Fixing Delilah Hannaford by Sarah Ockler

Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her friends are drifting away. Her "boyfriend" isn't a boyfriend. Her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided the Hannaford family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, runs in the family.
When Delilah must spend the summer helping to settle her estranged grandmother's estate, she's suddenly confronted by her family's painful past. Faced with questions that cannot be ignored and secrets that threaten to burst free, Delilah begins to doubt all that she's ever known to be true.
Rich with humor and emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery--as Delilah comes to realize that even the most shattered relationships can be pieced back together again.
Delilah had an awesome voice. She was very caring and sincere. I liked how Ockler made this book more about a daughter and mother relationship then just a romance. It also showed how grief can effect a family and make so many barriers in relationships. Patrick and Delilah's romance was really sweet and sincere and was a development from them being friends.
The setting of this book helped me relate to the plot, because I grew up in a small town. The book also starts with so many secrets and mysteries, Ockler slowly unravels them into an elegant story that you will love. Ockler is a fantastic writer, her book captures so much emotion and beauty in the world around her characters. This book is not one to miss. I would recommend this book to fans of Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Echols.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Anna is going on a trip with her best friend, Frankie to Zanzibar Bay. Frankie thinks that it will be the perfect time and place for a summer romance, a quick and harmless fling. During swimsuit shopping, Anna and Frankie come up with a plan for the Absolute Best Summer Ever. The plan is to see who can get the most guys in twenty days. The problem is that Anna, isn't over Frankie's Brother, Matt, who died suddenly in a car crash. So, Anna is holding on to that time with Matt and hiding the secret from Frankie.

I could understand what Anna was going through. I have experienced grief and I understood it. I also think that Ockler has written it so well. I felt like I was in that moment again. Anna is a strong character for keeping silent about her relationship with Matt a secret. Her voice was also so strong through out the book. Frankie annoyed me at the beginning, but she seemed to grow up and realize that she wasn't alone. The flashbacks were done so well, that I felt the emotion that was in the moment and that Anna had. The plot of Twenty Boy Summer was stellar. I was engaged in the story, through the strong characters and emotions. It shows how hard it is to be left behind and what it does to you. Ockler made an amazing debut that leaves you wanting more. It is not a book to miss.