Review: The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Book Description via Goodreads:

Egalley, 320 pages

June 28, 2011, Simon & Schuster

Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.

Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.

The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last.

Source: S&S Galley Grab (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

In the beginning, I had to catch up with the switching from present to past. I was trying to piece together Amber’s life. It was confusing at first. But when I stopped trying, it came out clearly. Slowly, a problematic life unfolded before me. Amber was stuck in a difficult situation. The things that have happened in the recent past have made Amber declare that life was unfair.

She wanted to spend a day at the beach, away from everything. There, she met Cade. Cade was a sweet, sensible guy who wanted to be by himself too. They spent the day together. They lived in the moment, cherished it and hoped that it would last forever. The connection between them was the kind that we usually find in romance movies. It was ever-present, surprising and undeniable. I found their scenes sweet and longing. But there were also times that darkness slipped through and wrapped around them. The mystery that Cade exuded was enough to drive me insane. There’s nothing more motivating than a mysterious character. He was so fun and charming but at the same time, he had something dark inside him.

The verse captured every moment, turned an ordinary moment into a special one. With so little words, Schroeder successfully delivered the intensity of every moment and the emotions of the characters. I never got to predict anything in this novel. I liked that it was that surprising. I loved reading about Amber’s family and how close she was to them. The imperfection of it was made beautiful because of each member’s attempts to keep their ties strong and unbroken.

The Day Before is a fast-paced contemporary that will awe and engross readers into the lives of Amber and Cade. Beautifully written with bits of song and movie references in it, readers will feel more attached to it. Although the romantic in me wanted more Amber and Cade scenes, I was satisfied with how the story developed. Schroeder is an amazing writer. If you’re up for a quick, worthwhile read, try this one. I recommend this to contemporary readers and verse readers.

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Review: Purple Daze by Sherry Shahan

Book Description:

Purple Daze is a young adult novel set in suburban Los Angeles in 1965. Six high school students share their experiences and feelings in interconnected free verse and traditional poems about war, feminism, riots, love, racism, rock 'n' roll, high school, and friendship.

Although there have been verse novels published recently, none explore the changing and volatile 1960's in America-- a time when young people drove a cultural and political revolution. With themes like the costs and casualties of war, the consequences of sex, and the complex relationships between teens, their peers, and their parents, this story is still as relevant today as it was 45 years ago.

Source: Running Press & Nicole (Thank you!)

My Thoughts:

Purple Daze was a collection of a hundred moments in one book, written from six points of views, bits of poems, journal entries, letters and historical speeches. A group of friends made up of three girls, three boys were the stars of this novel: Ziggy, Cheryl, Nancy, Mickey, Don and Phil. The war and the revolution affected these people.

What I really liked about Purple Daze was that the author was able to capture my attention through her words. I was able to understand what happened in 1965-1966 and I was able to experience it. I felt for Ziggy, Cheryl, Phil and Nancy. This novel showed that despite all the changes that happened throughout the years, some things just never change. I found love, war, betrayal, pain, hesitation, sadness and rejection in this novel.

It was hard to put this down when I got into the story which was almost right away. I was intrigued with what was happening to the characters. The six characters were involved in different stages of relationships. Ziggy and Mickey were what I would say a temporary couple out for fun and sex. Cheryl and Don were in a somewhat chaste and serious relationship. Cheryl did not want to give up her virginity just yet despite the pressure. Nancy and Phil were not exactly a couple but they have feelings for each other. It got worse when Phil served in the army. Cheryl, Phil and Mickey were the ones I got to read about the most. They wrote each other. I found myself looking forward to read Phil’s letters. To read how Phil was doing, being stuck there, fighting and ducking for his life while worrying and being sad because Nancy has stopped writing him. The tension and awkwardness between Ziggy and Mickey increased when Ziggy kept asking him about their future. I found it sad and heartbreaking that she wanted to have a family with someone who did not want to.

Purple Daze is a quick read, a glimpse into the past and a realistic representation of a hundred persons, emotions, thoughts and intentions. I recommend this to people who like historical novels and to people who like novels in verse.

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Review: Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

Book Description via Goodreads:

Lost and alone...down the rabbit hole

Years have passed since Alice lost her mother to cancer, but time hasn't quite healed the wound. Alice copes the best she can, by writing her music, losing herself in the love of her boyfriend, and distancing herself from her father and his new wife.

But when a deadly snowstorm traps Alice with her stepmother and newborn half-sister, she'll face issues she's been avoiding for too long. As Alice looks to the heavens for guidance, she discovers something wonderful.

Perhaps she's not so alone after all...

Source: Personal Copy

My Thoughts:

Schroeder wrote Far From You with keen attention to words. Every chapter is told with the minimum amount of words and yet they were enough to convey what was happening. From the first page to the last, I was taken down the rabbit hole. The words seemed to seep into my skin and stretch across my heart. The word choice was amazing. Schroeder put the right words to make your heart ache, make you live the experience of Alice and make you feel the change happening in her life.

Set in fall and winter, the story is scraped off of sugar and we are shown the raw and painful emotions of Alice. But more than that, it is also about life, our gains and losses with every stage. Alice lost her mother to cancer and her dad to his new wife. She feels alone – sad and unwanted except when she is with Blaze. Claire, the only best friend she has, veered into another direction, one without her music. But a bigger change happens to Alice in a snowstorm. She discovers that there is so much more she hasn’t seen yet, so much more things to be thankful for and to treasure.

The relationship of Alice with her family was scrutinized from the smallest gesture to the biggest decision and how these affected her. Her unbroken connection with her deceased mother was evident throughout the story, making the things her mother left priceless and even private. But is her mother really gone? The change in the perspective of Alice was a perfect proof of her growth as a character. I would classify it as the before and after perspectives, before and after the snowstorm. From seeing that everyone did not want her, did not care for her, she began to see them in a positive light. I wanted to read more of Claire and Blaze though, to find out more of her life outside the house.

This was a quick read. I finished it and I needed a moment to think of what happened in the novel. It is something that you feel, yes. But it takes some time to internalize afterwards since there were few words with which the story was told, few words to make the reader be accustomed to the story. I love the song lyrics included. They give a personal feel to the story. After reading this, I'm sure I'll want to read the rest of Schroeder's books.

Far From You is painted will all the emotions of life. Emotional and heartbreakingly beautiful, this novel will get to you from the first word to the last. It lingers there in your head and heart ever after you’ve turned the last page.

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