One Week by Nikki Van De Car
Author: Nikki Van De Car Website|Twitter
Published: 31 July 2012 (Booktrope)
Format: Kindle e-book
Pages: 176
Amazon: Paperback|Kindle
Waterstone's: Paperback
Book Depository: Paperback
Source: Free Kindle download
Plot Summary (from Goodreads):
Reluctant celebutante Bee had everything that second tier fame could offer—and hated every bit of it. In search of an identity of her own, not some media creation, she takes off from LA with nothing. Bee discovers that one week can change everything. She may even have a chance at love. But is it real or just another illusion?
My Review:
I was drawn to this book partly by the cover, partly by the fact it was free on Amazon and partly because it involved a road trip. Especially the road trip! One Week follows Bee, who after being set up with a totally inappropriate boy by her rich film producer father, decides the only option left is to run away from home.
Okay, I really loved this book. A lot. Where to start?! Straight away I felt for Bee. She may come from a privileged background and seemingly have everything, but you can tell how disruptive her life (and especially teenage years) have been because if it. Her dad is all about the fame and celebrity life and so tips off photographers as to his daughter's location which is creepy, and trying to set her up with a celebrity with a date rape accusation hanging over his head is the final straw. I kind of admired her for not putting up with it any more (even if running away never really is the answer, it made for a good story!). All she really wants is a loving father who actually cares about her. I don't know if her spoilt ways will put some readers off, but for me it made for a really interesting character because I wanted to see how she coped with these unfamiliar situations she'd found herself in.
I loved the road trip element of the book because it had absolutely everything. Bee has to catch a train - something she's never done before and is totally useless at. Then there's buses and hitchhiking so Bee herself gets the full experience.I loved all the characters Bee came across and the places she travelled. The journey is taking her from one side of America to another so you get to see a bit of everything.
As the title suggests, the book takes place over the space of a week and I really loved that. I adore books that manage to cover so much in such a short space of time. What's really key in a book like this is the pacing and this book had that spot on. It didn't feel quick or rushed, and you got enough drama in that short period of time.
One of the main parts of the plot is Bee's relationship with Jess, a "goth geek" she meets on her travels and ends up stuck with for the rest of her journey. Obviously spending so much time together they have to learn to put up with each other and eventually a friendship develops as they come to rely on each other to get by. I really loved how their relationship played out over the course of the story. Both Bee and Jess are really well developed characters and had their own stories and problems in their lives. I think they both taught each other a lot throughout the book and it was nice seeing their relationship change over the course of the week. The getting to know each other was done so perfectly in that time, as well. It's so gradual as they transition between strangers, to friends, to more than friends.
One Week really had a little bit of everything. Great characters, a gripping plot with lots of twists and turns and a load of life lessons that will be relatable to so many of us. I saw on Goodreads that people had shelved it as New Adult. I think it could class as both YA and NA because Bee is in high school and Jess in college. It definitely reflects the trials and tribulations of both of those times in your life. It's so cliche to say the characters "go on a journey" but there's definitely that element of having to grow up and reflecting on your life up to now and wondering just what the future holds and I really liked that.
Like I mentioned earlier, this pretty short book (under 200 pages) and even though I finished in a few hours (I couldn't put it down!) it felt like so much longer. I was just so invested in the characters and what was going to happen to them. This is definitely a book to check out if you can. Even though I got it for free I would happily have paid for it. Even now it's pretty cheap on Kindle so I'd highly recommend you grab it.
Rating: 5*
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