Publisher: Harper Teen
Publish Date: June 4th, 2013
Source: Digital ARC
Goodreads

Synopsis: The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There’d be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.

Now sixteen, Justine doesn’t feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment.

But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than what’s on film. They’ve all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else’s eyes. -Goodreads

Thoughts: I wish I’d written this review sooner. As soon as I finished this book, I was absolutely buzzing with how much I enjoyed it. Inevitably I got distracted, and about a week has passed, but I hope I can do it justice, because I REALLY loved this book. The concept alone was enough to catch my interest, but the writing and the characters held me from cover to cover.

You Look Different In Real Life is one of those books that reminds me why I keep coming back to contemporary reads, even though I’m more of a fantasy/apocalyptic girl. All of the characters were interesting, funny and genuine. Of the five main kids, I don’t think there was one that I didn’t just want to stop and hug at some point in the book.

The thing with reviewing books you love, is that you’re never sure how much you should give away. I’d love to go into all the little details that made me love this book, but at the same time I think you should just dive in and experience it for yourself. This story is very much about the study of people, so if that’s something you can get behind, then I very much recommend this read. There’s also some fun bits in here for film makers and documentary buffs. Okay, and a small dose of reality TV, but you didn’t hear it from me.

The version I read was an ARC, but I will absolutely be picking up a copy as soon as it’s available.

Purchase You Look Different In Real Life
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Second Opinions:
@Chick Loves Lit
@The Allure of Books
@Mostly YA Lit