Review: You Against Me

You Against Me
By Jenny Downham
Expected publication September 13, 2011 by David Fickling Books

I'm probably one of the few people who hasn't read Downham's debut novel, which was a bit hit. When I spotted this ARC at ALA, I picked it up so I could give her a try. Mikey's sister says that she was raped. Ellie's brother is accused of the crime. When Mikey and Ellie meet, both their worlds will be upended.

This book was good. Really compelling and fast read - I didn't want to put it down and it was easy to devour. That being said, though, most of the book is highly predictable. If you've ever read a story about star-crossed lovers, then you pretty much know what's going on here. And it's obvious almost from the beginning. Additionally, the mystery surrounding the alleged assault didn't feel like much of a mystery to me. It seemed pretty clear what had actually occurred. However, I think readers will be drawn to this title. An interesting plot and a romantic element plus characters you want to believe in - it's a well-done book but not quite all I expected it to be.