Wherever You Go - Heather Davis

Wherever You Go by Heather Davis

 

This was a typical for me tragedy.
But it wasn't just tragedy.
It was about figuring yourself out, and knowing that it's okay to move on, and knowing that sometimes you have to do things that make you happy.

Short synopsis:

Holly Mullen lost her boyfriend in a car accident last fall.
She takes care of her little sister because he mom has to work two jobs.
And now her grandfather has to move in with them because his Alzheimer's is getting bad.
Holly makes sure everything in her life is perfect, but rarely does anything for herself.
Jason, her boyfriend Rob's best friend, realizes that Holly needs someone other than family in her life and starts helping her with her grandfather and sister.
Eventually Holly allows herself to feel something for someone other than Rob.
Rob hasn't crossed to the other side yet.
He can't been seen or heard or touched, no one knows he's still here, except Holly's grandfather.
Through him Rob is able to come to terms with his own death, with Holly's new boyfriend, and even with leaving Holly all together.

I loved this book. I think it was perfect.
It hit on a couple hard topics but did it gracefully, and with purpose.
There were many things hinted at in the book that you figure out in the end, but seeing the end result, before knowing the cause helps put consequences into perspective.
I also liked the way that Heather Davis portrays Alzheimer's.
My grandmother had Dementia, a form of it, and while every one's disease progresses differently, I often am disappointed at how authors make it seem like there are these extended periods of absolute perfect normalcy, when in my experience, that just doesn't happen.
It's not a game, something you twist to fit your story plot.
I think Heather's personal experience shows that she realizes this.
Holly's grandfather has 'good days' and 'bad days' and when Rob is visiting he has a hard time focusing on the present.
This is much closer to every real life patient I've come across.

Credit:
Amazon - in case you're into buying
Heather Davis - author website

Read A-Like:
I feel like I've read something similar, but can't put my finger on it at the moment.
If I can figure it out, I will update this!!

Read on.
Jessica.

Reading Funk. Ughh.

I have been in this funk lately.
I have no less than six library books sitting on my shelf, and every time I pick one up, I put it back.
It's not what I want to read, I'm not interested in the subject matter, or whatever.
I don't even know.
These are all books I picked, and I don't 'like' them now that they're home.
I hardly ever return a whole stack of books without reading them.
But I think I might, I need a fresh start for July.

I joined the Adult Summer reading program at the library.
I thought I was gonna kick butt.
But I'm pretty sure my mom is dominating me so far.

So here's to fresh starts for the rest of the summer.

Read on.
Jessica.

Bystander - James Preller

Bystander by James Preller

 

I picked this one out because of Before You Go. I really liked James Preller's style and that story so I thought, 'read all the James Preller books!'

This one though didn't hit me as hard. 

It is about a very tough and prevalent subject matter. Bullying. 

But I didn't like the main characters reasoning and decision making. 

Preller did do something that I love. 

And that is tying landmarks and places between stories. 

In Before You Go Jude works at Jones Beach Concessions and there are a whole bunch of locations, West End Two and Pier Six. 

Preller talks about the company and those locations in Bystander  

Short synopsis

Eric Hayes is starting a new life with his mom on Long Island.
He's starting a new middle school right smack in the middle.
Being the new seventh grader is hard. The groups and cliques have already formed.
But Griffin Connelly seems to want to be Eric's friend.
Eric quickly realizes Griffin and his friends are bullies.
After a school assembly about bullying, Eric also realizes that he while he isn't a bully, being friends with Griffin and Co. means he is a bystander.
Eric isn't sure how he feels about this, but finds out the hard way, that bullies retaliate.

I honestly didn't like this book, and it's taken me weeks to finish this post.
I can't pinpoint the reason anymore than just Eric's judgement and decision making.
I dreaded the ending, and while it turned out alright, I didn't feel the lesson was strong enough for a YA novel.

Credit:
Amazon - in case you're into buying
James Preller - author website

Read on.
Jessica.