Review: Don't Stop Now - Julie Halpern

Where I got it: Library
Rating: 5 stars  
Cover Rating: 4 stars (Map!)  
Genre: Young Adult  
Publication Date: June 7, 2011  
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Page Count: 232 p.
Buy it: Book Depository / Amazon

It all started with a phone call from Lillian's (sorta) friend Penny. When Lil checked her voicemail all she heard was "I did it." Lil wasn't sure what Penny did, until she recalled a recent conversation where Pen said she was going to fake her own kidnapping. Now Lillian is getting calls from the police and the FBI, she decides she needs to find Penny and get her to turn herself in. Lil decides to take her best friend (and crush) Josh on a little road trip. Lil is completely in love with Josh and hopes that this road trip can make them more than friends. Even though Josh loves Lil, he doesn't want to ruin what they have. Across the states from Illinois to Washington they travel, Lil looking for love and Penny and Josh looking to not face his future.

I feel like Julie Halpern is an undiscovered treasure. She is just such a fantastic author. I loved Get Well Soon and Into the Wild Nerd Yonder (my review), but I believe this one is my absolute favorite. The dialogue and characters in this novel were just hilarious and spot on. Lillian and Josh are fantastic characters, and I really wish they were my friends. They had so much fun and were just so comfortable with each other. I like how there was this added quest, of having to find Penny. It gave a destination for the road trip, even though the reason Lil wanted to go is because she wants Josh to love her as more than a friend. This was a fantastic summer book, short but amazing. I was laughing and gasping the whole time as everything unfolded. I felt awkward when the characters had uncomfortable silences but I felt swoon-y when Josh would casually put an arm around Lil. I really didn't want it to end, I wanted to keep reading about the two of them forever. I wish I could go on a road trip, these sort of books always make me crave the open road. I've been on some mini ones, but it would be great to have a rich best friend so that we could just take off and go and not have to worry about anything. Make sure you pick up this book this summer, in fact pick up all of Julie's books this summer. Julie Halpern is just such an amazing author, and everyone should read her.

First Line:
"'I did it,' Penny's voice whispers on my voicemail." 


Favorite Lines:
"I'm on my knees in the woodchips, trying to make sense of the Penny messages." 


"While I battle with my crappy fairy-tale metaphor, Ethan makes my decision for me."