Book Review by Aarene Storms: Not If I See You First

Not If I See You First
by Eric Lindstrom

Parker Grant may be blind, but she's not dumb. She has Rules (Chapter 3 lists them all) that she requires everybody to follow to ensure that she is as independent, smart, and capable of running her own life as possible.

She navigates the physical world pretty well, but her emotional life is a mess. And, despite being part of a genius team of girls handing out advice to lovelorn teens in the courtyard at school, her love life is pretty pathetic.

Even her friendships with Sarah, Faith and Molly, which Parker considers to be essential to her life, have major flaws ... flaws that Parker herself doesn't recognize until halfway through the book.

And what is she going to do about Jason, who is pretty cool, and Scott, whom she blames for betraying her when they were 13 years old?

The book is a compelling read that kept me up long past bedtime. It's not perfect; there are some flaws (is there a reason that all the Dad-characters are dead and / or run out of town? Also, the "gay kid" is kinda added-on) but the dialogue is awesome, and the insight into life as a modern blind teen was well-done.

This review is based on an ARC provided by the publisher.  
Cover art not final (I hope...it's pretty ugly). 


The events may not have happened; still, the story is true.  --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS