Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler
This teen novel tells the story of Samantha, a young swimmer at the top of her game. Her father and her have moved to a new community in the same area to allow her to work with a better coach, and she is hoping for a new start there and a chance to make the nationals. When one of her team members invites her to a party she goes, but something happens there that changes her life forever. She kisses a boy she meets (something she has never done before), who then has an asthma attack and dies. She finds out he is highly allergic to nuts, and she had eaten a peanut butter sandwich before the party. Her feelings of guilt paralyze her and she begins withdrawing into herself. How her situation leads her down other avenues, good and bad, that she wouldn't have otherwise gone down shows the emotions that often affect teens. We also see how Samantha's own history has affected her choices.
The author's own son has both strong nut allergies and asthma and this led her to the idea for this story.
Oh my! I'm a peanut butter addict, and I have to tell you of late, I've been watching myself. Our neighbors daughter died in such a way, how awful. Thanks for your review.
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