Showing posts with label ballerina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ballerina. Show all posts

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Book Review - Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Savannah Darcy Rose is a gifted ballerina. She is known as "Sparrow" to her friends and family. Sparrow has a lot of secrets that she keeps from her loved ones.  She was taught at a young age to keep secrets for her late mother.  However, after a brutal attack from her perfect boyfriend, Sparrow must find the courage to confront her past.

As a person who has been in an abusive relationship, I thought I would have enjoyed this novel. I find that I hated it and I couldn't relate to the main character at all. I liked that each of the characters had nicknames until it became overwhelming. I felt like some of the dialogue between the characters didn't feel authentic or real.

The novel skips from Sparrow and Tristan's first date to Sparrow being terrified of him. I feel like this doesn't give us a chance to see the "good guy" that Tristan is. Was their relationship strong in the beginning or was Tristan always violent? The reason I am asking is that I have a hard time understanding "why" Sparrow insists Tristan is a good guy when all we see is his abusive behavior towards her. Sparrow mentions that he treats her good by "apologizing and buying her things". However, I don't feel that Sparrow and her family needs money as her father is a criminal defense attorney and uses a Montblanc pen. I am wondering if there is an emotional need that Tristan was filling for her.

I wish there was more details given about Sparrow and her mother's death. The author hovers around the incident without going into detail. Another issue I had with the book was that Sparrow observed that she wished her father knew she was in pain and would protect her. However, whenever her friends or family observed Sparrow and her relationship she would get defensive. This wasn't the book for me and I couldn't finish reading it around the 70% page mark.


**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**



BOOK INFORMATION

Sparrow

by Mary Cecilia Jackson
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: March 17th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis:
In the tradition of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, a devastating but hopeful YA debut about a ballerina who finds the courage to confront the abuse that haunts her past and threatens her future.
There are two kinds of people on the planet. Hunters and prey
I thought I would be safe after my mother died. I thought I could stop searching for new places to hide. But you can’t escape what you are, what you’ve always been.
javascript:void(0);My name is Savannah Darcy Rose.
And I am still prey.
Though Savannah Rose―Sparrow to her friends and family―is a gifted ballerina, her real talent is keeping secrets. Schooled in silence by her long-dead mother, Sparrow has always believed that her lifelong creed―“I’m not the kind of girl who tells”―will make her just like everyone else: Normal. Happy. Safe. But in the aftermath of a brutal assault by her seemingly perfect boyfriend Tristan, Sparrow must finally find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past, or lose herself forever….

BOOK LINKS




BOOK AUTHOR
Mary Cecilia Jackson has worked as a middle school teacher, an adjunct instructor of college freshmen, a technical writer and editor, a speechwriter, a museum docent, and a development officer for central Virginia's PBS and NPR stations. Her first novel, Sparrow, was an honor recipient of the SCBWI Sue Alexander Award and a young-adult finalist in the Writers' League of Texas manuscript contest. She lives with her architect husband, William, in Western North Carolina and Hawaii, where they have a farm and five ridiculously adorable goats.

AUTHOR LINKS

TOUR SCHEDULE
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GIVEAWAY
Prize: Win a copy of SPARROW by Mary Cecilia Jackson (US/CAN Only)
Starts: 17th March 2020
Ends: 31st March 2020
 

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Book Review - Christmas at Grey Sage by Phyllis Clark Nichols

Photo Credit - Amazon
Maude and Silas deck out their adobe house with all the holiday trimmings that delight and thrill family and friends alike. Christmas at The Thornhills' Gray Sage Inn is always a day to remember until a tragic accident occurs. Now, Silas and Maude go on vacation during the holiday to escape the painful holiday memories. When Maude's best friend, Lily asks her to open the inn during the holidays for a group of eccentric travelers, she was hesitant to agree.

When the group of travelers arrives, they are surprised that Grey Sage Inn isn't decorated with Christmas decorations. After a snowstorm hits Santa Fe, the guests find themselves stranded and try to make the best out of the holiday as possible. Will Maude and Silas be able to heal and appreciate Christmas again?

The novel started with Maude's appreciation for Christmas; going into detail about her favorite decorations, traditions and moments. Then we get to meet the group of eccentric travelers and from there we find out why Silas and Maude don't celebrate Christmas anymore and the backstory of each traveler. I found the first few characters really boring and halfway towards the book, it finally picked up, but by then I was already over reading this book. It is a nice cozy reading novel for readers who loves Christmas stories, but this wasn't really my cup of tea.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**