YA – Life Gone Write

Oh, the beauty of fall. Cozy evenings, apple cider, orange leaves.

Speaking of orange leaves, check out this beautiful book: The Truth Project by Dante Medema.

As pretty as the cover is, it doesn’t do justice to the story inside. It’s THAT good.

The Truth Project follows Cordelia, a teenage Alaskan poet struggling with the age old question Who am I? as she accidentally stumbles across a family secret when her Genequest results reveal the man who raised her isn’t quite the man she thought.

Best of all, it’s written in verse. An entire book written in poetry! Check out this sample from the first page:

Before I go on, I need to admit something: I’m one of those DNA kids. You know, the people who accidentally find their biological family online? Yep. That’s me.

Because of my experience, Cordelia’s story hit me in one of the softest, most protected parts of my heart. Maybe that’s why I loved it so much. Maybe.

But really, I think my love for this novel is a testimony to the beauty and rawness of Cordelia’s emotional arc. Verse novels are hard—I’ve written a POV in verse, it’s one of the most difficult things I’ve tackled—but in The Truth Project, Cordelia’s story isn’t held back by the unconventional format. Instead, the story is better because of the verse. Every word holds weight. Every line has a punch. The pages read like the wishes we’ve all made in our quietest moments—heartfelt, tender, and authentic.

Despite my obvious emotional attachment to Cordelia discovering her DNA surprise, there were other parts of this book I loved just as much. Sana, Cordelia’s best friend, is an absolute firecracker in all the best ways. The complex relationship between Cordelia and her sister, Bea, is relatable. Kodiak Jones, the bad boy love interest (is he really a bad boy though?) is my favorite love interest this year.

Yeah, I said it. My FAVORITE. Kodiak Jones deserves a fan club.

The best part of this book is the way it leaves you. Happy, a little bruised, yet warm and fuzzy on the inside. Positivity is something we all need, especially this year, and this story is a tough journey that ends with Cordelia in a gut-wrenching, yet better place.

If you’re looking heartwarming story that’s got something new to offer, read The Truth Project. As I give this book five stars, I wish I could give it more.

Keep writing everyone,

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I am back from my hiatus!

I’m not going to lie, it was nice to have a month that was book free. The last few books I read were a bit of a letdown, and I was overwhelmed with work for my personal projects.It was nice to focus on my own work. I began to miss reading after a week or so, but I was leery because of the rough, weak story lines I had read before my NovelVaca ( ooh, look, a new word!). Luckily, the first book I read, Gambit by C.L Denault, immediately hooked me on books again.

It was that good.

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The premise is classic Dystopian, one of my favorite genres. There were a few new ingredients in this Dystopian universe, which included cat/children “rippers”, AKA feline killing machines, and physically enhanced soldiers.

Okay, that last part is not a new concept, but it was very well done.

The world is a mix of old charm and futuristic fantasy, which goes together much better than you would expect. Think bacon plus chocolate- Great separate, decadent together. The world building is solid, not overdone, and not slapped in front of you with a word paint brush in a single paragraph ( this is called info dumping, I detest it!) . The prose was beautiful. C.L Denault is a talented storyteller and writer, and the possession of those two talents is harder to find in an Author than people might believe.

However, all the things above are not the reason I loved this book. Yes, the world is interesting. Yes, there are unique factors. But the characters stole my heart. Willow, Reece and the supporting cast were exceptional.

Willow is a 16 year old girl who grew up in a poor, yet happy family. She acts like a teenager, which is great, because that’s exactly what she is. Her life wouldn’t support an overly mature attitude, so I appreciated the realistic take on her. Despite her immaturity, she is a strong, promising character that I am sure will encompass her potential by the time this series is complete.

But she wasn’t the star of the show.

My favorite character is Commander Reece- a terrifying, harsh, amazingly enigmatic man who any girl would fall head over heals for, despite his streak of danger (let’s be honest, it makes him better!). He’s the first male character I’ve fallen for in ages. It was wonderful to feel that way about a book again!

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I also enjoyed the supporting characters, Asp, Tem, Morry, all of them! They had their own unique personalities, which is so refreshing. Many books have filler characters that are just there, saying lines. Not these guys! They were dimensional and alive.

There were a few times I looked up from the pages with an “eh” attitude, but now that I’ve finished the book I can’t remember why I felt that way. The positives completely overtook those few moments, and I will be waiting for the next book with anxious impatience.

So, I am going to give this book 5 stars.

That’s right. I said it. FIVE STARS!!!!!!!

I am not saying this book is perfection, or a great piece of artistic mastery that will be studied for ages, but I truly, completely enjoyed this story. To me, it was awesome, and I might even read it again.

WHICH I NEVER DO!

This book will be bought by me in hard copy, and go on my favorites shelf, right next to the Shatter me Series, The Selection series, The Razorland series ( and Emily Grifin’s novels, and The Giver, and Rebecca … you get the idea). To put that in perspective for you guys, I haven’t bought a hard copy since 2014 .

Yeah.

And if C.L Denault could autograph it, that would be amazing…(I can dream!)

If you like romance, Dystopian, or just fantasy in general, grab your copy of Gambit here!

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