One Night that Changes Everything

One Night that Changes Everything
By Lauren Barnholdt
2010
242 pages

“And then I get it. They’re making me do the things that are in my notebook. All the things I’m afraid of.”

Summary: A lot can change in one night. Eliza’s secret notebook, the one that has a list of all the things she’s afraid of, has been stolen. And it seems to have fallen into the hands of the one person she doesn’t want to have it, her ex boyfriend Cooper. Now Cooper and his friends are threatening to post the notebook online, unless she starts doing all the things on the list. In a wild night of dares, adventure and giant leaps of faith, Eliza learns a lot about herself, her friends and maybe even some secrets about Cooper.

Review: One Night is a charming read. It’s fast paced and has a very similar feel to Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Barnholdt’s characters are usually witty, sarcastic and completely believable, and I think that Eliza is the best one she’s created thus far. Readers will connect with Eliza’s voice, sympathize with her fears and revel in her spunk. The friends add a fun extra dimension to the storyline and Cooper adds an element of sweetness and romance. It is a light read, so don’t expect a lot of plot development, but it is enjoyable and will definitely leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

Also by Lauren Barnholdt: Watch Me, Two Way Street, Aces Up

If you liked One Night that Changes Everything, you might also enjoy: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, The Book of Luke by Jenny O’Connell, When it Happens by Susanne Colasanti, Bloomby Elizabeth Scott and The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Author website: http://laurenbarnholdt.com/

Rating: W3/4 C3.5/4 P3.5/4 O3/4 PP3/4 CR2.5
Grade Level: JS