I’m not a book reviewer and won’t try to be one today, but I wanted to tell you all about this new book coming out. My friend, Jennifer Castle, wrote it and it is amazing!
The basic synopsis is this: “Ari Logan is battling to win her war against depression and the dark night she hurt herself on purpose. It’s not easy: her best friend is drifting away, her mom’s emotionally checked out, and she spends her days playing caregiver to her handful of a half-sister, Danielle. But it’s summer, and anything is possible…
That’s when Camden Armstrong steps onto the beach of Ari’s local swimming lake.
At first, Ari quietly longs for Camden from afar, seeing in him everything she wants to be. When the two discover a true connection the following summer, Ari lets herself fall not just for the quirky and self-assured Camden but also his friends, tumbling into their world of independence, adventure, and shared sci-fi fandom. As Ari’s romantic dreams come true, she must unlock the mysteries of the very real and troubled boy behind her infatuation, while also struggling with her own demons, obligations, and loyalties.”-from jennifercastle.com
She asked me to give it a read and see if the cosplay world was correctly depicted. I can say that it is spot-on! I told her when I finished the book, “Your book gets me.” Nerds are portrayed in a realistic and respectful fashion. There’s no, “Let’s make fun of the nerds, aren’t they weird”, feel to this book AT ALL.
I also applaud her depiction of anxiety and depression. There are characters that are dealing with depression in various ways, and I could relate to my experiences with it as well. It is dealt with realistically and with respect.
I highly recommend this to the readers of this blog. It is YA, so I’d say it is appropriate for 13 and up, but you know your kid better than I do.
Buy your own copy here.
Please peruse her website as well for information on her other works. I read all three of her novels, and loved each one! Here’s a link to her site.
Happy Reading!
Love, Kim and Scout
