THE SHARP EDGE OF SILENCE By Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

March 31, 2023 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE SHARP EDGE OF SILENCE By Cameron Kelly RosenblumThe Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum
Published by Quill Tree Books on 4/11/23
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 492
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

WHO WILL YOU BE AT LYCROFT PHELPS?

This is the question all Lycroft applicants want to be asked. It means they’ve been accepted to one of the most prestigious private high schools in the nation.

Over 150 years is plenty of time for traditions to bake into the campus’s bricks and ivy. Ceremonies. Athletic rivalries. Secret societies. Pranks taken too far. But navigating it all will make Charlotte (perfect, straight-A student), Max (scholarship kid and STEM whiz), and Quinn (artist, dreamer, Lycroft legacy) question all they thought they knew about themselves…and the school.

Especially when Quinn’s sexual assault becomes public and implicates one of the top-tier athletes on campus.

Short and Sweet Review

To be accepted into Lycroft Phelps is a great accomplishment as it’s one of the most prestigious private schools in the nation. Charlotte is an Straight A student and a dancer, Max is a scholarship kid who excels at STEM, and Quinn is a Lycroft Legacy, and an artist. Each of these three think highly of Lycroft Phelps until the news of Quinn’s sexual assault at the hands of a popular athlete becomes public and makes them rethink everything they thought they knew.

The book is told in all three characters POVs and we see how they’re all entangled in each others lives. Quinn obviously has PTSD after what happened during summer send off, she tries avoiding her friends and she plans on getting revenge on Colin by doing things she thinks will bother him, and trying to anonymously spread the word about him. Charlotte is dating Seb which is one of Colins best friends, she knows somethings up with Seb and his group of friends but she can’t really put her finger on it. Max on the other hand becomes friends with the group of guys after he gets on the rowing team and he sees how awful their behavior is.

I will say that the synopsis is a little misleading, it isn’t until almost 60% through the book when Charlotte finds out about the sexual assault and almost 90% when Max finds out, so before than this is something Quinn has been dealing with on the down low. Even though this is about Quinn, Max and Charlotte added a lot to the book we see from their POVs how everything just comes together. Charlotte was determined to reconnect with Quinn even before she knew what was happening and was a big reason why Quinn was okay with coming forward. Max does something the guys encourage him to do and it gets the ball rolling. I did like the encouragement Quinn received from a few girls who were close to her and even teachers who were cheering her on from the sidelines without her knowledge. The ending was good and I just enjoyed seeing the support that she had around her.

This book has some tough content, but I think it was written in a way in which you can get through it and fully understand what the characters are going through. I would recommend this book.

Filed Under: Reviews

THE STEPPING OFF PLACE By Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

July 25, 2020 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THE STEPPING OFF PLACE By Cameron Kelly RosenblumThe Stepping Off Place by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum
Series: The Stepping Off Place #1
Published by Quill Tree Books on 7/28/20
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Pages: 480
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon

It’s the summer before senior year. Reid is in the thick of Scofield High’s in-crowd thanks to her best friend, Hattie, who has been her social oxygen since middle school.

But summer is when Hattie goes to her family’s Maine island home. Instead of sitting inside for eight weeks, waiting for her to return, Reid and their friend, Sam, enter into a pact—to live it up, one party at a time.

But days before Hattie is due home, Reid finds out the shocking news that Hattie has died by suicide. Driven by a desperate need to understand what went wrong, Reid searches for answers.

In doing so, she uncovers painful secrets about the person she thought she knew better than herself. And the truth will force Reid to reexamine everything.

Short and Sweet

Reid and Hattie are best friends, but when Hattie dies by drowning Reid’s world comes crashing down. But when they say that Hattie committed suicide, Reid just doesn’t understand how. Reid starts to question Hattie’s death and if there were any clues her past that could have showed this outcome.

Characters

Reid: Reid is interesting to say the least. She feels like she needs Hattie to survive, Hattie is the push Reid needs to go out and do things like go to parties or talk to people. Without Hattie, Reid basically has to figure out who she is without her best friend.

Hattie: Hattie is someone who is brave and is ready for an adventure. When we do have scenes with Hattie in them we see she’s always trying to push Reid out of her comfort zone and help her try new things. Hattie seemed normal during the times we do see her.

Sam (Hammy): Sam is a friend of Reid’s and he and Reid decide to hangout together because Hattie will be gone the whole summer. I liked Sam he was a really good friend, he would try to make sure Reid and fun and after Hattie’s death he was there to make sure she was okay.

Quotes

~ “She knew me better than I knew myself.”

My Thoughts

~ So we only get Reid’s POV but the book alternates from the past to the present. In the past we get to see how Reid and Hattie were together and in the present we see how Reid is dealing with Hattie’s death.

~ I liked Reid at the beginning of the book and later I realized that she’s grieving Hattie’s death but the way she was treating people ruined her character for me. I didn’t like how hopeless she was being she really felt like she couldn’t survive without Hattie but she had all this support around her but it was like she wouldn’t try.

~ Like I mentioned earlier Reid was grieving for what felt like 3/4’s of the book. She also started getting a little crazy she was too much for me.

~ Reid obviously didn’t want to believe Hattie died by suicide so she came up with theories she also tried to do a little investigating into Hattie’s life and last moments.

~ I liked seeing how everything came together, Hattie may have seemed fine but as the book progresses everything clicks.

Overall

The book started off great and I was interested in seeing the friendship between Hattie and Reid. Towards the end I was put off by Reid’s attitude and how she was treating people. Overall the book was okay but the only thing that kept me from loving it was Reid.

Filed Under: Reviews