ThisIn journal entries alternating between two timelines—before and after a tragic accident—this heartfelt coming-of-age story follows the year that changes one girl’s life forever. Before, Taylor Harper is finally popular, sitting with the cool kids at lunch, and maybe, just maybe, getting invited to the biggest, most exclusive party of the year. After, no one talks to her. Before, she’s friends with Brielle Branson, the coolest girl in school. After, Brielle has become a bully, and Taylor’s her favorite target. Before, home isn’t perfect, but at least her family is together. After, Mom won’t get out of bed, Dad won’t stop yelling, and Eli... Eli’s gone. Through everything, Taylor has her notebook, a diary of the year that one fatal accident tears her life apart. In entries alternating between the first and second semester of her eighth-grade year, she navigates joy and grief, gain and loss, hope and depression. How can Taylor pick up the pieces of what used to be her social life? How can her house ever feel like home again after everything that’s happened? And how can she move forward if she can’t stop looking back? (From the book blurb) My thoughts: This well-written and extremely touching book has two alternating timelines: before ('Fall') and after a tragic car accident ('Winter'). The narrative form of journal entries responding to writing prompts is unusual and allows you a direct access to Taylor's feelings and perceptions. Despite the tragedy marking Taylor being a rare occurence, the issues covered by this book are relatable: complex social relationships and murky waters of popularity/acceptance, friendships, families dealing with loss and changes, grief and many others. Taylor's story is extremely realistic and will remind you of drama and dilemmas that go with growing up and learning how to navigate this complicated world. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher (Imprint) for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. A group of gifted kids must band together to save their town and a fantasy world from horror-story monsters come to life in Sarah Cannon's imaginative middle-grade novel, Twist... Eli has a dream. He's going to be the next Stephen King, and he's just created his best monster yet! Neha has a secret. Her notebook is filled with drawings of a fantasy world called Forest Creeks, and it's become inhabited by wonderful imaginary creatures. But her new friends are in danger . . . Court has a gift, both for finding trouble and for stopping it. And when she accidentally ends up with one of Neha's drawings, she quickly realizes that the monsters raiding Forest Creeks are coming from Eli's stories. When these three creative kids come together, they accidentally create a doorway from Forest Creeks into the real world, and now every monster that Eli ever imagined has been unleashed upon their town! (From the book blurb) My thoughts: It was a lovely and engaging read with great characters and an interesting plot. Eli, Neha, and Court have different talents and special abilities, but all three of them are imaginative and observant children. Eli's talent lies in creating engaging, brilliantly-plotted horror stories with howling monsters and other scary creatures. Neha is a talented artist who has filled her notebook with houses and buildings of an imaginary little town Forest Creeks. Court has a gift of observing nature and helping out those in need. The unlikely trio combats monsters that creeped from Eli's unfinished stories into Neha's fantasy world and threaten to destroy all the wonderful creatures that inhabit it. Sarah Cannon captured the thrill of creating and sharing stories with your friends and trying to see unusual in the most ordinary things. I loved the way all her characters were diverse and unique in their own ways. Most of all, I liked the message of lending a helpful hand to those in need and having courage to face one's fears in order to defend the other. Thank you to Edelweiss and Feiwel Friends for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. |
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