Tonight the Streets Are Ours

by Leila Sales

Recklessly loyal.

That’s how seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley has always thought of herself. Caring for her loved ones is what gives Arden purpose in her life and makes her feel like she matters. But lately she’s grown resentful of everyone—including her needy best friend and her absent mom—taking her loyalty for granted.

Then Arden stumbles upon a website called Tonight the Streets Are Ours, the musings of a young New York City writer named Peter, who gives voice to feelings that Arden has never known how to express. He seems to get her in a way that no one else does, and he hasn’t even met her.

Until Arden sets out on a road trip to find him.

During one crazy night out in New York City filled with parties, dancing, and music—the type of night when anything can happen, and nearly everything does—Arden discovers that Peter isn’t exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn’t exactly who she thought she was, either.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary, Road Trip

342 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Leila Sales was born in 1984 and grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology in 2006. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the mostly glamorous world of children's book publishing. Leila spends most of her time thinking about sleeping, kittens, dance parties, and stories that she wants to write.


***Please note that I do not respond to messages sent to me via Goodreads mail. I love hearing from readers, but would ask you to email me at leila@leilasales.com, or tweet at me @LeilaSalesBooks. Thank you!

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all stories, the one you're about to read is a love story.
If it wasn't, what would be the point?

4 1/2 stars. And it is a love story, as the opening sentences promise. Just not quite in the way you're probably imagining.

Two years ago, Sales' This Song Will Save Your Life completely ripped my heart out. I've been a little afraid to start Tonight the Streets Are Ours because it seemed that anything it delivered would never be able to compare. Plus, some of the early reviews have had low-to-average ratings, making me even more hesitant.

But I thought this book was wonderful. All the characters are well-developed and interesting, though unlikable at times, and I loved the sad truth running underneath the surface of this story - the truth that everyone has their own personal story and it might not be what you expect. The truth that what we show to the world might only be a shadow of the reality.

Tonight the Streets Are Ours is filled with insights about people and the way they think. And I just love the way Sales frames her stories, including important anecdotes from Arden's childhood and playing about with the timeline of the novel. In many ways, this is a story about stories, about stories within stories. And it's about finding the balance between being a good person for those who need you and not neglecting yourself.

Arden had just never imagined that when she threw Lindsey a life jacket, she would be drowning herself.

Arden has always filled a specific role in the lives of those around her - particularly her best friend, Lindsey. The role is this: people need her and Arden is always there for them. To bail them out, to fix their problems, to smile in support on the sidelines. Because that's what love is, right?

But as Arden begins to realise more and more how one-sided her relationships are, she turns to the Internet and finds comfort in the blog of teen New Yorker - Peter. A blog called Tonight the Streets Are Ours. She follows his life from love to loss to heartache. And one day when Arden's own life becomes too much for her to handle, she sets off to New York in search of him.

Even now, though, years later, Arden identified that feeling. The moment between certainty and mystery, safety and soaring.
“Yes,” Arden said.

In one crazy night of parties and reckless abandon, Arden starts to question many things that she knows and, with them, the way she has lived her life.

This is a book of many realizations about life, love and friendship - a bildungsroman of sorts. It looks at many different relationships - between parent and child, between friends, between lovers, between author and reader - and each exploration is fascinating.

It left me with a strange mixture of feelings, from contentment to sadness. All I know is that I can't wait for Sales to write more. And I'm glad I named my cat after her: https://instagram.com/p/5Kjm6ESG5z/

My Playlist:
Lonely Town by Brandon Flowers
Runaways by Betty Who
Just Tonight by The Pretty Reckless
Falling is Like This by Ani Difranco
New York City by Among Savages
Electric Love by BØRNS
1979 by Smashing Pumpkins
The City by 1975

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[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever been as conflicted about a book as I am with Tonight the Streets Are Ours. Objectively, it's one of the best books I've ever read. On the other hand, subjectively, I just want to flush it down the toilet.

Now you're probably thinking something along the lines of:



Let me explain, fellow booknerds. This book is realistic--but it brings out the negativity of the world we live in. So while I appreciated the idea of the book, I couldn't really enjoy it. So I guess while I'm rating this based on my feelings, I'll be talking about it both objectively and subjectively.

Let's start with where everything began--the main character, Arden. Compared to the other characters, she's actually quite alright. She's played as the typical "good friend" who's always there for everyone. She has her ups and downs. A bit lackluster, but pretty decent, if you ask me.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT HER BEST FRIEND, LINDSEY. Now this one right here's a real freeloader--all take and no give. Every time she opened her mouth to say ANYTHING, I was cringing on the inside. What's worse is that she doesn't know how to say thank you and has to pick a fight to prove a senseless point. Despite that, she's a really truthful character--I'd bet my right arm that there are many of us like her.

And then we have Peter. The only thing I have to say to him? Fuck you, asshole! Just... what an absolute prick. I can't explain this further without spoiling the book, but I seriously need to rid my brain of any thoughts of him.

The actual story's not-so-great, actually. It's pretty unrealistic, at least for me. I can't picture a girl my age randomly driving out for hours (WITHOUT PERMISSION) to a place she's unfamiliar with to meet up with a blogger who she's never met before. The writing made it even harder for me to get into, since it was sort of a third flowery, a third conversational, and a third simple, which just didn't blend well with the story.

This book does feature some pretty legit life lessons, but they were explicitly stated most of the time and were just so in-your-face. I think I've mentioned before that I HATE inspirational stuff when they're shoved into your line of sight. I prefer my life lessons served on a silver COVERED platter, thank you very much. I'm weird like that.

I REST MY CASE.

Deadly Darlings | The Social Potato | The Book Geek | Twitter | Instagram

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sacrificing everything that you care about in order to make another person happy is not love.”

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been flying through these amazing YA novels released this year. Most of them promised a unique story. Most of them were told in a unique perspective by a special character that usually has a special kind of illness, oddity or an extraordinary psychological state. Most of them were written very creatively but looking back at them, they mostly are the same. They’re all telling a love story and most of them slightly disappointingly ended up telling a romantic love story and even though I said they were amazing, I admit, they kind of wore me down and I’ve been in a reading slump for the past few weeks until I’ve read this book.

This story started out with a promise, to me, more like a warning that this is going to be another love story but what caught my attention was the second part of the warning which says, “if it wasn’t (a love story), what would be the point?”. I knew from those provocative words that this is going to be exactly what I needed.

I did get what I was promised. This is a love story but it’s more than just that. I couldn’t exactly tell what kind of story this is but what I can guarantee you is that this is not a romance novel. I could also tell you for sure that this is also a story about what love is not.

There is something about the simplicity in the author’s writing that touches, no, envelopes the heart completely without torturing it. I didn’t cry a single tear but it’s an emotional, moving story about self-discovery, change, love, friendship and family written simply but genuinely. It’s a story that presents the reality that most often, who we are is always a conflict between what people expect us to be versus who we want to be and if there isn’t a balance between the two, we end up losing ourselves. It’s never too late though to amend that and it’s also never too late for you to read this book!^^

Another inspirational novel from Leila Sales. I’m a fan!

Thank you to Ann's short but captivating review that convinced me to read the book.^^

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Song : Sirens Call (yes, French sing in English too^^) I have no idea why this song made me think of this book so much, but it does. Oh, well.

*puppy face*

WHY? (fake spoiler, please answer my question not really)

Nobody can deny that internet - and others in general, for that matter - influences our lives in a way or another. As soon as judgments aren't shoved down my throat, I'm okay with that, but what happens when the boundaries between what we think and what we show are so blurred that everything we're told can cause us to lose our groundings?

Can we really lose ourselves when what we presumed about our personality was - maybe - a lie in the first place?

"Other people matter hugely. But you have to matter to yourself, too. There has to be a balance. I'm still figuring out that balance, myself. But I know this one thing : sacrificing everything that you care about in order to make another person happy is not love."

Tonight the Streets Are Ours takes us on a journey through multiple characters' life. In that aspect, the story is strictly contemporary, sometimes not completely believable (aka. going to New York) yet it didn't bother me because let's face it, I was engrossed and understood what Leila Sales was trying to say. To be frank, I have absolutely no desire to spoil the story for you, because my enjoyment was linked with my complete lack of knowledge. I know, I know, Anna, meet blurb. Anyway - instead of going on and on about what you will find in this journey, I'm going to offer you some questions (it's Saturday! Enjoy!)



Perhaps this book brings its share of unbelievability, yet it always stays fundamentally HONEST, and if I can't say that I loved every part of it, its brilliant characterization and flawless writing will leave their mark on me.


The writing has .. voice-over vibes that I really appreciated. In all honestly, I realize that readers could feel quite disconnected to the characters because of it but I never did, and what happened was actually the opposite. Arden, who could have annoyed me in the beginning, benefited from the sensation I got that I was scrutinizing her life through a screen. More than the main character whose thoughts I shared, she became important - dear - to me.



I should warn you : if you expect a book where you'll like the characters, turn the other way. *waves*

Now, if you can enjoy a story in which every single character recreates events in its own fashion and where complexity comes out of imperfection in a splendid manner, fasten your seatbelts and be prepared for the ride.

Can I get a FUCK YEAH?

What is wonderful is the way their complexity is handled : you know how infuriating a book where everything is told is, right? Here we get both : now enjoy finding the difference between what's real and what's not - What we're told or what we see or tries to see?



Call me pessimist, but the tension before Arden breaks apart - or not - stole my breath. Why can't I imagine her not being resentful of every "good deed" she does? WHY? I don't know, but what I can say is that Leila Sales gradually unravels inner thoughts until ... You know what? Just wait - don't let the beginning convince you that Arden is some special snowflake, because she's (fortunately) way more complex and yes, unlikeable than she appears at first.

The characters here are hard to like at times, albeit never hateful. Let's be a little honest, okay? The story is told through Arden's POV. We are in her head. She does nice things, and less kind ones. She especially shares comments that can be seen as selfish but... in her head, people. I don't know about you, but my inner thoughts are sometimes bitchy, sarcastic, definitely not nice. Perhaps you would hate me if you spent a whole book in my head. Perhaps I would hate you. Perhaps we're all fucking hypocrites when we complain about this kind of characters.

I guess we'll never know, won't we?

These characters are so realistic that despite the fact that some parts made me cringe, I would recommend this book to teenagers, because real people NEED to read about characters who don't seem to come straight out of a fairytale and where relationships are sometimes messed-up and filled with resentment and misunderstandings.



Well done, Leila Sales.

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[hayden]

". . . about a teen girl living in the suburbs who becomes obsessed with a blogger in New York City, and sets out to track him down in real life . . ."

Seems to hit a little too close to home, after recent events...

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Macmillan Children's Books and NetGalley.)

“Using all your awesome powers of self-reliance, you can find your own way home.”



This story started out quite slow, but it improved towards the end.

Arden really did put herself on the line for her best friend Lindsey in this story, and Lindsey seemed perfectly happy to let that happen. I felt quite sorry for Arden in this respect, because while she shouldn’t have put her future on the line for Lindsey, Lindsey really shouldn’t have let her do it! What kind of a best friend is she?!

The storyline in this was pretty slow, and then we got a really quite random road trip happening, which was a little bit crazy really. Why Arden got this idea in her head I don’t know, but what she did was actually quite dangerous, going to try and find someone you have never met or spoken to before? She could have ended up dead!

The book did improve towards the end though, and I liked how Arden’s ideas about a certain person proved to not be accurate at all, and she also learned something about herself and her relationships.



7 out of 10

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's so weird that I read two books with such similar themes back to back. Tonight the Streets Are Ours deals with the same sort of theme of your perception of people vs. the reality of them. I enjoyed it, but it didn't have the same impact as Scarlett Epstein did for me for a couple of reasons.

I didn't connect with Arden on an emotional level at all. She sort of bland, but I could understand her struggle that in order for her to feel her worth she had to feel needed. I get that in some ways. Other than that I just couldn't connect at all. Second, this story just didn't have quite the emotional punch I wanted. A big thing for me in order to really love young adult contemporary is for it reach at deep emotional level. It has to really make me feel. This didn't really do that which is a shame because I loved Leila Sales other book This Song Will Save Your Life so much. Overall, I like this. 3.25 stars.

[The Queen of Hearts]

I likez the sound of this.

[Fafa's Book Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fafa's Book Corner (Wordpress)
Fafa's Book Corner (Blogger)

I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

After reading two fantasies in a row a contemporary felt refreshing. I thought that I would like this book way more than I did This Song Will Save Your Life . I liked the story in Tonight the Streets Are Ours more than I did This Song Will Save Your Life . But it didn't leave me breathless nor did it wow me.

This book is divided into two parts and is written in third person. The book starts off with Arden and her best friend Lindsey getting into a fight. Arden decides that she is through with Lindsey and leaves. We are then taken back two months before this occurred. Arden has been called down to the principles office. When she enters his office he explains that during a locker routine check they found pot in her locker. She is surprised by this but then realizes that Lindsey put it in her locker. They don't use their assigned lockers but each others because it's much closer to their classes. Arden realizes that if she reveals this Lindsey will get in trouble with her parents and will not be allowed to participate in the track team.

Readers are then told how the two friends met. Lindsey was new to town and Arden's neighbor. During their first conversation Lindsey revealed that her father had cancer and that things were hard for them. Arden feeling bad for Lindsey asks her parents whether she can give their Disney Land tickets to Lindsey's family instead. They agree. Since then they have been inseparable.

Arden claims that yes the pot is hers. Her father is called in and she reveals to the principle that her mother left a few weeks back and that the pot was her way of acting out. The principle says that Arden will be suspended for three days and that the pot incident would go on her permanent record. Therefore whatever colleges she would apply for would she that she had a 'pot addiction'. Arden is shocked by this but doesn't rat Lindsey out. Lindsey is grateful for Arden saving her butt. Arden never told Lindsey what exactly the consequences were aside from the obvious suspension.

Lindsey is a troublemaker and Arden has always been there to save her. Her parents did not really like her. As she is a troublemaker and a Lesbian. With the exception of her, Lindsey's family are devote Christians. Her and Arden have been friends since they were nine years old.

Arden's family life has been difficult since her mother walked out on them. Her mother does call and email but Arden wants nothing to do with her considering that her mother left them in a mess. At some point in the book Arden's father comes with a letter from her mother and tells her to read it. At first she has no intention of doing so but her curiosity wins. The letter explains why her mother left and that she and Arden's father were trying to work on their issues so that she could come back.

One day Arden comes across a blog Tonight the Streets Are Ours. She is awe at how the blogger manages to understand her without even knowing her. She finds out that the bloggers name is Peter and that he lives in New York. She checks on his blog everyday and loves the way he writes.

After getting in a fight with her boyfriend on their one year anniversary she decides to check on Peters blog. She finds that he is also having a miserable day. She decides that Peter needs her in his life. She asks Lindsey whether she would like to go to New York and she agrees. So the two set off.

Arden's trip to New York wasn't realistic. First of all when did she have time to even get money for the trip? She only went back to Lindsey's house so she could pick her up. She never went back to her house because that would raise suspicion. It's possible that she just carries money on her. I'm assuming it was a lot of money because if you are going on a trip $10-20 isn't enough. Especially considering that Lindsey never carried any money with her.

When Arden and her boyfriend got into the fight I found that it was her fault and not her boyfriends. I understand that she had been planning their anniversary for months and she was frustrated that he couldn't make it. But I also felt that she took it overboard. Due to the fact that he couldn't make it she assumed that she wasn't a top priority to him and she felt that she had a right to want this one thing. His reason for not being able to make it was justified.

During the ride to New York when Lindsey decides to actually help Arden she blows because her suggestions were not helpful. This was very rude on her part. She keeps complaining that she feels she does everything and doesn't get any help. But when she does she gets angry. This is probably because at the time she was extremely frustrated and just in a bad mood.

It was really weird to read about her fascination in Peter. She assumed that because his blog was a personal one that she knew everything about him. I guess that it wasn't necessarily wrong to assume so. But it was weird.

During her trip in New York she realizes that she doesn't know who she is. Afterwards she finds herself and learns to forgive her mother.

You can probably tell that I didn't like Arden. I liked her more towards the end. I also could not relate to her. She went on this journey to find herself whereas I have always known who I am and have never needed said journey.

Despite how the synopsis makes Lindsey seem awful she wasn't. I actually liked her and could easily relate to her. She made all these silly mistakes but she didn't let them define her. And she does own up to said mistakes. Her friendship with Arden wasn't what I would call a healthy one. Arden never let Lindsey learn and grow. Instead she always protected her. By the end of the trip they realize this and mend their friendship.

I'm not going to say anything about Peter because that would literally spoil the whole book for you. The only thing you need to know is that he is not what he seems.

This book was about learning to grow, stories, friendship and love. You see both sides of all the stories in this book making you realize that there is always more to what meets the eye and that sometimes there is not good guy or bad guy but instead just victims.

Just like This Song Will Save Your Life this book contained realistic characters.

I liked the epilogue and how all the characters stories ended. I also loved how all the characters grew throughout this story! I will definitely continue to read more books by Sales. Overall this was a good book with an interesting story! I recommend this to those who have gone on a journey to find themselves, fans of the author, and fans of contemporary.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Like all stories, the one you're about to read is a love story."

I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting when I picked this up. I wanted to read this because it was written by the author who wrote This Song Will Save Your Life (if you haven't read that yet what are you waiting for?!) and because it was about a girl trying to track down a blogger. But what I was expected isn't what I got.

Seventeen year old Arden is fiercely loyal.

"Love means sometimes sacrificing the things you want in order to make someone else happy. It means being there for someone, even when maybe you don't feel like it, because they need you."

Her role in everyone's life is to be there for them and support/cheer them on. And I thought she was extremely relatable (at least to me) with trying to keep her best friend safe and happy and the betrayal she felt after her mother's actions. When she realizes how unhappy she is always being there for people and no one for her (friends, family, boyfriend) she finds comfort in a blog called Tonight the Streets Are Ours written by a seventeen year old boy named Peter.

Like I said, I didn't really get what I was expecting. I thought this would be a feel good romance, but it's not. It looks at all types of relationships, yes, some romantic, but also between family and friends, and every single character in this book managed to piss me off at one point or another but because of all their flaws they felt so real to me.

I think a lot of us have been in relationships that are more one-sided than not and it's hard to find the balance between doing what's best for others and doing what's best for yourself and Tonight the Streets Are Ours definitely touches upon all of this which makes it extremely relatable. I absolutely recommend this.

"You were promised a love story. And this is mine."

**ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Charnell (Reviews from a Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and reviewed Leila Sales other book, This Song Will Save Your Life, way back in December of 2013, during my first few months of blogging. That book turned out to be one of my favourite books of the year and is still a book I consider a favourite of mine. When I heard the great news that Leila was finally releases another YA book, I might have been ridiculously excited/ridiculously nervous (We all know the feeling!) . I saw the cover, which is stunning and makes me want to own the book just so I can photograph it, and the summary and I got way more excited than nervous. The book sounded so good and I was adding it to my to-read shelf on Goodreads and getting frustrated that I had to wait for it. I finished the book and I can't quite say that I loved it, but I did enjoy it and I didn't feel disappointed or that it didn't live up to my expectations.



The book starts with the words:

Like all stories, the one you are about to read is a love story. If it wasn't, what would be the point?

And the fact that it also ends with similar words, it seems only right that I had assumed that this book was going to be a love story. And I guess, in the end, it was.... just not at all in the way you were probably expecting. What struck me the most about this story was the fact that I came away from it really enjoying the book as a whole, whilst seemingly hating all of the characters. It just goes to show the kind of writer that Sales is, she can write those flawed characters that make you want to shake them, but they're real. I appreciate real characters, even if I do want to reach into my book and whack them all upside the head.





But first I want to talk about the characters, because I like to rant about things and these guys give me endless opportunities! You could probably have worked that out for yourself if you follow me on Goodreads, as it was really the only thing I updated my status about.

My main problem with Arden was that the girl was just beyond frustrating. The only thing she knows about herself is that she's fiercely loyal. She protects the people she cares about and does whatever she can to help them. But she never really thinks about whether these people actually need, want or even asked for her help. Plus this book is about a girl basically tracking down a blogger, a guy she's never met or spoken to. So I have to side eye the girl a bit and want to steer clear of her and her Kathleen Hale ways!

 Take this for example, when she has an epiphany that the thing this guy needs, after being dumped, is some random girl he has never met.

What Peter needed was someone like Arden.

No.

He didn't need someone like Arden. He needed Arden.

She sat up. Peter needed her - and why shouldn't he have her?

You've never spoken a word to the guy, how can you even begin to assume you know what the guy needs. Back off, woman!

Arden's mother is an important character in this story, having walked out on the family. All Arden knows is that her mother is exactly 311 miles away in New York City, and she refuses to allow her mother to explain why. I hate these kinds of parents, especially when I come across them in YA novels. Those parents who just seem to think it's okay to put themselves before their children and walk out. Okay, so maybe you didn't get to do everything you wanted in life because you had children.... Maybe you should have thought about that before you popped out two children. Now own up to your responsibility, don't walk out on it! I just can't buy into the whole bullshit thing of : I've had children and this has clearly had an impact on my life, as it would. But I am not pleased with how it's worked out... so I'm just gonna fuck off for a while and do my own thing and leave you guys to suffer because of poor decisions I made in my life. Bravo, bitch, great parenting! I just wanted Arden to go hunt her down and call her out on her bullshit, the woman needed it.

My exact feelings for Chris.

Then we have Arden's father, the kind of guy who would get a dog put down because he's too much work to look after. Are you kidding me? Just go away. What is wrong with these two? Why did they think procreating was a good idea, they clearly shouldn't be trusted to raise children as they both suck at it. We also have Arden's boyfriend of ten months, Chris, whose whole relationship with Arden feels like the very definition of a rebound. Not to mention he gives her limited time or attention and doesn't seem to really care strongly about her. He's like purposely neglectful enough that we won't care when their relationship inevitably falls apart, which it will because we are waiting for our love story to happen - and love stories don't happen with guys like Chris.

How Peter should have reacted.


And it doesn't stop there, I was also frustrated by Peter, our blogger, and didn't really understand Arden wanting to track the guy down. He sounded like a whiny little boy to me, I wanted him to grow up and move on. He falls for Bianca in what feels like a minute and they date for a month before she breaks up with him, and he acts like his world has ended. And then repeats the process, like the absolute idiot he clearly is. Not to mention the fact the guy doesn't run for the hills the moment a strange girl goes 311 miles just to track him down. What is wrong with you? You just got legitimately stalked and you don't even blink.


WOAH! A lot of character frustrations and yet I did not dislike the actual book. Leila Sales didn't disappoint me and she definitely delivers with her writing. I just really connect with her crisp writing style, it gets me swept up in her stories and makes it hard for me to put the book down until I'm finished. I love how subtly she can deal with tough subjects, so that it never feels preachy or that you're having it rammed down your throat.



There is a moment in this book where Arden finally meets Peter- I'd suggest skipping ahead two paragraphs if you feel knowing someone's ethnicity is a spoiler - and she realises that he is Asian, something she hadn't even thought about.

For one thing, he was Asian. Arden had just assumed he would be white, like she was, like almost everyone in Cumberland was. She felt immediately guilty for expecting, however subconsciously, that everyone she met would look like her.

That was an eye opening moment for me because I realised that, up until that very point, I'd also been picturing Peter as white, subconsciously. I'm terrible at picturing characters in my head, I usually just see them as blobs. But I realise that, unless it's stated otherwise, I think I might subconsciously imagine the characters as white as well. Sales hit on something that I feel is true for a lot of people, we sort of project ourselves on to the characters sometimes, and imagine them being like us in some ways. It was a brilliant point and I felt just as guilty as Arden did for assuming... We already covered above what happens when you assume - you make an ass out of u and me!

Maybe loving somebody means simply they bring out the best in you, and you bring out the best in them - so that together, you are always the best possible versions of yourselves.

4/5 Butterflies

This review was hard for me because the only thing I really wanted to talk about was the characters. That's because they were interesting and real, they pissed me off for many different reasons but their flaws were what made them real. Sales isn't one to write perfect characters with no flaws, her books always contain characters that you can relate to because nobody's perfect. We all have things we'd change about ourselves and others, things that we have to come to accept about ourselves, just like the characters have to do here. This was a fabulous book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Whilst This Song Will Save Your Life is still my favourite book by the author, I do still highly recommend this one.

[Drew · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Maybe loving somebody means simply they bring out the best in you, and you bring out the best in them—so that together, you are always the best possible versions of yourselves.”

This book is all about love. What does it mean to love your family, your best friend, or someone you've never met before? Can you still love a person even when you're unhappy with them?

Arden is a self-sacrificing seventeen-year-old. Her mother and grandmother were both extremely kind and generous to the point of it being damaging. Arden worries that people don't see her as anything more than a "nice girl." With her rocky family and doubts toward her too-perfect boyfriend, Arden is looking for an escape. So when she discovers a website titled Tonight the Streets Are Ours, she becomes obsessed with the author and his life.

Unlike Leila Sales' fast-paced contemporary This Song Will Save Your Life, the plot of Tonight the Streets Are Ours was kind of boring. With TSWSYL, I was ripping through the pages, desperate to find out what would happen next. But with Sales' latest book, there just wasn't anything too exciting happening to hold my interest. I honestly never cared very much about the characters or what was happening to them.

I think the best thing about this book was the heavily-explored theme of dependent and self-sacrificing people. Arden has always been giving, and her best friend Lindsey, needy. So whenever Lindsey gets into trouble, Arden is there to rescue her. The thing is, Arden is slowly and quietly getting tired of her best friend "using" her like this, but she doesn't know how to put a stop to it.

This book didn't have the dynamics of teenagers growing up, making bad decisions, and having important realizations like in TSWSYL. Though it did explore some themes quite nicely, the plot was only mildly interesting and the characters' personalities weren't rich and complex like I expected them to be.

Maybe my expectations were too high, but I was disappointed with Tonight the Streets Are Ours. It wasn't a bad book, but compared to what I had been hoping for, it didn't have a lot to offer.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I started reading it.But let me start by mentioning about the cover of this book,which is absolutely gorgeous! As this book is probably going to be my last read for the year,I wanted it be a love story.And after reading the first sentence of the book,which was "Like all love stories,the one you are about to read is a love story,"I knew that this was the perfect choice.

The book is beautifully written! In this,the main characters doesn't meet in the first few chapters like the way normal love stories starts.Instead,it starts with Arden.Arden's character was very likeable,she was a kind of person who would be first to help people who were close to her,she never thought about what she had to sacrifice as long as she was able to solve the problem.Arden was always there for everyone;especially Lindsey,her best friend.The best thing about this book is its simplicity.Along with Arden's perspective,it also shows Peter's life through his blog called 'Tonight the Street Are Ours' which Arden reads it and gets more and more interested in his life. Then one day she decides to go to New York in search of Peter. And she comes to a realization that whatever she thought about Peter wasn't exactly true. She knew Peter's side of a story,but there was more to it which she wasn't aware of.

All the characters are well written.And even though the book started off very slow,I had a feeling that it might lead to a wonderful story,and it certainly didn't disappoint. The characters had their flaws,and at times I also hated the decisions they made. The story felt very real because your life doesn't go the way you plan and people aren't always like the way you want them to,and at the end Arden realized all of it. I was a bit sad at the ending,because the way story was progressing,I never expected it to end that way,but I also loved the way Arden handled it all. It was an amazing read,I wouldn't say that this was an emotional read,but it did have its sad moments. I love how every character has given importance,and it was interesting to see how Arden's relationship developed with every one of them.

I am happy to add the last read of this year to my 'favorite' shelf! And looking forward to read more books by Leila Sales!

[Jen Ryland]

I've been a huge fan of Leila Sales since way back, so I'm sad to say that I struggled to connect with the characters in this one. And if I'm lacking that connection, it's hard for me to love the book.

At the very beginning of TTSAO, Arden makes a big personal sacrifice for a friend, an act that ordinarily might make me admire a character (like when Katniss steps up to take her sister's place in the Hunger Games.) But then the book goes back in time and reveals Arden has a history of doing stuff like this. That should make me like her even more, right? Well ... no. When Arden was younger, she did a sweet, selfless thing that a child might do. Except that Arden then went and wrote an essay about her own selflessness and entered it in a contest and was rewarded by being made into an American Girl Arden doll. Years later, she's still obsessed with doll-Arden and wishes that people remembered that the doll was modeled on her. As I read, I began to see Arden not as selfless, but as someone who enjoys being a martyr and the attention it can bring her.

Then there was Arden's friend Lindsey, the beneficiary of Arden's self-sacrificing nature, which isn't really fair to Lindsey and leaves her stuck in the unfortunate role of Person Who Constantly Needs to be Rescued by Arden. Finally, there's Arden's mother, who suddenly gets tired of the way motherhood forces her to sacrifice her dreams and completely abandons her husband and children. (And then Arden's father does that thing with the dog and ... I can't even.) Maybe there was a point here about women and sacrifice and how it results in doll-girls and canineicide, but I was never really sure what point the book was trying to make. Things did improve for me toward the end, so I'm glad I finished, but overall, this just wasn't the story for me.

BEFORE READING:

Is it terrible that I find this blurb about someone who becomes obsessed with a blogger and decides to track that blogger down IRL sort of (inappropriately -- sorry!) funny and also (unintentionally on the part of the author, I'm sure!) awkward, all things considered, and yet of course I want to read it. I was a fan of Leila Sales way back from her first book :)

[Ann Mat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all the stories, the one you are about to read is a love story.
If it wasn't, what would be the point?




“I used to think that loving somebody meant sacrificing anything for them. I thought it meant writing them a blank cheque. I thought it meant that you would die without each other. But it turns out that death and a broken heart are not he same.

These days, I think that love is not so dramatic as all that. Maybe loving somebody means simply they bring out the best in you, and you bring out the best in them - so that together, you are always the best possible versions of yourselves.”


I should have known that Leila Sales would surpass an ordinary romance. I thought that this was like another novel where the character always make tons of poor choices but then I think that's the beauty of the book. Everyone directs their course in life, I mean some would always blame it on destiny but what they do or how they react afterwards directs the situation.

One of the most beautiful love story. It's not typical and leaves an impression. I appreciate the characters and their differences.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

For once a story as beautiful as the cover! I absolutely loved it!

[Brie]

Sounds very similar in concept to Graffiti Moon.

[TheBlueBookworm]

I mean I'm slightly creeped out, but I'm even more intrigued.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I desperately wanted to love this book, and maybe that’s where my problem lies. I had expectations that were just too high. I blame This Song Will Save Your Life for that entirely.
Arden Huntley is 17 and known for being ‘recklessly loyal’… at least that’s what her Just Like Me doll says, and I’m sure you’ll say it too after reading this story. Arden is always taking care of everyone else… it makes her feel like she matters and it gives her purpose. It totally helps that her best friend is a bit of a screw-up and her mom has left the family.

After a google search brings up a blog “Tonight the Streets Are Ours” Arden finds herself enthralled with Peter’s life in New York and a rash decision has her and her best friend driving across state lines just to find him.

So let me just get a few things out of the way here as to what I didn’t like. I hated Arden, I hated Lindsey, I hated Chris, I hated her mom and sort of her dad too, and I really hated Peter by the end of things. That’s a lot of hate right? It’s almost impossible to come back from that. I swear to you I have my reasons! I feel like not a single person in this book knew our main character Arden… sure, maybe you could argue that her mom did and I wouldn’t completely disagree with you, however, this is a woman who just up and left her family. Walked out and didn’t come back except to pack a bag. If I had been Arden I wouldn’t have had anything to do with her attempts to finally reach out to connect and explain. Her father was so engrossed in his work and when it wasn’t work it was fantasy football that he had no clue what was going on in either Arden or her brother’s lives. And Chris & Lindsey… I just can’t. I wanted her to stop being such a doormat with both of them. It was just so frustrating to read!

Like all stories, the one you are about to read is a love story. If it wasn't, what would be the point?

Here’s another big issue for me – that sentence above had me expecting a completely different book than what I got. I was expecting a love story. This was most definitely in my opinion NOT a love story at least in any way I feel a love story is depicted.

I can completely appreciate Sales story here for what it is though, despite the fact that I hated everyone and that says an amazing thing about her writing in general. What Sales does is delve into the many different kinds of relationships a person can have and the persona’s we might take on while in those relationships. The idea that maybe we can identify to being the one in a relationship who is always the one giving and giving and letting everyone just take... The feeling that you’re the one who is always caring more, loving more, wanting more… I get it.

I will say that I can also appreciate Arden’s growth in this story. She comes to some pretty major realizations over the span of this one night in NYC and that at least made me happy. I think it was also really interesting the way Sales depicted how people can connect online having never spoken or met or even shared comments. While it was somewhat creepy that Arden felt such an extreme connection to Peter, enough that she straight up drove 311 miles to NYC to find him and meet him, I can appreciate the idea that through words you can form a connection and that’s what Arden felt for Peter. So can we get back to her plan to go to NYC and meet up with some strange guy she hadn’t ever met and was basically stalking to find? I just couldn’t understand how someone could possibly think that was a good idea. Like ever.

Overall, this just didn’t wholly work for me. There are definitely some things that I liked, but overall, not among my favorite reads this year. If you’re looking for a story filled with complicated relationships, and maybe not a love story in the traditional sense, give this a try… there are definitely others who felt much different than I did. Also – if you haven’t read This Song Will Save Your Life – do it. Now.

Thank you to Macmillan for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 2 out of 5]

My expectations for Tonight the Streets Are Ours were mad high after This Song Will Save Your Life had such an impact on me. Honestly, TTSAO was a letdown, but there were still some things I liked about it.

On the good side, Tonight the Streets Are Ours makes a lot of really important points about friendship, love and family. The novel ends up in a really good, healthy place, which is great. There’s a lot of intentional trope-subverting and diversity, as well, which is always a huge plus.

But…I know you saw this coming…as a whole, Tonight the Streets Are Ours lacks cohesion. A writing technique I’m realizing I often hate is when the story opens with a dramatic scene from the middle of the book lifted out of context. It’s meant to hook you, but this can backfire when you start out with all this drama and then descend into boring backstory for almost two hundred pages, which is what happened here. The basic premise is Arden going to find Peter, a blogger she admires, but that doesn’t happen until almost 200 pages into the novel. From that point on, I was engaged in the story but before that I was drifting.

Now, I was engaged for sure and I liked the points the book made, but I do find the obsession with Peter’s blog, the titular Tonight the Streets Are Ours, a bit odd. She finds him because they both feel like they don’t receive as much love as they give, but his story doesn’t really speak to her life particularly. She’s fascinated with his Manic Pixie Dream Girl obsession, Bianca and I really do not understand why. That whole thing wasn’t really sold to me, but I went with it for the most part.

In the first half, it feels like both plot and character were sacrificed a bit for artistry. There’s something very calculated and not genuine about it, leaving it feeling distant in a way the second half does not. The first half feels like it’s being narrated by a Narrator, where the second half reads like standard third person limited.

There are some great things in here, so, if you’re interested, it’s worth picking up, but it’s not Sales’ best. *coughs literally (thanks cold)* READ THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE.

[Rachel Maniacup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow..^^

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why doesn't anybody love me as much as I love them?"
4.5 Stars
Wow, I loved this book so much more than I was expecting to. I don't really understand all the negative review this book is getting. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Sure, the characters aren't perfect, but I don't like reading about perfect characters anyway. This is so much more than a love story, as the first line of the book leads you to believe. This is a story about growing up, friendship, family, and love all in one. It's a beautiful coming of age story about a seventeen year old girl named Arden. I guess some people Think Arden is an annoying protagonist, but I actually found her extremely relatable. (Maybe that says something about my character but oh well.) Arden is always putting everyone before herself, which is something I can 100% relate to. She puts her friends feelings first, her Mom's feelings first, her dad's, her boyfriends, and she never really takes the time to live for herself and figure out what she wants. This is also a story within a story within a story. As Emily May said in her review: "I loved the sad truth running underneath the surface of this story - the truth that everyone has their own personal story and it might not be what you expect. The truth that what we show to the world might only be a shadow of the reality." I think that's so true and that's a beautiful way of wording exactly what this book is about.

"Her mother had this idea that some people were like flowers and some people were like gardners: each needed the other."

All of the characters in this book are very well-developed and have very specific personalities. Even Arden's parents are going through a really hard time and I find their situation really relatable. I could understand both her Mom's and her Dad's side of the fight. Arden is recklessly loyal, as she says many times in this story, and it truly shows. I've been there before too, where you feel like you're extremely loyal to someone, and yet sometimes you feel like the favor is never returned. She always questions why she cares so much more about everyone than they care about her, and that's something I also struggled with at that age. She has all these relatable quotes like: "It didn't seem fair that your happiness was constantly at the mercy of everybody else." which is so true because more often than not, I realize my happiness is directly dependent on other people. She also says:"Because more and more these days, she always wondered if the most exciting moment in her life was already in her past." I know it's absurd to think this way when you're only seventeen years old, but I totally relate to that and I think about that all the time. I still do now. I can't help but wonder if the most exciting time of my life is already over.

"Arden had just never imagined that when she threw Lindsay a life jacket, she would be drowning herself."

Arden follows this blog called Tonight The Streets Are Ours written by a boy named Peter, and I was so captivated by this aspect of the story. Peter is very wise and he's a great story teller. I really looked forward to reading all of his blog posts, and he was also an extremely relatable character. Peter wrote this one quote that really stuck with me: "Last night reminded me how many positive things there are in my life, and it frightens me to think that someday all that might disappear. How long do you get to live like this? During college? After that? How long do you have until everyone expects you to hang up some dreams as impossible and commit yourself to being responsible?" I really love this quote because I think about this a lot. The things that make us happy in our youthful years won't last forever, and how long is too long before you're too old to still be doing those things? At what age are you supposed to let it all go and grow out of things that used to make you so happy? It's scary to think about but I love that this book talks about all of my biggest fears about growing up. I think it's really important to talk about.

Arden goes through some serious character development in this story, and it was beautiful to watch her come to understand why certain things in her life happened the way they did. She's envious at her mother for leaving them, but through the story she becomes sympathetic and understanding. She realizes that sometimes people need you more than you need them. She discovers so many things about what it means to grow up, and I loved following her on her journey. I didn't always agree with her actions, but I know it's all part of the process of growing up and maturing.

I fell in love with this cover at first sight and I'm so glad I ended up loving the story too. This book had so many plot twists towards the end that I didn't see coming and it made the story all the more enjoyable. I also love how this book mentions the song "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins because I love that song and it makes me feel nostalgic of memories I haven't even created yet. Overall, this book was a wonderful surprise, and I really loved it.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

Confession: I never read This Song Will Save Your Life, so I had no idea what to expect when I read this book. Let me tell you, the hype surrounded Leila Sales is not a lie. She is a fantastic writer and also a fantastic story teller.

For starters, this book features a main character who is a person of color. YAY! I adored the diverse set of characters but my favorte part about the characterization was that none of the characters were casted as the 'bad guy'. With the kind of situation Arden was in, it would be so easy to make someone the villain of her story so that she could be the hero but Sales never did that. People make mistakes, things happen, but that doesn’t always make people despicable. Even Arden, the main character, isn’t perfect. She makes mistakes and sometimes she doesn’t always see what is right there.

Arden feels under appreciated. She feels like she always supports her friends and boyfriend but no one wants to be there for her. She is tired and fed up of feeling this way and when she discovers a blog called Tonight the Streets are Ours, she feels like someone finally understands.

This book could probably be classified as a coming of age story because this book primarily deals with Arden’s growth. Arden’s development over the course of the book was a joy to read. She is a realistic, relatable character that you cannot help but cheer for.

Is this book perfect? No. Sometimes Arden did bother me (even though she was realistically portrayed) and there were some things that never added up, but I still managed to enjoy the book and  loved the way things wrapped up.

Fair warning though, don’t pay attention to the blurb. The blurb is basically a spoiler. Arden doesn’t go to New York until the second half of the book and while her time in New York is a major catalyst for various realizations about herself, a lot of this book focuses on Arden’s initial struggle and those aren’t explored in New York but rather resolved.  I would have liked if more of the book took place in New York, especially since that is what I went in expecting. I felt like there was all this built up to her trip to New York and not much happened there (in terms of actual physical events.)

At the end of the day though, this was a fantastic read and I think there is much to be learned from Arden’s struggle.  Her story was beautifully told and I absolutely adored getting to be a part of it for the 300 pages or so. This is a book I wouldn’t fail to recommend for someone looking for a thought provoking coming of age tale.

Note that I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've given a book the full 5 stars. But you know what? This book deserves all the stars. It's not perfect but it's clearly one of the best contemporary works that you will ever encounter.

I was worried at first because I seriously loved this song will save your life, and I thought this book can't compare with all the emotions I've felt in this song. And while I didn't relate with Arden as much as how I related with Elise's loneliness and sadness because of not fitting in, I think this book was equally good and perhaps even objectively better and much more complex than this song's linear plot.

This book just blew me away as expected from the author. The book is brimming with such distinct emotions and I can't help but wonder how leila sales does that. She carefully builds different character personalities and portrays them realistically. Augustus and hazel are one-dimensional caricatures when compared to the amount of character development that leila sales has put into Arden and Peter and all the secondary cast.

It is true that the first half is kinda slow, but it's reasonable enough because leila sales formed a very detailed background of the story in order for us to be blown away by the twist at the end which in all honesty, was reminiscent of abigail haas' twists from her mystery books lol.

And speaking of the twist at the end, I think it was the best outcome. It may not be what most readers wanted (judging from the negative reviews) because it isn't a happily ever after kind of ending with fireworks and confetti but for me, I like the touch of realism that the story offered. The ending is just so unconventional for your typical love story that I can't help but be astonished with the absence of all romance tropes when the ending rolled in; and for me, it was a refreshing change.

Seriously guys read this book. This is certainly on par with leila sales' This Song Will Save Your Life and it might be even better objectively. I can't wait for everyone to read this wonderful book :)

Sidenote: I didn't read the blurb completely lol. So that twist at the end wasn't much of a twist after all because of the clues hinted at the blurb. I'd suggest not reading the blurb though so you'd be surprised with the ending hahaha.

[Megan (thebookishtwins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this free from the publishers via NetGalley

Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal and she looks after everyone, it makes her feel like she matters. But now she is tired of being taken for granted, and not being appreciated. She feels as though she loves people more than they love her. While searching the internet she stumbles on a blog called ‘Tonight The Streets Are Ours’ and becomes fascinated by Peter and his life. One day she decides to take a trip to New York to find him.

The cover was what initially drew me to Tonight The Streets Are Ours, and then the fact that Leila Sales was the author was so much better because I loved her previous novel This Song Will Save Your Life. But after finishing I am really conflicted about whether I like it or not. I had some issues with it, for example, the cheating, the ‘stalking’, and how she called people selfish for looking out for themselves. However, in the end I did enjoy it and some of the messages it ended with. So that is probably why I’m only giving it three stars.

Some of the characters were a hit and miss. Arden was and okay character, but I had a lot of issues with her, especially with her obsession with Peter, he perception of people putting themselves first, but in the end she had some great development and she learnt some good lessons. Lindsey was a favourite and I really wish she had been in it more. I really did not like Peter, even online Peter, he was not a good person, but I think that was the point.

Overall, it really paled in comparison to This Song Will Save Your Life, but it isn’t a terrible read and in the end, it has a good message – not everyone is who they are online.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so at the beginning it says "Like all stories, the one you are about to read is a love story."

Then at the end it says "You were promised a love story. And this is mine."

But I wouldn't call this a love story at all!!!!!!!! LOL

I really liked it and the different messages but it wasn't a love story to me personally. I also think I liked This Song Will Save Your Life better but it was still a good story. I liked the way Arden learned about love and how you have to sometimes put yourself first and how love isn't always sacrificing everything for another person. I liked how she learned sometimes the fantasy and dream is never really as good as you think it will be and how nothing is what it seems. I thought Chris was a great guy and I wanted a bit more resolve with him. Peter was interesting and I have to admit I was surprised with how things unraveled with him. I understood where he was coming from though and why he did what he did with his blog. Sometimes blogging is an escape from our life and where we go to find understanding.






*I received a free ARC from ALA and this in no way affects my review*

[Stacee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book. So many of us have an online presence, it's easy to get wrapped up in "knowing" someone through only their words.

Arden is an interesting character. I loved how loyal she was to Lindsay and Chris, even when they didn't deserve her. Watching her sort of wake up to realize how her life is going is exciting to read and I couldn't help but root for her as she navigated her night in New York.

There were some really great scenes and some scenes that I wanted to jump in and junk punch people. Overall, I really enjoyed this little slice of time we got and it was satisfying to see the epilogue.

**Huge thanks to FSGBooks for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Últimamente, creo que el amor no es tan dramático después de todo. Quizás solo significa que la otra persona saca lo mejor de ti y tú sacas lo mejor de ella, de modo que juntos son la mejor versión posible de ustedes mismos».

He amado este libro, que es decir poco. Me lleno en el alma y llegó en un momento en que necesita leer algo así.
La historia está narrada por Arden, una chica que vive en Cumberland. Tiene una vida intachable, una familia que la quiere y todo lo que ella necesita. Pero cuando varios hechos suceden, hace que su estabilidad se pierda y algunas cosas se desmoronen. Siente que ella da y ayuda demasiado y no recibe nada a cambio. Entonces, en cierta forma, termina descubriendo la página de Esta noche las calles son nuestras, en la que se entrelaza la historia de Peter, que vive en Nueva York y que la hace conectar con ella en cierta forma.
Todos estos hechos harán que, a medida que la historia avance, vas descubriendo ciertas cosas. Enseñanzas que te va dando: algunas veces hay que conocer ambas partes de la misma historia, las apariencias engañan, que uno no debe sacrificarse por otro, sino más bien apoyarlo y estar a su lado cuando lo necesite.

Me ha gustado mucho, espero poder seguir leyendo más cosas de esta autora.

[Jessica (Goldenfurpro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd

I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS
I admit that I picked this book up just because I enjoyed the author's previous book. I didn't really know what this book was about going into it, which is precisely how I like it. I love to be surprised and I was surprised by this book. It wasn't quite what I was expecting, yet I still very much liked this book and it was quite different than other contemporary book I've read!

Arden is considered to be recklessly loyal. So much so, that there was a doll named after her. She does everything for her friends and family, because she loves them, but she realizes that she nothing is ever done for her. After a spontaneous Google search, Arden finds a blog titled "Tonight the Streets Are Ours", which is a journal of a teenage boy, Peter, in New York City. Arden becomes immersed in the entries and Peter's life. After Peter posts about his girlfriend dumping him, Arden and her best friend travel to New York City, but Peter isn't what Arden expected, but this trip will change everything.

The book begins with the lines, "Like all stories, the one you are about to read is a love story." This book is a love story, but it's not like your normal love story. This book is about a girl who loves, maybe too much. Arden as a character is a different, yet very real character. Different because selfless characters are uncommon in YA, and real because her character was not the cheesy kind of selfless that you see when there are characters like this in YA novels. Arden has many flaws and her being "recklessly loyal" is one of them. That's what most of this book is about, Arden discovering that she may love too much and it's hurting her in the long-run. I think one of my favorite things about this book would be the growth that Arden had!

This book is a bit slow-paced, though, which isn't really that uncommon for contemporary books. The first half is spent with Arden questioning things and reading blog posts. It's necessary, but it's not all that interesting. Then the book picks up when they travel to New York City. There was a lot more going on here and the book was even leading up to that moment (the book began with what was going to happen in New York, in a not much detail kind of way). I also liked how this book surprised me, as things happened that I really wasn't expecting, but it all worked!

Lastly, I have to mention that despite the line in the beginning, there isn't really any romance. There are a few relationships, Arden has a boyfriend, Peter obviously had a girlfriend, etc., but none of those were deeply involved in the plot of the book, which I really liked!

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this is a great, new contemporary read that is a love story, but not a love story (if that makes any sense). I really do recommend this book, as well as This Song Will Save Your Life, for all fans of realistic YA novels!

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publishers via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

To be right to the point, this book was boring. I was seriously disappointed in it all, and an unlikely to read any more of Sales books in the future. Now down to the nitty-gritty.

In Tonight the Streets are Ours, we follow Arden, a seventeen year old from a tiny town on the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. Her life is pretty uninteresting until, suddenly, her mam ups and leaves one day. After that, everything basically implodes. Her father is incapable of looking after his children, and Arden and Roman, her 11 year old brother, and left to their own devices. Arden's boyfriend, Chris, seems to only care about himself, and was majorly annoying.

The only saving grace to the beginning portion of the book, was the actual 'Tonight the Streets are Ours' blog posts that took over Arden's life. Peter's life seemed so interesting, especially in comparison to Arden's, and I found myself wishing for more and more of those chapters. Everything came to a head when Chris let Arden down on the night of their anniversary, and she, and best friend Lindsey, decide to go on a trip to New York City to find Peter. Though I'd been looking forward to meeting Peter, that, again, was a serious letdown.

Basically, the characters in this book all had their own problems, and I'm not entirely sure that I like any of them. Lindsay seemed to use Arden, and Arden was just too weak, and got walked all over. I've already mentioned Chris - he cared about no one other than himself. Peter, the person, not the character from the blog, was a basket case. Be fictionalised his whole life to make people care more about him, and blamed everyone else - even though the majority of the issues were his own fault.

The plot line was uninteresting. I was never hooked by the book, and quite frankly, don't know why I didn't dnf it ages ago. I'm sort of glad I push through with the book, as I feel like I've accomplished something. Other than that, I'll likely forget the whole book as soon as I pick something else up.

In sort, nothing about this book was good. I can't say I'd recommend this, because that would be a lie. Perhaps if you've enjoyed Sales other books, you might like this one.