The Sweetness of Salt

by Cecilia Galante

Julia just graduated as her high school valedictorian, has a full ride to college in the fall and a coveted summer internship clerking for a federal judge. But when her older sister, Sophie, shows up at the graduation determined to reveal some long buried secrets, Julia's carefully constructed plans come to a halt. Instead of the summer she had painstakingly laid out, Julia follows Sophie back to Vermont, where Sophie is opening a bakery―and struggling with some secrets of her own. What follows is a summer of revelations―some heartwarming, some heartbreaking, and all slowly pointing Julia toward a new understanding of both herself and of the sister she never really knew.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Teen, Chick Lit

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 2010

About the author

Cecilia Galante is the author of several middle grade, young adult and adult novels. She also teaches 8th grade English at Wyoming Seminary Prep School, and teaches creative writing in the MFA program at Wilkes University.

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sweetness of Salt was one of those books that grabbed my attention based on it's book cover. I thought that it was going to be a cute, fun read. I was surprised to find that it was actually a serious book about a dysfunctional family and there long-harbored secrets.

I wish that there was a rating somewhere in between "It was OK" and "I liked it." If I could develop my own rating scale, I would give this one a "It had potential."

The Sweetness of Salt focuses on Julia, a girl who by every pillar of example, seems perfect. She is graduating from high school as the class Valedictorian, she has her future all planned out, seemingly gets on very well with her parents, and is an all around good girl. However, things take a turn for the worst when her older sister, Sophie, makes an appearance for her graduation and decides to stir some things up. Apparently, Julia's family has been hiding a lot of important secrets from her and Sophie thinks that it's time these secrets come to light.

The story truly begins when Julia decides to break out of her mold and drive from Ohio to Vermont to confront her sister. She knows that Sophie is her only chance at learning the truth. Julia then spends the summer helping her sister fix up her future house/home bakery and learning a little about how imperfect her family really is. It turns out that there are some other secrets along the way that were pretty predictable. In fact, it would get a little annoying waiting for the author to reveal them when I had already figured it out awhile back.

To me, this book lacked a little bit of oomph. There were times when I felt so bored while reading it and found myself dangerously close to skimming. However, I plugged through to get to the ending, which ended with the inevitable, "... and they lived happily ever after," manner. I also found that there were many situations when the author used way too many metaphors and overly-described certain parts. I felt like I was being beaten over the head with whatever point she was trying to make. I also found a few errors which are always irritating.

I think that that this would be a good book to recommend to readers of the tween age. I just don't think that there was enough excitement to really engage the YA set. The innocence of the story, and the protagonist, will definitely appeal to future YA readers who are ready to start reading the "older" fiction.

[☆☆Hannah☆☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give this more of a 1.5 rating. Sure things work out but damn was it a nightmare getting there. I HATED her sister. Nothing she does or did was okay. The worst part is that she never cared about who she hurt. The romance was a joke. The way things started was so awful that I was surprised that they actually ended up together. If you read this be warned the characters are a real piece of work.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the tag line on the cover of this book: “Two sisters. One Secret. And the summer that brings them together.” That is the line that made me pick up the book.

Julia and Sophie couldn’t be more different when it comes to being sisters. Julia is the good-girl, does-what-her-parents-want type of person; whereas, Sophie has always been the rebel daughter. Julia has always felt that her relationship with her sister is strained, but she doesn’t know why until the summer after she graduates from high school and then her world is turned upside down.

This story is about a family that wants to be seen as “perfect,” but what that has meant for every individual is secrets and lies all tied to the words family loyalty.

Julia ends up spending the summer after graduation with Sophie, who lives in Vermont, and helping Sophie fix up her house/future bakery, while Sophie slowly unravels the web of lies that Julia has lived with her whole life. This is an amazing coming-of-age story in which every person in Julia’s life helps her to realize who she is and what she really wants out of life during an emotional roller coaster of a summer.

My favorite line is from one of the old men from the “Table of Knowledge.” Jimmy tells Julia that life is tough and “you either move through it or you get stuck.” It made me think about all the times in my life that I got stuck for a while before I was able to pick myself up and move on. What wisdom!

When I finished reading, I felt like I had received a beautiful gift. Yes, life can throw obstacles in our way, but eventually everything can be okay again; it’s as simple as that.

[Jodi P · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Sweetness of Salt was one of those books that grabbed my attention based on it's book cover. I thought that it was going to be a cute, fun read. I was surprised to find that it was actually a serious book about a dysfunctional family and there long-harbored secrets.

I wish that there was a rating somewhere in between "It was OK" and "I liked it." If I could develop my own rating scale, I would give this one a "It had potential."

The Sweetness of Salt focuses on Julia, a girl who by every pillar of example, seems perfect. She is graduating from high school as the class Valedictorian, she has her future all planned out, seemingly gets on very well with her parents, and is an all around good girl. However, things take a turn for the worst when her older sister, Sophie, makes an appearance for her graduation and decides to stir some things up. Apparently, Julia's family has been hiding a lot of important secrets from her and Sophie thinks that it's time these secrets come to light.

The story truly begins when Julia decides to break out of her mold and drive from Ohio to Vermont to confront her sister. She knows that Sophie is her only chance at learning the truth. Julia then spends the summer helping her sister fix up her future house/home bakery and learning a little about how imperfect her family really is. It turns out that there are some other secrets along the way that were pretty predictable. In fact, it would get a little annoying waiting for the author to reveal them when I had already figured it out awhile back.

To me, this book lacked a little bit of oomph. There were times when I felt so bored while reading it and found myself dangerously close to skimming. However, I plugged through to get to the ending, which ended with the inevitable, "... and they lived happily ever after," manner. I also found that there were many situations when the author used way too many metaphors and overly-described certain parts. I felt like I was being beaten over the head with whatever point she was trying to make. I also found a few errors which are always irritating.

I think that that this would be a good book to recommend to readers of the tween age. I just don't think that there was enough excitement to really engage the YA set. The innocence of the story, and the protagonist, will definitely appeal to future YA readers who are ready to start reading the "older" fiction.

[Makayla Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok, the meaning of what happened and how it effected the characters was hard to figure out. Julia was the main character, she just graduated high school and was trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, she thought she wanted to be a lawyer. Zoe is her best-friend who supports her decisions that she makes. Milo is Zoe's brother and the guy who Julia likes. Sophie is Julia's sister and she does not get along with her and Julia's parents at all! Then there is the table of knowledge. The guys at this table help Sophie redo her house so she can turn it into a bakery. This book is about how Julia needed to go talk to her sister Sophie about this big family secret that has been kept from Julia from her parents and sister. She decided to go down to Sophie's house and ask her about it. When she got down there at first Sophie wouldn't tell Julia anything, but eventually she told Julia what the secret was that had been kept from her and why her parents didn't tell her until after high school. Julia decided that she was going to stay and help her sister fix up the house. Julia stayed for almost the whole summer. Through all of the ups and downs Julia and her sister faced they managed to get the house fixed up just in time for Sophie to open up a bakery which was her dream.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a really hard time even giving this read two stars. The premise was good- although a bit generic- but fell short on execution. The characters were a slow build, and didn't really seem to have much development(or as much as a reader would expect to have with a completed story and for a non-series) at all in the end. Once again, I was stung by a pretty cover with not a great deal of substance inside. =(

Also, I don't know whether to feel giddy that I spotted them (I'm a nerd who loves to find errors in published books) or irked that there actually were so many errors in this publication. I understand that they aren't always going to find every single mistake, but how many times did this go under a fine-tooth comb before it went to print? Obviously, not enough.

On a positive note, it could be a really cute read for younger teens. It had its moments of "awwwww."

[Stephanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why can't valedictorian heroines ever just spend their summers being AWESOME, instead of lamely deciding their academically driven high school life is their parents' dream instead of theirs, and changing their outlook on life accordingly? She was irritating. And her sister was 100% unlikable from start to finish, while her parents were clearly amazing. HOWEVER: there was a lot of potential shimmering in this story, and because the author's a good writer I kept forgetting how annoying the sisters were and putting myself in the story instead, which had such an enjoyable setting that I guess I ended up feeling good about the book after all. Way to overcome your flaws.

[Anna Kay]

I got about 50 pages in, when Julia had the big family 'secret' finally told to her. I just couldn't bring myself to care about it because I didn't care about HER. I wanted to like this book and maybe I'll finish it someday with a different opinion. Maybe someone else will like it more than me, and I want them to give it a chance - hence the missing star rating. I don't knowhow I'd feel at end so I have no right to judge. But it was NOT the right book for me. May the next reader have more luck with this book. Interesting concept, but it didn't draw me in enough to want to finish it.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was emotional but simple, and had just the right amount of darker elements to make me uneasy without distracting from the larger message of the healing power of truth. Perhaps my opinion will change after more time away from it (I finished reading 5 minutes ago), but I wanted to say something now because I have the sense I will be able to forget it all too soon. A good summer read when you want more than fluff but nothing earth-shattering.

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit, I was a bit skeptical about this book. I thought it would be kind of cheesy, cliche, and I was not a huge fan of Sophie's foul mouth, I found that aspect of her character unnecessary.
But once I continued to read, it turned into an incredibly intriguing story about following your dreams, being loyal to your family, and was nothing I expected.
Read this book. It's amazing.

[미셸 (Undeniably Book Nerdy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia just graduated from high school and in a couple of weeks she's going to start her internship with a federal judge. In the fall, she's going to attend the University of Pittsburgh on a full ride scholarship and eventually become a lawyer like her father. But all of Julia's plans were shot to hell when her much older sister Sophie came to visit. Sophie and Julia were never close, partly due to their age difference but mostly because Sophie's anger and hateful attitude--every time she comes to visit, arguments and fights always ensued between Sophie and their parents. This time was no different except Sophie was determined to reveal long-held family secrets. Intent on learning what Sophie and her parents were keeping from her, Julia decided to follow Sophie to Poultney, Vermont. But what began as a weekend stay with a sister Julia didn't really know became a summer of learning about each other, family relationships, friendship, revelations and eventually understanding.

I absolutely loved everything about this book, from the title and the simple cover to characters and plot. This book surprised me--I was expecting a scandalous secret and for the plot to go another way. Instead, I was treated to an emotional yet ultimately heartwarming story about two sisters and the journey they went through in understanding each other and themselves. Julia was a very likable narrator and I think there's some aspect to her that many girls can relate to. But my favorite character was Sophie because for the longest time in the book, like Julia, I couldn't figure her out. You're not sure whether to like her or be wary of her. In Julia's flashbacks, Sophie was very dark and angry and in the present you can tell she has this deep pain that's consuming her psychologically, emotionally and physically. I really felt for her. There was fantastic character development in this book as both Julia and Sophie were well-rounded and complex.

I also really liked many of the secondary characters like Aidan, a boy Julia befriends and who was getting over a family tragedy himself. Julia and Aidan formed a genuine friendship with nothing romantic whatsoever between them, which I thought was a welcome change. I just really liked the mood of this book and how it flowed--it was an emotional read but not so much that you get bogged down by all that was happening. This book was just a great contemporary read with wonderfully complex characters, a great small town setting and a plot that sucks you in and keeps you reading. If you're in the mood for a book about sisters and family secrets, I highly recommend The Sweetness of Salt.

[Pixie/PageTurners Blog(Amber) C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sweetness of Salt is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. Julia has her life planned out, she has just graduated at the top of her class, will spend the summer interning for a federal judge, before heading off to college. In her eyes, her life is almost perfect - she just needs to get the boy next door come to his senses.

Cecilia Galante did an excellent job writing these characters - they are complex, with deep emotional ties to the past. This is Julia's story, but her sister Sophie shines through.

When Julia's estranged sister comes home for her graduation, the family dinner turns into fighting ring. This isn't unusual; it's what usually happens when Sophie comes home. She is always stuck on something in the past, something that happened before Julia was born. This time though, Julia wants to know what happen - her parents tell her a huge family secret, which turns her life upside down. She runs to Sophie, but learns from her, that her parents lied about the family secret, but Sophie isn't ready to tell Julia the truth either.

In a rash decision, Julia decides to forgo the internship to stay with Sophie, hoping over time, she will share the truth that is tearing their family apart. During the weeks that Julia is helping her sister she learns a lot about herself. She is naive and sheltered because that's the way her parents wanted it - she sort of rebels and task risk she never dreamed about taking before. Her absence at home is noticed and the boy next door starts calling. I loved that there was a boy, but that, her love life, wasn't a main focal point in the story.

Slowly, the main secret is revealed, but through the process Julia learns her families past is more entangled than she imagined. Struggling to cope with all this new information, will let her break free from her parents reign and find out who she truly is.


The Sweetness of Salt was a great story that kept me intrigued all the way to the end. I would have never guessed the problems with in this family were as complex as they are- and I will never understand the parents choices. Why would they want to keep something a secret when it was hurting their other daughter? I loved how the title fits the story.

[Page Turners Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sweetness of Salt is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. Julia has her life planned out, she has just graduated at the top of her class, will spend the summer interning for a federal judge, before heading off to college. In her eyes, her life is almost perfect - she just needs to get the boy next door come to his senses.

Cecilia Galante did an excellent job writing these characters - they are complex, with deep emotional ties to the past. This is Julia's story, but her sister Sophie shines through.

When Julia's estranged sister comes home for her graduation, the family dinner turns into fighting ring. This isn't unusual; it's what usually happens when Sophie comes home. She is always stuck on something in the past, something that happened before Julia was born. This time though, Julia wants to know what happen - her parents tell her a huge family secret, which turns her life upside down. She runs to Sophie, but learns from her, that her parents lied about the family secret, but Sophie isn't ready to tell Julia the truth either.

In a rash decision, Julia decides to forgo the internship to stay with Sophie, hoping over time, she will share the truth that is tearing their family apart. During the weeks that Julia is helping her sister she learns a lot about herself. She is naive and sheltered because that's the way her parents wanted it - she sort of rebels and task risk she never dreamed about taking before. Her absence at home is noticed and the boy next door starts calling. I loved that there was a boy, but that, her love life, wasn't a main focal point in the story.

Slowly, the main secret is revealed, but through the process Julia learns her families past is more entangled than she imagined. Struggling to cope with all this new information, will let her break free from her parents reign and find out who she truly is.


The Sweetness of Salt was a great story that kept me intrigued all the way to the end. I would have never guessed the problems with in this family were as complex as they are- and I will never understand the parents choices. Why would they want to keep something a secret when it was hurting their other daughter? I loved how the title fits the story

[Reading Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia has never really understood her moody (and much older) sister Sophie. She dreads Sophie's return for her high school graduation, and the experience lives up to her fears. Julia is underachiever Sophie's opposite in every way and has her whole life mapped out in front of her. Before Sophie leaves in as much of a whirlwind as she came in she gives Julia two gifts: a car and a place to drive the car. Sophie wants Julia to come up to visit her in the house she's renovating in Vermont (which will also be a bakery.) Julia refuses, of course, until she finds out her parents and sister had been keeping a secret from her for her entire life.

The rest of the story is about Julia's time in Vermont with Sophie helping her fix up the old house/bakery and her burgeoning but different relationships with two guys. Revelations and drastic personality/life shifts become almost common place in the last 1/4th of the book.

The writing is heavy handed. (Way way way too many metaphors serving as plot points and pretending to be character development. Please, you don't need to hit me over the head with your literary devices.) To be fair, the author knew what she wanted to do with the metaphors she chooses. The main problem is that very early on, I did too.

At the same time, it was an engrossing read. I wanted to know more about this family secret and more about the thinly developed romance between Julia and the boy across the street. Many times I found Julia to be an obnoxious and bratty narrator, but the methodically paced out revelations saved her from being unbearable. Julia is not the only one with character development problems. The parents in this book do some really loathsome and detrimental things to both daughters, especially Sophie. All of which is glossed over and given a shine during the unnecessary epilogue.

Who should read this book?
Realistic fiction readers who like a some drama and a hint of romance will enjoy this book. Despite my criticisms this book would be popular with anyone who has a difficult sibling relationship to work through. What sibling relationship isn’t at least a little difficult at times? It also really was a very well paced and plotted novel with some lovely descriptions.

[Kenya Liggons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this book very interesting! I think this book had some niches, but it doesn't deserve 5 stars. The story starts off with this teenage girl, named Julia, she has just gotten out of high school, and now she planning the rest of her life as far as college, and job. Julia made the highest ranking at the top of her class, I think it's called Valid Victorian. Anyway as the story goes on, Julia has to sit down at dinner with her family, and as they are talking about what is going on in everyone's lives, they are dropped by a bombshell, because Julia's sister Sophie had told everyone this secret and Julia felt like her families morals and values aren't worshiped, she felt like her world was turning upside down, and she couldn't grasp onto what her sister has told her. Julia's life was going as planned, until Sophie decided to drop this ball on her, but once the secret came out, Julia didn't know who she was anymore... She felt like her life was a complete lie, she didn't even know who she was, because of that whole secret. Do you think Julia will eventually find herself, and continue on with her great life she was planning to live? or Is Julia gonna completely change, and throw everything all away?

"My anxiety, which was already on a steady incline, shot up as I caught sight of my reflection in the rear view mirror A gold graduation cap was set neatly on a head of straight brown hair, parted in the middle, and tied back in a ponytail." -Pg 11 That was my favorite quote, because I feel like when I graduate soon, that is already how I'm feeling, but I will feel even more anxiety when I get to high school. I felt like the emotions throughout the book was incredible, I mean I could really feel Julia's emotion when she found out the whole secret. This book was hilarious.... I think Julia was so caught up with not finding herself... She actually reminded me of one of my friends who is trying to find themselves right now... I feel like the author did a good job with making the real emotion come out... At some points in time I felt like the worry and the emotion was getting ridiculous. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I recommend this book to anyone who is trying to find yourself, and I think it's a great way to connect with the characters. Great Read!

[Jen Bigheart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia thought she had everything worked out after graduating high school. She would start her internship at a law firm over the summer then go to Pittsburgh with plans of being a lawyer just like her father. When Julia's older sister Sophie comes back home to celebrate, arguments ensue (like they always do when Sophie arrives), and a family secret begins to reveal itself. Julia’s perfectly planned world is turned upside down and she decides to do the unthinkable. Put her life and potential career on hold, and follow her sister Sophie back to Vermont where she is opening a bakery. Julia needs answers - why does Sophie always bring up the times when her family lived in Milford before Julia was born? Why is Sophie angry and hateful to everyone? Sophie left home when she was in middle school. They barely have anything in common, but somehow Julia knows that her sister needs her. And something tells Julia that she needs Sophie too. Julia threw away her summer internship in an attempt to find answers and salvage her relationship with her sister. What else is she willing to sacrifice to find herself?
The Sweetness of Salt is a perfect example of how secrets can tear a family apart. People try to sweep the ugliness under the rug, and just when you think it’s good and gone, the secret starts to creep its way back to the surface. Julia and Sophie’s relationship is rocky. They have never been close - partly due to the age difference, but mostly because of Sophie’s anger. The mystery surrounding the secret and Sophie’s anger are slow to develop, but perfectly timed. Gradually we learn about Sophie’s past. Meanwhile, Julia starts to question her future and meets a young man, Aiden, who is coming to grips with his own loss. To my surprise, this is an honest friendship and not a love interest. How refreshing! The relationship between the sisters begins to mend. Actually, I would say form because they never really had a solid relationship to start. I would love for high school girls to read this book. It deals with guilt and shame, and the consequences of carrying those feelings around for too long. Not easy to put down….

4 out of 5 stars!

[C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't decide between a 2 and 3 star rating. This book was pretty good, but there were some issues that I can't ignore. Throughout the story the main character, Julia, was uncovering family secrets and that was always interesting to read about. At the same time, it was kept realistic. The whole book was well written. The pacing of the plot was well done as well. But this book had its flaws.
A lot of this book was kind of monotonous and dull, and although the plot was well paced, at one point I had to ask myself, "What even is the plot?" Because it often felt like the author was just writing random scenes to surround the bits of information about Maggie she'd reveal every few chapters.
Also, so many lines were so unnecessarily dramatic it made me laugh.
A main issue was the romance. It felt poorly executed and maybe it shouldn't have even been included. Especially since it was founded on short lame little phone calls. But I'll admit, it had a lot of potential. What with the poetry, the whole boy next door thing PLUS the best friend's brother thing PLUS him being a big reader PLUS him having a cute name and glasses? I had high hopes at first. But then when I actually got to read about their friendship or relationship or whatever it was, I saw that it was not going to live up to my expectations. Their romance seemed so random and fake and like something that would literally never happen in real life. Look at this scene here.
"It's kind of funny, really." "What is?" "I mean, you and I have exchanged all of about ten words since you moved here. Most of the time I wasn't even sure you knew who I was."
And now, later in the book after only like 2, maybe 3 more phone calls:
"(...) But Julia." He paused. His voice louder, as if the words, exposed now between us, were not so frightening after all. "I love you."
"You do?" I whispered.
"More than anything." Wait, WHAT?

This book was still good though, and I recommend it.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review: https://holedupinabook.blogspot.com/2...

Another book that has been on my TBR shelf since forever and with books from almost 10 years ago, I have been more lenient in terms of deciding whether or not to put the book down after a few chapters. I’m so glad that I actually got to read this book though. The book really centered around some really important core values such as family, love and redemption. Forgiveness is also another vital value that this book touched on.

The Sweetness of Salt isn’t a book with a ton of action but instead it’s a book that really speaks to you. I was a little worried in the beginning about having to put this book down in favor of another more enticing novel but I couldn’t help but get sucked into the story between Julia and her sister, Sophie. The writing style was also so wonderfully done – it did an amazing job in depicting that fragile state of their relationship without shattering it.

The best part, for me, in this book was the whole mystery surrounding the missing sister. When that tidbit was first revealed, I was shocked because how did no one mention this to Julia at all and it definitely started to explain on why her parents were so overprotective and so determined to keep her in this sheltered life. It also really helped me stay engaged in the book as well because I really wanted to know the whole story behind this sister and what really happened.

Overall, I think the author did an amazing job in creating such layered and intricate characters and for showing how complicated family relationships really are. It was realistic and relatable. I also liked how the book focused on the family aspect as opposed to a romantic love like most YA novels out there. I highly recommend this book to everyone except for those who crave a fast-paced, action-packed novel.

[Joni Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most touching books I have ever read. Julia has just graduated as valedictorian of her senior class and is preparing for her summer internship at the courthouse to prepare her for her future career as a lawyer when her older sister Sophie shows and up just like that, everything is changed. Sophie drops a bombshell that makes Julia question everything about her family. So when her sister goes home to Vermont, Julia follows her, making the trip from Ohio to Vermont in one long dark night. And when Julia gets there she unravels the truth about a dark family secret that has been kept secret from her since birth.
I read this book in three hours, start to finish. I could not, would not put it down. When I had to, the story stayed with me, haunting me until I finally picked the book up again. This is truly a beautiful story that had be in tears numerous times. The entire book was perfect, well written, all of the characters so well developed, there is no way this book could be improved upon. Everything from the title to the cover to the plot and everything in between just fits wonderfully. The mystery surrounding this family’s secret and then as the secret is slowly, bit by bit revealed is perfect. Everything flows together so well. The town, Poultney, Vermont, sounds like a picture perfect place to be. When I read the description of the town I wanted to pack up my suitcase and move there. So picturesque and entirely the perfect place to set a novel. It reminds me of the town from Gilmore Girls, and really, who wouldn’t want to live in a place like that?
I have no criticism for this book. It’s perfect as is. It’s been a long time since I read a book that brought tears to my eyes and the feeling is oddly refreshing. If you don’t read this novel you are really missing out.

[Kari Gibbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Julia is the perfect teenage girl. She has her head on her shoulders, with academics as her focus. The cherry on her perfect high school career is being valedictorian and planning on going to law school, just like her father. But the perfect life turns to a nightmare just hours after her valedictorian speech when she finds out her family has kept a major secret from her.

To try to get to the bottom of things, Julia drives all night to her estranged sister’s Sophie’s house. Little does she know, her weekend trip may be extended so that time can help heal her pain. Along the way, she not only learns the deep, dark past of her family, but also that her future can be changed to better suit her and not her parents.

I have been waiting a couple of days to do this review because I just wasn’t sure what to say. The story showed the dark side of a young girl who realizes beneath the surface, all isn’t what it seems to be. Now she must work her way through the family problems and history to find peace. There wasn’t anything stellar about the setup of this novel, it’s what I expect out out of fiction; growth, learning and love, with a little family shenanigans mixed in.

I had a love/hate relationship with the characters in this book. I was a big fan of Julia who reminds me of myself at that age. And I love the fact that she became open to who she really was instead of doing what was expected. My feelings for Sophie, although I couldn’t really relate, were different. I felt bad for Sophie, but at times, I also got upset with her. I know the story wouldn’t have been the same if she just would have told Julia the secret, but I felt that as family, Julia deserved it.

I give The Sweetness of Salt 2 bookmarks. It was just mehh in my book.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book and (fittingly) a sweet story. And I absolutely LOVE the title. There was a moment while reading where I thought, “Aha! This is what the title’s from!” This is one of the most significant and most meaningful titles I’ve seen in a long time. LOVE it! I really liked Julia. I thought that she was a likable main character, and loved seeing her awakening, wherein she realizes that the path she’s heading down was not, in fact, the one of her choosing. She’s following her parents’ wishes without any real thought to her own desires. Watching her grow into the awareness of this was enjoyable. I always love watching a character grow right in front of my eyes.

My main complaint is the big secret that Sophie has. When she finally tells Julia what it is, my first reaction was, “that’s it? That’s the big secret?” To me, it was anti-climactic. A bit of a letdown. But, in thinking it over, I can see how it could be such a big deal to Sophie – who was quite young when the events transpired. One thing I absolutely loved, though, was the revelation of who Aiden’s father is. I didn’t see it coming, and the moment it was made clear, it clicked! I wonder if there are clues earlier that I just missed. I’m guessing the answer to that is a big, fat YES!

Overall, this was an enjoyable book – and a good sister book. Again, it was a sweet story. Yes, there were dark things, but those are the salty parts! You can’t fully appreciate the sweetness of life without some of the salt!

[Khornberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia is a valedictorian who is heading to law school. Her absent older sister surprises her with a graduation visit, and gives her a car and a key to her apartment as a gift. Overwhelmed, Julia is grateful but doesn't know how to respond since her sister has been consistently terrible to her entire family and continues to be on her graduation night claiming it will be her last visit home forever.

Julia tries to ignore the drama, but later asks her parents about a part of the conversation that her sister brought up. A huge family secret is revealed and Julia runs to her sister for answers. The answers are not easy and Julia recognizes that her sister is in a great deal of pain as a result of the secrets.

She makes the decision to pass up a prestigious internship and instead stay with her sister and help her renovate a new house that she bought and is turning into a bakery. What was once a difficult relationship where neither sister really knew the other, love and understanding begins to develop. The complete family secret comes out in time and is very emotionally difficult on Julia's sister. While Julia's sister is finally giving the events the attention that she must to move on, she is also pushing Julia to question the future that she has chosen for herself.

This story of love and forgiveness is a tearjerker that ranks with books by top YA authors such as Sarah Dessen. I am not sure why Cecilia Galante hasn't received greater attention for this title, but she deserves excellent reviews and wide readership.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia and Sophie are sisters, but they aren't close. Julia is the younger "perfect" sister while Sophie is the older...um...mess. This book tells the story of how they come to terms with their relationship (or lack thereof) and the secret that has been kept from Julia her whole life. There is a road trip made, a romance blossoming, and a summer of discoveries for Julia as the whole story behind the family secret is slowly revealed. The relationship between Julia and Sophie is realistically drawn and develops in a natural progression. There is no singular event that suddenly makes everything peachy. They have to get to know each other. There are some really quirky and enjoyable characters in the town where Sophie lives, as Julia finds out. It is interesting to watch Julia learn about her sister through the friends Sophie has in her town - as opposed to what Julia thinks she knows about Sophie from the strained family gatherings they've experienced in the past. Also, Julia has had a terrible crush on her best friend's brother for a long time, and there are some awkward moments for her with him, especially at the beginning of the novel. Once she makes her road trip to Vermont to see her sister, she meets another young man with whom she strikes up a friendship. So, you've got a little romance, a little friendship, and a dysfunctional family sorting through their issues - although the parents don't have a huge role in the novel. The story is mostly about the two sisters. I enjoyed the book quite a bit - if you like realistic family drama, you probably will, too.

[Kkunnes2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently just completed the novel, The Sweetness of Salt, written by Cecilia Galante. This book does a wonderful job of capturing an unbreakable sisterly bond and the complications of family. It is a wonderful heartfelt book! The start of the book is poorly written, but as the plot develops it turns into a great story.
The main character Julia had her life all planned and was ready for it to begin. She was valedictorian of her high school, had a scholarship to college, and a coveted summer internship. Everything was going perfectly until the evening of graduation. Everything begins to fall apart. Julia’s sister, Sophie, has a history of stirring the family up and bringing up past events that happened in Milford, a time and place before Julia was born, that her parents try to forget. However this talk is different from any other they have had before. Julia thinks she knows all of what happened back in Milford, but she soon realizes there is a secret that her whole family has been keeping from her. She had another sister, Maggie, who died tragically at the age of four. In search for the explanation of her death Julia goes to spend a weekend with her older sister in Vermont, where Sophie is pursuing her dreams of opening a bakery. This short weekend ends up taking the whole summer and Julia, Sophie, and the sister she never knew end up becoming closer than ever before.
Throughout, the novel is a heartwarming and heartbreaking story. It is a wonderful story about family and discovering, chasing, and pursuing your dreams.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia, the high school valedictorian, has a full scholarship to a university where she plans to study pre-law. She's also lined up a great internship for the summer to get some practical experience. Everything is going according to plan until her older sister Sophie comes to town. Sophie has always had a troubled relationship with her parents, and Julia is about to find out why. When Julia learns a shocking family secret, she decides to go stay with her sister for the summer, giving up her internship, in order to learn all the details of what happened before she was born. As Julia helps Sophie prepare to open her own bakery, the sisters grow closer and Julia ponders what she really wants to do with her life.

I always wanted a sister (I have two older brothers), so stories about sisters have always fascinated me. This one didn't disappoint. The complicated family relationships were portrayed realistically, and my heart broke along with Julia as the family secrets were revealed. There was a little bit of romance involved in the story, too, but it wasn't the main focus. I have to say, though, that I loved that Julia's love interest, Milo, read poetry. Hot boys who love poetry make me happy.*

I enjoyed this coming of age story and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA.


*In fact, I had a big crush on one of my English professors in college. I would swoon every time he recited poetry. Guess what? He married a woman named Poem. True story!

[Jill Swanson-Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been in a contemporary mood lately. Maybe because Summer is just around the corner and good weather is perfect for digesting some slices of life. I happened upon The Sweetness of Salt and was intrigued by the title. I'm a sucker for catchy titles. This book turned out to be a step away from a tear jerker, one that I finished in a single reading session. The big secret the blurb on the back cover hints at isn't so much one thing as an accumulation of many. This is a story about a family that needs mending, and a girl searching for the truth. Our MC, Julia, suffers from what a lot of adolescents do as they embark on their college journey. She suddenly realizes she's not sure what she wants to do, or why she picked the path she was on. This insecurity is furthered by the fact that some serious family secrets are bubbling up to the surface and that the distance between her and the boy she loves has reached an all time high. This story is a great reminder that no family is perfect, no matter how glossy the cover appears. However, I was a bit disappointed at the anticlimactic feeling I got from the "big reveal." The truth Julia sought wasn't as dark or embellished as I was expecting. Yet that's probably what makes this a decent story. It's extremely real and relatable. I know this book has received mixed reviews, but if your a fan of contemporary writing, you will like The Sweetness of Salt. It makes you think and you'll find a fondness for Julia and her sister.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia Anderson is on top of the world. Valedictorian of her class, a full scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, and a future career as a lawyer are all on the horizon, and she's worked hard to get where she is. Her older sister Sophie has always been the polar opposite: tumultuous, moody, and (ever since she moved out when Julia was in middle school) difficult to get to know. Imagine Julia's surprise when Sophie shows up for her high school graduation and gifts her a car, on the condition that Julia visit her in Vermont that summer. What ensues is a story about long-buried family secrets and finding yourself.

Despite the fact that the characters are out of high school, I'd actually classify this as younger YA. The story is fairly uncomplicated and focuses more on family relationships than anything else. The linear movement of the plot and the relatively stock characters (picture-perfect protagonist who finds herself, rebel older sister who helps main character find herself, stiflingly overprotective parents, adorable boy next door) make me hesitant to recommend this to older teens. That said, there are instances of swearing (including some F-bombs) of which parents of younger teens may not approve. Good for those looking for a Sarah Dessen read-alike, with the caveat that the emphasis in The Sweetness of Salt is firmly on the family drama rather than on the romance.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia just graduated from high school. She was valedictorian of her class, she’s going to be pre-law in college, and she’s got an internship her father lined up for her at the courthouse over the summer. She thinks she knows exactly where life is going to take her until her older sister Sophie and their parents drop a bomb on her that changes everything. Suddenly Julia’s fed up with all of their secrets (and lies), and – determined to discover the truth – she drives out to Vermont (from Ohio) to stay with Sophie for a few day (which stretches into the whole summer). As they work together to restore the old house Sophie plans to turn into her dream (a bakery), Julia learns just who her sister is (and was) and starts to discover her own dreams and self.

Sophie and Julia have never been close – Sophie has always been too angry – but it’s obvious that they love each other and really want their relationship to be better. It takes some time and effort to break down the walls that have sprung up between them, but the journey is well worth it. The mystery surrounding the death of their sister Maggie (whose existence up until now has been kept from Julia) is intriguing and a little frightening, too – was Sophie responsible? Realistic and loveable – if imperfect – characters propel this novel of families and self-discovery to a happy conclusion.

[Erika Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been overdosing on the paranormal recently so I jumped at the chance to read The Sweetness of Salt which was wonderfully contemporary. It wasn’t a book I had heard much buzz about but I jumped in and found myself in a wonderful real world with well-rounded characters and a ton of crazy family secrets.

Galante does a great job in this novel of really creating layered, deep characters and showing how complicated family relationships can be. I loved Julia, who has lived an incredibly sheltered life and is naïve and quiet, and really liked being on the journey where she comes out of her shell. And this isn’t a typical girl meets boy and blossoms in to a woman story. Julie goes on a great journey, trying to create a relationship with her older sister while figuring out who she truly is. Of course, there is a boy too, but he really plays a minor role which I liked.

Sophie is an equally complicated character and her emotional, independent personality plays off Julia creating drama and love. Sophie has her own secrets and problems to deal with and what both girls learn is that they need eachother to conquer their fears.

If you are one of the many, many readers who loved Holly Cupala’s Tell Me A Secret then I think you will also enjoy The Sweetness of Salt.

[NovelReaction]

In The Sweetness Of Salt by Cecilia Galante, Julia’s life is exactly where she wants it to be. She just graduated at the top of her class, has an internship at a law firm, and got into her first choice of colleges. In order for her plans to unfold all she needs is to get through the dreaded family dinner. Sophie, Julia’s older sister is in town to visit and has brought all the family drama with her. In the middle of dinner Sophie begins to tell a dark family secret which turns Julia’s plans upside down. Not knowing if she can trust her parents Julia drives to stay with Sophie until she finds out the whole truth of the secret Sophie is hesitant to bring fully to light. While Sophie is slowly letting her secret out, Julia is finding that maybe her life isn’t exactly going where she wants it to.

I enjoyed the emotion felt in this book. Julia’s struggle to find her true self, Sophie’s highs and lows, the parents overbearing nature. All the family connections were well thought out and portrayed in this novel. I was especially sympathetic to Sophie for the burden she had carried with her and the issues that she was still trying to overcome. There is quite a bit of language in this book which at times I thought was unnecessary but overall I really enjoyed this novel!