A month long dedication to indie/self-published YA novels
Synopsis: There are those who don’t get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don’t get saved.
Luck was not on Callie’s side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her. After it’s all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened. Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it’s a struggle just to breathe.
For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life. As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over. Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him.
Hiding from a traumatic childhood secret, Callie Lawrence was always known as “Anorexic, Devil Worshiping Callie” in high school. But for her freshman year at the University of Wyoming, Callie plans to make a fresh start. Until she bumps into Kayden Owens, the rich golden boy from high school who is hiding the daily physical abuse he faces at the fists of his father. Guided by Callie’s college version of bucket list, they learn together how to heal and love again.
I’m not one for GIFs and don’t usually use GIFs in reviews, but if there is one that sums up this book it is probably this one:
It seems like everybody in this book is hiding, running or suffering from a traumatic past.
Okay, kidding aside The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden is an extremely likable novel. It has two very sympathetic characters who are suffering and you just want to see happy. I like how Sorensen allows us to watch as Callie and Kayden relationship grows and doesn’t lean on the instalove trope. Because Callie knows Kayden she sees a history and a past about him before she gets into his muscular arms and the like.
Sorensen doesn’t really label herself on her social networks as a NA author, so I’m not sure if this book is meant to be one, but if so, I think she has a good grasp of the college culture. The characters balance class, looking for rides, dorm rooms, going out and a whole round of firsts associated with college.
Right off the bat, this book reminded me of both Dreamland and Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. Mostly, because those novels deal with similar social issues of physical and sexual abuse. However, I feel like this book is missing the sense of character Dessen novels have. I don’t really know who the characters were before this novel.
This book and Sorenson have done very well, in fact this series and Jessica’s other series The Secret of Ella and Micha are being sold by Hachette now. Of all the indies I have read, this is the only book I think I’d consider reading the sequel too–maybe it’s because of that darn cliffhanger.
Callie and Kayden is a hopeful novel about love and emotional survival. At just 1.99, this is a great read to tip your toe into NA and what indie authors are into.
I’m a lifelong reader who started blogging about YA books in 2011 but now I read in just about every genre! I love YA coming of age stories, compelling memoirs and genre bending SFF. You can find me talking all things romance at Romance and Sensibility.