Book Blurb:
The world isn't just black or white. Sometimes it's red...
They think I'm next. That I'll be the seventh kid to step in front of a train and end my life. With the rash of suicides at my school, Mom's shipped me off to my dad's Wyoming ranch for “my own safety.” They think I’m just another depressed teenager whose blood will end up on the tracks. They don't know my secrets...or what I’ve done.
I wasn't expecting Dad to be so sick, for the ranch I loved to be falling to bits, or for Jake—the cute boy I knew years ago—to have grown into a full-fledged, hot-as-hell cowboy. Suddenly, I don't want to run anymore, but the secrets from home have found me...even here. And this time, it's up to me to face them—and myself—if I want to live...
My Review:
3.5 Out Of 5 Stars
Genre: Teen--
The reader meets Paige as a broken shell of a girl, emotionally distraught and overall a hot mess. Her seemingly distant mother is sending her to visit her father for the summer, to get away from the mess of Paige’s life as well as a chance to see her estranged, sick father. As the story progresses, the reasoning for Paige’s despondency becomes told through diary entries as Paige tries to live her life out on her father’s ranch, as far from her world as she can get.
The synopsis for the book is the most vague thing ever, with no real details but tantalizing hints of what could be, so of course I wanted to read the book. The cover and the title were enough alone to peak my interest without knowing any details. I don’t want to give anything spoilery away since part of the books allure is the mystery of it, so this review will just be my opinion and no details. I can honestly say I was not sure what I was getting myself into here, but I found that I liked the book despite it not being what I kinda sorta assumed it would be. I won’t say what it is not, but I can say that the book was an open wound of emotions based on a emotionally damaged girl who is doing her best to face reality the only way she knows how and there may be some romance involved.
I really enjoy how the story is told, with Paige’s current life the main focus even though the reader is desperate to know what caused Paige to be this way. Each time she gets upset, Paige writes down what happened in her old diary, but she starts at the beginning and slowly leads the reader through the events. I absolutely loved the delivery of the story. The author used the perfect tool to lure me in and force me to keep reading because I needed to know more. Something would happen that shocked or confused me and I wanted to keep reading, not even considering putting the book down, so that I could read the next diary entry of the terrible past. Job well done, Ms. Kling. I flew through the book because the anticipation motivated me. That being said, this was not an easy read because the subject matter was dark and depressing. As a warning, if you want something light stay away from this title.
I was not really a fan of Paige when the story began, she was more a means to an end so I could uncover what happened to her before the story starts. She was broken which I don’t have a huge problem with in a character, but she was so needy and quickly latched on to Jake, which makes little sense once her history evolves. I also felt at times she was a little immature as seen by her uninformed outbursts and opinions which she volunteered regardless of knowing nothing about the issue. I feel like she would be more mature as a person even with her issues because of what she went through. As the story progressed, man did she change. She healed and grew up, able to make hard choices for the greater good and I respected the heck out of her.
I found this to be a compelling and messed up story dealing with hard topics like depression, guilt and suicide but also about things like healing from grief and hope. I look forward to more from the author.
I received this title from the publisher in return for my honest review.
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