Reading Teen

Reading Fixing Delilah reminded me of watching a slow summer movie. Or sitting out on the back porch in the heat drinking a cold glass of lemonade. The beautiful writing and imagery just made the whole story, no matter how emotional, dramatic or heartbreaking, have a relaxing undertone that can't help but make you feel happy. It's strange that a book that is largely about deteriorating family relationships, death, and depression can still feel that way, but it does. The Hannaford women, holding onto all their secrets for dear life, were really interesting to read about. I enjoyed getting to know all of them, with all their faults and flaws. No matter how frustrating their behavior was, you begin to see that everyone behaves the way she does because of something that has happened to her in her past. Nothing is a simple as it seems, and going on this journey with Delilah, as she figures this out, really makes you look outside yourself, to see what may have affected the other people in your life, and not just see your own problems. Reading about the relationship between Delilah and her mother was so sad. To see her acting out, knowing all the while that she WAS acting out, just to get her mother's attention, was heartbreaking, but so well done.What I loved reading the most, and what has me finally seeing that I'm an utterly hopeless romantic, was the relationship between Delilah and Patrick. Who knew that I would fall in love with a boy named Patrick? Their summer-time, childhood friendship grows into a deep and meaningful relationship. Patrick is overly patient with Delilah as she deals with all the family issues and her resulting "freak-outs" over them. They are so sweet together! They made me laugh, they made me sigh, and they broke my heart! I loved it!The only thing that bothered me (other than the blast of "F"words at the end of the book) was that Delilah didn't regret the bad decisions that she made. Specifically her relationship with her non-boyfriend "hook-up". I understand that everything that you go through in life makes you who you are, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't see your mistakes for what they were.....mistakes.....so that you will learn from them in the future.Overall, I thought this was a really moving, emotionally stirring book that I loved from beginning to end. -Andye (http://ReadingTeen.net/)