Smoke Signals

As She Fades is a young adult fiction novel by Abbi Glines that was published on April 3, 2018. This book is masterfully written and utterly surprising. I originally came upon this book just thinking it would be a normal young adult romance book. However, this book contains a huge plot twist in the middle of it that I was completely not expecting at all. 

The author of this book, Abbi Glines, is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She has written many well-reviewed books such as Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Field Party. Many of her books are very popular among young adults.

The main character in this story is Vale Mckinley. On the night of her high school graduation, she and her boyfriend, Crawford, are involved in a terrible car accident. Both of them survive, however, Crawford ends up in a coma. Vale is heartbroken and ends up spending days on end in the hospital, waiting for Crawford to wake up. 

While Vale is hopelessly waiting in the hospital day in and day out, she meets her brother’s friend, Slate Allen. Slate Allen has been visiting the hospital every day to see his dying uncle. The two meet and form a shaky friendship that starts with Slate bringing Vale coffee daily. 

The thing is, Slate Allen has a reputation for hitting on every girl he can get his hands on. He claims he can never have a female friend, yet the two form an unlikely friendship. 

As quick as it came, summer ended. Vale decided to leave the hospital and attend the college that she and Crawford were planning on attending together. She learns that Slate Allen is also going to that college, and the two meet once again on campus on the first day. 

“How often the line fades that stands between love and hate.”

Abbi Glines

Slowly, their friendship ends up becoming more than just a friendship. However, one day Crawford wakes up from his coma and has no recollection of Vale at all. She is devastated and has to figure out how to move on with her life and what she has always known. 

This book’s large plot twist was especially made so breathtaking because of the lead-up to it. Another factor that really made this plot twist unexpected is the summary of the plot that is provided on the book cover. The plot that I wrote above is very similar to the one that was described on the book cover. The cool thing about this plot summary is that one part of it is false and actually isn’t part of the story. I have never seen an author give a false summary of her book, so that was definitely the best part of the book for me. Overall, As She Fades, is a romantic, page-turning novel that will always leave the readers wanting more and thinking about it days after finishing it. I absolutely recommend this book due to the huge plot twist and the whole story in general. If you are a fan of young adult romance and want a new and steamy romance, then you need to add this book to your must-read list.