In a Nutshell Reviews: YA Edition

In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want the highlights.

Even If I Fall
Abigail Johnson
Series: n/a
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

A year ago, Brooke Covington lost everything when her beloved older brother, Jason, confessed to the murder of his best friend, Calvin. Brooke and her family became social pariahs, broken and unable to console one another. Brooke’s only solace remains the ice-skating rink, where she works but no longer lets herself dream about a future skating professionally.

When Brooke encounters Calvin’s younger brother, Heath, on the side of the road and offers him a ride, everything changes. She needs someone to talk to…and so does Heath. No one else understands what it’s like. Her brother, alive but gone; his brother, dead but everywhere. Soon, they’re meeting in secret, despite knowing that both families would be horrified if they found out. In the place of his anger and her guilt, something frighteningly tender begins to develop, drawing them ever closer together.

But when a new secret comes out about the murder, Brooke has to choose whose pain she’s willing to live with—her family’s or Heath’s. Because she can’t heal one without hurting the other.

Brooke's brother may have been the one, who committed the crime, but her whole family became prisoners. They were shunned by their neighbors and friends, and forced to give up their jobs and their dreams, but the worst part was that they abandoned each other. Then Brooke found comfort in an unlikely source, but nurturing this forbidden friendship could shatter her already fragile family.

• Pro: Abigail Johnson is so good at taking me on an emotional roller coaster! I swear I experienced every single emotion known while reading this book. 
• Pro: This family was so broken, and their pain emanated from the page. There was a good deal of focus on the family's struggle with reconciling the son and brother they loved with this cold-blooded killer he became. I shed tears for this family, because I can only imagine how difficult their situation was, and my heart broke for them. 
• Pro: I loved Brooke. She made some mistakes in this book by isolating herself and pushing people away, but she never gave up on her family. 
• Pro: The relationship between Brooke and Heath was so complicated and messy and wonderful. They could understand each other in a way other people couldn't. It was really beautiful seeing those two working through some of the fallout together, and I was shipping them the whole time. 
• Pro: Brooke was an ice skater, and I really enjoyed all parts featuring the sport, but more than that, it was what made her feel alive, and I loved the whole idea of this, and how she slowly allowed herself to have that again. 
• Pro: This book was equal parts family drama, friendship saga, mystery, and romance. Johnson combined all the elements brilliantly, and I found myself fully engrossed in this story. 

Overall: A beautiful story of broken people trying to pick up the pieces and begin living again, which warmed my heart and left me hopeful.

When the Truth Unravels
Ruthanne Snow
Series: n/a
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Last month, Elin tried to kill herself.

She knows she's lucky that her parents found her in time. Lucky to be going to prom with her three best friends, like any other teen. Like it never happened. And if she has anything to say about it, no one but her best friends will ever know it did.

Jenna, Rosie, and Ket will do anything to keep Elin's secret—and to make sure it never happens again. That's why they're determined to make prom the perfect night. The night that convinces Elin that life is worth living.

Except, at prom, Elin goes missing.

Now it's up to her friends to find her. But each of the girls has her own demons to face. Ket is being blackmailed by an ex. Rosie is falling in love for the first time. And Jenna . .

Jenna is falling apart.

And no one, not even her best friends, knows why.

Heart-wrenching and utterly impossible to put down, When the Truth Unravels follows four friends as they confront their greatest hopes and darkest secrets in one life-changing night.

Sometimes we keep secrets to protect others, and sometimes we keep them to protect ourself, but things started to spiral out of control for these four friends, when all of their secrets began to unravel.

• Pro: Female friendship for the win! These four had a relationship that hit a few snags, but they were steadfast and stood by each other, even when things got really messy. 
• Pro: I adored all four of these young women. They were quite different from each other, but complemented and balanced each other out really well. 
• Pro: It's not a secret that there was a suicide attempt in this book, but it was handled really well by the author. The part that put me in tears was when they were talking about depression. I swear Snow stole the words from my head, and I can only hope some people, who have never suffered from this disease, may take something away from that discussion. 
• Pro: Balance is important for me, and Snow did a wonderful job striking the right combination of heavy and light in this book. There was actually a LOT of humor, and I know I laughed quite a bit, but I also shed tears or got mad when appropriate. 
• Pro: I was fan of the dual timeline. The past POV came from Elin, while the present came predominately from the other three characters. It made sense, and it worked really well with helping me understand the affect Elin's suicide attempt had on the group dynamic, as well as, how Elin changed leading up to the attempt. 
• Pro: The end of the book really hit me in the feels, and although I would have liked to have spent a little more time with this fabulous group of friends, I was grateful for the hopeful ending Snow gifted me. I may not have all the answers my needy self wants, but I got enough information regarding the near future for each character to make me happy. 

Overall: A moving story of friendship and the lengths some will go to when protecting their friends, which struck there perfect balance for me and left me with a full heart.

** ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

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