Review: Click to Subscribe By: L.M. Augustine

Title: Click to Subscribe
Author: L.M. Augustine
Publisher: 252 Pages (May 9th, 2013)
From: the Author
Format: eBook
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis: 1,135,789. That’s how many subscribers sixteen-year-old West Ryder has on his web vlog series. But he only has eyes for one of them.

As one of the internet’s most prestigious video bloggers, West talks about high school relationships under the name “Sam Green.” As far as he knows, no one from school, not even his best friend, Cat, has seen his videos. But the highlight of the whole thing is Harper Knight, who comments every day at exactly 2:02 in the afternoon. He doesn't know anything about her aside from the occasional deep philosophical messaging on why pizza tastes so delicious, but as stupid as it sounds, he might be falling for her. So when they finally agree to meet in real life, West’s hope for romance seems more and more in reach. But that all changes as soon as he arrives at their meeting spot and sees Cat walking toward him, wearing the same “I <3 Sam Green” T-shirt Harper promised she'd have on.

To his alarm, West realizes he is falling in love with the best friend who has always been a sister to him.

Review: 4 Stars - Debut author L.M. Augustine’s, Click to Subscribe is a fabulous story about two best friends and what happens when relationships and emotions change.

Our main character West has a vlog and it’s through his web series that he has a chance to get away from everyday life at home and a father he doesn't get along with. Their relationship is extremely rocky and it’s the vlog and his best friend Cat that help him find the better things in life.

West and one of his viewers, Harper become fast friends and the two have a fun easy going relationship. Her messages are something he looks forward to everyday. It’s her emails and then chatting to her that West can’t wait to get home to. I think that this was the best part of the story. Well, one of the best parts at least. The two have these quirky and, as the synopsis says, deep conversations that you could never guess what these two would find themselves talking about next.

Cat and West have a pretty great relationship. I found myself laughing a few times at everything from the way they would eat ice cream to the dumb little things they’d say to each other. I often wondered how West didn't see that Cat and Harper were the same person! In ways the two were very similar, yet since Harper was hidden behind a computer screen it was easier for Cat to be somewhat freer with her relationship with West.

When the cat (no pun intended) came out of the bag, West changed from the shock of feeling like it had been a joke at his expense. But then again he didn't because he seemed pretty normal to me when it comes to a teenage guy. So, not seeing things and his reactions when it’s Cat who walks in the door instead of Harper… well, he didn't handle any of those revelations all too well.

West is dealing with a lot. He was before the issues with Harper/Cat came up and while the story is about falling in love with your best friend there was more because of his home life and his relationship with his father. I was happy that Augustine delved deeper into this relationship because it’s often times in YA titles that we don’t get to see any growth or change in a characters family life. With West, we saw the bad and then the road to possible good. It’s horrible what he had to go through and I think he handled it how most would have, teenager or not.

Augustine takes a male protagonist and makes him into a real teenager. It’s not often that a male character is true to his age and West is without a doubt a typical high school teen. I have to commend Augustine – major props to you!

All in all, this debut was a fantastic Contemporary story and just what I was looking for! I loved reading a male lead character and having that chance to see things from a boys point of view rather than a female. It was a welcomed change. I highly recommend this book for fans of YA, fans of Contemps and fans of great stories with solid characters. Keep an eye on Augustine in the future, as I’m sure we’ll be seeing more from this awesome new author. Happy reading.

FTC Disclaimer: I did NOT pay for this book, nor have I been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this HONEST review.