Hardcover, 292 pagesRelease Date: November 7, 2017Published by: Balzer + Bray
Read from: November 26-28, 2017Stand-aloneSource: LibraryFor fans of: Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Sparkly Covers, Family Relationships, Diverse Characters,
Despite sending him letters ever since she was thirteen, Taliah Abdallat never thought she'd ever really meet Julian Oliver. But one day, while her mother is out of the country, the famed rock star from Staring Into the Abyss shows up on her doorstep. This makes sense - kinda - because Julian Oliver is Taliah's father, even though her mother would never admit it to her.
Julian asks if Taliah if she will drop everything and go with him to his hometown of Oak Falls, Indiana, to meet his father - her grandfather - who is nearing the end of his life. Taliah, torn between betraying her mother's trust and meeting the family she has never known, goes.
With her best friend Harlow by her side, Taliah embarks on a three-day journey to find out everything about her 'father' and her family. But Julian isn't the father Taliah always hoped for, and revelations about her mother's past are seriously shaking her foundation. Through all these new experiences, Taliah will have to find new ways to be true to herself, honoring her past and her future.
*MY THOUGHTS*
When I first read the synopsis for this I wasn't sure this would be my cup of tea. But then I realized that Jasmine Warga's debut completely gutted me when I read it, and I was then completely sold. Before I had even cracked the spine on this one.
"I want to write songs that make people feel new things. And remember things they've forgotten. [...] I want to write your favorite song."
pg. 108
Taliah has tried for years to get the attention of her father so she could get to know him. All behind her mother's back. Unfortunately, her dad is a super famous singer/ songwriter/guitarist that plays in a rock band. But one day, she finally hears from her dad.... But not over the phone, when he turns up on her porch. She finds out his father is dying and he wants her to meet him before he does.
The number one thing I liked about this one is actually the thing I liked most about Warga's debut, the writing style. It felt very real and I really felt as if I was plucked onto the set of a movie and watching this in real life. I felt every emotion, and that's how I knew I loved the book."When someone's dying we make it all about the firsts and the lasts. We recount things fromthe beginning and from the end, but we hardly ever talk about the middle. But it's the middle that matters, you know? '"
pg. 115
I also really loved the characters. Although he wasn't the main character, Julian is definitely my favorite. He wasn't a character that was afraid of love and I loved that about him. There aren't many guy characters who show much emotion, so Julian doing it was a welcome change. As for everyone else, I could see where each and every person fit into the story. Everyone had a purpose and it was exciting to see each character get developed."You seem to think that there's only a limited amount of space in your life and in your heart, and I think you need to reconsider that.'"pg. 136
"Sharing [...] success did not intrest her. She wanted her own success. Something that had her own name on it.'"
pg. 229
However, I was not a fan of the ending. For that entire build up, there seemed to be absolutely nothing that happened in the end. We never find out about what happens to them in the end. We never find out what happens to both families. Warga just chose to completely end it. Tho I'm assuming it's to make your own decisions about their story's end, I would have liked some real closure.
Jasmine Warga is such a great author who writes about important subjects. I can't wait to see what else she chooses to write next time. I can assure you, I will be reading her next book as well!"You have to live your life for you. You can't apologize or feel guilty for having your own dreams.'"
pg. 233
Overall, I give this
