On the Fence by Kasie West

Pages: 320 (paperback)
Publish date: July 1st (US and Australia), July 31st (UK)
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062235672
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

On the Fence:

I received an ARC of On the Fence from Harper Teen Australia, this in no way influenced my review.

First Line: ‘The engine whined against my attempt to go faster.’

I had never read a Kasie West book before I picked up On the Fence and I am hating myself for not doing it before. She is such an amazing writer, captures emotions so well.

Charlie is a tomboy, there is no denying it. She doesn’t wear makeup, she dresses without much care and she hangs out with boys and, you know what, I loved her. It’s rare that I read a book with a girl protagonist that isn’t worried about what she wears, or if she is wearing makeup. It was different, but nice.

I loved the writing style of Kasie West. It was interesting and it intrigued me to keep on reading. The book started off with a bang and just kept on getting better and better as it went on.

I thought it was be a sappy contemporary romance instead novel, but it was so much more. It turned into a mystery novel somehow, it was so good. Yes, there were still those snappy romance moments, but it made them so much more glorious.

I loved Charlie’s brothers. Yes, they may have been over protective, but, once you find out why, you kind of understand why they were protective. Each one of them were from the other, but they all related to Charlie in some way. It was different seeing sibling interaction, as again in YA there isn’t much of yet when there is they aren’t the best relationships. So it was nice seeing good sibling relationships.

Dreams are messages, things out minds want us to learn. Recurring dreams can be really important messages. they often come in the form of nightmares. Recurring dreams could represent a real-life problem that hasn’t been dealt with or resolved. Overcoming or resolving that problem could help one move past the recurring dream. – ARC pg82

She even had a pretty okay relationship with her father. I didn’t mind her father at all. Yes, he was a little strict, but I can again understand why. I normally don’t like parents all that much in Young Adult books, so that is another thumbs up to Kasie.

Branden, he is just amazing and not to mention the boy next door. Charlie and Branden’s ‘Fence’ moments were just so cute and moving and heartbreaking. Just everything all at once.

On the Fence was funny and cute as well as very moving. Charlie struggles the whole book with the death of her mother and she doesn’t know how to be a ‘girl.’ She can’t get over her mother’s death and as the book goes on we see why.

On the Fence reminded me a lot of Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry in the sense of suppressed memories. Which intrigued me a lot. It’s an interesting concept that no matter how many times it’s done it always seem different.

I laughed, I cried and I swooned. On the Fence was simply just gorgeous. Kasie’s writing is brilliant and beautiful. It was entertaining and the banter between Charlie and her brothers and Charlie and Braden just added so much to the book. The heart-warming family moments also added so much depth to the book.

Sometimes we expect more that people are capable of giving at the moment

The romance between Charlie and Braden was simply beautiful–the true nature of friends becoming more. They were totally adorable together and the scenes on the fence were just so brilliant.

Over all On the Fence is a book of self-discovery, love, friendship and family. The tales of a girl becoming a ‘girl’, finding love and friendship. On the Fence is mesmerizing, moving and funny.