KissinBlueKaren

Awwe! This book was so endearing. I loved the innocence of the romance in this book. It is not all sunshine though. This story covers some really tough issues. Just like real life, this book gets down and dirty with what being a teenager can look like. It is not always pretty. This book takes the reader into the mind of a girl called Ellen. A girl with a lack of self-esteem and self-worth. She can’t seem to say what she means, and her silence hides a terrible secret.

Ellen, is a 16 year old with whole lot of issues. Her Mom is out of the picture due to a drug habit ever since her father died. She lives with her brother and he gave up his life to make sure she gets a good start. While volunteering at a youth camp over the summer she meets Rex, a boy from out of town. Their friendship may be the only thing holding Ellen together as she deals with inappropriate adults and bullies that think they know the whole truth. Ellen has to do some growing up in order to face her demons and learn to find her voice.

I wasn’t sure about this book at first. I mean there are a lot of details about the daily life of this girl. We follow her on her walk to camp and through all the stresses of volunteering with kids. It is a bit slow to start, but the author is laying the foundations for a girl that is selfless. The author is setting up the framework and exposing her silence in things she should be communicating but doesn’t. By the time school starts, we understand that Ellen can’t just say what she wants to say. When the secret of an adult preying on children is exposed for the reader, I felt just as stuck as Ellen. I guess the lesson in this book is that it is never too late to do the right thing.

I didn’t know what to expect from this book. My radar is way off when it comes to YA. I have to admit that I enlisted my teenage daughter to help me pick something out. I didn’t read the synopsis, I didn’t look at the reviews. She said this book looked really great. As it turns out, the heroine reminds me of her. I am so pleased with this book, my girl gets gold stars for making a good choice. I can’t wait for her to read it too so we can talk about it. I have to give the author major props for writing a book that girls like her can relate to.