Fixing Delilah - Sarah Ockler

Young Adult
Pages: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: December 1, 2010

Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.

She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.

Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?

Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery.

This book captures with incredible accuracy the essence of a conflicted family, where grief and secrets have always been present. Yet it has so much more. The sweet and sad relationship between Delilah and Patrick melted my heart. The thought of being separated from your childhood summer friend for so long and keeping those memories was such a sweet concept that it could only compare to the loveliness of Sarah's first book, Twenty Boy Summer. Now, in Fixing Delilah she portrays so many issues in one story that make the story unbelievably powerful.

The writing was exquisite and the characters were richly explored. I loved how Delilah's family was female only. I also loved the way the book was decorated, it has leaves and decorations at the beginning of each chapter that beautified my reading, as if it needed more charm than just Ockler's heart-filled words. This coming-of age story about finding yourself and discovering the beauty of imperfect families will stay in my mind for a long time. I have no doubts that I will love whatever Sarah Ockler writes after these two masterpieces.

This is of of 2010's contemporary must-reads.

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Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

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Twenty Boy Summer - Sarah Ockler

Young Adult
Pages: 304 pages
Publisher:Little, Brown Young Readers
Release Date: June 1, 2009

"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?"
"Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?"

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy ever day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

What a great read. After so many supernatural books in a row this was like a summer break. It's a wonderful story. A story about friendship and love, specially about grief and letting go. Ockler has a magic gift when she writes. It's amazing how words seem to have sounds and backgrounds and you're wondering around in her young world seeing things through Anna's eyes. I feel like I felt the book more than read it. I could see every single scenario. Amazing.

It also has this refreshing sense of humor, ironies and splendid sarcasm, so characteristic of teen years. I laughed out loud several times during reading and felt that sting before crying several times as well. A beautiful debut.

Anna's character feels so real, it was hard for me to remember it was not me. All the characters are wonderful, specially Frankie's. Plus, the cover! I loved the cover before reading the book, and after reading it, I think there is no other way to make this book more perfect than with that gorgeous cover. If you like fun/sad, growing up-romance books you shouldn't hesitate to read this right now.