Review: The Accidentals

The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen

Rating: 4 Stars

I really enjoyed Sarina Bowen’s new young adult novel. I don't pick up too many young adult novels anymore, but since I've enjoyed Bowen's other work, I thought I would give it a try and I'm glad I did. The story was well-developed, with good pacing throughout. The characters were flawed, but that only added to the story. Obviously the main plot point was pretty out there, but the way Bowen handled the emotional development of the characters as they progressed through the plot was extremely believable. Even though there was conflict, there wasn’t a lot of drama just for the sake of the drama, which I really like. The major plot was dramatic enough without adding overly dramatic side elements. I also liked that as Rachel didn't ever seem to hate either of her parents; she was rightfully angry, but learned to forgive and move on. I guess I just really appreciated that the story never turned into a soap opera. The progression of emotions Rachel went through felt very true to life. This was a fast and easy read, perfect for anyone who enjoys young adult fiction and emotional coming of age stories.