Reviews

 Very very well done, but a little too long in the front
By Candy Beauchamp (Amazon Review)

While I admit that the first half of the book moves pretty slow, now that I'm 85% in, I can see that it was necessary to get the character development needed for a novel of this depth. This book is on the serious side, dealing with teen dating, rape and pregnancy and has some hot button issues, but the writing and the realism that the author manages to capture makes it mesmerizing to read. I cannot put it down now that I'm at a critical point in the story.

But therein lies the problem with this novel. It's pretty serious stuff and I really wanted the author to give us more information about the aftermath and healing. I think those elements would have been much more important than the long set up. Yes, we needed that too, but it still could have been trimmed by 1/3 in the front part of this book and still been very well done. It wrapped up entirely too fast for me. I needed more, not too much more, but just enough so I would feel good about how Skye's life turned out.

There were a few grammar/spelling errors, but nothing a good content editor couldn't help with. I dunno. I'm really torn on this one because had it not be for how well the author presented this hard subject matter, I would give it 3 stars, but I'm going to leave it at 4 because this is a TOUGH one to tackle in the YA market and she handled it beautifully. The characters were realistic, compassionate and well-rounded. I just hope she continues to write and maybe makes sure her next book goes through a top notch editor.

I would recommend this to high school students. I think the message is one that is important. HOWEVER, I would urge parents to read this one first to make sure their child can handle the subject matter. Only you know your kid, right?


Real. Powerful. Emotional.
By Stacy L. Daniels (Amazon Review)

October Breezes tackles some tough subjects faced by teenage girls with raw honesty. Sixteen-year old Skye has trust issues, abandonment issues, and struggles with her self-worth. She has always tried to push people away, convinced they will eventually leave anyway. She has a lot of issues to deal with but tries to cope the best she can, until an act of violence almost destroys her world. Skye must find the strength and courage to pick up the pieces and make the choice to move forward, deciding who to trust as she slowly heals. The story is exceptionally well-written and packs a powerful punch, I was moved to tears as my heart ached for Skye. I think all teenage girls should read this book, and parents as well.