My Best Everything

by Sarah Tomp

You say it was all meant to be. You and me. The way we met. Our secrets in the woods. Even the way it all exploded. It was simply a matter of fate.

Maybe if you were here to tell me again, to explain it one more time, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so uncertain. But I’m going back to the beginning on my own. To see what happened and why.

Luisa “Lulu” Mendez has just finished her final year of high school in a small Virginia town, determined to move on and leave her job at the local junkyard behind. So when her father loses her college tuition money, Lulu needs a new ticket out.

Desperate for funds, she cooks up the (definitely illegal) plan to make and sell moonshine with her friends, Roni and Bucky. Quickly realizing they’re out of their depth, Lulu turns to Mason: a local boy who’s always seemed like a dead end. As Mason guides Lulu through the secret world of moonshine, it looks like her plan might actually work. But can she leave town before she loses everything – including her heart?

The summer walks the line between toxic and intoxicating. My Best Everything is Lulu’s letter to Mason – though is it an apology, a good-bye, or a love letter?

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Coming Of Age, Teen

400 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2015

About the author

Sarah Tomp lives, writes, and reads in San Diego, CA.

She has a MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Reviews

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You say it was all meant to be. You and me. The way we met. Our secrets in the woods. Even the way it all exploded. It was simply a matter of fate. Maybe if you were here to tell me again, to explain it one more time, then maybe it wouldn’t feel so uncertain. But I’m going back to the beginning on my own. To see what happened and why.”

My Best Everything appeared on my radar when I was standing outside the entry at ALA this year waiting to go in… the cover caught my attention and so I pulled it up on my phone and just knew it was going to be a ‘me’ book.

The very first thing I found myself loving here was the format in which this story is told. Lulu, our main character and narrator is sharing the story of her summer via a letter she’s writing. We find out that she’s just graduated from high school and very much looking forward to escaping the small town of Dale, Virginia, she grew up in and heading off to college. But then she receives news that turns her life upside down. The savings her father had for her is gone and she isn’t going to be able to leave.

Only Lulu isn’t prepared to give up quite that easy and her letter to Mason details just how far she’s willing to go to get out.

I really loved reading about the changes Lulu feels and experiences… from her desire to stretch her wings and try things she never has, to the struggles she experiences with her family, to the friendships she treasures we get to learn about it all through her words… her explanation to the one person she never meant to spend the summer with. And what about this guy, where is he? Why a letter? I can’t tell you that!

And Mason… he’s not your typical swoon inducing guy… he’s nineteen and a high school dropout and a recovering alcoholic who’s family is known for making moonshine. But that’s not how Lulu sees him… sure at first he’s that guy, but as she gets to know him, he so much more, and I honestly fell for him as Lulu told me her story, because those things… they were his past and he was doing everything he could to change his future and the relationship between these two, while it started out with a single purpose in mind, it really turned into something lovely.

Along the way we also learn about Lulu’s best friends, Roni and Bucky, and watching their relationship unfold from her point of view was also incredibly interesting, and not at all what you expect. Things just don’t always work out the way you expect they will.

I don’t know how to explain this, but this is one of those stories that will catch you off guard and worm its way into your heart. There isn’t a ton of action or suspense here, but it’s the story of a summer… one filled with so many firsts and just as many lasts, a summer spent learning who you want to be and finding people who you can trust your heart and soul with and a summer spent finding your “meant-to-be”.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the small town of Southwestern Virgina -Lulu has just completed her senior year of High School.
She's been accepted to UC San Diego in California. She has dreams of going into research to develop cures for unusual disease.
In a town where many kids aren't interested in leaving -or going to college - a town where drinking underage is common -with plans of getting married soon after High School -- Lulu's parents have been telling her from the time she was a little girl --to study hard, get top grades, keep away from alcohol, and make sure to "get out of this town". Education is the ticket out!

However --When the time comes -- Lulu's father tells her she needs to stay home with her mother.
Her mother suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia. Her dad is almost never home, often gone for months at a time for work.
Lulu gets angry at her dad saying 'he' should stay home with his wife --not her. Truth comes out, he doesn't have money for her college.

With a 'huge' disappointment - the belief her entire life that she was going to college -- her dad said she wasn't going, period!

At this point...Lulu has her first drinking experience -- meets local boy Mason and gets involved in selling moonshine.
Mason has been going to AA meetings at the church -- is a recovering alcoholic when they meet.

Whats interesting about this novel is that its written in second person past. Lulu is retelling the story to Mason about things that happened, (as a way to understand more herself), but 'we' as the reader, have no idea what that is.
There were so many different ways this story could have gone --that this book quickly becomes a page turner.

Many topics are explored throughout this novel -- betrayal, peer influence, consequences of choices, beliefs, obligations to friendships, acceptance, and love.

I'd recommend this contemporary coming-of-age contemplative novel for High School girls. Its enjoyable with valuable messages.

[Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is going to be really difficult to describe just how much I love “My Best Everything” and what makes it amazing, but I am going to give it a try.

At its heart it is a coming of age story and a romance, and one that uses some of the standard tropes, but somehow manages to turn them around and make them into something completely different. You have the bad boy, a common staple of romances, but he is not at all typical and by chapter ten you know his story is not what you think it will be. There is bullying and stereotypes, but they are not the ones usually addressed in books, and it makes the reader think beyond what they would normally define as “bullying”.

The novel is written in the first person, but as a letter to the male protagonist, making the word “you” draw the reader into the experience. It makes the entire thing more personal and intimate, with the narrator expressing feelings in a direct fashion, skipping flowery language, exposing the very real problems with the relationship, and yet somehow making this the type of love story you are glad you were given the chance to become a part of. There’s also the mystery of exactly why the letter is being written in the first place, adding some suspense, as well as reader anxiety, to the reading.

The character development is some of the best I have ever read in this novel’s genre, with traits and backstories being revealed with perfect timing. All of the characters are flawed, with qualities that make you want to hug them and qualities that make you want to shake some sense into them. In other words, they are realistic and react to their circumstances in a manner consistent with their personalities. Additionally, the environment of the Blue Ridge Mountains is written in a way that makes them their own character. Beautiful and flawed, they evoke feelings of longing and frustration.

I want to make note that the main character, Lulu, is Latino, and that is refreshing. It is so rare to find diversity in books without it being the central theme of the book that it was a wonderful surprise to have her race being something that just is part of her and not the driving plot of the story.

The characters in “My Best Everything” act realistically, so there is underage drinking, sexual situations, and quite a bit of colorful language. There is also a relationship with an age difference that may bother some, though the girl is only a couple of months shy of eighteen, so keep that in mind if that is the sort of thing that will decrease your enjoyment of the book. Also, it’s about making moonshine, so if alcohol bothers you in any way, this is most definitely not the book for you.

As for my opinion, I highly recommend “My Best Everything” for older young adults as well as those who are no longer young. It’s wonderful and I did not want to leave the characters and world behind. I will never stop hoping that Sarah Tomp revisits Lulu and Mason at sometime in the future.

[Erin Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp is as sweet as molasses when it comes to the plot, friendships, and romance, but I felt like it lacked that little extra kick to get drunk on and make it a superb book for me. While the book is not as great as I was expecting, it's a wonderful debut novel that will leave readers begging for more from Ms. Tomp. It's one of those books that you'll want to read on vacation or at the beach.

I really liked a lot of the characters in this novel. Lulu is the goody goody and smart girl who just wants to get away from the small town where she was born and raised. On her journey out of town, she faces many challenges that will test her faith and reputation. Lulu's best friend, Roni, is content with the small town life until something huge is thrown at her, and I really like how she handled it. The girls are accompanied by their significant others - Bucky for Roni and Mason for Lulu. I didn't care too much for Bucky, but I found that he redeemed himself a bit at the end of the book. Mason was a good match personality wise for Lulu, but I thought he was a bit too old for her. The rest of the characters, including rival shiners and junkyard employees help to round out this southern tale.

My Best Everything is written unlike any other book I've ever read because it's written like a first person narrative, but also like a giant love letter. I thought the narrative was cute and unique, but sometimes it bothered me because the narrator Lulu is basically rehashing everything that happened over the summer to her boyfriend who experienced most of it with her. I also found that there were a lot of moonshine metaphors. I expected some of them, but by the end of the book, it got a little repetitive.

The professionals at NetGalley recommended this novel for fans of Rainbow Rowell, but I think fans of Sarah Dessen will like this one a little more because there's a little bit of romance and it's balanced out with some intense issues. Personally, I would recommend this one for older teens (and adults who like YA) because it is a bit more mature than a lot of the YA books on the market.

[Sarah Tomp · Rating 5 out of 5]

After several hundred reads of this story, I've decided this book is, in fact, my own best everything. Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read and comment on this story I cooked up!

[Margarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those quirky stories that you need to read in one sitting. It's one that you need to slowly let yourself fall into, have a look around, and let it unfold as it needs to in order for you to fully understand it. It is one of a kind. And truly worth the time to get to know.

Lulu is a good girl counting down the days of leaving it all behind and starting a fresh new life in college. For her last summer in her small town, she plans on working at the junkyard and hanging out with her best friend Roni. But life has a way of challenging Lulu and she is smacked with the fact that her father no longer has the means to pay for her tuition. Desperate to make her dreams come true, Lulu looks for a way to undo what her father has done... and is surprised to find out that she will go to great lengths to get her life back to where she wants it to go. At times, Lulu's stubbornness and meddling gets them all so close to trouble. But with Mason's quick tricks and experience, he manages to set things back in track.

Mason is not your usual handsome bad-boy to swoon over. Described as average with a buzz-cut, his presence and personality is what draws Lulu (and myself) to him. He is a few years older than Lulu, but, seems even older than that due to his history... his past is what makes him who he is now, but, it does not shape who he will be in the future. Filled with so much potential and knowledge; Lulu is determined to help Mason out of their small-town and situation too. He deserves so much more than the hand that he's been dealt with.

The entire book is told from Lulu's point-of-view, it's her letter to Mason. She speaks directly to Mason - oftentimes, it was a little confusing as to who she was referring to when she said "you" and "us". But, it did very little to take away from the momentum and the importance she felt in writing this letter, her side of the story. We see Lulu mature and come into her own in such a unique way. Everything about her, the town, the people who live there, Mason, the moonshiners - everything and everyone is so anomalous. My mind was stretched and challenged in such a wondrous way, it was a pleasure to see this group come together, fall apart, and make peace with what happened.

The ending is bittersweet. And I'm really hoping that some day soon we will get to read Mason's response to Lulu's letter.

So the question is, is Lulu's letter to Mason, a love letter, an apology or a good-bye? And the answer is... it's so much more! More than you could ever imagine.


*A hardcover book was sent to me from the publisher for the blog tour and an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

My Best Everything is a quirky, moving coming of age story that takes place in a small town. It has some narrative aspects that could be hit or miss for some readers, but I found it with compelling and different.

Lulu's just graduated from high school and is more than ready to leave her small town and head to California, where she hopes to study science. But when her father confesses that he's lost her college fund in a bad investment, Lulu's devastated. The last thing she wants is to get stuck in her "hillbilly" town, working at Sal's Salvage. So she comes up with an idea: she'll use her science knowledge and an old still named Aunt Jezebel to make and sell moonshine and earn her college tuition.

You could take this concept and write it so many different ways: as a thriller, as a dark tragicomedy like Breaking Bad, as a morality tale. So how to describe the way My Best Everything feels? It's character-driven and atmospheric. It's told in an (almost) second person narration, with Lulu addressing a now-absent other character she refers to as "you," telling the story as if she's looking back from the past. I usually struggle with epistolary stories, but I wouldn't this strictly epistolary. I also thought the technique worked well in a coming of age story (as an older and wiser Lulu looks back on her more naive self) and it also added a sense of mystery about why "you" wasn't around for her to talk to directly. (I was pretty sure I figured it out, and I was wrong.)

My Best Everything had a lot of story elements I love. I'm a huge fan of a good small town setting and colorful small town characters. I liked the writing a lot. I also really liked Lulu. She's the kind of girl I can relate to: a smart girl stuck in a small town, a "good" girl who wants to explore the boundaries of being "good" and even trample over them -- for a good cause. I thought all the characters were really well-written, from Lulu and her friend Roni to Reva's parents and various other town residents. All in all, this was a big hit for me.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Best Everything is…the best. Truly. Sarah Tomp has written a love - adventure - coming of age story that aches with authenticity. It is smart and passionate and gorgeous. It is that rare book that is both classic in its feel and very contemporary too. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars: A love letter written to a lost love that recounts the highs and lows of falling in love over a life changing summer.

Luisa "Lulu" Mendez is anxious for summer to be over so she can finally be free of her small home town. Dale is a town sequestered away in the Appalachians. It is a place where everyone knows your secrets, and a spot where moonshine flows. Lulu's dreams are pulled out from underneath her when her father tells her that the money for her college education is gone. Fate smiles on Lulu soon after when a large moonshine still is delivered to the junk yard where Lulu works, she seizes the opportunity and hatches a daring plan. A scheme that is dangerous, illegal, but so profitable. If it works, Lulu would have enough money to escape Dale. Unfortunately, Lulu knows nothing about making moonshine, so she asks a local boy, Mason, for help. Mason is a high school dropout, a recovering alcoholic, and he comes from a long line of moonshiners. What follows is a summer of romance, moonshine and changes. Will Lulu get out of Dale?
What I Liked:
*My Best Everything was a delightful and surprising tale. It is a beautifully written book that takes you through a summer of making moonshine and kisses. It is a book that will grab you with its story, and unique format. I was most impressed with this debut novel by Ms. Tomp, and I absolutely will be reading her future works.
*What sets this book apart is the writing style. The book is an epistolary novel. Lulu relates the events of the past summer in a letter to Mason. The portions where Lulu talks about what occurred are written in first person, and then there are interjections where she relays how she felt during certain moments, and it is here that she speaks directly to Mason, but she never uses his name, all of her ponderings are addressed to you. I was intrigued by the method the author used, it was unique and different. It doesn't read like a letter. I thought it was lovely and creative. Not to mention, the writing is gorgeous. There are so many beautiful metaphors and descriptions that I thought were delightful. It is haunting, lyrical and gorgeous. Big props to Ms. Tomp for being able to pull it off.
*The main story centers around Lulu and her two best friends, Bucky and Roni, and Mason making moonshine. I know basically nothing about moonshine and the process of making moonshine. I was surprised to find that I was fascinated by the whole plot about moonshine. The reader is taken step by step through the moonshine process. It was dangerous, scary and so interesting. I loved it.
*The secondary plot follows a summer romance. How many of you have experienced the butterfly highs of a fleeting summer romance, where both parties know it will end at the close of summer, when the lovers must part and go their separate ways? I thought Ms. Tomp captured the emotions of a summer romance perfectly. It was sweet and full of emotion, and also full of hunger and trepidation, knowing it will end. I thought the romance was beautifully done. The reader knows from the get go that for some reason the romance is over, since Lulu is writing the letter and reflecting over her experiences during the summer. The question is what happened? Did something happen to Mason? I have to admit, I was pleased when the book ended and I learned the truth.
*This is a story of growth, and change as well as finding your own path and choosing new beginnings. It follows Lulu as she struggles to escape her small town life and reach for her college dreams, even if she does it by making illegal moonshine. It also is the story of Mason, a young man, who everyone gave up on due to his alcoholic past and his family roots. No one thinks Mason will amount to anything, but he is strong, courageous and determined to refrain from alcohol and find his way. I loved his quiet strength and his restraint. Then there is Bucky and Roni. Two high school lovers at a crossroads. Will they marry and stay in Dale or will Bucky go to school while Roni pursues her singing career? I loved how the author blended the four different stories of young people at the point in life where they must make those first, big, bold decisions that will set their course in life.
*The book culminates with a big dramatic finish, and it ends rather open ended. The reader learns Roni and Bucky's fate, and we know what happens to Lulu, but the rest is a mystery. There is a flicker of hope for the future, and I was left satisfied, but still wanting more. I think though, that fate will step in and it will work out, because I am an optimist, but in reality the ending is up to the reader. Normally that type of ending would bother me, but in this case it works.
And The Not So Much:
*The book moves at a slow and steady pace as it reveals all the antics of moonshining and sweet summer kisses, and then, the ending is fast and a bit chaotic. The reader gets a big information dump right at the end, which was a bit frustrating, especially in comparison to the pace of the rest of the novel.
*For the majority of the story, Roni and Bucky play a big role, but then something big happens to Roni, forcing her to make a life changing decision. At this point, Roni and Bucky fade from the story line. They only make a couple of appearances, and the reader is filled in on what happened to them in the big information dump at the end. I wished that more time had been spent on Roni, especially when it came to resolving her problem. I didn't like the way it was glossed over.
*I felt like I was in the dark when it came to Mason, his family and his past. I wanted a better understanding of his relationship with his parents, there are only briefly mentioned. I needed more depth and detail on his past and his family life.
*Even though this is a YA book, it is best suited for mature readers. While the romance is tame, it deals with alcohol, drinking and making moonshine.

My Best Everything was a surprising find and an impressive debut. I loved the writing and the format of the book, and I was fascinated by the process of making moonshine. This is a book that details the highs and lows of a fleeting summer romance. The ending is a bit jumbled, and the reader is left pondering over an open ending. Still I enjoyed this lovely little book, and I recommend it for those who love a good story, and enjoy gorgeous writing.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Kim at Divergent Gryffindor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley. For more reviews like this one, visit Divergent Gryffindor.

Before reading: I've already started this multiple times, but now I'm really determined to finish it.
After reading: Okay, so I finally finished this book, and it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Lulu is a control freak. She has a plan for everything. She will study in San Diego, and leave her small town once and for all. But when her father tells her that they won't be able to provide money for her studies, she takes matters in her own hands. Together with Mason, Bucky and Roni, she starts a moonshine business that sets off a whirlwind of events. My Best Everything is told in second person point of view; Lulu's letter to Mason.

When I first started reading My Best Everything, it was really weird for me because as I said a while ago, it was told in second person point of view. However, I wasn't discouraged at first. After all, this book was one of my most anticipated 2015 books. It even made my top 15! But after a while, I just didn't feel connected to the story; nothing compelled me to read on. I also hated the Lulu told the story; how she was always saying things that would happen in the future. Couldn't she just tell things according to the timeline?I started this multiple times before finally being able to finish it now. I gotta say, once I got past the first 30% of the book, it got better.

The reason why I couldn't give this book more or less than 3 stars is while I enjoyed it enough to keep me going once I got past the first part, I felt really detached to the book. Usually, after finishing a book, it leaves me with a feeling of something, but with this one? Nada. I didn't even feel anything while reading the book. I have to applaud for the author though, for the very unique plot. It was really interesting. I wanted to see more of what would have happened in the end, but I guess it was a proper ending.

Really, I don't have much to say regarding this book. It's just nothingness. I don't even know why. It's like I want to say something more, but when I open my mouth (or in this case type), nothing comes out, no matter how hard I try.

[Olivia]

Don't know too much about the premise about the book, but my friend's mom wrote it so I will definitely be picking this one up :)

[Joy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't often get books from NetGalley because getting ARCs usually means deadlines. But My Best Everything 's cover easily grabbed my attention and when I read the synopsis, I knew I had to request it. I'm glad I did.

There's so much to love about Sarah Tomp's amazing debut novel and of course, the best way to do this review is with a list!

6 Reasons I Love My Best Everything

1. The plot is different, fresh, and compelling.
My Best Everything's plot is not one you usually see in Young Adult novels. I struggle to think of any book that resembles it, but it did remind me of Breaking Bad for obvious reasons. But I literally could not guess what would happen next. The Appalachian setting definitely added charm to the whole thing. Who'd expect that a smart, goody-two-shoes girl from a small town will cook up moonshine so she can leave town and go to college? It all seemed so unlikely and that made this book a real page-turner.

2. It has valuable lessons.
My Best Everything has depth. Lulu has a serious, real-life problem and she decided to face it head on. Sure, moonshine isn't exactly the best solution to any problem but Lulu knew she had to take matters into her own hands because it's her life that's at stake.
Some of the issues that were tackled in the book were morality, chastity, religion, family values, and destiny. Is there really such a thing as meant-to-be? Read the book and decide for yourself.
Ultimately, this book illustrates the inevitability of change. Everything and everyone changes. It's an act of nature in itself and it can be a good or bad thing. Of course, I knew this already but it's nice to be reminded of this truth.

3. The writing style is PHENOMENAL.
The strength of this novel lies in the amazing writing style. Lulu is the narrator but she is not talking to the readers. She is talking to Mason and the book is basically a letter for him. You'd have to read it until the end to find out why she was writing to him. That's one of the many reasons why I continued flipping the pages -- I had to know what would happen to Mason. There were times when I felt scared of the ending because it seemed like something bad would happen to Mason. I can tell you now that I was satisfied with the ending.
The epistolary approach definitely kept things fresh. This book was so lyrical, which I don't usually like but in this case it worked perfectly. Great job for a debut novel!

4. The characters are believable.
My Best Everything is a character-driven book and I am glad to share that both the major and minor characters were believable. Relatable, even. I can't enjoy a book when I don't feel anything for the characters so this was a huge thing for me.
Lulu is a great protagonist. She is smart, fascinated with science, and very desperate to leave town. Her decisions affected not just herself but others as well and there were a few times that I wanted to hit her in the head but I certainly couldn't blame her for any of her actions. She was written so well that I understood her completely.
Mason was also very easy to love. He has a sexy voice (I could tell from his choice of words) and despite being a softie, he's brave and honest. None of those bad boy BS that you'd read from other YA romances. He does have a tinted reputation but throughout the book he didn't show any meanness to Lulu or any other characters.
I also loved Roni and Bucky, the supporting characters and the second half of the moonshine quartet. They started off as this lovely, very much in love couple who couldn't get their hands off each other and had plans of marrying and having children but Lulu's moonshine business shakes up their relationship and future. It was fun and bittersweet, watching their journey throughout the book.

5. It is a GOLD MINE OF QUOTES.
This book is very quotable. I told you the writing style was lyrical and everything sounded good, even when something bad was happening. From beginning to end, it was like the words were carefully chosen and yet also effortless.
Look at these great opening sentences:

The ingredients for moonshine are ordinary. Innocent.
Corn. Sugar. Yeast. Heat and time.

And this closing sentence that made me heave a sigh:

If I did believe in meant-to-be, that's what it would look like.
Come see.

6. Lulu and Mason's first kiss was the PERFECT kiss.
I wanted to end the list with number 5 but I couldn't leave this out. Lulu and Mason's first kiss did not happen fast and at one point I was getting frustrated with the lack of action (I'm a romance junkie after all) but the timing was PERFECT! It couldn't have happened at a better time. And when it happened, wow... it was amazing. I felt all the FEELS, you guys. Props to Sarah Tomp for creating such a lovely kissing scene that has a chance of beating Noah and Allie's kiss in The Notebook.

If these six reasons were not enough to convince you just how good this book is, I don't know what will. If you love coming-of-age novels and YA books that have something new to offer, I highly recommend Sarah Tomp's My Best Everything.

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent coming-of-age YA story that is light on the romance and heavy on the message.

At first I was struck by the narration. The MC, Lulu Mendez, addresses a "you" in her constant speech. At first I wasn't sure if I'd fallen into that elusive "2nd Person" narrative, but I quickly recognized the book is written as if it's a letter, or communication, to another character in the book, Mason Malone. This immediately upped the tension for me, because it was clear that here was a separation between Lulu and Mason, but I didn't know if that separation was distance or death. I will say that this question is raised on the first page and answered on the last page, and it boiled in my brain for all the pages between.

Lulu is a smart girl, living in Dale, a tiny town in the rural mountainous area of southwest Virginia. Dale is a place of hillbillies, hicks and moonshiners and Lulu cannot wait to escape it. It has long been her plan, and she has just the summer to endure before she moves to sunny San Diego for college. Lulu has always been the straight-laced good girl, avoiding drugs, drinking and boys, but she intends to cut loose a bit with her BFF, Roni, and Bucky--Roni's boyfriend and Lulu's good friend, too. Lulu has far bigger dreams than Roni (who wants to get married to Bucky) and Bucky (who wants to stay in Dale despite his college scholarship, he's not ready for marriage like Roni however). Trouble is, college costs money, and Lulu's dad has just dropped the bomb that his business is struggling and he can't afford her tuition. She is outraged and sullen and desperate, as a result.

Lulu and Roni work at a local junkyard, and when a confiscated still turns up, it sparks an idea that is just crazy enough to work. Moonshining is a lucrative, yet dangerous and illegal, activity. Lulu, Roni and Bucky could all use money, but they can't work a still--they have no experience of these things. Mason Malone, however, does.

Mason is the youngest of the Malone boys--and his family is known for its moonshine. Thing is, at 21, Mason is out of the family business. He's a recovering alcoholic and can't even bear to be around alcohol, let alone make it. Lulu is persuasive, and not in a bad way. She proposes that Mason help them set everything up, and that she, Roni and Bucky will manage the rest. Thing is, Mason's been moonshining his whole life but for the past two years of his sobriety. His family, a collection of serious and functional alcoholics, no longer trust him, and pretty much have shunned him. He is rebuilding his lif, taking odd jobs and attending AA meetings. He makes furniture and does carpentry on the side. He does not associate with drunks--including his own family--ever.

He agrees to assist, knowing that it will be more than he can bear, also knowing he will do anything to help Lulu escape Dale, VA. As one can imagine, three teens and Mason making moonshine in the backwoods of VA, this goes more than haywire. Moonshine is made, sold, stolen, exploded and destroyed. Money is made, and plans resurrected and blown to kingdom come. The relationships that were so central at the beginning of the story become strained and reformed. Lulu and Mason have a precarious romance that can't even cross the border to West Virginia on account of Lulu being 17 and Mason knowing he can't take a minor over state lines. Mason's very much aware of the legalities of life, and the moonshine business. With all his family connections, Mason is able set up buyers for their product, but this is a very slippery business--it brings out the ire of his scorned family, for one.

The language in this book is outstanding. I truly felt as if I was coasting down the Bottoms on a raft, and hiking through a midge-filled forest to stir the mash in Aunt Jezebel, the still. The characters leap off the page, from Mason's quiet grace, to Lulu's agoraphobic mother, to sassy Roni who finds a path she never fathomed in her high school imaginings. Lulu is a faithful narrator, and her insight is slightly self-deprecating. She acknowledges her faults and tries to atone for them, with explosive results.

And, as I mentioned at the beginning, the final page reveals the whereabouts of Mason, recipient of Lulu's love and apologies and musings. It all ends on a high note, though this not a typical Happily Ever After. It is a mostly innocent book (expect an off the page issue with contraception) with nothing more than making out between our characters for the readers to see. There are lots of moral questions posed, and answered, and a whole lot of growing up being done. A solid teen read.

[Kat (Lost in Neverland) · Rating 2 out of 5]

(This review is a lot more formal than my regular reviews)


Having lived in a small town her whole life, Luisa ‘Lulu’ Mendez is desperate to escape. She has plans of going to the University of San Diego, or as far away from stuffy Dale, Virginia, as possible.
But when her father tells her that they can’t afford to send her to college, Lulu refuses to let her dream die. Along with her friends, Bucky and Roni, she hatches an illegal plan to make and sell moonshine with a ‘borrowed’ still from the junkyard where she and Roni work.
In over their heads, Lulu seeks the aid of a loner named Mason, whose family is known for their successful moonshine-selling business. What she doesn’t expect to find is the complex person behind Mason’s shifty reputation. She begins to question her life choices as she spirals deeper into the uncertain world of love and moonshine.
This debut novel by author Sarah Tomp is written as Lulu’s letter to Mason, filled with youth’s insatiable longing to run away from what they’ve always known.

Characters are the most important part of a story to me. It can have a nearly nonexistent plot and a mediocre concept, but good, developed characters are a must. This is where “My Best Everything” failed to impress me.

Lulu is a relatable enough character. Everyone, no matter what age, has felt the urge to run away at some point, or at least want to seek something more.
Despite that, she is also the typical ‘good girl’ main character. In YA literature, authors have a tendency to write main female characters as naive and well behaved, while their best friend (in this case, Roni) is confidently beautiful and experienced.
Lulu’s parents are fairly glazed over as characters. Lulu’s relationship with them is sparse and nearly nonexistent. Parents and YA fiction rarely go together.
Then there’s the male love interest, who is older, mysterious and has a bad reputation.



While Mason isn’t a bad character, this is a very common character trope, for both male and female love interests.
But then again, some of the traits are tied in with some unique features.
Lulu is making moonshine, so of course she isn’t exactly naive or innocent. Roni, the normally confident one, has her moments of nervousness where Lulu’s reassurance has to help her through. And Mason, while being older and a mystery to Lulu, he’s not the typical ‘handsome but abusive bad boy’ that is so overused in fiction and pop culture.


In addition to well-developed characters, good writing is also a must. The writing is not bad; it keeps you interested while never getting repetitive or going into purple prose (although I usually love novels with a fair bit of purple prose). However, I initially struggled with the way the story is written.
Throughout the novel, Lulu refers to Mason as ‘you’. She never uses his name when he says something or when she’s describing what he’s doing. I kept waiting for her to stop, to start simply saying ‘Mason did that’ instead of ‘you did that’. It made for a slightly confusing read, as I sometimes lost track of where Mason was or when he came back into the story.
The reader has to go into it thinking it’s a letter. Lulu is writing to Mason, so of course she would say ‘you’ instead of ‘he’. Once that is accepted, it gets easier but no less tiresome.

Characters and writing style aside, the main question that came to my mind while I was reading was this: What have we come to when a seventeen-year-old must look to illegal means in trying to get an education?
It’s a sad fact that even in this day and age, American students are stressing out over getting into college, not only academically but financially. This really shouldn’t be the way. We want them to be educated and follow their dream career, not be swimming in debt before they can even step foot out of their parent’s home.
This isn’t really a story about that, despite the question it raises.

My Best Everything is about Lulu and her desire to get away, to a point where she’ll do anything to escape. Making moonshine isn’t a student’s first choice of a backup plan, of course, but it has the potential for an interesting story.

[Anna Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lulu Mendez has always counted on the fact that her parents would pay for her college tuition. So when after graduation she finds out that her Dad has made a risky investment and lost the money they would have used for her tuition, Lulu is desparate for a way to make money and finally get out of town. When an unused copper still for making moonshine comes into the junkyard where she and her friend Roni work, to be left there in storage, it feels like a sign. Lulu convinces Roni and Roni's boyfriend Bucky to give making and selling moonshine a try. In the backwoods of Virginia, it seems like a sure bet to make some easy, fast money - illegal or not. Not knowing where to even start, Lulu convinces Mason, a mysterious local boy from a notorious bootlegging family, to help them with the intital setup and process. But the more time Lulu spends with Mason, the closer they get to falling completely in love with each other. Can Lulu get out of town as planned and if she does, will her heart still be intact?

So, this book is written as a letter from Lulu to Mason, after everything has already happened. I spent the whole book wondering if she was writing to him from college, if he was the one who had left town, or if Mason had died. One of the three is correct, but I'm not going to tell you which one it was. Suffice it to say, I didn't quite know what to expect from a book whose whole premise is about making illegal liquor to fund a college education! Lulu doesn't have the best life, with an agoraphobic mother who can't even go on the front porch anymore and a father who is never home. Not to mention, no one seems to understand her need to leave town and go to college. Her best friend Roni just wants to get married to her high school boyfriend Bucky. In the first scene of this book, a drunk Lulu meets up with Mason and pukes in his motorcycle helmet and he gives her a ride home. Not exactly love at first sight. This book definitely represents the fact that Mason has been raised to live, breathe, and love the business of moonshine. The fact of his love/hate relationship with alcohol was a really realistic portrayal and I enjoyed that the author didn't take the easy road out. I don't want to say much more, because this book doesn't come out for another seven months. I will say I was practically crying by the end and this book is definitely a highly emotional coming-of-age, first romance story. And a unique one at that.

VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is March 3rd, 2015.*

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Unique and interesting stars!

Arc generously provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Best Everything is one of those books you are either going to love or hate... I don't think there will be much middle ground. At least that is my humble opinion.

My Best Everything is about Lulu, a young girl who just graduated from high school and can't wait to leave her small town life behind for college. Lulu is a girl who has always played by the rules with one goal in mind.... leave Dale. Dale is her super small, nothing of a town that tends to breed nothing. She wants to escape. She has hopes, plans, and the intelligence and grades to do just that.... leave.

That is until Lulu's dreams and plans fall. Due to financial set backs and the short notice of when payments are due for her San Diego college, it looks like Lulu will be stuck in Dale forever. Out of desperation and what some would call fate, Lulu devises a scheme to make some money.... the illegal kind of money. She will become a shiner and plans to get her friends to help her. Little did Lulu know that more than shine would brew that summer. Lulu's saving grace came in the form of Mason, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks but seemed like the missing piece to her puzzle. Together they concocted a scheme to get Lulu out of Dale for good.

My Best is a great coming of age story. A wonderful story of the changes that happen even in that time right after high school, when we learn that the world may not be what we thought it was and dreams are really hard to make a reality. When what you thought you always wanted, may not be what you want after all. It's a story that shows not everything is as it seems, that just when you think you have everything figured out life throws you a curveball, and sometimes... just sometimes things turn out just how we imagined.

This was written almost like a letter. It is like Lulu is telling her story, with side notes to Mason.... ones he may or may not ever hear. The way it is written in so unique and different I am sure it won't be for everyone, but I really liked it. It kept me guessing, wondering what would happen next. What was Lulu referring to?

This is a great, fast, read with enjoyable characters. It is refreshingly different not only in writing style but also subject and story line.

So what kept me from giving it 5 stars? The ending. No it wasn't a cliff hanger, and it wasn't a bad ending per say it just left too much to the imagination for me. I like my endings tied up nice and neat with no loose ends. However, it was still a good ending, just not my favorite.

However, the good definitely out weighs the bad and this is a perfect, light, fun, summertime read.

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was originally featured on Such a Novel Idea.

I received a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my review in any way.

I was really intrigued by this book; a young girl who loses all her options to get out of a small town and go to college begins a moonshine operation. I mean, COME ON! That’s just hilarious and screams “READ ME NOW”.

Obviously, I’m glad the book yelled at me to read it, because it was an enjoyable journey. I saw this as a young adult contemporary version of Breaking Bad. What happens when you take a brilliant person, push them in a corner and give them no options? They find a creative way out, which in this case was illegal alcohol making. Yeah.

Lulu struck a cord with me from the very beginning. She is smart, driven, and looking for a way out of the small town and out of the crazy of her family. As someone who lived a very similar life to Lulu’s, I couldn’t help but be drawn to her character, as well as be empathetic of her plight. Her mother suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia, which I intimately understood as a high school student since my own mother suffered from the same conditions during my last two years of high school. Added to that stress is a father who travels for work, leaving Lulu to deal with her mother’s illness on her own. Even though she has the help of Sal, her boss and mother’s friend, she’s got a lot on her plate. So, finding out that everything she worked for to get out of this life was pretty devastating to read about.

I love the intricate details of the characters — whether it is a major player or a minor one, we are given vivid descriptions and personalities. These characters really come alive on the page.

My favorite detail of this book was the way it was written. Lulu is writing this, sort of in letter form. It’s written to Mason, the boy she obviously fell in love with (and out of whatever relationship they had). We know from the beginning he is the boy she’s going to fall for, but she uses “you” and it is just so intimate and adorable that you automatically get on board for them falling in love.

Even though there is a lot of intrigue and thrilling mystery (will they get caught!?), there isn’t a lot of movement to the story. In a nutshell, it’s about the summer after high school ends and before life begins, about first experiences, and growing into yourself.

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via Netgalley for the free review copy in exchange for my honest review.


Uh oh, I was really loving this book until the very end, unfortunately. Damn, I hate it when that happens! So frustrating!

Despite that, there were a ton of great things about Sarah Tomp's debut. The writing style was very different, but that is a big part of what kept me reading. Being written in the second person was a little confusing at times, but I found that I needed to know what was going to happen to Lulu, and why she was telling the story that way to Mason. Did Lulu get in trouble with the moonshine business and now she was writing a letter to Mason from prison? Did Mason end up getting killed? Or did Lulu make enough money to get to college and now she was writing a letter to him from California? I really had no idea which direction things would go, and the author kept me guessing right until the very end - I love when that happens with a book! I also loved how unique this book is, and the way the author created this amazing world all her own. Lulu's town and situation is unlike any other I've ever read before, and I always appreciate that in a book. I also loved Lulu's personality, and her friendships with Roni and Bucky. The three of them were so much fun, and they reminded me a bit of my group of friends from high school. Mason was a very different love interest - his whole family and upbringing were just so far removed from what I'm used to, but completely fascinating at the same time. Again, love!

Buuuuut, I was so very disappointed with the ending. Not so much with what happened, but with how the pacing seemed to change so abruptly. The book kept up a good, even pace right up until the very end, and then frantically rushed rushed rushed to a jarring finish. Say what?! What was that? What even happened? I don't get it! Ugh! I hated how the author did that, it didn't do any of those wonderful characters justice! So what was going to be a four star read for me ended up getting three stars instead.

That said, I might be tempted to read more from Sarah Tomp in the future because thinking back, I enjoyed about 98% of the time I spent with this book, and that is always a good thing!

[Tehteh · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT: I have ending complaints that I can't keep in

When I saw My Best Everyhing on Netgalley, where I get the vast majority of my books, I was instantly drawn to it. Not by the cover, I don't think it is that exceptional. but by the blurb itself. Amd I did really enjoy the book but...well, let me explain the plot and then we'll get to that.

Lulu has just finished high school. She has a mentally ill mother and a mostly absent father. She was always taught that she was too good and intelligent for her small hometown, so she dreams of college in California. Until her father essentially comes back to tell her she can't go. Lulu's dreams would be crushed, except fate brings the local illegal business of moonshine to her attention, with all the tools necessary and a perfect guide - Mason. the troubled, older boy from the local big shiner family, who should not get involved, but still helps her. Let's just say things lead to other things and it gets complicated.

I don't know if it is the writing style - Lulu is writing a VERY long letter to Mason - or something else, but this book had an impending sense of doom which felt like someone was always about to die, yet propelled you forward. I guess it might have been because the whole thing was always supposed to be headed towards goodbye, and in that sense it totally worked.

And I did like Lulu and Mason. They're kinda funny in a very sad, depressing way.

My big problem is that ending. That damn, open ending. I hate open endings. I like finality. I would have been OK if they'd left it at goodbye, or even if someone did die. But open endings leave me yearning for sequels that will never come. And that's really what stuck to me and left me annoyed at this book.

If, however, you do not mind open-endings, you might really like this story,

[Melannie :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected. Brilliant. There are quite a few adjectives that come to mind after reading 'My Best Everything' but I don't plan on writing them all and use all my space. Instead I want to tell you how amazing this story will make you feel.

Lulu's idea of selling moonshine to furnish her way to college. She is a smart girl in a small town; we've seen it before, right? Not like this. Never like this. Because Lulu is about to find out she is smart, but not in the way she always thought.

So she enlists the help of her best friend Roni and her boyfriend Bucky, who she has known all her life, and of course the mysterious, older bad boy Mason. And it all goes downhill from here (or uphill, depending on how you see it) because you can't predict the future, just like you can't predict if moonshine is going to turn out to be poison. It's a ride.

I loved this book. So much heart, so poetic and emotional. But funny and charming, too. A thrill ride.

I can't tell you enough good things about this book. Suddenly I couldn't handle all the feels and I was back to that place I love about YA. If I were you I wouldn't worry of where I am going right now, as long as I had this book with me.

[Lori Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cleverly written book. It's different. It's a slow burn romance between two completely different people. I fell in love with the characters. Poor, broken-on-the-mend Mason. And delightfully determined Skip-to-my-Lulu. This is a story about a seventeen-year-old good girl who's got her heart set on getting out of small town, backwoodsy Virginia and is determined to get to college in San Diego... in spite of the odds that are stacked against her from the beginning.

This is a clean book. Not a lot of swearing. Some swoonworthy kissing and some lawbreaking by well-intentioned, unlikely law breakers. The cast of characters are perfectly meshed together.

I stayed up far too late reading last night because I could not put the book down. I had to find out what happened. The ending was satisfactory. We learn why the entire book is written as a letter to Mason. I loved the concept. But, now, I hunger for more adventures from the crew!

Bravo Ms. Tomp. Bravo! This will go down as one of my favorites for 2015!

[Fari · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

This didn't hold my attention. Also, it kept reminding me of Stolen: A Letter to My Captor and instead of paying attention to this story, my attention kept slipping and I kept thinking about Stolen. It's really not a good thing if you're reading one book but keep on thinking about another. *sigh* Perhaps I'll try this one again later but putting this down now.

[Sara Grochowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I think about the fact that I almost missed this book, my stomach does an unhappy flip. So, I suppose the best way to start this off is by saying that this book needs to be on your radar. It isn't an issues book and it isn't particularly easy to read the description and say 'if you like X you'll love this book too,' but, if you love beautifully written, sincere contemporary YA fiction, My Best Everything is for you.

Sarah Tomp's debut is an epistolary novel and I can't imagine a better format for this particular story. Through a letter to Mason, a boy she formed an unexpected and deep relationship with during a summer of trials, tribulations, and illegal moonshining, Lulu pulls the reader in. She's writing this letter after the events of the summer, which creates a soothing sense of inevitability while infusing the story with a bit of mystery. Only Lulu knows why she's writing Mason this letter, recounting events, sharing realizations, and reminiscing - the reader is left to put the pieces together and, if you're like me, worry about how it will all end.

“I heard the missing in her voice. Knew she dreaded me leaving, but even more, Bucky. He'd been in all of my AP classes, quietly earning grades almost as good as mine. He was only headed two hours down the highway to Virginia Tech, but Roni knew there were more than miles between here and there, more than hours between now and what might come. Bucky was way too smart to stay in Dale and pump gas so other people could go places.” - from My Best Everything

Lulu's story begins in a place many readers will recognize. She's wrapping up her final year of high school and ready to leave her small town - where dreams go to die - in the dust. Nothing and no one is going to hold her back or change her mind - until the day her dad breaks the news that, thanks to a bad investment, the money to pay for Lulu's education is gone. She takes one look around Dale and swears that this isn't happening. Her solution: produce and sell enough moonshine during the three months of summer to pay her tuition. Given the fact that plenty of backwoods, dead end hicks can do it, Lulu is sure she can figure it out. After all, it's just a bit of chemistry, right?

“I wasn't in a place to judge any choice she'd made. The moments when we feel most untouchable, that's when we most need a hand.” - from My Best Everything

What I most appreciated about My Best Everything is that it takes people, actions, and stories that you think you understand - that perhaps you even judge - and challenges those assumptions. Lulu, Mason, Roni, Bucky, and the town of Dale are all so much more than a cursory glance could ever reveal. Each is a beautiful collection of good and bad, right and wrong. They are so wonderfully, exuberantly real.

"I didn't know how to say it, but I'd learned to love Dale. More than I ever thought I could. I loved the rush of the river and the hundred different shades of green. The sun on the hills and the shadows of the valleys. The smell of the air first thing in the morning and the last breath at night. The rhythms and sounds. Also, the people who made their way through this place. Like you. And me too. We tried to make things better, but we also made do with what we had. We weren't too proud to scratch and scrape by. We knew how to spot beauty within the rough.” - from My Best Everything

Another reason I so loved this novel was it's treatment of small town life. As someone who grew up in a small town, who left the town for something I was convinced better in every single way that mattered, I related to this novel in a very intense way. Like Lulu, I worked hard, did the right thing even when it wasn't nearly as fun, and longed for the day I would be able to escape my small town full of narrow minded and backwards thinking. Unlike Lulu, it took me a lot longer to realize the beauty of small town life. To admit that every place has elements of light and dark. And, most importantly, that while the light might sometimes feel overshadowed by the dark, it's important to acknowledge elements that shine.

My Best Everything will surely become one of my go-to recommendations for readers looking for a contemporary YA novel with romance and depth.

[Trista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luisa "Lulu" Mendez has just graduated high school and plans on going off to university, never looking back at the school town she grew up in. Then her father loses her tuition money and it looks like she'll be stuck. Lulu refuses to give up on her dream and, along with her friends Bucky and Roni, comes up with the idea to make and sell moonshine. It won't be easy so they enlist the help of Mason, a local boy who's family is in the moonshine business. It looks like the plan is going to work but can they get the money they need before they get caught?

This book ended up being a fast and fun read. It took a few chapters to get used to the writing style, a futuristic Lulu writing a letter to Mason to explain her thoughts on all that had happened and her feelings. It gave the book a mysterious feel as to why she was writing the letter. Was she apologizing? Was she saying goodbye? Was he actually reading it? Was she planning on mailing it? So many questions.

Lulu was a character who was very book smart but naive about life and could be pretty judgmental of her town and the people who chose to stay. She had a lot to learn. The writing style made Lulu's growth feel very unique, as it was an older, more mature Lulu looking back and writing about that summer. I also thought her downward spiral was believable. Even though Lulu was the main character, I would say the character who showed the most growth in the book was Roni. Originally believing that she would settle down with Bucky, start a family, be the type of girl Lulu looked down on, she was content with her future. But then her dreams changed and she showed vulnerability and longing and a willingness to fight for what she wanted. And it was great that she managed to do that without turning into someone who began looking down at the people who stayed in their hometown. I do wish there had been more done with Bucky. He was pretty much Roni's boyfriend who was throwing his life away by wanting a future with her, in Lulu's eyes at least. Mason, Lulu's eventual love interest, was a bit of a mystery. He wasn't too willing to talk about himself or his family. He was trying to put his life together and Lulu kept pushing him closer to the edge. I liked that the writing style made it feel like older Lulu had realized this fact and seemed apologetic as she recounted the story.

It was really two separate stories woven together. One was about teenagers growing up, learning about life, friendships possibly drifting apart, getting ready to start the next part of their lives. That part I really liked. The second was the whole moonshine business and I found that one less believable. Even with someone on their side who knew the business, it didn't seem likely to Mason would be able to teach them how to make moonshine and set up contacts so easily. It seemed a little too easy for them until danger started setting in closer to the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this story more for the characters and the unique writing style than I did for the main plot of the moonshine business. It was fast paced, especially the end, and I found I couldn't put it down because I just had know why why Lulu was writing to Mason.

[Delaney (flairforfiction) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really did not like this book at all.

The whole tone of the book was incredibly sad. Everything just felt tainted by sadness and I just didn't feel good while reading this book. The story itself wasn't even that sad, but the way the story was told and the narration just made for such an upsetting read. I just couldn't enjoy reading this book.

I also really did not like the main character. I found Lulu to be really obnoxious and incredibly immature and it was just so obvious that she had no idea what she was doing but she refused to listen to the people who did know what they were doing and just kept doing things that she shouldn't be doing because she wanted to and thought she knew what was best. I also found her to be OOC given what we know of her backstory. She's supposedly this really studious girl who's so focused on her future that she doesn't really care about boys or anything but making it to college. But then all of a sudden she drinks once and she's super into drinking and doing illegal things and going against everything she believes in? Maybe I'm biased because I was always the good student who never really thought about drinking or anything but I just found it to be so frustrating to read about this girl who suddenly completely changed because she's suddenly discovered drinking. I just couldn't relate to her at all.

I also didn't like her friends much either. They all just seemed so self-deprecating and just annoying. I couldn't connect to them and I just didn't find them to be interesting or well-rounded characters. I also couldn't stand Lulu's parents. I thought they were so awful to her and that they just didn't care about her at all. They took her entire future away without talking to her about it or discussing it with her or trying to figure something out for her and I just found that to be so unfair. She really worked hard to go to the school she wanted to attend and I just couldn't believe her parents were so willing to let her lose it all without bothering to question how it might affect her.

The only character I liked was Mason, but unfortunately even though the book is written as a letter to him, you don't really see much of him. He was the only character I cared about at all, but I didn't feel like we got a good view of him and that was disappointing. I would've been much happier if we had seen more of him.

I also just found the plot to be kind of slow and boring. I liked that Lulu took her future into her own hands and even though what she was doing was illegal, it didn't bother me. But I just didn't find the story to be all that fascinating. It was more of a character driven story but there wasn't a lot of character development so I just didn't really feel pulled into the story.

Overall this story was just so heavy and sad and I just didn't care for it.

[Emily♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“That’s the thing about Dale. You are what you are, what everyone thinks you are. Forever.”

This book, hands down, absolutely represents what it is like to be from a small town. (Especially a small town in the South).

And that’s why I related to this book so much. I know what it’s like to be stuck in a town and feel like you will never leave. Growing up in a town that both shaped who you are and traps you into thinking you need to stay.

It’s why I kept reading. Just to see if Lulu makes it out.

My Best Everything is a book that takes some time to get going. But once it gets going, it’s hard to put down.

Lulu, in an attempt to raise money for college tuition (has this girl never heard of FAFSA!?!), plans to make and sell moonshine. (I can’t help but wonder how people would have taken this book if she was growing marijuana).

And that premise hooked me, along with the Sarah Dessen like cover and country setting. I was eager to see what My Best Everything had in store.

The writing style is a letter. Lulu’s letter to Mason after everything happens. It’s a retelling of events, and it was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to get used to while reading. But if you can get the flow of it, the writing is beautiful. I marked many quotes that spoke to me and a few things that made me laugh.

“Buzz cuts remind me of the darkest corners of Dale. The rickety old shacks down by the river. The places where cousins get shot in the living room for eating the last Oreo…”

YA’LL, I work in one of those small towns (I still haven’t left, you see). More importantly, I work for the sheriff’s office. STUFF LIKE THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENS! And yes, 9 times out of 10, someone is sporting a Buzz cut.

I loved the relationship between all the characters. (Once again, I was reminded of a Sarah Dessen novel. Which isn’t a bad thing considering that she is my favorite). They made me laugh and cry. They actually go through will life problems. Real decisions. Real outcomes. (I did not like her father. He was a jerk).

My Best Everything is going to take some patience. But if you want a cute story with a new and interesting premise, you’ll be happy you stuck around.

For fans of Sarah Dessen, obviously!

Reviewed at YABC.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Sarah Tomp's My Best Everything hit me in the feels. For Tomp and My Best Everything, I had to let my feelings settle and relax. I had to fully embrace all the emotions that overtook me. I related in a way that surprised me.

My Best Everything follows the life of Luisa Mendez, affectionately Lulu. Lulu has dreams and aspirations to be something more than what's available in her small Virginia town. She has goals to get out-of-town and escape to San Diego, where she'll attend school and become a researcher to develop cures. She counts her days until the unthinkable happens. Her father no longer has the ability to pay her tuition money.

I connected with Lulu as she tried to escape her life. It wasn't unrealistic to read about a young woman trying to escape her life. Especially in a town that doesn't seem to be progressing, or with an ill mother and an unsupportive father, and especially when her own parents instilled that education is the key to leave her small town. Life feels like the world is against Lulu. Does this seem familiar to you?

Lulu is a character that represents many young girls. I often felt like I was alone, trapped in a world that I didn't belong in and in a community didn't understand me. Lulu was real. She was a high school girl whose antics and stubborness got in the way of everything. Her own thoughts betrayed her and meddled with her moral compass. But in the end, her tenacity brought her to where she wanted to be. She wasn't weak or a pushover. Lulu did what she felt she had to do.

My Best Everything has an interesting view-point. Told in second-person, Lulu retells her tales to Mason, a boy in a very similar situation. There were a few moments when I felt confused, but only because I wasn't used to the narrative style. Lulu's "letters" to Mason showed a vulnerable side to the story, never slowing down the momentum or take away from the emotions meant. I felt it added to the reality and raw pain of everything.

I enjoyed Lulu's story, best described as a coming-of-age scenario. Lulu and My Best Everything had many topics that aren't readily addressed in plain view. While I live in a world of fictional worlds, it's nice to know that there are stories like this one that tell us plainly how things can really be.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

****ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.Thank you.****

A coming-of-age story about fate and fixing wrong choices. My Best Everything is a moving story that will take you on a spin about falling in love, finding yourself and following your heart.

The book is written in second person past. She is retelling the story to Mason, but we don’t know what happened to them until the end. But she begins warning us that she’s telling the story again to understand why then things happened as they happened and why she made the choice she made at the end. At some point you feel that everything is going to fall down and crash, several times I had to stop reading because I was sure that something pretty bad was going to happen. I can’t tell you if it did or not.

I loved this book specially for the conclusion and ending. While reading it I had no idea where the story was going to go because I had so many theories in my head. Lulu thought her future was all settled and planned, but life gave her a hard time. Her character is very firm and sure of what she wants, she’s a fighter, she doesn’t give up. Even when she wanted to her nature didn’t let her, she focus on what she wants and goes for it. Lulu’s best friend, Roni, also know what she wants in life and in that summer her life and dreams change too. There’s so much to learn from this book. It’s about our choices, about whether choosing between our head or heart.

Mason is the love interest of Lulu and to whom this story is narrated. The chemistry between Mason and Lulu sparks out since the first chapter. I love how she described the first time she saw him, that got me into the book instantly.

I must admit that, not everyone will love this book. I am warning you, is mostly about teenagers doing illegal stuff and alcohol involved. If you don’t have any problem with this, read My Best Everything. I am sure you will find something good out of it. It’s one of those books that makes you think and reflect about life, fate and meant-to-bes.

[Beth (YA Books Central) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that drew my attention to this book ...was the cover. The cover is simple, colorful, and fits the book perfect. My Best Everything is a YA contemporary coming-of-age story about a young girl facing real-life issues and the consequences that occur with the choices she makes. In My Best Everything...the characters begin to realize that you define your future by the choices you make.

Luisa "Lulu" Mendez is a high school graduate that has had her life planned out since she was a young girl. She and her family have always lived in the small town of Dale, Virginia and her dream has always been to get away from the small town life and attend college at the University of San Diego. Lulu is planning her getaway to when her Dad tells her that the money that was saved up for her college tuition has been spent and that he cant help her pay for college. Lulu is heartbroken...all she has ever wanted was to attend college.

This is the point in the story where everything changes. LuLu and her best friend, Roni, discover an old moonshine still while they are working at their job at the junkyard. Lulu then gets the idea that she is going to make and sell moonshine to try and fund her way through college. Lulu begins to realize that she has no clue about how to make moonshine. She knows of a boy named Mason whose family is known for making and selling moonshine so she contacts Mason and asks for his help with her new venture.

Mason is a high school dropout and recovering alcoholic who has learning from his mistakes and is attempting to begin a new life. Once Mason and Lulu become friends and begin spending more time together...Lulu realizes that there is more to Mason than everyone realizes. The reputation that Mason has is nothing like what the real Mason is like. Lulu and Mason's relationship begins to become more complicated and more feelings become involved.....

My Best Everything is a story about first experiences, learning from your past experiences, and making choices about your future experiences. It is a great story about romance, emotions, and life.

[The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review on The Candid Cover

My Best Everything is unlike anything I’ve ever read. When I read the first page, I had some doubts, because the ingredients for moonshine are listed right there on the page. I actually read somewhere that this book is Breaking Bad for teenagers. However, as I continued reading, I discovered that My Best Everything is quite an engaging read. The book isn’t all about moonshine, it’s about a small-town girl whose father loses her college fund while gambling. The story line is very unique!

The characters in My Best Everything are really well developed. Even the minor characters, like the main character’s boss, are described in great detail. I was really impressed by this, because usually, there are one or two characters in a book that are randomly part of the story, that no one really knows anything about. In this book, each character is unique, and you will be able to learn their name and history very quickly.

In My Best Everything, the characters use the main character’s friend’s plot of land to store the moonshine. Even this tiny bit of forest is so detailed that I could easily see myself in the story, despite the fact that illegal activity was taking place. No aspect of the story is left out, it really draws the reader in.

Finally, the plot of My Best Everything is very interesting. Yes, moonshine is made, but this book is so fast-paced and will have you on the edge of your seat wondering if the characters will get caught. My Best Everything is filled with plot twists and growing danger for the characters. You will not want to put it down!

My Best Everything is the kind of book you will have to set a specific time to read. Trust me, finding a spot to put it down is a real challenge. Intrigued? Add it to your TBR right now!