Chelsea Jacobs Happy to be Alive, Because Book Review

Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above for free for the purpose of this review.

Avery is a seventeen-year-old girl whose reality has just been shattered by the death of her mother. Feeling a desperate need to flee from what has become her life, she follows a travel plan meant for her mom and her that leads her to the little beach town where her mom grew up. It's there that she meets a group of three adventurous friends who adopt her into their circle, allowing her to experience a summer she never thought would be possible after suffering such a great loss. Unfortunately, her summer full of experiences threatens to end abruptly when she realizes that one of the three has a secret that causes her to question everything about the new life she has been building. Avery must learn to balance her grief and her desire for a future in order to achieve her mother's final wish for her: That she would be happy to be alive.

My thoughts:
This is a great summer beach book....perfect with the summer theme.  It really made me think about my teenage summers....everything always seemed so vivid back then.  Chelsea Jacobs does a great job of really bringing out and developing Avery's personality.  You can really get into her head and experience her sadness about her mom's death. It brought me back to my own personal experiences with death and how I was able to move on. The author really has you go through the experience with Avery. Her mom was able to provide something from beyond to Avery that was discovered after her death:  a trip that was meant to be a mom and daughter adventure.  I have taken trips with my own mom and it is such a special time.  I can't even imagine but it captured me and reeled me in.  

Avery was so surprised by this travel plan that she began to search further and she unearthed a special journal that her mom kept. This pushed Avery through another stage of grief which she had to work through and make some decisions. Her summer takes on a new dimension when she decides to take that trip that was meant for her and her mom. Solo. The trip unfolds to hold a special summer with newfound teen friends.  All women know that secrets are such a part of the teenage mantra and they change everything for Avery during that summer. 

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."