Thursday, March 17, 2016

Around The World ARC Tour Presents Autofocus by Lauren Gibaldi Early Review


Synopsis:

Family.

It’s always been a loaded word for Maude. And when she is given a senior photography assignment—to create a portfolio that shows the meaning of family—she doesn’t quite know where to begin. But she knows one thing: without the story of her birth mother, who died when Maude was born, her project will be incomplete.

So Maude decides to visit her best friend, Treena, at college in Tallahassee, Florida, where Maude’s birth mother once lived. But when Maude arrives, she quickly discovers that Treena has changed. With a new boyfriend and a packed social calendar, Treena doesn’t seem to have time for Maude—or helping Maude in her search.

Enter Bennett, a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm. He understands Maude’s need to find her mother. And as Bennett helps Maude in her search, she starts to find that her mother’s past doesn’t have to define her own future.

Lauren Gibaldi has crafted a beautiful and timely coming-of-age story that poses the question: Is who we are determined at birth, or can we change as we grow? 

Goodreads:


Review:

I don't know where to start with this review. I loved loved this story. It tugged at my heart like no other book has. It dealt with so many issues teens face but one issue in particular that is hardly explored in books is adoption. This struck a chord in my heart because I know a lot of people who have been adopted and when they go to find their birth parents it is not what they envisioned.

Maude is in school and her photography class project is to photograph her family. Only problem is Maude's birth mother is deceased and she is adopted and wants to find out about her birth mother. She is not sure where to start but she thinks by starting at her mother's birth place she can put together a great story. 

So she enlists the help of her best friend who is in college in her mother's birthplace Tallahassee. Treena is in college and agrees to help her best friend out but when Maude gets there her friend doesn't have time for her. Hurt and upset Maude decides she will do it herself. Then she meets Bennett her best friends dorm mate who offers to help Maude find out who her real mother was.

This is a story about finding one's self and friendships. This is a must read for all teens who have been adopted or are foster kids.

About The Author:

Lauren Gibaldi is a public librarian who’s been, among other things, a magazine editor, high school English teacher, bookseller, and circus aerialist (seriously). She has a BA in Literature and Master’s in Library and Information Studies. She lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband and daughter. Her books include THE NIGHT WE SAID YES, MATT’S STORY, and AUTOFOCUS.

I love dinosaurs, pasta, musicals, and cheesy jokes.

I’m represented by Claire Anderson-Wheeler with Regal Literary.

Find me at the following places:

Twitter: @laurengibaldi
Goodreads: Lauren Gibaldi

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