Week 18 - YA

Photo by Erik Lucatero

This week, I'm diving into the genre of young adult (YA) with a book called The Bruises of Grandma Summer. It's a subject near and dear to my heart because I have 3 daughters. Two would be considered the age range for YA, and I'm sure they'll be very upset if I don't get the details right. So, here goes:

The last summer before freshman year in high school, Madeline faces her biggest fear: having to grow up. She doesn’t want to choose a career path, although her younger sister already has her heart set on becoming a doctor. She likes to play games on Discord with her friends, talk and text on her phone, and slam the door in her little sister’s interfering face.
 
But when she gets into a whirlwind romance with a bully and has to cover up the bruises on her arms, no one seems to take notice except her grandmother. Madeline “runs away”—taking a long bus trip to her grandmother’s house, where she finds a sympathetic ear and the two get to spend the summer together.
 
But all isn’t right when they discover that summer her grandmother is diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Through being together, perhaps they can help each other through the toughest time of each of their lives.

This will be a deep and somewhat dark manuscript, so I hope I can make it through. See you on Sunday when I read an excerpt from this book. Have a great week!