She walked around like an exposed nerve, her skin alive with millions of tiny little antennae, when he just walked around, fully armored, ensconced in his own singular world.
So, I've finished Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson and I was very pleased with the book.
Jessa, the main character, has caught her boyfriend cheating on her. Her best friend Carissa has hatched a plan to help her get over him while she's on spring break in Italy.
I like Jessa. She's like any normal teenager trying to get over a bad breakup. Something I can relate to, even though I'm not even close to teenage anymore. And she's got an absent best friend (who can't go to Italy because she's babysitting) who plays a big part in her trip anyway. Tyler was one of my favorite characters. He's protective but not in a creepy stalker way. And I loved Dylan Thomas too. He was interesting and funny and smart.
The conflict between their group and "Cruella" was humorous and frustrating. Made me want to tell her off. And even though I've never personally been to Italy, the way things were described made me feel like if I just closed my eyes I could see them.
One thing I DIDN'T agree with though. Jessa said:
It's hard not to heap pity on people who just kept electing to be miserable.Those are exACTLY the people you should NOT feel sorry for. The ones who CHOOSE to be miserable. Because after a while they need to hold themselves accountable for the choices they've made. They are making themselves miserable. Feeling sorry for them fuels the fire.
Despite the reason for the "Instructions" the book was incredibly lighthearted and it was a great read. I almost wished there was another so I could find out what happened with Jessa and......
I would recommend this book to anyone. Teenage, young adult, and .... not as young adults like me. :-)
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Ooo, I've been wanting to read this one, and your review makes me want to read it even more. I totally agree with you on the pity thing, though. Great review!
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