Review: A Lovely Read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 1, 2013
Such a lovely read!This was the second book that broke me and made me a bona fide YA fan. This story will hook you and drag you along until you swipe for the last page (kindle anyone?).The plot explores the pressures that teenagers suffer from peers and shows how easy it is to cave without any form of moral support or parental attention. It also shows how God can use a person to lovingly pull out a victim sunken under that pressure into the light—this was my favorite part!Declan, the male lead character, never judged Miley, despite witnessing the kind of life she was sucked into, but loved her with all her brokenness. It broke and warmed my heart how time and time again, she would hurt him and he would forgive her. He accepted her as the one God had given him and loved her with an intensity that was mind-blowing. It was so real you could feel it through the pages. Their story brings to mind the story of the Prophet Hosea. You clearly witness Declan’s pain and struggle in loving Miley.Miley was the strongest character in this story. She was struggling and crumpling on the inside but appeared beautiful, feisty and strong on the outside. She chose to hide and overcome her pain and sorrows in a way that was heartbreaking, teetering between brokenness and depression, but somehow managed to maintain enough control and not become suicidal.This story also brings to light how dangerous it is for parents to neglect their children, choosing to turn a blind eye to things they shouldn’t, falsely believing their kids will grow up to become “good” on their own without proper guidance/attention.I’ve encountered authors/books that show conversations between God and a character, but not like this book. I was impressed with the way Emily portrayed it and found it rather refreshing. What I loved most was the conversations about the most little and private things, and how God not only cared about those things, but answered the questions that troubled the characters. I loved that!Just one qualm with this book—the time gaps. But they disturbed so little that you would overlook them.If you know me by now, you’d know that I love, love fairytale endings! Ahh! This one had one too! What a befitting way to end a lovely read. Certainly put a smile on my face.