One Night That Changes Everything
by Lauren Barnholdt
Book Summary (from Amazon)
I Eat Words’ Review
I’ve read a few other books by Barnholdt, including Aces Up and Watch Me, but this book was by far my favorite. I’d recommend this book if you’re looking for a fast, fun read that you can enjoy on the subway or the beach. Barnholdt had me cracking up with her quick-wit humor and hilarious characters.
What I liked most was the tension and chemistry between Cooper and Eliza. Cooper, who betrayed Eliza by blackmailing her personal journal, became involved with a secret high school fraternity that planned to make Eliza’s life hell. But for some reason, Eliza can’t seem to stay away from him. Her mixed feelings of love and hate make their relationship hilariously entertaining.
The whole novel takes place within one evening, and grabs your attention the entire ride. Each task the secret society plans for Eliza involves her own personal fears she’s written about. You’re never sure what her next task will be. But when Eliza finally has enough of their embarrassing blackmail, she decides to embark on a little revenge of her own.
Stereotypical characters don’t exist in Barnholdt’s world. It was refreshing to see that Eliza’s two best friends, Clarice and Marissa, weren’t the typical girly-girl besties. Sharing their own love-hate (but mainly hate) relationship, they’ll keep you laughing. What makes them a great duo was the fact that they could be your own best friends, bickering about boys, Facebook, and what to wear.
This would be a great Christmas gift for teens. Barnholdt provides a realistic view of friendship, and what it means to face your fears.