Harley Columba Series by Cat Bauer

Who is my father? That's the difficult question faced by Harley Columba, the feisty 14-year-old narrator of Cat Bauer's debut novel.Harley lives in a suburb less than an hour from New York City, but it might as well be "four zillion light years away". She's sure she's adopted, since there's no way those "two psychos" -- as she calls her abusive father and bitter mother -- could be her parents... moreWho is my father? That's the difficult question faced by Harley Columba, the feisty 14-year-old narrator of Cat Bauer's debut novel.Harley lives in a suburb less than an hour from New York City, but it might as well be "four zillion light years away". She's sure she's adopted, since there's no way those "two psychos" -- as she calls her abusive father and bitter mother -- could be her parents. Harley tabulates the differences: her eyes blue, their eyes brown; her interest in poetry and painting, their dog-eared stacks of romance novels and Popular Mechanics.Harley's life changes radically after she finds a note signed "Papa loves you forever and a day". As things deteriorate at home, Harley's grades slide and she starts hanging with a wild crowd. As life closes in on her, Harley's search for her "real father" takes her to New York City and the truth at last.Tough, funny, and refreshingly honest, Harley (like a person) is a compelling story of mothers, fathers, daughters, and the healing power of living authentically. less

Sixteen-year-old Harley Columba knows that October 9th won't be an ordinary day. At 8:00 a.m. she stands on the pier and gazes at the Statue of Liberty, framed by the morning sun and the fading moon. This is the day her first art exhibit opens in a gallery in New York City. The day Harley and her friends will visit the Broadway set designed by her newfound father, the famous Sean Shanahan... moreSixteen-year-old Harley Columba knows that October 9th won't be an ordinary day. At 8:00 a.m. she stands on the pier and gazes at the Statue of Liberty, framed by the morning sun and the fading moon. This is the day her first art exhibit opens in a gallery in New York City. The day Harley and her friends will visit the Broadway set designed by her newfound father, the famous Sean Shanahan. The day she returns to her hometown, Lenape Lakes, New Jersey, in stifling suburbia—with Sean, who hasn't been back for 14 years.The fact that it's the ninth also means that she's five days late. She and Evan were careless that one time, and she could be about to make a mess of her life. October 9th—Harley's ninth—promises to be a monumental day as Harley reexamines herself as an artist, a girlfriend, a daughter, and a person.From the Hardcover edition. less