Review: Moonrise

Moonrise | Sarah Crossan

Published by: Bloomsbury Children's, September 7th 2017

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Poetry

Pages: 400

Format: Ebook

Source: Bloomsbury, via Netgalley

'They think I hurt someone. 
But I didn't. You hear?
Coz people are gonna be telling you
all kinds of lies.
I need you to know the truth.'

Joe hasn't seen his brother for ten years, and it's for the most brutal of reasons. Ed is on death row.

But now Ed's execution date has been set, and Joe is determined to spend those last weeks with him, no matter what other people think ...

From one-time winner and two-time Carnegie Medal shortlisted author Sarah Crossan, this poignant, stirring, huge-hearted novel asks big questions. What value do you place on life? What can you forgive? And just how do you say goodbye?

This book was so sad. I expected it to be full of grief but it was just SO sad and lonesome. The premise itself was really unique and interesting and just heartbreaking, with the main character's brother on death row. But he was so alone throughout much of this and that really came through the poetry and the language. I like how the book wasn't a hundred percent about Joe's brother, that there were elements of life outside that, and there was a bit of a romance but not too much to detract from the heart of the book. My only niggle is I wanted justice for Ed, wanted the killer to answer for the crime, but I still like the ending. 

This book is so pure and sad and honest that it hurts.

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★★☆

Review: We Come Apart

We Come Apart | Sarah Crossan & Brian Conaghan

Published by: Bloomsbury Children's, February 9th 2017

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Verse

Pages: 320

Format: Ebook

Source: Bloomsbury Children's,  via Netgalley

From two acclaimed authors comes an emotional story told in verse about friendship, love, and overcoming unbeatable odds.

Authors Brian Conaghan and Sarah Crossan have joined forces to tell the story of Nicu and Jess, two troubled teens whose paths cross in the unlikeliest of places.

Nicu has emigrated from Romania and is struggling to find his place in his new home. Meanwhile, Jess's home life is overshadowed by violence. When Nicu and Jess meet, what starts out as friendship grows into romance as the two bond over their painful pasts and hopeful futures. But will they be able to save each other, let alone themselves?
For fans of Una LaMarche’s Like No Other, this illuminating story told in dual points of view through vibrant verse will stay with readers long after they've turned the last page.

This is a quiet, heart-full novel about friendship and abuse and immigration and racism and I loved it. At first I wasn't sure at all. Nicu's broken english made me feel two ways - that it was a stereotypical portrayal of an immigrant and why couldn't he have perfect english, and why should he HAVE to speak in perfect english? The more I read, the more I felt the second way, and his speech was just part of him. And I loved this book. It has so much to say and does it so well.

It's a quick read, despite the heavy-going themes, and I quickly fell in love with the two main characters. I will say one thing - it escalates quickly toward the end, which comes as a bit of a shock. But I love the ending really, and all it says for Nicu.

Honestly, this is just lovely and memorable and upsetting and really well written, and you should read it.

Characters ★★★☆☆
Setting/World ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★★☆

One (ARC Review)

One | Sarah Crossan

Published by: Greenwillow Books, September 15th 2015

Genre: YA, Contemporary, Poetry

Pages: 400

Format: Ebook

Source: Greenwillow Books, via Edelweiss

Tippi and Grace share everything—clothes, friends . . . even their body. Writing in free verse, Sarah Crossan tells the sensitive and moving story of conjoined twin sisters, which will find fans in readers of Gayle Forman, Jodi Picoult, and Jandy Nelson.

Tippi and Grace. Grace and Tippi. For them, it’s normal to step into the same skirt. To hook their arms around each other for balance. To fall asleep listening to the other breathing. To share. And to keep some things private. The two sixteen-year-old girls have two heads, two hearts, and each has two arms, but at the belly, they join. And they are happy, never wanting to risk the dangerous separation surgery.

But the girls’ body is beginning to fight against them. And soon they will have to face the impossible choice they have avoided for their entire lives.

Everything you will hear about this will be true. One is poignant and moving and unflinching. It is just, unfortunately, not the greatest book for me. I could go on about how I connected with the characters but never cared much, about how the story was important but I wasn't all that interested, how the romance felt depth-less, but let me tell you about the writing instead. Because that is where I fell in love with this book.

Sarah Crossan writes free verse like a master. Seriously. Her way with words is astounding, and sometimes left me a little speechless. I have huge parts of this highlighted, and more than ten poems bookmarked, because I just fell in love with how it was written and I know I will go back and read those parts again and again. So while I didn't love everything about this, I can find no regret that I read it, and I will always remember One.

This story didn't resonate with me as much as it should have done, as much as it will with you, but for the writing alone I have to own and cherish this book forever. Read this book - you won't regret it! (Well, you might, at the end, when you're crying...)

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★★★+

Follow all my reviews on Bloglovin!