This book, this entire series, hit me so hard in the feels. I cannot adequately put into words just how much this book effected me. I read it immediately when it was released and this is one of my top re-reads.
These events, when they happen, they are in the news, in our faces, for the initial period of time, but then we don't always think about the scars that so many of the victims and their families continue to carry with them when the cameras go away and the reporters stop asking questions. Anniversaries, documentaries--yes, we see that too, but not their day to day lives. It's a grim reminder that even though the tragedy has passed in the "public" eyes, it hasn't really passed, at all. It's still a living entity that people are suffering through every day. In this book, as in everything I read just about, I was glad to see a happily ever after. It brought balance to the darkness of the event that changed the lives of these characters. The author did a great job making the characters real. I would caution those who may be triggered by reading about a school shooting (or any act of violence that may impact them) though, as it could be traumatic to re-experience such an event. It's done tastefully and with respect, but it could still bring emotional upheavel to someone not prepared for it to be on the page.
These events, when they happen, they are in the news, in our faces, for the initial period of time, but then we don't always think about the scars that so many of the victims and their families continue to carry with them when the cameras go away and the reporters stop asking questions. Anniversaries, documentaries--yes, we see that too, but not their day to day lives. It's a grim reminder that even though the tragedy has passed in the "public" eyes, it hasn't really passed, at all. It's still a living entity that people are suffering through every day. In this book, as in everything I read just about, I was glad to see a happily ever after. It brought balance to the darkness of the event that changed the lives of these characters. The author did a great job making the characters real. I would caution those who may be triggered by reading about a school shooting (or any act of violence that may impact them) though, as it could be traumatic to re-experience such an event. It's done tastefully and with respect, but it could still bring emotional upheavel to someone not prepared for it to be on the page.