Watching July

... Watching July is without a doubt aimed at young adults…but carries over into the line of mature subject matter that holds its own to older audiences. The setting of the novel in the in the BC interior and the storyline where the barriers of the living and dead are worn thinner and thinner are the most appealing parts of this novel...

Watching July also leans into the alterna-punk scene, making the protagonist a lovesick revolutionary. Hart writes July as a realist teenage girl — curious, unsure, and coping with family ordeals that are out of her control.

A very good novel, worth the short but sweet read for young adults, as well as the not-so-young adults.

The roller coaster ride that is one's teenage life is the setting of Watching July, which reveals the rural youth culture of British Columbia through the eyes of sixteen-year-old July. With the death of her mother, July barely escapes depression as she finds herself immersed with new friends and boyfriends, but as a roller coaster goes down, then up... it goes down again as well. Her world turns weird and her dreams get weirder, in this riveting young adult novel. Watching July is highly recommended for community library young adult fiction collections.

...I was pleasantly surprised that the descriptive flowing style of the work invites the reader right into the life of July MacKenzie to the extent that it feels as if she is a friend...

...This story is gripping, sometimes dark, and honest about the turbulent emotions of teenage years. It explores obsession, love and troubled, abusive relationships. That said, there are also light, happy moments to the book, and though the conclusion is rather chilling, the story will not make you feel depressed. I found the book thought-provoking, and spent the rest of the day after I had finished reading it thinking about certain events of the plot, and even re-reading some parts to further enjoy the details, now equipped with the knowledge of the conclusion.

...Overall, Watching July is a cunningly written book, with strong and vivid characters, plot twists and turns, and dialogue that is only occasionally stitled. There is even a touch of the supernatural in the book, which adds to the suspense and makes it difficult to put down.