Night Owls follows the adventures of two teenage artists separately following their dreams who meet on a late night bus and soon become something more than just strangers. Resonant and authentic, this book is a rare gem that I don’t want to share but feel the duty to do so. In the months leading up to me reading this book I was beginning to grow tired of the constant stream of unoriginal YA books all claiming to be ‘masterpieces of their time’ and ‘the only young adult book you need to read’. I wasn’t enjoying them and they had nothing to offer in terms of originality. Then I was shown this book and the cycle was broken.

Everything about this novel demands attention, from the first page it grips you by the shoulders and continues to hold you days after the last line has been read. Our two main characters, Jack and Beatrix, are instantly likeable and interesting, both completely different but compatible in a way that makes you envy them. As you slowly fall more in love with these characters, more twists, turns and secrets are woven perfectly into the plot keeping you interested and not feeling like it will be a chore to finish the book. It’s original, funny, heart-felt and all out swoon-worthy cute, leaving butterflies in your stomach for days.

In the competitive world of writing there is so much to love and so much more to buy, but if you don’t do anything else today except buy this book you’ve done something right.

Jemma Sbeghen is a freelance reviewer.