Book Review: Tweet Heart by Liz Rudnick

SUMMARY (From Amazon):

Claire is a #hopelessromantic. Lottie is determined to set up her BFF with Mr. Perfect. Will wants his #secretcrush to finally notice him. Bennett is a man with a plan.

Claire can’t believe it when her dream guy starts following her on Twitter. She never thought he noticed her, and suddenly he seems to understand her better than almost anyone.

But the Twitterverse can be a confusing place, especially when friends act differently online than they do in person. Things get even more complicated when Claire realizes she’s falling for someone else, the last person she ever would have expected….

Told in an innovative format combining tweets, emails, and blogs, Tweet Heart is a contemporary romantic comedy that will set your heart atwitter.


OPINION: 4 STARS

Cute, uniquely presented, and lighthearted, Tweet Heart is a great romantic read. Focusing on four characters, the story is easy to follow and entertaining. Each character gets a decent amount of time and the reader can form a connection with them all.

If there had to be one character for the central focus, it would be Claire. She is the one who ties the set together. Her best friend is Lottie but she is also good friends with Will and Bennett. Though Lottie and Bennett argue and bicker, they have a mutual agreement, for the most part, to be kind on account of Claire. Claire is the typical never been kissed, never had a date, still holds her big views of romance kind of girl. She’s sweet, caring and intelligent. She’s also hopelessly pining away for the most popular guy in school.

Lottie compliments Claire and their interactions, through emails and tweets, are fantastic. They get each other, they banter, they have fun. The depth of their relationship comes through in sections of 140 characters or less. Lottie flirts and Lottie likes boys, but she also doesn’t settle. She sees a lot of guys then drops them, sometimes for seemingly silly reasons but the girl knows what she wants and goes for it.

Bennett is hysterical. Much of the humor centered around him. From his wit to his snark, he is a great addition to the set. He also has his own depth and level of caring even if he puts on a different front. He can be sweet but even when he’s trying to act cocky, its clear he’s really just a nice guy. Sure, he spends his weekends trying to beat his little brother’s video game high score and having movie marathons but he’s still a good friend.

And finally, there’s Will. In love with Claire but clueless how to tell her. Not to mention, she sees him as just a close friend- even tells him about her huge crush on JD. Not easy for anyone to handle but Will muddles through best he can. As things progress, some of his actions aren’t great and he makes mistakes, but he still shines as a character in many ways.

Tweet Heart provides a unique reading experience. While it isn’t the first book to incorporate the virtual world, it is the first I’ve read where the entire thing is told through it. Whole emails provide some longer bits from the characters, Benn has a blog that gives more insight to him, and Claire runs an advice column, the characters’ development and personalities are primarily presented through the tweets. Because of this, there is not direct insight into the character’s apart from what they are willing to share online as well as being limited in the number of characters. Rudnick has done a fantastic job still building the characters, forging their personalities, and portraying their motivations despite this limitation.

Though much of the plot is cliché and predictable, it is still well played out and Rudnick has added several things to twist it to her own. She has made four unique characters and written each one with their own quirks and habits. From emotions to banter, she covers a range of topics and handles it smoothly. Charming, distinctive, and entertaining, Tweet Heart is definitely a feel good romance.

Details:
Source: Author/publisher as part of a promotional blog tour
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (June 29, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1423135288
ISBN-13: 978-1423135289