Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

ARC, 214 pages
Release Date: June 9, 2012
Published by: Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Standalone
Source: Own (Given to me by Jen from Novel Thoughts)
For fans of: Contemporary Romance, Hot Guys, Realistic Fiction, YA

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.



*MY THOUGHTS*
     Nineteen year old Travis is enlisted in the Marines. As he returns from a tour in Afghanistan, he gets some upsetting news. His parents are splitting, his brother has taken his ex-girlfriend and his car, and he can’t even interact with his friends like he used to. But one day after coming home, he finds himself in a bar where he meets the one chick who’s life he made a living hell in school… Harper. 
     As the book goes on, we see that Travis has a few things he can’t shake, like nightmares of being in Afghanistan of his dead best friend Charlie who was in his company. He doesn’t want anyone to know about it and think he’s crazy, so he keeps it to himself. 
     About Harper and Travis’ romance, it wasn’t too fast paced and it fit the story. Granted there were some times I wanted to jump into the book and slap Travis for being such a bone head, but he’s a guy. (They’re not really all that smart lol) I did love them together tho. Like the baby turtle scene. Golden. It was so incredibly cute and the fact that there was baby turtles there…. Yeah, that’s a win for sure lol. 
     Every page in this book was filled with raw emotion.  What made it so much better was the fact that I know a little about the military from family being in it, and I can relate 100% to this. (I was also a military girlfriend once, so I realllly understand….) It was really heart wrenching to “watch” Travis deal with seeing Charlie and not being able to help him. I was glad when the one person did convince him to get help. 
     Another thing I loved about this book was the fact that it was told from a male’s POV. We don’t have many of those in YA anymore, so it was refreshing to get to read a story a different way. Now although the language was pretty bad, I just related it to him being a guy and in the military. 
     Something Like Normal is about a truly broken character with only one person that can help build him himself back up. Although he is so damaged, he is  very likable. He will definitely win your heart and have him thinking about him nonstop. Believe me when I tell you, Travis is definitely a hero. 
     Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is something serious and shouldn’t be handled lightly. Having gone to these awful places during a time of war is hard and scary and should be looked at with admiration that they gave up their time to do it when we wouldn’t. So if you know someone on active duty, on reserve, retired, a veteran or whatever, be sure to thank them. Because remember, they didn’t/don’t have to do what they did/do. (And I say this in the most non-lecturey, serious way possible :D)