Resenhas - Wanderlove

Kah 03/02/2012

read complete review here: http://notjustnonsense.blogspot.com/2012/02/early-review-wanderlove-by-kirsten.html

Bria Sandoval loves to draw. Ever since she was kid she would draw in every surface with anything available, and have the time of her life doing it. On her senior year she met the guy who looked perfect for her. An artist. Toby went to fancy art classes, knew secret drawing techniques and dreamt of going to SCAA, a big, famous arts school. And he made her want to go, too. They studied together, improved their skills and applied.

Bria got in. But Toby didn't... he was jealous and bitter, so he dumped her.

Bria was completely crushed. After moping around for weeks, she decides to travel to Europe with her friends, just like she and Toby planned to do once they went to college together... but her friends end up not being able to go, and she can't possibly go alone to a place like Europe, right? Well, she certainly can, but not to a place that would make her think of him all the time.

She's going to Guatemala. To see the Mayan Ruins. With the Global Vagabonds, adventurous youngsters looking for knowledge and fun... At least that's what the pamphlet said. But when she gets to the Guatemala airport, all she sees are middle-aged people. And all they do is stick to safe places, seeing only what the travel plan states they should see, and for how long they should see it.

Bria starts to regret the trip until she sees a beautiful kind of creature wondering along the boring tourists. A backpacker. A tall, bronzed-skin, ponytailed backpacker. Who invites her over for dinner on an island that is not on her travel guide. When she gets there, she remembers she doesn't know his name, but ends up finding more beautiful, tanned creatures like him. And one of them is Starling, an outspoken humanitarian. She explains to Bria that the 'ponytail guy' is her half-brother, a reformed troublemaker called Rowan, who teaches scuba diving.

When Starling invites her to join them on their trip, she's scared, but very excited. After all, this whole thing was supposed to make her more independent, but the Global Vagabonds obviously weren't helping her with that cause... so she takes the risk, gives up two thirds of her suitcase's content and becomes a brand new backpacker. Rowan isn't exactly thrilled with the tag-along, but he accepts her well enough... until Starling up and leaves for a job in a small town called Flores, without even saying goodbye to her brother. Because, like she told Bria before leaving, they don't do goodbyes, they're just too painful. Rowan is even more not thrilled when he finds his sister gone and himself as the 'babysitter', but Bria starts to show him how great a companion she can be. How great a friend.

Bria learns that backpackers do things cheap. And saving money means giving up on comfort. And life luxuries, such as showers, hot water and cold drinks. But they also see the most amazing things that ordinary travelers always miss out on. They see hidden natural beauty, they see the reality of life in Central America, they learn and they grow as they travel. They ake new friends and they fall in love.