Two-word review? Loved it! 
 In this contemporary young adult novel, two girls from opposite sides of the country -- and very different lives -- come together via email, courtesy of their college housing office. Assigned to be freshman roommates, Elizabeth and Lauren spend that in-between summer preparing to say good-bye to their old lives and embark on their new adventure. Meanwhile, in a series of emails, they start with a bare-bones exchange and soon warm up to sharing confidences, secrets, and hopes. But when a discovery and a disagreement threatens to shatter their friendship before they've even met, each girl has to take stock of her own feelings, and figure out how she wants to start her college life. 
 Roomies captures that sad yet hopeful period in between childhood and adulthood. We see the girls making peace with their families, figuring out how to stay connected yet plan for separation, and try to decide what to hold onto in their new lives. 
 Simply put, Roomies is insightful without being heavy or talking down. It really rang true for me, and I think the authors do a wonderful job of capturing the excitement and fears of one of life's biggest transitions. 
 Note: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley. For more, see my review at Bookshelf Fantasies.