Review: We Are the Goldens

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Nell used to call herself and her sister, Layla, Nellaya since there was no point in which one stopped and the other began. They were the same person. Then Layla starts school early and Nell starts school late and there are 2 grades separating them. With the beginning of Nell’s freshman year of high school, she yearns for the days they were one person. She quickly learns that her sister has changed and now there is a secret. After Nell discovers the truth and swears to not tell anyone, the pressure to be the perfect sister and daughter becomes unbearable.

We Are the Goldens is written as a letter from Nell to Layla. Readers are not kept in the dark about the primary secret, but an underlying secret climax is hinted at throughout. As Nell tries to find her place in high school and navigate the torrential dating paths, she quickly learns that even though those cheesy high school movies can’t be true, there are many facts they do get right and if she doesn’t want to become one of those stories, she must make an active effort herself. Reinhardt has created a story that will pull in readers without unnecessary side stories. This is a quick read with the bare bones of several stories that affect teenagers on a daily basis. Even if the reader hasn’t experienced any of these events, they can still loose themselves in a great read. With its short length, I can see this becoming popular with many reluctant readers.




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