Jump by Elisa Carbone

P.K. flat-out refuses to go to boarding school. Just because she ditches her boring classes at her stupid high school and spends more time climbing a rock wall and dreaming of being outdoors does not mean she is boarding school material. That's when she comes up with the great idea of running away with a climbing buddy to the Western wilds in search of primo rock. The downside is that none of her friends want to go with her.

That is until Critter comes bouldering her way in the rock gym. They make off the next morning and make their way out to the Red Rocks. Hooking up with another climber, they manage to put in a new route and start to make their way out of the canyon. That's when things get a little... complicated.

It turns out that Critter is on the run... from the cops... for breaking out of a mental hospital. P.K. and Critter have to decide if they can continue to trust one another and how far they are willing to go to preserve their freedom. There's only so much rock to be climbed and what will happen when they get to the top?

This was an amazing book! I spent a good part of my teenage years playing weekend excursioner by hiking and rock climbing and generally enjoying myself. This book appealed to my outdoorsy side. There is a lot of technical rock climbing speak used in the book, which may turn many people off, but I found it interesting and just as easy to skip over since it wasn't vital information.

P.K. was a typically disgruntled teenager with a free spirit. While I don't think running away is a smart idea, ever, I still admire her courage for seizing her opportunity at a life-long dream. Critter was a big old mess, but in a fun way. His brain, actions, and general demeanor were like a puzzle that every time I thought I was getting it all put together, another piece jumbled my plan. He was a real riot to watch evolve.

The storyline was quite amusing in that "highly improbable" way because the universe would have to be perfectly aligned for everything to go exactly how they needed it to in order for the story to work. Although, I like to think it's totally plausible. This is a nice read that I think is perfect for those looking for some outdoorsy fun, that they can safely do from their favorite reading spot. Enjoy!