Dear Alderone

by Ami Hendrickson

"I went back to the den and put the stereo on. I don't know how long I sat there zoning, listening to the music and trying not to think. Suddenly, my brother came in the room.

His hair was all messed up and his face looked gray and shadowed. Neither of us spoke for a while. Strange. All I could think about was that for fourteen years nothing ever happened in my family. I go out on a real date for one afternoon and suddenly everything falls to pieces. Go figure."

Jera Fowler is hardly excited about having to keep a journal for ninth grade English class. “What can happen in a day?” she grumps as she chronicles the 1984-85 school year.

She doesn’t realize that a single day can be the dividing line between life and death.

Forty years later, while Jera is in the hospital facing an uncertain future, her teenage granddaughter Rayna discovers the journal and reads all night long.

What do words written long ago have to say today?

Everything.

Ami Hendrickson’s epistolary novel Dear Alderone spans generations, exploring those moments in life when—for good or for ill—everything changes in an instant.

A love-letter to the written word and a testimony to the power of preserving personal history through journaling, Dear Alderone embraces the experiences that define our friendships, our families, and ourselves.

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2024

About the author

Ami Hendrickson has written award-winning screenplays and ghosted bestselling books for famous people while resigning herself to never becoming a household name. As an editor and writing coach, she enjoys helping people with something to say discover new ways to make their voices heard.

Her novels include the lighthearted PARIS POLO MATCH; DEAR ALDERONE, an epistolary novel spanning generations; and WILSON THE DALMATIAN: VICTORIAN CARRIAGE DOG a historical novel for younger readers, as well as BORDERLANDS, a chapbook of poetry and micro-prose. She is editor in chief for Soul Sparks Press. She is also the writer and editor of books for internationally renowned equine professionals as well as projects for the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) and the United States Polo Association (USPA).

Ami graduated with distinction from Andrews University and holds degrees in English and Education, though had she been aware that “panda cuddler” was an actual paying job, she suspects her career path would have been quite different.

www.AmiHendrickson.com

Reviews

[Emily Collett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Alderone by Ami Hendrickson is an emotional, introspective novel told through letters. The protagonist reflects on themes of loss, healing, and self-discovery, creating an intimate connection with readers. Hendrickson’s lyrical prose captures the slow process of healing, making it a poignant read for those who enjoy reflective, character-driven stories. The multigenerational voices attract a wide audience and provide relatable situations and content throughout this heartfelt novel.

[Alyson Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Alderone masterfully unites two polar opposite generations without being trite or unrealistic. How can a young 14 year old girl find common ground with her grandmother who is battling brain tumors? Read Grandma's old high school journals of course! Ami Hendrickson beautifully navigates the death of loved ones as experienced through the eyes of a young teenager all while enduring the turmoil of growing up, school, gossip, boyfriends, crushes, emotions, and family life. And she does it masterfully. Dear Alderone will have you cheering for both Jera and her granddaughter as they navigate their challenges both in the past and present. I thoroughly enjoyed Ami's clear picture of 1980's life and her depiction of the 2020's. The differences in language, technology and fashion were obvious, but one thing was clear, whether it was then or now, growing up and navigating the relationships around us are still the same!

Dear Alderone is a fantastic read!

[Superslothlouise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this it was full of emotion and brought out emotions in myself. It was really sweet seeing the granddaughter see her gj life at the same age as herself. Very nostalgic too back to when I was a teen in the 90s and journaled. A lovely story of friendship, family, love, grief, growing up and family dynamics

[Vix S · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet series of journal entries from a teen growing up in the 80s, read by her great grandchild their teenage years. This was an easy, breezy one and the voice of a journaling teen was v authentic. I feel that more could have been made of the present day teen, though - for the first third of the book, I struggled to differentiate between narrators.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what your parents or grandparents were like when they were young? Who their friends and crushes were, what hobbies they enjoyed, or how they handled school? Were they mischievous or well-behaved? Did they get along with their families, and did their childhood experiences shape the way they raised you?

Teenager Rayna gets the opportunity to find out when she discovers her grandmother Jera’s journals from 1984–1985, written when Jera was just 14 years old. Jera initially started writing the journal for her English class, naming it Alderon. Through her diary entries, she shares stories about school, friendships, different parenting styles (hers and her friends’), and the grief and depression of a family member—whom she supports throughout their struggles.

For Rayna, finding these journals is especially meaningful. After losing both of her parents, she now lives with her grandparents, and at the time of her discovery, Jera is recovering from brain surgery to remove a tumour. As Rayna reads through the pages of Alderon, she reflects on her own grief and her relationships and learns new facts and details about her family—especially about her grandmother.

This is a coming-of-age novel, told across 2 different generations, and is beautifully written, using a relatable and authentic teenage voice in Jera. The language is simple, without complex words or overly dramatic scenarios. Instead, we experience the raw emotions of two teenagers from different time periods and see how themes—such as loss, grief, school, friendships, parenting, and love—remain the same despite the very different generations.

It was so easy to connect with Jera. She is friendly and funny, and her mentions of cassettes, landline, and payphones brought so much nostalgia. I would have loved to spend more time inside Rayna’s mind, getting to know her even better, and I especially wished for more moments of her interacting with her grandmother after reading the journals. The ending left me wanting more.

Overall, this was an easy yet captivating read about the struggles of adolescence, loss, grief, friendships, family dynamics, and self-discovery.

Thank you, #netgalley and the publishers, for the opportunity to read this novel.

[Marie Kuipers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ami Hendrickson's Dear Alderone is a sensory fever-dream: layer upon layer of longing, discovery, grief, and hope bound together in ribbons of haunting, lyrical prose. It's a compulsively readable and quietly profound plunge into the very nature of human connection--what we know, what we share, and what we hold closest to our hearts in the quiet of self-reflection. It's a gently delivered reminder that our stories are worth telling; that we are worth knowing. That there is much more to each of us than meets the eye. There is a melancholic echo of missed connection in Hendrickson's masterful telling that leaves the reader with an urgency to forge new and stronger bonds with the ones we love while we still have the chance. But there is also joy. And the promise of more meaningful tomorrows. It is, simply, a beautiful, heart-shifting book.

[D Andres · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and reading gj's story. I felt like I was with her as she went through her year in school. I really liked Trey and all of the other characters. They were all different yet fit into each other's lives perfectly. Time doesn't change that. I'm sure that we all have people in our lives that fit the way they are supposed to.

At first I had a hard time following who was writing, but as the book went on, I was able to figure that out easily. I think this was a nice easy read. It was heartbreaking, funny and felt very much like I was there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Life to Paper Publishing for the ARC.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and honest look at adolescence, growing up, grief, and trauma

I received a free digital copy of "Dear Alderone: in a give-a-way for a honest review.

I enjoyed this novel, written mostly in the style of journal entries from a teenage girl. This story dealt not only with hardships, tragedy, and loss, but also with the everyday trial and situations related to growing up. I found myself tearing up several times.

At times, I felt the story to be a bit slow. However , it was worth the read.

[Barbara Henriksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book to be read by many

From the very first words I was drawn in. I loved the format as a journal being read by a young lady. The growing up of a young girl dealing with everyday family and school problems. It made you stop and think about what is and is not important in life. Great book! Highly recommend everyone read it.

[Susan Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

The store was good, and presented in a different way. My biggest disappointment is being a teenager in the 80s, and not getting references I expected. There were a few scattered through, but I wanted more. I would still recommend the book!

[Linda Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.9 stars

While Dear Alderone is categorized as coming-of-age fiction, I hold that it's for readers of all ages. It's as relevant to an adult looking back as it is to a freshman looking forward.

I highly recommend this enjoyable novel.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written novel about a woman battling cancer and her granddaughter. This follows separate time lines and uses a journal to navigate between them.

[Susan Shier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like a middle school girl again when I read this book! This book pulled me in with the story of the awkward teenage years, growing up, overcoming struggles, and navigating through awkward but relateable situations teens often find themselves in.

The setting is so well done that it feels like stepping into the past. From cassette tapes and payphones to the simpler way people connected back then, it brought back memories I could relate to. It was fun to be in that time capsule as I remembered my growing-up stories.

The emotions and challenges of growing up are universal. It feels like the writer is talking directly to you, sharing lessons that still matter today.

If you’re looking for a story that blends real-life lessons with a fun and nostalgic trip to the past, Dear Alderone is worth reading.