It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.

On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?

Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a stranger? Um…

Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane’s list. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go skinny-dipping? Wait…what?

I am always up for a “coming out of your shell,” YA novel, and this was the perfect example. The story followed a teenage girl who was, for the first time in awhile, friendless. She was shy, and starting to realize that part of her insecurities and quiet nature came from being overpowered by her extroverted, outgoing friend.

This novel was a wonderful, coming of age story that followed the MC as she crossed off a very literal “to-do” list that led her on a path of going out of her comfort zone. I loved how the story didn’t try to change her into an outgoing, crazy person. It just allowed her to become comfortable with herself, and her choices, instead of being too shy to go against the grain.

The writing was incredibly compelling, and drew you into the various character arcs seamlessly. It seemed much less like a contemporary fiction book, and almost like a guide to just… being confident, haha. Seriously, it was the kind of thought provoking commentary that young adults really need to see.

Overall, there wasn’t anything in this book that stood out as being “PG-13.” It was all fairly clean, and consumable for younger ages. That being said, it was a YA book, and did have some of the language and themes that this genre entails. So, if your reader is particularly young, it might be worth a flip through!

I adored this book, and I think anyone who enjoys a good YA novel will, too.

4 out of 5.

Maddie