"I couldn’t feel my arms or legs. My neck, my hair, my stomach—they weren’t mine anymore."
If you lived in Willow Ridge, a town based on Jade’s hometown near Syracuse, New York, you’d know of Estella Montclair. Estella is one of the top high school sprinters around and she’s in the newspaper all the time.
After Estella is killed in a texting and driving crash, what remains of her face and body is devastating. But not all of her has died.
During the first month after her death, Estella’s spirit travels among her living friends and family. Her best friends Zara, Eva and Jett show her how pain and sorrow can break apart or strengthen a bond. She also sees for the first time that loss can spark revenge and destructive behavior, catastrophe can come without warning, and we all have secrets, but she discovers that even the darkest days can become hopeful, peaceful and purposeful and inspire acts of compassion.
She wonders if her chance for love with Phoenix has passed her by, and if out of sight truly means out of mind.
And maybe one day the girl who caused her death will admit her mistake.
While adjusting to a new state of being, Estella struggles to face the limitations that come with death, but blossoms by recognizing she can still touch the lives of the people she once knew so well.
GAMINE PRESS, ISBN: 978-0-9850-9750-9; eBook ISBN: 978-0-9850-9753-0; On Sale: July 26, 2012;
**My thoughts**
I made the mistake of starting this book while eating a quiet dinner in one of my favorite restaurants. Luckily, the staff there knows that I am often reading a book to review, and they will ignore my emotional state as I am engrossed. This book not only had me engrossed, but I was in tears from the first chapter on.
Death is never easy to take, particularly the death of a young one. When I was about the same age in high school, two of my classmates were killed in two separate car accidents, about six months apart. Back then, we didn't have cell phones to distract us. Chatting with or following friends was distraction enough to cause strange things to happen. Each case was just as horrific, though, and just as painful for all who were involved. I completely related to the emptiness felt by Estella's friends and the eerie quiet and whispers floating along the hallways. I understood their apprehension to die. When my first friend died, it was the night before I was supposed to get behind the wheel for my first official Driver's Ed drive with an instructor. I was terrified to do it and told him why. His daughter had also known her and he forced me behind the wheel to help me move on, just as Estella's friends must also do.
I also felt Estella's pain as she watched her loved ones move on with their lives. Isobella Jade's descriptions of Estella's emotions as she holds on to her former life on Earth are exactly how I would imagine it would be to be on the other side. I felt my eyes well up with tears on numerous occasions as I read through the story.
I found it interesting that Isobella Jade's father had recently died, thus prompting her to create this series. I lost my own father around the same time she lost hers. I think I can truly relate to her need to have created this series and wish I could do the same to complete my own story ideas. I can imagine it would be very therapeutic. Estella goes around trying to help her friends and family. I like to thing that my father is still here at times helping me.
The chapters in this book are each titled with cliches that are very true. The warnings given throughout the book are ones that readers of any age should heed. I only hope that the numerous messages throughout this book are not wasted on "deaf ears" by my fellow readers. Pay attention to the messages. Be grateful for your life and what you have. Hug your loved ones a little bit closer.
I look forward to reading more of this series as it becomes available.
While I did receive an eARC of this book in exchange for my review during this book blog tour, all opinions contained within this review are my own. I did not receive any form of compensation for this post.
View the book trailer for Careful: http://www.isobelladreams.com/TheCarefulQuietInvisibleSeries.html
Listen to a podcast reading: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/isobellajade
About the author:
Isobella Jade, known as the petite model who wrote her first book Almost 5’4" at the Apple store in New York City and the author of Short Stuff: on the job with an x-small model and a graphic novel Model Life, lost her father in 2011 from a tragic propane fire. She puts her immense grief into a new young adult novel series called Careful, Quiet, Invisible and through the spirit of sixteen year old Estella Montclair this sentimental series represents that love and friendship can live on.
Contact: Isobellajade03@yahoo.com
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ReplyDeleteAuthor some time comes across the situation where they want to tell struggle in life is the only key which can create a brighter future. They say happiness come from struggle and everyone has to be ready for that.