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Author Q&A with Robin Farmer

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
Author Q&A with Robin Farmer

Author Q&A with Robin Farmer

When I received an opportunity to review MALCOLM AND ME, I was so moved by the description of the book that I knew I was going to read it even before I reached the end of the email. I didn’t expect to ALSO have the amazing opportunity to do a Q&A with the author, Robin Farmer, whose own experiences inspired this amazing story. I’m super excited to share her answers with you today.

First, here’s a little bit about the book in case you aren’t familiar.

Malcolm and Me
Robin Farmer
INtense Publications
Published November 17, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

Philly native Roberta Forest is a precocious rebel with the soul of a poet. The thirteen-year-old is young, gifted, black, and Catholic—although she’s uncertain about the Catholic part after she calls Thomas Jefferson a hypocrite for enslaving people and her nun responds with a racist insult. Their ensuing fight makes Roberta question God and the important adults in her life, all of whom seem to see truth as gray when Roberta believes it’s black or white.

An upcoming essay contest, writing poetry, and reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X all help Roberta cope with the various difficulties she’s experiencing in her life, including her parent’s troubled marriage. But when she’s told she’s ineligible to compete in the school’s essay contest, her explosive reaction to the news leads to a confrontation with her mother, who shares some family truths Roberta isn’t ready for.

Set against the backdrop of Watergate and the post-civil rights movement era, Angel Dressed in Black is a gritty yet graceful examination of the anguish teens experience when their growing awareness of themselves and the world around them unravels their sense of security—a coming-of-age tale of truth-telling, faith, family, forgiveness, and social activism.

Author Q&A with Robin Farmer

Q: I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write this story?

Yes, how did my fight with a nun and the resulting suspension affect me? The question arose when I had to write an essay for an application for a prestigious journalism fellowship. I realized the traumatic incident changed my life and shaped the trajectory of my career. Seeing racism and religion collide as a girl led me away from organized religion, sealed my resistance against bullies, and shaped my decision to work as a journalist to expose truth, scrutinize powerful institutions, and amplify the voice of marginalized people. I was 39 when I realized it all can be traced back to what happened in that classroom and maybe it was worth writing about.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about Roberta’s character? What do you find most challenging about her?

She’s not afraid of speaking truth, even if it involves a bully doubling as her teacher. She’s also 13, so she’s a trapeze artist in the mood department, bouncing up, down and all around.She’s often emotionally messy with one leg in childhood and the other headed toward young adult independence.

Q: Is there a moment that sticks with you most from the story? Can you tell us a little bit about that?

There’s a point where Roberta’s Mom shares a devastating truth about Roberta’s father. It’s a moment that sucker punches Roberta as she pieces together clues she had overlooked. In an instant, she shifts her respect and affection toward her Mom. She experiences an emotional roller coaster in a matter of minutes and I hope her reactions feel authentic.

Q: What do you most hope that readers take away from MALCOLM AND ME?

Truth matters, especially today in a world of alternative facts. Speak up, criticize, question and think critically. Doing so can be scary. Do it anyway. Another takeaway is to embrace the power of forgiveness, especially when someone hurts you deeply.  I want readers, especially younger ones,to know hate is a heavy load to carry.  Forgiveness allows you to heal and move on. And finally, love your family and yourself hard. Shortcomings and all. 

Q: What is one question that you are often asked by readers?

When people ask what MALCOLM AND ME is about, I think they want a pithy answer. But a book can be about numerous things, with rich and layered themes. In my novel, I explore adult hypocrisy, racism, divorce, faith wrangling and social justice activism.

Q: What was the hardest part of the story to write? What made it so difficult?

I  struggled with helping readers understand why Sister Elizabeth disliked Roberta so much. It’s clear both are headstrong. A militant upstart, Roberta clashes with a steely nun who cherishes tradition. But is there a deeper reason for the tension? The story is told through Roberta’s viewpoint so presenting Sister’s perspective is a challenge. 

Q: Was there a scene or character that you had the most fun writing? What made that scene or character so much fun?

I had an absolute blast writing about Sister Carol jumping rope with Roberta. It was rare to see the nuns jump rope back in the day, but the ones who did are forever embedded in my brain. This scene serves as a love letter to every nun unafraid to evoke her inner child and have fun with young people.  I also adore the idea of these two figures — one a budding social justice activist, the other a stalwart of a faith she too has wrestled with due to racism — literally in sync with each other.

Q: Are there any books or movies that you recommend to readers interested in learning more about the time period in which MALCOLM AND ME is set?

“Brian’s Song” was influential because it depicted a powerfulfriendship between a Black and white football player at a time when race relations were strained in certain cities, Philly included, as schools integrated and “white flight”occurred.  “All the President’s Men” — the book or the movie — details the Watergate scandal and a heroic moment in U.S. journalism.  I Loved “Sounder” and” Claudine.” And THE FRIENDS by Rosa Guy was one of my favorite novels. I recall seeing myself in those pages, which is why I recently purchased it and will read it again more than 45 years later.

Q: Are there other novels that inspired you that you’d like to share?

Yes, The GIRL WHO FELL FROM THE SKY by Heidi Durrow forced me to toss my manuscript into the trash. The originality and emotional truth of her debut novel inspired me to dig deeper. THE WHORES ON THE HILL by Colleen Curran was a fantastic story about defiant Catholic teens with a major plot twist. That story influenced me to add a bit of mystery. ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams Garcia was masterfully executed. I learned so much from it. Finally, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD was the first book I recall reading that made me say I will write a book someday. I adored Atticus Finch and then I saw a gorgeous Gregory Peck play him in the film and cherished him more.

About Robin Farmer

Website | Instagram | Twitter

Robin Farmer is a national award–winning journalist and transplanted Philadelphian who currently calls the Richmond, VA, area home. At eight, she told her mother she would write for a living, and she is grateful that her younger self knew what she was talking about (many young folks do). Her other interests include screenwriting, poetry, movies, and traveling. She’s still hoping to write stories about young people for television and film. Robin earned her degree in journalism from Marquette University. She lives in Richmond, VA.

Review: The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1)
Kiersten White
Delacorte Press
Published November 5, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Guinevere Deception

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

My Review

THIS is the female-centered Arthur retelling that I’ve been waiting for. I remember loving the idea of taking the legend of King Arthur and retelling it from a female point-of-view when I first heard about the book CURSED by Thomas Wheeler. CURSED tells the story of Arthur’s rise from the point-of-view of a Druid woman who becomes the Lady of the Lake. It was a cool book, cool idea, but the level of violence and focus on battles were a struggle for me.

So I left that book feeling like I still hadn’t seen a female-centered retelling that appealed to me. And then I found this book. Oh. My. Gosh.

I feel like one thing the book does really well is to deliver the sense of magic and honor and awe that other tales of Camelot and King Arthur inspire. King Arthur, though he’s not the main character, retains that visionary, every-man’s-king-ness that I think of as really essential to his character. Camelot also has this shiny, fairy-tale quality to it that I didn’t realize I hoped for.

By far the most amazing thing about this book, to me, is the way the female characters own the story. It’s wholly Guinevere’s tale. She’s the hero, the one piecing things together to uncover threats to the kingdom. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that eventually, there will be a face-off between Guinevere and a Dark Queen, a force of evil magic. I loved that even in this, the story focuses on its ladies.

There are a couple of female side characters who added a lot to the story, too, but I don’t want to say too much about them, because I don’t want to give any spoilers. Just know that there is a lot to look forward to in the cast of this book.

This is the first book by Kiersten White that I’ve read, and I loved the storytelling and the writing enough that now I want to read everything she has ever written. I think this is going to be a series you need to read in order, so I do recommend starting with this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Characters are mainly white/English. One side character is a lesbian. Another side character says that when she dresses as a woman, it feels like a lie, so she dresses as a man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Brief strong profanity and crude language. Mainly it’s used to describe what Camelot was when Arthur became king. Sewage flowed in the streets and some of the street names reflected this fact. Then Arthur arranged for a group of kids to collect everyone’s chamber pots and empty them away from the streets.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Reference to a girl in love with another girl. Some vague reference to sex/pregnancy and how quickly Guinevere will provide Arthur an heir.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to do magic. Guinevere mainly uses what she calls knot magic, where she literally ties knots for protection and other purposes. She can also touch things and have a sense of their identity and where they’ve come from. A Dark Queen intends to use magic to destroy civilization. Magic is chaos. Arthur’s rule is order. The two cannot exist together.

Violent Content
Some battle violence. Guinevere meets a man who was accused of raping more than one woman. He suggests that he would like to do the same to her.

Drug Content
Social drinking at dinner and parties.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: Love & Olives by Jenna Evans Welch

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Love & Olives
Jenna Evans Welch
Simon Pulse
Published November 10, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Love & Olives

Liv Varanakis doesn’t have a lot of fond memories of her father, which makes sense—he fled to Greece when she was only eight. What Liv does remember, though, is their shared love for Greek myths and the lost city of Atlantis. So when Liv suddenly receives a postcard from her father explaining that National Geographic is funding a documentary about his theories on Atlantis—and will she fly out to Greece and help?—Liv jumps at the opportunity.

But when she arrives to gorgeous Santorini, things are a little…awkward. There are so many questions, so many emotions that flood to the surface after seeing her father for the first time in years. And yet Liv doesn’t want their past to get in the way of a possible reconciliation. She also definitely doesn’t want Theo—her father’s charismatic so-called “protégé”—to witness her struggle.

And that means diving into all that Santorini has to offer—the beautiful sunsets, the turquoise water, the hidden caves, and the delicious cuisine. But not everything on the Greek island is as perfect as it seems. Because as Liv slowly begins to discover, her father may not have invited her to Greece for Atlantis, but for something much more important.

My Review

I have some mixed feelings about this book, but I liked a lot of things. First, the stuff that I loved.

The setting is gorgeous. LOVE & OLIVES made me feel like I was in Santorini enjoying the outdoors and the sea and excited about hunting down rumors of Atlantis. I loved a lot of things about Liv. She’s smart and artistic, and I couldn’t help feeling for her as she faced this unexpected trip to reunite with her estranged father. I liked Liv’s mom, too. She’s sharp and I felt like she tried really hard to walk that balance between interfering when necessary and letting Liv make her own life choices.

I really struggled with Liv’s feelings and relationship with her dad. I feel like I’ve been burned by that kind of visionary, head-in-the-clouds type of person before. He just seemed like he might flake out on her any second. It was hard not to worry that Liv was going to end up hurt again. Sometimes that made me angry.

I also had a hard time with Theo. I really didn’t like that he filmed her without her permission and ignored her when she asked him to stop. There were reasons in the story that made it a “good thing” that he had that footage, that’s still not okay. I don’t like stories where the guy overrides a girl’s no because he “knows better” than she does or knows her better than she knows herself, etc. I think it’s a dangerous behavior to idealize because it romanticizes someone who ultimately isn’t respecting a point-blank refusal.

That aside, I did like that Theo asked her thought-provoking questions. He also acted as a buffer between Liv and her dad. He did eventually grow to trust and respect Liv’s boundaries.

Her relationship with her dad went some places I wasn’t expecting. I still had a hard time because I worried that somehow he wouldn’t be accountable for the hurt he’d caused. I think the way the story explored the reasons why he disappeared and why he’d wanted to be a part of Liv’s life again were ultimately satisfying. It just took me a long time to warm to him.

Altogether, this book feels like a sweet summer romance, with a beautiful setting guaranteed to make you feel like you’re escaping reality. Ultimately I’m glad I read it. I think fans of Jennifer E. Smith will enjoy the romance of this story.

Content Notes for Love and Olives

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Liv and her father are Greek. So is Theo.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple instances of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of LOVE & OLIVES in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Author Q&A with Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat

Author Interview, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Author Q&A with Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat

Every now and again I hear about just the right book for the right moment, and I feel like DEAR HERO has been one of those. I definitely needed a snarky, silly, fun book to read this month! So when I got the chance to ask the authors some questions about the story and the process of writing it, of course I jumped at the chance.

First, here’s a little bit about the book in case you aren’t familiar.

Dear Hero
Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat
INtense Publications
Published September 28, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

Cortex and V need a new nemesis. 

Up-and-coming teen superhero Cortex is on top of the world–at least, until his villain dumps him. If he’s going to save his reputation, he needs a new antagonist, and fast.

Meanwhile, the villainous Vortex has once again gotten a little overeager and taken out a hero prematurely. Will any young hero be able to keep up with her? Maybe she should work on finding a steady relationship with an enemy she won’t kill in the first round.

So the two turn to Meta-Match, a nemesis pairing site for heroes and villains, where they match right away. But not everything in the superhero world is as it seems. Who are the real heroes and villains? And just how fine of a line is there between love and hate? When darkness from the past threatens them both, Cortex and V may need to work together to make it out alive. 
Told entirely through texts, transcriptions, and direct messages, this darkly humorous chat fiction novel goes behind the scenes of the superworld.

Author Q&A with Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat

Q: What was it like to write a novel together? What were the easiest or most challenging parts?

HOPE: It was a ton of fun. We actually worked really well together. I would say the only “toughest” thing was there was a three-hour time difference between us. Other than that, we actually experienced more productivity together than when we wrote on our own.

ALYSSA: The unique thing about this book is that it is told entirely through instant messaging–texts, DMs, etc. The best part of that was the lack of writer’s block. If one person was stuck, the other could jump in. The toughest part was remembering to take breaks!

Q: I find that a story was often inspired by a question. Was there a question that inspired you to write the DEAR HERO?

HOPE: I don’t know if there was one singular source of inspiration. We’d made some parody Twitter accounts making fun of superhero tropes, and I had a friend who was invested in dating apps at the time. Everything sort of just clicked together. We wanted to do a pen pal program between a villain and a hero, but decided to make it more modern and snappy.

ALYSSA: We had a lot of fun questions we came up with along the way. What if being a hero or a villain was a career path like any other? What if it involved building your social media platform and fighting bigger and better nemeses for clout? At that point, what does it even mean to be a hero or a villain?

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about something you know about the story that the reader may not know? Maybe a deleted scene or something you know about the characters that didn’t make it into the book?

HOPE: Sure! Without spoiling anything, certain elements of the story (big plot twists) surprised both of us. I woke up one morning to a text from Alyssa saying, “I discovered that Fill-in-the-blank-character was a villain.” And I was like, “Welp, didn’t see that coming.” Everyone gets mad at authors for plot twists, but sometimes, even the writer doesn’t anticipate something will happen until it does.

ALYSSA: We got attached to these characters and definitely texted about all sorts of head canon for their futures, their pasts, scenes that didn’t make it into the book, etc. I ended up writing a special scene where our villain receives her first pet shark as a child from her beloved elderly henchman, Bernard. I wouldn’t be surprised if we put together several shorts someday.

Q: What’s your favorite moment in DEAR HERO?

HOPE: So hard to pick. I really love any of the “ship-able” moments between our main characters. Especially when V hits Cortex on the head with a dragon stuffed animal during a “gory” movie. It’s the Breakfast Club. He’s tricked her into thinking it’s a slasher film.

ALYSSA: That moment is probably my second favorite. My first favorite is a little bit of a spoiler, but it’s when our hero Cortex is able to explain some things to his former idol, a now-washed-out superhero, and delivers some iconic lines about villains, heroes, humans, and love. Hope knocked it out of the park on that one.

Q: What was the hardest scene in the book to write, and how did you finally get it on paper?

HOPE: Alyssa and I will probably agree on this, we struggle to write romantic scenes. Not from lack of experience, but because it’s weird to co-author them. Similar to romance in real life, you have to collaborate with the other person to make it work. So any time things get spicy, I definitely struggled.

ALYSSA: I blush through every romantic scene, no matter how innocent. Writing with someone else meant I had to confront the romance head on, but it ended up being fun as we both got invested in the characters’ relationship.

Q: Is there a scene or moment in your story that really sticks with you? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

HOPE: I like that although it’s a very hilarious story that we have some very serious moments. I think one scene that Alyssa wrote with V talking to a dead character was particularly poignant. She talks earlier in the book about how she killed a customer in retail, but in this scene we discover why … and discover that she’s actually a hero at times, whether she wants to admit it or not.

ALYSSA: In an important moment between our two main characters, Hope’s character, the hero, reminds the villain that she’s not a villain or a hero, she’s human. That stuck with me. We all have villain and hero inside us.

Q: What do you most hope that readers take away from DEAR HERO?

HOPE: Of course, we want them to laugh. Too much of YA depresses us, so we wanted to give people something to chuckle at. But we’d love for them to see themselves in both the villain and hero characters and to see that often the distinctive lines we draw between good and bad are arbitrary.

ALYSSA: This is a ridiculous, satirical romp, and I just want people to have fun. But I also hope it helps readers to confront the potential for villainy or heroism inside of each of us, and look past labels to the real person inside.

Q: What is one question about your novel you are often asked by readers?

HOPE: We often get asked “Who wrote each character?” Because although I took most of the “hero” characters and Alyssa most of the “villains,” we do mix it up from time to time.  I write a villain in the sequel that I CANNOT wait for you to meet.

ALYSSA: From the people who know us, once we say Hope for the most part wrote the heroes and I wrote the villains, the most common response is, “Makes sense.” Which leaves ME with questions for readers: why does everyone think I’m the villain, haha! Of course, the second most-asked question is, “Is there a sequel?” And the answer is yes! Keep an eye out in 2021 for Dear Henchman!

About Hope Bolinger

Website | Instagram | Twitter

Hope Bolinger is a literary agent at C.Y.L.E. and a graduate of Taylor University’s professional writing program.

More than 900 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer’s Digest to Keys for Kids to HOOKED to Crosswalk.com. She writes about 250-300 articles a year.

She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Her column “Hope’s Hacks,” tips and tricks to avoid writer’s block, reaches 6,000+ readers weekly in the Serious Writer newsletter.

Her modern-day Daniel, “Blaze,” (Illuminate YA) released in 2019, and the sequel “Den” released in 2020. The final installment Vision releases in August 2021. 

Her superhero romance she co-wrote with Alyssa Roat releases from INtense Publications in September 2020. Sequel Dear Henchman set to release in April 2021. 

About Alyssa Roat

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Alyssa Roat has worked in a wide variety of roles within the publishing industry as an agent, editor, writer, and marketer. She is the publicity manager for publisher Mountain Brook Ink, as well as an associate literary agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, an editor with Sherpa Editing Services, and a freelance writer with 200+ bylines in local, national, and international publications. She holds a B.S. in Professional Writing from Taylor University.

Review: Dear Hero by Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Romance, , , , , ,

Dear Hero
Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat
INtense Publications
Published September 28, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Dear Hero

Cortex and V need a new nemesis. 

Up-and-coming teen superhero Cortex is on top of the world–at least, until his villain dumps him. If he’s going to save his reputation, he needs a new antagonist, and fast.

Meanwhile, the villainous Vortex has once again gotten a little overeager and taken out a hero prematurely. Will any young hero be able to keep up with her? Maybe she should work on finding a steady relationship with an enemy she won’t kill in the first round.

So the two turn to Meta-Match, a nemesis pairing site for heroes and villains, where they match right away. But not everything in the superhero world is as it seems. Who are the real heroes and villains? And just how fine of a line is there between love and hate? When darkness from the past threatens them both, Cortex and V may need to work together to make it out alive. 
Told entirely through texts, transcriptions, and direct messages, this darkly humorous chat fiction novel goes behind the scenes of the superworld.

My Review

So this whole story is told in what looks like direct messages through an app called Meta-Match, which is like a browsing site for villains and heroes to help them pair up and fight each other.

The opening chats were a little bit awkward, but I feel like it’s hard to write scenes where characters meet online without having at least a little bit of the feeling each other out and trying not to give too much away. Right away I knew I’d love V’s tough exterior and soft heart and Cortex’s awkwardness.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. It’s really different. Definitely a great read for anyone really needing an escape. I haven’t read RENEGADES by Marissa Meyer, but I wish I could say how it compares to something like that.

It reminded me a teeny bit of the ILLUMINAE books in the way it used direct messages and transcribed conversations. DEAR HERO does leave you to fill in the blanks on some of the scenes because you’re strictly getting dialogue unless someone narrates what’s happening.

All in all, it was definitely an entertaining, cute read. I’d say perfect for middle school readers.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Cortex is Japanese-American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
There were some teasing comments about race. For instance, in one scene V comments to Cortex (who is Asian) something like, aren’t you supposed to be good at math? He calls her out for stereotyping.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Reference to V attending Mass with Cortex’s family.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some references to violence and descriptions of battles between heroes and villains.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of DEAR HERO in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.


Review: A Summer Taken by Jason Milgram

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

A Summer Taken
Jason Milgram
Published July 4, 2020

Amazon | Goodreads

About A Summer Taken

“The old green sign with painted yellow letters confirmed it–I was back. And like it or not, this was happening.”

14-year-old Julia is back at Lake Bradford for a very different reason than last time. Two years ago, she and her cousin Lizzie got to experience Camp Auctus, a leadership camp for gifted girls rooted in tradition, a place where even their mothers and grandmothers attended as girls. Campfires, fireflies, talent shows, races by the lake, friendships, and a mysterious Writer’s Hut nestled in the woods were just a few of the things that made Camp Auctus special.

But after a tragedy takes her cousin away, the best summer of Julia’s life becomes her worst. And now, she’s back, tasked with writing a tribute to the cousin she loved so deeply. Except…Julia isn’t sure she can do it. How can she put into words what she still has not been able to understand? Lizzie wasn’t just her best friend–she was her inspiration for change in the world.

A book series about multi-generational family and friendship, loss and grief, gun violence, the growth of divisive anger and hate we have allowed in our country, and a story of love and hope.

My Review

I love that this book takes a hard look at gun violence and the devastating impact it can have on a family and community, especially in a divisive political climate. I thought the setting of a summer camp to empower girls was a cool idea as well.

One thing I struggled with, though, was Julia’s character. She complains a lot, and I want to give her a pass for the parts of the story where she’s brittle and angry because she’s grieving her cousin’s death. But even when we flash back to a time before that, her character felt pretty much the same to me then. Kind of resentful and complaining.

I wanted to see more relationships develop between Julia and the other camp girls, who it seemed at been close to her cousin, and so would be grieving for her loss as well. Instead, the people Julia responded to the most were the adults in the story, like her camp counselor and her aunt. Those were neat scenes, and I loved seeing good mentors represented, but sometimes it felt like they handed Julia the answers she needed rather than her fighting to discover answers for herself.

On the whole, I liked the message of the story and the positive examples of mentors and role models, but I feel like Julia’s character lacked agency, and I wish there had been more relationship building or problem-solving or grieving together with the other campers.

Fans of summer camp stories or readers looking for stories with a strong message may want to look into this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Main character and her family are white. Julia battled an eating disorder in the past. I’m not sure about the quality of the representation there, but mostly the timeline of the story doesn’t focus on it.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Julia attends a funeral service for her cousin at a church.

Violent Content
Julia learns that her cousin was shot by a gunman at a political rally. She also overhears strangers laughing about her cousin’s death because they oppose her aunt’s political values.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of A SUMMER TAKEN in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.