Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

Reunited
Hilary Weisman Graham
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Released: June 12, 2012
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 336
Source: The Teen Book Scene

1 Concert
2000 Miles
3 Ex-Best Friends

Alice, Summer, and Tiernan are ex-best friends. Back in middle school, the three girls were inseparable. They were also the number one fans of the rock band Level3. But when the band broke up, so did their friendship. Summer ran with the popular crowd, Tiernan was a rebellious wild-child, and Alice spent high school with her nose buried in books.

Now, just as the girls are about to graduate, Level3 announces a one-time-only reunion show. Even though the concert’s 2000 miles away, Alice buys three tickets on impulse. And as it turns out, Summer and Tiernan have their own reasons for wanting to get out of town. Good thing Alice’s graduation gift (a pea-green 1976 VW camper van known as the Pea Pod) is just the vehicle to get them there.

But on the long drive cross-country, the girls hit more than a few bumps in the road. Will their friendship get an encore or is the show really over?

Being a child of the nineties, I am no stranger to boy band fandom. So the thought of three girls traveling across the country in a beat up camper all for their favorite band's reunion show gets me pretty excited. I also get pretty excited about post-high school YA and multiple points of view - another few things that can be found in this novel.

When Alice's parents gift her with a running Pea Pod after graduation, her mind instantly flies to a summer-long road trip with her best friend. Friend going to China nixes any plan for cross-country travel until Alice hears about Level3 playing a one-time show a few thousand miles away. Alice jumps on the opportunity knowing she can't make the trip without her childhood friends Tiernan and Summer by her side. Only problem is they haven't spoken to one another since the beginning of high school.

What ensues is a mostly believable, often hilarious tale of three girls coming together for a common love. I love the way each character gives her own perspective. It gives the story diversity, and the reader has a better understanding of each girl. None of them are perfect - all have made mistakes, and in hearing each voice there is no enemy. I can't help wanting them all to push aside the past and be besties again.

I wasn't completely in love with this novel, but most of it worked for me. There was definitely a certain spark it lacked, keeping it from becoming a favorite; however, as a debut I thought it was a really good example of a feel-good, girls-rule contemporary. I am looking forward to Hilary's future novels. Will one of them feature these three..?

FTC: I received an ARC of this novel as part of the Teen Book Scene blog tour in exchange for an honest review and a promotional post.