The September Sisters

The September Sisters by Jillian Cantor
Pages: 368
Genre: Tragedy
Rating: 9/10
Summary from Book:
"Abigail Reed and her younger sister, Becky, are always at each other's throats. Their mother calls them the September Sisters, because their birthdays are only a day apart, and pretends that they're best friends. But really, they delight in making each other miserable. Then Becky disappears in the middle of the night, and a torn gold chain with a sapphire heart charm is the only clue to the mystery of her kidnapping. Abby struggles to cope with her own feelings of guilt and loss as she tries to keep her family together. When her world is at its bleakest, Abby meets a new neighbor, Tommy, who is dealing with his own loss, and the two of them discover that love can bloom, even when it's surrounded by thorns.
This exquisitely written first novel illustrates life as it truly is—filled with fear and danger, hope and love, comfort and uncertainty."
My Review:
I must confess, I teared up at the end of this book, and I never cry. That's saying a lot. The characters were so well developed that my emotions were building up 'till the climax. I especially liked this book because I related to Abby in many ways. My sisters and I are constantly in an argument and we reinforce each other. If one of my siblings were to be kidnapped I don't know how I'd move on. There would be so many words left unsaid.
Don't get me wrong, it's not a sob story. It has an uplifting message and a little young love mixed in.
If you have siblings, this book will deeply touch you. Even though parents say they don't play favorites, there's always a competition between siblings. We all want to be the "best" kid and are jealous of the sibling who gets the most attention. Some resort to hitting in order to take out frustration.
The imagery was very life-like and brought back memories of growing up. I remember situating myself in bed to get the full blast of the fan. My parents said it was too costly to leave the air-conditioning on all night.
Tommy and Abby's bond is so sweet because it is built on love and understanding. They both help each other get through their pain and feelings of abandonment.
I read this book in class(discreetly of course ;) because it was so absorbing. The September Sisters is about moving on after tough circumstances occur. You'll realize that no matter how much you regret and dwell on the past, life goes on, and you can't change the past. You just need to remember:
"The pain passes, but the beauty remains."
-Pierre Auguste Renoir