When seventeen-year-old Rosie’s mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington’s Disease, her pain is intensified by the knowledge that she has a fifty-per-cent chance of inheriting the crippling disease herself. Only when she tells her mum’s best friend, ‘Aunt Sarah’ that she is going to test for the disease does Sarah, a midwife, reveal that Trudie was not her biological mother after all... Devastated, Rosie decides to trace her real mother, hitching along on her ex-boyfriend’s GAP year to follow her to Los Angeles. But all does not go to plan, and as Rosie discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with an agonising decision of her own - one which will be the most heart-breaking and far-reaching of all...
Published in US: 2/14/12
Source: Teen Book Scene and Netgalley
My Review:
Ms. Dale sure knows how to write. The beginning (and really all throughout the book) she conveys such heart wrenching emotions through her characters, she also does well at the highs, and capturing the true essence of teenage emotions, from one extreme to the other then back again in a new york minute. The emotions really came alive to me with her vivid descriptions.
The jumps in narration was a little confusing for me at first, and then I totally got it, and it was a masterpiece! I love the generational struggles and how they transcend time, she did a really good job with that.
I also had a hard time getting a grasp on Rosie at first, one minute strong and standing up for herself and then the next doing things that seem extreme like being all over a random guy, but I guess that grief, especially raw and fresh grief will do that to you. All in all, I think that her character ressonated with me more than Holly's because she came across as selfish. I tried to remind myself all she faced and the fact that she is just a teenager, but I never really could bring myself to like her much until the end.
This was a hard book to read in that I have no clue what I would do if I were in Rosie or Holly's shoes (or even Kitty at first for that matter.) With the Huntington's hold and the cycle of choices and possibilities, and then the whole family situation to deal with--on top of Holly's other secret, I just can't imagine.
I really liked the adults in this book--Trudie was so strong, and through Nana we can see she had such a positive attitude even in the face of such a horrible disease, and Nana herself is awesome--she reminds me of my own grandma in some ways and that is high praise. Jack is so strong and such a great dad. I can't say alot more without spoilers.
This one had me at Huntington's disease and held on to me until the end.
You may also like:
Sing me to Sleep by Angela Morrison
A Blue so Dark by Holly Schindler
Black Box by Julie Schumacher
Change of Heart by Shari Maurer
Girl Next Door by Castrovilla
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler
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Source: Teen Book Scene and Netgalley
My Review:
Ms. Dale sure knows how to write. The beginning (and really all throughout the book) she conveys such heart wrenching emotions through her characters, she also does well at the highs, and capturing the true essence of teenage emotions, from one extreme to the other then back again in a new york minute. The emotions really came alive to me with her vivid descriptions.
The jumps in narration was a little confusing for me at first, and then I totally got it, and it was a masterpiece! I love the generational struggles and how they transcend time, she did a really good job with that.
I also had a hard time getting a grasp on Rosie at first, one minute strong and standing up for herself and then the next doing things that seem extreme like being all over a random guy, but I guess that grief, especially raw and fresh grief will do that to you. All in all, I think that her character ressonated with me more than Holly's because she came across as selfish. I tried to remind myself all she faced and the fact that she is just a teenager, but I never really could bring myself to like her much until the end.
This was a hard book to read in that I have no clue what I would do if I were in Rosie or Holly's shoes (or even Kitty at first for that matter.) With the Huntington's hold and the cycle of choices and possibilities, and then the whole family situation to deal with--on top of Holly's other secret, I just can't imagine.
I really liked the adults in this book--Trudie was so strong, and through Nana we can see she had such a positive attitude even in the face of such a horrible disease, and Nana herself is awesome--she reminds me of my own grandma in some ways and that is high praise. Jack is so strong and such a great dad. I can't say alot more without spoilers.
This one had me at Huntington's disease and held on to me until the end.
You may also like:
Sing me to Sleep by Angela Morrison
A Blue so Dark by Holly Schindler
Black Box by Julie Schumacher
Change of Heart by Shari Maurer
Girl Next Door by Castrovilla
How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr
If I Tell by Janet Gurtler
Great review! I adored this book as well - it was so, so good and I have the biggest crush on Andy! ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat book boyfriend!
DeletePoor girl ..... to have the thought of having such a devastating condition hanging over your head only to discover this. Sounds like an emotional roller-coaster of a read, thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.
ReplyDeleteI know! I can't imagine
DeleteI started reading this thinking I will read a few pages till bedtime but my plan didn't work. I read this book in a 5 hour marathon reading session finally sleeping at 4 in the morning. And no, reading the rest of the book in the morning was NOT an option.
ReplyDeleteI was the same,it was like this book is ok, left it a couple of days picked it up then read it non stop for like the whole next night
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful book about love and loss that will stay with you for a long time!
ReplyDeleteI recommend this book to everyone who loves a good cry/heart break story!
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