Lovesick by Jake Coburn

Here is the book on Amazon.

One thing that makes me appreciate a book is when fairly cliche elements are pulled together in new ways. Lovesick does that with conviction. In this book is a car crash, involving a young adult. This young man carries the badge of "drunk driver" and has to learn to face the consequences of his actions. There is a billionaire, a young woman with bulimia, alcoholism, love, lies and college life. While these elements appear in many young adult novels, this book left me without words. I didn't even know how to react. It pulled me in so quickly and then, all of a sudden, it was over. I loved it.

This book presents a coming-of-age story within the confines of a new and different plot. It is powerful and eye-opening without being overly focused on morality. It really makes readers think about the complexity of their actions, especially when those actions potentially hurt someone else. This book has the ability to speak to a wide audience, both male and female. This book was captivating. The voices are clear and full of intensity, and emails keep the story moving.

I would love to use it Lovesick in small book groups in the classroom. I think, between the subject matter and the complexity of the plot, I would like to let students have the option of reading it. I do feel this book would benefit from being used in discussion. It raises a lot of thoughts and questions that I believe are perfectly appropriate for the high school classroom.