Local author and Northern Arizona University alum Sabrina Grimaldi released her debut young adult novel 鈥淲e Are Not The Same鈥� on May 13.
鈥淩ather than fighting over a boy, the two main characters -- Mati and Aspen -- fight to understand themselves while navigating societal expectations that often pit young women against each other. This novel is a true love letter to Arizona, with scenes in both Flagstaff and Phoenix,鈥� Grimaldi said.
鈥淭hings are already so hard being a teenage girl,鈥� she added. 鈥淚f you're too quiet and shy, then you're boring. Or if you're too loud, then you're too much or you're too promiscuous. It feels like you can never win, especially as a teenager.鈥�
The novel was inspired by a time in high school when someone Grimaldi thought was her friend tried to 鈥渟teal her boyfriend.鈥�
鈥淚t really threw me for a loop, and I reacted in the way that society kind of wants us to, where I started looking at us, comparing myself to her and my friends and doing all of the things that we're supposed to do,鈥� Grimaldi said.
She continued: 鈥淥ver the years, I've looked back on that situation, and I've come to realize that she was going through the exact same things as I was. I realized the way she reacted and the way I acted were because of the same thing."
Grimaldi designed "We Are Not The Same" as an anti-love triangle, taking the love triangle she feels we've become accustomed to and turning it around.
鈥淚t's a dual point of view that follows both girls, what they're both going through and how they're both feeling. It dives into society's unrealistic expectations and the way they want us to compete against each other,鈥� she said.
鈥淭his new narrative says, 'We're not gonna compete, and we're not gonna push each other down all the time. We're not the same, but we're dealing with the same things.'鈥澛�
Grimaldi emphasized that Flagstaff and Arizona have been very integral to the novel.
The novel takes place in a small fictional mountain town called O鈥橠ell. Grimaldi hopes anyone familiar with Flagstaff will recognize the scene set in downtown, alluding to some of the businesses, restaurants and coffee shops in Heritage Square.
鈥淚 hope everyone loves it," she said. "I hope they can see themselves in it, especially if you're a woman and especially if you love Flagstaff. I hope it feels relatable.鈥�
When she learned that the baby she鈥檚 expected to have in August is going to be a girl, Grimaldi decided she wanted to self-publish her book.
鈥淚'm gonna get [the book] out before she's even here. It's gonna have its point, and then maybe later down the road when she鈥檚 a teenager she'll love it,鈥� she said.
The book also features a playlist on one of the first pages with songs that Grimaldi said pair with the 鈥渧ibe鈥� of the book. The songs do not align with particular chapters in order, but they contain themes of comparison and girlhood.
鈥淲e Are Not The Same鈥� is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Bright Side Bookshop.