Review: '89 Walls by Katie Pierson @katiedoodles58

College is not in the cards for Seth. He spends his minimum wage on groceries and fakes happiness to distract his mom from the MS they both know will kill her. It’s agony to carry around a frayed love note for a girl who’s both out of his league and beneath his dignity.

Quinn’s finishing high school on top. But that cynical, liberal guy in her social studies class makes her doubt her old assumptions. Challenging the rules now, though, would a) squander her last summer at home, b) antagonize her conservative dad, and c) make her a hypocrite.

Seth and Quinn’s passionate new romance takes them both by surprise. They keep it a secret: it’s too early to make plans and too late not to care. But it’s 1989. As politics suddenly get personal, they find themselves fighting bare-fisted for their beliefs—and each other—in the clear light of day. 

Title: '89 Walls
Author: Katie Pierson
Publisher: Wise Ink
Publication Date: June 5, 2015

Brooke's Review:

I want to thank the author for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

I am a child of the 80s. I was in HS in the 80s. So when I read the blurb of this book, with kids who were in HS in the 80s, I knew I had to give it a try!

Quinn and Seth, frenemies. Well, sort of. More like rivals. But for a long time Seth has loved Quinn. Yet she's been out of his league. At least he thinks she has until one day he decides to let her know exactly how he feels. And from there we watch a new friendship grow. I liked that the romance in this was a slow burn. Even though Seth has had a thing for Quinn for a while, she doesn't fall completely and madly in love with him overnight. As she learns about who he is and what he believes, she sees they are more aligned then she ever thought.

Seth is fighting demons, though. Stuck in a life where he's forced to take care of his sick mother, he doesn't see himself going to college as he surely should. Whereas Quinn has her life laid out for her. She's smart and ambitious and ready to go.

I have never been much into politics, but as I watched the debates happen in this book during Quinn and Seth's social studies class, I realize I knew more and was more involved than I ever thought! It was easy for me to connect with the characters on this level, which I never thought possible.

This book is very politically driven. I think because I grew up during this time, it was easy for me to understand it and see what was happening. I'm not so sure others who don't understand the background would. I can't necessarily see kids who are teens in this day and age understanding the politics that ruled during the 1980s and would honestly think it might be hard for them to connect with that area of this book.

But those same teens would certainly connect with the characters, who have real life struggles with which they must live. Seth supports Quinn during a very hard time in her life and I found this to be sweet. It definitely endeared him to me more. And Quinn certainly supports Seth when tragedy strikes.

For me the ending of this book fell a bit flat. It just kind of ended with no wrap up. And it was a little to neat for me. Just as the relationship is starting the characters are separated, but they seem just fine with it (no tears, no one is upset, etc). For me this is unrealistic. I would have liked to see more of an ending with the characters perhaps making promises to each other or striving for a common goal.

Overall I liked the story. The writing was easy and flowed well. I would certainly pick up another book by this author to see where it leads.

I freelance for local non-profits, using my background in public policy and grassroots organizing to overthrow the patriarchy one introverted step at a time. When I'm not writing fiction, I return library books, make soup, and try to be cooler than I really am by hip-hopping at the YMCA. 
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in American History from the University of Pennsylvania (where I dabbled briefly in being a College Republican) and a Master’s in American History from the University of Minnesota. I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and now live with my partner and two daughters in a suburb of Minneapolis. I'm a member of SCBWI, MNSCBWI and the Authors Guild.

’89 Walls is my first novel. You can reach me through my website, www.katiepierson.net, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/89walls/, and on Twitter @katiedoodles58.