Author: Jolene Perry

Series: n/a

Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary

Release Date: September 1st, 2015

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co

I received this book via NETGALLEY in exchange for an open, honest review.

Synopsis: “Years ago, Clara survived a vicious bear attack. She’s used to getting sympathetic looks around town, but meeting strangers is a different story. Yet her dreams go far beyond Knik, Alaska, and now she’s got a secret that’s both thrilling and terrifying–an acceptance letter from Columbia University. But it turns out her scars aren’t as fixable as she hoped, and when her boyfriend begins to press for a forever commitment, she has second thoughts about New York. Then Rhodes, a student teacher in her English class, forces her to acknowledge her writing talent, and everything becomes even more confusing–especially with the feelings she’s starting to have about him. Now all Clara wants to do is hide from the tough choices she has to make. When her world comes crashing down around her, Clara has to confront her problems and find her way to a decision. Will she choose the life of her dreams or the life that someone she loves has chosen? Which choice is scarier?”

Clara is an interesting character, and at first I was not her biggest fan. Truthfully, though, her personal growth led me to approving of her and her choices in the end.

She has had to grow up with scars from the bear attack that she survived, but her mother did not. That alone is a lot to deal with, and led to her being a fairly strong person. She’s a writer, like her mother, and is torn between staying in small town Alaska and going to her mother’s alma mater, Columbia. As her senior year is wrapping up, she is confronted with some huge decisions about life and love and her future.

What I liked is her quiet strength, and her strong religious beliefs which she both clings to and questions at times. I loved that she came from a religious background, which is not something I see very often in YA, but I think a lot of teens can relate to. Throughout the novel Clara struggled to reconcile her beliefs with her current emotions and wants; I think that the doubt and confusion she experienced is something that many life-long believers deal with as they grow up and are expected to make important decisions. As a christian, I definitely identified with this.

On the other hand, I did not like that she refused to communicate with the people in her life for the longest time. She could have avoided a lot of problems if she just talked to the people around her about what was going on and how she felt. That really frustrated me, as a reader. I also felt that she was quite impulsive.

That being said, I enjoyed this book by the time I finished it. Once I got passed the first half, Clara began to speak up, and to actually deal with the things going on. While she made some stupid decisions, I liked that she learned from them.

This felt to me, in the end, a story about a girl going through what a lot of high school seniors must deal with: she had to figure out her future, her beliefs, and her relationships. These three things might not always coexist perfectly together without some change, but she did as everyone must: continued forward and adjusted.

Most importantly, I think readers can take away the message that in the end, you must do what is right for you, regardless of what others want or expect from you. I think Clara learned to believe in herself more and as her self-esteem rose, she was able to make the right choices for herself instead of worrying about what others thought.

This story did not blow me away or take me by surprise, but I did really like it in the end! The overall message was positive and encouraging!