“She was out of beginnings, this she knew.”
Fifteen-year old Ana Cortez finds herself in a difficult situation as she has been kicked out of yet another foster home and her future is one big question mark. She is desperate to find a way to avoid going to a group home, which seems to be her only option. Her case-worker suggests a farm trainee program in Northern California, and Ana the city girl sets out to discover a new life. She meets Emmett and Abbie Garber, siblings who run the family farm, each having been through their own challenges. Emmett is unsure whether Ana is cut out for the farm, Abbie however, thinks she is just what the farm needs. Ana adjusts to life in the small farming town, finding friendship with the town rebel Rye, and romance with the misunderstood Cole.
Ana of California is a modern take on the classic Anne of Green Gables. It is a novel that stands on its own, with an interesting cast of characters and a compelling protagonist. Ana is spunky, charming, and so very loveable. The dialogue between Ana and Rye, as well as Ana and Cole, is fun and their interactions are quite enjoyable. The small town in Northern California is a great setting made all the more amusing by the characters we meet along the way. Ana of California is a lovely summer read.
Favourite quote: ‘Why doesn’t she just be her own hero? I mean, why is she waiting for some knight on a steed when she could get a steed herself?’
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