The author of this book has been a weekend neighbor this summer at an outdoor weekend market in Birch Bay, WA. The market is located next to the C Shop on the banks of Terrell Creek, just a few steps from where I live. Levi Montgomery has had a booth at the market most weekends selling his self-published books.
I was curious to find out more about his books, so I bought "Light Always Changes", a novel just over 200 pages long. Picking up the self-published book, the first thing I noticed about it was that its quality of production is comparable to books produced by commercial presses. Reading the book, it is clear that it is ably edited.
The book has a slick, well crafted cover. The significance of the picture featured on the cover is apparent only after getting to the end of the book.
The book is well written, with an engaging plot and a touch of mystery that is not solved until the final pages. Although the story will be most appealing for a late teens audience, I enjoyed the story.
I selected this novel from a half dozen that Levi sells at his weekend booth. I asked for one with a local setting, and this novel is set in fictional Port Hale, described as a small place located on the Bay between Bellingham and Blaine, Washington.
The plot has two main characters, Lydia and Tanner, 16 and 17 years old respectively, who attend high school in Port Hale. Lydia and her father moved there from Los Angeles, and she is new to the school.
Lydia is scarred, both literally and figuratively. One side of her face and one hand have been badly disfigured by acid. The disfigurement is accompanied by internal turmoil and by a hard persona that enable her to ignore the sideways looks she gets and the rejection she fears. She fends off those who would befriend her with a sharp tongue and standoffish behavior.
Tanner is a passionate photographer with an eye that immediately sees past Lydia's disfigurement. He is smitten. She rejects. He persists. With complications, young love develops, but Lydia has secrets that threaten the future of the relationship. All of this unfolds in a deftly written story that includes a surprise at the end.
The story moves quickly, and the relationship between Lydia and Tanner develops in a plausible and charming way. The book is one that any parent would be glad for their teenager read.