Post #5

Dear Readers,
I just finished another YA book titled, A Brief Chapter in my Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt.  I chose this book because I had read another book by the author, The Things a Brother KnowsT, and I enjoyed it a lot and I have recommended it to many.  I loved this book too and I highly recommend it.  I think what I like about this particular author is that she creates narrators to whom you become immediately attached.  As a reader, you feel as if the narrator is talking to you and only you.  In this case, Simone, a junior in high school comes from a great family, and it is revealed early on that she's adopted.  Not only that, her birth mother (who's been in touch with her adoptive parents) wants to meet her and get to know her.  At times, the story seems 'too perfect' but the author manages to include enough in the complexity in the situation to not make it saccharin sweet.  The narrator, Simone, does end up meeting her birth mother and well, the story takes off from there.  Aside from the strong narator's voice, what I enjoyed about this fiction text is that the author develops her character in an authentic way - particularly the teenagers. It's a quick read, about 248 pages, I highly recommend it.