⭐⭐☆
High school and mid-teens are chrysalis
age. Caterpillars urn to butterflies and gain their true colours. So stories
with characters in this age are often very interesting. But that depends on the
writing.
Cameron Leoni’s parents have recently divorced and her
mother is overly extended in trying to keep things on an even keel for her three
children. Cameron, about to start her senior year in high school, is pulled in
to share some of the responsibilities. Part of that is to earn her college
fees, for which she takes a job in the library. As a rather quiet, regular girl
with and boyfriend and a best friend for socialisation, this suits Cam
perfectly. Working in the library during summer, Cam is drawn towards one girl
who frequents the library, but except for smiles of acknowledgement, they don’t
exchange much more. When school starts, Cam finds that the library girl is Riley
Baker, new to town, in her school and her year. Cam and her best friend
Claire become friends with Riley. Cam is not sure what to do with the
unexpected feelings that Riley evokes in her.
This is a high school coming-of-age
novel which tells a sweet enough oft-told tale but fails to draw us into the
emotions. The story is nice, sweet, unfolds at an even pace but somehow fails
to touch our emotions. We surely like that the end was full of promise and not
that the two girls were separating.
(On a side note: How did the entire
burden of bringing up kids fall on Cam’s mom while her ‘nice’ dad gets away
being responsibility-free?)
This is a take-it or leave-it for us.
⭐⭐☆
