Tag: young adult drama

To Save One by Kimberly Fiese Yule Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young woman in grief begins a project to tackle mental health and help others in author Kimberly Fiese Yule’s “To Save One.”

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The Synopsis

Find solidarity in loss, friendship, and the fight to bring light into the darkest moments.

“A brave and tender story that speaks to the heart of every teenager, and every parent who loves one.”

When Evy loses her boyfriend to suicide, her life unravels in grief and unanswered questions. With the help of her best friend Henry and her classmate Chloe, who carries her own hidden struggle, Evy channels her pain into The Happy Face Project, a senior film that dares to talk openly about mental health.

What begins as a school project becomes something bigger: a mission to break the silence, to offer hope, and to save at least one life before graduation. Along the way, Evy, Henry, and Chloe discover that healing is found in music, courage, and in standing together when it matters most.

For anyone searching for connection and for every parent or educator who wants to better understand what today’s youth are facing.

A story of heartbreak and resilience, it offers both a mirror for young adult readers and a conversation starter for families, schools, and communities.

The Review

This was such a powerful and moving read. The author did an incredible job of delving into a subject that is both sensitive and heartbreaking, and did so with a reverence and care that truly resonated with readers. The powerful imagery that sets up each chapter’s scenery and tone is compelling, and the depth of world-building the author puts into the story itself speaks to the themes of this story, telling a story that weaves into the fabric of all of our lives. 

Ultimately, this story served as a testament to thought-provoking themes and empathetic characters. The tragic circumstances of Briggs’s story and how his loss impacted so many people in the story were equally on par emotionally as protagonist Evy’s exploration of grief and loss, and the raw moments of her grief that pop up throughout the book are truly relatable to anyone who has ever felt grief like that before. The honest and sympathetic portrayal of mental health and those who suffer from this subject matter, including both those who have become victims of this mindset and those who have been left behind as a result, all have a voice in this story and bring the emotional resonance that makes this story so engaging. 

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The Verdict

A compelling, engaging, and heartfelt YA drama, author Kimberly Fiese Yule’s “To Save One” is a must-read novel. The book also touches upon other themes naturally, including overall health struggles and the impact of a support system, as well as creativity in times of grief and how music can connect people. The book can be haunting at times, and definitely heartbreaking, and yet it is with a strong and compassionate voice that the author brings this rich story to life. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Kimberly Fiese Yule believes life is better with sand between your toes, music in your ears, and a story that makes you feel seen. A mother of three, her greatest pride and joy, she is also a former women’s health nurse practitioner and a lifelong wanderer. Depending on the day, she calls Texas, California, or the Caribbean home, always finding inspiration in sunshine, connection, and the beauty of everyday moments.

https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyyule

https://kimberlyfieseyule.com/

https://amzn.to/47L4hzk

At Least I’m Trying by Tara Hodgson Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young woman loses herself to a new life, one to discover hidden dangers in those she trusted in author Tara Hodgson’s “At Least I’m Trying.”

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The Synopsis

When the volleyball hits the floor mere inches from Reese’s hands, her dreams of playing college ball shatter.

After consecutive failures on the court, in the classroom, and in her relationships, she’s done playing the part of perfect daughter, perfect student, and perfect athlete. It’s time for a new life.

Enter Cassie Brentwood.

Bold. Reckless. Free. Cassie is everything Reese isn’t yet longs to be. They quickly become friends and Cassie introduces her to Liam, a mysterious guy from Snapchat. Blinded by his love bombing and the desperation to shed her perfect image, Reese plunges head first into their world.

It feels instantly thrilling… until it’s not.

Girls are disappearing from nearby towns, however no one in their quiet small town seems concerned.

But when Liam’s behaviour grows darker, Reese’s new life begins to unravel. She ignores the warnings. The red flags. The little voice screaming to her that something’s not right. Until she’s far from home, trapped in a nightmare she can’t escape.

With no one left to trust, Reese has to fight to reclaim the life she was so eager to leave behind.

She wanted freedom. Now, she just wants to go home.

At least she has to try.

Told with searing honesty and lyrical depth, At Least I’m Trying is a poignant novel about mental health, girlhood, and what happens when the version of yourself you’ve worked so hard to become starts to fall apart.

The Review

This was a haunting and chilling yet poignant read. The book deals with some heavy subject matter, from mental health struggles and questions of identity, to the dangers many young women are facing in an ever increasingly dangerous world, and so much more. The author also tackles things like toxic relationships and abuse honestly without getting too graphic, and shines a light on the struggles of women in a digital world, not only with dating, but with self-image and their role in society as well.

The emotional and heartbreaking moments of this book were balanced well with moments of triumph and empowerment, honestly breaking down the haunting realities of women who are targeted and used by toxic men in the world while also showcasing the power to survive and overcome those horrifying experiences. Reese is a complex and thoughtful protagonist; her story serves as a prime example of what happens far too often when young women are pushed too hard or ignored in society and lose their identities, only to be influenced by others outside their circles of friends or family. 

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The Verdict

Emotional, heartbreaking, and mesmerizing, author Tara Hodgson’s “At Least I’m Trying” is a must-read YA contemporary drama. The story is powerful and engaging, taking readers on a roller coaster of emotions as they delve into the harrowing experience the protagonist goes through. The strong pacing and essential themes are themes that need to be explored in the modern world. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Tara has called herself a teacher of teenagers for 17 years and is now thrilled to call herself a published author as well.

When she isn’t teaching or writing, she is reading. She loves all genres of books, but especially YA Contemporary, Fantasy, and Dystopian.

She spends her downtime walking, camping, boating, and at home with her family and animals.

http://www.tarahodgson.ca/

https://amzn.to/4odUW9G

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/at-least-im-trying-tara-hodgson/1148001119?ean=9781069617705

Chasing Through Time by Tara Hodgson Review 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Two teenage girls separated by two decades connect, and one must find a way to help the other before it is too late in author Tara Hodgson’s “Chasing Through Time.”

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The Synopsis

In the tumultuous world of high school, Emma grapples with a devastating breakup, a damning social media scandal that threatens her reputation, and an overwhelming sense of isolation. Her parents are distant, she has no true friends, and her despair deepens with each passing day.

One fateful night during a sudden snowstorm, Emma forges a connection with Sarah, a girl who navigates the treacherous high school terrain of 2001. In this improbable friendship, they bond through the digital ether, supporting each other’s struggles at the same school, in the same town, while separated by two decades.

The friendship becomes a lifeline for both girls. Their lives bear striking similarities, yet the differences are equally profound. While Sarah is spared from the perils of social media, she gains self-assurance and begins to discover herself. In contrast, Emma’s struggles intensify as she faces dire consequences for her actions online and misguided romantic entanglements.

Sarah watches helplessly as Emma’s life unravels, yearning to help but bound by the constraints of time. Emma’s perilous descent accelerates, and the danger of not receiving the help she desperately needs looms large. Sarah, trapped twenty years in the past, must find a way to intervene before it’s too late.

This gripping tale of bridging the gap between eras explores the enduring power of human connection, the complexities of teenage life, and the lengths to which a stranger will go to save a life.

The Review

Incredibly compelling and emotionally thought-provoking, this novel is full of heart and drives the reader to revisit one of life’s most difficult stages: the teenage years. The struggles of growing up and slowly moving from childhood to adulthood already make being a teenager difficult for many. Still, the added pressures of bullying make life so difficult for teenagers as well. The author brought this to life in visceral yet essential detail, making the use of imagery in their writing style so crucial to fully engaging in the characters’ arcs. 

This novel was very character-driven, with the author capturing both eras of the book, the early 2000s and 2020s, in vivid detail. The experiences both protagonists had in their personal lives, and the way they were able to connect through time became the emotional crux of this narrative, shining a beaming light on the dangers of online bullying and mental health struggles so many teenagers go through, and allowing readers to journey through the process of human connection and the fight against alienation and loneliness as a whole.

The Verdict

Emotionally heartfelt and thoughtful in delivery, author Tara Hodgson’s “Chasing Through Time” is a must-read YA drama meets metaphysical fiction novel. The story felt like a YA version of the film Frequency, connecting two people who desperately need each other and discovering themselves in the process. The twists and turns the narrative takes and the thought-provoking themes will keep readers engaged until the book’s final chapter. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Tara has called herself a teacher of teenagers for 17 years and is now thrilled to call herself a published author as well.

When she isn’t teaching or writing, she is reading. She loves all genres of books, but especially YA Contemporary, Fantasy, and Dystopian.

She spends her downtime walking, camping, boating, and at home with her family and animals.

http://www.tarahodgson.ca/

Drops of Sunshine by Tricia Copeland Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young teenage girl hoping to escape trouble at one by becoming a camp counselor finds herself forced to confront the horrors of her past in author Tricia Copeland’s “Drops of Sunshine”.

The Synopsis

Her only goal in taking the camp counselor job far from home was to escape everyone who knew anything about her past. So how does a camper know about her brother…

Sixteen-year-old Nina hates everyone from her school, her town save a single best friend. She’s desperate for a respite from her parent’s divorce and scandal that made her a hermit. But her campers divulge odd things, details of her history they couldn’t know. Believing there’s no way the girls know her secrets she chalks their behavior up to being sensitive kids. Trying to avoid reminders of her prior trauma, she diverts her attention to a live-on-the-edge social crowd and one hot hunky bad-boy counselor.

When things take a dangerous turn one night, she’s forced to divulge the truth about what happened, her past, and what makes some of her campers very special.

Can Nina face her trauma, open up to new friendships, and a world she never imagined possible?

Drops of Sunshine is a captivating YA paranormal read for teens and adults alike. If you like true-to-life characters, heart-felt friendships, and a bit of mystery and romance, then you’ll love Tricia Copeland’s magical story.

Buy Drops of Sunshine to face your fears today!

The Review

This was a truly special supernatural YA read. The author found a way of implementing paranormal elements into the story without making it all about ghosts or demons, but instead, more straightforward aspects of the paranormal that allowed the more personal character-driven narrative to shine. The imagery in the author’s writing style allowed the camp and the environment to come alive on the page. 

The heart of this story is Nina’s development as a protagonist and the themes the author explores. The story showed the complex realities of life that so many young people face in their most formative years and the hardships that come with troubled parental relationships and trauma. The relationships that Nina developed over the summer and how the author explored everything from peer pressure and loneliness to newfound romance allowed this story to connect with a wide range of readers.

The Verdict

Honest, thoughtful, and engaging author Tricia Copeland’s “Drops of Sunshine” is a must-read YA paranormal and fantasy-driven contemporary novella that readers won’t put down. The fast pace of the narrative and the relatability of the characters and their lives will stay with readers long after the book ends. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating 10/10

About the Author

Young adult fiction author Tricia Copeland believes in finding magic. She believes magic infuses every aspect of our lives and each of us create our own brand of magic. Whether transforming hearts, lives, numbers, ideas, art, music, or simply enjoying nature, we discover magic every day. She aims to write stories that show what is possible when one commits to finding their own version of magic. With urban fantasy and paranormal young adult titles, you’re sure to find a magical character and story line to love within her books.

Whether you’re looking for a fun romance, inspiring story of strength, fantasy, paranormal, or a dystopian sci-fi, you’ve come to the right place. Award-winning author Tricia Copeland grew up in Georgia but now calls Colorado home. If she’s not on the trail you can find her creating magical stories at www.triciacopeland.com.