Book Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Aside from quilting, one of my fave hobbies, is another hobby that I faithfully do every day. That is reading. I have enjoyed reading since I was a young girl. As I am older now, a wife, mother of 4 kids, I tend to read daily as an escape from the stresses of a regular normal day. My evening reading is my wind down time. My escape into another world. I hope to be able to start sharing some reviews from time to time here on my blog. I hope you do not mind.

Today I am reviewing a book called Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard.
Release Date: Tuesday March 13, 2012
Genre: Young Adult
ISBN: 9780385739375

Book Summary:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria wants to be. 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.

My Opinion:

The idea of packing up some stuff and venturing to another country, another culture is amazing. Certainly something I would love to do, but not really sure I would actually be brave enough to do it.

What Bria did, at the age of 18 is pretty inspiring. The places she traveled, the things she did, the people she met. I felt like I was right there beside her. And meeting Starling, such a unique person, so full of good, so full of life (she reminds me of a friend of mine I have met online, who is just like her, doing good for people, an amazing person). And Rowan, totally not my type, but totally intriguing and sexy. One thing I can relate to with him is his love of books.

Fears that Bria faced, and things she held back from doing and experiencing due to circumstances in her past, I remember similar things from when I was a teenager. Experiences that altered how I thought, and how it changed what I would do.

This book was amazingly written, such beautiful details, so full of love and feelings, so real. I love when a book takes me in, and lets me experience doing things and going to amazing and beautiful places in my mind. It's better to be able to go there visually in my mind when I am certain I may never have the opportunity to actually travel there in person.

I would give this book 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed it, loved the drawings included. Kirsten is an amazing writer and very talented with her art also. Something I hope she continues to do in her future.