The Ethan I was before

“I don't want to say good-bye,” I whisper to no one in particular.Grandpa Ike pats a rough hand on my back. “You'll never have to say good-bye,” he says. “Not so long as you remember.”

i first read this book in 2018, when i was just 12 years old. now, 6 years later, it still holds up incredibly well - i actually think it may be even better now that i'm older and better able to process the themes of family, loss, and grief in this book.

i haven't read middle grade since middle school, but this book constantly had me forget it was written for a young audience, not in the same way so many young adult books feel so juvenile. for such a short book, i'm shocked by how emotional i got near the end. ali standish does such a great job of writing complex young characters, without making it seem patronizing or unrealistic. will definitely check out more of her works. overall, i'm so happy i loved this just as much as i did back then - i feel so much for ethan and coralee.

Strong main characters, but the plot was predictable.