One Night That Changes Everything

ONE NIGHT THAT

CHANGES EVERYTHING

By:  Lauren Barnholdt

FIRST SENTENCE

“7:00 p.m.  I lose everything.”

SUMMARY
from goodreads

Two years ago, when Eliza Sellman was in ninth grade, her dad found out he was being transfered and the family was going to move. Having always been shy and not so confident about her body, Eliza took that opportunity to start a list in her private notebook of all the things she planned on doing when she moved but had always been afraid to—like wearing a miniskirt and asking guys to dance; singing karaoke in front of strangers; posting a photo of herself on her Facebook wall in a bikini...you get the idea. New town, new Eliza, right? Well, she'll never know because the transfer fell through and they didn't move. But Eliza kept adding her goals and secret fears to the list in the notebook.

Now it's two years later, and in that time Eliza has had and lost her first boyfriend. But this was more than your average breakup...turns out the sweet and cute Cooper was only dating her as a hazing stunt by a secret society. Eliza got her revenge by posting some pretty nasty (and only sort-of true) stuff about Cooper online. That posting has had major consequences and now Cooper and his buddies have stolen her private notebook and won't give it back until she performs all the things on her list in one night. It's torture...until Eliza steals something from the boys she knows they'll want to trade her notebook for. What starts out as a night of humiliation turns into a night of revelations as Eliza learns what Cooper was really thinking when they dated, the real reason he's stolen her notebook, and how freeing—and life-changing—it can be to do the things you fear the most.

REVIEW

One Night That Changes Everything could be called One Book That Does Everything Right.  This little story about Eliza and her missing notebook is unique, fun, and full of surprises.

Eliza keeps a notebook that lists all the things she is afraid of doing, but plans to someday do.  It’s sort of like a bucket list, but they are all things she is TERRIFIED of doing.  Well, when her ex’s “friends” steal Eliza’s notebook, they make her do some of the things on her list.  Can you even imagine!?!  It’s like the dare part of Truth or Dare when your opponent knows all your fears.  See, I told you it was unique. 

The list has some funny things on it – like singing karaoke.  That scene had me giggling.  However, I felt sorry for Eliza just the same because she was so afraid to do them.  The whole experience helps Eliza to get over her fears and to be comfortable in her own skin. 

Are you wondering about this ex I mentioned?  His name is Cooper and he’s a good guy despite what Eliza thinks about him for most of the book.  I really liked that he was persistent and honest.  This is where some of the surprises come in.

Lauren Barnholdt is very talented.  I thought it was so cool that she could write a whole book about one night – that is really stretching the moment.  She did all of that and there was not one single sentence that was boring.  I loved every single bit of this book! 

I dare you to read One Night That Changes Everything.  Come on.  I dare you.

RATING

5        Plot

5        Characters

5        Attention Grabbing

4        Girlie Meter

5        Ending

24      TOTAL

5        STARS