Review: Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by. Abby McDonald

Title: Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots   
Author: Abby McDonald
Age Range: 13+
Release Date: April 13th 2010
Pages: 304
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 8/10

Synopsis from Goodreads:  Jenna may hail from the ’burbs of New Jersey, but Green Teen activism is her life. So when her mom suggests they spend the summer at Grandma’s Florida condo, Jenna pleads instead to visit her hippie godmother, Susie, up in rural Canada. Jenna is psyched at the chance to commune with this nature she’s heard about — and the cute, plaidwearing boys she’s certain must roam there. But after a few run-ins with local wildlife (from a larger-than-life moose to Susie’s sullen Goth stepdaughter to a hot but hostile boy named Reeve), Jenna gets the idea that her long-held ideals, like vegetarianism and conservation, don’t play so well with this population of real outdoorsmen. A dusty survival guide offers Jenna amusing tips on navigating the wilderness
— but can she learn to navigate the turns of her heart?

Review: A coming of age, romance filled, fun contemporary book; Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots is a book worth reading for every teenage girl. Jenna, a seventeen year old die hard enviormentalist has her self image reavaluated when she desides to spend the summer with her hippie godmother and her bitchy step daughter.

Jenna lives, eats, and breathes enviormental activism. She is Jenna the enviormentalist. Until she comes to Canada and begins to really see how people who are closer to nature actually view the natural enviorment they live in. In the beginning of the book I actually didn't like Jenna at all. I found her annoying and like a one note song (I don't think that is the right expression), everything about her was about enviormentalism and nothing more. Nothing unique or personal, just the enviorment. Which is a great cause to fight for, but you need to know who you are too. But as the book went on, she started to grow on me as she started "finding herself" (I hate the term "finding oneself" btw). She is actually a great fictional role model and really easy for every teenage girl to relate to. 

The guys in the book were guys. That says a lot. Closed off, non perky, exclusive guys. Though Reeve just started getting cuter and cuter and more appealing to me as the book went on. I loved Ethan, he was so nice, and unlike the others, seemed genuine towards Jenna.
  
In true coming of age fashion, this book mostly follows Jenna on her journey on making it through the summer in a new place, with new cute guys friends, a bitchy roomie, and an absent best friend who refuses to reply to texts. And she deals with troubles pretty well. This book covers what most teenagers go through during their high school years. Who they are, what they are doing, and what they are going to do. It is a great summer read that is relatable without being cliche. I highly enjoyed this book!

I Reccomend: this book to all fans of contemporary, coming of age stories, and/or enviormentalists. Also to all romance lovers and those in need of a summer or beach reads!!!


Characters: 8/10 
Plot: 7/10
Originality: 8/10 
Entertainment: 8/10 
Ending: 8/10 
Writing Style: 8/10 
Cover: 9/10 (I would've give it a 10 if there was a bear lol)
Total: 8/10