Review: Golden by Jessi Kirby

Golden by Jessi Kirby

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.
Ju;ianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.
Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

Publishes in US: May 14th 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Library
Series? No

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    I really enjoyed this one. It was much deeper than I expected, because of the title and the cover, I was expecting more of a beach read, but that is okay. I liked what I got. 

    Parker is a main character that I can relate to. She is smart, driven, and doesn't really step out of line much, and she has the best friend that urges her to let go a little more, but still supports her all the way. This could have been me for the most part in school, so it definitely brings back memories. 

   Watching her connect with Juliana was great, and I loved that mystery and even though I knew the ending to her story because it is one of the first things we learned, I didn't know how she got there, and if there might be more to it than it seems. And Parker goes on that emotional and revealing journey through the pages and discovers a lot about herself and her life through it. And even learns to let loose. She begins to questions what choices she made and what choices were made by her well-meaning but still controlling mom.

   The chemistry and banter with Trevor was nice, and I was always anxious to see if it would develop into more as the story went on. I loved his flirtatious nature, and his patience. That there is more to him than a pretty face--he is counted on for getting them out of binds, and as support for a roadtrip that is the final catalyst to change so much for Parker. 

   The journey to Parker growing as a character was awesome to read about. Her friendship with Kat brought her out more and more, and she found herself in the pages of the journal, as well as her quest to find out more about Juliana, Shane and Orion. I went through the gambit of emotions with her, from joy, acceptance, guilt, heart fluttering at a romance in the pages, and then the splitting of the heart when other desires are made know, to crushing disappointment, loss and pain. 

    Ms. Kirby, the author writes gorgeously and at a sweet pace. 

    There were plenty of surprises and always something to keep me turning the pages. I loved the ending, how it all came together, and at first I thought there would be no possible way that would happen, but sure enough, I loved it. It matched the story and themes. 

Bottom Line: Emotional journey of self-discovery.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Did you ever or do you keep a journal?