Name: 16 Things I Thought Were True
ISBN: 9781402277979

Janet Gurtler

When Morgan's mom gets sick, she takes a road trip with her friends to find her real dad.

16 Things I Thought Were True

Cindy Lee

*A copy was provided by Raincoast Books for review*

This is my first Janet Gurtler novel and I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised. Right from the beginning, we knew that something bad happened to Morgan and that she's bullied by everyone at work. Some video of hers went viral and it had embarrassing content on it. 

This novel is truly about Morgan searching for who she really is. She had to deal with her mom who got a heart attack. She also went on a road trip to meet her birth father who her mother has never mentioned for 18 years of her life. There was also the guy Adam who she found out was a pretty sweet guy. Amy, my favourite character, became Morgan's best friend and was the most energetic character I've ever read about. This book is mostly focused on Morgan looking for who she is. It wasn't really focused on the romantic part with Adam, thank goodness. If that had been the main plot, I don't think the story would have been as enjoyable as it was. 

Something devastating happened in the last few chapters and I thought it was a sad but necessary way to end it. She had really thought about what she had learned during her journey with her new friends and what it means to be Morgan McLean. She had learned the value of friendship and I think that makes this such a heartwarming novel.

16 Things I Thought Were True is an emotional novel about a girl dealing with her losses and moving on to find something better. It's a self-discovery story with a romantic sub-plot. It's greatly written and I must say I really need to read more of Gurtler's novels!

Rating: B-

Kim 

I really like this book. I found the plot very interesting and I loved the characters. I was torn about the ending and it felt like a plot twist to me,personally.

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads
.

#16thingsIthoughtweretrue really surprised me. I thought it would be lighter, fluffier. Don't get me wrong. It had its moments of fun and fluff. But there was a lot more to it than that. It was one of the better young adult contemporaries that I've read in recent memory. I'm struggling with how to write this review without giving things away, so it might be a little vague. 

Morgan's life is spinning out of control. Her so-called friend posted a video of her dancing in boy's underwear online, her mom has a heart condition and needs surgery (and doesn't think she'll live through said surgery) and she's just finally found out the identity of her father. The only place things are going well is on Twitter, where she's rapidly approaching 5,000 "friends." She spends more time talking with them than she does people in real life, which isn't entirely surprising given how the people in her life have been letting her down lately. She makes a couple friends at her summer job (amusement park!) and they decide to go on a road trip to find her father. 

I love a good road trip book. There's just something about putting characters in a situation like that which allows them to bond and forge new relationships, or strengthen existing ones. I've always loved taking road trips, too. They're fun. Sure, sometimes there's drama... but they're still fun. The road trip Morgan, Adam and Amy go on is no exception. It has its share of fun and laughter and there's no doubt these three characters are closer when they returned home than when they left. There are surprising revelations and not-so-surprising romance. 

There was just so much good about this book. The characters are just the beginning of it. Despite the obvious age difference between me and Morgan, I could see some of myself in her. Twitter is my preferred social media outlet and I have a lot of friends on there as well. Not nearly 5,000 and the majority of the ones I interact with regularly, I've actually met in real life. But Twitter is uncensored Kim. I have too many friends on Facebook that are work connections, so I try to reign things in there. I definitely don't reign it in on Twitter... something you'll know if you follow me, particularly during football games. ;) But, I digress. Morgan was a great and believable character. Adam was absolutely adorable and I pretty much loved him from the start. Amy? Every girl should have a friend like Amy - one who is honest almost to a fault, awkward and real. She was a gem of a character. 

I loved the storyline. I thought it flowed well and I couldn't put it down until I finished. I had to know what happened with these characters. There was a great focus on family, friendship and romance. There were some things that were predictable, but that didn't bother me. There were also things that I didn't see coming a mile away. I don't want to run the risk of spoiling anything for anyone who hasn't read it, but I have to say the ending of this book pretty much completely gutted me. I didn't expect it at all.

#16thingsIthoughtweretrue was a great and enjoyable young adult contemporary story. It was a great introduction to Janet Gurtler's writing and I will definitely check out more of her work in the future. I laughed and smiled and shed a few tears over the course of this book. I thought the overall message about friendship, social media and what truly defines us was great. Its one I think will resonate well with both high school age readers and those who are a little older but still enjoy YA lit. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

16 Things I Thought Were True

Reviews

Highlights