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Two-Way Street (Paperback)
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Short Description for Two-Way Streetthere are two sides to every breakup. This is Jordan and Courtney, totally in love. Sure, they were an unlikely high school couple. But they clicked; it worked. They're even going to the same college, and driving cross-country together for orientation. Then Jordan dumps Courtney -- for a girl he met on the Internet. It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, b...
Full description- Publisher: Simon Pulse
- Published: 01 September 2007
- Format: Paperback 304 pages
- See: Full bibliographic data
- Categories: Fiction | General | Family
- ISBN 13: 9781416913184 ISBN 10: 1416913181
- Sales rank: 18,227
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Reviews for Two-Way Street
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Well-known for her first novel, REALITY CHICK, Lauren Barnholdt has a new offering worth checking out. TWO-WAY STREET is the perfect book if you are interested in learning about both sides in a couple's breakup.
Courtney and Jordan are about to begin a three day trip from their homes in Florida to their college orientation in Boston. Usually this would be cause for excitement, but this trip is bound to be uncomfortable. The reason is because, two weeks ago, Jordan broke up with Courtney, supposedly because he met a girl on MySpace. Since the plans for the trip have already been made, Courtney's parents are insisting that she stick with those plans and travel with her ex all the way to Boston.
The characters and details of this novel are well-developed. Courtney is ultra-organized, schedule-oriented, and germaphobic. Jordan is a relaxed, take-things-as-they-come, rap lover. The story reveals their quirky best friends who are always just a cell phone call away waiting to offer whatever support their own busy lives allow. The private lives of Jordan and Courtney's parents offer their own unique brand of suspense to the plot. In addition, an underlying thread of the plot involves continued references to the use of MySpace, which is sure to be an attention-grabber for teen readers.
Barnholdt created the book with alternating chapters. In Jordan's chapters he tells his version of the story before, during, and after the trip, and Courtney does the same in her chapters. This unique style allows readers to sort of "read between the lines" of the breakup. The characters are dealing with secrets they feel must not be revealed. The resulting tension and hard feelings created by the secrets will have readers rooting first for Jordan and then for Courtney. by TeensReadToo- Top review
Fun & adorable.
Before I start reviewing, let me just say that I have a big crush on this book (if it makes any sense). Don't ask me why because there's something that lures me in and I think I had fallen in love with Two Way Street even before I opened it. But I'll try to be as much objective as I can.
Upon glancing at the cover and skimming the synopsis, I had this feeling that the book was going to be really sad. Firstly, because it was about a breakup and its aftermath; second, words of the blurb sounded nothing but nostalgic. I was expecting a lot of breaking down and crying and grieving. To my amazement, I found most of the book funny and cute.
The story started at the beginning of the roadtrip of Courtney and Jordan, later jumped back and forth between current happenings and the past. Parallelingly telling us how the trip went on, the author also gave us a full view of how the couple got together in the first place. Because the irony was so obvious - the guy broke up with his girlfriend for another girl. yet still agreed to go on a roadtrip with his ex - you couldn't but wonder if there was something else that led to the separation. Actually, I was torn between the two parts; one moment I wanted to see what was next, a second later I found myself gaping at how their relationship sprung. Sometimes it could be confusing, since besides switching the time, Lauren Barnhodlt also let us approach the story in different points of views.
The writing was really nice. It wasn't embellished with flowery words or complicated descriptions. Everything, on the contrary, was simple and straight to be point. The dialougues fell real and natural, even though the mention sex of was often, I felt more funny than uncomfortable. However, there was something I have to say - this book is not going to be interesting from page one to the end. The secret mentioned in the synopsis (which, I think, is what you want to learn most) was unfolded in the early chapters. So do not expect the thrill or mystery.
What to expect then? Expect love. True love.
I really really really like how love was portrayed in this novel. It started with a break up, so it felt like we were going upstream. Seeing the unfamiliar Jordan and Courtney crossing their paths of lives and broken up Jordan and Courtney gathering pieces of themselves that still remained in each other's worlds at the same time was not something I usually experienced. It was different. Their love story was very simple actually. They met, unintentionally became attached with each other and felt in love. The special thing of it was how they expressed it. If you read the book, you know what I mean. The characters were just genuine and honest in love. Every single gesture towards each other, everything they said, conscious or not, exuded an aura of beautiful love that I couldn't explain. Like how Jordan tied up Courtney's hair or when she burst out when she saw the hamburger he bought finally had cheese in it. It was a kind of raw and heartfelt one you shouldn't miss.
Overall it's a nice book about love and roadtrip. I think you will love to give it a try by serenehours
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