Review: Detached by Christina Kilbourne

Release date: August 13th 2016
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Anna has always been so level-headed, so easy-going, so talented and funny. How could anyone have guessed she wanted to die?

Anna is not like other people. For one thing, she’s been an accomplished artist since she was a preschooler. For another, she’s always felt like she didn’t belong: not with other kids, not with her family, not in her body. It isn’t until her grandparents are killed in a tragic accident, however, that Anna starts to feel untethered. She begins to wonder what it would be like if she didn’t exist and the thought of escaping the aimless drifting is the only thing that brings her comfort.

When Anna overdoses on prescription pain killers the doctors realize she has been suffering from depression and start looking for a way to help her out of the desperate black hole she never thought she would escape. It’s then that rock bottom comes into sight and the journey back to normal begins.

*Publisher approved request via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes the people that look really happy to you are in fact the ones suffering.

No one knew what Anna was going through internally. On the outside, she was a great student and a talented artist. After her grandparents' death, they all believed she was coping fine. But that's not the case. 

It's rare to read a book about someone who spends her days coming up with ways to die. I found her thoughts very sad and so terrifying. I mean, the stuff she'd think up were so horrible. And throughout the story I kept wishing she would just give up on that and try to talk to someone about her feelings. There was a point where she'd failed at an attempt and I was convinced she would give up. But then she'd just continue on that path right after. It was easy for me to be frustrated with Anna's character and get mad at her for wanting to end her life, but this story was realistic in the sense that there are teens and adults like Anna going through the same thing. From the outside we judge and say things like it's cowardly or they're just giving up, but truly these people are dealing with a LOT. 

I was mad at her parents, her mom in particular, for not seeing it. They were basically in denial, convincing themselves that Anna was fine. But there were hints, sometimes small, but it should have been enough for them to question from earlier on before it went further. Then again, I had to understand and see things from their point of view. They were parents doing their best and would never have guessed that their child was hurting so much that she'd want to commit suicide. 

Overall, Detached is a great story touching on a serious and real topic. It has nice writing and very heart-tugging moments that will leave you thinking: do I know someone like Anna? 

This is my first time reading a book by Christina Kilbourne, and I'm impressed. I want more.

About the Author

Christina Kilbourne is an award-winning young adult author who handles complex subjects with sensitivity and tact while covering issues of critical significance to youth. She was born in Southwestern, Ontario, then moved and spent her elementary and high school years in Muskoka, a resort area two hours north of Toronto, Canada. Her novel, Dear Jo, was the recipient of three Canadian young reader’s choice awards. It was also shortlisted for a young reader’s choice award in New York. They Called Me Red was nominated for a Saskatchewan Young Reader’s Choice Award. She is a three-time recipient of an Ontario Arts Council Works in Progress Grant. 

Christina graduated with an Honours BA in English Literature and Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario and completed her Masters degree in Creative Writing and English Literature at the University of Windsor, Ontario. Upon graduating Christina travelled across Africa, Mexico, Central, South America, Australia and parts of the South Pacific. She lived two years in New Zealand. Christina currently lives with her husband and two children near Bracebridge, Canada. She is a member of the Writer’s Union of Canada.

www.christinakilbourne.com | twitter.com/ChristinaKilbou

Review: The Secret to Letting Go by Katherine Fleet

Release date: February 1st 2016
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Haunted with guilt after his girlfriend’s death, Daniel Hudson has no interest in committing to anyone. At the end of the summer, he’ll be leaving Florida for a new start in college. If only he could avoid the mysterious new girl in town, who seems every bit as naive and eccentric as she looks. Trouble is, she’s hard to ignore, with her beautiful piercing eyes, pitiful-looking dog, and unsettling tendency of finding trouble.

Clover Scott lived her whole life off the grid and arrives on the Gulf coast in search of her grandparents. She never expected to nearly drown, or get caught in a hurricane, or fall in love with the boy who rescues her. Now, she has a chance to rewrite her life’s story, to finally fit in somewhere, but Daniel wants answers about her past. When the police start asking questions about the disappearance of her parents, she must make a choice: go to jail or confess her secrets—even if they might destroy her chance at a happily-ever-after.

*Publisher approved request via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret to Letting Go was quite an interesting story. Initially, I thought Clover was from a cult and had escaped, with the way she was so naive, wasn't aware of certain things and didn't understand a lot. She also portrayed the behavior of someone who lived in fear of authority figures and seemed as if she was in hiding, so that was another sign, to me, that she had run away from captivity. Well, in a way she had. Her situation might not have been the same as those from cults, but she was restricted from living a more freer life and she had to endure emotional torment and witness physical abuse by people who were supposed to love and protect her. 

I liked that Clover finally left it behind in hopes of finding something better, but it frustrated me with how long it took for her to come clean about what happened and why she was like that. She was also a frustrating character in the sense that she was so needy and couldn't just be strong on her own, but in a way that's understandable because of what she'd been through and before Daniel, she had only one other person in her life that cared for her. So after losing that intense bond, she wanted to cling to the next person who made her feel that way.

Daniel had gone through his own emotional torment when he'd lost his girlfriend. He held a lot of guilt over her death and when Clover came into the picture, he couldn't help having the need to make sure she was okay and wouldn't end up in that same predicament. Their relationship quickly turned into something that seemed a tad unhealthy, because it was as if Daniel had to be around Clover for her to be alright, and she just couldn't stop clinging on to him. I liked Daniel and connected a lot with him during his narration. His thoughts were realistic and I understood everything he felt and had the same questions as he did. However, I didn't care for the romance part of the story and like Daniel, I also thought Clover only believed she loved him because she liked the idea of feeling so safe. So the best thing Daniel did was break things off before going to college. The separation was good for the two, but I wasn't a fan of the ending. 

In conclusion, the story was intriguing from start to finish. A little draggy on the mystery of Clover's character but I liked that it turned out to not be what I thought had happened in Virginia. The writing's good too; fast and fluid. And I loved the way the author pulled me into every scene. I could smell the salty sea and felt like I was in Florida. This is definitely a great debut and I look forward to reading more from Katherine.

About the Author

Originally from Newfoundland, Canada, Katherine Fleet moved with her family to the Caribbean island of Curaçao in 2007. The slower pace of island life gave her time to pursue a long-time goal - becoming an author. When she’s not writing, she spends her time baking, chauffeuring her three amazing, talented kids around, and having sun-filled adventures with her wonderful friends. She is a member of RWA™ and several of its chapters. She also loves NaNoWriMo and is an active supporter of the associated Young Writers Program. She is represented by super-agent Carrie Pestritto of Prospect Agency. The Secret to Letting Go is her debut novel.

www.katherinefleet.com | facebook.com/AuthorKatherineFleet

Review: The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey

Release date: November 3rd 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

A suicide pact was supposed to keep them together, but a broken promise tore them apart.

Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide - and not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life, and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why. 

Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief. 

But the more she clings to Leah, the more secrets surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.

*Publisher approved request via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I like emotional stories that surround topics authors tend to shy away from, so I was really curious about The Sister Pact after reading the blurb. Initially, I had a tough time getting into the story, but once things started to move along it became more intriguing and more intense.

The book opens up with the aftermath of one sister's suicide. Allie is trying to cope with the fact that Leah has taken her life without telling her beforehand that she was going to do it. Her parents decide to have her see a psychiatrist because they're worried Allie will do the same. At first it seemed like Allie was okay, that she wasn't struggling with depression or even had the intention of committing suicide, but once we start to get inside her head and see how her life was, I realized she had a lot of issues like her older sister, and mostly it had to do with her relationship with Leah and the effects of her parents' failed marriage.

Like the reader, Allie had a lot of questions. She desperately needed to know why Leah took her life and why she broke their pact. Because of this, she even started seeing her older sister and we're given the chance to experience the kind of influence Leah had over Allie. It certainly wasn't healthy. I mean, some of the things Leah said and did had me wondering how Allie could idolize her so much. Leah even led Allie to believe that by doing something in particular, she would make her boyfriend pay more attention to her. That and the fact that she convinced Allie to start a suicide pact was enough to convince me something wasn't right with Leah. She seemed like a manipulator, along with having mental issues. And the only person oblivious to that was Allie, because she was too set on believing her older sister was perfect.

Throughout the story, Allie made some decisions that baffled me and the way she idolized Leah had me shaking my head. Allie clung to her older sister so much that it drove her further down a painful path, and it truly saddened me when her life continued to fall apart. I commend the author on delivering such realistic emotions and issues that others can relate to. Allie isn't a sweet and clean YA character, she dealt with a lot and aside from her dark art, used other methods to try and control her pain. Her character was raw and imperfect, the kind I like. 

There were other aspects of the story that were interesting, like their parents' personalities and how the mom was with the father. I felt that if she depicted more strength and had shown her daughters not to stand for certain things, then maybe that would have helped in some ways, especially with Allie. She didn't consider her mom to be a strong person because of how her mom allowed the father to have control over her even when they'd split. Maybe Allie could have been stronger in facing her problems, had that been demonstrated by a mom she could respect in that way. I liked how they were able to resolve some tension in their mother-daughter relationship toward the end, though, and I was happy when the mom finally made a stand for herself.

Nick was a sweet addition and I liked how he treated Allie throughout the story. She was going through a lot so the way she was with him was understandable, and the fact that she was strung up on another guy who wasn't deserving of her feelings made things even more complicated for her and Nick. Thankfully, by the end of the book Allie started to come into her own, learned to handle her pain in a healthier way, and was finally starting to let Leah go. 

Overall, a great story with an emotional subject. The writing was wonderful, very fluid. The storyline definitely made an impact on me and had me taking a deeper look at mental illness and how it's often overlooked. I implore you, please reach out to someone for help if you're going through what Allie and her sister were facing in this book. You are not alone. Suicide is never the answer.

About the Author

Stacie Ramey learned to read at a very early age to escape the endless tormenting from her older siblings. Where the Wild Things Are was her first favorite book and she swore she’d only marry a man who could prove he had rumpus in his heart!

She attended the University of Florida, where she majored in communication sciences, and Penn State where she received a Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology. She also met her future husband at Penn State, who surprised her one day with all of the stuffed Wild Things’ characters, proving his worth. Stacie currently works with high school aged Autistic kids, introducing them to the literary worlds she grew up loving. When she’s not working or writing, she engages in Netflix wars with her children or beats her husband in Scrabble, all while watching the Florida Gators and Penn State Nittany Lions play (Go Gators). She lives in Florida with her husband, children, and rescue dogs.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Review: Gone Too Far by Natalie D. Richards

Release date: January 6th 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Keeping secrets ruined her life. But the truth might just kill her.

Piper Woods can't wait for the purgatory of senior year to end. She skirts the fringes of high school like a pro until the morning she finds a notebook with mutilated photographs and a list of student sins. She's sure the book is too gruesome to be true, until pretty, popular Stella dies after a sex-tape goes viral. Everyone's sure it's suicide, but Piper remembers Stella's name from the book and begins to suspect something much worse.

Drowning in secrets she doesn't want to keep, Piper's fears are confirmed when she receives an anonymous text message daring her to make things right. All she needs to do is choose a name, the name of someone who deserves to be punished...

*Approved by the publisher via Netgalley

Gone Too Far was an interesting read, but I'm still iffy about my overall feelings of the story. In regards to Piper, I didn't really connect with her character but it didn't stop me from wanting to figure out what was going on and who was the person wanting to bring about justice for Stella. I actually sympathized more with Stella and even got mad when her so-called friends made fun of her like that. And to be honest, I initially felt like they got what they deserved and wished that more individuals had received some payback as well. 

I didn't feel the friendship between her friends. Maybe if they were included more, then I probably would've gotten to know their characters. Manny was an interesting one though, regardless of the fact that I had figured out the twists surrounding him earlier on. The romance bit? Sadly, I wasn't convinced. It felt like it was missing something. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that Piper was so closed off at first, but even when she started to open up I still couldn't buy into it.

Although there were several aspects of the story that threw me, some parts did happen to keep my interest. For instance, the case of the notebook and all the codes used to represent various students in and out of the popular crowd was intriguing, as well as the mysterious texts Piper started to received following Stella's suicide. 

Also, the writing was good and the descriptions were vivid. I just didn't get the fireworks to give it a higher rating. Still, I would like to read other books by Natalie because like I said, she's a great writer. 

Review: When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez

Release date: February 10th 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Purchase: Amazon 

Synopsis via Goodreads:

13 Reasons Why meets the poetry of Emily Dickinson in this gripping debut novel perfect for fans of Sara Zarr or Jennifer Brown.

A Goth girl with an attitude problem, Elizabeth Davis must learn to control her anger before it destroys her. 

Emily Delgado appears to be a smart, sweet girl with a normal life, but as depression clutches at her, she struggles to feel normal. 

Both girls are in Ms. Diaz’s English class, where they connect to the words of Emily Dickinson. Both are hovering on the edge of an emotional precipice. One of them will attempt suicide. And with Dickinson’s poetry as their guide, both girls must conquer their personal demons to ever be happy.

In an emotionally taut novel with a richly diverse cast of characters, readers will relish in the poetry of Emily Dickinson and be completely swept up in the turmoil of two girls grappling with demons beyond their control.

*Approved by publisher on Netgalley

When Reason Breaks was an intense read for me. It had my emotions all over the place and that's one of the main things I liked about the story. It made me think. A lot. For instance, I was so sure about which girl would reach her breaking point and decide to end her life, but I certainly had a wake up when I realized that I was judging based on stereotypes. Sure, that character seemed the most likely to commit suicide, and with the way she dealt with her feelings of anger throughout the book, it seemed fitting. So that was a great twist by the author in order to let people know that you can't just make a decision about someone based on what you see on the outside. Sometimes it's the one that appears to be okay that is the most troubled. With that said, I should talk about the characters.

Emily seemed like the girl with everything, but once you develop an understanding of her family life and see how much pressure she was under to paint a perfect picture on a daily basis, then you could understand her inner suffering and even relate to her. In the beginning, I thought it wasn't as bad in comparison to what Elizabeth was going through. She had a violent outburst after witnessing something hurtful and basically skated down a painful path after that. Her relationship with her mother appeared dead, and it was as if her mother wasn't even trying to change things. She was so quick to scold Elizabeth and hardly ever listened to her daughter, so that along with other things were taking a toll on Elizabeth and I sympathized more with her in the first few chapters because her life just seemed so much more sad. But I was wrong. There's no weighing when it comes to someone's pain. No one feels it more than the other. The ending proved that to me. 

the-fragmentsofmymind.blogspot.com

Aside from the overall concept and the great way in which Rodriguez delivered such a moving story, I was intrigued by the Emily Dickinson poems she used and very impressed by how well the author intertwined Emily's words to her own. As you read, you can definitely see how each poem attributes to a character. To be honest, I've never delved that much into Dickinson's works but after reading When Reason Breaks, I'm fascinated enough to want to learn more. That's how good this book is. 

Back to the writing. Superb is the one word that keeps coming to me when I think of Rodriguez' writing style. It's lucid in the sense that it's easy to read and you'll absorb word after word without ever wanting to stop. I liked her descriptions and how I could see every scene and feel every emotion. I also liked that the story wasn't too fast or too slow. It was just right. There was never a moment that I felt bored or thought that it was dragging. Every detail mattered and every chapter pulled me in deeper. I wanted so badly to find out which one of the characters ended up in the woods after reaching her breaking point, and I wanted to know what would happen to her. If she would survive and if so, how she would face life afterwards. I can't say enough how much I liked When Reason Breaks, and I'm blown away by the fact that this is a debut. It's as if the author has been writing for ages. I highly recommend this one. It's such a good story and I look forward to reading Cindy Rodriguez' next book.

About the Author

Cindy L. Rodriguez is a former newspaper reporter turned public school teacher. She now teaches as a reading specialist at a Connecticut middle school but previously worked for the Hartford Courant and the Boston Globe. She and her young daughter live in Connecticut. When Reason Breaks is her debut novel.

www.cindylrodriguez.com | @RodriguezCindyL | facebook.com/cindy.l.rodriguez71

Review: Me Since You by Laura Wiess

Release 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.

Review: Invisible by Cecily Paterson

Release date: February 11th 2013
Publisher:Cecily Paterson
Purchase: Free on Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Jazmine Crawford doesn't make decisions. She doesn't make choices. She doesn't make friends. Jazmine Crawford only wants one thing: to be invisible. For Jazmine, it's a lot easier to take out her hearing aid and drift along pretending that nothing's wrong than it is to admit that she's heartbroken. She starts to come out of her shell when she's forced to be in the school play and even makes friends with bouncy Gabby and chocolate-loving Liam. But can she stand up to the school bully, and is she strong enough to face the truth about what really happened to her dad?

*Got a free copy from Amazon Kindle

This story was different to me in some ways. It involved aspects I'd never read about before, like the main character having a disability, and the fact that the main setting is Australia. With that said, it was both intriguing and refreshing to experience something...out of the ordinary to me.

Jazmine had a lot to deal with; she lost her father a few years ago and his death placed a huge gap in the relationship she had with her mother. Then again, there was more to his death that her mother kept hidden from Jaz and that was the main problem keeping them from re-establishing the bond they had before. Aside from that, Jaz has her hearing issue to cope with and pretending to be invisible helps her shield herself from the scrutiny of outsiders. She finally starts to believe she's making friends but they turn out to be the wrong crowd for her, hence, how she ended up working on the school play.

Throughout the story, we get to see Jazmine learning to open up. Partly due to her expressing her feelings more in words, and trying something new. She starts really good friendships and even experience some romance. The best part for me though, was when she and her mother started to get back that closeness they once had. It was all going well until a certain nasty individual returns to Jazmine's life and causes chaos, then we really discover just how emotionally wrecked the main character is. 

I think one of the reasons I liked this story is because I can relate to Jazmine, being that she's shy and sometimes fearful about opening up to people. The story really tugs at your heart with some of the things she'd even consider in private. Like questioning her self-worth for instance. There were times I just wanted to reach into the page and give her tight hug. She needed it. Thankfully, towards the end, Jazmine allowed happiness to find her.

Overall, Invisible was a really good story. This young character was well developed and very interesting to learn about. And I liked how the author pulled me into what was happening right up till the very last line. Cecily definitely made a fan out of me and I'd love to read more of her work. 

About the Author

Cecily Paterson grew up as an expat in Pakistan until the age of 16. She went to a British day school and then an international boarding school so her accent has always been a bit of a mix. 

She studied french, law and politics and university before getting into editing, where she's stayed ever since. 

Cecily has wanted to be a bestselling author since the age of 8 when she won the White Essay Cup at her school, beating 10 and 11 year olds to the prize. 

She is the mother of four children and lives in a beautiful little tourist town in New South Wales, Australia.

cecilypaterson.squarespace.com | twitter.com/CecilyPaterson

Review: Faithless by Amanda Bennett

Release date: October 14th 2013
Self-Published
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Sometimes in the darkness, we find the light. At least the fortunate ones do. For those who don't want to find the light are sometimes forced into it. What do you do when a stranger in the darkness ends up being your savior?

Riley Turner never expected or wanted to see her twenty-first birthday, and she planned not to. Feeling lost and alone her entire life with no one to love or support her, there was never a reason to exist. That was until the stranger who saves her, becomes the one person to show her what life is really about. Riley finds her world being turned upside down and for the first time ever, finds herself wanting to live.

Everything happens for a reason, and sometimes that reason doesn't always make sense, especially when life hasn't always been so kind. Will Riley be able to over come her fears and finally find a reason to live her life, or will she see just how cruel life really can be after believing and taking a chance?

*WARNING this book contains mature content, language and sensitive situations

*Received ecopy as a gift.

Faithless was different in some ways for me. The setting is definitely new, because I'd never read a book where the main characters were in a psychiatric hospital, so that really intrigued me. Also, I liked Riley at start. Her character had suffered a great deal and had given up on life completely. I was happy when things turned around for me, in meeting Tristan and learning the truth about her mother. Also, it was nice seeing how she started opening up and began trusting people. 

Tristan was also a likable character. I never suspected a thing about him. So that part was well covered and left unraveled till the right moment. Then after that came out I believed he was fine to begin with and had no problems to deal with. I was wrong. Tristan had a big issue even though he was initially in that situation to help Riley. So, I was thrilled when he started to work on his pain as well. 

As far as the writing, it was interesting enough. In fact, the story had the potential to be great, with the deep, emotional issues the main characters were facing. However, it turned out to be an okay read because there were some things that, in the end, I just couldn't overlook. The main problem for me was how unrealistic and inappropriate the hospital was. There were things taking place that had completely baffled me. There were also gaps in the story that I'm still curious about but I don't necessarily find them too big of a deal. Aside from that, and how Riley's light switch feelings for both guys confused me, I did like Faithless. I just didn't feel fireworks.

Review: The s-word by Chelsea Pitcher

The s-word
by Chelsea Pitcher
Paperback, 304 pages
Released: May 7th 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Purchase: Amazon | BookDepository
*A copy was gifted by the author.

Synopsis via Goodreads:

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

I have mix feelings in regards to the story. There were aspects that stood out emotionally and realistically. Like the main topics: bullying and abuse. Then there was Angie and her mission to seek vengeance. I wasn't really understanding that concept but as the story went along I developed a interest. And even though I didn't exactly relate with her character, there were attributes I thought came out really well: feeling regret and the sense of hatred towards everyone as well as herself. I also liked that towards the end she started loving herself again and she grew to love someone else as well. 

Jesse's character was confusing to me as it was to Angie. I enjoyed having him in the story because he brought on some humor as well as serious discoveries. I liked how he and Angie were with each other and how natural and unforced their feelings were. 

Other things I thought were well delivered was the strong factor of the effects of bullying, and the main character wanting do something about it the more mature she got throughout the story. What happened to Lizzie was terrible. And no one should ever experience that. The fact that people tormented her after what happened prom night was like being violated all over again. Regardless if they found out what happened to her, I'm pretty sure they'd only keep hurting her because it was just how they were. Its sad that her best friend, Angie, wasn't brave enough to stand up for her and try to make it stop. But at least she tried after Lizzie died. 

We couldn't really get to know who Lizzie really was, based on her narration but it was great that the author revealed diary entries. I thought that was a good way of letting readers enter the mind of someone who obviously had a lot of pain to deal with. Lizzie's entries were like poetry; sorrowful and sweet moments that happened in her life. We also get to see, through subliminal writing just who her strong feelings were for, and who were the "monsters" in her dreams. One main one in particular was her dad, and I think the situation with him should have been handled way better, in terms of bringing it to light. 

There was also the element of surprise when I found out who really wrote the awful things after Lizzie's death. I didn't see that one coming so good job Chelsea, in keeping me interested. All in all, it was a good story, with the exception that some things seemed off and sometimes didn't make sense. Otherwise, I liked how emotional it was and the fact that the plot is based on an issue still going strong in society today. 

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall

by Lauren Oliver

Released: March 2nd 2010

Publisher: HarperCollins

Purchase: Amazon

*I purchased the hardcover from Amazon.

Synopsis via Goodreads:

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High--from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

I have such a hard time writing this review because I can't seem to find the right words to put together to describe just how much Before I fall had me all messed up. Oh my gosh, what a wonderful, interesting, thought-provoking, realistic, and addictive story. Lauren, I send you tons of smooches. 

Can you believe I actually HATED Sam with a passion at start. She, along with her friend, Lindsay (and I say Lindsay because it seemed like she was the ringleader and Sam was the main assistant) spoke hurtful things, did hurtful things without considering the consequences of their action and I thought that Sam, more than anyone else should understand the emotional effect of being teased. It sucks that it took her several tries to finally get it right but Lauren gave us the true definition of what character development really is. I mean, at first I wanted to smack her so hard for wasting the opportunities to make a difference, to clean up her act and if possible get her friends to stop but she just kept doing it like a moron. Oddly, though, I couldn't stop reading because it wasn't like I hated Sam's character enough to dislike the story and give the book a DNF. I really liked the fact that she wasn't the average protagonist and she was actually experiencing growth like a normal person. Besides, it wasn't like she could do much to affect anyone around her aside from Juliet. The whole thing with Juliet was quite an eye opener. I was like "ohhhh" once I figured out what really caused the accident and all the twists and loose ends came in to play. 

The writing was superb. I got so emotional throughout until finally, I started liking Sam. In fact, by the end of the story I LOVED her. She knew what had to be done and she was determined to go through with it. Sam came to the realization that everything isn't always about her, that you have to put self aside and see the beauty in everything and everyone else. There was much more to be learned from the story, and so much I thought about while reading it. Lauren really struck a nerve with me. Once again, smooches. 

What else can I go on about? I loved the romance, the family aspect, the friendship level and all the bad and good in it. The neverending issue of bullying and its effects. Most of all, I loved how every single character had a purpose. No one was just thrown in or had me asking "why are you here?" They all made sense. What a terrific book. Sucks for me that I'm only now reading it when I love this author and her intriguing writing style. 

*Slapscheek* Okay, back to reality and more substantial statements. I enjoyed Before I fall. The writing was brilliant; the plot was fascinating. I experienced a feeling like no other, and its definitely a feeling that will haunt me forever. Wouldn't you want to experience something as impressive as this? Oh, that's right. You have already :)