ARC Book Review | Me Since You by Laura Wiess

Format: e-ARC

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Publication Date: 2/18/2014

Publisher: MTV Books

Goodreads

 

Laura Wiess captures the visceral emotion of a girl’s journey from innocence to devastating loss and, ultimately, to a strange and unexpected kind of understanding—in this beautiful and painfully honest new novel.

Are there any answers when someone you love makes a tragic choice?

Before and After. That’s how Rowan Areno sees her life now. Before: she was a normal sixteen-year-old—a little too sheltered by her police officer father and her mother. After: everything she once believed has been destroyed in the wake of a shattering tragedy, and every day is there to be survived.

If she had known, on that Friday in March when she cut school, that a random stranger’s shocking crime would have traumatic consequences, she never would have left campus. If the crime video never went viral, maybe she could have saved her mother, grandmother — and herself — from the endless replay of heartache and grief.

Finding a soul mate in Eli, a witness to the crime who is haunted by losses of his own, Rowan begins to see there is no simple, straightforward path to healing wounded hearts. Can she learn to trust, hope, and believe in happiness again?

 

This is one of those books that I picked up based on a glowing review and I'm honestly not sure I would have otherwise.  But, I'm so glad that I did because this book was absolutely amazing and I'm so happy that I got the chance to read it.

When sixteen year old Rowan skips school with her best friend on senior skip day, she has no idea the consequences that will result from her actions.  She does not know that the one tiny decision she makes that day has the power to change her life forever. 

At the beginning of this book, it seems like Rowan has the attitude that nothing bad ever happens, and having a cop for a father I could see how that she had been protected from a lot of things.  But the truth is, bad things happen all the time.  They happen to good people who don't deserve it, they happen when they could have been avoided.  And sooner or later, we are all going to be touched by something horrible. 

I can't say much more without giving away spoilers, but I will say that if and when you go to pick up this book, get ready for an emotional rollercoaster.  I can't tell you how many times I had to walk away because I couldn't see through my tears and Wiess doesn't ease you into them, they hit you right in the face with no warning.

Overall, Me Since You is a stunning and emotional read. Heed my warning, grab a box of tissues before you start reading this book, you will need them.