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Starting Now

by Janae Marks

Family ties under strain

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Awards & Recognition

  • Author recognition

    New York Times-bestselling author

    The metadata describes Janae Marks as a New York Times-bestselling author.

AlbakiReads Editorial

Family ties under strain

Addy’s life is reshaped by her mother’s coma and a move into the care of Julian, the half-brother she barely knows. At the same time, tensions between her friends and uncertainty about an upcoming swim meet leave her feeling caught among several unsettled relationships. An old journal opens a path into the family’s past, while Addy’s effort to involve her friends in uncovering the truth adds new pressure to bonds she hopes to repair. The story brings questions of guardianship, sibling connection, friendship, and family secrets together through one tween’s search for a clearer understanding of the people closest to her.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Middle-grade readers interested in family relationships and alternative family structures
  • Readers who enjoy stories about friendship under strain
  • Readers drawn to plots involving family secrets and personal discovery

Themes

Family and guardianshipSibling relationshipsFriendshipSecrets and the pastFeeling helpless amid change

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

From New York Times-bestselling author Janae Marks comes a heartfelt middle-grade novel about a tween who uncovers a deep family secret after she moves into her estranged half-brother's guardianship following their mother's accident.

Addy Thompson's life is untangling: Her mom is in a coma following a car accident, and now she's in the custody of her estranged half-brother--although Julian feels more connected by DNA than real family. On top of that, her two best friends, Thea and Luz, are fighting, and she's not sure she's ready for her first ever swim meet. Addy feels helpless in the middle of everything.

As Addy gets to know Julian better, more questions arise. Why haven't they spent time together before now? And why won't he visit their mom in the hospital? When Addy discovers an old journal in her mom's closet, it sends her on a journey to uncover the truth.

But revealing the past comes with big feelings and bigger secrets, and when Addy gets Thea and Luz involved in her scheme, the ties of their friendship stretch to their limit. Even worse, Julian refuses to talk about their mom, and Addy's search for the truth threatens their growing relationship.

All Addy wants is to knit the people she loves back together. But what if she's the one tearing them apart?

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