Review: Not what I expected...better!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 25, 2014
Bad Apple by Barbara was not at all what I expected even after reading the description and summary.  It started out a little slower with a lot of details, but then one has to have the back story to any characters past right?  The mystery to the story kept me turning the pages.  I wanted to know what would happen next and didn't have to fight to stay awake to finish the book.  For what it's worth I'd say it took me a few hours or more to read the whole story.Neal Marchal has had a rough past, growing up with secrets untold, keeping to herself most all the time.  Life to her couldn't be any better than it is at any given moment.  She has nothing but minimal expectations and never thinks that life could change for her.  That is till the day she finds her neighbor and has to go to the police station to be questioned.  The questioning is almost over when she sings a tune rather than answer in her normal talking voice, catching the officer off guard.  This one tiny detail, lead to much more for Neal Marchal when Truly walks into her life.I loved the way the characters were written, Truly made me laugh so many times with his witty comments and Neal with her come backs made it that much more real to me.  Ever set of lyrics I read I had to look up and watch or listen to the video.  One of my favorites though had to be the lullaby..."The bed is too small for my tirednessGive me a hillside with trees.Tuck a cloud up under my chin.Lord, blow out moon out, please.Sing me to sleep in a cradle of dreamsSo that I may slumber in peace.Tuck a cloud down under my feet.Lord, blow the moon out, please."~ Barbara MorgenrothI think the connection with this story to me was more about Neal and her way of thinking, her musical talent, and the change in her throughout the story.  When one never thinks things in life will change for them, they tend to give up.  I have found I really like stories that have a lesson to share within the author's writing.  I would definitely recommend this book to others as it touched me.  I also added Burning Daylight (Bad Apple, #2) and Rise (Bad Apple, #3) to my to be read list as soon as I finished reading Bad Apple: A Mature YA Novel.