Ellie and her father are so real, and the way they interact with each other and with others is what the core of this novel. Jeff has a way of making characters stand out and jump off the page.

But there is something so unique and magical – literally – about this book and I blew through it in a matter of hours. Anyone can write a book about tough friendships and the ups and downs of navigating a relationship. Anyone can write a book about a tumultuous relationship with a parent. I think that anyone can write a book about a character with bipolar disorder. ***This review originally posted on What A Nerd Girl Says*** But when her lie is exposed, she’ll have to confront her illness and her choices head-on to save her father―and herself. With the help of her online-only best friend and an unusual guy she teams up with along the way, Ellie makes a plan to stage his comeback. Then Ellie receives a call from a famous magic duo, who offer fifteen thousand dollars and a shot at redemption: they want her father to perform the illusion that wrecked his career―on their live TV special, which shoots in Los Angeles in ten days.Įllie knows her dad will refuse―but she takes the deal anyway, then lies to persuade him to head west. Now Ellie lives with her dad in a beat-up RV, attending high school online and performing with him at birthday parties and bars across the Midwest to make ends meet.īut when the gigs dry up, their insurance lapses, leaving Dad’s heart condition unchecked and forcing Ellie to battle her bipolar II disorder without medication. Her father was a famous stage magician until he attempted an epic illusion on live TV―and failed. Sixteen-year-old Ellie Dante is desperate for something in her life to finally go right. Perfect for fans of Adi Alsaid, David Arnold, and Arvin Ahmadi. A quirky and heartfelt coming-of-age story about a teen girl with bipolar II who signs her failed magician father up to perform his legendary but failed illusion on live TV in order to make enough money to pay for the medications they need―from the author of Symptoms of Being Human.

The Lightness of Hands by Jeff Garvin