Girl out of Water: A Young Adult Summer Coming of Age Novel

We have a saying here in Santa Cruz - "Santa Cruz is in the heart". Once you've lived here, it's really, really hard to leave. Silverman captured this sentiment beautifully in Anise, a young surfer girl who is perfectly happy where she is and has no desire to leave. Though she is haunted from being abandoned by her mother, Anise doesn't let that stop her from pursuing her passions. She has a supportive, caring father and a Midwestern family she cares for deeply. She doesn't think she needs her mother until she is forced to confront the fear that she is just like her. Anise's world is turned upside down when her aunt is injured in a car accident in Nebraska. It's the summer before her senior year, and Anise has been looking forward to months of surfing, friends, and the possibility of something more with her best friend, Eric. But her aunt needs Anise and her father to help care for Anise's cousins while she recovers, so she reluctantly gets on a plane with her father and prepares for a miserable summer. Anise loves her three cousins, but taking care of them goes beyond keeping them fed, entertained, and safe at their favorite skate park. She is at a loss at how to deal with preteen Emery, who has friendship problems of her own. She also wants to keep in touch with her friends back home, but avoids interaction because it hurts to see them living their dream summer without her. Then Anise meets Lincoln, a handsome, self-confident skateboarder who ignites her competitive spirit and gives her hope that maybe, just maybe, the summer will turn out to be okay after all. This book kept me turning pages late into the night, especially when an opportunity arises for Anise to have exactly what she wants, and must choose between who she thinks she is, and the person she wants to be. At the end, you'll be sad to say goodbye to these characters, who will lodge in your heart the same way Anise's beloved Santa Cruz does. I'm tempted to ask the author to kindly write a sequel. I'd love another adventure with the cast from this book.

Spring has arrived! The sun has been out in full force, the grass is starting to turn lush and green, the temperature is rising–it’s time to start picking your summer reads, folks! I know it is that season, too, because I have DNF two heavier novels this week. I’m too restless to try and sit through them. I needed something fun–and Laura Silverman’s Girl Out of Water was just the ticket to save me from my slump. The blurb is a little cringey at first glance (Lincoln has a disability, he shouldn’t be defined by it). If I didn’t know anything about the context or author, I might turn away from this one. However, I’ve followed Laura Silverman on Twitter for a long time, and there is no way she would treat someone with a disability with anything but the utmost respect. And she absolutely does. Lincoln is one of the most delightful YA boyfriends that I have read in a long time. His relationship with Anise is adorable, but also respectful–no one is pressuring anyone here, there isn’t any unnecessary sexual drama, and I love that. There’s a lot of swearing, which…if you have followed me for any amount of time, you know that bothers me not at all. Still, it’s surprising for this style of YA novel. I like that Silverman didn’t hold back, since obviously most people don’t in real life–but I could see it being a problem for some. “Summer reads” are always pretty fast books for me. I read this in only a few hours. Once I started, it was hard to put down–Silverman’s characters are captivating, and they drive the story. It’s a book full of normal, every day people dealing with normal, every day drama…plus a little extra. Totally one you should add to your beach bag this year. Just maybe leave the banh mi SPAM at home.

I read all of Sarah Dessen's books throughout high school and college before I kind of moved away from the YA genre. I wasn't planning on reading this book, but then how often do you get to read a book written by someone you went to high school with? Plus it was advertised that if you loved Dessen's books, then you'd love this one. So I went for it! And it did make me feel all sorts of nostalgia for the books I used to love and am still fond of. There is so much adolescent turmoil and emotion that I can relate to (or used to relate to as a teen). I love when I feel like the protagonist gets me, and I feel less alone in my head. And I also love the wonderful teenage things that can't relate to, like having a wolf pack of friends or a summer romance, but I'm still able to live and experience these things through the narrator's voice. A few things that drive me crazy about the protagonist though...mostly they drive me crazy because of my personal bias haha. I can't stand the cognitive dissonance regarding communication with her friends. She is *aware* that she doesn't want to be like her mom, that she needs to stay in touch with her friends, but continually refuses to?? This is a pervasive struggle throughout the book, and frankly I just wanted to shake her and be like, "just do it, dammit!" But I can also very much relate to how it feels to be left out, and how much less painful it is to not reach out so you stop feeling left out, so I forgive her. Also, I am sad that she moved on from her beautiful blonde mancrush so quickly. He's been her bestie for forever and they have been building chemistry...how do you forget that so quickly and immediately fall for another guy? I didn't find that realistic, but that's just me.

I loved this book. Anise's love for surfing came across SO well, and her friendships--and struggles there--all felt real and genuine. I loved both the settings (California and Nebraska), and the romance was both sweet and touching.

This is the perfect contemporary read, fluffy and cute, but also serious and heartfelt. The characters are so relatable and loveable. I seriously love this book so much!

A really great read that made want to keep on reading!