Life On Hold was the first Young Adult novel I read by Karen McQuestion after falling in love with two of her Adult novels. She is on par with other YA Authors of this genera like Sarah Dessen.

The story is about a 15 year old girl who, along with her slightly flighty mother, moves every time the going gets tough. Now, she is 45 minutes away from the only other family she knows, her Grandparents who are so welcoming they even have a bedroom for her at their house. Her own bedroom where she can keep anything she wants while her mother drags her around the country.

After her mother promised they would stay in one place for the next two and a half years so Rae can graduate from High School where they currently life, Rae finally lets her guard down and beings to make a few friends.

Being the smart, responsible kid she is known to be, her Vice Principal matches her up with another new student who could use some help learning her way around the school. This opens Rae up to friendships she has never experiences before and pushes her to learn to stand up for herself to her mother.

Karen McQuestion has a knack for telling a story through a teenager’s eye without making the reader feel like she is reading someone’s diary. I was hooked at the start of the book and didn’t want to put it down until the story was finished. She has a way of neatly wrapping up the story lines so the book feels complete and well rounded.

I recommend this book to any teenage girl or woman looking for a heartfelt coming of age story.