Wanderlove [Hardcover]

Kirsten Hubbard (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 13, 2012

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America--the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan's found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Bria Sandoval always thought her future was art school at Toby’s side, but then Toby showed his true colors. Now Bria has left both Toby and her art while she backpacks in Central America and considers her future. A random encounter with fellow packers in a Guatemalan airport leads Bria to ditch her tour group to go off the beaten path with Rowan. From staying in hostels and washing laundry in chipped sinks, to scuba diving and eating fried plantains, Bria sees the world around her afresh. This unique tale of self-discovery features an appealing heroine who learns to stop running away and look within. The romantic tension between Rowan and Bria is palpable but complex and believable. With an extraordinary setting, delicately rendered and well informed by Hubbard’s years as a guide to Central American travel on About.com, this becomes a wonderful story of kindred souls in a land of beauty, illuminated by Hubbard’s own drawings. Grades 10-12. --Melissa Moore

Review

"This journey will resonate with anyone who has braved the unknown in search of adventure -and ended up finding themselves in the process."
--Andrea J. Buchanan, coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Daring Book for Girls

"Hubbard's second novel, following Like Mandarin, is rich with the unexpected joys and tribulations of new experiences ... Bria's charged relationship with Rowan and the vast emotional and physical territory Hubbard covers make for an evocative and romantic read."
--Publishers Weekly

"The romantic tension between Rowan and Bria is palpable ... With an extraordinary setting, delicately rendered and well informed by Hubbard's years as a guide to Central American travel on About.com, this becomes a wonderful story of kindred souls in a land of beauty, illuminated by Hubbard's own drawings."
--Booklist

"Hubbard has crafted delightfully complex characters who are fresh and realistic... The romance between Bria and Rowan is constantly on a slow burn, leaving readers wondering until the end--will they or won't they end up together?"
--VOYA

"Thrillingly romantic, smart and funny."
--Kirkus Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 13, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385739370
• ISBN-13: 978-0385739375
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.2 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (79 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #959,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A travel writer and young adult author, Kirsten Hubbard has hiked ancient ruins in Cambodia, dived with wild dolphins in Belize (one totally looked her in the eye), slept in a Slovenian jail cell, and navigated the Wyoming badlands (without a compass) in search of transcendent backdrops for her novels. She lives in San Diego, California.

Her YA debut, LIKE MANDARIN, was published by Delacorte/Random House in March 2011. Her second YA novel, WANDERLOVE, will be published on March 13th, 2012. Visit her website at www.kirstenhubbard.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If this doesn't make you want to travel, nothing will March 15, 2012

By onepagereviews

Format:Hardcover

If you love traveling or have ever been interested in traveling, you need this book. If you like coming of age stories where characters find themselves, you need this book. If you like romance of any kind, you need this book. In short, everyone should read it.

What makes this book great for me was the travel. *Le sigh* I'm a travel junkie myself, but I've never been to Central America so it was like really experiencing it. But for anyone who has traveled in a foreign country (especially a third world country), you'll recognize some classic situations. And that's what really helped me fall in love with the story - because I could so easily relate to Bria as she's experiencing all these crazy new things. The terrible public restrooms, new food, that feeling of being completely and wonderfully lost in a new language and culture.

And I liked the little bits that made it realistic - her getting seasick, being freaked out by bugs in the rain forest, her envying the lives of the well-traveled backpackers, and her carrying around a sketchbook. And speaking of the sketchbook, I loved the drawings included in the book! (And the last one! SO glad that was included!)

I found it HYSTERICAL that Bria wanted to be like the backpackers. And Hubbard described them PERFECTLY! When I've traveled abroad, we always made a game of spotting backpackers and trying to decide if they were American or European (usually the latter). They always looked grungy but in a cool way, with these giant monstrosities on their backs and bandannas around their foreheads. I'm assuming because Hubbard was a backpacker herself, she really put into words their spirit and persona, and I loved that she discussed "first world guilt," which is something that happens (and should happen!) to those of us who venture into third world territory.

Besides the travel aspect (which I could go on and on about), I enjoyed the romance a lot. Rowan isn't your stereotypical love interest. He's a really flawed, interesting character. I can now blame Hubbard for perpetuating my obsession with broken characters because both Rowan and Bria have serious issues - Bria most of all. Their relationship was slow and sweet, and I liked that they became friends first.

As for Bria, I loved that there was actual CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. She changed a lot from the beginning to the end of the story, and it was fascinating to watch her transformation. And while I thought she did some pretty dumb things, I could totally see the motivation. And she owns up to them.

And while we're talking about dumb thing, I need to get this off my chest - a lot of times when I read about these teens going off in other countries alone, I cringe. I've been traveling since the third grade, and it was pounded into my head that safety is always the first consideration. You don't do anything stupid like run off by yourself. So when I saw that Bria was trekking through Central America alone, I freaked out a little. But this issue is addressed! I feel like there's a good message here for those interested in traveling - that you have to remember the locals live like this every day, but it's also stupid for you to take unnecessary risks. Good balance here! Don't think you're going to be kidnapped at every turn like in that Liam Neeson movie "Taken," but also don't go walking down sketchy alleys alone at night.

*Hops off soapbox*

If you can't tell already, I ADORED this book. It's epic. And gorgeous. And if it doesn't make you want to travel, I don't know what will.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm Ready to Book My Backpacking Trip to Guatemala. Today. April 27, 2012

By Melissa

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Every once in a while you find a book that just touches you completely and hits you in such as way as you read to absolutely mesmerize you and keep you reading continually, neglecting all else until the book can be finished. Wanderlove, by Kirsten Hubbard, was that sort of book for me. Thank goodness I began this book on a lazy spring break day where I had no real responsibilities to pull me away, because I could not stop reading this book once i began. It had be looking back on my young adult years before and during college and wishing I had taken a journey such as the one Bria takes in this book. It was amazing!

This is the story of a young woman, Bria, who, during the summer before she is supposed to enter college decides to join an organized tour in Central America to see Mayan ruins. She is still basically in a state of mourning over a recent breakup with a jerk of a boyfriend, and despite his mistreatment of her, Bria cannot move on. She avoids the art that she had loved so much and also seems to avoid any activity that has any connection to this failed relationship. She joins this tour group with the expectation of meeting other people her age who can explore this exotic atmosphere with her. Instead she finds that she is with a group of retirees and older people who are looking for a safe and predictable experience.

In the midst of this experience that is turning out to be a huge disappointment for Bria, she comes into contact with Starling and Rowan, a brother and sister duo who are backpacking through the countries of Central America. They are doing this on the cheap, staying in hostels and riding filthy, borderline unsafe buses to get from place to place. Bria ends up joining them on their trip and experiences an entirely different side of the world she is exploring. Soon Starling leaves them, leaving Rowan to guide Bria through this unfamiliar landscape. Like Bria, Rowan is also trying to turn a corner in his life and is unwilling to share his personal demons with Bria. Despite the unwillingness in both of them to share the things that hurt them in their past, Bria and Rowan eventually form a good traveling relationship.

There is a romance in this story, and although I absolutely love romances in stories and liked this one very well, I have to say that the romance is not what drove the plot at all. This was a travel story, and the magic of the story was in the descriptions of the people and scenes of the Central American scenes that Hubbard describes throughout the novel. I could practically smell the nastiness of some of the dirty buses and hostels that Bria found herself in. I could feel the sweat rolling down my body as Bria thought of the high heat and humidity she experienced. The descriptions of the sand on the beaches and the feel of the mud and water between Bria's toes seemed so real. Even the sounds of the rain forest as Bria lay listening at night came alive for me. It was just beautiful to read. I found myself wishing that I could take just such a trip to experience the real world of ordinary people in the world, not just the sanitized tour versions that are advertised.

As Bria finds herself entrenched in this new environment where so much of the complications of modern life are stripped away, she discovers who she is. Rowan helps her to let go of the hurtful actions of her ex-boyfriend and embrace the things she loves the most. She came on this trip in a way to escape and throw herself into activities that have no meaning and therefore have little risk of harming her emotionally. Instead she finds out how to take charge of her life and let herself find joy in the things that matter to her. It was a great journey to read about. I was so happy to have gotten to tag along vicariously as a reader.

I liked that the themes in this book weren't portrayed as being crystal clear and easily overcome. I like that Bria and Rowan were both flawed in their own ways, and as the novel ended they were still flawed. But they were better, and they had plans for the future that allowed each of them to find comfort and power in one another. Life isn't always pretty, but it isn't this hopeless pool of sadness and disappoint that would require us to avoid any connections to others for fear of being hurt. Instead, life is full of potential, both good and bad, but as we embrace the people and activities we love we can find our own joy as we navigate the waters. That is the message I got after reading this book. It is a book I will read again, I am sure. Maybe next time I'll take my time and enjoy the scenery even more. This is a beautiful travel story, as much a love story involving the countries, lifestyle, and people of South America as it is a love story of two young people who discover each other in the midst of it. I highly recommend this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from MajiBookshelf March 14, 2012

By Juhina & Farah @ Maji Bookshelf

Format:Hardcover

Wanderlove has definitely brought back the itch for traveling for me. I LOVE to travel. I take pride in exploring other cultures, living like their people, and seeing all the places tourist groups neglect. I've been to some East Asian countries such as Malaysia and South Korea, and let me tell you, without an open mind and living the moment, some of my memorable experiences wouldn't have happened.
This is why I loved Bria! She had an adventurous soul, it just took her a while to figure it out. Going to Guatemala on your own, for your first overseas trip? that takes some courage! I saw the country through her eyes. The local markets, the people, their food (especially that!) and the exhilarating feeling of exploring and experiencing things you wouldn't have had the chance to find and do if you hadn't traveled there. Kristen Hubbard is a fantastic storyteller! I loved how she mixed up normal narration with journal entries, and drawings by Bria. I felt like I was touring with Lucy, seeing things through her eyes, the drawings were definitely a plus for me, they gave the book more life and gave us insight into what was on Lucy's mind and what affected her emotionally.
Because of some situation, Bria ended up backpacking (apparently the 'real' way to traveling) with Rowan. Their time together was just fun to read. The sarcasm, the bickering, the slow friendship between them was all enjoyable. Of course we all know what will eventually happen between them, but the build up was overall entertaining. I haven't read Kristen's debut novel "Like Mandarin" but her love for traveling, creativity, and likable writing made me add her novel to my priority reading pile! I would highly recommend Wanderlove to any travel enthusiast and obviously any contemporary lover!