The Quick Cut: A teen girl who blogs her poetry reluctantly allows a teen boy help her keep posting after an accident has left her temporarily blind. Drama ensues when emotions get real and secrets come out.
A Real Review:
Thank you to Abbie Emmons for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What would you do if you were left temporarily blind? Would you spend your days wallowing in the short term loss or doing your best to continue life as normal? Is loss, even when it's not permanent one, as painful as when there's no going back? These and more are the questions explored in the story of Tessa and Weston.
Tessa has spent her life being raised by her grandparents, barely knowing her mom and never knowing who her dad is. She was happy with the way things were until a drink driver hit her unique family and left her temporarily blind for 100 days. In order to help her cope, her Grandpa attempted to help by putting an ad out for a typist to continue her ability to post her on her poetry blog. However, when Tessa shuts it down and he calls to cancel the ad - Weston hears her story and fills the role... VERY MUCH to Tessa's displeasure at first. What she doesn't know though is that he knows where she's coming from because he's a double leg amputee (& he made her grandparents promise not to say a word).
This story has so much soul, I'm surprised it didn't sing all on its own. I could not put this one down from the moment I started to read and I'm happy I didn't! Tessa's pain over her blindness feels so raw and real, especially since on top of that - she continues to experience PTSD of the accident that caused her situation via nightmares. That along with the headaches, her symptoms and responses feel visceral in a way that makes it easy to put yourself in her shoes.
Weston is a double leg amputee who lost his legs due to a MRSA infection turned necrotic after a skateboarding accident. It meant that in order to save his life, his legs from below his knees had to be cut off for his own safety. Because we go back in time and see what happened to him, you understand how he can be so positive even after losing so much of himself.
Weston's role is perfect with how he desires to feel normal and be treated like anyone else. Tessa's situation is perfect for him and these two fill a hole each of them have in their lives. As a reader, you learn so much about being in their headspaces after losing pieces of themselves.
It's well written, heart thumping story that will make you want to come back for more.
My rating: 5 out of 5