemporary, and I will be telling some of my younger friends about Juniors!
INTERVIEW WITH KAUI HART HEMMINGS
Tell us about Lea. It must be hard to be stuck between two worlds.
Kaui: Yes, she is in between in so many ways. She’s a newcomer and yet has roots in Hawaii. She is hapa — mixed race. She is financially comfortable, privileged in many ways, and yet not nearly as wealthy as those who surround her. She is also at the age where you’re in between child and adulthood.
This didn’t read like a “perfect YA with a perfect heroine.” Lea was very awkward, and there were some painful moments. How was writing them?
Kaui: I don’t necessarily need to think back to my own youth to rouse those feelings of awkwardness. These feelings persist into adulthood, so it felt pretty natural to capture those feelings of social uncertainties.
Ha ha, we all have our awkward moments! :D Have you listened to the audio version? You have a great narrator in Jorjeana Marie.
Kaui: Yes, I loved her voice, and it’s always such a cool experience to have the words you’ve written spoken aloud. I remember being on set of the Descendants and watching Shailene (Woodley) and George (Clooney) speaking the words I wrote on my little desk in my little room back in 2006, and was absolutely floored.
That has to be a powerful moment! What are you currently working on?
Kaui: An adult novel set in San Francisco called How to Party with an Infant.
Wow, I love that title! Favorite line from Juniors?
Head over to the HEA blog to read more of the interview!
http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/20...
INTERVIEW WITH KAUI HART HEMMINGS
Tell us about Lea. It must be hard to be stuck between two worlds.
Kaui: Yes, she is in between in so many ways. She’s a newcomer and yet has roots in Hawaii. She is hapa — mixed race. She is financially comfortable, privileged in many ways, and yet not nearly as wealthy as those who surround her. She is also at the age where you’re in between child and adulthood.
This didn’t read like a “perfect YA with a perfect heroine.” Lea was very awkward, and there were some painful moments. How was writing them?
Kaui: I don’t necessarily need to think back to my own youth to rouse those feelings of awkwardness. These feelings persist into adulthood, so it felt pretty natural to capture those feelings of social uncertainties.
Ha ha, we all have our awkward moments! :D Have you listened to the audio version? You have a great narrator in Jorjeana Marie.
Kaui: Yes, I loved her voice, and it’s always such a cool experience to have the words you’ve written spoken aloud. I remember being on set of the Descendants and watching Shailene (Woodley) and George (Clooney) speaking the words I wrote on my little desk in my little room back in 2006, and was absolutely floored.
That has to be a powerful moment! What are you currently working on?
Kaui: An adult novel set in San Francisco called How to Party with an Infant.
Wow, I love that title! Favorite line from Juniors?
Head over to the HEA blog to read more of the interview!
http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/20...
March 18, 2018
Did I ultimately have fun? Yeah, I guess. And I enjoyed the descriptions of and observations about Hawaii. Hemmings is very observant about how people think and feel, and I enjoyed that. I enjoyed some of the thoughts about how differences of wealth affect people’s personal relationships. I enjoyed that the book, in its final pages, validated and centered a female friendship.
I also liked that a couple of the female characters were “the other woman” to someone cheating—I feel like that’s a perspective I haven’t seen that often. These are flawed characters who make poor choices sometimes.
But it was too long. There were 100 solid pages where the character unexpectedly had dinners to go to? And she worried about it, and the dinner was fine? I can’t even remember how many of these dinners were in a row—at least three. While in those pages, I was like, “Where is the plot??”
I also get that this book is about the main character dealing with shallow rich beautiful people... but there was this “everybody’s bodies are great!!” thing that I couldn’t help but read as “everyone is skinny!!!” and I was grossed out by that. In one of the last chapters, the main character is like “I can’t believe I didn’t notice that guy X’s body is so much more muscular than guy Y’s body because I was distracted by guy Y’s money” and I rolled my eyes to the high heaven.
The character’s relationship with the guy she ultimately ends up with also confused me throughout the book... she says they’re childhood friends, but they’re awkward around each other, but then they hang out all of the time, except not really, and then he ignores her, and then she ignores him... I couldn’t root for them.
I don’t know. That’s all I got!
I also liked that a couple of the female characters were “the other woman” to someone cheating—I feel like that’s a perspective I haven’t seen that often. These are flawed characters who make poor choices sometimes.
But it was too long. There were 100 solid pages where the character unexpectedly had dinners to go to? And she worried about it, and the dinner was fine? I can’t even remember how many of these dinners were in a row—at least three. While in those pages, I was like, “Where is the plot??”
I also get that this book is about the main character dealing with shallow rich beautiful people... but there was this “everybody’s bodies are great!!” thing that I couldn’t help but read as “everyone is skinny!!!” and I was grossed out by that. In one of the last chapters, the main character is like “I can’t believe I didn’t notice that guy X’s body is so much more muscular than guy Y’s body because I was distracted by guy Y’s money” and I rolled my eyes to the high heaven.
The character’s relationship with the guy she ultimately ends up with also confused me throughout the book... she says they’re childhood friends, but they’re awkward around each other, but then they hang out all of the time, except not really, and then he ignores her, and then she ignores him... I couldn’t root for them.
I don’t know. That’s all I got!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2019
I finally found a book where the main protagonist values female friendship!
When the world tells you that a romantic relationship is the height of fulfillment, it can be difficult to find satisfaction in creating a strong connection between your family, friends, and even yourself. So, the journey to find yourself in someone else is what solidifies this story for me. We invest so much time searching for the one and when we think we've found that person, the whole world falls away. There's nothing wrong in wanting to love and be loved but relying on someone to complete you can be a burden to more than yourself. This book shows that love comes when you accept people who accept you and vice versa.
When the world tells you that a romantic relationship is the height of fulfillment, it can be difficult to find satisfaction in creating a strong connection between your family, friends, and even yourself. So, the journey to find yourself in someone else is what solidifies this story for me. We invest so much time searching for the one and when we think we've found that person, the whole world falls away. There's nothing wrong in wanting to love and be loved but relying on someone to complete you can be a burden to more than yourself. This book shows that love comes when you accept people who accept you and vice versa.
February 7, 2017
I love stories set in Hawaii; I think I was born to live the island life!! This story was a light easy read and I enjoyed all of it.
October 25, 2015
Damn I love a book about girl friendships! This excellent YA debut from the author of "The Descendants" and "The Possibilities" is about longing, belonging, becoming and the various ties that bind. Utterly enjoyable and unputdownable (inhaled 300 plus pages like a book half its size). May have a sneaky second read before I return it.
August 8, 2015
There are no words, other than to say this book is magical. Gorgeous in its simplicity. It's about two junior girls navigating and reacting to the world around them and each other. Once again, Kaui Hart Hemmings has proven she is a master of writing characters.
Read
August 25, 2020Loved this book! I really related to Lea and her struggle to find a place to fit in
December 30, 2015
This was really fun - it was that nice mix of YA and literary fiction.
And also - the Hawaii setting? Always super into that.
And also - the Hawaii setting? Always super into that.
June 6, 2016
a sweet and thoughtful coming-of-age story set in hawaii.
June 11, 2017
A great lead character and good writing saved this book, but I was a little disappointed otherwise.
April 28, 2021
One of the VERY FEW YA books that is super well-written, with gorgeous imagery, realistic dialogue and a MC who I rooted for all the way. Love that friendship prevails, and it's pretty criminal that this one didn't get more love on here.
August 20, 2021
Umm. This one was free and available on my library app bc it’s by a local author. So I listened. And it wasn’t great. The main character had a very… inconsistent voice. In some ways she was super immature and well… young… but in other ways she was observant and intelligent regarding her emotions and responses to things? I dunno. I couldn’t figure it out. The resolution at the end was good, I guess. But it’s just not a book I’d really recommend.
July 20, 2016
I love Kaui Hart Hemmings’ short stories – love! So I was thrilled when she turned her pen to a young adult book – particularly because when she wrote about youth in her ‘House of Thieves’ collection, they’ve been some of my favorite stories. ‘Juniors’ is more of what marks Hemmings writing so unique and complex – Hawaii setting and concentration on social dynamics and clash of classes. It all comes together in ‘Juniors’ about a teenage girl called Lea who is part Hawaiian, part Mainlander and all outsider. But when she enrols at the prestigious Punahou school and finds herself befriending the prominent West family, Lea’s world is turned even more upside down … Hemmings’ tale of a teen just trying to fit in may sound ho-hum, but the unique Hawaiian setting and complexity of upper-class families elevates it to something so much more and absolutely riveting.
I think this is likely to get compared to E. Lockhart’s 2014 smash-hit YA book, ‘We Were Liars’ – for the beachside setting, complicated romance, and upstairs/downstairs look at teen family dynamics. But they’re completely different, and where Lockhart’s was very much driven by that mystery plot, the beauty of ‘Juniors’ is Hemmings bringing her knife-point characterisation and connections to the YA readership.
Setting plays a big part in this book too, and especially in echoing protagonist Lea’s feelings of not fitting in anywhere – she’s part Islander, part Mainlander and when we first meet her, she’s being plonked into a Hawaiian school and new home, which makes her feel that duology more keenly than ever.
Hemmings is shattering the outsider perception of a care-free, laid-back surfer lifestyle in Hawaii, that most people associate with the island state (and indeed, she ripped that veneer away in her book-turned-movie ‘The Descendants’ too). Reading ‘Juniors’ I was reminded of this line that a character says in one of her short stories from 2005 collection ‘House of Thieves’ – when a young surfer girl sums their life growing up in Hawaii thusly to her friends; “We’re just kids growing up on an island, doing bad things in pretty places.” And that’s very much the underlining thread that Hemmings is picking apart on a larger scale in ‘Juniors’, to great effect.
But I think the big draw-card of this book is the upstairs/downstairs plot, and Lea’s complicated feelings for rich boy, Will West.
I take a few steps back so he's not towering over me.
"Don't," he says. "I like how much taller I am than you. I like looking down on you."
"Impossible," I say, rising up on my toes. "That needs to be earned, and not by inches."
This is also what Hemmings has always done really well, in writing very tangled webs and relationships in which characters have to balance sacrifices – big and small – to be with the one that they think they want. Hemmings has always explored this beautifully and pointedly in her adult books and short-stories, but the high-stakes translates just as beautifully to these younger characters, if not more so for how much more keenly they feel these sacrifices alongside amplified first times.
I think this is likely to get compared to E. Lockhart’s 2014 smash-hit YA book, ‘We Were Liars’ – for the beachside setting, complicated romance, and upstairs/downstairs look at teen family dynamics. But they’re completely different, and where Lockhart’s was very much driven by that mystery plot, the beauty of ‘Juniors’ is Hemmings bringing her knife-point characterisation and connections to the YA readership.
Setting plays a big part in this book too, and especially in echoing protagonist Lea’s feelings of not fitting in anywhere – she’s part Islander, part Mainlander and when we first meet her, she’s being plonked into a Hawaiian school and new home, which makes her feel that duology more keenly than ever.
Hemmings is shattering the outsider perception of a care-free, laid-back surfer lifestyle in Hawaii, that most people associate with the island state (and indeed, she ripped that veneer away in her book-turned-movie ‘The Descendants’ too). Reading ‘Juniors’ I was reminded of this line that a character says in one of her short stories from 2005 collection ‘House of Thieves’ – when a young surfer girl sums their life growing up in Hawaii thusly to her friends; “We’re just kids growing up on an island, doing bad things in pretty places.” And that’s very much the underlining thread that Hemmings is picking apart on a larger scale in ‘Juniors’, to great effect.
But I think the big draw-card of this book is the upstairs/downstairs plot, and Lea’s complicated feelings for rich boy, Will West.
I take a few steps back so he's not towering over me.
"Don't," he says. "I like how much taller I am than you. I like looking down on you."
"Impossible," I say, rising up on my toes. "That needs to be earned, and not by inches."
This is also what Hemmings has always done really well, in writing very tangled webs and relationships in which characters have to balance sacrifices – big and small – to be with the one that they think they want. Hemmings has always explored this beautifully and pointedly in her adult books and short-stories, but the high-stakes translates just as beautifully to these younger characters, if not more so for how much more keenly they feel these sacrifices alongside amplified first times.
December 24, 2016
As someone who was raised on Oahu and currently missing home like crazy, this book was a sore-needed condensed piece of home. The little acknowledgements of local life, kakamochi, crack seed, summer prep at Punahou, the Kahala houses (especially the one with the golden dolphins on the gate--yes that really exists) felt like inside peeks into local culture. But more than that, coming from Kaui Hart Hemmings, someone raised on the islands, they felt like acknowledgements of the life you live in Hawaii. It didn't feel like local life on display for a bunch of mainlanders--the terms were not explained endlessly as soon as they appeared--instead, reading this book felt like having someone else say "I know what it's like to live here." It felt like it was for people from Hawaii. And maybe I'm putting too much stock into it. Maybe life on the islands isn't some concept that's that difficult for others to grasp. But as someone who is missing home right now, that's what this book felt like. Like Kaui Hart Hemmings was talking to me, and all the other Hawaii kids, and giving a voice to our experiences. It's like running into someone from Hawaii, sharing stories of home, your favorite spots, where you went to high school, where you lived, and then parting, but happy for the connection, for someone who knows where you're from and understands the flow of life you have when you've grown up in Hawaii.
And it wasn't just that I felt a connection to the setting of the book. I felt a connection to Lea as well. Sure, she was a private school kid and I was public. But we did have things in common. Besides the fact that she lived on Oahu, she was also an only child raised by a single mother, like me. She loved and collected books, like me. (It was a nice detail to have her arranging her new shelves when she moves to the Kahala house). She was introverted, shy, quiet. She wanted to be braver than she was, to stand out more than she did. She didn't really know where she stood with people, she questioned whether those around her really liked her. She stuck to herself, despite wanting connection. That was basically high school me in a nut shell. The differences appear when she broke into her wilder self, but it was still a fun read that felt authentically young and authentically Hawaii.
And it wasn't just that I felt a connection to the setting of the book. I felt a connection to Lea as well. Sure, she was a private school kid and I was public. But we did have things in common. Besides the fact that she lived on Oahu, she was also an only child raised by a single mother, like me. She loved and collected books, like me. (It was a nice detail to have her arranging her new shelves when she moves to the Kahala house). She was introverted, shy, quiet. She wanted to be braver than she was, to stand out more than she did. She didn't really know where she stood with people, she questioned whether those around her really liked her. She stuck to herself, despite wanting connection. That was basically high school me in a nut shell. The differences appear when she broke into her wilder self, but it was still a fun read that felt authentically young and authentically Hawaii.
October 10, 2015
Lea Lane doesn't quite fit in. She followed her actress mother to Hawaii during her junior year of high school, where everyone already knows everyone else. The only attention she seems to get is from the West family, who invite Lea and her mother to stay in their guest house during her latest project, a popular upcoming drama that the entire island seems to be buzzing about. Once she steps into this new territory, there's no going back. Over the next few months, secrets begin to unravel and surprising bonds are made. Not everyone is what they seem, but some definitely are.
The setting for Juniors is beautiful. I believe this may be the first book I've read which is set in Hawaii, but I thought that the author did a great job bringing readers into the tropical climate, relaxing space and ultimate vacation destination. Though I've never been to Hawaii, I could imagine every part of the island that Lea wandered. This book gives you just the right summer feelings.
Friendship is the most important part of the story and it's done well, because each character had their flaws, although some weren't as obvious as others. As Lea got to know Will and Whitney as friends, she realizes that they're more alike than anyone could have guessed. The Wests come from a wealthy family, and it's no secret that Lea and her mother have significantly less. While they've never struggled or gone without anything they need, they don't exactly own a beach side mansion, either.
Throughout the book, we see Lea blossom. Although she was a little hesitant to get close to Whitney, they end up with a true friendship that could last a lifetime. There are a lot of feelings in this book, from self doubt, judgement, and the value of others to love, excitement, and true happiness. Juniors is a great beachy read for summer or just for when you want to get away from the chill of those colder months.
The setting for Juniors is beautiful. I believe this may be the first book I've read which is set in Hawaii, but I thought that the author did a great job bringing readers into the tropical climate, relaxing space and ultimate vacation destination. Though I've never been to Hawaii, I could imagine every part of the island that Lea wandered. This book gives you just the right summer feelings.
Friendship is the most important part of the story and it's done well, because each character had their flaws, although some weren't as obvious as others. As Lea got to know Will and Whitney as friends, she realizes that they're more alike than anyone could have guessed. The Wests come from a wealthy family, and it's no secret that Lea and her mother have significantly less. While they've never struggled or gone without anything they need, they don't exactly own a beach side mansion, either.
Throughout the book, we see Lea blossom. Although she was a little hesitant to get close to Whitney, they end up with a true friendship that could last a lifetime. There are a lot of feelings in this book, from self doubt, judgement, and the value of others to love, excitement, and true happiness. Juniors is a great beachy read for summer or just for when you want to get away from the chill of those colder months.
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