Here on Pretty Deadly Reviews, I like to think I feature darker books. Books that are slightly off the beaten path, with darker themes, or a touch of madness, or an intangible surreality. I don't very often review YA contemporary, because I don't very often read it or like it. I'm sure we all have genres we don't gravitate towards -- reading is so subjective and often very personal, so it makes sense. But every once in a while, we come across a book that takes us by surprise and flips our notions on their heads.

A LONG WAY FROM YOU is that book. I initially accepted this book for review consideration because I was in the middle of an adult book binge and wanted something light and fluffy and fun for the start of summer. A LONG WAY FROM YOU was was perfect. It did delve into deeper themes, like growing up too fast, alcoholism, missing parents, and identity, but at the same time, the protagonist, Kitsy Kidd, was so upbeat and peppy that it was hard not to smile, even through the rougher patches in the story.


Kitsy Kidd is your quintessential Southern Belle character. She is blond and blue eyed, she is a cheerleader, she dates the quarter back. She is popular and peppy and cheerful. But she is also trying to balance all those typical teenager things with the fact that her father upped and left her family years ago, and her mother is a useless alcoholic. Kitsy is basically mom to her younger brother, Kiki (who is ADORBZ), and she is also responsible for the housework, and the sole breadwinner for the family. These struggles make Kitsy a more layered character than she initially seemed. Couple these things with the struggling artist inside our Kitsy and she is one complicated, likable character. My very favorite part about her is her confidence: during her stay in New York (and her broken home in Texas) she has to overcome a few obstacles, and some of them seem insurmountable. But she knows her strengths and her confidence never falters. She is a great, great role model for younger teens and preteen audiences.


A LONG WAY FROM YOU is very much a character driven story. Throughout her stay in NYC, Kitsy meets a colorful cast of characters: Ford, her flamboyant art school classmate; Iona, another classmate who has a rougher edge than amicable Ford; Annika, another small-town girl running away from the confines of her past; Tad, aka Art Boy, who shows tremendous interest in Kitsy's art, but still treats her like a kid. These characters really breathe life into the old story of struggling artist in the city. And each one is completely fleshed out and entirely their own person. I loved each one of them, and a book about any side-character in this story would be a rich experience in itself.


I read this book at the perfect time: coming home from the city myself after a trip to BEA. I could feel Kitsy's anxiety at navigating through a foreign city. New York sometimes feels like an entirely different planet, and you can really see that through Kitsy's eyes, as she gets lost in the NY transit system, or stumbles through awkward conversations with "Yankees." I could tell the author really knew the city; it showed through Kitsy's missteps more than through her successes. I loved the trips through the subway, the visits to MoMA. The Empire State Building and the park.


A LONG WAY FROM YOU was a very uplifting story. The ending was a little cutesy, and sometimes the names of the characters got in my way (Kitsy? Kiki? Hands, her boyfriend?) But aside from those little, teeny, tiny things, I really adored this book. It is a companion novel to WHERE I BELONG, but I felt that I didn't need to read the other one to understand this one. For a light, fun, but still deep summer read, I definitely recommend A LONG WAY FROM YOU by Gwendolyn Heasly. She really changed my mind about YA contemporary, and from now on I think I'll keep a more open mind. ( )

Here on Pretty Deadly Reviews, I like to think I feature darker books. Books that are slightly off the beaten path, with darker themes, or a touch of madness, or an intangible surreality. I don't very often review YA contemporary, because I don't very often read it or like it. I'm sure we all have genres we don't gravitate towards -- reading is so subjective and often very personal, so it makes sense. But every once in a while, we come across a book that takes us by surprise and flips our notions on their heads.

A LONG WAY FROM YOU is that book. I initially accepted this book for review consideration because I was in the middle of an adult book binge and wanted something light and fluffy and fun for the start of summer. A LONG WAY FROM YOU was was perfect. It did delve into deeper themes, like growing up too fast, alcoholism, missing parents, and identity, but at the same time, the protagonist, Kitsy Kidd, was so upbeat and peppy that it was hard not to smile, even through the rougher patches in the story.


Kitsy Kidd is your quintessential Southern Belle character. She is blond and blue eyed, she is a cheerleader, she dates the quarter back. She is popular and peppy and cheerful. But she is also trying to balance all those typical teenager things with the fact that her father upped and left her family years ago, and her mother is a useless alcoholic. Kitsy is basically mom to her younger brother, Kiki (who is ADORBZ), and she is also responsible for the housework, and the sole breadwinner for the family. These struggles make Kitsy a more layered character than she initially seemed. Couple these things with the struggling artist inside our Kitsy and she is one complicated, likable character. My very favorite part about her is her confidence: during her stay in New York (and her broken home in Texas) she has to overcome a few obstacles, and some of them seem insurmountable. But she knows her strengths and her confidence never falters. She is a great, great role model for younger teens and preteen audiences.


A LONG WAY FROM YOU is very much a character driven story. Throughout her stay in NYC, Kitsy meets a colorful cast of characters: Ford, her flamboyant art school classmate; Iona, another classmate who has a rougher edge than amicable Ford; Annika, another small-town girl running away from the confines of her past; Tad, aka Art Boy, who shows tremendous interest in Kitsy's art, but still treats her like a kid. These characters really breathe life into the old story of struggling artist in the city. And each one is completely fleshed out and entirely their own person. I loved each one of them, and a book about any side-character in this story would be a rich experience in itself.


I read this book at the perfect time: coming home from the city myself after a trip to BEA. I could feel Kitsy's anxiety at navigating through a foreign city. New York sometimes feels like an entirely different planet, and you can really see that through Kitsy's eyes, as she gets lost in the NY transit system, or stumbles through awkward conversations with "Yankees." I could tell the author really knew the city; it showed through Kitsy's missteps more than through her successes. I loved the trips through the subway, the visits to MoMA. The Empire State Building and the park.


A LONG WAY FROM YOU was a very uplifting story. The ending was a little cutesy, and sometimes the names of the characters got in my way (Kitsy? Kiki? Hands, her boyfriend?) But aside from those little, teeny, tiny things, I really adored this book. It is a companion novel to WHERE I BELONG, but I felt that I didn't need to read the other one to understand this one. For a light, fun, but still deep summer read, I definitely recommend A LONG WAY FROM YOU by Gwendolyn Heasly. She really changed my mind about YA contemporary, and from now on I think I'll keep a more open mind. ( )

A Long Way from You is the companion novel to Heasley's Where I Belong. Since the novels are companions, not a series, it is not necessary to read the first before diving into this one.

Kitsy has always dreamed of escaping her small Texan town and going to New York to find herself. When the opportunity arises to study art at a prestigious school over the summer, Kitsy has to go. See loves the experience of the city: seeing the sites and finding herself in her art. However, she soon discovers that the trip will change how she views a lot of things. How will this new outlook effect her life and her relationships? Will it be for the better?

My major problem that I had with this novel was that everything works out. I know I sound very pessimistic when I say that as a bad thing, but it is more an issue with being realistic. I have very little problems casting away the idea of being "realistic" with novels that have fantasy/sci-fi/etc. elements to the plot, but with a contemporary, I find myself being more particular. All the characters just become so... enlightened. They see the wrong that they've done, they are all apologetic or realize something huge that makes them reassess their lives. Sure, these things do happen, but not to every character in a plot.

That being said, sometimes you just want to read a book where everything works out. There were a lot of really great lines in this novel, if you can ignore the fact that teenagers wouldn't actually come up with them, you can really enjoy the story. It is a very quick read and the language and content could appear to a younger audience. It is very clean and polite but possesses some interesting views on art and life.

It definitely has that small town appeal. What I mean is, an essential part of the novel is Kitsy discovering New York and being wowed by everything she sees. I felt like her friend (not as obnoxious) because living in CT, I see those types of things all the time. Seeing NYC through Kitsy's point of view was interesting, but someone who has not really witnessed the city for themselves would appreciate it more than I did.

So if you are looking for a fun, quick contemporary, A Long Way from You would be a good choice. ( )