The Leading of Edge of Now – Marci Lyn Curtis – Kids Can Press – Published 4 September 2018

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Synopsis

Just when Grace is beginning to get used to being an orphan, her estranged uncle suddenly comes forward to claim her. That might have been okay if he’d spoken to her even once since her father died. Or if moving in with Uncle Rusty didn’t mean returning to New Harbor.

Grace once spent the best summers of her life in New Harbor. Now the place just reminds her of all she’s lost: her best friend, her boyfriend and any memory of the night that changed her forever.

People say the truth will set you free, but Grace isn’t sure about that. Once she starts looking for it, the truth about that night is hard to find — and what happens when her healing hurts the people she cares about the most?

My thoughts

The Leading Edge of Now is a novel that is powerful and touching and yet is easy-going and charming. It is a story of friendship and bravery, of finding a place to call home, of challenging everything you thought you knew to be true, and it is a story of one incredibly strong and admirable young lady.

Grace’s life has been thrown into chaos – but she’s been living that reality for two years. Since her father died, Grace has been living in foster care, waiting for her uncle to finally claim her and bring her home to the town of New Harbor. But returning to the house that has so many fond memories of summers spent with her dad also brings back memories of the night that changed everything for Grace. Forced to confront the people and memories of that night, Grace starts to uncover the details of what happened -but the truth is something she never expected.

Novels that touch upon sexual assault are unsurprisingly hard-hitting, heartbreaking, powerful stories. The Leading Edge of Now is certainly all that, but it is also gentle, understanding and compassionate.

Grace is easy to like. She is strong and hurt, but determined to carry on. She has a wonderful use of sarcasm, and the story, written in first person from her perspective is easy to read.

Sexual assault is just one part of Grace’s story. The Leading Edge of Now also touches upon family, grief, as Grace continues to mourn her father, and belonging, as she tries to find a place in her new home with her uncle. A mix of sweet friendship and tumultuous romance leaves The Leading Edge of Now as a balanced and uplifting novel of survival.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

More information

Category: Young adult fiction.

Genre: Contemporary.

Themes: Family, grief, sexual assault, friendship, belonging, foster care, relationships.

Reading age guide: Ages 14 and up.

Advisory: References to sexual assault – limited details. Coarse language, sh** (31), pi**(1), as***** (7), bi*** (2), di** (3).

Published:  4 September 2018 by Kids Can Press.

Format: Hardcover, paperback, ebook. 336 pages.

ISBN:9781771389990

Find it on Goodreads