On My Nook: Flat-Out-Love by Jessica Park

Flat-Out-Love by Jessica Park

 

Julie is fresh out of high school from a small town in Ohio. She can't wait to start college in Boston and live on her own. If only she would have doubled checked that Craigslist apartment ad to see if it was legit she wouldn't have been stranded without a place to live in front of a Mexican restaurant. Julie calls her mom, who actually doesn't freak out that she just paid 2-months rent for a non-existent apartment and calls her room ate from college who lives in Boston to help Julie.

Matt, Julie's mom's roommate, son picks Julie up. Matt is the biggest geek with the sweetest heart. When they arrive at the Watkins household Matt warns Julie about how eccentric his little sister Celeste is. Turns out Celeste carries around a life-size flat cut out of her older brother Finn everywhere. And the whole family actually encourages this 13-year old to go about like this is normal. Julie plays along with the family sensing this charade is something they are doing for Celeste. As Julie gets to know the family she notices Erin, the mother is never around, or the father Robert. Matt drives Celeste everywhere even makes her food, kind of like her nanny. Julie finds it sweet he cares so much for his sister but finds it unfair he can't have a life because his parents are never there for Celeste.

As Julie gets to know the family she also gets to know the other brother Finn,who is traveling the world, via Facebook chat and they begin a year long online relationship. Celeste in way becomes Celeste babysitter and makes it her goal to get this extremely smart girl to stop being so shy and to not be afraid to socialize. But every time Julie thinks she makes a break through with Celeste, her family just enables her more. This frustrates Julie and she wants to know why this teenager is treated like a porcelain doll and why she carries a life size cardboard of her brother. But not even Finn will tell her why and Matt just tells her to stop asking questions. When Julie, tells her psychology professor about the family she is staying with he tells her something very drastic happened to this family to make them all act this way and this just makes Julie more determined to find out the family secret.

This book is filled with funny, quirky, witty humor. It will make you cry your eyes out too when you find out the secret. The twist will have you saying WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! You will love the emails, instant messages, facebook updates, and not so much the catfish situation. Definitely one of my favorite books because of its uniqueness.