I’m here to officially apologize to every writer who’s ever talked to me about reviews. Because while you were agonizing, and I was nodding and smiling sympathetically, I was actually thinking, “Well, some people like your book, some people don’t. Fair enough. What’s the big deal?”

It turns out that it’s easy to feel that way about a review of an information book. It is not AT ALL easy to feel that way about a review of fiction. When people say nice things about Anywhere But Here, I want to bake them cookies, send them flowers, and offer to do their laundry for a year. When people say less-nice things, I feel as if they’ve peeked into my soul and said, “yeah, that was lame.”

Who knew?

(Is this one of those things like childbirth? Everyone who’s been through it knows how gross and slimy and bloody it is, but no one explains, because how’s it going to help to know in advance?)

Anyhoo… if you’re still reading after that childbirth aside (sorry), and you want to meet the people for whom I’m baking virtual cookies (I’d bake real ones if they lived in Kits), here are a few lovely, thoughtful reviews:

Kirkus says: “Cole’s voice is convincingly filled with a combination of angst and nonchalance.”

Hannah at In the Best Worlds says: “I’m enamored with this book, because I think it told me what I needed, more than what I wanted, to hear. It deals with the pain and frustration that are attached to coming of age, where you must first be disillusioned and then have your world view rebuilt…. I really think it’s going to mean something different to everyone who reads it.”

Stephanie at Beyond the Bookshelf says: “I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys edgier contemporary lit as well as YA novels. I’ll definitely be seeking out more from this author in the future!”