Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this ebook!
Synopsis:
It’s the summer of 1955. For Ethan Harper, a biracial kid raised mostly by his white father, race has always been a distant conversation. When he’s sent to spend the summer with his aunt and uncle in small-town Alabama, his Blackness is suddenly front and center, and no one is shy about making it known he’s not welcome there. Except for Juniper Jones. The town’s resident oddball and free spirit, she’s everything the townspeople aren’t―open, kind, and full of acceptance.
Armed with two bikes and an unlimited supply of root beer floats, Ethan and Juniper set out to find their place in a town that’s bent on rejecting them. As Ethan is confronted for the first time by what it means to be Black in America, Juniper tries to help him see the beauty in even the ugliest reality, and that even the darkest days can give rise to an invincible summer.
My Review:
Be ready to cry your eyes out! This book gave me so many feels. Summer has always been my favorite season, and I think it’s partly because of all the epic adventures my siblings and I had with our cousins on our grandparents’ farm. Ethan and Juniper’s adventures reminded me of them.
The characters were so well-developed and vibrant, I felt like I was in the story with them. The lush summer descriptions of the lake and town added to the story’s charm. And the best part was, that despite dealing with some difficult things, in the end, the reader is left with a sense of hope for a better tomorrow.
Fans of Bridge to Terabithia and Tuck Everlasting will enjoy this book, as well as anyone who loves a great friendship story full of hope.
Have you read this book? If so, what did you think?
Finding Faith, Holding Onto Hope, and Living With Love 