Review: We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

We Are the Goldens
By: Dana Reinhardt
Release Date: May 27, 2014

Description:

Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.

When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

Review:
Having a sibling can sometimes be a good thing or a bad thing, it all depends on the relationship, the age difference and just how the two of you tend to get along.  In this book we meet two sisters who are very close in age but are at very different mind sets.  It’s interesting to see how the younger sister so wants to be like the older one, only to realize maybe her doesn’t really.  Maybe she just wants to be her own person.  The author had an interesting way of showing their relationship and the issues they are facing, to tell or not to tell, that is the question?

We meet Nell as she is about to embark on her freshman year of high school, her perfect sister Layla has already been there for two years because their parents let Nell start school later, for no reason really.  Anyway Nell idolizes her sister and she wants to be just like her but then things start to change slowly.  There are rumors that are being thrown around about her sister and a certain teacher.  Nell not wanting to believe this, struggles with the idea that maybe, just maybe these rumors are true.

The entire book is told through Nell’s point of view and between the shock of what is going on with her sister, her imagination of two neighbor boys that were dead talking to her and her just trying to fit in at school it’s a bit overwhelming to say the least.  But overall throughout this short book Nell begins to realize things about herself that she didn’t know.  She doesn’t need to be a shadow anymore, she is her own person.

How much do I love her best friend and his family?  Seriously, they all just seem so cute and put together, even through tough times they are a true family that sticks together.  The best friend, who is a guy is just perfect for her.  I just hope they realize what they have before it’s ruined.  Sometimes best friends do make the best partners, any who, that’s beside the point.  Overall the story was really good, kept me wanting to see what would happen next and bought about a new point of view on a serious situation.  I think that dating between a student and a teacher is beyond inappropriate.  Besides the age difference there is a mentality difference and it’s just light years away from one another.  Why push for being an adult, be a kid as long as you can that’s what I say.

Great cover, interesting story and I loved the point of view.  Shows you how everyone can be affected even if they aren’t directly in the situation, it’s like a domino effect.  When one thing goes down so does everything around it.  I definitely do wish though that I would know what is going to happen next, so many different scenarios, but an interesting way to end the book.
About the Author:
DANA REINHARDT is the author of A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life, Harmless, How to Build a House, The Things a Brother Knows, The Summer I Learned to Fly, and Odessa Again. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and their two daughters.

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Random House Children's, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!