Well, That Was Awkward

Vail, Rachel. Well, That Was Awkward. 2017. 314p. 375 mins. ISBN 978-0-670-01308-1. Available at FIC VAI on the library shelves and as an audiobook on Overdrive.

Gracie can never be mad, or sad, or angry. Not to her friends, not to herself, and especially not to her parents. Gracie had a sister she never knew. Brett died at the age of 7 when she was hit by a car while playing in the street. After her death her parents moved from Boston to New York, and a few years later Gracie was born. Gracie has always felt the weight of Brett’s absence. The perfect child, Brett was everything Gracie was not. As the new child, Gracie tries to emulate Brett, but it’s hard to live up to her parents’ expectations. Not wanting to disappoint them, she tries to be happy all the time.

When the subjects of death, sisters, or siblings comes up, Gracie always try to steer the conversation away from the topic. It’s during one of those conversations that Gracie notices that A.J. has become extremely good looking, enough to stop her from breathing. What happened? Lovable A.J. has turned into the most attractive boy at her school, and now Gracie is completely smitten. Unfortunately, she quickly discovers that A.J. is more interested in Sienna, her best friend, than in her. Disappointed, Gracie is nonetheless happy to help Sienna begin a texting relationship with A.J. Helped with best friend Emmett, they manage to get the two of them together.

But sometimes, being the supportive friend who’s always second is not good enough. And this is one of those times. As Gracie gets ready to turn 14, twice as old as Brett, she’s feeling the winds of change. It’s time for Gracie to face the music, and realize that she has the right to be angry and sad sometimes, and that she always deserves happiness, even if that means being her own awkward person and not someone else.