The first book I ever read by this author was when I was 12 years old and I remember it being a really good romantic teen fiction (it’s been a while since I read it so I may be wrong). When I was recommended this novel, for some reason, I found myself hesitant. Maybe the premise didn’t interest me or maybe I didn’t want to read anything teen-y. I’ve put this novel off for a while but I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did.
Cadence comes from a distinguished family. Every summer she and her mother go to their summer vacation island to meet her grandparents and cousins. It is the one time where they all come together, everyone in their separate yet connected estates, bonding and joking and laughing. But everything is different the summer that Cadence turns 17. After a traumatic swimming injury that has led to memory loss, everyone is tiptoe-ing around her and hiding things from her. And Cadence is determined to find out.
This summary really doesn’t do this novel justice but the whole mystery and thrill of this novel comes from figuring it out on your own so I don’t want to reveal anything more. It’s only told from the perspective of Cadence but she is such an interesting character that I was fine with that. In the beginning, I felt quite fed up hearing about the privileged lifestyles of the family but the more I kept reading, the more I saw that this was the author’s intent. This novel is not humorous; it is dark and dysfunctional in the best way possible. I enjoyed it because it takes teen fiction to a whole other level; it deals with complex issues and almost becomes an adult novel. I’m definitely recommending this to older teens because it is really a thought-provoking read!
Happy reading ~
I absolutely love E. Lockhart’s The Boyfriend List but I’ve been hesitant in reading this one. Great review, by the way! 😊
That’s actually the first book I read by her! The story here is definitely darker than The Boyfriend List but written really well so you will definitely enjoy it!
Ooh, I’ll check it out sometime soon! 😊