Landline

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 310
Rating: 4 Stars
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Georgie McCool loves her job. She loves what she does. And she and her partner in crime (or rather, in script writing) have a dream for their job that's about to come true. Except... well, except the only way they can make their dream come true is if Georgie skips her family trip to visit her mother in law to stay and work. To her relief, her husband doesn't get mad at her when she informs him that she couldn't spend Christmas with his family. To her horror, he decides to go on his own, with their two daughters.

And as Georgie watches her marriage crumble away from 1500 miles away, she discovers a magical telephone where she can speak to the 20 year old version of her husband, who was then her boyfriend.

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Surprisingly, I enjoyed this novel. I listened to this book on audio on a long car ride, and that's pretty much the only reason I decided to read this. It was one of the only things I had checked out on audiobook, so I figured I'd go ahead and give it a shot. And as a reader of YA, I'm pleased to say I liked my small venture into adult literature. (Of course, it probably helps that it's Rainbow Rowell.)

I must confess that bits of it were very slow moving, and I got bored a couple times while listening, but the fast moving parts really made the book worth it. It was an 8 hour car ride, and every time we stopped to eat or rest, I never wanted to get out of the car and turn off the book. Plus it was very humorous. I was often trying to hide my smile or laugh so I wouldn't seem like a lunatic while listening, but the story along with the narrator's amazing acting put me in fits of laughter.

I did have a couple problems- mainly with how many loose ends were left untied by the end of the story. And I didn't like how passive Georgie could be. There were plenty of things I personally think she should've been upset about concerning her husband, Neal, but she always let it slide. And considering how feisty Georgie's personality is (or at least is supposed to be) I would expect her to stand up for herself. 

But aside from those things, I did really like this novel. 

Something I rather enjoyed was how Georgie's iPhone couldn't function unless it was plugged into a power source. So anytime she was talking to someone or just on the phone, she had to walk around with her computer or stand by an outlet. I found it ironic, because of how similar it is to a landline. When using a landline, you're restricted to how far the cord on the phone can stretch. 

I really appreciated the characters in this book, too. Each one was unique and different. My favorite was Georgie's 18 year old sister, Heather. I thought Heather was a hilarious, fun character to read about. I liked Georgie's mom, too. She made me laugh. 

So should you read this novel? While it may be more new adult than young adult, I really liked it, and found it to be a fun, light summer read. Four stars.