By: Eric Lindstrom
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Poppy
Audience: Teens - Grades 10 & Up
*DAZZLING DEBUT!*
Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart. When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.
Admittedly, the main character, Parker, isn’t a particularly likable person. In fact you kind of want to slap her around a bit. But she knows this about herself and that makes her growth all the more meaningful. It’s also important to note that this book is not another sappy YA romance, and I’m so grateful for that. This is a book that speaks of friendship, loyalty, trust, and discovering what we mean to others and what others mean to us. It’s about stepping outside of ourselves to see the other side of things and recognizing when we’re wrong. It’s about forgiveness, understanding, second chances, and how those don’t always come easily. It’s about grief, letting go, and moving on. It’s about growing up. There is so much happening here but it all works together so nicely that it never feels like Lindstrom is trying to pack in too much. Were there some loose ends that could have been tied up a bit better? Sure. But this still didn’t detract from the story and it almost seems fitting because it illustrates an important point – not everything is resolved with a single conversation, or look, or understanding. Sometimes it truly does take time for change to fully root itself. This is definitely an excellent addition to any YA collection and it will be interesting to see what this author does next.