Review: A laugh-out-loud contemporary YA about gymnastics & grieving - LETTERS TO NOWHERE by Julie Cross
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 19, 2014
It's got to be a bad sign, when you find yourself wanting the boyfriend of the young-adult novel. Trouble wrapped in sensitivity! Sigh.But Julie Cross's prose aren't romantic fluff. She covers a myriad of serious topics- the deaths of close family members, underage sex, the pressure of competitive gymnastics, coming-of-age experiences, and teenage use of drugs/alcohol. The blend makes it appear that the YA romance happened naturally (not pre-planned in meticulous detail by the author).I recently lost my own mother and husband. I'm not a teenager, but I am qualified to speak to the authenticity of Cross's application of the grief process into the characters' lives. I love the question, "Where do you put them?" as in, "In your mind, are your loved ones in an afterlife, ghosts, etc.?" That's a tough question for adults, not just for teenagers.Karen puts her feelings onto paper to almost anyone, when there is just too much bottled up to say out loud. These letters introduce additional levity into the novel, keeping the reader from becoming too depressed within consecutive scenes. I remember thinking those thoughts not so many years ago; she doesn't realize it now, but most of the problems she's facing are ones her parents couldn't help her with. I've been charishing Karen's wonder and innocense and enjoying every sweet moment of a girl with her first boyfriend. Reading about a girl like myself- one who has maturity beyond her age, yet is socially behind her peers- was much more nourishing to my spirit, than another YA in which coincidence and a sudden growth of magical powers saves the day for selfish and rebellious teens.Cross is obviously a detailed-oriented person. All throughout the book, she teases the senses with sights, sounds, textures, scents, and tastes. She mentioned the smallest motions to reflect state-of-mind, i.e., Karen wiping her nose on her sleeve, while she held a tissue. Amazingly, the imagery of the gymnastic routines is not garbled with overwhelming technical jargon or lengthy descriptions; an elegant balance is reached, creating the feeling that I am present in the gym at Karen's practices, but still allowing the plot to pace forward.My standards for a five-star novel are strict. When a novel is passed to me for free by the author, even more so; I've got to maintain my rep for honesty. Five starred books get talked about. I tweet them. I post them. I recommend them...for years. I knew LETTERS TO NOWHERE fell into this category, when I was verbally cheering Karen on, as she attempted new skills. I knew it, when I kept checking the Kindle page numbers to make sure it wasn't over "yet." I knew it, when the plot would thicken, and I'd be muttering aloud rapid-fire, "No-no-no-no-no!" That's a five-star book.FYI: I "won" this first LtN eBook from Julie in a giveaway. However, I'm going to buy the next two installments right now, since I loved this so much! Also, I'm buying the paperback for my teenage niece for her eighteenth birthday.Return to Sender (Letters to Nowhere Part 2)Return to You (Letters to Nowhere Part 3)