Friday, June 6, 2014

Oblivion by Sasha Dawn {Review}


{Synopsis: courtesy of amazon.com}: 
Lisa McMann's Dead to You meets Kate Ellison's The Butterfly Clues in a psychological thriller full of romance, intrigue, and mystery. 

One year ago, Callie was found in an abandoned apartment, scrawling words on the wall: "I KILLED HIM. His blood is on my hands. His heart is in my soul. I KILLED HIM." But she remembers nothing of that night or of the previous thirty-six hours. All she knows is that her father, the reverend at the Church of the Holy Promise, is missing, as is Hannah, a young girl from the parish. Their disappearances have to be connected and Callie knows that her father was not a righteous man.

Since that fateful night, she's been plagued by graphomania -- an unending and debilitating compulsion to write. The words that flow from Callie's mind and through her pen don't seem to make sense -- until now. 

As the anniversary of Hannah's vanishing approaches, more words and memories bubble to the surface and a new guy in school might be the key to Callie putting together the puzzle. But digging up the secrets she's buried for so long might be her biggest mistake.


{Review}: 
I received this ARC courtesy of Netgalley.
Wow.
Just wow.
I haven’t read a book like this since I went through my Ellen Hopkins binge phase last year, where I literally read every book she ever published.
Sasha Dawn has done an amazing job of putting us right in the thick of Callie’s thoughts, fears, and the incredible journey of someone who suffers with graphomania {a compulsion to write}. The book is written in a way where you’re not 100% sure where the next turn is going to take you, but I promise it’s all resolved at the end. Callie’s thoughts are leading her to figure out the events that happened a year ago: when she was found in the apartment she lived in with her mother, with muddy footprints with the words “I killed him” all over the walls, written in red felt-tip marker.
There is obviously more of a storyline than just the graphomania that is gripping poor Callie. There’s some romance, some drama with her foster sister over said romance… but it’s all very natural and doesn’t feel at all forced {where I think some of the newer YA books DO feel forced}. I did feel at times that I was waiting for the book to finally come to a close, or finally come to the conclusion that we, as readers,  needed to come to, but I’m a VERY impatient person. It’s worth the wait to see the ending to this one. Absolutely 100% worth it.
There were two things I adored in this book: 1. The romance. It wasn’t “overly” done. There are also some mentions of rape/molestation, but it’s never blatantly put out there as far as what they’re doing… readers need to do a lot of inferencing about what is happening.
2. That this is a story not only that’s interesting and a good read, but is also about a compulsion. SO many young adult readers struggle with different compulsions: OCD behaviors, cutting, etc…. that I am enjoying more and more that there are books out there that make these kids feel as though they have a voice, and that they aren’t alone.

{Where can I buy this?}: 
I’ll bet your local bookstore may have it in stock.
Amazon: 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1606844768/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d10_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0Y5V86QYYRTXEWRV37Z4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846

B & N:

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/oblivion-sasha-dawn/1116816979?ean=9781606844762

{What would I rate it?}:
 4.9/5. Practically Perfect in Every Way.


{Who would I recommend this book to?}: 
 I think that kiddos in grade 8+ would be okay with this book. Or anyone who wants to read an awesome-sauce book!