Sunday, March 9, 2014

Review: Me Since You by Laura Wiess

12989100Release date: February 18th 2014
Publisher: MTV Books
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis via Goodreads:
Laura Wiess captures the visceral emotion of a girl's journey from innocence to devastating loss and, ultimately, to a strange and unexpected kind of understanding--in this beautiful and painfully honest new novel.

Are there any answers when someone you love makes a tragic choice?

Before and After. That's how Rowan Areno sees her life now. Before: she was a normal sixteen-year-old--a little too sheltered by her police officer father and her mother. After: everything she once believed has been destroyed in the wake of a shattering tragedy, and every day is there to be survived.

If she had known, on that Friday in March when she cut school, that a random stranger's shocking crime would have traumatic consequences, she never would have left campus. If the crime video never went viral, maybe she could have saved her mother, grandmother--and herself--from the endless replay of heartache and grief.

Finding a soul mate in Eli, a witness to the crime who is haunted by losses of his own, Rowan begins to see there is no simple, straightforward path to healing wounded hearts. Can she learn to trust, hope, and believe in happiness again?

*I was approved via netgalley.



To say this story was intense is an understatement. It takes intensity to a whole different level. I feel if you have struggled with the subject matter of loss and depression, then it might even trigger some deep emotions, so maybe Me Since You should come with a caution that reads: WARNING! This book will make your heart bleed. Because that's how I felt throughout the entire story.

From beginning to end, I never knew what to expect. Whenever I think okay, this won't get any worse, right? Happiness will come in at some point. But then as soon as I start having hope, something even more painful strikes. It seemed like Rowan's life was getting even sorrowful by the day. I truly felt for her because I don't know how I could make it through the way she did. I literally had to force back tears through various scenes when she was going through the emotions. Not to mention when her father was slowly sinking into this dark pit of pain. And I do mean slowly. Laura took the time to really unravel his character. As the reader, you feel the hurt the moment it hits, to the point where it all comes falling down. Nothing was rushed where he was concerned and I liked how it tugged on my heart. Any book that messes with me like that is obviously done right. And Me Since You was written to give just that impact. To put readers in the mind of someone grief-stricken and going through pain at every level you can imagine. 

Let's slip away from that suffering now because I'm actually getting teary thinking back to all that happened in the story. Let's focus on the actual characters and their substance. As for Rowan, she was likable, and in my opinion a good representation of a teen girl trying to have fun and live out her youth without her father constantly trying to protect her and keep her on the safe/right path. I thought her character was well constructed and I liked being inside her head, except for when she was with that inconsiderate, not good of a friend, Nadia. I went as far as place the two characters inside my head and compared their personalities. As a result, I found it really difficult to understand how or why they were best friends. Clearly Nadia should not be in Rowan's life in any way because from what I've noticed, Nadia only thinks of Row when its convenient to her.  The things she did and the situations she caused pissed me off and I really wanted to slap Rowan for giving in to Nadia's foolishness. I was screaming at her, "Open your eyes. She's not a good friend." But that was the only time I got mad at Rowan, and that's a good thing. It means she was otherwise a good character.

I don't really want to get into anything regarding the Dad because of how things went with him and the tragedy that unfolded. I was going through the emotions after what happened, just like Rowan's mom, relatives, and friends. The family was on the verge of crumbling completely before they both made a resolution about what they needed to do in order to mend their hearts.
There were so many other aspects of the story that intrigued me. Like how everything came into place as a result of one frightening event, Eli entering Rowan's life, his own sorrow being brought up, and the romance that brewed between them. In the end, I liked how she finally found a bit of peace and started to slowly let go of that hurt. 

If you're looking for something emotional, heart-tugging, tearjerking, you name it, Me Since You is the one to drown yourselves into. But like I've mentioned before, you mostly definitely need to be warned.





16 comments:

  1. YES! Definitely an emotional read. Reviewed this on the blog just last month. It was really hard writing a review for it because it was just THAT intense. Great review! :)

    -Kimi at Geeky Chiquitas

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    1. Indeed, Kimi. Really hard to convey that emotion in a review too :)

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  2. It's clear this book made a huge impact on you. Thank you for the passionate review!

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  3. This book sounds so awesome, totally need to add it to my TBR!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings

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  4. This book was a sob fest for me....it broke my heart to teeny tiny bits.
    Great review!

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  5. Yea, that whole Nadia thing was awful. Unfortunately though, it's probably realistic. It's hard figuring out who your true friends are when you are a teenager. Great review.

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  6. I have seen very little on this one but was hoping it was good! I did pick it up but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. I love these type of emotional reads!

    Great review!

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    1. Hope you like the story when you get a chance to read it.

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  7. Wonderful review Shane. I have to take those emotional reads a little at a time because the intensity just drains me. This sounds like one worth checking out.

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  8. Awesome review!! I just reviewed this one as well and loved it.

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  9. This is a gorgeous review Shane, I have to agree with you Weiss definitely gave me so much more than what I was expecting with this book and it was just beautifully written! I can't wait to pick up more by Weiss soon! :)

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