Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots REVIEW
Summary from author's website and picture from Google Images. Book was received for review.
Jenna may hail from the ’burbs of New Jersey, but Green Teen
activism is her life, so she leaps at the chance to visit her hippie godmother,
Susie, up in rural Canada. Jenna is psyched at the chance to commune with nature
for the first time — and the cute, plaidwearing boys she’s certain must roam
there.
But after a few run-ins with local wildlife (from a grouchy old
moose, to Susie’s sullen Goth stepdaughter, to a hot but hostile boy named
Reeve), Jenna gets the idea that her long-held ideals, like vegetarianism and
conservation, don’t play so well with this population of real outdoorsmen. A
dusty survival guide offers Jenna amusing tips on navigating the wilderness —
but can she learn to navigate the turns of her heart?
BBHB (
Boys, Bears and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots) was a rather delightful read. I am happy to announce that while reading this, this book did get me out of the dreadful book slump I was in.
Characters -- Jenna was an interesting main character; an environment-friendly teen who's a bit of a girly girl at heart. Jenna knew when to say "when" and she's persistent on the things she wants. To be honest, when I read the summary online, I was thinking that the plot sounded amazing but I was also thinking that a persistent, environment-friendly girl who's a little boy crazy would be the worst combination for a main character... However, after reading this book, I stand corrected. Reeve, Fiona, Grady, Ethan, and the others weren't so bad. Reeve wasn't as delicious as I thought he would be, though. { 4.7/5 Flowers }
Plot -- This was an enjoyable plot. It's not really about Jenna being boy-crazy and an eco-maniac at the same time (though this is what I thinking when I was reading the blurb online); it's actually about Jenna facing her dilemmas in life: running away from the problem that waits for her back home, making friends in an unknown environment, adapting to new changes, and finding herself. Although the twists in the book weren't so shocking, they're guaranteed to make you at least a bit surprised. The plot was addicting and it made me want to read more and more.{ 4.4/5 Flowers }
Writing -- The writing completely absorbed me from the first chapter. It's well-written and there were hardly any grammar mistakes. { 5/5 Flowers }
Ending -- In a lack of better words, this was the worst ending I have ever read. The ending would have been perfect as a chapter, but seriously? The ending leaves you hanging with a "WTF" face. { 1/5 Flowers }
The bottom line: Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is a refreshing read for any day, whether you're hiking on a nature trail or sitting in a comfortable chair. Though the ending may leave you completely hanging, it's the perfect book to help you escape to the wilderness when you have a book slump!
