Once Upon a Twilight!: Blog Tour: We Are The Goldens | Dana Reinhardt

We Are The Goldens
Author: Dana Reinhardt
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary
Released: May 27, 2014
Review Source: Random House Children's

Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.

When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellayla. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it.

We are the Goldens is a tale of two sisters, just 18 months apart, but once the younger one enters high school everything changes. We’re hearing this story from Nell’s point of view, the younger sister. She is absolutely her older sister, Layla’s, number one fan; they’re everything to each other. Nell begins to notice changes in Layla and begins to unravel the why, which lands her into holding onto a secret for Layla, a secret she may not want to hold onto.

This was a nice story of intense sisterly love, where Nell does not even mind being compared to her sister and with them both being so close in age is refreshing to see. Everything really changes when Nell catches on to Layla’s secret and that begins to really change their relationship. The story was a quick read for me and held true to the other relationships throughout the story and not just the relationship between Nell and Layla. Nell and her best friend Felix were probably my favorite part of this story; I absolutely loved their friendship, even when they can’t tell each other everything there are always there for each other.

I definitely think young sisters should read this, get to know what their relationship could be or what could happen to it. You’ll never have a best friend like your sister, my sister is 11 years younger than me but I am grateful every day for her being here for me.

Why do you write young adult fiction?

Because I was a young adult when I fell in love with reading and I can remember how books made me feel back then. How they provided both comfort and escape. That might make me sound like a shut-in, but I wasn't. I was just open to the experience books offered, probably more open than I am now as an adult. And I like writing for that sort of audience.