SUMMER IN THE INVISIBLE CITY

The sights, sounds, and smells of New York are the backdrop for lessons learned.

Sadie has a busy summer planned: she's taking a photography class, she's spending time with her best friend, Willa, and she’s looking forward to a visit from her father. She’s never had much of a relationship with the famous artist, but he did give her the camera that awoke her love of photography. And there's Sam: a cute guy who just wants to be friends with Sadie. Since she's still getting over Noah, the guy who took her virginity a year and a half ago, Sadie's OK with being friends…at first. But then things start to go south. Sadie fights with Willa, her father mocks Sadie's dream of going to art school—and Sam drops a bombshell: he's moving away from New York. Sadie doesn't know whom to turn to, and then Noah appears, suddenly interested in her again. Has Sadie learned from her past, or will she do something that will harm her future? Vivid descriptions of a New York City summer background Sadie's effectively drawn growth. The cast of principals is mostly white, save Izzy, Sadie's biracial friend. With her, a minor character, and a shopkeeper the only characters identified as people of color, it's clear that Sadie's New York is a limited, privileged one.

An engaging coming-of-age tale.