WE ARE THE GOLDENS BY DANA REINHARDT

Genre: YA Contemporary

Publishing Date: May 27, 2014

Source: Netgalley

Synopsis:
Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.

When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellayla. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They’re a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell’s a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she’s happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it’s wrong, and she must do something about it.[Goodreads]

*I would like to thank netgalley for the e-Arc of this book! (Which I got in return for an honest review)*

We Are The Goldens is a story about the relationship between two sisters and the distance that comes from growing up and keeping secrets. This was a really fast paced read for me and I become very invested in the story that was being told from Nell’s point of view. Nell recounts events of the past year and is written in a way in which she is reminiscing and pointing the story towards her sister (like in the way a letter would be written or how a face to face conversation would be carried out.) I thought the character of Nell was well done!

Throughout the book you could see the growth and learning that came  about with the situations that appeared in Nell’s life. Nell was such a real character to me, her dialog made me feel like a friend. She was funny and doesn’t hold back on her thoughts. The character of her best friend, Felix, was everything you look for in a best friend- supportive, funny, protective and knows you better than you know yourself. The dynamics between Nell and her older sister (who she looks up to and worships) were so realistic and once being a teenager, those thoughts, events and situations of being torn between whats right and wrong are so relatable.

Overall this was an enjoyable contemporary read. But I found it to be very anticlimactic and in the end let me down.