Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

Book Summery (via Goodreads):
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 "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?
Book Review:

After reading Ockler's Twenty Boy Summer, I was hungry to get my hands on more of her work. Along came Fixing Delilah. Reading Fixing Delilah was like coming home, or eating a piece of pie with a good cup of coffee. In essence, it was comforting. I felt like Ockler had a lot more character development in Fixing Delilah, which is what I missed in Twenty Boy Summer. However, I felt that Twenty Boy Summer had a much more original storyline, which is why I ultimately gave Fixing Delilah 4 stars. Don't get me wrong, I adored this book, and read it in large gulps. It was a wee bit predictable, which is what made it comforting, but at the same time, less original. This story is charter driven, and I loved them all, even the ones who weren't present (i.e. Nana and Stephanie). Ockler writes such lively and vivacious prose. I can easily picture Aunt Rachel carrying around her sage sticks, Emily serving coffee at the coffee house, Patrick and Delilah discussing Holden Claufeld on a luscious, green hill....I was completely enveloped in Delilah's colorful world. To me this story is a reminder that people aren't perfect, they are flawed human beings that make mistakes. Further more, it's not the mistakes or flaws that you should focus on, but rather how people deal their mistakes and trials in life. How they overcome the obstacles laid out ahead of them. Overall, I was moved and yet again am eager to my hands on more of Ockler's work. For more information, check out Ockler's website.

Favorite Quote:

"Sometimes I wonder if my whole life will pass by this way: me waiting in the shadows, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for someone else to make it happen. Something new or different or crazy or amazing. I've been there for so long, letting everyone else figure it out for me, floating along without much direction or conscious thought." (p. 147)

Cover Art Commentary:
Love the color scheme and the paper dolls. There's a slight reference the "cracks and imperfections" that is displayed on the taped-up doll.

Overall Rating: