By Kirsten Hubbard
Published by Random House Children’s Books, 2012
352 pages (hardcover)
Eighteen-year-old Bria wants to be a Global Vagabond. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. So when Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspoken sister, Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path. Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel through Mayan villages and remote Belizean islands, they discover they're both seeking to leave behind the old versions of themselves. The secret to escaping the past, Rowan's found, is to keep moving forward. But Bria realizes she can't run forever. At some point, you have to look back. (from barnesandnoble.com)
I picked this book up and could not put it down. Seriously. I gave up a winter break nap to keep reading this book!
I enjoy seeing new places and having interesting adventures and this book gave me lots of adventures as I sat on the couch on a cold day. It reminded me of the road trips I took while studying abroad in New Zealand. Sure, my friends and I hit some of the major tourist spots, but we also walked down trails few people were on, ate in local diners, and simply enjoyed the beauty around us. And that is what this book reminded me of. It reminded me of what else is in the world and that travel experiences teach us as much about ourselves as other cultures.
Of course, Rowan and Bria and Starling were fun characters to travel with and the book was beautifully written. Basically, you need to pick this up let it take you to a whole other place for a while. It is well worth the time.
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