Imaginary Things by Andrea Lochen

Happy Monday friends! To start this work week off, I have a book review for you! I love reading year round, but I find that I just fly through books in the Summer. I absolutely love lying out by the pool, book in hand. My latest read has been Imaginary Things by Andrea Lochen*, and it's definitely something that I would recommend adding to your Summer Reading List!

"From Andrea Lochen, award-winning author of The Repeat Year, comes an enchanting tale about family, love, and the courage it takes to face your demons and start over again. Burned-out and completely broke, twenty-two-year-old single mother Anna Jennings moves to her grandparents' rural Wisconsin home for the summer-her four-year-old, David, in tow. Returning to Salsburg reminds Anna of simpler times-fireflies, picnics, Neapolitan ice cream-long before she met her unstable ex and everything changed. But the sudden appearance of shadowy dinosaurs awakens Anna from this small-town spell, and forces her to believe she has either lost her mind or can somehow see her son's active imagination. Frightened, Anna struggles to learn the rules of this bizarre phenomenon, but what she uncovers along the way is completely unexpected: revelations about what her son's imaginary friends truly represent and hidden secrets about her own childhood." - Chapters

Anna Jennings is the twenty-two-year-old single mother of four-year-old David, and the duo are forced to move back in with her grandparents after Anna loses her job. Suddenly, Anna is able to see David's imaginary dinosaur friends. A glimpse into her son's active imagination is both frightening and eye opening. Throughout the novel, Anna is trying to determine what the dinosaurs represent, and how to protect her son.

This novel perfectly combines elements of the supernatural, love, lust, and drama. Anna falls for her childhood friend, Jamie Presswood, who is a recovering prescription drug addict. Anna keeps her guard up, for David's sake, but eventually learns to love and trust. 

You follow the journey of David starting kindergarten, and how his imaginary dinosaurs behave around other children. Anna must conceal her ability to see David's imagination - she doesn't want to alarm David, or wind up in the looney bin if anyone finds out!

The novel takes a dark turn when David's father, Patrick, makes an appearance. Patrick is bipolar, and refusing to take his medications. Breaking his restraining order, David's safety is in jeopardy. Will David's dinosaurs be enough to protect him?

I loved this book because it was an easy Summer read, and it was also completely different from anything I've ever read before! The concept of being able to look into someone else's imagination is really fascinating. Andrea Lochen was able to capture the fear and curiosity of Anna's character in a completely realistic manner. Everyone will be able to relate to aspects of this book - the struggles of parenting, losing love, finding love in unexpected places, having to rely on others, etc. 

If you're looking for something to add to your Summer reading list, then I would definitely recommend checking out Imaginary Things by Andrea Lochen! It's actually on sale online at Chapters now for $14.40 Canadian!

What are you currently reading? Did you have any childhood imaginary friends?