Far Away
I thought this was a sweet book and as CJ got swept away, I was hoping this girl’s journey wouldn’t end in a disaster.
I enjoyed the idea that CJ (12) and her aunt contacted CJ’s mother’s on CJ’s birthday. As a medium, CJ’s aunt had the ability to connect with her and CJ looked forward to celebrating her birthday with her mother. Unfortunately, the day arrives when her mother informs them that she can no longer visit them.
After traveling on the road with her aunt for years doing shows, her aunt decides that this lifestyle is probably not the ideal situation for CJ either and enrolls her in a boarding school. She feels it’s time that CJ has a stable lifestyle. You can just imagine how CJ felt about her current situation now. Her world had suddenly come crashing down.
CJ saw no reason for all of this. Why a boarding school? CJ had heard about tethers and spirits and she felt that her mother just needed a tether to keep her connected to the human world, but where was her mother’s tether?
Well, jump aboard on CJ’s journey as she takes you on a ride with Jax as the two of them set off to find this tether. As Jax learns to drive, CJ tries to find her mother’s connection to the human world. On this journey, these two learn more about themselves and each other, a revelation they didn’t know they’d find.
I love CJ’s “signs” as everything seems to fall into place yet Jax sees these “coincidences” popping up just when they need them. They are a fun pair, sometimes pushing each other just enough to make the trip fun. I started to get nervous as some of the events were being led with emotions but in the end, things worked out. The ending was perfect for this novel.
A great novel with a mystery element, friendship and family ties and an all-around entertaining read. I think many upper elementary or middle school readers will enjoy this novel and the characters within it.
