An insightful, raw YA novel about a young photographer navigating toxic relationships and how they influence her identity.
Sixteen-year-old Arden Grey is struggling. Her mother has left their family, her father and her younger brother won’t talk about it, and a classmate, Tanner, keeps harassing her about her sexuality—which isn’t even public. (She knows she likes girls romantically, but she thinks she might be asexual.) At least she’s got her love of film photography and her best and only friend, Jamie, to help her cope. Then Jamie, who is trans, starts dating Caroline, and suddenly he isn’t so reliable. Arden’s insecurity about their friendship grows. She starts to wonder if she’s jealous or if Jamie’s relationship with Caroline is somehow unhealthy—and it makes her reconsider how much of her relationship with her absent mom wasn’t okay, too. Filled with big emotions, first loves, and characters navigating toxic relationships, Ray Stoeve’s honest and nuanced novel is about finding your place in the world and seeking out the love and community that you deserve.
Author’s note, with resources.
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Gr 8 Up-For Seattleite Arden Grey, viewing the world through a camera lens is easier than participating in it. Her junior year is getting rough. Her parents separate, her emotionally abusive mother leaves, and her younger brother starts coming home drunk. In addition, a new girlfriend pulls Arden's best and only friend Jamie away. Though Arden worries about Caroline's controlling behavior, Jamie, who is transgender, claims Arden doesn't understand, being aro-ace. While Arden does think she's asexual, she's unsure about aromantic since she's attracted to Queer Alliance leader Vanessa. Would Vanessa want a non-physical relationship, though? Maybe Arden should step out from behind the camera and finally take control of her life. The author deftly handles the main issues in Arden's life, offering readers representation, recognition, and hope. One issue is recognizing and responding to abusive behavior, as in understanding the "power and control" wheel of bad relationships. Another is Arden's struggle to understand her asexuality in the capricious, highly charged world of school relationships. The fear of losing friends and losing one's importance to romantically partnered friends will ring poignantly true to ace readers. Characters are well-drawn, LGBTQIA+ representation abounds, and while Arden and Jamie are cued as white, secondary characters offer some diversity. Language and sexual references are age appropriate. An afterword discusses abusive relationships and offers resources. VERDICT Arden's experiences with an emotionally abusive mother, losing her best friend to a controlling partner, and understanding her own asexuality will have wide appeal for realistic fiction fans.-Rebecca Moore?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.