Audiobook Review – The Distance Between Us by Kasie West, Narrated by Jorjeana Marie (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 2, 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0062235657
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Audiobook from Audible Escapes
Rating: 4/5 stars
“Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learned early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom’s porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence – he’s tall, handsome, and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact that he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know that his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander’s loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?”
Series Info/Source: Stand Alone, borrowed audiobook from Audible Escapes.
Audiobook Quality (4/5): I enjoyed the narration of this audiobook a lot. They picked the perfect narrator for this, Marie sounds just like I think Caymen would. Marie also does a great job with other character voices. This was a very pleasant audiobook to listen to.
Story (4/5): The story is a pretty typical YA contemporary romance with a bit of a twist. Caymen starts to hang out with a “rich kid” who is the grandson of one of their customers but struggles with how she will fit into that “rich” world when her and her mom are so broke. There are some fun twists as the story continues and I enjoyed these little surprises, they made this romantic and entertaining story a bit more special.
Characters (5/5): The characters are what make this book. Caymen is easy to relate to; she is struggling between supporting her mom and trying to make her own way. Watching her tear herself between all her responsibilities can be tough but I loved her as a character. I also loved Xander, he was just a fun characters and so sweet. Even the side characters were really well done, from Caymen’s mom to her best friend. These are characters that were fun, easy to relate and very charming. I was a bit sad about how stubborn and selfish Caymen’s mom was about forcing her own past and believes onto Caymen.
Setting (4/5): This is in a contemporary setting in California. A lot of the story is set in Caymen’s mom’s dollstore. I enjoyed the dollstore setting it was quirky and fun and a bit creepy at times too. This unique background provided some fun and style of the story.
Writing/Drawing Style (4/5): I always love Kasie West’s writing style. It sounds natural, flows well, is easy to read, and is perfectly paced. I have no complaints, West’s writing is very easy to read and she’s a solid writer.
Summary (4/5): Overall this was a cute and entertaining YA contemporary romance that I enjoyed. It’s one of those feel good, first love types of stories. All the characters were very likable and easy to engage with. I enjoyed some of the extra little twists to the story. I would recommend if you are looking for a light and fun YA contemporary romance read.
