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Sunday, December 4, 2016

What Light by Jay Asher

by:  Jay Asher
published by:  Razorbill
publish date:  October 18, 2016

Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other. 

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.

By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.


So I was expecting something along the emotional lines of Thirteen Reasons Why.  This book is not that.  It's a sweet little Christmas story, but nothing as deep at TRW.  

Sierra lives 2 lives.  One in Oregon that she has 11 months of the year and one in California for a month at Christmas time.  Normally, she spends her Christmas missing home and she can't wait to get back.  Until, this year when she meets Caleb.  Rumor has it, Caleb attacked his sister with a knife.  However, Sierra wants to find out the truth and see if he's really the troublemaker everyone says that he is.  Everyone is against Sierra's relationship with Caleb, but she knows what she wants and will do what it takes to get it.

If you're looking for a nice YA Christmas story then this is it.  What Light is more of a love story than anything else.  I liked it, but I think I was hoping for a little more depth.  

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