Coleen recently enjoyed We Are Inevitable, the latest book by bestselling YA author Gayle Foreman. Check out her review:

The siren call of a bookstore theme drew me to We Are Inevitable, a Young Adult tale that talks about books (obviously), interspersed with themes of grief and addiction.

Our protagonist, Aaron Stein, is living with his dad above their independent bookstore, Bluebird Books. He is unsuccessfully, coping with the loss of his brother, Sandy, and his mother’s departure from their lives.  He has taken on the role of the parent - the business is failing due to neglect, and his father is struggling with mental illness.  Sandy struggled with addiction, and the Stein family tried various avenues to help, all with costs, both financial and emotional. 

Forman introduces a foil to Aaron’s introverted ways, Chad, who was a friend of his late brother Sandy. Aaron reluctantly starts to hang around with Chad.  Chad, a paraplegic, unfazed by his disability, has the uncanny ability to draw Aaron out of his comfort zone, and brings the story some added comic relief to balance the harsh realities of addiction.  Chad expands Aaron circle of friends, to include a romantic interest, while attacking stereotypes along the way, both about Chad and Hannah.

The themes are deep, but not depressing, you see Chad’s enthusiasm for life, and a community that gathers together much like an unusual family, to help the Steins. I especially enjoyed the unique book-themed chapters, the realistic portrayal of addiction, and the idea that, with a little bit of work, we can persevere through pretty much anything.

Reserve We Are Inevitable here.

Check out Coleen's other picks here.