Starfish

Akemi Dawn Bowman is the author of Starfish. She's a proud Ravenclaw and Star Wars enthusiast, who served in the USNavy for five years and has a BA in social sciences from UNLV. Originally from Las Vegas, she currently lives in Great Suttonwith her husband, two children, and their Pekingese mix.

"Utterly uplifting" – Stylist Magazine; "Dazzling" – Bustle; "This book is a gem" – Book Riot; "The best YA debut novel of the year" – Paste Magazine; "In an empowering novel that will speak to many mixed-race teens, debut author Bowman has created a cast of realistically complex and conflicted characters." – Publisher’s Weekly; "Starfish is a stunningly beautiful, highly nuanced debut." – Booklist; "A book you absolutely cannot miss ... A heart-wrenching story that tackles abuse, racism and identity, making it one of the most compelling reads of the year." – Paste Magazine; "A deep and engaging story that will not only entertain but also may encourage readers to live their best lives." – School Library Journal; "I want everyone to read this book." – Brandy Colbert, author of Little & Lion; "A vibrant, complex and heartfelt story about finding your place in a sharp-edged world that never makes it easy." – Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of Conviction; "Bowman’s quietly dazzling novel gave me the sensation of looking into a mirror. This story is a knockout." – Riley Redgate, author of Noteworthy; `A brave, unfiltered look into a young girl’s attempt to find herself in the face of abuse and rejection. It will break your heart and then piece it back together again.’ – Sandhya Menon, NYT bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi; `Utterly beautiful’ – Sara Barnard, author of Beautiful Broken Things; `I want everyone to read this book.’ – Brandy Colbert, author of Little & Lion