Edna in the Desert by Maddy Lederman

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking a look between the pages of a Young Adult novel that asks us to step off the grid and into our lives in a rather unexpected and thought provoking way.  It's curious in both the initial story as well as the twists and turns that take place throughout, but when all was said and done, I couldn't help but applaud.  Ladies and gents, I am pleased to present today's book of choice..

Edna in the Desert

by

Maddy Lederman

9781632134004

eLectio Publishing

About the book...

Can a Beverly Hills teen survive without a smart phone, Internet, and TV? Edna will find out.
Edna is thirteen, a precocious troublemaker wreaking havoc at her Beverly Hills school. Her therapist advocates medication, but her parents come up with an alternative cure: Edna will spend the summer in the desert with her grandparents. Their remote cabin is cut off from cell phone service, Internet and television. Edna’s determined to rebel until she meets an older local boy and falls in love for the first time. How can she get to know him from the edge of nowhere?

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Edna is a girl who knows what she wants and where she's going...or at least she was until this summer's new itinerary was sprung on her by her loving parents.  Wait, scratch that...apparently they are much more hateful than loving since they're dumping her in the middle of the desert, off the grid, with her grandparents...one of which is less than friendly, while the other nary speaks a word...and care not what happens to her.  Or at least that's how she tells her story at the start...

In truth, Edna is a good girl at heart that's lost her way.  Her parents do-or-die tactics (which were severely more DO than die) were to serve as a wake up call that their own parenting skills were unable to provide any other way.  From what we were privy to regarding her antics at school, sorry not sorry Edna, but you totally deserved it.  Though we may cringe with her upon discovering the less than comfortable accommodations (and lack of cell/Wi-Fi...eek!), it's easy to see that love is the driving force behind the "harsh" treatment...and even Edna finds the silver lining sooner than expected.  Grant it, it comes in the form of an easy on the eyes local boy, but he turns her head enough to eventually get it on straight once again...even if all things don't play out as she so desperately hoped.  The steps she makes in finding her own path again as well as the lives she affects with her newfound purpose leave lasting impressions on all in the best ways possible.  Edna is a remarkable girl, and will not easily be forgotten.

FYI...I really DIG this alternate cover I found!
Fits the story THAT much more.

This was a curious story but enlightening for both readers and our cast of unique characters. Several heavy real life issues were brought up, encouraging further research after the final page turn. From PTSD, interacting with elder relatives, living off the grid, and misdirected teenage angst, there is something to relate to for multiple age groups.  The first love aspect of the story was unexpected (to me, at least) and awkward (though usually they are) but suited the character's ages and journeys well enough, to be believable. The lessons learned by all (and there are many) provide takeaway for both the target audience and beyond, giving this under the radar title THAT much more merit.

Recommended read for Young Adult fans, and beyond due to limited content and language.

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About the author...

Edna In The Desert is Maddy Lederman's first novel. Maddy works in the art department for films and TV shows, recently on Elementary, The Americans, The Leftovers, Madam Secretary and The Amazing Spiderman 2. Her writing has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Sun Runner, a magazine about California Deserts. She has an MFA in Theater from Brooklyn College.

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Special thanks to author Maddy Lederman for the print copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, and those projects on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite retailer to request your copy today.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!