Hello again & welcome to my stop for the YA Contemporary Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye by Shari A. Brady! This book has a great mix of sadness & happiness, appealing to a large range of many contemporary readers!
Enjoy! And don't forget to check out the rest of the tour here!
About the Author:
Shari A. Brady is a native Chicagoan and previously had so many careers she’s lost count. A graduate of Loyola University’s Business School and University of Chicago’s Creative Writing program, she’s finally a full-time writer, a dream she’s carried with her since she was twelve. She lives in suburban Chicago with two of the best kids ever and their shelter dog, Betty Queen Elizabeth. This is her first novel and her last career.
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Review:
Release Date: June 11, 2012
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self Published
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 260
Source: Review copy for blog tour – thanks!
Interest: YA Contemporary; Blog Tour
Buy the Book: IndieBound | Amazon | B&N
* A portion of the proceeds from buying the book will go to the FAIR Foundation, an organization supporting families of addicted teens, who cannot afford the cost of substance abuse treatment. It’s a great cause :D
Before my older sister Francesca died, I worked at the bakery and wrote songs, but now I write lists. Lists like ten reasons why it's my fault Francesca's dead, or five reasons why I should try and win Howie back, or one reason why I need to stop lying to everyone, including myself.
Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is an extraordinary novel about one family's struggle to make sense of their world after losing a family member to addiction. Through sixteen-year-old Carmella's eyes, we witness the courage and strength it takes to overcome the consequences of grief, guilt and co-dependency. WIth conviction and determination, Carmella shows us what can happen when we're open to love, feel the pain of our loss, and find the courage to accept the truth of our lives.
Rating: 3.5 / 5 Riceballs
Book Review:
Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye was a perfect mix of sadness and joy. While it could have thrived as an very depressing book, its combination of sorrowful moments and romantic, but sweet and happy times will appeal to many readers, as it did to me! (:
Marcella, more commonly known as Mello, isn’t the strongest, prettiest, or smartest heroine, but she definitely was a memorable and believable one. At times, she’s vulnerable and decides to lie or run away from tough situations, but realistically, who wouldn’t? Her emotions were well flushed out, believable, and beautiful, and for that reason, I was able to connect with her character. For example, she had a pretty complex, but maybe common, relationship with her parents. On one hand, her parents wanted to shelter Mello and overreacted a lot, as an attempt to hold onto their last child. On the other hand, Mello needed space and freedom, in order to experience more out of life and grow. I felt like I really felt Mello’s frustrations and, to an extent, I understood what she was going through.
The side characters also added more to the story! Along with Mello’s parents, I also adored Howie (he was so sweet & cute!), her best friend Anna, and Francesca’s boyfriend, Donny. I liked that Anna and Mello’s relationship wasn’t cliché – their friendship wasn’t perfect, but at the end, they were still supportive of each other. Donny also brought another very different perspective to the story, and his breakdown and eventual recovery were almost as heartbreaking but also as joyful as Mello’s.
As for Howie, he really was the source of sunshine in Mello’s world. He’s the type of guy you might have wanted to date in high school: cute, nice, and totally understanding of you. I felt like their relationship not only was cute and enjoyable to read about, but also held chemistry, too. (Almost) mostly importantly for me, it also didn’t feel like Howie was simply a plot device, or an excuse to write in a romance, since it seems like in YA, many authors add romance, where it didn’t belong or didn’t feel necessary.
Overall, Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye was a fast, emotional and beautifully written read, with perfect amounts of both heartbreak and smiles. Fans of authors like Hannah Harrington (I found that I had a similar experience with Saving June), Deb Caletti, or YA Contemporary in general will devour this book!
Marcella, more commonly known as Mello, isn’t the strongest, prettiest, or smartest heroine, but she definitely was a memorable and believable one. At times, she’s vulnerable and decides to lie or run away from tough situations, but realistically, who wouldn’t? Her emotions were well flushed out, believable, and beautiful, and for that reason, I was able to connect with her character. For example, she had a pretty complex, but maybe common, relationship with her parents. On one hand, her parents wanted to shelter Mello and overreacted a lot, as an attempt to hold onto their last child. On the other hand, Mello needed space and freedom, in order to experience more out of life and grow. I felt like I really felt Mello’s frustrations and, to an extent, I understood what she was going through.
The side characters also added more to the story! Along with Mello’s parents, I also adored Howie (he was so sweet & cute!), her best friend Anna, and Francesca’s boyfriend, Donny. I liked that Anna and Mello’s relationship wasn’t cliché – their friendship wasn’t perfect, but at the end, they were still supportive of each other. Donny also brought another very different perspective to the story, and his breakdown and eventual recovery were almost as heartbreaking but also as joyful as Mello’s.
As for Howie, he really was the source of sunshine in Mello’s world. He’s the type of guy you might have wanted to date in high school: cute, nice, and totally understanding of you. I felt like their relationship not only was cute and enjoyable to read about, but also held chemistry, too. (Almost) mostly importantly for me, it also didn’t feel like Howie was simply a plot device, or an excuse to write in a romance, since it seems like in YA, many authors add romance, where it didn’t belong or didn’t feel necessary.
Overall, Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye was a fast, emotional and beautifully written read, with perfect amounts of both heartbreak and smiles. Fans of authors like Hannah Harrington (I found that I had a similar experience with Saving June), Deb Caletti, or YA Contemporary in general will devour this book!
Giveaway!
Shari is generously giving away 3 signed copies of the book for the tour! This giveaway is open to the US only. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
