Good news about a book is always a fabulous way to start a Monday. My upcoming young adult novel, GIRLS ON THE VERGE, was chosen by NetGalley to feature in the their homepage placement this week. There are so many books for them to choose from and they chose mine! So that’s very cool. If you’d like to take a look head on over here— NetGalley
Also, School Library Journal gave GIRLS ON THE VERGE a starred review, which makes my heart sing! Libraries are just about the best things in the world, as far as I’m concerned. If you love books and libraries as much as I do, check out Susan Orleans new book, THE LIBRARY BOOK, my favorite book of 2018. It’s about the terrible LA library in the 1980s, but it’s also a love story to books and libraries, and an important examination about how important these institutions are to civilization. Think about it—it’s probably the last free place on earth a person can go to get information, read books for free, receive assistance with just about anything, and most importantly, libraries are safe spaces for everyone to gather, no matter who they are. So go read Susan’s book and visit your local library! The librarians are waiting for you.
Anyway…here is my review!
Starred Review SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
Gr 9 Up–This compelling novel opens with a stark and timely reminder of a woman’s right to choose in June 2014, when there were only 19 abortion clinics left in Texas, a state which included five million women of reproductive age. Camille, ready to spend her summer at an advanced drama camp, is horrified to find herself pregnant from her first and only sexual encounter, and unwilling to give her future up for a baby with a boy she’s never spoken to again. Knowing she would be disappointing her parents and unwilling to tell them, Camille tries repeatedly to solve her problem, before setting off with two friends determined to help her: Annabelle because she believes in the right to choose, and Bea because she is Camille’s friend. Waller realistically depicts the 17-year-old’s struggles to get an abortion, from ending up at a clinic where she’s prayed over, with a doctor who won’t do anything without parental consent, to facing a judge who won’t bypass parental consent as he’s sure he’s doing what’s best for her. This title offers realistic viewpoints on teenage pregnancy, along with what it is like to have the right to choose, wanting that right, and living knowing that you will be judged for having exercised it. An author’s note details what inspired this personal story and additional information on Roe v. Wade. VERDICT A first purchase.–Betsy Fraser, Calgary Public Library, Canada
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