August and Everything After

by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

[Sam@WLABB]

I was expecting a breezy, summer romance, but this was not that kind of book. There are light and fun parts, but mostly, it was the story of a girl, who was so broken under the weight of years of guilt and the loss of her best friend, that she was losing sight of herself and any long term goals.

I really liked
• The setting - this book was set in my home state, NJ, and it is always a treat to recognize so many places when I read a book.
• The 90s references - I am a lover of 80s and 90s music, and throughly enjoyed all the musical references in this book.
• The Growth - Quinn grew a great deal over the course of this story, and was able to make peace with her past. I especially liked the progress she made with her mother, and that Quinn was able to discover some untapped talent and find some direction.
• I appreciate the book shedding some light opioid addiction, because this is a huge problem we are currently facing.
• I sort of adored Quinn's aunt. She was a fabulous person and Quinn was lucky to have her.

I am not really sure how I felt about the romance or Malcolm. I think that is the problem, when addicts are featured as primary characters in a story. His behaviors were not unusual for an addict, but he did things, which angered me. So, call me conflicted about him, though, he did redeem himself slightly in my eyes.

Overall: The book was entertaining, and quite emotional at times. I liked watching Quinn try to find her way out from beneath her pain and grief, and start anew.