Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Review: Fragile Line by Brooklyn Skye

Fragile Line
Fragile Line by Brooklyn Skye
It can happen in a flash. One minute she’s kissing her boyfriend, the next she’s lost in the woods. Sixteen-year-old Ellie Cox is losing time. It started out small…forgetting a drive home or a conversation with a friend. But her blackouts are getting worse, more difficult to disguise as forgetfulness. When Ellie goes missing for three days, waking up in the apartment of a mysterious guy—a guy who is definitely not her boyfriend, her life starts to spiral out of control.
Perched on the edge of insanity, with horrific memories of her childhood leaking in, Ellie struggles to put together the pieces of what she’s lost—starting with the name haunting her, Gwen. Heartbreakingly beautiful, this poignant story follows one girl’s harrowing journey to finding out who she really is.
Publishes in US: April 21st 2014 by Entangled Teen
Genre: YA Contemp
Source: Entangled Teen via Netgalley
Series? No.

Buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Fragile-Line-Entangled-Teen-Brooklyn-ebook/dp/B00JCY64S2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1398680083&sr=1-1&keywords=fragile+linehttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fragile-line-brooklyn-skye/1119054793?ean=9781622665297

Author stalk away:

    I wanted to read Fragile Line because I was intrigued by Ellie and if her blackouts were something mental or if there was something else going on. I usually enjoy books about mental illnesses as well as memory loss. 
    I felt for Ellie, and even though I knew that she was somewhat of an unreliable narrator, she seemed so normal during the day. We find out that she is adopted and has no memories of her childhood but things start coming back to her after her blackouts, where she loses chunks of time and walks off in the woods, argues with her parents and ends up with a tattoo. Her life is starting to fall apart though, because she's gotten up to leave or disappeared on him time after time, and its hard to believe that a person does these things and then can't remember, it seems like an awfully convenient excuse.  
    I wondered if she had split personality or some form of bipolar, because she does things while blacked out that she wouldn't do while awake. Talking to guys she doesn't recognize, go to eat, and her wild side goes to get the tattoo. It was a surprise when I found out the cause, but I think that it makes total sense. 
    While I can understand to an extent why Ellie kept the blackouts and time missing a secret for so long, but I was getting a little pushy for a bit before she finally opened up about it and truly began to want answers and seek and accept help. I can't even imagine what I would think about myself if I had time missing and things happen to me that I couldn't remember and especially as a teen I very well could have kept it to myself for as long as she did because I would almost fear the answers more than the solution. 
     It was neat how the author changed things up at about 75% and we got a different view point as well as some more answers about her past that Ellie can't remember. We get the other side of the story and the emotions that are attached there and even though I knew what was best, it was still hard to see the pain and uncertainty of the future.
    It was a pretty quick read and well paced. The world building was completely contemporary but at first I kept thinking that there might be a supernatural element even though thats not in the description or tagged on goodreads. The ending was okay for me, but I think that it could have been a bit better, or things could have been a little more resolved with Ellie and accepting her diagnosis and what exactly that looks like day to day. We get the glimpse of hope that its starting, but really not a clue what daily life will be like and how she will handle.
 
Bottom Line: Fast read with an unreliable narrator that had me wondering what was going on.



My question to you, my lovely readers:

Have you ever blacked out or forgotten you'd done something?
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36 comments:

  1. I have been seeing this one around a bit, and I am very curious about
    it. Sounds interesting and I always like when mystery is thrown into the
    story. Great review!



    Teresa @ Readers Live A Thousand Lives

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  2. I am glad that you liked this book too, it was something fresh among all YA lately.

    Uh, no I was never in that kind of situation.

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  3. This sounds really interesting. I like books where the MC is slightly unreliable as a narrator.

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  4. They do make things much more mysterious

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  5. It was a unique twist, though I admit, some of it did just feel like the missing memory craze that has been going on

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  6. Teresa, I copied your comment here because I was changing things up agian on the blog and it got eaten.
    It is interesting and the mystery was good, although maybe if mental problems wasn't in the synopsis, have a bit more mystery to it as well;

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  7. Studio Reads posted:

    So...not Dissociative Identity Disorder? (Or MPD )Because that's
    what I was thinking while reading the review. I've been studying it for
    the last two years, but if it's not, I so want to read it just to see
    what it actually is, haha. I LOVE unreliable narrators (which is what I
    loved about JLA's Don't Look Back- though, totally different in a way of
    disorders) because it's so much harder for you to guess, and it just
    makes you paranoid and question every character. Definitely going to
    check it out as soon as I can read a "me" book. Glad you enjoyed it! :) I
    haven't blacked out but I forget things I've already said and done a
    lot, haha, it's bad.

    My recent post Review: The Break-Up Artist



    Email: kirsty_jones3@hotmail.com

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  8. It actually was DID. Her alter was protecting her from memories of her abusvie dad

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  9. Bear with me guys. My computer, blog and commenting systems are having a hard time yesterday and today and in pain!! I am working on the issues. Sorry if your comment is lost or copied over.

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  10. Ooo I enjoy unreliable narrators, and like that you were unsure Brandi. I am curious to know what is going on.

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  11. That's pretty scary, forgetting time..but also very interesting! I like when you don't know what is going on! Great review!

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  12. It would be scary to do things and not know it

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  13. Oh wow! You have me curious about these blackouts! It would be weird to have things happen and not remember. Great review.

    Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace

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  14. I was amazed at how much she could keep it a secret

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  15. It's interesting, I would have a lot of questions about her black out I confess, it makes me really curious. thanks for the review!

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  16. I thought this was pretty damn interesting. So crazy and different. Happy you mostly liked it.

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  17. I love books that tackle on mental illnesses. There's something so fascinating about that subject as a whole. I'll dive into this one for that very reason alone! Thanks for the review! And no, blacking out has never happened to me at all. Thankfully, I won't live to see that day!

    Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

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  18. This sounds absolutely terrifying. Not the book itself, but the concept. No, I've never blacked out, or forgotten that I've done something, but I KNOW myself, and as a control freak . . . Like I said--terrifying.

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  19. I had a lot of quetions and for once they were all answered

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  20. Not sure if I'm up for another YA amnesia book, but if you're suggesting there is another explanation -- like multiple personality disorder -- then I'm more intrigued...
    Thanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics

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  21. I hadn't heard of this before but it sounds wonderful! I've really been into the books where we need to unravel a mystery.

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  22. I totally understand the amnesia fear, but there is a mental disorder going on here

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  23. It did seem more like amnesia but its more mental

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  24. I really want to read this one, Brandi. I've read Ms. Skye's other novels and loved them! I'm glad you liked it overall.

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  25. I do find unreliable narrators intriguing, but it's a shame the ending didn't provide more resolution. Still overall this sounds like a good read, glad you enjoyed it!

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  26. I like the whole idea that this book has an unreliable narrator, i'm interested in that kind of stuff i don't know why. i guess it just makes me think more while reading and focuses me to process things more carefully.
    Great review!

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  27. It just adds an extra element of mystery for me

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  28. I can understand why it ended in that way though

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  29. It can be because we are as in the dark as them and also feel for them

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  30. I haven't read her other but should

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  32. Unreliable narrators can sometimes be really interesting, but they can also be pretty frustrating. I can't imagine blacking out or forgetting a period of time either!

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