Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Taylor Markam was abandoned by her mother at a 7-Eleven on Jellicoe Road when she was a mere eleven years old. Only moments later a woman by the name of Hannah picked her up and brought her to the Jellicoe School. Now she is seventeen and finds that Hannah is a rock in her inconsistent life. While she has Hannah, Taylor doesn't know much about her family except the horror stories she remembers of her mother. She does find comfort though in a manuscript that Hannah has written about a group of five friends who met in the worst circumstances, but delved a remarkable friendship when they only had each other. When Hannah just up and leaves, Taylor doesn't understand what has happened and she becomes a wreck. Not only does she have to deal with Hannah's disappearance, but she has just been named the head of her House and the leader of the school kids in the annual territory wars against the "Townies" and "Cadets." In the war the three groups battle and negotiate following an extensive set of rules that might as well be history. As the war wages on Taylor learns to take an active role in her community as well as develop relationships that she never thought possible. Especially with Jonah Griggs, the leader of the Cadets whom she already has quite a history with already. This war will be like no other. It will not only be between the normal three parties, but among friends, hearts desires, and most of all Taylor herself.

From the title I was expecting a light and fun read. Wow, was I wrong. This book is filled with heartbreak, joy, laughter and sorrow. It completely blew me away and surpassed every expectation I had, even though I was expecting something completely different. Before I even get into the elements of the story I have to comment on how much talent the author has. Melina Marhetta's writing style is indescribable. It seemed that she was so comfortable writing the story and her words just flowed from page to page with great clarity. I loved how the author weaved many intricate details and mini-stories into one big story, making it like a puzzle that slowly comes together until those last couple of pieces which just fall into place. The only miff I had with this book is that it took me probably until the third chapter to actually understand what was going on. In the beginning there were two stories going on and it was hard to wrap my head around everything that was happening. After that though it seemed the author settled into writing and the story took off. Taylor without a doubt is one of the best characters that I think has ever been created. She has this true voice where you can hear and feel her emotion ring out. By the time the book had ended I felt like I knew Taylor like I know my best friends. While Taylor was the main character, the author did a fabulous job creating the other characters. Unlike many supporting characters, the characters in Jellicoe Road all had their own voices and became their own person with a real and likable personality. I highly recommend this book to readers everywhere. Whether you're a girl or a guy, you will treasure this novel and hold it near and dear to your heart for a long time to come. Jellicoe Road is a beautiful love story, a heart wrenching story of loss, a poignant self-discovery, and most of all an unforgettable tale. It is by far one of the best books of the year.

Pre-order this book NOW!! It hits stores August 26 and you don't want to miss out on this one-of-a-kind novel.