Caitlyn Averett has an MA in English and Creative Writing (Fiction) from Southern New Hampshire University as of June 2017, and a BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts. She grew up in a town in upstate NY you’ve probably never heard of, on top of a hill you’ll probably never find, and she writes YA, fantasy, and sci-fi novels. In Spring 2017, she interned at Cleaver, and in Summer 2016, she interned at Laura Dail Literary Agency where she read through the infamous slush pile and attended lectures with acquisitions editors at the Association of Authors’ Representatives.
IF YOU WERE HERE, a young adult novel by Jennie Yabroff, reviewed by Caitlyn Averett
IF YOU WERE HERE by Jennie Yabroff Merit Press, 272 pages reviewed by Caitlyn Averett Purchase this book to benefit Cleaver Being normal and making it through high school unscathed can be a big deal, and, for sixteen-year-old Tess, it’s all she’s ever wanted. In Jennie Yabroff’s debut young adult novel, If You Were Here, Yabroff shows the normal struggles of growing up combined with the confusion of dealing with a parent suffering from mental illness. If You Were Here follows Tess Block, a girl who relishes summer vacations where she can hide away in her grandmother’s country cabin and not have to deal with high school or family. It means no contact with her best friend, Tabitha, because there’s no cell service, but Tess enjoys the freedom of escaping NYC for a few months, and the freedom from what’s going on at home with her mother. Tess manages high school and a difficult home life thanks to these summer breaks and weekends spent with Tabitha watching and quoting Sixteen Candles. But Tess’s semblance of ‘normal’ disappears when Tabitha decides she wants to be part of the popular group, leaving Tess behind. This abandonment marks the beginning of Tess’ life ...