Wanderlost: A Young Adult Love Story of European Adventure and Finding Yourself

by Jen Malone

Not all those who wander are lost, but Aubree Sadler most definitely is on this novel’s whirlwind trip through Europe.

Aubree can’t think of a better place to be than in perfectly boring Ohio, and she’s ready for a relaxing summer. But when her older sister, Elizabeth, gets into real trouble, Aubree is talked into taking over Elizabeth’s summer job, leading a group of senior citizens on a bus tour through Europe.

Aubree doesn’t even make it to the first stop in Amsterdam before their perfect plan unravels, leaving her with no phone, no carefully prepared binder full of helpful facts, and an unexpected guest: the tour company owner’s son, Sam. Considering she’s pretending to be Elizabeth, she absolutely shouldn’t fall for him, but she can’t help it, especially with the most romantic European cities as the backdrop for their love story.

But her relationship with Sam is threatening to ruin her relationship with her sister, and she feels like she’s letting both of them down. Aubree knows this trip may show her who she really is—she just hopes she likes where she ends up.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Travel, Summer, Young Adult Contemporary, Fiction

321 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2016

About the author

I once spent a year traveling the world solo from Nepal to Romania to Fiji, where I learned 99.9% of humanity is pretty freaking awesome yet somehow doesn't share my love of ice cubes in a drink. I met my husband on the highway, literally. In fact our meet-cute was SO cute we had a whole story written about it in Ladies Home Journal. My twin boys placed second in the Most Identical contest at the International Festival of Twins. Their little sister placed first in the most adorable contest at the All The People In Our Living Room Festival. I once accompanied a pajama-clad Oprah Winfrey (and her puppies) through the laundry room of the Four Seasons. I have also been in a hotel room alone with a shirtless Mark Wahlberg. In both those instances, it was not what you think. Oh, and I went into early labor while on Stevie Nicks' tour bus. That is pretty much what you think.

Here's the more official bio:
Jen Malone writes fun and flirty YA travel romances with HarperCollins and humorous "girl power" MG adventures with Simon & Schuster. She once spent a year traveling the world solo, met her husband on the highway (literally), and went into labor with her identical twins while on a rock star's tour bus. These days she saves the drama for her books. You can learn more about Jen and her books at www.jenmalonewrites.com. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @jenmalonewrites.

Reviews

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
I read this in a couple of hours so it was super quick which was nice. It was a fun read, some parts were pretty unbelievable and outright ridiculous. Some things I didn't like because they were clearly added just for drama. Also I hate awkwardness so I was cringing at points but overall I did like it. It was fun and cute and travelled to most of the places I'll be going to in May which was cool.

[Kalyn Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so, Mr. Fenton. Love
Sam, Love.
All the characters, love.
All the travel destinations, love.
An easy read and a cute story.

[sreeja · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5★
i told myself that I wouldn’t start off the year with a negative review: and I AM going to try my best because this book while; has a really adorable plot, setting and premise in general the main character annoyed me to no end.
First off, the plot sounds incredibly amazing and it had so much potential. The main character, Aubree is literally given the opportunity to travel through Europe, staying in posh hotels while leading a totally lax tour for the elderlies (while under the guise of being her sister).
Sure it sounds clichéd even, but honestly who wouldn’t want to travel the world. Aubree should be dying to do this right? (Alright, if she doesn’t want to travel and is comfortable at home you would at least expect her to do it to help out her sister.) And she does, but MAN is she whiny. Like can she at least try to make the best of the situation or something?
Straight up, Aubree is the most immature character I have ever read about tbh. I mean I understand her somewhat dramatic actions and tendencies but her childish behaviour was such a HUGE turn off.
Also her irresponsibility level is literally sky high. OK so Aubree has to help her sister out by pretending to be her in the trip because her future career pretty much depends on it. And the reason why her sister, Elizabeth can’t go for it might I add is BECAUSE of Aubree. So Aubree owes her big time. But Elizabeth helps her out by planning out exactly what she needs to say and it is all in a binder.
And guess what Aubree manages to do within the first few chapters? YEP leave the binder and her phone on the plane. So she basically has no idea what is going to happen in the trip and she can’t exactly call her sister asking for help. Honestly how does a person just leave their phone behind on a plane like that?

Aubree is also the pettiest person I have read about?? Like she could still have told her sister who was contacting her through the hotel; that she had left the binder but she chose not to because of some fight that they had. So she basically wanted to show her sister that she was not a screw up by screwing up everything (w/o that binder).
And of course a boy had to be added in. Honestly, Sam was the saviour in this because his easy-going personality just pulled me in. There is one thing that bothered me so much about Aubree and him though. Sam being the sweetheart that he is takes Aubree to a really fancy restaurant. Aubree; being a picky eater lies to him and tells him that she can’t eat gluten and has celiac’s disease because she doesn’t want to eat anything there. BRUH what?? why would you lie about something so stupid??


OK but really though moving on to the better parts of the story. The old people in this book were just absolutely adorable I swear, especially Mr Fenton.
Also Aubree managed to get a teeny tiny bit more tolerable towards the end and it was kind of cute to watch Sam and her through their trip against the backdrop of the most beautiful cities in the world.



Honestly Mr Fenton, Sam and the backdrop of amazing European cities are the only reason why I continued and finished this story (also the reason why I didn’t rate this a 1 star). But hey, maybe you’ll have better luck than me and may end up liking this more than I did.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

I really REALLY liked this and now I just want to backpack through Europe it’s fine. This was a lot more emotional than I expected aaaaand the love interest was pretty great. SO MUCH GOOD STUFF TAKE ME TO EUROPE NOW KTHANKSBYE

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5 stars

Despite the far-fetched plot line (the book's only weakness, imo, which didn't even bother me all that much), everything about Wanderlost spoke to me. Aubree was a really lovable heroine, and her growth into a more independent young woman was wonderfully rendered. I just really connected with her and her journey. The story was mostly light and breezy but the emotions rang true. Plus it was unexpectedly funny! The old people were cracking me up. Then of course there's the romance, which was the most adorable thing EVER. I loved how it developed, especially because Sam was SO charming so it was easy to see why Aubree fell for him.

Definitely one of my new all time favorite contemporaries; I can't wait to read more from this author!

[✶Rachelle✶]

DNF at 8%

21 year old sister gets arrested because 1) the cop doesn't believe her ID is real, and 2) they went to high school together and apparently he's an asshole

Not to mention, I already cannot stand the MC. She is whiny and ridiculously annoying.

That was just chapter 1.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading contemporary books, especially in the summer, and when I first learnt about this book, it seemed like the perfect summer read. In Wanderlost, Aubree unintentionally gets her sister, Elizabeth, arrested, which throws a spanner in the works for Elizabeth's summer plans of leading a tour group of OAPs around Europe - something which is crucial to her future ambitions. To help our, Bree agrees to impersonate Elizabeth, and take her place as the tour guide, even though she knows nothing about Europe, or leading senior citizens. Her first few hours didn't go so well, and to top it all off, she finds herself falling for the kind and helpful voice on the end of the phone, someone who just happens to be the son of tour company's owner. When Sam turns up in Europe, Bree has a tough time being herself, when she's impersonating her sister.

When I read this book, I was in the middle of my final university exams, and needed something light and fluffy to get my head screwed on properly, and not stressed out. Bree was someone who I wish I was like, though some of her decisions needed perhaps a bit of though, before she went through with them. She had to fumble her way through the actual 'guiding' part of the trip, until one of the tourists stepped in to help. However, she learnt as she went along, and by the end of the tour, she was doing really well in her role.

I had some issues with the lies she was spreading, but I got why she had to do it. Hers and Sam's relationship was extremely cute, from the first quasi-meeting over the phone, to him actually turning up in Europe, and tagging along. They just felt real, and progressed at a natural pace, unlike some YA contemporary couples. Bree's sister, Elizabeth, I seriously disliked, as she was down on Bree all the time, as if she was some perfect person herself. I'm glad she wasn't a big character in the book, otherwise my feelings may have been different. The old folks were wonderful, exactly how I'd imagine a group on holiday in Europe.

Really, this book dropped through my letter box at the right moment, and took my mind off the pending exams perfectly. It made me look forward to my trip to Rome to celebrate graduation even more, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Malone in the future.

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

short but technically full review at https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co... i just don't have that much to say about it. i was a little disappointed when i saw it was another guided-tour-of-europe form of travel book. (the titular similarity to wanderlove, which breaks that cliché, aimed my hopes higher). at least it was european cities that are covered less frequently (i.e., not the usual cycle of rome, paris, etc.). but it wasn't very setting-based, which is obviously a dealbreaker in a travel themed book, and was all around just kinda boring. :(

[Jen Malone]

Hey, I wrote this book! Thanks SO MUCH for reading and reviewing!!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“I left my whole life on the plane,”

This was a YA contemporary story about a girl who goes to Europe pretending to be her sister.

Aubree was put in a really difficult position by her sister in this book, being asked to go to Europe as a tour guide when she had no experience at all was pretty difficult for her, and I felt quite sorry for her when everything started going wrong.

The storyline in this was about Aubree going to Europe pretending to be her sister, after her sister got arrested because Aubree had underage kids drinking at a party. This was pretty nerve-wracking for her, especially as she only spoke English and had no knowledge of the areas she was supposed to be a tour guide for! The pace in this was pretty slow though, and it did drag a bit.
We did get some romance, but I didn’t like the way that Aubree had to lie to Sam because she was pretending to be Elizabeth.

The ending to this was okay, but I did feel like we should maybe have had an epilogue about Sam and Aubree’s relationship once they both got home.



6 out of 10

[ambsreads · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Rule #1 of horror movies or Those of Us with Lives That Sometimes Resemble a Horror Movie: Always, always turn on the light."

Wanderlost was a book that infuriated me to beyond end, but it was also a book that made me smile and roll my eyes at the ridiculousness of characters. I enjoyed where the story ended up, I enjoyed the character development which was so beautifully written, but if you saw any of my status updates you will know I had a problem with the communication that happened between characters. I'll get into that later in the review, though.

This particular novel tells the story of Aubree who decides to have a party when now that she has finished school. Now, I found this party didn't exactly seem like something Aubree would do when we got to know her further, but sure. Due to this party being full of underage kids (which honestly took me forever to remember the drinking age in America is 21) her sister covers for her and winds up arrested because she doesn't remember the police officer who she went to school with four years ago - which I had a problem with, and I wish was explained a little bit more. This throws a spanner in the works of Elizabeth, the sister's, summer plans. So, Aubree is now recruited to pretend to be Elizabeth and go around Europe as a tour guide for an elderly tour (?). Of course, things go wrong and Aubree seemed a little Lou from Me Before You (which I haven't even read), but it is a really nice story overall and the old people are hilarious.

Characters

Aubree was infuriating, I will say straight up. I hated her. I found her incredibly petty and so infuriating since she was so negative half the time. She seemed to not to be able to do anything right and hated the idea of going to Europe because she liked her small town in Ohio. She also lacked any skill of communication, at one stage claiming that she had celiac disease instead of telling the male lead that she was just an incredibly picky eater.

That was another thing - because now I'm writing I'm realising how much I didn't actually like Aubree - she would not try anything new. She was so set in her ways, even by the end of the book. Travelling to Europe has always been a big dream of mine and I would love to do it, but Aubree seemed to take it for granted as they travelled around the area. I will applaud her on the fact she didn't care she lost her phone because I would have literally died - my phone is my awkward lifeline and every lifeline I have.

I will applaud the author as well on how she wrote Aubree's character development. I enjoyed seeing her go from sheltered girl to not so sheltered girl who would like to explore. I didn't like the open ending we were given for her either - which if you've read some of my reviews you will know I hate. I wanted to know what she was like after returning home or just overall. It would have been nice to see her when she was not so childish.

Sam was quite a lovely character, though I would say without a doubt he was a hopeless romantic. I found his and Aubree's first interactions on the phone quite hilarious, especially after she concluded the first one "loveyoubye" - creating a joke for the following calls. I thought his character was well developed, though I found his backstory about the father annoying but that's just because I don't know my own father and don't think it should be used as a plot-forwarding device since its something that has never bothered me.

I loved Sam's reaction as well when Aubree's identity was revealed. I found it very mature and not childish, like so many other books have portrayed the same thing. He thought about it and didn't wait weeks in order to get back to her, which was a very good choice on the author's part in my opinion. I do wish he was fleshed out a bit more, like what he does besides college and work for his mum, oh and swim.

Plot

The plot wasn't what I was expecting. I may have had high hopes for it considering how Anna and The French Kiss included the city as an important aspect to the story. However, in Wanderlost I found the cities weren't described and half the time it was unknown where the characters actually were. The plot was sub par at best, though, I'm not sure there was much to really go on - or I could be being incredibly judgemental which is completely something I do.

Writing

The writing, unfortunately, didn't suck me in like I wanted. I was left disappointed by it actually. I will admit I had high hopes for this book as someone who loves Europe and I feel incredibly let down. The writing was a lot of telling without the showing, which I don't mind to an extent but I found this quite tedious in some stages.

Overall

Overall, great concept but poor execution.

[Karmen (readingoncloud9) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

This book was so cute! Ugh, having a really bad case of wanderlust after finishing this.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was adorable!

My hesitations (these were quite small overall)
A far fetched set up
A senior citizen who breaks her arm and then continues her European tour. Lol (tho this occurrence does set up something good)
Aubree eating McDonalds at every opportunity despite the amazing local cuisine. This killed me.
I REALLY wanted an epilogue.

Highlights
European travel - the author knows her places
Sammmmm. I LOVE him.
The senior tour passengers were so much fun!
Aubree's growth was A+++. The way she matures from the start of the book is written so well.
The story manages to stay virtually angst & drama free - at least not over the top - despite the premise of Aubree lying about who she is. And the way the revelations and fallout unfold fit well with the the characters, their growth and the story.

Definitely recommended.

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Sometimes you just need something cute. After being sick for a week and falling slowly into a reading slump, I couldn't help but order, receive, and then immediately read Wanderlost, which Christina was all atwitter about. This book is basically the perfect summer book: cute, sweet, funny, and full of European love.

Wanderlost is about Aubree, a recently graduated high school senior, who secretly takes over her sister's position guiding a senior tour through Europe. Except, she doesn't know anything about Europe. Actually, she's just fine staying at home. But throughout her journey she discovers another side to herself, another side of the world, and - of course - a wonderful boy.

At first I was a bit hesitant with this book because I've had a Eurotrip book go totally wrong before, and Aubree, with her love of the familiar and fear of anything foreign, didn't initially sound like a character I would like that much. But her voice has SO MUCH LIFE. She's reluctant, yes, to go on her journey, but when she gets there, she discovers so many things to love. Every place she goes she decides it's her 'new favorite'. She also grows herself - from someone very dependent on others, reluctant to take action or responsibility, to someone who can stand on her own two feet. It's not the biggest character growth arc ever, but it's super on point.

The places she travels are just AMAZING. They start off in Amsterdam, then travel through Germany, to Salzburg and Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Monaco, and so many other places along the way. There are cheese and clog makers in Holland, kisses by canals in Venice, a Sound of Music tour around Salzburg... I want to TAKE this trip, srsly. As a European, I can vet for the cultural portrayals. As an American, I can vet for Aubree's perceptions and impressions. Yeah, maybe the precise layout of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport wasn't 100% correct, but these are things you only notice if you know a place by heart. Aubree's open eyed and open minded as she takes everything in and sees the beauty in so much... except the food. She's the pickiest eater and won't eat the food. Mostly because of the strange names, as far as I can tell. BUT WHY??!?!? BRATWURST AND GOULASH ARE SO AMAZING, WHY WOULD YOU WHYYYY?

And, of course, the boy. The boy, Sam, is pretty darn great. He starts off as Aubree's link to the travel organization, checking in on her each evening. She ends their first phone conversation by accidentally saying "loveyoubye" which is hilarious and adorable and so awkward but so ME. Then they have all of the banter and just can't wait to continue their conversations every day. There's so much cute here, I can't even handle it. Although, with Aubree pretending to be her sister, there's a fair amount of predictable drama as well. Lying never goes well. But though it was a bit cliché, the execution is still cute, realistic, and feelsy. I shipped it loads.

There are so many other lovely details to this book that made it really realistic and touching. Aubree's relationship with her sister is strained, because Elizabeth doesn't really believe in her - like she's waiting for her to fail. So Aubree feels this angry urge to prove herself. I may relate to this a LOT. The senior citizens on the trip are honestly ADORABLE. I loved their sparkly personalities and the way that Aubree slowly but surely grew really close to them. Aubree's mother is really overbearing, but there is a lot of love in that family. Honestly, one of the best parts of the book was the way the story was tied up in the end - not a sappy happily ever after, not a romance focus, but a focus on Aubree growing as her own person. A+ ending, would read again.

Summing Up:

Those who suffer wanderlust absolutely must read Wanderlost. Through this delightfully fluffy book, you get to see so many wonderful sides of Europe while falling in love with quirky characters and an AMAZING ship along the way. This book was just what I needed. A perfect summer pick-me-up.

BUT SERIOUSLY EAT THE FOOD THE FOOD IS GOOD THE FOOD IS AMAZING

GIF it to me straight!



Recommended To:

Fans of Meant to Be, Just One Day, and Stephanie Perkins.

[Fafa's Book Corner]

DNF

Mini review:

I bought this book based on the road trip aspect. I love love road trips! And after reading Amy & Rogers Epic Detour I want to read more road trip books. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this.

I really didn't like Aubrey. She was seriously stupid and basically threw her sister under the bus. She was also really whiny and I felt like every stupid decision she made was to further the plot. I've heard that she does improve and grow but I don't care to read about it.

Do not recommend.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads.

The first thing that captured my attention about Wanderlost was, of course, the cover. I loved the colors and the font and, honestly, everything about it. It looked fun. It screamed "READ ME! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!" The synopsis drew me in further, and the number of raving 4 and 5 star reviews from bloggers I trust finally pushed me over the edge and made me pick this one up when I did. It lived up to the cover and the synopsis and I adored just about everything about it.

I love a good road trip book. They're, like, my kryptonite. (Especially if there's a swoony boy involved.) Of course I was going to read this book. (At some point.) I was totally hooked on this book from the moment Aubree agreed to take her sister's place on the European senior citizen bus tour. There might not have been a swoony boy in sight at that point, but I knew I liked Aubree's spunk and I was ready to follow her adventures. (Even if the whole thing was a bit far-fetched.) I wanted her to prove her sister wrong and I hoped she would learn a little more about who she really was during her travels.

I loved Aubree. She was in an impossible situation, but attempted to make the best of it and enjoy the opportunity she'd been given. (Forced into by guilt?) Either way, she's obviously in over her head since she a) isn't who everyone thinks she is, b) isn't qualified or trained to lead such a trip, c) doesn't speak the language of the tour's bus driver and d) lost the binder her sister prepared with ALL THE INFO. Obviously she wasn't all that great at her job in the beginning. But she learned and she grew. She wasn't sullen. It took a little while for her to fully fall into the groove and really get to know the others on the trip. When she did, the book became that much better. And none of it wouldn't have happened without the mishap that led swoony Sam (the owner's son) to join the tour. (YES! Swoony boy!)

Sam was wonderful. I loved the phone flirtation they had going on early on in the book. You know when you read a book and just have a huge, cheesy grin on your face? That was me reading their initial phone conversations and then, of course, later with their face-to-face interactions. I loved the pairing of these two, even if I knew there would be a certain amount of drama once he found out she wasn't really Elizabeth/Lizzy... because I knew he had to find out one way or another. As Sam has issues with liars, I knew it was possible that it would totally derail what they were building, but I had to hope otherwise. Naturally, I'm not going to tell you any more about that. You'll have to read to find out what happens.

So, I loved the main characters and the romance. The road trip aspect was fantastic. It made me want to get my passport and go somewhere. Anywhere. Everywhere. (This is the real danger with road trip books!) All this aside, one of my FAVORITE things about the books was the group of senior citizens on the trip. They didn't just blend into the background. Each of them was unique and special and they played an important part in Aubree's growth during this book. They were funny and spunky and meddlesome. Their personalities shown through and they felt so much like people I've had the pleasure of knowing in my life. They were so good that, dare I say even if there WASN'T a swoony boy involved, I'd probably have been totally enthralled with the story. Yes, it was that good.

I can't rave enough about this book. Sure, you need to suspend reality a bit to start when it comes to the whole setup with Aubree taking her sister's spot on the tour and NOT telling their parents. But it was so easy to do that because the writing was that good and the progression of the storyline so perfect otherwise. I fell in love with each and every one of the characters and it was a totally happy-making book. There were a few tears along the way, too, but they didn't last long. I loved how Aubree's character developed and grew over the course of the story. I liked her to begin with, but by the end I was all but standing up shouting "You go girl!" as she came into her own. The only thing I wish different was that there was an epilogue. I mean, I'm really happy with the ending, but I'd have been even happier with just a little bit more as I'm a totally greedy reader. I guess this way I can imagine it all continued however I want, which isn't the worst thing in the world. Regardless, if you're looking for your new favorite YA contemporary book, one that combines romance and some "issues" without being a true "issues book" AND you want to giggle and swoon the whole time you're reading... look no further. Wanderlost is that book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little unsure about Wanderlost in the beginning because of its premise. I have to thank Danielle for giving me the push to try this book out with her seal of approval. Wanderlost was the kind of book that was easy to immerse myself in and I had an absolute blast while reading it.

I’ll admit the concept of Wanderlost is a little bit far fetched – Aubree is forced by her sister to fill in as a senior citizen travel guide in Europe as a result of her sister being arrested because of a party Aubree held. Despite the dubious nature of this plot though, I enjoyed every bit of this story. I’m not much of a traveler, but I love experiencing international locales alongside the protagonists in books. Wanderlost gave me exactly that sort of a trip as Jen Malone took Aubree, the senior citizens and readers on an epic road trip in Europe. The author definitely knew her locations because she portrayed them all vividly, so much so that I felt like I myself had taken that bus tour by the time I turned the last page. For me, what makes a good travel-oriented story is the author’s ability to invoke the desire to hop on a plane to visit the destination and Jen Malone definitely achieved that in Wanderlost. I learned much about the sights, the scenery and the food thanks to the eloquent and descriptive writing.

Aubree’s growth is perhaps next best part of Wanderlost. It was clear from the beginning that she wasn’t thrilled about being forced to go on this tour mostly because she wasn’t someone who craved adventure. She was comfortable being in her bubble at home – I think she might be me! She was a bit of a mess at the start of her trip, having left her phone and her information binder on the plane, and having no idea how she’s going to handle the whole trip. With help though, Aubree comes out of her shell, gaining a better understanding of who she was thanks to people she met on her adventure and the culture she experienced. Her growth was subtle and natural and I loved watching Aubree become more confident and someone who chased after what she wanted. The only thing I didn’t like about Aubree was her dismissal of foreign food and her intense love for McDonald’s. It made me want to weep in a corner watching her opt for McDonald’s instead of the local cuisine, but that’s not a huge deal breaker for me. Aubree also had a complicated relationship with her sister and I would have liked to see a bit more of them together in the book.

The secondary cast in Wanderlost was also pretty terrific. I especially loved the senior citizens and how they helped Aubree grow throughout the book. They were a fun bunch from the horny couple on the honeymoon to the old lady BFFs, who were so brazen and enjoyed life to the maximum and Mr. Fenton, the wise old man who becomes somewhat of a confidante for Aubree. They all played roles in helping Aubree become a stronger version of herself. Their shenanigans made me laugh out loud during the book!

I also had a HUGE crush on Sam, Aubree’s love interest. They didn’t meet until well into the trip, but they did have phone conversations – his mom is the owner of the touring company and he keeps in touch with the guides to make sure things are going okay. Their conversations were flirty, full of banter and just plain adorable. Sam was a very swoony boy. He was kind, funny and utterly too charming for words. The romance between Aubree and Sam was delightful, with lots of swoony kisses peppered throughout Wanderlost. I was a bit nervous to see how it would unfold given the fact that Aubree was lying about who she was, but I thought Jen Malone handled it well. The drama was kept to a minimum and it really spoke the kind of boy Sam was. This is seriously one of my favorite YA romances this year.

Wanderlost was a feel-good kind of YA contemporary novel with a strong message. While I loved the ending, I wouldn’t complain if we got to see glimpses into the future of Sam and Aubree. This is the perfect story if you’re feeling the itch to travel and want to read a cute romance!

[Shannon Miz · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
4.5*

This is the cutest freaking book of ever. I don't "do" fluffy often, and when I do, I am critical. So for this one to pass my ridiculously high standards has to say something! I loved this book. Let's talk about why (and the one reason I deducted a bit) shall we?

I loved it because....

Aubree develops so, so much by stepping outside her comfort zone. She's kind of spent her whole life in big sister Elizabeth's shadow- even though she's pretty great in her own right. She doesn't think she'd ever be interested in traveling, of seeing other cultures. And she sure never wanted to spend a summer with a 65+ tour group traipsing around Europe. (Though can I just say, I really do?) The thing is, she doesn't just jump in confidently like some brash heroine. No, she fumbles and muddles her way through, trying to get by, and even taking help when she needs it and others are willing to give it (which frankly, I don't think there's enough of in novels- where's the message that it's smart to ask for help!? Well, it's in this book for sure, and I love it)! Watching Aubree find herself- or at least know that she wants to find herself- is magic.
The tour group is everything. Jen Malone didn't just write some generic old people. She wrote awesome characters who all have complete personalities. They aren't all just likeable old grandmas either- some of them have bigger flaws than others- but in the end, I cared about every single one of them so, so much. They totally made the story. And I loved that Aubree had respect for them- and they for her. She formed relationships with these people that were quite beautiful. It was really classy all around, and again, something we absolutely don't see enough of in novels of any genre. And the great thing is, we even see how, at an old age, you can still continue to grow and develop, and change your life. Quite inspiring stuff.
The romance is so freaking swoon-worthy! Okay, when a relationship starts as phone flirtation from across the globe, you know it's going to be a fun one. Because it wasn't some kind of insta-love at first sight nonsense- they liked each others' personalities before anything else. And then yes, there is an attraction in person, because of course there is. But it isn't all perfect either- and there are tense and serious moment too. I just adored Sam, he was so charismatic, and charming, and knew how to just let go and have fun, no matter the circumstance.
EUROPE. Need I say more? This is a dream vacation, basically, and the only time I got mad at Aubree was when she didn't love Monaco ;) But in seriousness, I loved that she started falling in love with these places, and I could really picture her there, leading the group!

So, that one thing that I didn't love? The premise is kind of ridiculous, frankly. The whole "sister getting arrested, minor taking over a tour group in Europe" thing was just not believable to me in any way. There are just so many security checkpoints and reasons that this could never have happened, but if you can kind of put that aside, which I was able to, I think the rest of the book is absolutely enjoyable enough to negate this flaw.

Bottom Line: Clearly, I recommend. I enjoyed this book, and love the themes that it contained- all while still being completely adorable.

**Copy provided by publisher for review.

[Keertana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Wanderlost a few months ago and, after sampling a few chapters, I completely wrote this book off. Aubree, the protagonist, was a tad too immature and whiny for me to handle and her voice simply didn't speak to me. But when the raving reviews of Wanderlost began to flood in closer and closer to its release date, I dug out my ARC again and resolved to give this novel another try, with an open mind.

Well, it turns out my first instincts are spot-on. Wanderlost didn't improve much for me past those first few chapters and while I found redeeming qualities, certainly, this isn't a novel I would recommend. In fact, do yourself a favor a buy a copy of Kristen Hubbard's Wanderlove instead--similar title, relatively similar premises, but a much stronger plot and romance.

My number one issue with Wanderlost was Aubree. Elizabeth, Aubree's older sister, is whip-smart and determined--she always gets her way and she doesn't let anything stop her. When Aubree throws a party with underage drinking and Elizabeth covers for her, Elizabeth is arrested and can't leave the country to lead a tour around Europe as planned. Since Aubree now owes her, big time, Aubree takes her place and leaves her small town, for the first time, terrified to be traveling to Europe. Aubree is so ungrateful. I won't deny that Elizabeth isn't the most supportive older sister, but Aubree refuses to see the opportunity in front of her eyes. I found her inner monologues so frustrating and wanted her to open up, see eye-to-eye with her sister, and seize this experience.

Aubree gets there--eventually!--but it takes so very long and I found myself unimpressed by her growth arc. The tour itself is cute, with six elderly men and women and Sam, a sophomore in college who is added onto the tour last-minute to help his grandmother with her elbow injury. Sam is downright adorable and it's hard not to fall for him. Why he fell for Aubree? A mystery. Their romance didn't make me swoon in the least and the matchmaking going on between the grandmothers and grandfathers on this tour made me roll my eyes. It was so very cliche.

I appreciate that Malone really does develop Aubree and Elizabeth's relationship over the course of this novel and, what's more, she tries to add facts about different European cities. It doesn't feel atmospheric and the prose is unremarkable but it's easy to forgive that with Sam around. But, this novel fell so short of being wonderful for me. I wanted Aubree to really grow and change on her own but it felt as if so much of her opening up was due to Sam. And that isn't a bad thing, but I wanted more of her individual growth, too. And, perhaps I was comparing this too much to Just One Day and Wanderlove. (The latter, especially, features a 17-year-old girl on a tour in a foreign country for the first time, traveling alone, so the similarities were inevitable.)

Wanderlost isn't exceptional, new, or ground-breaking. It's a quick, simple read that will make you smile. The conflict isn't anxiety-inducing and though there was a particular plot point that surprised me quite a bit towards the end, this book is exactly what you imagine it will be--sadly, nothing more.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS SO CUTE


This book is about a fresh out of high-school girl named Aubree! She discovers herself and more in an unexpected turn of events! She ends up pretending to be her sister as a tour guide across Europe.



I gave this book 4/5 stars!! It's a very cutesy contemporary read. I love to travel and this book was so relatable to me and that's why I gave it 4/5 stars. I think if you aren't able to connect to Aubree or how awesome her experience is, then it might be more of a 3 star read for you. This book is really good for a feel-good summer read or beach reading.


(SPOILERS) I really liked Aubree, although I did find the whole celiac thing really pointless and dumb to lie about. I loved the personalities of the seniors, Hank, Mary, Emma, Mr. Fenton and Dolores (Maisy never talked soo..). MR. FENTON in Monaco was so cute and made me so happy, until the next morning. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT. Poor guy, but it made me happy he got to spend the last night of his life living out his wildest dream. SAM SAM SAM SAM SAM IS ADORABLE. Plain and simple, he is the gentleman everyone hopes to find. The character development in this book is AWESOME. Aubree grew so much from the beginning of the book to the end. I'm really happy I picked up this book!!

ALSO THE COVER FOR THIS BOOK IS GORGEOUS SO I'D RECOMMEND PURCHASING THE BOOK IF YOU CAN RATHER THAN AN E-BOOK BECAUSE IT'S SO PRETTY.

[Ivonne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ich weiß gar nicht so Recht, wo ich anfangen soll. Erinnert ihr euch noch daran, dass ich sagte, manchmal fiele es mir schwer, Rezensionen zu schreiben, da ich das Gefühl habe, einfach nicht die richtigen Worte zu finden? So geht es mir auch bei diesem Buch, allerdings nicht, weil es mich emotional berührt oder schlicht einfach umgehauen hat, nein, sondern weil es in meinen Augen ein absoluter Fehlgriff ist und ich Angst habe, konstruktive Kritik zu sehr mit persönlicher Verärgerung zu verwechseln und dass die Rezension daher möglicherweise weit aus negativer ausfällt, als gewollt. Dennoch möchte ich versuchen, meine Gedanken und in diesem Fall Verärgerung und Enttäuschung in Worte zu fassen. Meine Enttäuschung und Verärgerung darüber, dass das Buch einfach nicht das hält, was es verspricht. Denn ja, ich bin wütend und verärgert über dieses Buch, denn die ursprüngliche Vorfreude verwandelte sich schnell in ein kontinuierliches Augenrollen und Kopfschütteln.

Im Grunde hört sich das Buch richtig gut an. Ein junges Mädchen das als Tourguide eine Gruppe von Senioren durch ganz Europa begleiten soll klingt nach einer unglaublich tollen, aufregenden und vor allen Dingen spannenden Geschichte. Besonders für Menschen wie mich, die nichts lieber tun, als neue Länder zu entdecken und vor allen Dingen auch große Fans von Städtetrips sind, hörte sich dies nach dem perfekten Buch schlechthin an. Alleine der Titel jagt mir ein Gefühl von Gänsehaut über den Rücken; der Titel ist einfach so wahr und echt und ich liebe ihn. Das ist aber eigentlich auch schon fast alles, was ich an diesem Buch wirklich mag.

POSITIV

Es gibt wirklich wenig Positives, was ich über dieses Buch sagen kann. Ich mochte den Humor, manchmal zumindest. So wenig ich Aubree auch mochte, gab es einige lustige Situationen, die tatsächlich ihr und ihrem Charakter entsprochen haben.

Ebenfalls mochte ich Sam wirklich sehr, ein hoffnungsloser Romantiker, der trotz dessen, dass alles so schnell ging, lange nicht so oberflächlich wirkte wie Bree. Ich weiß nicht genau, wieso ich bei ihm nicht so empfunden habe wie bei Bree, vielleicht einfach weil Sam eine ehrliche Haut ist, der auch mal Risiken eingeht und der trotz seiner nicht so schönen Vergangenheit ein lebensfroher Mensch ist, der eher positiv eingestellt ist als negativ und auch gerne mal Neues ausprobiert, ohne sich direkt davor zu verschließen und stur die Arme vor der Brust zu verschränken und mit dem Kopf zu schütteln.

Alles in allem gefiel mir die Grundidee wie gesagt unglaublich gut. Eine Tour durch Europa mit einer Gruppe Senioren? Yes baby. Leider konnte mich die Umsetzung dann doch nicht überzeugen.



NEGATIV

Fangen wir mit unserer Protagonistin an, Aubree, die von allen bloß Bree genannt wird und eine verwöhnte kleine Göre ist, die nicht nur absolut naiv, sondern irgendwie auch ziemlich dümmlich wirkt, dazu auch selbstsüchtig und überheblich und einfach irgendwie total charakterlos. Bree befindet sich eindeutig ziemlich weit oben auf der Liste der nervigsten Buchcharaktere in YA History. Ich habe wirklich versucht, sie zu mögen. Im Grunde ist ein naiver und nerviger Charakter ja die perfekte Vorlage für Character Development und obgleich sich Bree tatsächlich während der Reise etwas weiter entwickelt hat, ging alles einfach viel zu schnell. Es wirkte erzwungen, übereilt und irgendwie absolut oberflächlich, als hätte sie für den Moment vielleicht verstanden, worum es im Leben eigentlich geht, aber als würde diese Veränderung nicht lange anhalten. Kurz und knapp: ich habe sie gehasst, von Anfang bis Ende. Ich mochte ihre negative Einstellung ALLEM gegenüber einfach nicht. Ich habe mich alles andere als mit ihr infizieren können. Angst zu haben ist eine Sache, sich vor allem zu versperren, eine andere. Alles was neu war, war in ihren Augen nicht nur angsteinflößend, sondern falsch und schlecht. Sie hat sich vor allem versperrt, hat alles abgelehnt, stand allem grundsätzlich erst einmal negativ gegenüber und hat nicht einmal versucht, das Leben so zu nehmen wie es kommt. Sie hat sich schlicht geweigert, Neues auszuprobieren und das hat mich nicht nur in den Wahnsinn getrieben, sondern mich fast dazu gebracht, das Buch gar nicht erst zu beenden. Außerdem verbringt sie die meiste Zeit damit, Freunden, Bekannten, Familie etc. pp. ihre kindischen Lügen aufzutischen. Selbst für die kleinsten Unannehmlichkeiten erfindet sie irgendwelche Lügengeschichten. Statt zum Beispiel mit der Wahrheit rauszurücken und ihrem Gegenüber zu sagen, dass sie einfach sehr wählerisch ist, was Essen angeht, behauptet sie, sie hätte sie ein Glutenunverträglichkeit. Dass hier und da mal eine Notlüge notwendig ist, okay, verstehe ich, aber sie hat für absolut alles eine Lüge aufgetischt, was sie nur noch unsympatischer gemacht hat. Es war mir einfach unmöglich auch nur im Geringsten Sympathie für Bree zu empfinden. Im Prinzip war Bree das absolute Gegenteil von mir, mithin war es mir unmöglich, ihre Entscheidungen nachzuvollziehen bzw. mich überhaupt in irgendeiner Art und Weise mit ihr zu identifizieren oder auch nur eine Verbindung zu ihr aufzubauen.

Nichtsdestotrotz ist definitiv eine Entwicklung von Bree feststellbar. Das einfältige Mädchen, dass sich allem Neuen quer in den Weg gestellt hat, wurde plötzlich offener, lebenslustiger, glücklicher, was toll ist, wirklich, allerdings wurde dies alles so oberflächlich und übereilt dargestellt, dass ich es ihr einfach nicht abgekauft habe. Gestern hat sie noch alles gehasst und heute ist sie verliebt in Europa und in die ganze Welt? Sicher doch …

Ein weiterer Punkt der mich unglaublich genervt hat, war die Insta Love zwischen Bree und Sam, unserem Love Interest. Sam war eigentlich ein super netter und süßer, vor allen Dingen aber umgänglicher Charakter, wäre da nicht diese Insta Love bzw. Insta Insta Love gewesen, die dem ganzen einen dunklen Schatten übergeworfen hat.

Bree und Sam kennen sich nicht; wissen noch nicht einmal, dass der jeweils andere existiert. Sam arbeitet in dem Unternehmen, für das Bree die Tour durch Europa leitet und ist die Person, die sie täglich telefonisch über den aktuellen Sachstand informieren muss. Sam ist mithin auch derjenige, an den Bree sich wenden soll, wenn es Probleme gibt. Eines Abends telefonieren sie zum ersten Mal, sagen wir für 10 Minuten und schwupp, ist er der absolut größte und tollste Kerl der Welt; der Typ, bei dem ihr Herz schneller schlägt, wenn sie an ihn denkt und der Typ, für den sie sogar einen ganzen Abend in Amsterdam sausen lässt, nur um in ihrem Hotelzimmer auf seinen Anruf zu warten. Ernsthaft? In der einen Minute wusste noch keiner etwas von der Existenz des jeweils anderen und in der nächsten Minute sind sie schon irgendwie seelenverwandt? Sie geben sich direkt schmalzige Spitznamen und flirten über das Telefon, als wären sie schon ewig ein Paar die momentan in einer Fernbeziehung leben. Nein Danke.

Ich habe nichts gegen Liebe auf den ersten Blick (ob ich daran glaube oder nicht, ist eine andere Sache) es muss eben einfach nur gut und plausibel umgesetzt sein. Diese Fake-Beziehung war meiner Meinung nach so an den Haaren herbeigezogen, dass bei mir keinerlei romantische Stimmung aufkam, auch nicht, als Sam NATÜRLICH irgendwann vor Ort auftauchte, um Bree unter die Arme zu greifen. Ich kam aus dem Augenrollen gar nicht mehr raus. Ich war so kurz davor, das Buch nicht zu beenden, aber dann erinnerte ich mich daran, wie sehr ich es hasse, ein Buch einfach so abzubrechen, zumal ich finde, dass man zu einem abgebrochenen Buch keine richtige Rezension schreiben kann und zu diesem Buch wollte ich unbedingt eine Rezension schreiben, da ich meine Verärgerung und Enttäuschung über diese Geschichte und vor allen Dingen diese charaterlosen und flachen Charaktere einfach los werden musste.

Es hat sage und schreibe 250 Seiten gedauert, bis ich zumindest einige der Charaktere etwas anfing zu mögen. Es gab irgendwie einfach nichts, was ich hätte mögen können, weil man kaum etwas über die Charaktere erfahren hat. Man hatte einfach das Gefühl, sie waren bloß da, um die Seiten zu füllen, um Bree und Sam nicht alleine auf diese Reise gehen zu lassen.

Ebenso ein Dorn im Auge war mir die Beziehung zwischen Bree und Elizabeth, zwei Schwestern, die wahrscheinlich unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten und so gar nichts gemeinsam haben. Bree bekommt ein Telefonat mit, in dem Elizabeth nichts weiter tut, als auf gemeinste Art und Weise über ihre Schwester herzuziehen und Bree macht nicht einmal den Mund auf. Okay, sie schmollt und sie schreit ihre Schwester irgendwann an, aber sie ist einfach nicht Frau genug, ihre Schwester darauf anzusprechen. Trotzdem tut sie weiterhin genau das, was ihre Schwester von ihr will, während sie sich hinter ihrem Rücken über sie aufregt und sie dafür hasst, dass sie sie immer wie ein Baby behandelt und ihr offenbar so gar nichts zu traut. Dann hör einfach auf dich wie ein Baby zu verhalten liebe Bree, dann wird man auch aufhören, dich wie eins zu behandeln. Natürlich ist das Leben innerhalb der Familie nicht immer einfach und ob Geschwister oder nicht, manchmal versteht man sich eben einfach nicht. Punkt. Das was da zwischen Bree und Elizabeth ablief jedoch war in meinen Augen einfach lächerlich. Die beiden reden kaum, sehen sich kaum, mögen sich kaum und dennoch tut Bree all das, was ihre Schwester ihr sagt und obwohl Elizabeth Bree offenbar für ziemlich beschränkt hält, bittet sie sie um einen Gefallen? Ziemlich selbstsüchtig und egoistisch, dass sind sie offensichtlich beide. Keiner steht dem anderen in dieser Sache etwas nach.

Dieses Buch hat mich so unglaublich wütend gemacht. Die Autorin hätte hieraus eine wundervolle, abenteuerliche Geschichte über einen Roadtrip durch ganz Europa machen können, hat sich dann aber doch für ein nerviges Teenage Drama entschieden. Wieso? Wieso hat man die Senioren nicht ein wenig mehr mit eingebunden und dafür ein bisschen Teenage Drama und Insta Love weg gelassen? Ich bin mir sicher, diese Geschichte hätte einfach großartig werden können, hätte man bloß all dieses Potential nicht verschenkt.

Womit wir auch schon beim nächsten Punkt wären, der mir unglaublich missfallen hat. Die versprochene Tour durch Europa war irgendwie kaum vorhanden. Man erhielt zwar ein paar Einblicke in einige der Ortschaften, die sie besuchten, dieses Gefühl auf Reisen zu sein, blieb allerdings irgendwie aus. Es gibt ähnliche Bücher, die in mir das Gefühl auslösen, sofort in die erwähnten Städte reisen zu wollen, dieses Buch hat in mir dieses Gefühl allerdings nicht ausgelöst, da kaum auf die Städte/die Orte eingegangen wurde, zumindest nicht so intensiv, wie ich es mir bei einem Buch über einen Roadtrip durch Europa eben vorgestellt und gewünscht hätte. Es ist so wenig hängen geblieben, dass ich mich gar nicht mehr richtig an alle Städte erinnern kann, in denen die Seniorengruppe Halt gemacht hat, was unglaublich traurig und schade ist. Ich liebe es einfach, wenn man in solchen Geschichten die Orte nicht nur zu Nebenschauplätzen macht, sondern sie ein wichtiger Aspekt der eigentlichen Geschichte werden, dass sie sich auswirken auf Plot, die Figuren, das Vorankommen der Story …

Durch den Verlauf der Geschichte hindurch wurde dann immer mal wieder etwas Drama produziert. Allerdings handelte es sich dabei um Dramen, die unnötig waren und teilweise echt an den Haaren herbeigezogen. Sie wirkten alles andere als echt und schlichtweg übertrieben. Hier hätte man definitiv andere Wege finden können, die Leser bei Laune zu halten.

Was den Schreibstil angeht, konnte mich auch dieser nicht richtig fesseln. Vielleicht war ich auch voreingenommen, weil mich weder Story in ihren Bann zogen, noch die Charaktere mich begeistern konnten, allerdings war mir die Geschichte viel zu nüchtern geschrieben; viel zu emotionslos. Die Autorin hat die Geschichte alles andere als anschaulich erzählt. Ich weiß nicht, wie ich mich ausdrücken soll, doch gerade bei solchen Geschichten finde ich ist es sehr wichtig, dass sie so erzählt und beschreiben wird, als dass der Leser einen Film vor dem geistigen Auge ablaufen hat, sodass man als Leser einfach den Wunsch verspürt, sofort zum Beispiel nach Wien zu reisen, wenn er davon liest, oder nach Prag oder sonst wohin. Leider war dies nicht der Fall. Ich las zwar die Worte, aber es entstandenen keine Bilder dazu, weshalb mich all das ziemlich unberührt gelassen hat.

LOHNT SICH DAS BUCH?

Ich behaupte einfach mal ganz frech, nein. In meinen Augen lohnt sich dieses Buch überhaupt nicht, weder für Romantiker, noch für Reisebegeisterte, da es diesem Buch einfach an allen Ecken und Kanten fehlt. Das Buch ist oberflächlich und verfügt weder über Herz, noch über Seele. Auch die Charaktere können es in diesem Fall nicht wett machen, weil keiner in Erinnerung haften bleibt. Für mich stellt dieses Buch eine absolute Enttäuschung dar und definitiv eines meiner Jahresflops. Ich wollte dieses Buch mögen, ich wollte es wirklich, allerdings habe ich das Gefühl, je mehr man sich unter Druck setzt, ein Buch zu mögen, desto weniger mag man es am Ende. Sehr schade um das verschenkte Potential. Von mir jedenfalls bekommt das Buch, so traurig es auch klingen mag, keine Leseempfehlung.

[Ruby Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a hay-day with this book. It was funny, clean-ish, set in a different county (which I badly want to do someday), AND she is a Sound of Music fan! I mean, how good can it get? Not much better than this to be honest!

PARENT NOTE: The whole reason that she gets to go to Europe is because she hosts a party with underage drinking that her sister gets in trouble for. There are A LOT of VERY steamy kisses and there are a lot of mentions of it between two of the travelers but none is proven, and some places that she goes that have some statues that can be described inappropriate. A moment in a waterfall where Aubree and three of the older women are discussing modesty and then they get into the waterfall named to prove their point. As well as someone passes away from old age.

AGE RECOMMENDATION: 7/10 (Check my profile to find how I rate).

SWEARING: 15 words at most.

VIOLENCE: Someone breaks an arm from falling, if that even counts as violence.

ROMANCE: Clean borderline Sweet Romance! Because the kisses are VERY steamy.

I really enjoyed this one! If you enjoyed this please follow me for more! Feel free to tell me if there is a book that you want reassurance on or anything! I hope you enjoy your read! -Ruby

[Glire · Rating 3 out of 5]

2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge #14: A book involving travel.

¿Han visto Mi Vida en Ruinas, esa película en la que Nina Vardolus (la misma de Mi Gran Boda Griega) es guía turística en Grecia de un grupo poco convencional? Pues, les presento su versión Young Adult.



Wanderlost es la historia de Aubree, cuyo sueño más grande es no tener que dejar nunca su pequeña ciudad. Sin embargo ese sueño dura poco, porque cuando Aubree hace que arresten a su hermana mayor, Elizabeth, se verá forzada a tomar su lugar (literalmente, fingiendo ser Elizabeth) como guía turística de un tour Europeo para adultos mayores.

Ahora, admitámoslo, la trama es totalmente inverosímil porque:
1) ¿Saben quién sueña con no tener que dejar nunca su ciudad? NADIE.


2) ¿¿¿¿¿Quién se molesta por la posibilidad de recorrer Europa?????


3) ¿Una menor viajando a Europa sin autorización de sus padres mientras finge ser otra persona? ¿En el 2016?


Y, a pesar de eso, la disfrute. Es una historia suuuper tierna e inesperadamente divertida. ¿Y qué si es inverosímil y predecible? ¿Acaso no lo son todas las comedias románticas? Además, cuando te estás riendo con los comentarios de los abuelitos del tour o estás en modo "awwww" con el romance, eso no importa demasiado.


¿Lo malo? La falta de descripciones de los paisajes y ciudades europeas. Recorren casi todo el continente y solo mencionan algunos pocos castillos y monumentos sin demasiados detalles. ¡Quería más! Y... ese final abierto. Siendo honesta termina en un buen punto donde es fácil imaginarnos "el después" pero soy de las que necesita saber exactamente qué pasa. ¿Era muy dificil un epilogo? :(

Aun así, leí esto esperando encontrarme con algo fresco, ameno y sin demasiadas pretensiones y fue justo lo que obtuve.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!! A cute, quick summer read!

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was funny to me. I am one of those crazy readers where I decide to read a book based on the cover and the synopsis. Well with this book I got so much more than what I expected. I thought okay a summer romance, fun in the sun, and traveling who can ask for more. Well let's just say that Aubree got more than she thought she would but hey fair exchange ain't no robbery.

See Aubree has a party that gets out of control and her sister comes to her rescue. So when her sister gets into real trouble Bree has to do her sister's summer job. Okay sounds fun right well no way jose was this fun for her. First of all Bree is going to be a travel guide for senior citizens. She is going to be traveling country to country and she is expected to know all about each country. Then she has a companion Sam who turns out to be the tour owners son. Does this sound fun so far.... NO WAY!

Tehehehe this is such a great story that unfolds for Bree and Sam that once you start reading it you will not be able to put it down. So go ahead and travel all of Europe in this book!

[Hannah McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

WANDERLOST is my first grab-and-snuggle-this-book reaction I've had all year. I seriously finished it and clutched it to my chest for a few seconds to let it all sink in because it's THAT good.

From the very first page, Jen Malone captured my heart with Aubree. Aubree who is so much the normal every day girl who doesn't thrive on drama and wants to have fun. Aubree who wants to help her sister and ends up on the trip of a lifetime.

Filled with a cast of enigmatic, fun characters and a seriously hot yet adorable boy (dibs on SAM! He's mine!) and fun new words like, "Asswaffle", WANDERLOST was a hugely surprising hit for me.

Perfect for fans of Kasie West, WANDERLOUST and Jen Malone are sure to be a hit this summer. Now excuse me while I plan my European bus trip.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just loads of cuteness, cliches & lovable characters. Full review coming soon.

[Karla Mae (Reads and Thoughts) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC Kindly provided by HarperTeen for review*

Europe is a very interesting continent. It feels like every corner of each country there is full of something new to explore about. I work as a Travel Agent for the past two years specializing in USA and European Tours and as a very bookish person, it’s always a good experience to find a common ground with my real life and bookish life – Europe.

I become familiar with Europe because of my work but being able to read about it on the eye of the person who is really there is still totally different. I love how detailed the author went on the places Aubree and her group go to. It totally gives the local visual, smell and feels to us readers.

Wanderlost is the type of book that falls into the category of cute, fluffy, adorable and enjoyable and I really enjoy reading books that fall into these categories. This is the type of YA Contemporary read that makes me want to lie in bed and just read and read. Though the storyline is pretty simple, I really find it so interesting. I find myself excited on Aubree’s journey, the people she’s going to meet and of course, the places that she’s going to visit.

Aubree is perfectly fine spending her summer relaxing in their old town in Ohio. But when her sister got into trouble and was not allowed leaving their town. She was forced to be fake-replace her sister in leading a senior group on their travel in Europe.

And there starts her unexpected adventure..

One Bus. A Spanish-Speaking Driver. Six senior citizens. One European Trip.

Can Aubree handle it?

Aubree is the type of character who is very easy to relate to. She’s the type of person who’s never been the one to just jump into challenges. She’s into safe and comfortable. But with her journey, she was able to step out of her comfort-zone and be all responsible for the work she was tasked to do. There are mishaps along the way, but it just makes her European Adventure more fun.

“So here’s the thing. I’ve done a lot of worrying, a lot of worrying, about this trip and whether or not I could handle it. I’m still doing a lot of worrying. But we’re on day two and so far the wheels haven’t come off this bus, literally or figuratively speaking. It’s actually, well, going fine.”

The group Aubree was handling is an awesome bunch! These are the type of travel buddies that are fun to be with. Mr. Fenton and his history geekiness; Emma and Mary who are best friends with their constant giggling and random acts; Hank and Masey that despite long years of marriage, still can’t get enough of one another and of course Dolores the timid one of the group.

Despite their different personalities, they were able to form an awesome friendship with each other especially Aubree. They are the bunch of senior citizens who don’t let their age hinder their YOLO-moments and that makes them more fun to be with.

“I think maybe it’s just easy to talk to someone on a trip like this, you know? We’re completely removed from our real lives, were in this foreign place and you don’t have to see me after the trip.”

Of course, I will definitely not forget swoon-worthy Sam from his first interaction with Aubree he already hooked me with his charm, charisma and wit. He’s a very laid-back guy who’s there to enjoy each and every day of travelling. I like how he was able to show Aubree the magic that is there when travelling.

Aubree and Sam definitely have a very powerful chemistry. I really like all the “likeyoubye” conversations and his come-on lines. I love their dialogues and banter with each other. Their interactions are so cute and make me all cuddly or such.

“I realized something. I’m not done with Europe yet. Or maybe Europe isn’t done with me. Either way, I’m gonna find out.”

The ending is just the right kind of ending that I didn’t know I was looking for. You see, I’m expecting the entire love-dovey-sealed-with-a-kiss type of ending but the way the story ended is so much better. Aubree was able to really find herself and become a better version of her old self. She was able to reconcile with her sister and get past all the drama that happened between her and Sam.

Reading Wanderlost is one of the easiest read I had this year. I read it in one seating and just flew thru the pages. It was one enjoyable read and would definitely entice you to pack-up your bags and fly to Europe soon.

*For more reviews, please feel free to visit Reads and  Thoughts*

[Renata · Rating 2 out of 5]

2’5

This was really fast to read and I lowkey enjoyed but only some moments, it was too insta everything and if there was a problem there was a insta way to resol everything.

[Brittany S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Impressions 6/5/16: Very cute and so much fun! This was exactly what I was in the mood for and I loved the combination of humor, sister bonds, and wanderlust. Perfect for fans of Anna and the French Kiss and Meant to Be!

Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 7/6/16: I love cute contemporary books, especially in the summertime, so I was very excited to read WANDERLOST! I had been looking forward to reading it and ran into a reading slump for a while (well, more so that I didn’t have time to read than an actual slump) so WANDERLOST got put on hold for a bit but once I was able to pick it back up, I couldn’t put it down! I spent an afternoon in the summer sun bingeing the rest of the book and it was such a pleasant and fun read!

I really, really loved the sister aspect in this book. Aubree and her sister Elizabeth are just far apart enough in age that they never really fell into sync with that best friendship that a lot of sisters have, not to mention that they both have very different personalities. The book really swings back and forth from the two girls getting along to wondering how they’re even sisters and I just loved how real that felt to me. My sister and I are three years apart and we were never at odds like Aubree and Elizabeth were but it took us a while to find our solid friendship! We’ve always gotten along and have been sisterly but once I graduated college, we really started to become better friends and it was such a wonderful thing to be able to have another relationship with my sister like that! I really loved seeing how Aubree and her sister worked their way through their relationship and really worked on seeing life from each other’s perspectives (quite literally as Aubree pretends to be Elizabeth for a portion of this book) and it was such a great part of WANDERLOST for me!

I think this book is perfect for fans of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS both in tone and content. The romance is cute, the comedy is perfect, and the wanderlust is real. Even though it maybe pushed the limits of reality sometimes (I’m not sure how plausible it is to pose as your sister in a foreign country but I guess it COULD happen), I totally didn’t care and I was on board no matter what was happening. I loved the fun atmosphere throughout! Aubree did a great job of handling herself no matter what the situation was and I loved how much she grew throughout the book.

I love how Aubree learned so much about herself through all of her new experiences. Aside from traveling to Europe — which is a pretty huge deal — she traveled alone, led a group of seniors around the continent, and ended up having to really figure out who she was outside of her friends, family, and school. I really appreciated watching her grow up and more so than just growing up, to really figure out who she was and what she wanted to do with her life. She was finally coming out of her sister’s shadow and I can totally relate to the point where Aubree was in this book. It was similar to my experiences when I went to college (though obviously without the whole Europe part) and I really started to figure out who I was as an individual and the kind of person I wanted to be as an adult. It’s such an awesome thing to witness and this is one of the many reasons I love reading YA!

WANDERLOST was such a fun book with some really great messages. If you’ve got a bit of wanderlust, this book will totally hit the spot and you get to see some really great relationships as well. Jen Malone had me totally hooked with this book and I can’t wait to read more from her!