Date
Published: March 26, 2013
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it
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Number
of Pages: 248
Publisher: St.
Martin’s Griffin
First
Thoughts:
I found this story to be both touching and inspiring. The
realism to the characters and their world was unbelievable. This book was full
of realistic situations and dealt with some major issues that both wowed me and
made me realize that these issues are real. That the story being told could
very well be true for someone in real time earth. I overall enjoyed this book
and brought the story close to heart.
Goodreads
Summary:
There
are some things you can’t leave behind…
A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is
the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over
her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger
sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is
each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency.
Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers
arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright
and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.
Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted
her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past
that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in
over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even
closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.
Plot:
This story had many realistic problems that caused the
main character some issues. I liked that it was very realistic, that even some
of the reactions were something that most likely would happen. Like for example,
moving into a new family with a teenage daughter, of course that daughter is
going to be jealous of the new daughter and would therefore act accordingly. It
is stuff like that in the book that makes the story more believable. This story
was all about healing and adjusting to a new life. To be switched from one life
to a completely different one all together. The pace of the book was moderately
normal. The story moved at a steady pace and didn’t drag in any parts. I didn’t
find myself wishing for the story to move faster. So overall the plot was
filled with many twists and turns and I found the world to be both realistic
and creative at the same time.
Romance:
There was little romance in this story. This book was
about adjusting to a new environment and dealing with all the issues in-between.
So overall, this wasn’t an important aspect to the story.
Characters:
I loved the characters in this book. It was like meeting
new people in my life. They were so full of their own personality and flaws
that made them so realistic. I was able to really connect with Carey; she was
so full of this inner power that it made me idolize her. She was so good at so
many things that it made her such a strong and likable character. As for the
other characters in the story, I felt they were strong too but not as strong as
Carey was. I also found that the characters were integrated into the story at
just the right moments; none of them were misused or just thrown in there. They
each had a purpose and reason to be there. So overall, I enjoyed the characters
in this book.
Transformation
of the Character:
Carey did a little transforming in this book, I really
thought she had all of this inner strength inside her the entire book but it
took certain events to reveal to the reader what she was truly made of.
Therefore I wouldn’t say she transformed all that much throughout the story. So
overall this wasn’t an aspect that was essential to the story.
Description:
I loved the description in this book, especially when the
author was describing the characters thoughts and feelings. I felt like the emotions
in this book were deep and realistic. I felt the pain, the happiness, the
confusion all deep within me. I just loved how much the description touched me.
The scenery was described good as well, it almost seemed as if the scenery foreshadowed
what was going to happen next. Each scene was perfectly described that it wasn’t
hard to imagine what it looked like. So overall I really enjoyed the
description that was in the book.
Style:
This was written in one POV and in first person. I think
that suited well for the story, being in first person allowed the reader to get
deeper inside Carey’s mind and really understand her. As for being written in
just Carey’s POV it was good as well, we got to see the world through her eyes
and we weren’t overwhelmed with other views of the story’s world. As for the
author’s writing style, it flowed smoothly and I had no trouble reading it.
Overall, the style was good to the story and I had no problems with it.
Quote
of the Book:
“…it’s a strangled cry, a hollow cry, floatin’ away on
the air like dandelion fluff and wishes that don’t come true. And then …it
freezes over …I am ice, slippery and cool, impenetrable and in control.”
Last
Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this to
any YA reader. This story has a lot to hold onto and a lot to offer once read.
This was an inspiring and lovable book; I would totally read more by this
author. I enjoyed that this was a standalone book, it is good to just get a
book like this; not a part of a series. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward
to reading future novels by this author.
My
Rating:
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