The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

My good bud Flannery (of The Readventurer fame) told me about this book. About how funny and cute and cool it was. It's a contemporary YA so it practically preordered itself for me.

I started it the day my postie left it in my mail box. I finished it that same night, well, 4am in the morning (reading into the squeaky hours of the night is one of my absolute favourite activities, but only the best* books can take me there).

The Distance Between Us is so much what I love about YA. It's smiley and fun and funny and has this ridiculously swoony slow burn romance. Seriously. It also just felt unique. Like it was just marching along happily to it's own little beat.

It has the best cool inclusions. I do not want to give everything away, but: living on top of a (creepy) doll shop! Grave-digging and cemeteries! Serenading musicians! Midnight pranks! op shopping! (or, as Americans would say: thrift stores!) Cute hot chocolate moments and a surprise plane flight. Oh! And that first kiss scene? Perfection <3

What makes a book unputdownable for me? Loving it. I just got right in the groove. I didn't want it to end. The swoon and zingy-fun-antagonistic-cute chemistry between Caymen and Xander = addictive.

I loved the characters. Also, I mostly try not to think about the author while reading (my goals is to get lost in the land of make-believe) but I couldn't help but imagine just how much fun Kasie West must have had writing this book. So many grins -- awesome one-liners, cute scenes. Lots of swoon. And the plot itself was fun with creative settings.

The ending has a twist that's a bit wild. I'm not sure it entirely works? But I could definitely work with it :) It did not detract from my enjoyment at all.

I loved this. I had such a great time reading it. You all know I love contemporary YA and am always hunting for my next perfect fix. This book delivered. One of my favourite reads this year and a new lifetime contemporary favourite <3  

*best = my kind of books <3