Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen

I picked this book up on a whim and in the end it was satisfying. I say in the end because the first half of the book is rather slow. It's mostly Jean and Tamara planning their trip. They don't actually leave for Seattle until almost three quarters of the way through. Teenagers might find the pace a little too slow and quit reading, which would spoil a great ending. The suspense is held throughout the last act, with Tamara wondering when her foster family will figure out she's not really at Jean's house, but in Vancouver. Will Jean get thrown in prison for kidnapping? Do people her age even get thrown in jail? The plot could have used some work, but the characters are what bring the story to life. Both women are opinionated and loud mouthed, and have their own flaws. Their personalities clashed, and they argue throughout most of the book. Still, it was interesting to see the differences in age, physical abilities, and personality, and yet they work together to achieve a common goal. The chapters switch between Tamara and Jean's point of view, so the reader knows what one character is thinking about the other. I thought this was well done and I liked seeing the reactions of both characters. Maybe I was disappointed because I was expecting another road trip novel (after reading Hit the Road by Caroline B. Cooney) when the story is really about two women coming together despite their differences. If you like a book with strong characters, read this one, just don't expect an overly exciting plot.