Eleanor & Park, by Rainbow Rowell
"Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it’s like to be young and in love (with a girl), but also what it’s like to be young and in love with a book" -John Green It's easy to get caught up in the everyday stress of life, especially in college. In high school, I devoured a book every two days; you couldn't drag me away from them. Now, I spend most of my time with my nose in a textbook, and I've lost that feeling of attachment for YA novels. Eleanor & Park reminded me of what being invested in a characters experience felt like. I found myself unable to put it down. Rainbow Rowell expertly crafted a novel that captures what it is like to be young, vulnerable, and captivated by another person. Eleanor and Park as characters display many of the developmental growth patterns present in the adolescent brain. For example, they both look to peers more than adults for guidance and approval. Park initially fears social retribution if he is cau...