Everything I Knew to be True by Rayna York. I have shared before that I receive a lot of notifications about Blog Tours but don’t jump for them unless I really think it’s a book that sounds like a fit for me. For my second book review and blog tour I was excited to read a Young Adult book. Everything I Knew to be True by Rayna York
Fiction – Young Adult Contemporary
Released May 12, 2019 by Toad Tree Publisher
362 Pages
Bottom Line: Read it if you enjoy Young Adult books
Links to Purchase
Fiction – Young Adult Contemporary
Released May 12, 2019 by Toad Tree Publisher
362 Pages
Bottom Line: Read it if you enjoy Young Adult books
Links to Purchase
My Rating: ★★★★☆ I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to other young people.
Add to your TBR List: ADD TO GOODREADS
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Why I Picked It Up: I do enjoy Young Adult Books and was intrigued by the summary. I wanted to give another Book Review and Blog Tour a try but I needed the book to be one I knew I would enjoy.
The Official Summary
It was never easy for Cassie and her mother, struggling to make ends meet in their tiny apartment in The Bronx, but they had each other and that was enough. When her mother dies suddenly from an aggressive form of cancer, Cassie is forced to finish high school in California while living with the wealthy family of her mother’s closest friend—a women she never knew existed. Living with the Stantons is the complete opposite of what she’s used to—the massive house, a father figure,and Cody, the spoiled, insanely good-looking son with the bedroom across the hall. Broken with grief and struggling to fit in, Cassie meets Mila, a female powerhouse that helps her cope with a hidden past, the overwhelming present, and a shared experience no one should have to endure—a nightmare they both thought was over.
Warning: Although this book is classified as Young Adult, I recommended it for mature readers due to explicit language.
What I Loved
- I love the fact that this book addresses some real tough topics from the loss of a parent to bullying and assault. These aren’t pretty topics, but important ones.
- Cassie’s life fell apart at such a young age, 17, with her mother who is her only family as far as she knows dying of cancer. Through her story she is able to surround herself with some amazing friends and a new family. I think sometimes at a young age we focus more on quantity over quality and it was the opposite in this book.
- This created some very likable characters. Not all of them were likable, but there were quite a few to enjoy.
- I loved Cassie’s no-nonsense behavior. She wasn’t impressed by the wealthy environment she moved into as she grew up in an opposite environment and knows that wasn’t everything.
- While there are some mature topics, I do think they are topics that young adults experience and appropriate. It does make me remember how tough high school could be. Kids can be so mean!
- This is a debut novel, I do enjoy reading debut novels!
So, what didn’t I like?
- This book did read a little young. Some Young Adult novels feel like they may straddle into Adult novels but this was definitely Young Adult.
- Some events felt a little unrealistic, but that is true is many books! It didn’t make it any less enjoyable and honestly I really loved reading about what happened to the characters.
Follow the Author
Rayna York grew up with hippie parents that liked to adventure, so being the new kid was always a challenge.Where change was the norm, books were her constant–a way to escape. As an adult, many careers came and went, but writing has always been her passion. Everything I knew to be true is her first published novel.
Good for people who like
Young Adult Books, tough topics, specifically high school tough topics
Other Books You May Like
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
or
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
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