Modern Day Green Gables

Ana of California by Andi Teran

This came in my most recent, and, as it turns out, penultimate Lit-Cube. The theme was a California adventure or something. Everything in the box was lame, except for the book, which is the first Lit-Cube book I've read in months. This was touted as a modern-day version of Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. I cannot attest to that, as I have not read it. Still, this was a good book.

Ana is fifteen, almost sixteen, and sitting in her caseworker's office because she is being removed from yet another foster home. She doesn't want to go to another group home, but since she isn't of age to be emancipated yet, they have to do something with her. Interestingly, an opportunity recently presented itself, and it seems like a good solution for Ana. She is to go work on a farm, as kind of an intern, and go to school until she turns sixteen and they can proceed with the emancipation process.

So, Ana is flown from LA to Hadley in northern California, to work for Abbie and Emmett Garber, a sibling duo, on their farm. Emmett is gruff and standoffish, where Abbie is warm and welcoming. Emmett makes it clear from the very beginning that he doesn't think Ana will be able to hack it, but he's willing to give her a shot.

Ana makes friends, well, three, but whatever. What she has at Garber Farms is unlike anything she's ever had in her life, and she makes a tremendous effort to keep from screwing up because she is afraid if she does, they'll send her away--just like everyone else. Ana doesn't reveal her story too much until close to the end, but, rest assured, it's heartbreaking.

I liked this, except for the end. It went from the last chapter to the epilogue, but the epilogue just felt rushed and tacked on. I think if more care had been taken to make the epilogue more cohesive, the book would've been just about perfect.