Keah Brown

This book is geared towards Intermediate readers and touches on the experience of Sam with a disability. The illustrator did a good job of depicting realistic characters and common activities relatable to the intended audience. The overall meaning is that everyone is perfect just the way they are. I would have this book in my class because I think that it is a super cute book and very inclusive. I love that because of the inclusivity, everyone can see themselves somewhere in the book, although the characters might not say anything.… (más)

Something Like Possible meets She Gets the Girl in this sun soaked summer YA. Andrea is finally ready to have the best summer of her life now that she’s fully recovered from her cerebral palsy surgery. And she’s got the whole thing planned out. Including Drew Barrymore movie marathons, art shows, and even skinny dipping. Between her perfectly crafted bucket list and her ride-or-die crew of besties, there’s nothing that could possibly stop her from having the summer of her dreams. Except maybe the fact that she’s in love with her best friend.

So when the most popular guy in school asks Andrea out it seems like the perfect distraction. I mean there’s no way Hailee could love her back, right? Until dating the golden boy turns out to be more trouble than it’s worth. And to top it off her ex-best friend Olivia has been secretly talking to her mom. What could that be about? Is Andrea’s summer of laughs transforming into a summer of secrets or will she be able to confront her feelings before the start of the new school year?

What a fun book! This was such a cozy read honestly. Perfect for some light summer reading by the pool. Andrea is a confident and fun teen who is just an absolute blast to experience. I loved the “low-stakes” adventures she went on.

I think we can all relate to the world-ending feelings of your first real crush. Especially us queer women crushing on our best friends. Which are often fraught with anxiety due to their inherently delicate nature. However, this book brought me back to all the good feelings without having to relive any of the trauma. It kept the essence of a first crush without the soul-crushing terror that comes alongside it.
A part that really stood out to me was Andreas' interactions with her parents. They were so full of unconditional love and honesty. It made my heart feel so happy and full to imagine a teenage hood that was so healthy. What a treat to be able to experience parental love as a teen through Andrea's eyes. Very healing honestly.

The representation in this book was also something to note. Although I must warn I am not a person with a disability so take my opinion on this with a grain of salt. But Andrea is not only queer and black, she also has cerebral palsy. However, her disability is far from the center of her story. You honestly completely forget during the majority of the book. And when it is brought up it’s never seen as a hindrance to Andrea or her loved ones.

All in all, if you’re looking for a fun, relaxing read with low stakes, this book is for you. Anybody interested in healing their inner teen and having some serious nostalgia read this asap. It’s not groundbreaking or the most literary book but it also doesn’t promise to be. It delivers exactly what it says and I love that. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for sending this eARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CW: ableism, bullying, mention of racism… (más)

I'll be posting my review for this book in September as a part of GeekDis a collaborative event I am hosting in September for the disabled community to discuss disability representation in pop culture.

You can learn more about GeekDis and how to take join in the discussion here!

For more of my reviews please visit my blog!… (más)