As a result, Jess starts to pull away and June starts to seriously question her own life: Why did she and Jess drink so much? Were her and Jess just friends or were they something more? Why doesn’t Jess seem to like June’s family and new friends (and vice versa)? Can she be into Sam and Jess at the same time? Has moving to Virginia changed her for the better or for the worst? And can she and Jess ever regain the closeness that they once had? This book really reminded me of You Don’t Live Here by Robyn Schneider; if you liked this book (or really any of Schneider’s books), you should definitely check out Any Place But Here. This book is ideally suited for a teen audience and deals with themes such as LGBTQ+, friendship, first loves, coming of age/ growing up, and identity. The main take always for me was that you need to be true to yourself and that change doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Overall, I thought that this book made sense and was easy to follow. I loved reading about June and Sam’s photography classes and assignments; it was interesting to read about how they learned to use vintage cameras with film and how they developed their photographs using a darkroom. I also loved the detailed descriptions of the settings; especially Claire’s elaborate dorm room ceiling, which was decorated with fairy lights to resemble the night sky, and the beautiful river across the street from Oma’s condo/ beside June’s school. Lastly, I thought that it was cool that all the characters mentioned in this novel were very accepting of anyone who identified as (or came out as) gay or bisexual; that, in and of itself, makes this book a worthwhile read in my opinion. One critique that I have is that the plot mostly stayed in the same place (June going to school with Kitty and Claire, taking photos with Sam, eating dinner with her Oma, and talking to her family and Jess on the phone); there didn’t seem to be a lot of dramatic rising and falling action. The plot mainly focuses on June’s increasing awareness of her romantic feelings towards Jess and June’s (mostly) inner struggle to determine her sexual orientation. It would have been nice if the action rose a little more, if there was a greater climax, and if there was a more fulfilling ending to June’s story. Overall, I thought that Any Place But Here was a relatively quick and enjoyable read. I gave this book a rating of 8 out of 10. This article was written for "The Nerd Daily". Click to view this article on "The Nerd Daily's" website or copy & paste the following URL into your web browser: https://thenerddaily.com/review-any-place-but-here-by-sarah-van-name/
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Things get even more complicated for Abby when she meets Ben, a handsome filmmaker on the Island, who seems determined to figure out Abby’s life story. Meanwhile, Brooke, who tests negative for the gene, might have a few surprises of her own. First off, I want to state that this book could be a trigger for anyone who is (or knows someone who is) currently battling a degenerative condition such as Huntington’s disease. It also may not be the best fit for anyone diagnosed with severe anxiety and/ or depression. Lastly, this book could also be a trigger for anyone who is (or knows someone who is) battling an addiction. On the other hand, I found this book to be really inspiring; the main takeaway for me was that, in the words of the authors, “fear is never a reason to miss out on something you want”. I also thought that this book was well-researched and informative. In my opinion, this book is geared towards teens and young adults, although it could still be enjoyed by an older audience. The genre of Fade into the Bright is sick lit mixed with romance; it reminded me of a lot of popular titles such as Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson, Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider, and Five Feet Apart by Daughtry/ Lippincott/ Iaconis. It deals with themes such as fate versus free will, family, inner darkness versus light, escapism, life and death, love and sacrifice, knowledge versus ignorance, hope (or losing hope), inner strength, as well as overcoming fears and weaknesses. Overall, I thought that this book was very engaging and hard to put down. I also liked that it was relatively short and easy to read. Even though this book deals with some challenging real-life topics, I liked how it wasn’t overly tear-jerking; there is more to Abby’s story than just her diagnosis (such as her budding romance with Ben) and the novel ends on a mostly hopeful and positive note. Even though I loved reading about Abby and Ben’s relationship, I thought that the big decisions that were made at the end of the book (after only knowing each other for a couple of months) were a tad far-fetched. Another critique I have is that the book was almost too short; I would have liked more details and descriptions as well as additional scenes (perhaps more insights into what Brooke, Abby’s Mom, or Abby’s friend Nina were up to while Abby was on Catalina Island). Another downside for me was that the novel alternated between before diagnosis and after diagnosis; I found this to be a bit confusing at times. Overall, I think that, if you are a teen or young adult who enjoys reading sick lit or emotional love stories, this book is worth reading! I would also recommend this book to fans of All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I gave this book a rating of 8 out of 10. This article was written for "The Nerd Daily". Click to view this article on "The Nerd Daily's" website or copy & paste the following URL into your web browser: https://thenerddaily.com/review-fade-into-the-bright-by-jessica-koosed-etting-and-alyssa-embree-schwartz/
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