AFTER HELLO
By Lisa Mangum
September 2012
Young Adult
Shadow Mountain Publishing
978-1-60907-010-6
Seventeen-year-old
Sara is a seeker. She's always on the lookout for the perfect moment to
capture with her ever-present camera, especially on her first trip to
New York City.
Sam is a finder. He has a knack for finding what
other people can't, whether it's a first-edition book or the last two
tickets to a sold-out Broadway show. In New York, there is always
something interesting to find.
When Sam and Sara cross paths, neither one of them
is prepared for what they will find out about each other--and about
themselves. Forming an unlikely partnership in the search for an elusive
work of art, they're racing against time to set things right for
everyone. Did fate bring their talents together for a reason, or will
this one day be both a hello and a good-bye?
The interesting thing about AFTER HELLO is that the
entire story takes place during a twenty-four hour period. Author Lisa
Mangum does an admirable job of making Sam & Sara's relationship
believable...not too intimate too fast, yet ending with satisfactory
closure. Less believable is the importance of their quest--a search for a
piece of art to appease a cranky movie star. Nevertheless, Mangum's
writing is always pleasing to the reader's psyche.
Takeaway value is abundant. I really liked this
line: "...if you give your dad power over your feelings, then you've
given up power over yourself." Great message for a young adult. I wish
someone would've told me that when I was an angst-filled teenager. And
yes, there is plenty of angst in these characters. They are teens, after
all.
Overall, a sweet, easy read.
Reviewed by: Michelle Griep
No comments:
Post a Comment