She thinks he’s looking for a come up.He just thinks she’s stuck up.Both Darcie and Elijah step foot onto the campus of Pembrook Academy with one thing on their minds… getting out. Darcie wants nothing more than to finish high school and know that her spot in the Ivy Leagues is secured and waiting for her.And Elijah?Well, Elijah just wants out.It was never his idea to go to Pembrook in the first … Pembrook in the first place and now he’s stuck spending his senior year with a bunch of kids he has absolutely nothing in common with. Then, she came along. From the moment he meets Darcie Fitzgerald, he knows she is going to drive him absolutely crazy. But nothing could have prepared him for how amazing crazy would feel.
Darcie has ninety-nine problems and Elijah Benitez is now her biggest one. He seemed to coast into her life from out of nowhere, and she has neither the time nor the patience to deal with him. But every time she tries to put a little distance between them, life shoves them closer together and Darcie finds herself in a situation far more complicated than she could have ever expected.
They’re both about to learn a few things starting with lesson #1:
Not Everything Is As it Seems
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Santana Blair has by far become my favorite YA author. I was so please to see another book being released and settled down with my tea and tissues. Santana has once again immersed us in to the world of New Elm, Northford, and Pembrook and the people that live and go to school there.
We have twin brothers Jonas and Elijah, little brother Liam, and their Mom raising her boys all on her own. We learn right away that the boys share the same DNA, but are very much their own people. They area headed out of their hometown school in New Elm, and into the upper, UPPER class school of Pembrook. It is not only on the other side of the tracks, but down the road and up a hill from New Elm. These boys have proved themselves academically to be asked to be at Pembook, but will have to prove themselves socially also in their new school.
Their first day comes with a few perks which includes a tour of the school. Jonas has the pleasure of being escorted by Charleigh and Eli is escorted by Darcie, and our story takes off and you will not want to put the book down.
We see that zip codes do matter, looks can be deceiving, and people have more in common that what is lead to believe. We are led thru the twist and turns of trying to be the new kid, finding your place, and finding and building new friendships and relationship and that is not always fun and games. In the end friendship, trust, and new love prevail.
Omg I loved this story so much. Elijah and Darcie are my new favorite book couple. Loved that “letter”. I could so visually see this whole story. It would be a great TV show. Char and Jo were also amazing… I wonder if there’s something up next for them. Darcie’s family was the best and Eli’s momma made me want to just get a great big hug from her. Great story!
Once I started Sticks & Stones I was a goner. This story is special because it’s so real and raw, it had me all in my feels.
It follows twin Latino brothers Jonas (sweet, sensitive and kind) and Elijah….Eli (caring, sarcastic and straight forward) they have a younger brother Liam (he’s having some issues at the moment) and they’re being raised by their amazing, hard working mom.
“You’re not the only one with broken pieces, princess. Our fathers are their own mistakes. But you and me? We’re our mothers ’ successes.”
The boys are super smart and will be leaving their neighborhood of New Elm ranked as one of the poorest cities in the poorest counties in Connecticut to start at a new prestigious and some would say stuck up highschool, Pembrook Academy.
“There aren’t a lot of us brown kids walking around Pembrook. I’ve always had to work three times as hard and be twice as nice just to be considered half as likeable as Charleigh. It’s exhausting.” “It’s crap.” “Crappy reality is still reality, Elijah.”
The first day is life changing for some (Jonas meeting the love of his life…blue eyed, blonde hair Charleigh) and it’s a rougher start for others (Eli meeting Charleigh’s best friend, gorgeous African American Darcie) who let’s say is……a bit uptight, cautious and A type personality.
“And I can’t think straight when you’re touching me. Or when you’re looking at me. Or when you’re mad at me. Or when you’re not mad at me…”
There was a lot of what you would expect in a YA story but also so much you wouldn’t. I felt so connected to certain characters at certain times because of the struggles they faced. It was heart felt and hard and angsty at times and emotional but it’s such a beautiful story that I’m finding myself missing already.
“Dame un beso.” “If I kiss you now, we’re definitely going to be late, and I know how you feel about being late.”“Kiss me anyway, Elijah.”
Sticks & Stones is a tale of when two different world’s and back grounds collide, when you think the person you love may not understand you because you’re too different but it actually couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s about true love, hope, scarifice, stepping out of your comfort zone and being vulnerable enough to let someone see the real you.
“Most of all, I didn’t want to fall in love. Not at all. But then you smiled at me and I totally blew it. Because I’m definitely in love with you.”
Every time I pick up one of Ms. Blair’s books they get better and better. By no means does that mean I don’t like anything she writes. It just means her stories get better and better and become my new favorite. I was sucked in to Darcie and Eli’s story from the very beginning and couldn’t put this book down when I had the time to read. All I wanted to know was what happened. And I wasn’t disappointed. I love these two and the other characters we get to meet too. So much love for Eli and Darcie!!
Another great story by Santana! Another cast of deep, rich characters to fall in love with. I really don’t know how she does it to describe her worlds so richly that it feels like I’m living the story right with her characters but I’m so grateful she does. I love that though the author uses Pride and Prejudice as inspiration it doesn’t read like fanfic, it is an original story, with modern day socioeconomic issues and struggles real young adults might face.
This story involves a rich girl with a past that was not her fault and a boy from an inner city neighborhood with a passion. Santana takes us on journey as they try to overcome living in different worlds, jealous classmates, and big feelings to see if they can get their happily ever after.
For me it was a short read because I could not put it down. Absolutely loved it!
4.5*
Sticks & Stones is an entertaining, thought-provoaking young adult story. With the characters, the setting, and the plot, Ms. Blair painted such a vivid portrait of Eli and Darcie’s world that I found myself completely immersed in it.
While they may live on opposite sides of the track, Eli and Darcie really aren’t as different as you might think. Appearances can be deceiving and that couldn’t be more true for these 2. After a rough start, something really special developed between them and I loved seeing them grow and start to figure out their places in the world.
It’s definitely not an easy road between them, though- I mean high school is hard enough on its own, with its mean girls and jealous exes, with having to keep grades up and planning for the future, to then have to navigate new and unexpected feelings, it can all be so overwhelming. And sometimes everything comes crashing down all at once.
I really liked that Ms. Blair didn’t shy away from showing us that choices and words have consequences, and sometimes we won’t like those consequences.
But when you have characters like Eli and Darcie, both so kind, so strong and determined, it’s hard not to root for them to find their way through the heartache.
Darcie and Eli’s story really kept me engaged from start to finish. In my mind, I’ll be thinking of them, years down the road as they continue to navigate all that life has to offer. And I know they’ll be able to handle anything that comes their way.
My first read by Santana Blair but most definitely not my last one. I don’t read much YA but every now and again I come across one that peaks my interest. The blurb says it better than I ever could, but yes…not everything is as it seems. Eli doesn’t really want to go to this exclusive high school. But he will do anything for his twin. Anything, including spending time with that stuck up Darcie so Jonas can spend some quality with Darcie’s best friend. But every minute he spends with her only makes him want her more and more. Even when she pushes him away, he can’t seem to stop himself. There are some serious bias’ discussed within the pages of the story from racial, to financial and to everything in between. Do these two have the ability to not only see past their own noses to what is right in front of them, but to also tackle the roadblocks that are coming their way? Sometimes, you just have to let others be who they are meant to be, other times, you need to not be too proud to accept help when it is offered.
A great 5 star page turning first experience. A new author that I discovered and have not been disappointed.
Eli and Darcie are from different sides of the tracks. They have more in common then they think.
This is a mature YA. I generally don’t read these kinds of storylines due to the age gap from my part. I have teenagers at home and don’t need to read about it too. The blurb enticed me to try it. I was far from being dissapointed. It was an addictive story with amazingly created mature characters.
Beautifully written story with a storyline that flowed well. A standalone told in dual POV, in the third person. It does come with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.