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Sweethearts

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 9,205 ratings · 1,207 reviews

As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts. They were also one another's only friend. So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her. Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed. Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but s...more

Hardcover, 217 pages

Published February 1st 2008 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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Apr 03, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-fiction, read-2012, heroines-wimpy, icky-subjects

3.5 stars I have only read one Sara Zarr book before this one, 2011's How to Save a Life, and as I read Sweethearts all I could think about was how much the author has grown as a writer in the three years since this one was written. I love the theme of this book overall, which explores the bittersweetness of people coming in and out of your life; I didn't even mind that we don't learn as many details about what happened to Cameron back in the past as we might've hoped. Or that the main character...more 3.5 stars I have only read one Sara Zarr book before this one, 2011's How to Save a Life, and as I read Sweethearts all I could think about was how much the author has grown as a writer in the three years since this one was written. I love the theme of this book overall, which explores the bittersweetness of people coming in and out of your life; I didn't even mind that we don't learn as many details about what happened to Cameron back in the past as we might've hoped. Or that the main character spends so much of the novel frozen in time.

What kept me from enjoying this more than many of my friends have, however, is that emotional urgency and truth often seemed to be secondary to the writing style. I think the structure of alternating back and forth, and the cliffhangers that purposefully were staged because of that, just left me feeling too jumbled and disjointed. Especially since it's fairly easy to guess what's going on, and there are only so many times you can chop up one very important anecdote/flashback without leaving the reader frustrated.

Jenna herself also felt a little unreal to me. While I thought the author did a great job with writing a believable character who feels out of place even though she has everything she thought she'd ever wanted (I especially liked the moment when she equates sex with her boyfriend with her fixation on food--enjoyable, but something that she also wished were over so she could move on with her life), it was stretches believability to me that Jenna was so self-aware that she could pinpoint Cameron's departure as the catalyst for her changing herself and her relationship with her mom, and that that became such a driving force in her life. Don't get me wrong, I'm well aware of how strongly certain relationships can pull at you, particularly childhood ones. But Jenna seemed to think of so little else and was such a stranger in her own land that it felt very odd and not entirely realistic.

I really loved Steph, however, and the note of truth in that friendship. And Cameron's letter and the unresolved feelings that lie there felt very real. I just wish I felt as strongly connected to the overall plot of the story, although I'm still very much looking forward to this author's next book. So overall, I did like it, though I didn't quite love it the way I thought I would.(less)

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May 29, 2011 Nomes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-linger, i-own, tissue-box-books, 2010, faves-of-2010, swoon-worthy-crushes, you-broke-my-heart

It's the kind of a book you sink into and feel immersed in the world and story. It was a quiet but compelling read and I enjoyed pretty much every minute of it. Zarr has this way of writing so that her sentences are emotive in the most subtle and unassuming of ways. I don't know how she does it, as her prose is quite simple, yet I felt moved as the story unfolded and I was captivated by both Jenna and Cameron's story.

Cameron and Jenna are achingly flawed and struggling within themselves. The rom...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Maree rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Maree by: Mandee

Shelves: ya-contemp, in-the-bookshelf, favourites-2012, cover-love, 2012-read, favourites-all-time

Jennifer and Cameron were best friends in primary school, creating an intense bond despite the fact they were both social outcasts. On Jennifer’s ninth birthday her and Cameron are confronted by his dad and it is a traumatic experience for both of them. Cameron and Jennifer continue to be best friends until one day in fifth grade Cameron doesn’t come to school. Eventually the teachers tell Jennifer that Cameron and his family moved away. She is devastated – how could he leave without saying good...more Jennifer and Cameron were best friends in primary school, creating an intense bond despite the fact they were both social outcasts. On Jennifer’s ninth birthday her and Cameron are confronted by his dad and it is a traumatic experience for both of them. Cameron and Jennifer continue to be best friends until one day in fifth grade Cameron doesn’t come to school. Eventually the teachers tell Jennifer that Cameron and his family moved away. She is devastated – how could he leave without saying goodbye? Jennifer is relentlessly bullied for being socially awkward and chubby and it is the bullies who tell her that Cameron is dead. Having heard nothing from him, Jennifer believes them.

When Jennifer’s mum remarries, she decides to turn her life around. Over the next few years she loses weight, moves to a new school and becomes Jenna. Years later, the memory of her ninth birthday and of her friendship with Cameron still lingers, making her feel like she hasn’t changed a bit. Birthdays are particularly hard for her and her seventeenth is no exception when Cameron suddenly reappears in her life.

A few weeks ago I reviewed Friday Brown and said that right from the first page I knew I would love it. I had exactly the same reaction to Sweethearts. So, prepare for another gush-fest in this review.

Zarr’s writing style was simple, yet evocative and right from the first page I was in love with it. Sweethearts was such an compelling read that I was completely swept away with the story of Cameron and Jennifer. Everything about the writing worked for me. My main gripe with the use of flashback in most books is that they are not clearly defined, but I had no problem with the flashbacks in Sweethearts which were well placed and flowed within the story.

Jennifer and Cameron were both characters I instantly fell in love with. I felt so much for them as I read about their childhood together, and these feelings just continued throughout the novel. I could feel Jenna’s sense of confusion at the sudden reappearance of Cameron and was anxious to see how the novel would end. I knew a realistic ending was coming, I’ve heard enough about Zarr to know that she wouldn’t deliver a fairytale happy ending. I was satisfied with the ending, and was not particularly upset because I felt that the characters would be strong enough to handle it.

I love it when I can read a book and become fully immersed in the characters lives. I love it even more when an author can make me feel physically anxious or upset for these characters. Zarr delivered a wonderful reading experience for me with Sweethearts and she is certainly on my must-buy list. I shall be catching up on her other novels as soon as possible.

This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.(less)

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Oct 26, 2008 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Finally Jena is the person she wants to be. No longer is she Jennifer Harris from her elementary school days. She isn’t fat anymore, she doesn’t live in a crummy apartment and she isn’t teased anymore.

The new girl, Jena, has it all. She is popular, has a boyfriend, a handful of friends, and lives in a nice house. As much as she would like, Jena can’t let go of her past. Her memories continue to haunt her, especially her memories of Cameron. Cameron Quick was Jennifer’s only friend in elementary...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Katy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I think this was a bittersweet story about a two childhood sweethearts who grew up to find each other again. It definitely wasn't a cute, fun read. Interestingly, I wasn't sucked into the story the entire way through, and I did feel Zarr made Cameron and Jenna's past just a little too over the top, but I did sympathize with the them and the other characters in this book.

The reason why I didn't rate this book higher was because I didn't feel that Jenna really showed much character development unt...more

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Jan 15, 2009 Jami rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, waste-of-time

Bleh. I kept thinking I would start liking this book, but I never did. I just wasn't sympathetic to the character at all, and I felt like the author was shoving it down my throat that I should sympathize with this poor girl who has had it so hard.

And through the whole book, she keeps alluding to this deep, dark secret thing that happened to her as a child . . . you get little pieces of that story as mini-flashbacks, but she doesn't reveal the whole thing, to keep you in suspense, I guess. Final...more

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Dec 05, 2008 Ali rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who like ROMANCE..

Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Jenifer was a fat kid with only one friend. I also was I fat kid when I was little, people picked at me all the time. It was sad, I usually went home in tears. Jenifer was not the richest kid at kid either. Cameron was Jenifer’s one friend. Jenifer and Cameron were always together. Cameron even lived with Jenifer and her mother for a week. Jenifer’s father left her mother. Cameron had a hard life. Cameron’s father seemed kina of crazy, to me. Once when it was Jenifer’s bi...more Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Jenifer was a fat kid with only one friend. I also was I fat kid when I was little, people picked at me all the time. It was sad, I usually went home in tears. Jenifer was not the richest kid at kid either. Cameron was Jenifer’s one friend. Jenifer and Cameron were always together. Cameron even lived with Jenifer and her mother for a week. Jenifer’s father left her mother. Cameron had a hard life. Cameron’s father seemed kina of crazy, to me. Once when it was Jenifer’s birthday Cameron made her a dollhouse and she went over to his house, even though she wasn’t allowed to, to see it. His father called him dumb and gay. He made them both sit there and play doctor because he said that’s what little boys should be playing. That was a memory Jenifer would never forget.

Later on Cameron just up and moved. No goodbye, no nothing. It was very sad. Kids at school told Jenifer he died and she passed out. Jenifer went home and didn’t go to school for the next two days. Jenifer was all by herself. I didn’t like this part of the book very much. I could just imagine if my only friend died, I would probably kill myself. I wouldn’t go back to school and there’s no way my dad could make me. Jenifer’s mother found a man, a good man, and got a nursing job. They moved in with Allen, boyfriend, and Jenifer changed her whole life. I’ve always wanted to move to a new school and change everything about me but I’m not good with making friends.

Jenifer soon became Jenna. She had lost all her “baby” fat and was beautiful. She had the friends, she had the boyfriend, and she was living a normal life. Later on, her died sweetheart came back. She was amazed and afraid. She couldn’t help but to want to be with him. Ethan, her boyfriend was a little jealous of Cameron and didn’t like it much. Yeah if I was Ethan I would have been jealous too.

This book was great. I loved it. If you like romance this is a good book for you.
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Jun 04, 2011 Melannie :) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Melannie :) by: Kayleigh

Shelves: read-2011

I don't know what I expected when I first read this' book description. But it's safe to say that it wasn't what I got.
This book is raw, it is tragic and nostalgic but it's full of hope too. And love.

I've never read a book about the kind of love this two teenagers have. Jennifer and Cameron, they were best friends
back in elementary school. Actually they were each other's only friend. Due to the fact that they were practicaly
the only non-mormon kids in their school, and also Jennifer was overweigh...more

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Jan 25, 2008 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: love-the-jacket

I know STORY OF A GIRL was a National Book Award finalist, but I didn't love it--while the story was realistic, the main character just wasn't one that I clicked with as a reader. But I've been reading Sara's blog off-and-on for a good while and really appreciate that she always has really interesting things to say. I'd been more than curious to read SWEETHEARTS ever since she said on there awhile back that she'd been thinking and writing about how "we all have the faces we show to the people we...more

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Sep 07, 2011 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya

So beautiful. I wish things could have been different.

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Jan 10, 2013 ♥ Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Rachmi

Shelves: ya-na, 5-stars, all-time-faves

NOTE: This review is overly dramatic and extremely LONG. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Also, Sweethearts made me feel like I did after I watched (a couple of my favorite films), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Stand by me.

***

“I think about how there are certain people who come into your life, and leave a mark. . . I’m talking about the ones who, for whatever reason, are as much a part of you as your own soul. Their place in your heart is tender; a bruise of longing, a pulse of unfinish...more

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Aug 23, 2008 Ally rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: never-again, at_library

It needs a better ending! I think I am going to try to stay out of the young adult books now because all of them have the same problem! The ending!

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Jul 02, 2012 Sam rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, cute, borrowed, book-with-gorgeous-boy, high-expectations

Sweethearts disappointed me.

Jennifer and Cameron were best friends in Elementary, the two outcasts that the other children picked on. When Cameron disappeared without even saying 'good-bye', Jennifer knew it was time to change. Now Jennifer's in high school, pretty, popular and completely different from the girl she was when she was younger. When Cameron reappears, they are both reminded of their shared childhood memories. Since they last saw each other 8 years ago, their lives have taken two di...more Sweethearts disappointed me.

Jennifer and Cameron were best friends in Elementary, the two outcasts that the other children picked on. When Cameron disappeared without even saying 'good-bye', Jennifer knew it was time to change. Now Jennifer's in high school, pretty, popular and completely different from the girl she was when she was younger. When Cameron reappears, they are both reminded of their shared childhood memories. Since they last saw each other 8 years ago, their lives have taken two different paths.

It sounds really interesting and exciting, right? You all want to know how their lives have changed? You all want to know what happens? Well, I can tell you now that this book was one big disappointment. Nothing really happened, the characters were dull and I didn't really feel anything while reading the book.

Jennifer is a confused, whiny, weak and annoying teenage girl with nothing interesting to say. One thing that really bugged me was the fact that she had a boyfriend, Ethan, who was both pushy and needy. He wants to have sex with Jennifer at any moment that their parents aren't at home. And you know what makes it worst? Whenever they did have sex Cameron was on her mind! Oh god, what a messed up girl. She keeps saying how she loveed Ethan, blahblahblah, but it's LIES! ALL LIES!

Another thing: Nothing happened. All the book is really about is a teenage girl remembering her past while falling for a guy she hardly knows. I felt that the book had no excitement, no gripping story line and no real purpose. Half the time I was wondering what Jennifer was rambling on about.

I have seen many reviews that say that this book was amazing and perfect for those who love romance. All I can say is: WHAT ROMANCE?! ARE THE WORDS PRINTED IN INVISIBLE INK?! AM I MISSING SOMETHING?! There. Was. No. Romance. What are you on about? Yes, there was pointless sex and relationship ups and downs, but romance? No, no, no! I think we're talking about different books. There was nothing romantic or worth the title 'romantic' in this book. None whatsoever.

The only reason I'm rating this book 2 is because I liked Cameron's letter at the end, I felt that it was well thought out and touching.

Sweethearts is one of those books that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. End of. Good-bye. The end.

Read more of my reviews at Falling Books!(less)

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Jun 05, 2012 Allison Kitchen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Being a single mother is a hard task, especially when your child doesn't fit in.This is all about Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick, two kids who were outcasts at their school. They had a friendship most people will never have because they were eachothers only friend. Then one day Cameron does't show up to school, and the school bullies tell Jennifer that he died. Jennifer is lost without Cameron and doesn't know what to do without him.

Eight years later, Jennifer's mom gets married and Jennifer...more

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Dec 30, 2008 Holly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult

Nine-year-old Jennifer Harris, cursed with a lisp and baby fat, is friendless until she gets up to the courage to talk to Cameron Quick, a poor, awkward boy who is also a social outcast. They are instant soul mates until Cameron mysteriously moves away without saying good bye. Eight years later Jennifer Harris has become Jenna Vaughn, a skinny, popular high-schooler with a hunky boyfriend. Yet she is still haunted by the memories of her childhood friend. When Cameron suddenly reappears at school...more

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Dec 05, 2008 Paige rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was never bullied or picked on when I was in middle school, but novelist
made me feel as if I had been there right along with main character Jennifer Harris.
The story of how as a child Jennifer was ridiculed and bullied. But making it
through with her one and only friend Cameron Quick. Then suddenly he
disappears.

Cameron Quick is the only reason I kept reading this book. He made me feel all
of his emotions. I suffered right along with him. He also was so open. I never
had to guess what he was...more

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Sep 25, 2008 babyhippoface rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, listened-via-audiobook

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Hmmm.... Clearly, I am in the minority where this book is concerned. And I am wondering if it's because I didn't read it with my eyes, but with my ears. Print vs. Audiobook: Does It Make a Difference? I'm thinking maybe it does.

I liked Jenna Vaughn, but I grew a little impatient with her. I wanted her to just give her friends a perfunctory explanation and let it be enough. I wanted her to stop obsessing over Cameron Quick. I wanted her to be more assertive with moody Cameron and keep asking for...more Hmmm.... Clearly, I am in the minority where this book is concerned. And I am wondering if it's because I didn't read it with my eyes, but with my ears. Print vs. Audiobook: Does It Make a Difference? I'm thinking maybe it does.

I liked Jenna Vaughn, but I grew a little impatient with her. I wanted her to just give her friends a perfunctory explanation and let it be enough. I wanted her to stop obsessing over Cameron Quick. I wanted her to be more assertive with moody Cameron and keep asking for answers until she got them. Still, I understood her high school anxieties, and I liked her.

Cameron was another story. He's supposed to be the brooding hero, I suppose, but I just didn't like him very much. I understand the overnight disappearance and other things over which he had no control. But now that he's older and he does have control over some things, he just seems to be completely oblivious to others' feelings. He waltzes into Jenna's life unannounced and expects her to go where he wants, do what he wants, without discussion. He climbs in through her window in the middle of the night. He sleeps in her car without bothering to ask or even let her know. In fact, he won't answer her questions and refuses to discuss anything for the longest time. When she doesn't want to go to his old house and relive horrible memories, and asks for a little more time to prepare herself, he gets annoyed. I just didn't like him very much.

Which brings me back to my question about print vs. audiobooks: Can the way a narrator reads the book affect the way you interpret situations and relate to the characters? My determination: yes.

Sara Zarr, the author, read the book for the audio version. She did a fine job, but I think I realize now why I didn't like Cameron much. I think it's because of the way she voiced him. His voice never revealed emotion, unless he was annoyed, and even then it wasn't much. So I got this impression of him as a self-absorbed teenager who does what he wants, when he wants, however he wants, with no concern for what anyone else thinks or if anyone else is inconvenienced by his actions. If you know someone is planning a nice dinner for you, you don't say you're going to the post office and walk out the door and not come back for hours. It's rude. It's thoughtless. It's self-absorbed. And you certainly don't leave for good, in the middle of the night, without saying goodbye. Again. Even though I understood he'd had a terrible, abusive childhood, I just had a hard time working up a lot of compassion when he seemed to have that attitude. Thank goodness for his Christmas letter; it provided a bit of redemption in my mind.

Maybe if I'd read it myself, I would've had a different voice for Cameron. Maybe he wouldn't have sounded so... whatever about everything. Maybe....(less)

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Mar 31, 2009 Adriana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-friendship, ya-self-identity, ya-social-situations

This was a great read. I read it in a few hours. The story pulls you in immediately. Jennifer and Cameron at the age of 9 are best friends, but one day Cameron is gone. Jennifer at first feels abandoned and suspects that he died, because of rumors and because she thinks he wouldn't just leave her behind to deal with her unpopularity and awkwardness. Soon Jennifer resolves to change herself, even changing her name to Jenna. 8 years later a popular Jenna with friends and a boyfriend is shocked to...more

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Apr 29, 2008 Rachael rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a child, Jennifer Harris was a social outcast. She was nicknamed the Fattifier, because she was chubby, and made fun of for her lisp. Her only friend was another outcast named Cameron Quirk. They were always there for each other, and Cameron made everything bearable for Jennifer. And when he suddenly leaves without even saying goodbye, Jennifer is devastated. She thinks that he is dead, and no one tells her otherwise.

Now Jennifer Harris is Jenna Vaughn. Her mom got married and Jennifer change...more

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May 05, 2008 Brooke Shirts rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2008

Whoa. Such a tearjerker -- and I mean that in a good way. The story of Jennifer and Cameron is darn bittersweet. The two of them are social outcasts in elementary school and best friends, and when he suddenly disappears, she's devestated.

Fast forward nine years: Jennifer has moved, gotten a great stepfather, lost weight, and has a pretty boyfriend in the popular crowd. She feels like a phony, though -- that her unpopular child self is still lurking over her shoulder. When Cameron reappears, she'...more

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May 30, 2010 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, realistic-fiction, signed, own

Jennifer Harris is able to do what every adolescent girl hopes for—she reinvents herself between middle school and high school from the tubby outcast with a lisp to a beautiful individual with all of the right friends. She loses weight, changes her name to Jenna, transfers schools and even gets the perfect boyfriend. But she also has the same fears as every teenage girl—she is afraid that all of the perfect people in her perfect life will see past the skinny exterior and see her for the fraud sh...more Jennifer Harris is able to do what every adolescent girl hopes for—she reinvents herself between middle school and high school from the tubby outcast with a lisp to a beautiful individual with all of the right friends. She loses weight, changes her name to Jenna, transfers schools and even gets the perfect boyfriend. But she also has the same fears as every teenage girl—she is afraid that all of the perfect people in her perfect life will see past the skinny exterior and see her for the fraud she believes she is.

At first glance, this book may seem like a pretty mainstream YA novel about a girl struggling with self-image. But there is so much more depth to Jenna’s life, and thanks to the return of her childhood best friend Cameron Quick, Jena begins to see that she is a lot stronger than she first believed.

While this novel is about childhood sweethearts and the love that binds them through shared experiences as well as time apart, this is not a romance novel. It is really the story of how people help us see who we truly are and that we have the inner strength to face our pasts, no matter how horrific, and live up to a greater future.

While I loved Jenna and her childhood sweetheart Cameron, my favorite characters came from some unexpected sources. Alan, Jenna’s stepfather, acts as a grounding place for Jenna and becomes the parental figure who Jenna turns to when she needs someone the most. Jenna’s schoolmate Steph is another vibrant character who sees more of the real Jenna than she realizes.

In Jenna, Zarr managed to capture what few young adult authors are able to. Jenna lives on the fringes of teenage life and has always thought of herself as a reactor rather than an initiator, something that the majority of teenagers are but that authors rarely choose to write about. Jenna has also experienced some things that have shaped who she is, but the things she experiences are not on the extremes of the horrific nor are they the “poor me” occurrences of the shallow-minded.

I found this book both relatable and powerful without being over the top or trite. It elicited a lot of emotions that I am still coming to terms with even hours after finishing, and I’m sure I’ll still be thinking about it even days from now. With rich characters and a totally new concept, I enjoyed every minute of this book.
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Jan 02, 2009 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Maybe this is more of a meditation-using-fiction than it is a novel. It's a beautiful evocation of how it feels when someone has a permanent effect on you but it simply can't be seen or understood from the outside. The years-later epilogue that some have found odd was a necessity, I felt, to make it clear that there could not be a romantic ending -- something the adult knows but the teenager doesn't.

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Nov 09, 2012 Angel / YA rules!/ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: food-delight, kindle, bolt-from-the-blue

3.5/5

I like the connection between Cameron and Jenna/Jennifer. This made me think of my own childhood and at the same time think of my son's childhood.

It reminded me of how strong connections are when you are young and I am sad I've lost that kind of feeling. Although, it's not exactly a fun & light read due to the sensitive plot. It's a good read nevertheless.

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Jul 23, 2008 MaryAnn Harlan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sweethearts I just read, so it is more fresh. When they were in elementary school Jennifer and Cameron were each other’s only friends. But he disappeared, and she thought he was dead. And so she recreated herself and now she is Jenna with friends, family, and boyfriend. But Cameron comes back and everything is not so easy anymore. Although I suspect it never really was, it is hinted at, never explicit, which is part of the genius of Zarr allowing her characters to truly develop in the reader’s m...more

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Mar 13, 2008 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teen girls, people with teen girls in their lives, people who want to write books for teen girls

I liked this! I wasn't a HUGE fan of Story of a Girl, but I do appreciate Zarr's understated stories, incredibly realistic characters, and true-to-life, not over-the-top ending. I am hopeful that her books indicate a trend in YA novels for girls - that we will be hearing the stories of REAL girls - not girls who go to elite private/boarding schools whose parents are celebrities and who have amazing, glamorous looks/talents/friends, etc.

The only complaint I really have with this book was the amo...more

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Jan 22, 2008 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 25, 2008 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 14-16, child-abuse, family, friendship, real-life

I enjoyed the way you know something happened, then what happened is exposed, then you actually get to see some fallout of the exposition. (How's that for cryptic?) Short chapters (yay!)

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Jun 05, 2009 Maggie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: june-09

I thought this book to be good. I found the plot to be pretty realistic--after all, most of us feel left out once or more in our lives. I loved the relationship between Cameron and Jenna, and also how Jenna can pretend that the 'old' Jennifer 'died,' but she's very much alive inside Jenna Vaughn.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. It had romance and also some sad parts, too.

Rating:

95/100

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Dec 19, 2007 Faith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

i was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I will admit, I didn't really enjoy Zarr's first novel because it didn't seem that anything actually happened.
well lots happens in her second novel due out in april. What happens when your best friend, your only friend, who you thought was dead, shows up one day and tries to explain where he'd been all those years? Or actually not even explain, just left you wondering until your mother somehow fills in the blanks of abuse and leaving without looking...more

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Jun 14, 2008 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

An excellent coming-of-age tale. Jenniifer, AKA Jenna, has transformed from a chunky, lisping kleptomaniac into a slender and charming teenager, despite a tortuous childhood. Her best (and only) friend Cameron left abruptly and Jennifer was told that he had died in a freak accident. When she discovers that Cameron has not died but, in fact, is still alive and has recently enrolled in her high school, Jenna must reconcile who she is today with the "Jennifer" of her past. Heartbreaking, honest and...more

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Forever Young Adu...: April meeting date	15	30	Apr 26, 2013 09:50pm
Forever Young Adu...: Sweethearts! (no spoilers!)	1	8	Apr 02, 2013 07:11am
Sweethearts	4	78	Jan 21, 2013 11:45am
Jenna & Cam	5	40	Jan 11, 2013 03:34am
Jenna	2	20	Apr 24, 2012 11:15pm

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About Sara Zarr

Sara Zarr is the acclaimed author of four novels for young adults: Story of a Girl (National Book Award Finalist), Sweethearts (Cybil Award Finalist), Once Was Lost (a Kirkus Best Book of 2009) and How to Save a Life. Her short fiction and essays have also appeared in Image, Hunger Mountain, and several anthologies. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband, and online at www.sarazarr.co ...more

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Trivia About Sweethearts

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Quotes from Sweethearts

“. . .There are certain people who come into your life, and leave a mark. . . Their place in your heart is tender; a bruise of longing, a pulse of unfinished business. Just hearing their names pushes and pulls at you in a hundred ways, and when you try to define those hundred ways, describe them even to yourself, words are useless.” — 399 people liked it

“Because love, love is never finished. It circles and circles, the memories out of order and not always complete.” — 173 people liked it

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avg rating	preview: Sweethearts Goodreads rating: 3.62 (9205 ratings)
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Sweethearts

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