Counting to D by Kate Scott

Release: Feb. 2014

Publisher: EB Elliott Books

ISBN: 978-0-9895947-0-7

Price: $13.99 Paperback

Price: $2.99 e-book

Pages: 228

Size: 6" x 9"

The kids at Sam's school never knew if they should make fun of her for being too smart or too dumb. That's what it means to be dyslexic: smart, and illiterate. Sam is sick of it. So when her mom gets a job in a faraway city, Sam decides not to tell anyone about her little illiteracy problem. Without her paradox of a reputation, she falls in with a new group of highly competitive friends who call themselves the Brain Trust. When she meets Nate, her charming valedictorian lab partner, she declares her new reality perfect. But in order to keep it that way, she has to keep her learning disability a secret. The books are stacked against her and so are the lies. Sam's got to get the grades, get the guy, and get it straight--without being able to read.

NOTE ABOUT THE FONT: The font used in Counting to D is specially designed to be easier to read for dyslexics.

Learning to read was a breeze for me.  No struggle, no problems.  I've always excelled at reading and I love it.  It's hard for me to imagine not being able to read.  One of the reasons I really liked this book was because it gave me a better idea of what life would be like if I had a disability like dyslexia.  I like when books remind me of the very real struggles others deal with.  It brings out a desire in me to be more grateful for what I have and also brings a better understanding and empathy.

I've never really read a book that tackles dyslexia quite this way.  Sam is so incredibly smart and her coping methods are crazy intelligent.  What a lot of extra work it was for Sam to not only keep her secret, but to flourish in her studies.  I admired Sam- her hard work, her intelligence, her perseverance.  I was interested in her and I liked her.

This was a typical teenage world in high school.  Dealing with peers, pressures, dating and classes.  The whole high school scene was believable and the characters fit right in.

I enjoyed the book but was bothered by the language (as I always am).  I know people speak this way, even teenagers, but I don't agree with it.  It's a personal preference and also a caution for others who feel the same way.  

As for content, there is swearing, as mentioned above and also profanity.  There is talk of sex and sexual situations.  Characters attend parties where alcohol is present and teenagers are getting drunk and having sex.

You can find Counting to D at Amazon.

Kate Scott lives in the suburbs outside Portland, Oregon with her husband Warren. Kate was diagnosed with dyslexia as a young child but somehow managed to fall in love with stories anyway. Counting to D is her first novel. When Kate isn’t writing, she enjoys listening to audiobooks, camping, and spending time with her friends and family. Kate also spends a lot of time doing math and sciency things and is a licensed professional engineer.