'89 Walls by Katie Pierson | Rating: ★★★☆☆As a disclaimer, I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley. My review remains completely unaffected by receiving this novel. All opinions are real and of my own.
'89 Walls is a throwback to, well, the 1980s. And it's a good one, at that. There are so many novels out there that take place in decades that have past, but don't feel like it. This is not one of them -- there's a great mix of pop culture and political references in here that don't seem cheesy or out of place.
It is filled with romance, teen angst, and frank discussions/debates on politics, making it the perfect addition to a young adults to-read list. It doesn't treat its audience like they are children -- and perhaps it will help open their eyes on certain topics. Everything is told in an honest way and I loved that.
Although I didn't always connect with it, at times I bordered on 'meh' when it came down to it, it was still enjoyable. Cute, even. Both of our main characters, Seth and Quinn, are so real they practically bounce out of the pages and smack you in the face. The amount in which the two grow by stories end -- together and individually -- is something to applaud. Katie Pierson brings to life these two characters in a way that's realistic, entertaining and irritating (let's face it: most characters can be irritating and that's not a bad thing!) -- she does not slack on developing both.
