in fade to us, brooke has plans for her summer before senior year. those plans don't include babysitting her stepsister, natalie, who happens to have asperger's. but when natalie is forced to move into her father's home for the summer, brooke's plans must change.

brooke inadvertently shares information about a theater camp with natalie, who loves performing and is genuinely interested in the camp. her mom, jill and stepdad, jeff, proceed to lay all the blame on brooke for natalie's interest in the camp. but her parents didn't inform her about their plans. how they thought they would manage natalie's inclusion in their family dynamic. they leave brooke to figure out this stuff on her own and then get upset with brooke when she tries and the result is something they didn't plan for.

this is kind of a recurring theme throughout this book. every conflict, brooke is expected to be the bigger person every single time.

her relationship with jeff for example, it's distant. he's judgmental and often acts disappointed in her choices. and somehow it's her fault because she didn't give him the right signs? he's the adult. why is it all on brooke?

i actually really like brooke as a character, but everyone around her was so awful. not all the time, but just enough of the time that you want her to not be such a doormat and yet there is no good way for her to get out of the awfulness.

even her romance with micah is tinged with this. at times he was really sweet and great. and other times he was somehow always slightly disappointed with her in a way that felt terrible.

i had a lot of feelings reading this book. mostly i wanted to help brooke with her self-esteem. something i think every character in this novel went out of their way to destroy. even jill, is pretty bad at supporting her daughter. she says things that seem supportive, but somehow place all the blame on brooke instead of acknowledging that maybe she failed to communicate properly.

anyway. this is a story about family and friendship and young love. brooke is a really great character. everyone else in her life though, she could probably leave behind no problem once she's ready to go to college. not that she ever would do that, because she is too damn nice.

**fade to us will publish on february 6, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/st. martin's press (wednesday books) in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review.

I loved "Fade to Us" by Julia Day. It was such a fantastic read that I couldn't put down for two whole days - it's that compelling of a story.

I didn't know much about Asperger's before reading this and have no experience with it, but I feel more informed post read. The way the author presents what it's like for someone with Asberger's and how it feels to live with/take care of someone with Asberger's (to me) came across as beautifully done, natural, and real. But again I can't say for 100% sure of its authenticity.

Brooke is an admirably self-less person for giving up so much for someone she technically doesn't know, who is sometimes too much for her, but wants to embrace as family. But this self-lessness has consequences despite its good intentions, creating lots of tension ad suspense throughout the story. Brooke struggles to find some kind of balance between her personal life and helping Natalie. But despite these struggles, the progression of Brooke and Natalie's relationship is (character development-wise) well-written.

Natalie's character is great as well. She's a great person in general. I think a few times her family underestimated her tolerance level and ability to observe/understand. I get there hesitation and need to protect. But I also agree with one character that she'll never learn how to deal with the bad parts of life if she's always sheltered (that goes for anyone). (Again, I'm no expert here). Natalie's view on things, though at times painfully blunt, are insightful when you really think about what she's saying. Post-read, I wonder what this story would be like if we got alternating chapters of Brooke and Natalie's POVS. This story feels very much like it's both their story, not just Brooke's.

Micah I liked but he's more of a background character, a kind of plot device if you will. He's there but his presence is as limited as his character development, short-lived and not enough depth to dive in to. I appreciate how he (and others) treated and talked to Natalie like she was a person, just like everyone else.

Great story. Wonderful characters. Pretty cover. Awesome that musical theater was involved. And loved the sister-sister relationship. "Fade to Us" deserves a standing ovation. Brava, Julia Day, brava!

I really enjoyed this Young Adult novel by Julia Day. I liked how the author handled describing Natalie and the health issues that she has. It made me really think about how it must be to have Asperger's. Good read!

As a reader, I really enjoyed this book. As a librarian, I loved it even more. Brooke's changing family is something many can relate to, and it makes this an easy book to recommend for female YA readers. The dynamic between Brooke and her stepfather and the hesitation to fully adopt each other as family was probably my favorite part. Natalie and Brooke's relationship really stole the show, though. Often characters with Asperger's or on the spectrum are not portrayed realistically, but Natalie was a multi-dimensional character. Overall it was a fun, summer read with more than just pure fluff. Four stars.

Fade to Us by Julia Day
3.75 / 5 🌟

My request on Netgalley was approved by the publisher, so thank you St. Martin's Press!

Last year while I was scrolling through 2018 new YA releases, this book caught my eye. I ended up requesting and got an approval while I was on my Harry Potter marathon. Since, it was an ARC that was coming out soon, I had to drop Harry Potter and read this instead.

And it definitely did not disappoint.

For the first half of the story, it felt natural. Everything was coming to place without it being like it was forced to keep the story going. The pacing of it was just the right amount and I couldn't put it down everytime I finished a chapter.

Since it is a contemporary, romance is definitely inevitable but it flowed with the story so well. It didn't felt was if it was too fast or too slow, and I could totally see why the main female character fell for the love interest. (Since I did as well)

It was a solid 4.5 🌟 for me until we reached the second half.

The second part just felt rushed, it was like the author was trying to wrap the story as quickly as possible and I started feeling disconnected with the story and the characters which lowered my overall rating.

On the other hand, the diversity in this book was quite unique as the love interest was half Asian and his Asian mom who played a huge part in the book.

As I have no clue about Asperger's, I can't say how accurate it was but if was nice to learn about something new that's not included in most books.

Also, musical theatre played quite a major role in this book, and being a Broadway fan, it was a nice touch to the story.

All in all, if you're looking for a nice contemporary read for the summer, Fade to Us is definitely the way to go.

This was a really enjoyable book and it was nice to see Asperger's representation in a female character instead of a male character which is what is often shown (males are more likely to be on the spectrum). Brooke was a likeable character and it was great to see her grow throughout the book and admit to herself what she really wanted.
Natalie was a really well thought out character and it was obvious that a lot of time researching Asperger's went into writing this novel. I liked how Natalie was aware that she was different but embraced it and knew her limits.
I had no idea where the book was going but was pleasantly surprised and liked how the theme of family really tied it together.
It was a great book and one that I hope people will take a chance on and enjoy as much as I did.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was too cute ❤️ The relationships in this story made me have all sorts of feelings. In this story, love was expressed differently. It went from sister love, parental love, and the love you can get with your other half.

This is such a sweet, fun story. It works on every level but, as swoonworthy as the relationship between Brooke and Micah is, my favorite part is the relationship with Brooke and her stepsister Natalie.

For basically her entire life, Brooke has wanted a dad and a sister. Since her mom married Jeff, she has a stepdad and a stepsister, but she wants to be closer with both of them. The problem is that neither of them seem to want the same in return. When Natalie moves in with them for the summer, Brooke is excited to hopefully get the relationship she's always wanted. Except then her newfound feelings for Micah (who has become a really good friend of Natalie's) threaten to complicate it.

Brooke does a lot of stupid things (objectively speaking and seeing them from a grownup's eyes) but she does them all for the right reasons.

And I loved seeing Brooke and Natalie get closer. 

This is an amazing story and I bet you'll love it as much as I do. Highly recommended.

This is one of the first books I have ever read about a main character who has Asperger's and it will definitely be a book I recommend to our school librarian and my high school students. I feel like Julia Day did a very nice job presenting a realistic picture of what it is like to be a part of a family who has a child with a diagnosis of Asperger's. This story finds Brooke ready for an awesome summer, until her step-sister of only 9 months has to move in due to the illness of her mother. Natalie is unhappy about moving in and Brooke isn't sure how to be a sister, much less a sister to someone who deals with constant anxiety and stress. When Brooke helps Natalie discover an opportunity to be a part of a musical theater production of Oklahoma, the girls start to find a new topic of communication. When Natalie needs more help, Brooke has to leave her new job to come and volunteer at the theater, meeting Micah, production assistant and son of the director. Micah and Natalie have a lovely relationship forming and Brooke also finds herself drawn to Micah, but in a different way than her sister. Through the course of the production and summer Brooke and Natalie discover what it means to be sisters, and Brooke realizes that siblings can be a challenge but that doesn't mean they have to be a burden. This is also a love story, between sisters, families, step relationships and boyfriend/girlfriends. A very well written story, I look forward to more by this author! Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fade to Us
Julia Day

Book Review: ♥ ♥ ♥

I have to be honest, Fade to us isn't my typical choice of book. I've read The Possibility of Somewhere by Julia Day and really enjoyed it, so when this came up I was intrigued.

Fade to us is more about adjustment than romance. Brooke has her summer planned out. She wants to save as much money as possible for a car. She has a few jobs lined up and a plan in hand. Natalie is her stepsister and lives with her mum. She has Aspergers and can be a challenge. Her mother becomes ill and Natalie needs a place to stay. Her father offers to look after her. Brooke's plans for the summer are railroaded and her chance of a car seems like more of a dream. Natalie needs a lot of help and Brooke finds herself filling the role. They join a musical theatre program and Brooke summer plans change completely. She always wanted a father and a sister. She just didn't expect the family she got. This book is about love and acceptance.

Micah is Brooke's love interest and helps at the musical theatre. The romance is only part of this book. It's more about family. Micah and Natalie are friends too. Brooke has to adjust to Natalie and find compromises with everything she does this includes her friendships.

This book is a little heavier than my usual read and if it hadn't been written by this author I probably wouldn't have looked at it. Overall, the story is written well and demonstrates the struggles of living with Aspergers. If it sounds like your kind of read you will probably enjoy it. For me, it was just okay.

3 stars out of 5. I like romance above everything else.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks


Hardcover £14.02 or £11.81 Kindle, 320 pages

Expected publication: February 6th 2018 by Wednesday Books

If this book had been set with Brooke and Micah being in middle school, I would have thought it was a well written book. I just had a really hard time with two 17 year-olds (one who was a veteran of the theater) acting so prepubescent.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! There were some things I liked about this book. I felt like the description of the young adult with autism/aspbergers was pretty realistic. I’ve had students with that but not lived with someone with it, so I could only judge it from the surface, I guess. What was here seemed pretty on based on my interactions. It was also interesting because it was a blended family. So you had the dynamics of the stepmother and stepsister and what they felt was best versus the dad. I enjoyed the community theatre aspect as well. I’ve always been involved in theatre, and I felt like it was portrayed pretty well (& it made me both wish and worry for the show I’m directing after Christmas to start up here soon).
Here’s where it fell short: the racism was hinted at bc Micah is biracial, and Brooke is white. There was one scene where it seemed like the boo would hit those issues, but it was hinted at then gone, I would’ve liked to have seen that fleshed out more because I don’t think teens around me understand of see those issues (especially when it isn’t black/white). The love was also a little rushed and unrealistic. I appreciated the lack of graphic sex that seems to be in so many YA these days, but I struggled to see what the love was based on. Brooke also got on my nerves with why she made her decisions. She caused problems where there weren’t really problems. And I felt like the stepfather/stepdaughter relationship needed built a little more to come to the end it did.
Overall, cute on the surface but lacking depth elsewhere.

Fade To Us was a little hard for me to get into, but it could been just me being distracted. The story itself was very good, and the book was well written. It all flowed together nicely, so I was able to read this in one sitting. Definitely recommend to my fellow book lovers!

Fade to us by Julia Day a five-star read that won’t fade from your memory. This was my first read by this author and I really hope it won’t be my last, as a writer Julia Day showed us great compassion and honesty in her writing, where Brook could have been a spoilt 17 year old girl she gave up her summer to help her step sister, after growing up an only child it was clear why she would have wanted a step-sister but there is a twist to the story as her step sister Natalie is on the spectrum and has an Asperger’s diagnosis, I have some personal experience so know how hard it is on family and the struggles they face so I could totally get where Brook was coming from. There are some things that don’t make sense but overall the story had a great flow to it, and when they end up in drama camp they meet a man who will change both of their lives in ways that you don’t see coming until they are happening, it makes a very real and believable and heart-warming story. Micah Dalton is only a stage manager, but he is so much more than that. This is a real-life affirming read, it deals with disability and race. The way the author has portrayed Natalie was great and shows a great understanding of the condition and it was so refreshing to see the person portrayed and not the disability.

DNF: Language