Review: Exceptional
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 20, 2014
About a year ago, I read this author's "Glimmer" Trilogy and really enjoyed it. Hundreds of e books later, those characters and story have stuck with me.  When this book popped up available for a free Amazon download, I jumped at the chance to give it a try. Boy am I happy I did!  This book was so well written and addressed a subject I've not yet to see dealt with in a YA novel.  When I bounced to the author's facebook page I noticed her banner said that she is a misfit writing about misfits for misfits. Well, Amen to that!  I am a proud misfit and always have been.  In my younger days I had self esteem issues such as the ones that inhabit the soul of the protagonist, Dani. She was very relatable for me.  Liam is the perfect young man for her and that becomes more evident as the plot unfolds.  Dani is an exuberant, intelligent, open minded, young woman and she is able to embrace diversity. Her best friend in high school was gay and she enjoys a romp in the local, college town, bar that features drag performers. Liam, straight, works there, so we know going in that he is open minded as well. He is very lucky to find his soul mate in Dani.  I just love reading YA novels that are inclusive of all.  A lifelong Californian, I have been an Oregon resident for the past two years so it was also fun to see that the book was set in Oregon. I also have been a fan of red lipstick since my mid-twenties and still proudly wear it still today now that I am fast approaching fifty nine. Long live red lipstick in all its incarnations!I don't believe in writing reviews with spoilers so you will have to trust me that this is a good read about a sensitive subject most of us have no experience with.  The author's note at the end of the book was a brave one for the author to share and I applaud her candour. This appears to be the first in a series with the next book due in May 2014. I can't wait!