It’s your turn, GL fans! I’ve had a handful of you ask about Just Friends and we’re ready to share our take!
From the back of the book: “During one summer in her teens, Erika’s mother pressured her into going to a local overnight camp. Despite her reservations, Erika ended up meeting a girl named Emi… and Emi didn’t let Erika’s anti-social front prevent them from forming a special bond. Now in their 30s, Erika and Emi reminisce about that fateful summer and consider what could have been.”
This story is excellent. For a one shot it is surprisingly well-rounded and the story telling is fantastic. Watching Erika and Emi learn about themselves and each other while also navigating the quintessential teenager summer camp experience is so deeply relatable (even if you never went to summer camp). Seeing how they stumble over small issues, grapple with insecurities and confusion, but find themselves bonded for life after a single shared experience is sure to bring back memories for a lot of readers.
While on its face Just Friends seems like it’s probably a fluffy GL it also has its own variety of grit to it. Seeing Erika and Emi’s story through the lens of their adult selves meeting up after years apart lends a different, bittersweet air to everything you learn about them. What you see feels so much more like reality than your typical manga and I’m just left impressed with the humanity infused into this story.
Ana Oncina’s art is lovely and fits so well with the vibe of the story. As a 13+ story there’s no need to be overly concerned about content. Overall, it’s definitely one I would highly recommend. It’s an easy, casual read, but impactful and interesting. To me, it felt like a realistic romance about those people and places in youth that are pivotal but not permanent. It might just leave you with a teensy bit of heartache… the good kind.
Sorry, we just need to make sure you're not a robot. For best results, please make sure your browser is accepting cookies.
Type the characters you see in this image:
Try different image
Conditions of Use Privacy Policy
© 1996-2014, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates
Josh has never really thought twice about girls before. He’s usually too busy watching old movies with his friends Sal and Carver, petitioning for more vegetarian options in the school cafeteria, or flailing in yoga class with his best friend Ramona. But when new girl Jena Capistrano walks into school, Josh loses his heart faster than he’s ever lost his balance on a double downward dog. Not that he has any real aspirations, of course: he knows Jena is completely out of his league. And then, against all odds — they become friends. The closer they get, the more infatuated Josh becomes, and the more he wonders if just maybe Jena might like him back. There’s only one way to find out. But it’s not exactly easy to put your heart on the line.
Editor reviews
4 reviews
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A(0)
A Sweet YA Romantic Comedy
December 15, 2017
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Good Points
Wonderfully quirky main character
A light, fun read
Just in time for Valentine's Day
August 08, 2017
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
Good Points
Sheldon's books are wonderful because they cover high school romances in ways that are still appropriate for middle school students to read about. This is a bit of a departure because the story is really Josh's. Even in middle school, there are a lot of boys who want romance books, but they really prefer them to be from the boy's point of view. Josh's feelings are so well described, and his insecurities and confusion about what to do will definitely ring true for boys just starting their romantic lives, no matter what their ages.
The characters in Just Friends are really what make the story. They are all very diverse, with unusual interests or quirky families, and none are stereotypical. While both Josh and Jena have a deceased parent, this is no dwelled upon. The adults in the story are supportive, and Josh even has a father figure in his Uncle Walt, who is helpful. Ramona's parents have a gift shop/new age story that is described in such an appealing way that I wouldn't mind going to Parsons Falls to shop there, and then maybe have some tea at Hava Java!
Romance books are always in demand, and the readers who enjoy them are usually voracious. I love the covers on Sheldon's newer titles-- they are very bright and appealing, and this one is very gender generic, which is excellent for the audience who should be reading it. This is a great book to hand to readers who have moved beyond Byars' Bingo Brown or Paulsen's Crush books and have enjoyed Korman's Son of the Mob, Finnegan's Not in the Script and Scott's Jingle Boy.
What is the story of the book just friends?
Just Friends is the story of two teenagers named Aaryan and Tanie, and their unconditional tie. It is a story of a boy and a girl who know each other's deepest secrets and ultimate highs. The story revolves around relationship between a boy and a girl, and their bond that makes them more like a habit for the other.
What is the synopsis of friends like these a novel?
Book overview In this relentlessly twisty literary thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kimberly McCreight, a desperate intervention brings together a group of college friends 10 years after graduation—a reunion marked by lies, betrayal, and murder.