Review: Whisper If You Need Me

Dina Silver is known for her women's fiction novels but she has recently released her first YA book, Whisper if You Need Me. The contemporary novel was an absolute delight to read and Sarah Dessen fans should take note.

Here's the synopsis:

A strong-willed yet vulnerable young beauty, Julia Pearl is sixteen years old when she’s sent away to summer camp for the first time. Julia’s father and stepmother are convinced that time away from home will be good for Julia, hoping it will restore the confidence she lost when her mother disappeared five years earlier.
Released from the emotional constraints of her new family and the ugly reputation her mother left behind, Julia finds herself reluctantly tossed into the free-spirited and often drama-infused world of overnight camp—where she quickly falls for an intensely charismatic counselor named Jack Dempsey, a nineteen-year-old college student who will prove to save her life in more ways than one.
Rich with humor and poignancy, Whisper If You Need Me is a timeless story that will remind readers of the strength of friendship, the unwavering devotion of family, and ultimately, the power of young love.

My favourite thing about Sarah Dessen novels (yes, I know this isn't a review about one of her books...bear with me here) is that the story is about more than just romance. Sometimes romance doesn't even really factor into the story. The point of the novel is to watch the heroine, a teenage girl, find her way in the world. There is drama, usually of the family sort but not always, and a little something special that hooks you and drags you, quite happily, into the story. Dina Silver has found that little something with her new book. Julia has a lot of stuff to work through...why her mom left, being "forced" to go to summer camp, having a new step-mother and step-siblings, plus a severe nut allergy. And for those, like me, who enjoy the swooning, the first kisses, and the romance, there's some of that too.

The setting played such a huge part in this novel. I never went to summer camp as a kid (the closest I got was a few day school trip to a nearby camp. I think I've blocked most of it out.) so there's a bit of a novelty factor for me. But I think summer camp is perfect for a contemporary YA novel and allows for a bunch of high school kids (and therefore a bunch of drama and angst) to get together somewhere that isn't school. 

The only little teeny thing that bugged me has to do with the age of the characters. Julia is 16, Jack is 19. I just could not see how a guy who's just finished his first year of college could want to date a junior...in high school. I wish Julia had been going into grade 12 instead of 11...I think that would have eased my mind so much more. But really...that was the single thing I had an issue with in this novel.

That being said...oh, the feels I had reading about Julia and Jack. I think the fact that he was older did help because he was able to help her learn to deal with, well, life. And their first kiss? Talk about swooning. It was almost instalove but because they weren't allowed to be together (ooh, forbidden love to boot!) they had the chance to build a friendship first. 

Finally, I liked that Julia was able to make some new friends while at camp. She has to deal with Mean Girls (oh my god, these girls were awful) but between Jack and her new friends, she's able to (usually) ignore the taunts and ridiculous comments and emerge on the other side even stronger than before. 

I could not stop reading Whisper If You Need Me. Dina Silver sucked me in with her riveting, well written story. This is one that all contemporary YA fans will enjoy, especially those who like their heroines strong and relateable. 

*An advanced eARC was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Just Finished: One Pink Line

You know those books that you read that completely grab you and will not let you go until the last page? And sometimes not even then? One Pink Line by Dina Silver was one of those books for me. I loved it. I adored it. I didn't want it to end. Yes, it was that good!

Here's the synopsis:

Can the love of a lifetime be forever changed by one pink line? Dina Silver's tender, absorbing novel, One Pink Line, is the warmhearted, wry story of love, loss and family, as seen through the prism of one singular, spirited young couple who find themselves in a predicament that changes the course of their lives, and those closest to them. With heart, humor and compassion, this debut work of women’s fiction is certain to stir anyone who relishes a good laugh, can stand a good cry, and, above all believes in the redemptive power of love. 

This unique, contemporary story gives readers a dual perspective. Sydney Shephard, a sweet-tempered, strong-natured college senior is young, in love with an exceptional man, and unexpectedly pregnant. Faced with a child she never planned for, she is forced to relay this news to her neurotic mother, relinquish her youth, and risk losing the love of her life. Then there's Grace, a daughter, who believed she was a product of this great love, grows to realize her existence is not what she assumed, and is left with profound and puzzling questions about who she really is. 

Spanning generations and every imaginable emotion, One Pink Line reveals how two points of view can be dramatically at odds, and perhaps ultimately reconciled. Simultaneously deeply felt and lighthearted, One Pink Line deftly mines how the choices we make are able to alter so many lives, and how doing the right thing and living honestly can bring unexpected, hard-won happiness. It's a must-read for anyone who relishes a great love story, absorbing characters, and plenty of laughs along the way.

I was immediately sucked into this story. I felt like I was feeling every one of Sydney's emotions right along with her. I was panicked with her, happy, sad, angry, everything. I love when I am that involved with a character and that's probably a huge contributing factor to the five star rating I gave this novel.

I love how she had Grace handle everything. All these emotions and revelations would be a lot for a young girl (hell, it'd be a lot for anyone, even a grown adult) and Grace showed maturity beyond her years. That made things so much better. I didn't want to see her mother suffer because she had to keep something from her. I could understand where she was coming from because I'm sure it would be incredibly difficult to pick the "right" time to tell your daughter this huge secret. I'm glad Grace didn't shut her out completely and that their relationship was never destroyed.

There are little twists and turns that Dina threw in that made the story a little more fun. Now, these weren't major mysteries but they kept me on my toes and kept me guessing. I liked that I didn't know exactly how everything was going to turn out. Though, I do admit, if the ending had been anything different I probably would have wanted to throw the book across the room (but I wouldn't have since it was on my ereader and throwing an ereader is never recommended). I was actually panicked that I wouldn't get the resolution I wanted! I didn't need to worry since Dina wrapped up this story in a fabulous way.

One of the reasons I wanted to review Dina's book in October (it's been sitting on my kobo for awhile...patiently waiting for me to get to it) is because she's doing a fundraiser this month - Read for the Cure. $1 from every sale of One Pink Line will be donated to the Noreen Fraser Foundation in honour of breast cancer awareness month. Now, I don't know anything about the Foundation but if you've been waiting to buy this book, now's as good a time as any! And if you weren't thinking about it before, you should now because it is awesome. Or, if you're feeling particularly philanthropic, buy the novel and donate some money to your breast cancer awareness charity of choice! :) You can buy the book on Amazon here.

Dina just recently announced that she's now going to be published with an Amazon publishing label. I think that's super exciting for her! (One request: don't change the cover! I love it!) The reason I'm mentioning this (other than the fact that it's fabulous for Dina) is that in the same post she mentions that she's working on a spin off to One Pink Line that will feature Grace as a grown up. I'm so excited! I loved reading about Grace as she grew up and I want to know where she ended up.

I loved One Pink Line. LOVED it. I will definitely be adding Dina Silver's other novel, Kat Fight, to my (massive) to be read pile, along with anything else she writes. I strongly recommend this book. I think any chick lit lover would adore this book as well. So what are you waiting for? Go buy it and let me know what you think!

Happy reading :)