Awakening Foster Kelly

by Cara Rosalie Olsen

If only a pile of wayward curls and the inability to stay on her feet were seventeen year-old Foster Kelly’s most pressing concerns. Unfortunately, stubborn hair and clumsiness is just the tip of it. It was only a mistake, but when at the age of five Foster is told “You don’t belong here” the result is one broken heart. These four carelessly spoken words have shaped and shadowed Foster, and now—a senior at Shorecliffs High School—she seeks the wallflower’s existence, denying herself the most casual of friendships, much too afraid that someone will see what Foster believes is certain: she does not belong anywhere – or with anyone. This reality would continue to suit her just fine, however . . .

Love has a long-standing history of undoing broken hearts.

Like a comet, an unexpected arrival knocks Foster out of the crowded, starry sky, sending her directly into the limelight. Exposed and afraid, she will attempt to regain anonymity; but it isn’t so easy now that someone is watching. He pursues this shy enigma, confronting Foster’s deepest fears head-on, and in the process falls wholly and completely in love with her. But there is something he is not saying; a secret capable of certain ruin. There are two probable outcomes: either he will break her heart once and for all, or he will heal it.

In the end, though, it is Foster who must decide if she is worth mending.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Ebooks, Fiction, Chick Lit

672 pages, Paperback

First published June 22, 2013

About the author

CARA ROSALIE OLSEN resides in sunny Southern California, where she lives with her very patient husband, Michael, and their delicious daughter, Hazel Gwen. A product of a relatively normal childhood - whatever that means - Olsen recalls "Life had this relentlessly boorish way of reminding me I was wonky and unapproved. Regardless of status or gene pool, there is nothing simple or easy about growing up. Life doesn't play favorites or carry biases; it's the pits for everyone. But rather than constantly falling into the pit, often I chose to climb down willingly, lining the bottom with a soft place to land. That place is where I became a reader, and today, a writer."

Throughout high school Olsen struggled with subjects Math and Science, but excelled at the arts, written and performed, often finding a kindred spirit in those teaching Creative Writing and English Literature. What began with an ardency for language soon developed into a burgeoning desire to create. This yearning took shape in the form of poetry and short story fiction, both of which have been featured in print and online publications. Olsen's debut novel, Awakening Foster Kelly is the result of a four-year project born on a whim and sustained by its characters' tenacity and their refusal to give the author a minute to herself. "In the beginning, getting them to talk was like trying to light a wet match. So, we had several long, sometimes combative conversations. I told them that unless they started holding up their end of the deal, I would have no choice but to fill in the blanks with whatever scraps came to mind. It wasn't very long before I started showing up to find that everyone was already seated and waiting for me. We talked. I drank coffee. It was bliss."

These days Olsen considers herself incredibly blessed to be able to do what she loves most. However . . . if she wasn’t a full-time writer, she would have liked to join the cast of Saturday Night Live, or, taken over as CEO of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

For more information, please visit CaraRosalieOlsen.com & AwakeningFosterKelly.com

Reviews

[Thalia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read the review on my blog:
http://thaliasbooks.tumblr.com/post/6...

[Kristin Yuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nowadays, I always feel a slight thrill upon picking up a contemporary young adult novel. In a market abound with post-apocalyptic worlds and survivalist female archetypes (not that I'm complaining, mind), there's always that potential of originality afforded to those on the contemporary end of the spectrum. And that is exactly the word I think best sums up Awakening Foster Kelly: original.

Just a few pages into the novel, we learn Foster Kelly is not your typical high-school student. She's introspective and kind, but ultimately an outcast due to a social neurosis I think all but the most extroverted person can relate to. Not only does this affliction help in immediately separating Foster's voice from her YA counterparts, but the depths at which this character is explored transcends the page beautifully. (At one point I was crying and hadn't even realized it because I was so engrossed in Foster's story.)

Not to imply this character-driven novel is lacking in plot – the relationship between Foster and mysterious new kid Dominic unfolds deliciously, and also happens to parallel some pre-tty mysterious happenings. Fantastical little bits rationed out in such tiny doses, you *will* be turning the pages at a frenzied pace while over-analyzing every detail left behind in search of the breadcrumb trail. But be warned: This is not a book to be read in one sitting, and I think the pacing more than suits both Foster's voice and journey throughout. In fact, Foster's gradual growth as she navigates her way through high-school, first love, and life at seventeen is, in the end, satisfyingly inspiring. So much so, my past teenage self couldn't help but feel the nudge to fear less and risk more, too.

Awakening Foster Kelly is the hugely ambitious debut novel of Cara Rosalie Olsen, and a highly recommended read for fans of Dianna Gabaldon's descriptive writing - or simply anyone looking for a substantial character to befriend.

[Bianca Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that I have regained my composure, I can finally attempt to put into words how I feel about this book. I'll start with this: I laughed, I cried, I fell in love.

***UPDATE***
I re-read this book in December. The following paragraph was written prior to the latest edited version of the book. I have since then purchased a copy of Awakening Foster Kelly and, although I wasn't necessarily searching, I found zero errors, typos, grammatical issues etc... Beyond that, the hardcopy is GORGEOUS!!!

Okay, before I divulge what it is I loved about this book, first this must be said: Being a lover of books, I always peek at the other reviews - especially the negative ones. Those complaining about the typos, the grammar issues . . . honestly it flummoxes me. I want to ask: "You read this book? You actually read it, and that's what you came with?"

Awakening Foster Kelly is one of theeee most well-written novels I have ever read. Foster's narration is so utterly respective to her character that I have a hard time believing she doesn't actually exist. I'm stuck in some serious denial, actually. Hopefully there's a support group out there for schmucks like me. Foster is real. She literally IS that girl; not the weird one - the one you can't even remember because her presence was virtually invisible. And now I know what was going through her head all that time. While reading, there were times I felt her emotions so deeply I'd realize I was crying or clenching my fists -- that upset and angry.

From the get-go, the sub-characters stop being characters and turn into people you care about, are invested in. Jake and Emily are HILARIOUS. I think every teenager wishes they had a teacher like Mr. Balfy.

The prose is gorgeous. Every line is dripping with description. The pace of the plot is subject to the scene, and I liked that. It felt real. Moments happen like they should, which makes what transpires between the characters natural and expected.

Along the way, I battled. This book makes you think, makes you accept that it's not your story, but Foster's, and to understand it completely you have to put your own will aside. Tough to do when you feel so strongly about your ideals, and about her!

The ending between Foster and Dominic is probably my favorite of all. I can't remember the last time I read two characters more perfect for one another. However . . . I think readers will come away either loving the ending, finding it unexpected and whole and optimistic, or they will hate it, for exactly the same reasons. For me, it was perfect. Having read it, I don't think I would have seen it turn out any other way.

I don't believe there is to be a sequel to this book, but that doesn't mean I won't be hoping (and stalking the author) one is written!

[Jannat Bhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tonight,"he continued,"when you walk out on that court to sing the National Anthem, I want you to think of that heart. I want you to believe in you the way I believe in you. Believe that you are, to me, my angel."

Oh My GOSH! I don't even know where to begin. So in simple words I absolutely and completely LOVED this book.
Awakening Foster Kelly was such an amazing read. Though I felt it to be a little slow paced in the beginning the overall story more than just makes up for it.The characters felt so real. They were developed beautifully. The plot was different than what I usually go for and I'm so glad that I did.There was something about Foster that made me wanna hug her. Her hair somewhat reminded me of Merida from Brave whom I absolutely loved.Especially after the quote below:

I looked in the mirror at the shoulder-length catastrophe spiraling and poking out in every direction. Never had I understood the concept of a good hair day;each morning I awoke and showered, and the entity on top of my head made its own choices.



Foster's very close to her parents as she considers them her best ( only) friends.I especially liked this because I myself am very close to my parents and could relate well. AFK also has a pinch of enlightenment in it. I am in awe of the "Glowing Orchid" part. :D
Then there is Dominic. I could just go on and on about him but lets suffice by saying he's one character you will be helpless to fall in love with. Some of the quotes in the book had me cracking up like a madman.

I felt terrible for my dad, and was trying to think of something to mollify him, when my mother announced, “Well, I think you’re blueautiful!”

It was now six o’clock, and I was buried, being eaten alive by my couch.

Jake and Emily were an awesome addition to the story. Trust me when I say they are one pair of hilarious siblings! Their banter gave me a lot of LOL moments.The conclusion of the story simply blew me away. AFK made me laugh and it made me cry. All in all I'm really happy I went for AFK and as mentioned in the book :

A mysterious object, a good book. It did that to you; made it almost painful turning the last page. Then it clung in your mind, like static, refusing to let go until another book came along and gently weaved its undoing spell.

Awakening Foster Kelly is without a doubt one of those books. Hats off to the author Cara Olsen for such an amazing debut. I cant wait for more of her books. Highly Recommended!!

These are some of my emotions during the book:

[Melissa (thereaderandthechef) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awakening Foster Kelly is the type of book where you want to highlight every line and every word. We encounter a beautiful prose, full of imagery and enchanting details that it’s hard not to get captured by its beauty, not wanting to miss a single tiny thing.

Foster Kelly is the spitting image of our own fears of being out there, but doubled. Of trying to blend into the wall, to go unnoticed. Fearing to love and being forgotten. Being so guarded, only a few people get to know the wonderful person Foster really is. She is so smart, caring, gifted and adoringly clumsy. Her only flaw would be to abstain herself from saying what her heart yearns to tell, or show. Instead, she opts to say what she thinks everyone else wants to hear.

Incredibly enough, author Cara Olsen managed to make me step into Foster’s shoes. I don’t know if this was on purpose or not, but I felt everything she felt. We connected. When she blushed, I blushed. When she fell, I cringed with her. And, when her pulse quickened at the sight of Dominic, well, my heart beat wildly just like a hummingbird’s.

Beautiful, handsome, Dominic. How I love broken boys. They are always so vulnerable and sweet, masking their real personality with anger. His relationship with Foster was intense, filled by many emotions that when the heartbreak came, mine was also lying around in tiny pieces. Something I knew was eventually going to happen, but I still hoped and crossed my fingers wishing for the impossible.

I want to dwell on this beautiful book forever. Is it crazy for me to wish it was longer? It’s a huge book, but not endless. And, I could tell you all about it, but that’s not fair. You have to read and see for yourself. Experience the way this story moves slowly, carefully building up with each passing page, gently pushing you, encouraging you to admire and take everything in. Prepare to laugh out loud at the antics of the insanely funny twins, to daydream just like Foster and her father, to feel the beauty of love and the pain brought by heartbreak, and to awaken at the sound of music in your ears.

*P.S. I’m ever so grateful to Cara Olsen for providing me this book for free in exchange for an honest review and I swear all I said above was in no way altered by this.*

You can also find this review at Book Travels book blog! Just click HERE.

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to give this book a better rating because there are a lot of positives. However, the negatives were so distracting that I cannot rate it higher.

The positives:

The characters in the book are very well drawn. Excellent job with making them interesting, likable, and realistic. Even, when I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about them.

I loved the dialog in this book. It's not easy to write believable dialog and Ms. Olsen did with skill.


The negatives:

The poor grammar was extremely distracting. Generally this involved words being misused. There were also missing words. The book really needed a good edit. E.g., "I felt a fleeting triumphal", "should of had", "the jobs they employed", "I had a professor who really like to lay into me", and "shirking off our backpacks".

I have a very good vocabulary and there were many words that I had never heard or seen before. This would completely pull me out of the story. For example, there was a scene where Dominick is hurt and he lashes out at Foster. I was so engrossed! Then she describes his face as "adamantine." I had to stop reading and look up what that meant, which broke my emotional attachment to the scene.
E.g., selcouth, mysophobe.


I look forward to seeing Ms. Foster write more books, because she really does have a talent for writing.

This review is based on a complimentary review copy.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must be completely honest and start by saying that I know the Author, which is why I picked up the book to give it a read. Being a guy that enjoys thought provoking, meaningful, and believable fiction literature, the Young Adult market disappoints me greatly. And sadly, I might not have picked up this book because it's a love story between two older teens. What guy wants to read that, right? Well I'm glad I did!

Lets face it guys...we can be a bit more romantic than we want to give off; but it has to be worth it! The relationship between Foster and the leading male character is phenomenal. It's real, it's awkward, humorous, and tastefully sensual when It needs to be. Just like a relationship should be. While this kind of stuff doesn't typically rank high on my list of book preferences, I couldn't help but want to step in and save Foster. And when Dominic does, you want to reach in and give the guy a high five. And that's just it; the characters in this book are simply believable. I didn't want to admit it at first, but Dominic and Foster's story of love was pretty darn cool, and free from cheesy clichés.

A good book needs more! I have to be transported to some new place (and it doesn't have to be a far off planet), for it to be worth it. While the poetic language, higher level vocabulary, and long sentences take a few pages to get used to, I found it easy to build a good rhythm; and quite frankly, the writing style was just the thing to transport me. AFK is narrated by Foster, and it only makes sense that this brilliant, highly observant character would narrate in this way, but at the same time be hesitant to speak that way in her dialog, due to her insecurities. That right there, is integrity of a characters voice, and Foster does and amazing job describing her world in a way that invites you in naturally. I don't like books that leave too much to the imagination, leaving you wondering where the heck you are . . . my imagination takes over and ruins the story. I also don't like a long list of descriptors, lacking imagery and creativity. I feel the author balances this very well. Some may feel bogged down at times by the detail, but like I said, this is who Foster is. She is detailed, and it makes sense. And as I mention at the end of my review, these details become very important.

There are many cool little tidbits about AFK that a guy would enjoy. Foster's friends are hilarious! Enough said. There is also a finely woven sci-fi aspect, as Foster's parents are physicist and their work is expertly placed throughout the story, adding a kind of magical element. Then there is the mystery: while the book probably wouldn't be placed on the sci-fi or mystery shelves, it has enough of those elements to add another very cool layer to the novel. There is something up with Dominic, and I don't want to give away the details, but it had me making all kinds of guesses. I love how the author drops just the right amount of hints to get you thinking, but then diverts your attention else where. You literally forget details, and then are smacked in the face with them again. As Dominic woos Foster, he almost does the same with you; however, you kind of get that gut wrenching feeling that something is going to happen . . . and you want to believe it will be good!

Finally, DO NOT SKIP TO THE END! I have been tempted to do so many times, but I promise it will ruin the magical way the story plays out from page 1 to the end. You will be thrown through soo many emotions, you don't want to ruin that experience. One of the coolest aspects of this book (and any good book in my opinion) is the need to go back a read it again, where the indistinguishable breadcrumbs are now giant, blinking neon signs.

I highly recommend the book; and even to my braver brothers that may be initially scared off by a seventeen year-old, cool-nerdy girl.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Awakening Foster Kelly in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Okay, I have to be totally honest here. When I first looked at the synopsis of this book I was intrigued. It didn’t sound like the average angst/drama filled contemporary YA book that I avoid at all costs. It sounded really interesting and fun. Then I looked at the page count…. 702 pages is A LOT of book. As daunting as that number was, I really wanted to see if the book was as intriguing as the synopsis. Guess what? It was even better. Not only did I not mind that Awakening Foster Kelly was twice as long as most of the books that I’ve read this year, once I got to the end I would have been perfectly content reading more.

Foster was an amazing character. She was mature way beyond her years. To say she had low self esteem wouldn’t even come close to describing what she thought of herself. She wasn’t self destructive or self loathing though. In her mind, she was just being totally honest. She didn’t matter in the scheme of things and she was ignored because no one saw her. She was perfectly content with that though. If she didn’t interact with anyone, there was no one to disappoint, including herself. Watching this beautiful young woman blossom was just part of what made Awakening Foster Kelly such a great YA read.

The supporting characters in this book were so full of life. Foster’s parents were adoring and as important as their jobs were, their world revolved around Foster. The interactions between them were priceless. They weren’t perfect parents, but that made me love them even more. Foster’s devotion to them was equal to their devotion to her.

Foster’s friends were just as interesting – not to mention fun. I don’t know the last time I read a more entertaining banter and interaction between siblings than there was between Jake and Emily. From the time they were introduced I fell in love with them. They were supportive, loving and protective of each other and they shared that love and devotion with Foster.

And then there was Dominic. I wasn’t sure how to take him at first. You’ll understand once you read the book. His introduction was not impressive, still, you just knew that there was more to him. Once I got to know him though, I loved him as much as Foster did. It was impossible not to. His story, once it was finally revealed, totally broke my heart. There were a couple of times that I thought I had Dominic figured out, but I wasn’t even close. That was a common theme in this book.

I can honestly say that I could never have figured out the way this story eventually unfolded. Beyond being beautifully descriptive and filled with wit, humor, heartbreak and hope, the twists and turns that Awakening Foster Kelly took made my jaw drop. I NEVER saw it coming and once it did I felt like going back and reading chapters and sequences over again to see if I missed a clue. Of course there were some, but still nothing that would have prepared me for where this story ended. There were times that I thought that scenes didn’t make sense or they were disjointed, but once ALL of the secrets were revealed, everything just fit. I applaud Cara Rosalie Olsen for catching me so off guard. I loved it!

Awakening Foster Kelly is so much more than a coming of age novel. It’s a story of finding yourself, accepting who that person is and realizing you’re worth just as much, if not more than the people you ultimately put ahead of yourself. You never see yourself as others see you. That can be both good and bad depending on who you are. There are lessons within these pages for both young and old alike. Foster Kelly came a long way during the course of this book and I really enjoyed taking that journey with her.

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Yeah, I didn’t like this book.

It’s a shame since it did start out intriguing and I dare even say that it was enjoyable despite it being flooded with grammar mistakes.

The writing is drowning in purple prose. It could have been really beautiful if it combined a good romance with the composition of music since the main character is a music student. But instead, the prose is everywhere and distracts from the dialogue.

Many times when Foster was speaking to someone, she would start narrating and analyzing it. Which is fine, but not in the middle of dialogue because when it goes on for too long it puts the conversation on hold.

Every time the dialogue would stop, and the prose would start, I have to go back to when the last person spoke because I’d forgotten what they were talking about. There were even some scenes where characters had to snap Foster back to reality because she was taking such a long time to describe something in her thoughts.

Some of the prose also had some awkward phrases and imagery that didn’t make any sense. You have several phrases like these:

There were times when I carried my imagination so far away with me that finding my way home was like swimming backward through a rainbow.

“melting my heart into a puddle of lava”

“My heart was ambivalent, leaping and sinking – like an elevator unsure of its destination.”

And of course, you have a large amount of grammar mistakes. The writing tends to use hyphens when a comma would work.

Removing a vinyl skirt from the rack–the color of pink cotton-candy–she held it up, scrutinizing it.

And the use of nonexistent words: ‘belumped’ & ‘belotioned’

And one of my biggest grammar pet peeves: use of the letter ‘k’.

“Child, you need to trust me, k?”

“So stop this, k? Shake it off. It’s just nerves.”

Unless the book is showing us a text message or a chat, k should not be used as a replacement of ‘kay. That’s just sloppy. But not nearly as the execution of the plot.

The plot on the surface seems simple and straightforward. Foster Kelly is a senior in high school, a music student, participating on a project called the Senior Piece. The Senior Piece is when two students work together to compose music and whoever is the best will have the honor to perform at a concert. There's also a romance that overshadows this plotline and it doesn’t make it better.

With the gigantic amount of purple prose, I thought it would be a romance involved with music. I assumed it would be fascinating for that writing style to use music in a way to show the developing relationship of the main couple.

Foster was hard to like. She's supposed to be this academically smart, beautiful, talented musician who is socially awkward. But her awkwardness is portrayed as someone who has no coping mechanism. She has anxiety attacks over the smallest things to the point where she would have difficulty breathing, pass out, or vomit. There were also scenes where she is treated as if she’s invisible despite being in plain sight. There's this scene in at the high school where she sits by herself outside and this one girl is talking to her and the behavior of the other girls makes it seem like they can't see her. Not only is it confusing but it’s hardly addressed again and goes nowhere except maybe implicate she is a wallflower.

Now to the main problem with the book – Dominic.

I hate this character so much. When he and Foster meet for the first time he treats her like a piece of garbage. He verbally abused her in front of the students in class, without any reprimand from the teacher, and causes her to have an emotional breakdown and avoid everyone by eating lunch in her car.

Dominic is one of those ‘bad-boy’ characters I absolutely loathe. He’s an asshole that holds no consideration for his actions and words. His actions towards Foster are unnecessary and uncalled for. To add insult to injury, his whole reasoning for his behavior is completely unacceptable. He's upset because Foster looks like his deceased girlfriend and apparently they had a fight before she died.

After he treats her horribly, they meet again in class and he doesn't offer an apology. He approaches her and tells her he wants to be friends and they both behave as if nothing happened!

He uses his frustration with Foster as an excuse for his behavior. He accuses Foster of lying to everybody so she can keep her true self hidden (her ‘inner truths’) hidden. For one, that is none of his business. Foster is not obligated to answer him or provide him with any explanation.

To add to his anger, he’s also a stalker. He takes it upon himself to become her bodyguard. He always follows her and keeps tabs on where she is. If he doesn’t see her he either shows up at her house uninvited, or he leave multiple voice mails and text messages. (107 calls and 43 texts) He gets angry with her because people treat her like crap (as if she's at fault) and he tells her she needs to stand up for herself but then he turns around and defends her from others. Not to mention that his anger makes her nervous to the point where she has a dream of him about to physically hurt her. I consistently question why she’s with him.

The only saving grace where a few side characters. Emily and Jake are good. Emily stands up to Dominic and gives him a piece of her mind. Her parents are okay characters. They're the stereotypical main character rich parents but I'll admit they're likable and I do have a soft spot for them.

But my final beef with this book is the ending. I hate it because it undermines the entire book. The entire book was a comma dream and it's revealed that Foster was actually Summer, Dominic's girlfriend.

That was just one of many things that didn't make sense of this book. Congratulations to the readers who liked it because I absolutely did not.

[Brit McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for sending me this e-book in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I was contacted regarding a review for this book. Tuesday night after my last exam I settled into bed, got comfortable and started to read. Four hours later, it was the middle of the night, the rest of the world was asleep, and I was enraptured. I couldn't put it down. Even though reading on a ten inch tablet can be frustrating, I didn't let this stop me as I powered through a good chunk of this 600+ page novel in one night. A couple of days later, when I reached the end, it was again the middle of the night and I lay awake for another hour, turning the whole thing over in my mind. I couldn't not think about it. What a book. I loved it. Not all the time, but overall I just adored it.

Foster Kelly is a senior at Shorecliffs High School, a musical genius who keeps to herself and has a penchant for tripping over her own feet. Her name has caused her quite a bit of grief over the years, and she prefers to keep to herself. On moving to Shorecliffs, she was befriended by the twins Emily and Jake, both full of life and fun. Still Foster keeps to the shadows of life, not wanting to bring attention to herself, much more an observer of high school life. Her life is brightened by her parents who she adores and the kids she cares for at the House of Hope. Her life changes the day she meets Dominic Kassells, who shakes up her quiet life. He challenges her and encourages her and gives her the push she needs to really start taking part in life. He also recognises how she needs to help herself - which was, to me, a very important realisation.

This book is about first love and the amazing things it can do, but it also about finding who you are and being true to all versions of yourself. Foster's slow progress through the novel, her confrontations with the half-truths she had been hiding behind, and her building confidence was heart warming to read. I felt like I was a part of Foster's journey. I smiled for her, was happy when things went right, my heart broke alongside hers, and then was amazed with the discovery toward the end of the novel. I laughed at her friends, Emily and Jake, who were brilliant characters. I cheered as she started to do things for herself. My heart melted as I watched her literally trip and fall in love. I felt protective of her, too. There were times when what I was reading would make me nervous and I wanted to shield her from the pangs that mistrust and heartbreak could bring. I felt like I knew her.

That being said, as much as I adored Foster and this book, I can recognise that this is not going to be for everyone. The plot development is slow, due to the fact that we read from Foster's perspective and everything she does is thoughtful, deliberate. She is not impulsive and does not make spontaneous decisions. Before she speaks, she gives every word a lot of thought. A single moment in time could be described over two pages. But this is necessary as it gives the reader an accurate picture of who Foster. Not everyone will understand, but to really understand the book you need to understand Foster. There were a few things that frustrated me, particularly to do with her budding relationship with Dominic, but the key word is patience. You need to patient to work through Foster's thoughts and to progress through the book. I would feel frustrated, like I needed answers more than Foster did, and because she didn't actively chase them, we didn't get them straight away. However, if you are patient, you will be rewarded. Everything makes sense in the end.

This is what kept me up so late, those light bulb moments coming on more and more as I got closer to the end. The wait is worth it when you get that 'oh, it all makes sense' moment of realisation. It kept me thinking about it long after I had finished reading. All my thoughts, feelings, ran around my head for an hour before I could sleep, and it's all I've though about all morning. This book has had quite an effect on me. A wonderful, wonderful read. I am buying a copy for my bookshelf because until I do, it will feel empty without it! A deserving five stars to a book that has given me a lot to think about.

This review is posted at Crash My Book Party. You can find more reviews there!

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

What to say about this book?
I read this one because the author reached out to me through GR and asked if I would review her book. It sounded pretty good so I went for it.

This book was way too long for the type of story it is. Everything was described in detail. And I mean everything.


Almost every time a new character was introduced there was a flashback to show how the MC had first met them. There were dream sequences that lasted for pages and pages and added nothing to the story or character development. I kept waiting for something to happen. Was there a reason for this book to be so long? I understand that it was supposed to be character-driven, but even character-driven novels have to have a basic plot. There was no rising action, no payoff, nothing to keep my attention. This book wandered a lot, got lost a few times, and then rushed to the finish.

Did we really need 679 pages about a shy girl who does nothing but go to school, talk to her friends, and fantasize about the cute boy who's been giving her some attention? That's it. That's the entire story in a nutshell. I didn't stop reading, though, because I had heard about a surprise twist that had people shocked and awed and they said things like "OMG that was so good!"

Really? Really?? The twist didn't add anything to the story, it only undermined everything we've read so far!

I also had a big problem with the writing style. It was too contrived and it didn't feel natural at all.

“The moral debate was suddenly not so much a debate, but a reproving outcry, derived from a very distant part of my mind I currently paid very little attention to. As I crept closer to the ajar door, an instinct like nothing I had ever felt took over. Tiptoeing softly, I took care not to drag the soles of my feet. I nearly ruined everything when I lost my balance, and was forced to clench my teeth to avoid making any noise. Despite my best efforts to quiet my landing, my hands slapped noisily against the wall as I steadied myself. Cringing and palpitating, I waited to see if someone would emerge from the room. When that didn’t happen, I permitted myself a rewarding gasp of oxygen and bent at the waist to catch my breath. With a moue, I stared at the objects responsible for my trouble- my two hapless feet.”

This is one paragraph from a scene where she is sneaking down the school hallway to eavesdrop on a conversation. The entire sneaking scene takes up several pages. Several. Pages. O.o




*beyond irritated*

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foster Kelly is that awkward girl you knew or were in high school. She is constantly teeter tottering in her life, either in her thoughts or her affinity for clumsiness make an appearance in her day to day life. After a particularly mortifying moment, Foster again feels a little lost when it comes to Dominic. After a rough start though they become friends of sorts but the more they spend time together it builds into something more special and quite unique. Throw in a protective and outspoken friend as well as a variety of other interesting characters and you have a really well written book.

Without divulging too much of the story line, you have to know that Foster quickly burrows her way into your heart. She is vulnerable, quirky, shy, clumsy and I have to say I shed a couple of tears while getting to know her. This story is meant to be savored,each page is rich with details and a story that transforms into something quite special. Excellent read.

[Shannon Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awakening Foster Kelly, by Cara Rosalie Olsen, is a wonderful and captivating read. Her characters are well-developed in such a way, that it is easy to see some of oneself in at least one of the cast. Not only are the characters brilliantly brought forth, but the story is full of twists and turns that keep one guessing as the story continues to unfold. Not only is it a sweet and tender story of first love, but one of healing and reconciliation, kindness and compassion that is extended throughout the read. I actually delayed reading the final chapter for a few hours, as I found myself longing for the story not to end... Brilliant. Beautiful. A highly recommended read!

[Brianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this (after not being able to put it down) and I was pleasantly surprised. The story lets us enter the fascinating mind of a high school senior, Foster, as she meets Dominic, a transfer student. As their encounters unfold she is learning about who she is and it is beautifully written, with vivid descriptions. You can't not feel for her as she is challenged in many ways throughout the book, forcing herself to discover who she really is.

[Cara Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the strangest thing: Perhaps there is a brewed conflict of interest, but I simply couldn't put this book down.

[Tiffany York · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say that I very often have authors message me on Goodreads asking if I would like to read and review their book. Usually this happens via email, and I have to admit that I was pleased when Cara Olsen DID message me on Goodreads. She wrote me a nice, detailed message asking me to read her book, giving me details about it, and warning me that the book was long and could take some time to read. I looked into the book, and was immediately interested. Sure, I was a little concerned about it being almost seven hundred pages, but the idea of reading a contemporary that long certainly had me intrigued. I would say that this length might cause problems for some readers. Young readers might not pick it up due to the size; however, I do urge you all to forget about the number of pages and simply jump into the story. It's very much worth it, I can assure you that.

Let's start with the one negative that I did have of the book, since there was only one, and then we will move on to all of the wonderful things. The vocabulary in this book was a bit difficult at times. Now, this is not to say the writing was bad because that would be far from the truth. Olsen's writing is amazing and descriptive, and it makes you fall in love with the story. However, some of the vocabulary was above my level, and as an English teacher and book lover, I feel like I have a decent vocabulary myself. There were times when I had to stop and look up a word, which tended to pull me out of the story, which was the last thing that I wanted. I do think that this might scare some young readers, but hopefully they will have the patience to simply look up the words they struggle with as well.

On to the positives! The plot development in this story was incredible. I am used to reading much shorter books, usually about 400 pages at most. Because of this, we are usually thrown into the story right away. This is not something that happens in this book, though. We have almost 700 pages to learn everything that we need, so we get some of the information slowly. While I was a little worried that I would get frustrated with this and give up, that was not the case. Once I was hooked, I needed to know what was going to happen next. Let me warn, this is not a story that should be read in one sitting, though. It has a lot of depth and detail, and there were many times that I just sat back and thought about what had happened.

The characters were certainly the thing that made this story, though. We are introduced to Foster, who all of her life believes that she does not belong anywhere. Because of this, she decides that the best thing for herself is to become a wallflower; to keep to herself and befriend as few people as possible so that she does not have to lose them all. She is intelligent, musically talented, and clumsy. Overall, she is an amazing character and person, and I felt like I was put in her shoes throughout the whole story. I felt everything as she did, and I grew with her. And boy, oh boy, did this girl grow throughout the story! I do not think that I have ever seen another contemporary character grow so much throughout their story.

Foster was not the only great character in this book, though. Foster made two great friends, Jake and Emily, who happened to be a brother and sister duo. They were a great influence for Foster, and they were always causing me to laugh out loud as I read their parts in the book. Since Foster is so quiet and introverted. They were just the kind of friends that she needed. Along with that, Dominic was a wonderful love interest. We love seeing broken boys in our contemp stories, after all. Despite his own issues, he was trying to help Foster, and that was something that really stood out to me. Their chemistry was obvious, but I am glad that it was not insta-love. It was slow and built up, and it made me feel so many different things.

I am still a little unsure about how I feel about the ending, though. I was not disappointed, just a bit surprised, I supposed. It left me thinking though, which I think is something that is very important. It's not one of those books that you just finish and push aside though. I kept thinking about it...in fact, I still do. So much happened within this book that it would be impossible not to keep thinking about it, in fact. I fell in love with the characters, and in the end I did not want it to end because I was not ready to say goodbye to them, even if I had 700 pages with them.

I do understand this book can seem a little intimidating when realizing just how many pages it is, but I urge you all to look past that and give this book a chance. While I was a little concerned and intimidated myself, I just jumped right in and I do not regret it one bit. It was beautifully written with amazing, relate able characters. I would certainly recommend this book to everyone.

[Lauren (Northern Plunder) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was first posted on Northern Plunder, if you want to see more reviews please click here.

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Awakening Foster Kelly after being contacted by the author to read and give an honest review, from the start Cara mentioned that it was a long a book and was very understanding with the time it took me to read, which is great because being pressured is no fun. This will in no way effect my opinion of the book.

Awakening Foster Kelly did take me a long time to read, normally lengths of books aren't off putting to me, but I was reading this during finishing up my first semester at university and then over Christmas, timing just wasn't on my side.

For me, Awakening Foster Kelly has to be reviewed in three different sections, the beginning, middle and the end. That is how my review will be structured and whilst I will keep it as spoiler free as possible, I believe my review for the ending will give a lot away so don't read that if you don't want spoilers.

Beginning
The introduction to Foster's life is interesting, very descriptive and made Foster come to life, it was perfect to make her come too life.
However, for me this part was too long, it felt like it took forever to get here.

Again though, it is worth mentioning that this could be partly due to my busy schedule when I was reading it.

Middle
I think I'd class this from when Foster and Dominic meet for the first time, from here is where the story grabbed my attention because I wanted to know why he was acting so rude for no reason, I wanted to know his secrets, I wanted Foster to get to know him.

We got this.

But slowly.

Because of how Foster is, she's shy, she's awkward and she's not willing to push for answers she fears may effect her, but also because her thought process and dream scenes are long, well thought out, like she's constantly writing poetry and music.

It makes sense because it fits her character. It's who she is.

However, once I got to understand her, and know what to expect, I kind of started to skim these scenes.

I was impatient. I wanted to know now, unlike Foster.

But its strange because whilst I was getting impatient, I wouldn't want the book to be altered because then we'd be missing a vital part of who Foster is, and who she needs to become.

Its her journey and it makes sense.

So whilst I was skim reading. I was still gripped!

End
I'm not sure how to review this part.

This is where the spoilers will be.

Up until this point the book was pretty firmly a four star read.

The explanation of why Dominic had acted oddly with Foster was fine, it sat well with me and I was happy to expect to read the rest of the story.

But when the "dead" girlfriend showed back up, I felt betrayed and uncomfortable.

Mostly because it only clicked then that Foster wasn't aware they looked similar, though to me he practically screamed it at her.

The uncomfortable feelings though came from worrying how Dominic would handle it, to me he handled it wrong.

Granted confusion was on his side to act wrong, but I felt as hurt as Foster did.

To have it ended here would have sat much better with myself.

But no.

It carried on.

I now felt betrayed by the author, sorry Cara.

Why is that I hear you asking?

Well its simple, it was a dream that Kelly Foster had whilst in a coma.

She was the dead girlfriend, only she was in a coma, so in a way it was her body leading her mind to the truth to help her wake up.

Which don't get me wrong, the symbolism is great. I love that.

Its Dominic that upset me.

I was upset but content to let him go, be part of her magical journey to finding herself, but no he's real.

Not only is he real, he dreamt of her too.

The music they wrote together in the dream is what they choose to work on and so forth and happily ever after.

Its odd that this made me like the book less, because in a way I should be super stoked as I love supernatural books, but I think that there was no explanation and it was a seemingly normal Earth other than their shared dream that bothered me.

That and the fact I kind of felt like I'd, in a way, wasted the time reading it, if none of it happened.

Maybe that is because I preferred dream Dominic, or I was too hurt to give real Dominic a chance.

*sigh*

I'm bummed out that I didn't like the ending but otherwise, I really enjoyed the story.

[Fran P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 to a solid 4 stars

Before diving into this, I was warned by the author that this was going to be a lengthy book—672 pages to be exact—and I knew from reading the reviews that this had an interesting ending. So halfway through, I was almost sure I knew what I was going to say about this in my review, but the last 10% completely threw me off guard that I had to rethink everything, as well as forget most of my preconceived notions. I just did not see THAT coming. AT ALL!

Now, to be honest, I don't think I can give justice to the story with my own recount, but I believe Cara Rosalie Olsen sums it up perfectly when she ends Awakening Foster Kelly by saying that this is "not for the logical, certainly not for the unimaginative; it belongs to the dreamers."

I admit that it took me a while to get settled into the story. It was about 14% in, when things actually started happening, that I finally became comfortable with Ms. Olsen's kind of storytelling. Her narrative is very descriptive, and she likes to interject back-stories a lot. Some readers may or may not like that, and they might think of it as being too wordy or rambling. I—no offense to the writer or the writing—skimmed through bits and pieces because I tend to do that in just about any book. But I also think that editing out some of it would not have affected the story as a whole. Then again, this matter can be subjective, and I am no editor.

I don't want you to be great. I don't want you to dazzle me. I don't want you to make this about winning. What I want to know is... Can you be saved? And in return, save someone else?

Awakening Foster Kelly is a magical read. I can't describe it any other way. It's the kind of book that you simply have to go right into without any expectations because chances are, they are wrong. Though it seems like your typical YA read at first, it ends up to be more than that. It becomes something else entirely.

I can truly appreciate how the author likes to use big words, as in Reader Digest-worthy words. But I do think perhaps that might be a minor problem for others as it can probably disrupt the flow of their reading if they're not familiar with the definitions. Thank God for iBook's dictionary feature! 

Also, personally, I have a challenging time believing and empathizing with the feelings of 16 or 17-year-old characters especially when they are acting or thinking beyond their years. I mean, it's only been about 7 years since I was at that age but I guess I've become too much of a realist now, that's why. But having said that, I do try to accept each situation and not be too unfairly critical about it. Just like how I've accepted Foster Kelly's quirks, her insecurities and the way she deals with her fear of being rejected all over again, and how Dominic is seemingly wise and mature due to his broken past.

However, I believe that the overall story outweighs the negatives. Foster, with her self-esteem issues, keeps everyone at arm's length but here comes a self-assured Dominic who plows through her walls. The question is: does he end up saving her or breaking her heart? If you think you know the answer, better think again. Because at around 93%, every obvious conclusion I had just about flew out the window. My heart was beating so fast that I couldn't think straight. Pure magic, that ending. Cara Rosalie Olsen, you are a magical genius! 

If you're looking for a different reading experience, one that can make you think and even question things, and if you're not afraid of longer reads, this one is for you. Awakening Foster Kelly is not only philosophical in essence but also has a significantly literal aspect. ;) Be warned, this is not for the logical and not the unimaginative.

 

*This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so hard trying to explain why I liked it so much, without saying why.
Because that makes sense.
Other than wanting to avoid spoilers, I literally don't know what to call it.

There is no word for what it is. But what ever it is I love it. It's such a rare thing to find, especially as genuine as this one.
"Genuine" still might not even be the word for it.
I'm going to stop trying to think of words that might not even exist now.


I seen it labeled as a romance, and maybe at the end that is what it becomes, but it is so much more. Sometimes it's like two separate books, one about Foster Kelly and one about Foster and Dominic.

One is Foster finding Dominic and the other is Foster finding Foster.

Foster is unlike any other when it comes to YA characters. While, yes, many can be described as mousy bookworms or maybe a little insecure or timid around guys, they rarely ever stay that way for long.
You don't end up in a love triangle by keeping to yourself.

But Foster? She attempted, and was quite content, to stay a wallflower even with everyone trying to put her on the spot.
She's kind of the perfect reminder that no one thinks they're perfect, and that we all have some major battles going on within.


The best way I can think to sum it all up is with the Oscar Wilde quote: “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”

Because that is the true romance in the story...
...until you get to the end where you start yelling: yes be together!
At least, to take from the book, the dreamers will be.



I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awakening Foster Kelly is almost like reading a dream. In many ways it feels as though its floats upon one and you wonder where the tale will take you next.

The story is centred on Foster Kelly, a seventeen-year-old shy, young woman, who has brains to burn and musical talent to boot. It is written in the first person, so the reader has a keen sense of the character, who she is and where she needs to go. It is a beautiful thing to see her character develop as the story progresses.

Now, it is a long book and I think one that takes time to read. Some might find the prose flowery and tangential at times, but I have to say, I am a fan of the poetic and I thought a lot of this was beautifully written. Only occasionally did I feel that it interrupted some of the scene flow, but overall, I loved the style and the story.

Some of the characters left me smiling, especially Emily and her twin Jake. The banter between the two and their strong personalities are at times very comical, in light of the seriousness of Foster's character. At first I wondered where Dominic (the love interest) would fit in, especially in light of his rather horrid behaviour to start, but he begins to redeem himself as the story goes on.

There are lovely little points of interest, which keep you reading on. You want to find out the little mystery behind Dominic and it was a really pleasant surprise when I reached the end and discovered the twist. I won't give anything away - it has to be read to be discovered!

A beautiful book.

[Jill-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

***this book was given to me by the author through Ethereal Book Reviews (Guest Reviewer Program)***

When I saw the length of this book(672 pages, 852 according to my tablet) I was immediately nervous. I began to worry it would be drawn out with more detail than necessary and that it would take me longer than normal to get through every page. Then I continued to turn the pages and I continued to fall into the story that is Foster Kelly.

I will admit that at times the amount of time it took to learn things about Foster seemed long winded, however, every single moment captured just how real this teenage girl is. We have all been Foster at one point or another, on the outside of the world and looking in. Never really being a part of things, just a shell of oneself.

Just when I thought I had learned everything there was to know about Foster; from her relationship with her parents, friends, kids and especially Dominic; Olsen takes you to a place you didn’t know existed! Astounded is really the best way I can describe how I’m feeling after finishing this great read. I think Olsen said it best in “Awakening Foster Kelly” when she wrote

“A mysterious object, a good book. It did that to you; made it almost painful turning the last page. Then it clung in your mind, like static, refusing to let go until another good book came along and gently weaved its undoing spell.”

Thank you Olsen for this unexpected OhMYGosh!! Now I must go and find myself another good book so I may undo this spell you have me under.

[Sarah Goodale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished the book a couple of days ago and have been trying to marinate on what to say. But really there are no words. Even though I could only read the book in small sections at a time (I am a mom with young children), every time I was completely drawn into Foster's world due to the Author's very descriptive writing style. This book elicited every emotion on the spectrum for me and I care about Foster as if she is a real person. On the surface this book is a very relatable story about a girl discovering who she is. Then enters the mysterious love interest and you get to experience that delicious intoxication of first loves. You will be cheering for Foster to get all the things she deserves but fearful that it could fall apart at any moment. The Author is so descriptive that you truly feel and see things through Foster's eyes. The Author does a great job of making things unpredictable. There are a few twists and turns but the book is richer and more meaningful because of them. I enjoyed this read and hope you will take the time to get to know Foster.

[Kel (Faerie-bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously.....YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK.........

I finished the book and couldn't bring myself to start another book. Amazing... I couldn't stop thinking about it when I wasn't reading it and so caught up in the story as I was reading it that I even missed my bus stop I was so engrossed. I loved it. The twist at the end was so unexpected and at first threw me for a loop but wow... it was awesome. I feel like I've lost some best friends now that I'm done reading it.

I could relate to Foster's insecurity, I was never as withdrawn as her but I totally understood it. Foster is so insecure that she lets no one in, not even her parents. She says what she thinks you want to hear and only when you ask her directly. A great finding yourself book with an unexpected twist at the end.

[Nichole Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a very smart reader. I have always had trouble reading since I was a child. I have a hard time with big words and in depth thoughtful books BUT Awakening Kelly Foster made me want to push through my difficulty in reading. The story line was so beautifully put and I fell IN LOVE with these characters. Mrs. Olsen has done an amazing job making you care for these characters. I found something about myself in each of these characters. At one point, while I'm reading, I'm yelling at one of them in defense for Foster. If you want to be challenged and entertained at the same time this book is for you. I CAN NOT wait to see what other book Mrs. Olsen comes out with. DIE HARD FAN!!!

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...Just wow. Beautiful story. Will absolutely be watching for more from this author.

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was only one place I wanted to be: the place that wanted me too.

The subject matter of this story is kind of personal to me. There’s been a lot of attention for bullying, trying to stop it and trying to help those who are being bullied. However, there’s something that’s probably as damaging to a kid. It’s something that everyone forgets about, because there’s no physical or strong emotional violence involved. It’s the feeling of not belonging.

Awkward and angular, I was trying to squeeze into a neat, round circle that continued to spit me back out.

When I was in elementary school, I never fit in. I don’t know why. Maybe it was because I was an introvert. I was never as active, social, fun and talkative as my classmates were. So I was always different. I never actually got bullied, but I always felt like I was standing on the outside looking in. I never got picked for teams, I never got invited to birthday parties and no one tried to involve me in other activities. As a kid, I thought it was me. I thought something must be wrong with me. It’s so stupid how it’s so easy to make someone believe they’re not good enough, that they don’t belong, even when they are and they do. Luckily, when I started high school, my confidence got a huge boost, for no reason at all. I started caring less and doing my own thing, and everyone else started caring more and trying to belong with me, instead of the other way around. I have a strong personality and I picked myself back up and realized I wasn’t the weird one, they were. I realized the birthday parties everyone went to were lame. I realized the out of school activities were stupid. I realized I didn’t even want all that, even when I thought I did. But I know that there’s no worse feeling than feeling like you need to be someone else to be accepted. That you can’t be yourself, because people won’t like you.

So I had no hard time relating to Foster, our main character.

”Just be yourself, Foster.” The words were intended to soothe, but quite the opposite resulted. No. Don’t do that! Just be… normal.

Foster’s personality is a lot weaker though, so even at 17 she’s insecure and feels like she’s not good enough. She’s socially awkward, never speaks her mind in fear of not being liked and is the clumsiest person ever. So even though I understood her, I also didn’t.

If Murphy’s Law and Bad Luck had a child – you’d be it.

After a thorough introduction into Foster’s life, we finally meet Dominic. Dominic is the guy who changes everything for Foster and makes her see that she’s worth more than she thinks.

One act of kindness at a time… he was saving me.

I liked this because it wasn’t the standard YA story. The twist in the end was amazing and totally unexpected, even though everything before it wasn’t all that great. The author is a talented writer, no doubt. The way she described Foster’s feelings, made me feel like I was experiencing it myself. Her constant nervousness, fear and nausea was described so perfectly, I was feeling nervous myself too. The dialogue flowed smoothly and the characters were all well-developed.

What I didn’t like, and I’ve got to be honest here, is the overflow of description. I love long books because it usually means there’ll be more events, more story, more time, a longer build-up, etc. This book, however, was long without all of that. I felt like it was just long because there was a lot of description. A lot of irrelevant description too. I figured if the story was gonna be so long, the build-up would be long and gradual too, but it wasn’t. I think Foster and Dominic fell in love love, cheesy love, in just a few weeks time and after a limited amount of scenes together. And Foster’s change wasn’t quite gradual either. Not as gradual as it could’ve been. It’s a personal preference, but I’m all about emotion and a lot less about description. If the author would’ve cut off all the irrelevant description, this could’ve been half its length. Not to say that she didn’t describe things spot on. I loved all the metaphors and symbolism she used, I thought it was very creative and beautiful.

I’m just torn about how to rate this. In the beginning I felt it was a 4 star read. Then it started becoming boring and cheesy and I was leaning towards 3 stars. But then the twist happened and now I don’t know what to think. It’s definitely a good book, but it could use a lot of editing. I would’ve also loved it if the book ended with Foster colliding with Dominic. The end. Leaves some mystery and feeling of wanting more. It also let’s the reader use its own imagination. I truly believe that less is more sometimes.

I don’t do half stars. If I did, I’d go with 3.5. Instead, I’ll round it up and go with 4 stars.

Also, I love Emily. She’s my kind of girl.

I had to wake up. It didn’t mean, however, that I had to stop dreaming.

[Suad Shamma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Cara Olsen.

So how did I feel about this book? Honestly, not very good. I struggled. I struggled so much to read past each page and each chapter. I don't usually blame the book on how big it is (this is a big book), and I won't start now, because no matter the size of the book if it's good, you'll be flying through the pages unable to put it down.

Foster Kelly was one of the most irritating characters that I've read about. Her personality, the way she sees herself and carries herself really bothered me. I kept waiting for the big revelation that will make me understand her a little better, but all I learned is that back in Kindergarden she was mistakenly placed in the wrong class and therefore didn't have her name called out. She did not belong. And that stuck with her...I guess?

Shoot me now.

She likes being invisible, unpopular, ignored by everyone. You know, that's fair enough. Sometimes, I try to do that too, steer the attention away from me because I'm not in the mood to speak to someone or engage in a conversation. However, I found it very unlikely that two girls would have a complete conversation while this girl is sitting right there, and then almost SIT on her completely missing that a human being has been there for the past I don't know, 20 minutes or so. Come on. No matter how unimportant, or uncool, or un-whatever you are, you aren't ACTUALLY invisible.

I found Foster's obsession with this very unintentional situation that happened when she was five a little weird and childish to tell you the truth. "I don't belong", that's the whole theme of the story, that she doesn't belong. It's a little ridiculous, given the fact that this event happened when she was a toddler, and it wasn't done out of anyone's evil intentions. Her parents may be the genius, busy, scientist-types, but from the interactions they have with her I found them to be very endearing, caring and sweet. They truly love their daughter, rather than neglecting her. All of that made me think less of Foster. She just came off as silly most of the time. Dominic seemed at a loss as well, when she told him how wonderful her parents actually are.

I also found the over use of intelligent words a little distracting, like a lot of the other reviewers here. Too many big words take away from the flow of the story. After all, this isn't supposed to be James Joyce. As one reviewer put it perfectly: "This book was not ready for publishing—the sheer number of grammatical errors, basic typos, and bad form clearly shows that to anyone who has ever written the English language. Plus, the flowery prose, the inherent need to describe everything overwhelmed the supposed-to-be-human narration, and I felt like Foster, our main character, wasn't a real person at all, but a thesaurus throwing out whatever words may or may not fit the meaning—and half the time, the words chosen to describe certain things weren't used correctly or were made up entirely."

So much description that doesn't engage the reader at all, it does not suck us into the story, it's words being strung together for the sake of it. It was like she wanted to reach a specific page mark, and had to add all these extra pages of nonsense to do it.

But, and it's a very big, important BUT, what really made me want to hurl this book and then set it on fire was the ending. And I'll have to ask anyone that hasn't read the book and reached this far in the review to stop if they don't want it spoiled for them, because I don't plan on keeping quiet about this terrible, horrible, absolutely dreadful ending.

Foster suddenly wakes up, and we realize that she's actually been in a plane crash and THE WHOLE thing was what they call a "coma dream". SHOOT ME NOW.

Oh, but wait, we also find out that her name is actually SUMMER. It's like we read a story about a completely different person, and now we find out it's all been a lie, and a complete waste of our time. She jolts us into this horrendous twist, giving us NO time to get acquainted with a completely new character basically.

I'm sorry Cara Olsen, I was honestly delighted to have you choose me to read and write a review on your book, but I honestly could not find anyway to sugarcoat any of that. On the bright side, a lot of other reviewers seemed to like it just fine, but my advice would be, don't do cliche endings (because you're underestimating your YA readers that way), edit the book a million times before you publish, and don't show off your vocabulary (we're not reading your book to find out how many words of the English language you actually know and can use in the span of 700 pages).

Better luck next time.

[Keren Broce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that I know the author and this is why I originally purchased the book. It takes a lot of courage, determination and hard work to write and publish a book, so I wanted to show my support in more than just an emotional/verbal, way-to-go sort of way. I supported Cara physically by actually purchasing and reading AFK. And even though I knew that she was incredibly creative, I nowhere near expected the novel to be so well written as to make it into my top five favorite - if not my very favorite - modern works of fictions.

Let me explain a bit further, if I can. You see, I like a lot of the silly, sappy YA books like Twilight. However, they are not the types that: 1) seem realistic in any sort of way; and 2) make you think, "Wow, this is a great literary work." For the most part, they are easy to read and mostly entertaining. But Awakening Foster Kelly goes way beyond that. The characters feel alive and real and not just in some fantasy world. I seriously feel like I could bump into Foster, Dominic or Emily in my neighborhood and it would be perfectly normal. And this is coming from someone who very RARELY is able to visualize characters and settings. I believe that a lot of this is attributed to the time and care that the author spends on descriptions. Some may feel like it's excessive, but I for one appreciate that she tries to clearly paint a picture for the readers.

Cara's work is also very poetic. There were so many great lines and passages where I felt like, "Yes!! You get it!" And there were other times that she made me think. Some people may be frustrated that they have to sometimes pull out a dictionary to look up a word, but I honestly enjoy expanding my vocabulary. And I don't believe it's too excessive; plus, you can often circumvent references through context. So if you don't want to stretch yourself, then don't read this book. It is not made for the literary faint of heart.

The story depicts a very smart and talented high school girl, Foster Kelly, who suffers from the awful, insidious disease of doubt. Everything was going her way (or so she believed) - she was able to blend in, not be noticed or make waves, and to keep people at an arm's length. In her mind, it was worse to be rejected for who you truly are than just a superficial facsimile of oneself. And doesn't that truth ring true for so many of us? Aren't a lot of us afraid to share our true opinions with our friends, our families or our bosses and coworkers because they might disagree with us, or worse, because they might dislike us?

Fortunately for Foster, instability and unforeseen factors hit her straight on and in full force. We are introduced to Dominic, as complex of a person as Foster, who is able to break through Foster's seemingly impenetrable force field. The type of relationship that is fostered (hehe, get it?!) between Dominic and Foster is mature and romantic, but it also has all of those beautifully awkward moments that spring from young love. It is a relationship that is built on mutual respect and admiration, which I think is so undervalued in YA books, and youth in general. It's a relationship that even parents can say, "Yes, use this as an example."

And you can't forget all of the seriously great humor in the book. Sure, there are very deep and serious moments, but there are also many moments that are creatively comedic. I had so many laugh-out-loud moments while reading this (especially whenever Emily and Jake were anywhere in earshot from each other) that I sometimes got some odd looks from my husband. I've laughed when reading books before, but not as much as I have with AFK. Cara has so much wit, and her timing is impeccable. It also was evenly balanced and never seemed to be "too much."

I have already read the book twice and can honestly say that I loved the book even more the second time. Awakening Foster Kelly contains so much foreshadowing and allusion that it will make literature lovers go gaga. I know that the book is long, but if you liked it at all, you should definitely reread it at some point because you will glean so much more on the second round.

I could go on and on about this book, but I think you can all see that this is a book worth reading and an author worth supporting. I very much look forward to what else Cara has in store for us in her books to come.

[Kimberly Karalius · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished AFK and I'm stunned. Stunned in the most wonderful way. I knew that Cara was a fan of Sara Addison Allen (and so am I), but to see that twist of magical realism sneak in at the end was a delight - not to mention a complete surprise!

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

First off, I love this book because I can relate to Foster on so many levels. While her anxiety and shyness was sometimes extreme, I'd be lying if I said I never felt like that from time to time.



So, is she realistic? Yes, I'd say so. I love her crazy hair, her expansive vocabulary, her selfless, yet intelligent soul, and a willingness to love, despite the dangers that come with it.

My high school self would have been best friends with her (though attending Shorecliffs seems like a dream compared to the grey, prison-like high school I attended. I think it would be very difficult to be miserable for long in a school like that).

Cara's decision to have Foster be close to her parents was refreshing. So often in YA, parents are seen as antagonists, or just another set of roadblocks to make a teen's life miserable. In AFK, there many heart-warming scenes with her parents. Foster's father is adorable (and the source of her debilitating daydreaming and clumsiness), while Foster's mother is ethereal and caring and cleverly funny.

Now that I'm typing this, I wonder if Foster's dad's frequent daydreaming has any connection to the ending... I won't say anything more, I promise. But I've been told by other reviewers to look for the clues, and I can't help but feeling like this is one.

Anyway.

I could keep going about the characters. I connected with all the characters as I met the, as if they were old friends I hadn't seen in a while. Dominic was such a joy to read. I don't think any other character in the universe could have possibly stepped in like he did to set Foster's awakening in motion. I'd love to shake his hand. He was brilliant, romantic, and flawed in a believable way. I dogeared so many scenes with him and Foster, learning and growing together over the course of the book:

"Will you just tell me." His eyes darkened, crinkling at the corners. "Please."

"I-I've just noticed that you open quite a few doors," I said briskly. Then slower, "You say 'excuse me' when someone bumps into you, stop to pick up others' dropped belongings, are quick with an apology, put yourself in the middle of disputes."

He continued to stare at me, blinking. "So, what is it you're trying to say?"

I had the distinct feeling he was bating me. "I'm saying... I'm not the only one who does nice things for people."

And Dominic's pet name, "Moon-pie," for Foster? I've never read anything cuter.



Awakening Foster Kelly is a long book, but there's a good reason for its length. Each character is worth getting to know. Even though the beginning of the novel was a little slow, as soon as Dominic appeared, the pacing was just right. Suddenly the last fifty pages rushed at me, and no matter how much I tried to savor each sentence, I finished before I knew it. I didn't want to say goodbye!

Oh! One last thing: throughout the novel, I was sympathetic to Foster's small triumphs and struggles. Even when thing got really tough, I appreciated that she used her logic to examine her feelings, instead of succumbing to pure angst (which, also in YA, is too typical to be entertaining anymore, haha).

My heart was not broken. It was still there, in one piece. I imagined that anyone touched by the same pain might agree that their heart had not broken either; only that it simply hurt more than it ever had before... more than I once thought humanly possible.

Getting to read Awakening Foster Kelly was an absolute pleasure. I'm looking forward to seeing what surprises Cara will have with her future books!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, Cara Rosalie Olsen, for gifting me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

To begin, the author provided me with a link to read the first 10 chapters for free before I decided if I'd like to read it all. Once I got to the end of chapter 10, I was convinced there was some shady fantasy going on so I had to read more. And that right there is why it's a 3 star instead of a 4 star book. Let me explain.

As I was reading those first 10 chapters, I got the feel that something... else was going on with Dominic and it was going to turn out to be this big secret fantasy thing. Even though it doesn't say that in the blurb, I was totally convinced. These next few paragraphs will be kind of difficult to write without giving away the ending so bear with me!

The way it ended... it explained the fishiness at the beginning but somehow it was a different kind of resolution. It was like it started out at a fantasy/paranormal book that morphed into it's current self.

So the ending. I'm not really sure how I feel about it yet. It was a twist on a cliche ending that they tell you never to end with in 7th grade English class. It worked... but I think I was unable to let go of my prejudices against that type of ending. I'm actually doing this whole mystery thing pretty well! I can definitely see how the title ties in. In the middle, I thought it was referring to Dominic's quest to get Foster to acknowledge herself.

Otherwise, I had one other problem with the book. It had a page count of 672 pages. That's right up there with the Inheritance Cycle series which are the longest books I've ever read. Those books are epic fantasy that take place over the course of... a year and a half I believe. So where did all that length come from? The sheer amount of information that went through Foster's brain. It does show how incredibly smart she is but I think it could have been toned down a bit at the end.

Let's talk about some good stuff! I was completely immersed in this book and couldn't stop laughing at Foster, Emily, and Jake. I especially loved Foster's character and the growth that took place over the course of the book. Dominic was also a powerful symbol (and yes I'll let you figure that out for yourself) that added so much to the book. I also loved Foster's parent's relationship. It was so sweet and adorable - that's what true love is to me :)

The Final Verdict
This book was a bit long and I'm not really sure about the ending but the character growth is amazing as well as the overall message!
3.5 stars


Quotes:
"My experience with relationship began and ended with fictional characters in books and a second-hand proximity"


"'It may take some time, but eventually she'll see how kind, thoughtful, and incredibly sw-' I met his eyes, which were rife iwht amusement and expectation. 'Sw-ell,' I finished'"


'That,' he squeaked, sniffing uncontrollably, 'was just... so touching,' he sobbed"


"'It's my favorite movie,' he said, 'because being together wasn't the simple answer tot their happiness; it was the only answer.'"


"'Did you-'
'Prune the sick areas, yes I tried that,' she said without turning. 'It spread even faster.'
'How about-'
'Isolation the bacteria didn't work either. It's pandemic.'
'You could try-'
'I am-but don't say it aloud.' She turned, a sneaky smirk on her lips and winked. 'I think that's why they aren't getting better; they're prepared for our defense.'"


"'Fost,' she intoned, sounding almost bored. She rose up on one elbow, pressing her knuckles into her cheek. 'You make it sound like it's rare that we win. Where have you been for the last year and a half?'"


"'Oh, Fost, I won't lie, your face right now is kind of awesome; like a question mark exploded. It would seem my work is done here for the day.'"


"'I don't' think the place you start is as important as the starting itself.'"



"I had to wake up. It didn't mean, however, that I had to stop dreaming. Our story, it's not for the logical, certainly not for the unimaginative; it belongs to the dreamers."