One of my favorite things about being a reader is watching a writer go from 'good' to 'great'.
Andi is a typical teenage girl, with a few exceptions. Her brother has just died. Her sister's getting married. Her father is having an affair with her best friend's step-mom. Her mother's become a raging alocholic. Add to this the normal trouble of being a teenage girl. How can she ever survive?
Yes, ok, my description makes it sound like a teen book. I suppose it is. The chapters are a bit short and the sentences are succinct. I definitely think every teen girl would learn something from reading this book. But...it's not just a teen book. I'm an old lady (I use the term loosely!) and I loved every minute of it.
From the very beginning I was sucked in. Page one had me abandoning reality so that I could immerse myself in Andi's world. I barely even breathed for hours. Having read Jackie's previous work, I was expecting a good book. This one far surpassed my expectations. I literally couldn't pull myself away. She's become an amazing story teller. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Many of you know that I love coming of age books. This has to be my new favorite. I sincerely hope that after my sisters read it, they'll pass it along to my nieces. There are strong messages in the book that a teenager can only pick up from a friend, such as Andi.
I strongly suggest this book to all fiction fans. Just make sure you have a few hours cleared, a snackie and a drink close by. You won't want to put it down for anything.
I handed this to a friend this morning and she was immediately sucked in from page one. She said, ' I love writing like this! It's like a good friend talking to you!'
ReplyDeleteHello from author Jackie Lee Miles.
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled you are enjoying my new book. I too got enamored with Andi and I was writing it. tee hee, but true.
Jackie Lee Miles
Thanks for the great review and wonderful comment.