Caleb + Kate

Romeo and Juliet in a modern setting - done well. Aimed at an audience way younger than I am, but I still appreciated the twists within the story and the development of the characters. Point of view switched often, but was marked with a name at the section start, so it read almost like two parallel diaries, in alternating first person. This gave a good insight into the personalities and their struggles. With a discussion guide in the back, it would make an excellent book study for a Christian High school class.

I was intrigued by how the author would write a modern version of Romeo & Juliet, and the idea of Shakespeare being hip. . . . . but I gotta say there were a few bits of this that made me kinda cringe, but overall it was a pretty good story. The author touches on faith, declaring: """"Faith is nothing until you have to rely on it and live by it. """" I agree because for the past few years I feel like my faith has been at times weaker than ever and I've felt many times like I'm only holding onto Jesus by a single strand of faith, other times I feel such blessed assurance that God IS moving and doing something. \\nThis is of course a love story that takes a few twists and turns but the author touches brilliantly on what commitment looks like: """"A decision doesn't just mean choosing something. It is making a choice and cutting off all other options. """" When we feel assured that we are with the love of our lives then we must decide, every moment of every day, in the good times and the bad, that the person we are with is the one for us, full stop, no looking around, no 'grass is greener'. . . . . . . When it comes to protecting our relationship we need to cut off all other connections that could tempt or distract us. \\n