Monday, November 13, 2017

Review: Now Is Everything - Amy Giles

Now Is Everything
Amy Giles
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Now Is Everything is a stirring debut novel told in alternating THEN and NOW chapters, perfect for Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Niven fans, about what one girl is willing to do to protect her past, present, and future.

The McCauleys look perfect on the outside. But nothing is ever as it seems, and this family is hiding a dark secret.

Hadley McCauley will do anything to keep her sister safe from their father. But when Hadley’s forbidden relationship with Charlie Simmons deepens, the violence at home escalates, culminating in an explosive accident that will leave everyone changed.

When Hadley attempts to take her own life at the hospital post-accident, her friends, doctors, family, and the investigator on the case want to know why. Only Hadley knows what really happened that day, and she’s not talking.
There was no doubt in my mind that this was going to be an emotional read based on the synopsis, but I did not anticipate how deeply it would affect me. This book got under my skin, and left me battling a million different emotions.

The story opened at the scene of a plane crash from which only Hadley walked away. Immediately, I was thrust into a sort of mystery. You see, many people thought Hadley had the perfect life. Her family was wealthy and lived in a big house. She drove a nice car, was captain of the lacrosse team, and was Ivy League bound. However, behind the fancy veneer lurked Hadley's dark reality.
"He broke her years ago. Now he's trying to break me too. They both poison me, little by little, mutating me at a molecular level. I'm terrified someday he'll snip my already fragile backbone in half, just like he did to my mother."
I loved the way Giles told the story. First, there was the format, which alternated between past and present as told by Hadley. The way she utilized the two time periods added an air of mystery to the story. I am a fan of authors feeding me bits and pieces of a story, little by little, because I enjoy trying to put the pieces together, and with this book, there were a few reveals that actually made me gasp. We also saw other points of view through interviews conducted by the crash investigator. Most of these interviews were with Hadley's friends, and revealed that the McCauley family's facade was beginning to crack.
"I know they just want to help put me back together again, but it's not just my arm that's broken. I'm a million shattered pieces. Tiny shards that will cut anyone who tires to clean up my mess."
The format worked really well with the way the story played out. There was a build in the story that complimented the escalation of the violence at home. The more abuse heaped on Hadley, the more she began to unravel, and I found my heart aching for her. The writing was quite beautiful, and I found myself in a constant state of highlighting, because the phrasing was exquisite, and did a perfect job capturing the appropriate emotions. Giles did an amazing job bringing us into Hadley's head, and providing us with justifications for her behavior. Her fear and terror was palpable, and I found myself making silent wishes for her to just hold on and not give up as she was being pushed further and further from herself and closer and closer to the edge.
"My father bursts out of his study, a gust of wind before the storm, his footsteps the rolling thunder..."
It was very difficult to sit by and watch Hadley be broken by her father, but Giles wove some happy and hopeful bits to keep me from falling into an abyss of heartbreak. Lila was such a bright spot, and Hadley's affection for her was so genuine. It became the two of them against the world at one point, and I was thankful they had each other. We also got to see Hadley fall in love, and those were some of the best moments, because they were her escape, her haven in the storm. Giles gave her the perfect love interest, because although he was less economically blessed than Hadley, he could relate, having been in a similar situation dealing with an alcoholic mom and an abusive father.
"A mall flame ignites inside my belly, one I thought was extinguished a long time ago. A tiny torch of hope."
Overall: This was an honest and sensitive look at child abuse infused with some joy and hope, which was quite intense and left me a little raw, but hopeful.

**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. Quotes are from an ARC and may change upon publication.









Do you like emotional books? 
Do you have a favorite emotional read?
Let us know in the comments!

16 comments:

  1. I've been dying to read this book ever since I first saw the comparison to Sarah Dessen in the synopsis! I love/hate emotional books - love them because usually they're just break taking, gorgeously written and hate them because darn-it all the feelings just come out of me like a river lol I really love the quotes you used. They make me want to read the book even more! Great review, Sam!

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    1. This book was heavier than most of Dessen's book, but had that family focus and a great support system for the protagonists, that Dessen always gives us. I thought Giles did such a nice job weaving this horrid, violent with a beautiful story of first love. I really enjoyed it a lot.

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  2. I hadn't heard of this before, but I must have it, Sam. It sounds powerful and emotional, and I know it's a story that will stay with me for a long time. I love those kinds of books. Thanks for puting this on my radar. :)

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    1. The theme carries a lot of weight on its own, but I thought the way Giles wrote the story was really smart and added to the drama that is intrinsic to the topic.

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  3. I do love me some emotional reads. I'm always drawn to them. I have this one on my TBR but totally forgot about it. I'm surprised there hasn't been more buzz about it but now I'm thinking I need to get my hands on this soon. Great review!

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    1. I feel like SFF debuts get a lot more buzz than contemporaries in general, but if you want an emotional and powerful read, this book will deliver.

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  4. This sounds like a book that's going to leave me with a massive book hangover and emotionally exhaust me in the best way possible

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    1. The ending kept me from getting to bogged down in it, because it is hopeful, not unicorns and rainbows, but there is definitely hope. I need that boost at the end when reading an emotional book, otherwise, I am just a puddle, a useless puddle.

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  5. Oh wow, this sounds like a book that takes your emotions on a roller coaster ride. This book is new to me, but you've certainly made me want to read it. Wonderful review!

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    1. It was surprised at how much I liked it. I knew it would be a good read, but it really got under my skin in so many ways, and I found that I could not stop reading it.

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  6. Oh this is such a lovely review. This book sounds quite powerful and heavy on emotions... maybe a book I should add to my TBR, as I tend to love these ones. AND I love books when they're divided between past and present, giving us, like, little pieces of a puzzle to figure out.
    Thank you for the lovely recommendation! :)

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    1. Emotion was my middle name while I read this book, but so worth it, because the story just held me hostage. Loved it!

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  7. Oh boy, this sounds like an intense read... but totally worth it. I just know that it will hurt my heart but your review has convinced me that I need to read it. I'll be checking to see if my library has this one. Wonderful review, Sam.

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    1. Exactly. I don't mind being taken on an emotional roller coaster, if there is a good payout at the end.

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  8. This sounds absolutely brilliant. Definitely the kind of book which I want to be reading. I mean, it doesn't sound like the easiest of books but the past and present storytelling is one I don't always love but I think it's necessary in this one and would totally work for me. Brilliant review, I am adding this to my TBR now.

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    1. The thing about this book was the build. It was the culmination of the darkness and the violence, which escalated as we approach having the whole story. I found it took hold of me, and I couldn't stop reading it, even through the tears.

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