“Like all stories, the one you’re about to read is a love story.
If it wasn’t, what would be the point?”
Seventeen-year-old Arden Huntley is recklessly loyal. She wants to be someone people come back for; to be someone who is not taken for granted. But that seems impossible when her best friend Lindsey is incapable of appreciating everything Arden does to keep her out of trouble and when Arden’s own mother has chosen to walk out.
Arden finds comfort and validation in an unlikely place when she comes across a blog called “Tonight the Streets Are Ours” run by Peter, a teenaged writer in New York City. Peter’s blog mirrors Arden’s own frustrations when Peter also wonders why no one loves him as much as he loves them.
Arden is fascinated by Peter’s musings and his life that seems to be filled with luxury, adventure and, of course, a beautiful girlfriend. Until she dumps him.
When Arden reads about the breakup after her own disastrous day, she knows there is only one possible course of action: Road trip to New York City to find Peter.
During one crazy night in New York City Arden will discover that Peter isn’t exactly who he seems. And maybe Arden doesn’t have to be either in Tonight the Streets Are Ours (2015) by Leila Sales.
Tonight the Streets Are Ours is an obvious progression for Sales’ writing and it is absolutely fantastic.
The first thing readers learn about Tonight the Streets Are Ours is that it’s a love story. And that is absolutely true. However this book also subverts preconceived notions about happy endings what love stories can actually be to deliver a story that is both perfect and empowering.
Nothing and no one is quite what readers first expect in Tonight the Streets Are Ours. Everything here is muddy. Readers quickly learn that “truth” isn’t always the same as “fact,” in real life or online, as everything Arden thought she knew about Peter–and to some extent herself–is challenged again and again.
Tonight the Streets Are Ours defies expectations in this story where friendships can bend but not break, family can mean all sorts of things, and sometimes perspective is all you need to change everything.
Possible Pairings: Never, Always, Sometimes by Adi Alsaid, The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando, Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum, Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo, Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, City Love by Susane Colasanti, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley, Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham, Royals by Rachel Hawkins, The Romantics by Leah Konen, Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, In Real Life by Jessica Love, Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta, Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson, Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills, Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy, The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos, The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith, The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg, The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff, Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
*A copy this book was acquired from the publisher for review consideration at BEA 2015*
Miss Print 
I really enjoyed this one, but I think, if I had read it as a teen, I wouldn’t have. For me, it was having gone through experiences like Arden’s that really made this one special – I was rooting for her to come out stronger and smarter on the other side!
Great review!
Thanks Sara! So much of my reading of this was tied to being a blogger now that I’m not sure how I would have felt about it as an actual teen reader–something interesting to think about!
I’m so glad that you sent this one because I freaking loved it! It wasn’t anything like I expected, and I think I liked it more because of that. It was just so good, and I don’t know if I’ll stumble upon anything like it again.
I’ll definitely have to read This Song Will Save Your Life soon.
Yay! I am hoping to read your review later today. If you enjoyed this one definitely check out TSWSYL as soon as you can. I am still not sure which I liked more–possibly this one because I really connected with the blogger aspect (of course).
Yes! I absolutely loved TONIGHT THE STREETS ARE OURS. It was different from what I expected it to be, and in the best way. Arden was a character I could completely relate to as well, which just enhanced my reading experience!
Totally! I should know by now that a Leila Sales book isn’t going to be exactly what I expect going in. I really enjoyed how layered this one was with the idea of fact vs. perception and obligation. So good.