Review Thomas Cullen delivers a powerful debut with Charlie-Man. I wasn't sure what to expect. But the book packs quite the emotional punch in barely 200 pages. How much hardship could one high school senior in 1990s Virginia face? Quite a bit, apparently. When readers meet Charlie, he's already gone through a major life event… Continue reading Charlie-Man by Thomas Cullen
Charlotte is a first-year college student embarking on a new chapter in life. But having just lost her father to cancer, she can’t quite focus on her studies. She then gets a call from her best friend, Evie, with news that she’s pregnant. Wanting to support her, and possibly looking for an excuse to take a break from school, she travels to the inn that Evie’s parents own on Hatteras Island, off the coast in North Carolina. She reconnects with her best friend’s family, including her older brother Nate. And then her cousin’s long-distance boyfriend, Michael, shows up for a job on the island as well. Charlotte is appreciating every moment with the sand, sea, and family. But she finds that grief is not linear, just like romantic feelings. And the major storm on the way to the east coast possibly foreshadows the complicated events that Charlotte and her family friends find themselves in. The Saddest Girl on the Beach by Heather Frese explores how one young woman copes with devastating loss and endures a rocky path towards healing and recovery. Read more
