Sun Kissed & Salted

Blair uses Alika’s story with such thoughtfulness and skill, delivering the magic of personal revelations and the monsters of our own trauma.
I planned to take a few days, but I ended up reading the entire book over the course of one evening. Every twist and turn and setback of Alika’s life had me desperate to know what happened next.
Blair’s pacing is wonderfully fast, her style distinctive and personal, and her themes thought provoking. This is a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time.
Amazing read!

A. Brown

Powerful and unforgettable. This charming novel captures one woman’s journey through the depths of addiction and mental health struggles to the heights of self-discovery with raw honesty and lyrical beauty. What makes this novel so powerful is its refusal to offer easy answers. Instead, it gifts the reader with something far more valuable: an intimate understanding of resilience, the messy beauty of growth, and the extraordinary courage it takes to stand fully in one’s own truth. This rare and radiant book will linger in your heart long after the final page.

P.G.

Who’s making this into a movie!? I was really pulling for the main character yet also getting so mad at her at times :) Good, quick read. Felt like a actual account with well-written details bringing the events to life.

L. Johnson

A must read for all young people heading out into the world on their own. Blair's storytelling is gutsy and straightforward, just like Alika, the main character. A brilliant read with a LOT below the surface. The take away for me? Life is all about the choices we make and whether or not we can muster resilience when we've chosen poorly. Read the book!

K.

I didn’t expect to love this book and my expectations were more than exceeded.
As a Gen-x woman knocking on middle age’s door, I was immediately drawn into the world of Alika. I loved the small references to the 90’s as well as pop references throughout Alika’s journey to where she ends up.
This story made me reflect on my own trials to get to where I am and could relate to so much of Alika’s journey. This book made me realize how much I love the person I was and made me appreciate how my life shaped me. Much to how Alika’s journey plays out.
Besides the fact I found so much meaning for myself, the story was a fantastic read and I could not put down the book. It was fast paced and well written. It was easy to be drawn into Alika’s world and ride her life’s rollercoaster right along with her.

A. Scott

The amount of times this book had me crying sad tears AND happy tears is wild! The character of Alika, no matter what seemingly crazy situations she keeps getting herself into is still grounded and realistic. We have either felt like her or know someone like her. This book shows the importance of not only relationships but empathy. It reminds us that you never know what a person is going through and we should spend our energy putting out love, not hate.

A. Filsinger

This book is a great read. I loved the authentic voice of the main character and her willingness to dig deep into the human condition as well as her own psychological issues. It is also a wonderful story of resilience, real resilience, not the romantic fairy tale kind that provides a happy ending without the satisfaction of believability. You will love the honesty, drama and ultimate reward if you pick this for your next book.

R. Sasso

Venice Beach, I’m hooked. It’s the main character; the lean, blue-eyed Cali girl riding away on her bicycle clad only in a bikini, chunky headphones and a tan. This won’t be the first time this seemingly breezy artist doesn’t just run into trouble but crashes headfirst into danger. With her 1950’s cosmetic case as her talisman, we follow her squatting in London, busking throughout Europe, drying out in Asia. Continuing across the world, she has misadventures that make even herself start to question the sanity of her actions. We get to safely follow along as she exposes what’s underneath the drugs, vintage dresses, and all the running away; with the hope of one day having a permanent place to stow her 1950’s cosmetic case. Come along for the ride it’s worth the ticket.

Charlie