“Sometimes the friends you make aren’t the ones you expected. And sometimes the place you find yourself in isn’t the place you were hoping for. And sometimes, if you keep an open mind, you’ll find they’re so much better than what you imagined.”

In Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus Dusti Bowling continues the story of Aven Green, a young woman who was born without both of her arms. This novel’s story focuses on her newest adventure: high school. As many of us remember from our own journeys, it does not begin smoothly and Aven begins to doubt herself, her friends and her dreams. Will she be able to navigate her way through this new life and be comfortable in her own skin again?

Reading this novel brought me right back to the anxiety of those early high school days, where you are second-guessing everything you thought you knew about yourself and the world you’ve created. I think the author did a fantastic job of keeping Aven’s voice true throughout the novel, even through all the turmoil she encounters. The themes of friendship, loyalty and confidence are still present here. Her friend Connor does take a step back in this story, but Zion is still in Aven’s life, and new friends are introduced. I promise you will love them just as much. Highly recommend this story to students in grades 4 and up.