I was intrigued by this book because it is a novel told in verse. And the cover is pretty stunning. I love reading poems and am trying to support novels in verse because I'm excited about the rising popularity of this genre. So, I decided to start this reading challenge by reading this book.
Far From You is the story of a teen girl girl who lost her mother to cancer years ago. Just recently, though, her father is now remarried and his new wife is pregnant. It's all too soon for Alice.
Sometimes, Alice can be a tough character to feel close to. She is distant from her family, and doesn't want anything to do with her stepmother or the new baby. She does want to re-establish a relationship with her father, but seems to shut down whenever he's around. Of course, this makes her character all the more believable. And, I wanted to see her through to a less angry place. I had faith that she'd get there. But, I didn't know how.
On the way home after a Thanksgiving road trip, Alice, her stepmother, and the newborn baby find themselves stranded in a snowstorm. It is here, in the close quarters of the SUV that Alice's anger and frustration and sheer loss comes to a head. She and her stepmother, Victoria, have the inevitable fight but then move to a place of understanding. And, Alice gets to see Victoria, her new sister, and her mother in a whole new way. Once this trip is finished, Alice will never be the same.
I read this book in the space of a couple hours. It was riveting and so very quick. The verse format makes it possible to absolutely devour this book, but still feel connected to the characters. I was truly pulling for Alice by the end of the book. Which is not how I felt after I first met her.
So, I'm off to a great start in this Holiday Reading Challenge and I'm excited to see which one of you will win my extra copy of this book! To enter, please leave a comment about why you'd like to read this book. This contest is US only; but, I have other international contests coming soon!
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Good luck and Happiest of Holidays to all of YOU!
