Book Review: Dear Ava

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Hey Gems,

You all know I love to read and it is the most cathartic experience for me. I love all kinds of books and usually read as an experience of calm but every once in a while I come across a book that makes such a huge impression it just stays on your soul. Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills, is a book that I don't think I can ever forget!

This book is everything at once, it is emotional, maddening, a little scary, high school, dramatic and so real. The book deals with fragmented memories and flashbacks so you only have pieces of the full story and need to wait until the combination is finally revealed to know the whole story. 

The main character Ava is trying to put on a brave face after tragedy and she is seen as the enemy at school. The difficulties of facing her peers, bullying and her memories being shared really build her character as strong, independent and struggling with her past trauma. The way she walks back into school at the beginning of the book and her thought process as she walks down the hall is one of the best written internal dialogues. Honestly the whole book is filled which such great internal dialogues.

A trigger warning here, the book does deal with some really difficult trauma experiences and mental health issues!

At the end of the day, the book feels so raw and real, that's why it stayed with me. It wasn't an easy read, it wasn't some perfect, easy romance. It was hard to read, upsetting and so REAL!

I would easily rate this book a 10/10 not to mention you can read it for free on kindle!!

Talk soon, 

T


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