Thursday, June 11, 2009

This Is What I Want to Tell You by Heather Duffy Stone

Nadio and his twin sister, Noelle, always had a unique bond. And somehow, Keeley Shipley fit perfectly into their world. But when Keeley spends the summer in England, she comes home changed, haunted by a dark memory. As she and Nadio fall in love, they try to hide it from Noelle, who's jealously guarding a secret of her own. Slowly, a life-long friendship begins to crack under the crushing weight of past trauma, guarded secrets, jealousy, obsession . . . and an unexpected love that could destroy them.
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I was truly surprised by this book. It was not what I expected at all. It was an intense read that was a lot more complex than I originally thought it would be.

The characters were probably what made this book for me. They were very believable and interesting to read about. Any teenager will be able to find something they can relate to or identify with. I liked that the chapters alternated between Nadio and Noelle's points of view. It gives the reader more perspective. I really liked seeing the other sibling's side of the story. My personal favorite was Nadio.

There are boatloads of issues addressed in this novel. Drugs, sex, alcohol, rape, and secrets in general to name a few. If you want issues, this book's got 'em! All these may seem like a lot, but it all fit seamlessly into the story. It wasn't overly concerned with one thing or the other either. I didn't feel too overwhelmed by anything.

Overall, this was an interesting read. I can't see myself rereading it again, however, but it was entertaining at the time.

3 out of 5 stars

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