Katrina Leno Made Me Feel ALL THE THINGS

Have you discovered any new favorite authors recently? I HAVE. Thanks to @xcrini (on Instagram; also here on Twitter), recommending her books all the time, I finally read and fell in love with Katrina Leno. It actually messed up my February wrap up, because I read both Summer of Salt and Everything All at Once on the last day of February after I had already published my wrap up, oops. They were just THAT GOOD that I had to read them both in one sitting. And like, look at those covers?!??! THEY’RE BEAUTIFUL.

Lottie Reeves has always struggled with anxiety, and when her beloved Aunt Helen dies, Lottie begins to fear that her own unexpected death might be waiting around every corner.

Aunt Helen wasn’t a typical aunt. She was the author of the best–selling Alvin Hatter series, about siblings who discover the elixir of immortality. Her writing inspired a generation of readers. 

In her will, she leaves one last writing project—just for Lottie. It’s a series of letters, each containing mysterious instructions designed to push Lottie out of her comfort zone. Soon, Lottie’s trying some writing of her own, leaping off cliffs, and even falling for a boy she’s only just met. Then the letters reveal an extraordinary secret about the inspiration for the Alvin Hatter series. Lottie finds herself faced with an impossible choice, one that will force her to confront her greatest fear once and for all.

Everything All at Once (synopsis above) was the one I read first, mostly because I was intrigued by the idea of the letters. I went through so many emotions while reading this!!!! As the synopsis says, it’s mostly about a journey through grief, and how the main character Lottie deals with it. I very much loved that the author didn’t shy away from serious topics. The portrayal of the ups and downs of grief felt so real. Lottie also suffers from anxiety, and as someone who also struggles with anxiety and depression I really loved seeing a character in a book that I can relate to in that way.

Katrina Leno does a wonderful job of having all sorts of relationships in her books. This one deals a lot with family, and how Lottie, her parents, and her brother deal with Helen’s death and how they support each other. It also had a great friendship between Lottie and her best friend – more solid friendships in books pls!!!

The letters and the tasks that Helen tells Lottie to do were fun to read about! It made this kind of an adventure novel as well. Maybe I felt so many things while reading this because I could relate so well. I feel like I sometimes need a little push just like Lottie to do things out of my comfort zone, and to get out there and try something new.

Basically this has everything you could want!! Family, friends, some romance, a little bit of magic, BOOKWORMS, excellent anxiety rep, diversity, serious topics, comedy, adventures….I could go on. I mean, it has everything!

A magic passed down through generations . . . 

Georgina Fernweh waits with growing impatience for the tingle of magic in her fingers—magic that has been passed down through every woman in her family. Her twin sister, Mary, already shows an ability to defy gravity. But with their eighteenth birthday looming at the end of this summer, Georgina fears her gift will never come.

An island where strange things happen . . . 

No one on the island of By-the-Sea would ever call the Fernwehs what they really are, but if you need the odd bit of help—say, a sleeping aid concocted by moonlight—they are the ones to ask.

No one questions the weather, as moody and erratic as a summer storm.

No one questions the (allegedly) three-hundred-year-old bird who comes to roost on the island every year.

A summer that will become legend . . . 

When tragedy strikes, what made the Fernweh women special suddenly casts them in suspicion. Over the course of her last summer on the island—a summer of storms, of love, of salt—Georgina will learn the truth about magic, in all its many forms.

Since I loved EAAO SOOOOO much, I immediately jumped into Summer of Salt (synopsis above) right after I finished. This book!!!! It’s magical and mysterious and queer and a little heartbreaking but also funny and cute and MAN!!! How does Katrina Leno do it?? Like she packs all these amazing things and feelings into these small books and I am amazed.

Again, the great strength of this book is it’s relationships and it’s fearlessness with dealing with difficult topics. There is obviously the relationship between Georgina and her twin Mary, but there is also their relationship with their mother, the other people on their small island, and great friendships! Mostly Georgina and her best friend.

The diversity!!!!! Georgina is lesbian, her best friend is aroace, the love interest is bi, and just like written so well and so naturally. This is how ALL BOOKs should be.

The plot did go in a direction I didn’t expect, and gets a little dark towards the end but it was amazingly well done, and has some great messages. I am super impressed with how Leno writes about all these serious things and manages to do it so well.

I really can’t say enough great things about both of these books!! Leno has definitely become a favorite author of mine, and I’m really looking forward to checking out her other books.

Have you read any of her work? If not, I hope you do!!! And if yes, let me know which of her other books I should read next!