Review of We Are the Tornadoes by Michael Kun and Susan Mullen

We are the Tornadoes by Michael Kun and Susan Mullen

Published on November 1, 2016 by St. Martin's Griffin

Source: finished copy for review

Synopsis from Goodreads: Growing up across the street from each other, Scott and Cath have been best friends their entire lives. Cath would help Scott with his English homework, he would make her mix tapes (it's the 80's after all), and any fight they had would be forgotten over TV and cookies. But now they've graduated high school and Cath is off to college while Scott is at home pursuing his musical dreams. During their first year apart, Scott and Cath's letters help them understand heartache, annoying roommates, family drama and the pressure to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives. And through it all, they realize that the only person they want to turn to is each other. But does that mean they should be more than friends? The only thing that's clear is that change is an inescapable part of growing up. And the friends who help us navigate it share an unshakable bond.  

Review of We are the Tornadoes

This showed up in the mail and I had some thoughts: "Cute cover." and "Another October YA book about tornadoes?"

Then I opened it. If you are a regular reader, you know that I'm not a fan of epistolary fiction. But I did read this and there were some things about it that I enjoyed.

We Are Still Tornadoes is an exchange of letters between former classmates and neighbors. Cath has headed gone off to college, while Scott stayed in their hometown to work and try to get his band going. Their letters describe roommate issues, disappointing grades, family issues, triumphs and tragedies large and small.

Pros:

• We Are the Tornadoes is a funny book. There's a running joke involving the title, and some jokes about Cath's roommate.
• I love the 80s! The story is set in the early 80s, and there are a lot of pop culture references that had me smiling.
• The book had a sweet rom-com feel about it.

Cons: 

As with most epistolary stories, I found it a little flat. There's not much description, and I only felt that I got to know the characters on a surface level.

If you're looking for a book that's funny, romantic, and a quick read, definitely try this one out! I'll be giving it away on Freebie Friday.