Funny How Things Change

Remy Walker has an unusually strong affection for his West Virginia hometown, Dwyer, and a deep appreciation for the Appalachian Mountains that embrace his home and community. As a very recent high school graduate, he stands at an important crossroad, profoundly confused about which way to turn. Does he follow the love of his life, Lisa, to Pennsylvania where she will be attending college? Or does he stay with his father in the place that has more splendor and meaning than any other location he could imagine? The decision becomes more complicated with he learns that his father may sell Walker Mountain to a large mining company in order to help support Remy financially in Pennsylvania. Adding to the complexity is the arrival of an intriguing young female artist in town who helps Remy to see beauty in a whole new way. With its unforgettable characters and electrifying storyline, this superb book has enormous appeal from start to finish.

It's not very often that you read a love story from a guy's point of view. FUNNY HOW THINGS CHANGE by Melissa Wyatt is not a typical love story, either, which makes this book all the more desirable. When you grow up you, you move out and move on, at least that is what Remy's girlfriend, Lisa, is doing when she heads to Pennsylvania in the fall for college. Of course, Remy wants to go - it's what Lisa and him have been talking about for years. The start of a whole new life, everything they have always wanted. Or is it? It's okay to be uncertain, especially at seventeen. You are not expected to know everything, but if you are going to leave, make sure you are doing it for all the right reasons. For Remy, Dwyer, West Virginia, is his home and no matter where he goes or wants to go it will always be his home. Some people may look at Remy and think that because he is one of those mountain people that he is a hick, a redneck, or a hillbilly. Home is where the heart is. While he doesn't have much, he and his pops live in a trailer up in Walkers Hollow, Remy knows every nook and cranny of that place, and he looks forward to seeing those mountains every day. He knows he is home. His family all lives there and his roots are deep into the soil of the mountains. The two loves seem to be in competition with each other. Which one is stronger? There are a lot of factors that play into this tug-of-war. His family, money, and even an outsider's opinion will weigh heavily on what he decides. What is the right choice? I think there should be more characters like Remy Walker. By no means is he perfect, but he has a good heart and head on his shoulders. Through Wyatt's characterization, you get a real good feel as to who Remy really is. To me, Remy is a hero. Thoughtfully written, this was a good, quick read that made me want to go to the mountains of West Virginia and see the same beauty Remy saw. Reviewed by: coollibrarianchick

Remy Walker has always lived in Dwyer, a small mountain town in West Virginia. In fact, the mountain that he lives on (Walker Mountain) has his family namesake. Now that Remy and his girlfriend, Lisa, have graduated from high school, Remy has to make the biggest decision of his life: Should he follow Lisa to Pennsylvania where she will attend college, and he will find a job, or should he stay in Dwyer? At first, the answer seems easy, follow Lisa, but then an outsider, Dana, helps him realize that the decision may not be as easy as it sounds. Funny How Things Change is an intimate look into a young man's life and the decisions he must make. Remy is one of the most well-developed characters I've read about. Wyatt really dug beneath the surface of him, and this helped create a novel with a lot of feeling. Another great thing about Remy is that while overall he is a good person, he is not perfect. Funny How Things Change shows several mistakes that Remy has made, but these mistakes do not detract readers to the character. There's a specific moment toward the end (that I will not spoil) that could have ended in readers disliking Remy, but because his character was so well-written, readers were able to understand Remy. It takes a gifted writer to that, and Wyatt succeeded. Another thing I liked about Funny How Things Change was that it's so different from most YA novels. I mean, how many YA novels have you read that take place in a mountain town? I enjoyed reading about mountain town because it's similar, yet different to what I know.

My favorite kind of book: An entertaining page-turner with romance, which is also very well written and thought provoking. The main character, Remy Walker, is realistically and deeply portrayed. I sympathized with him as he struggled to choose between his high school girlfriend who couldn't wait to get out of their tiny mountain town and the town itself, which had been home to his family for hundreds of years. All the characters were three-dimensional, and the mountain setting itself was so vividly conveyed it practically became its own character. This was a fast read but one that will linger for a long time.

Remy Walker hadn't really thought about leaving Dwyer, West Virginia until his girlfriend, Lisa, asks him to move to Pennsylvania with her when she goes to college. Remy is torn: he loves Lisa, but he doesn't know if he really wants to leave or not. He agrees to go, since he doesn't really see a major reason not too. Everyone else seems to be quite willing to get out of town as soon as they can. Sooner, if possible. Then he runs into Dana, an artist who is spending her summer painting water towers to prove to her parents that she really can make money at being an artist. (They disapprove of her choice of major). He thinks about Dana a lot, and confusion sets in for young Remy. He loves Lisa, but there's just something about Dana that he can't quite figure out. If you add in Remy's dad, their mountain (Walker mountain has been in his family for over 150 years) and the developers who want to buy it, you get quite the story. If the developers buy it, they will use it as a passageway to get to the other mountains that they are blowing up. Yes, the developers are literally blowing the tops off of the mountains to get to the coal inside. Remy's dad has made him an offer that he really thinks about before accepting. But what happens when he discovers something new about himself and wants to change his mind? Will it be too late? Will he choose Lisa or the mountain? This was a good, quick read. You will feel for Remy as he comes to terms with how he feels about Lisa, his hometown, and leaving to see the rest of the world. This coming-of-age story will keep you turning the page, and leave you thinking about your own past choices long after you've finished the story.