La verdad de Rosie

by Katie Dale

La madre de Rosie, Trudie, acaba de morir a causa de una enfermedad incurable y hereditaria. De ahí que se vea en una encrucijada: ¿debe hacerse las pruebas para saber si va a desarrollar el mal? La respuesta cambiará su vida para siempre; porque es imposible heredar la enfermedad de alguien que en realidad no es tu madre biológica. Ese era el secreto guardado por tía Sara, nunca compartido hasta ahora con nadie. Ni siquiera con Trudie. Rosie siente que tiene derecho a descubrir quién es y está dispuesta a encontrar a su verdadera madre, por mucho que la abandonara nada más nacer. Acompañada de Andy, su gran amor, Rosie inicia una búsqueda que no admite vuelta atrás.

Pero su verdad no es la única que saldrá a la luz: las mentiras sobre su pasado tienen raíces profundas e insospechadas.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit, Drama

521 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2012

About the author

I love nothing more than creating characters - both on page and on-stage! I studied English Literature at Sheffield University, spent a year at UNC-Chapel Hill, followed by a crazy year at Mountview drama school, a national Shakespeare tour, and back-packing through South-East Asia. I love all genres, and am busily working on a variety of projects from novels to picture-books - whilst playing the odd princess/assassin/zombie in-between!
Find out more about me at katiedaleuk.blogspot.com

My debut YA/Crossover novel SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE was published by Simon & Schuster in February 2012, won both the Stockport Mad About Books Award and Oldham Brilliant Books Award, and is being published all over the world. My second YA novel, LITTLE WHITE LIES, is more of a thriller about justice, identity and loyalty. It won the UKYA Blogger Award for "Best Ending" and is out now in the UK, and out tomorrow in the US and Canada.

At the other end of the scale my humorous rhyming FAIRY TALE TWISTS series (Orchard Books) takes a selection of familiar fairytale characters and reveals their version of events - as you've never seen them before!

SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE: When Rosie's mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington's Disease, Rosie's grief is intensified by the fear that she will also inherit the fatal illness. Until she discovers that Trudie was not her real mother after all - that Rosie was secretly swapped at birth with a sickly baby destined to die...
Devastated that her whole life has been a lie, Rosie tags along on her ex-boyfriend's gap year trip to secretly trace her birth mother. But as Rosie delves into her past and discovers yet more of her family's deeply-buried secrets and lies, she is left with a heart-breaking dilemma - to continue living a lie, or to reveal a truth that will shatter the lives of everyone around her...
Read Chapter One Here! http://katiedaleuk.blogspot.com/p/sne...

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is what I call a dysfunctional family! Secrets, romance, drama to the max - Someone Else's Life is a story that will make your jaw drop, along with having your life feel especially normal.

Mostly character oriented, this book is deeply emotional, with endless twists that turn it into a true roller coaster ride. I can see it come off as overly dramatic, but I personally really enjoyed getting surprised by the turn of events; never expecting things to get so tragic, so complicated. Rosie's life goes into a complete free fall after she finds out she's not really who she thought she was. As secrets starts to unravel, I found myself caring more and more about this girl, about everyone involved in the situation.

Huntington's disease is not widely known or acknowledged. I only gained what I know from the TV series House, where I learned there is no cure, and how terribly heartbreaking this disease becomes for everyone it touches. The worst part is deciding, do you get tested? Would you want to know if you're going to be doomed to this illness? Although we don't experience Huntington's first hand in the book, it's a big cloud that is constantly looming inside the pages. In spite of the story being quite complex, the book is easy to understand, and with its shocking plots twists, plowing through it is effortless.

I'm a bit undecided on how I feel about the romance. I thought it was very sweet at times, but I would get fed up with the on-again off-again scenarios. Andy, her boyfriend, seemed to never make up his mind. When they were "on again", though, it was very cute. I also enjoyed the journey itself- seeing New York especially, is always magical. Katie has this great ability to casually blend in all this magic, romance, and even humor in such a deep, emotionally charged book and have it all somehow work.

Reminiscent of a Jodi Picoult book, Someone Else's Life is a story that will easily have you engrossed in the overwhelming dramatics of Rosie's life. With a great cast of characters, deeply rooted emotions, and life altering decisions - there is something for everyone in this novel.

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where do I even begin with this book...

I'd love to start with a plot summary but even if I could keep track of everything that happened I don't think there's enough space to write it all out. There were pregnancies and TV stars and long lost relatives and dramatic airport scenes and debilitating diseases and last minute international flights and people getting hit by cars just to name a few. So basically, if it's happened on a soap opera it probably happened in this book.

But if I had to summarize what I think to be the main story line it would be this:

The story follows two girls, Rosie and Holly, who were switched (not accidentally) at birth. When Rosie find this out from her family friend, the midwife who switched the two girls in the first place, she goes off in search of her family in America. When she finds them drama ensues, especially over the fact that Holly's biological mother (the one who raised Rosie) recently died of Huntington's disease which means Holly has a fifty percent chance of having it herself. As if this wasn't enough, Holly is (unbeknownst to anyone but herself) pregnant.

Now let's go to Holly. She was probably my number one problem with this book. I honestly believe she might be the most annoying character of all time. She's immature, selfish, and completely irrational. The story alternates speakers between her and Rosie and here's how I would breakdown Holly's chapters:

70%: Hating Rosie because she was "stealing her family" despite the fact that her dad told her every other page how much he loved her and how she would always be his daughter.

20%: Yelling at people, most often her dad and Rosie.

8%: Worrying about her baby and almost telling her dad she was pregnant before getting interrupted.

2%: Feeling sorry for Rosie because her entire family died (but this was always short lived)

And Rosie's section of the book wasn't much better. Her boyfriend left and came back I would say no less than 15 times throughout the book so that unnecessary drama took up much of her side of the story.

The only reason I even continued reading was because I had to know whether or not Holly, and her baby, had Huntington's disease. So after lots of indecision and multiple doctor's appointments, the results came back... AND SHE DIDN'T LOOK AT THEM.

After all that she decided she actually didn't want to know whether or not she had the disease. Now I understand that's a decision a lot of people make and I respect that, it's totally up to them, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to know.

Then around page 452 of 453 everyone realizes that hey, blood doesn't really matter, your family is the people who raised you. And so after "the craziest few weeks ever" they all go on with their lives as planned and swear to keep in touch via skype and all that.

I can honestly say this is time I will never get back.

(If you're wondering why I rated this 2 stars even after this scathing review it's because my personal rule is if I finish the book I can't have disliked it that much and therefore it's lowest grade can be 2 stars)

[Irena BookDustMagic · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a complex story this one was!

4,5 stars to be precise.

It's been days since I've read this book and I still haven't made up my. mind about how I feel about it.
I know I liked it, and I know I found it to be a very complex story.
Although I didn't have any expectations about the story it still went into a whole another way, the way I couldn't imagine it would ever go.

After reading it I had so much to think about. I still have!
I knew switching babies is illegal for reason, but I had no idea that baby-swap could have such a drastic consequences.

Even if this book is a ya genre, all the time while reading it I had a feeling I was reading an adult book.
In my opinion, it shows a quality of the story and story -telling .

My relationship with the main characters was also the complex one.
I could relate to Rosie and I liked and understood her almost the whole time, even when I knew her actions could have drastic measures, I was still on her side.
Holly was another story. At first I liked her, then I found her childish. After that I thought she was mean and stupid. At the end, I ended up understanding her and her actions, and understanding why she was acting the way she did.

The only reason I didn't rate this novel 5 stars is it's end. I expected more from it.

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A finished copy was provided by the publisher for review.

What happens when the truth comes out?

We're introduced to Rosie, whose mother just died of Huntington’s disease. The loss of her only parent is too much for Rosie, as her thoughts are painful memories of the way her mother was before the disease took over her body. She's not alone because the boy that she loves Andy is there for her and together they go in a vacation. What Andy doesn't know is that Rosie is looking for her real mother, her biological mother. Her mom's best friend Sarah has told her the biggest secret of all, she was swapped at birth.

I absolutely devoured this book, just because I couldn’t stop reading it. When one problem was resolved, another popped right up! It was a little intense at times, knowing how some of the characters reacted. I admired Rosie, her tenacity to do the right thing always made her look like the “bad apple” to others, yet in spite of everything she has been through, she always came out stronger and wiser in the end. I couldn’t care for Molly’s character, even though I did pity her. She acted like a spoiled child, when things did not go her way.

What a heart warming tale of family relationships! You’ll love this tale! I know I did.

QUOTES
“You are the decisions you make. The things you do. The people you love and who love you. They're the things that really make you who you are.”—Jack

“The truth may hurt, but lies—they're vicious. They hide coiled up inside you, ready to strike without warning, without your even knowing they're there.”—Holly

[Liana · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD
OH MY GOD
OHHHHHH MAAAAAAAAAAAAH GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWD

It's been a while since I've read a contemporary story, and this was exactly what I needed. Honestly, I was sick of all the dystopia and sci-fi and fantasy I've been reading a lot recently, and I just needed some good-old contemporary in my book reading life.

Anyways, this was a recommendation from a friend (Cindy that's you k). Her recommendations are 95% PERFECT. At first, I was reluctant to read this because, well. I judged it. Again. Dangit, whenever a book seems so oh-so-boring, it ends up being the best book ever! Gah.

What I found ironic about this read was that in my biology class, we're currently doing genetic disorders and diseases. And this book just so happened to educate all of us about Huntington's disease. It was pretty interesting!

This whole entire storyline and plot was ridiculously complicated, and it became even more complicated at the near end. In the beginning, I was confused at who was narrating what, but all my questions were answered by the end of the book. If you try to explain this plot to someone, it's not gonna happen because it's too complicated to explain. That's why people have to read this book to see for themselves. (;

Let me do character discussions. Every character is active in making the plot work, which I like a lot because there's that thing I love called character coordination.

Rosie- I like Rosie, but it seems like she's too mature for her age because of what happened to her mom. It's always the parents that leave the burden upon the children, ain't it? Well, anyway. I like Rosie even though she irritated me a lot throughout the book with her reckless actions... But she's pretty responsible and independent. I like that.

Holly- At first, I liked her, and then she was a bitch. And then she was a bigger bitch and then I became indifferent at the end. I could care less if she lived or died. I hate her that much. But I really understand her feelings-- what if some random girl waltzed into your life and took your whole family away? And what if all of that interfered with your engagement and your pregnancy? I can understand her but I don't know why she didn't put out more tolerance. And even if she couldn't control her anger she didn't have to get frickin' even.

Andy- Andy seemed like an impatient guy in the beginning, and I didn't really like him that much. But throughout the book, when Rosie hurt him so much, he still came back for her and forgave her for everything. And he made the romance perfect, too! He didn't even have to be a hot and sexy and cocky male character for me to love him. Gotta love Andy!

Josh- He wasn't a really important character, but I've got to say, this guy is very, very loyal, and he wouldn't storm off angrily. He would try to fix things, not stand there watching as the love of his life runs away from him. Josh is amazing!

Katharine and Jack.. well. They make a cute couple. LOL. K.

I love the romance in this book, seriously. Usually, I would view romance as the main and most important aspect in a book, but this book centered on family problems and drama and I liked reading about that a lot. The romance just made it 100x better.

Overall, you can tell I loved this book.

[TheBookSmugglers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: this review contains spoilers. The book is full of twists and though I usually prefer not to spoil twisterific books, I feel that I need to this time, in order to express my feelings about this novel. You have been warned.

Rosie’s beloved mother Trudie has just died of Huntington’s disease, a debilitating condition that ravaged her mother’s mind while Trudie watched helplessly. Now she has to face the fact that there is a 50% chance that she could have inherited the disease herself and she needs to decide whether to take the test or not. That’s when Sarah, her mom’s best friend, tells her the truth (twist!): Trudie was not Rosie’s biological mother and she Sarah, swapped Trudie’s dying baby for Rosie. Rosie narrates part of the story but the chapters alternate between her and an anonymous, secret narrator.

Rosie then starts to investigate and (so very easily) discovers who might be her biological mother – Kitty, an actress working in LA – and together with her boyfriend Andy embark to the USA to find her. Not that she tells Andy her true reason for going off him and he thinks they are simply enjoying a gap year starting in NY. Coincidentally (twist!), Kitty is actually in NY at the same time but doesn’t really take that well when Rosie shows up. Heartbroken, Rosie decides to go on with their travels but Andy had overheard something (so very easily) and plots to stop by a fish and chip shop where (twist!) Rosie’s biological father lives. He welcomes Rosie with open arms (so very easily) but unfortunately, the same can not be said about Holly, Trudie’s real daughter, the baby that should have died (twist!) but didn’t, who was also the anonymous narrator (twist!) and who now must face the truth about her family and face that fact that she might have Huntington’s. To complicate matters further, Holly is also secretly pregnant (twist!) and her decision might impact not only her life but also that of her secret baby.

This is a review that almost didn’t happen – I put the book down twice (you know, because of things like sleeping and working) and every time it was a struggle to resume reading. I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters or the story at all for a myriad of reasons.

First of all, the plot contrivances drove me bananas.Things happened so easily and so quickly with no real emotional development. This is a really important factor because Someone Else’s Life is supposed to be about real grief and life-changing decisions and yet, all the emotional reactions to such tremendous events (death, life-threatening illnesses, lies, lost families, etc) were very superficial. Rosie might tell us that she loved Trudie more than anything else but she takes off as soon as her mother is dead and barely even thinks about her, for example. And what’s up with all the plot twists? My feeling is that the plot twists trumped character development to the overall detriment to the story. The twists kept coming one after another with little to no time taken to explore their meaning to the lives they affected. Yes, characters reacted to them but the emotional conundrums they engendered were surface deep and more often than not ensuing developments were extremely melodramatic and often relying on big misunderstandings and things like mobiles phones that didnt work, messages that were never received in order to lead to more tension. Exclamation points worked in lieu of true expressions of emotion and dramatic lines like (“It’s all MY fault”, “it’s all HER fault”) were repeated and repeated and repeated.

Everybody in the book is good and accepting (except for one character but more on that in a bit) and there are no real consequences for the midwife who committed a very real crime. It is one thing to explore the fact that suing her for malpractice at this point in time would do no one any good but I felt that this decision was reached through hand waving (she had good intentions after all) rather than exploring all the ethic, moral implications of her actions.

Finally, perhaps my greatest point of contention with the novel and what made me feel really uncomfortable is how ALL teenagers in the book are prepared to be together-forever with their high school sweethearts and ready to be parents at 17/18 expect for the one female character who wanted a career more than she wanted children or family and therefore was the only EVIL character in the entire book.

Disappointing.

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt really sorry for Rosie in this, she was going through a really difficult time. I also felt really sorry for Holly. She did annoy me at times with the way she was acting, but with everything that was going on, it was understandable.

This was a really enjoyable read.

[Isamlq · Rating 2 out of 5]

One not so little secret leads to another then another then another. So where do I start? There was a lot of drama in this one and things did get a bit much. Both girls found themselves in situations not quite perfect, so I do understand why they felt the way they did, and I do understand the jealousies and insecurities that crept up. Still that one sad situation was permission enough for one or both to act the way they did had me frustrated. They could be so selfish; they could zero in on their woes so easily paying little heed to what their actions cost others.

The characters could frustrating as said, but there is no denying that their history is filled with heartbreak: first a debilitating disease, then discoveries of real mothers and real fathers and later still bigger secrets. It’s no surprise that they felt the way they did, but it was an effort to go through each reaction they had. Other than the two though, there’s Andy. This boy could frustrate me too. Because he’s always left behind, he was prone to doing the same. Goodness! I wanted him to pick a path and stick to it. And there were all other people too, other people whose own histories allowed for more drama. ‘Twas a bit much, honestly.

Thanks NETGALLEY!
2.5/5

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Originally posted to: Bookish Book Blog |YA and Adult Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Guest Posts, Giveaways and news! ^___^

Katie Dale concocts a deliciously compelling blend of personalities, heartbreak, and family drama, in a story of one girl's journey of self-discovery and finding her place in the world. Someone Else's Life is a compulsively readable novel, and one that is sure to resonate with its readers.

The plot line focuses almost entirely on Rosie, a seventeen-year-old girl who just lost her mom to Huntington's Disease and is now terrified by the possibility that she herself might have inherited the disease. Just as she's about to get tested for it, her mother's best friend, Sarah, tells her the truth. And the truth is heartbreaking. Rosie's mom was not her biological mother. Devastated, lost and confused, Rosie decides to find her real mother, and she will travel across the continent to trace her.

Rosie's story was a deeply moving one. From the very beginning every page is loaded with her emotions. And they are very convincing, vibrant, even gut-wrenching at times. The love she has for her mother is deeply felt, and her regrets about the past and her fears and hopes about the future are heartbreakingly real. She's a very relatable protagonist, and one that you can truly connect with. Katie Dale did a really great job crafting her character, as well as all the other fantastic protagonists in her novel - to the point that you really don't feel like you're reading a YA contemporary book, more like you're listening to a story told by your best friend. There's a very comforting feeling of familiarity to this book. The characters described in it could be people you pass by on the street every day. Their worries and dreams, all the battles they fight - they're the same worries, drams and battles that we experience every day. Perhaps that's why this story made such a huge impression on me. I was really moved by it, really glued to its pages, hungry for more, impatient to find out what will happen to Rosie, Andy, aunt Sarah, Nana, and Kitty Clare.

Speaking of characters, I feel that I need to mention how delighted I was with Rosie's strong personality. This girl went through so much and yet there was no self-pity, no whining, no throwing fits nor crying into the pillow for hours. She was such a reasonable, understanding, patient, compassionate and forgiving character. So tough, brave and determined to find true happiness, taking special care not to hurt anyone else in the process. I loved her. I really did. I cheered for her, and laughed and cried with her. Andy, too, was a very thoughtful character. Unlike many boys in YA literature of modern times, he was not a picture perfect. He had his flaws and that made me like him even more. It made him real. Sure, he was handsome, caring and supportive. He was also quite romantic and swoon-worthy, but at the same time he had his bad (or not-too-good) moments, when he couldn't understand what was happening with Rosie and the frustration coming from that would make him impatient and angry. And that was perfectly fine, because that's how normal people react. Like I said, Katie Dale did a phenomenal job fleshing out her characters and breathing life into them. I was completely and utterly impressed!

The plot line itself is a harrowing one. At times it will make you sad, at times it will make you smile or even laugh. Few scenes might make your heart pound faster. Ultimately, though, it will make you think. If you're anything like me, you will be thinking about this story long after you'll turn the last page. This book does that to you. Rosie's lively first-person narrative will inspire some long hours of pondering issues ranging from identity, self-acceptance, to family and relationship complexities, along with deciding what truly matters in life. Anyone who has ever dealt with death in family, or wondered about their place in the world, will find it really easy to relate to this beautifully-written, charming novel.

And it will also teach a you a very important lesson: that the blood-relation does not make a family. People who truly love you, care for you, and accept you for who you are - they make a family. And the love that comes from that transcends blood.

Katie Dale has written an intimate and authentic portrait of a teen who finds herself struggling to embrace her uncertain future. It's a fabulous read. I strongly recommend it!

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone Else’s Life by debut author Katie Dale is not the type of book I would usually read. I tend to avoid books about fatal illnesses and their aftermaths. They’re just not my sort of book. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I enjoyed reading it.

Someone Else’s Life is told from the point of view of its main character Rosie. Rosie is an 18 year old girl who has just lost her mother Trudie to Huntington’s disease. Actually, Rosie started losing her mother about 18 months earlier when the disease began to debilitate her mother.

Rosie is a devoted daughter and she puts her life on hold to care for her mother. Rosie is grief stricken and when she decides to take the test for Huntington’s, a family friend makes a startling confession. Rosie is not her mother’s biological daughter. She cannot have the disease. Relieved, Rosie sets out to find her biological mother with the help of Andy her boyfriend.

Andy and Rosie take a trip to New York City together and Rosie catches a glimpse of her biological mother, a movie star. She manages to meet her, but things don’t go well. Rosie and Andy end up in Providence where Rosie meets her father.

Part two of the book is told from two points of view: Rosie and Holly. Holly is Trudie’s biological daughter. Both girls lived incredibly parallel lives: they are the same age and they are both engaged to be married. Holly is not happy with Rosie’s intrusion into her family’s lives. Rosie feels that she needs to tell Holly about Huntington’s. Holly’s life is completely disrupted.

A word about Huntington’s disease – it’s kind of like a genetic lottery disease. Huntington’s is fatal and if a person carries the gene, they will get the disease and die. If they have a child, there is a 50% chance of that child getting the disease. Huntington’s attacks between the ages of 30 – 45 and it is like a cross between Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Some people decide to take the test to know for sure. Others do not wish to know for many reasons. Sometimes it is pragmatic – they will lose their medical insurance.

The author presented the subject matter well and for the most part the disease was in the background. The book is well written and raises some interesting ethical dilemmas. This book is suitable for older YA readers and up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Canada for a review copy of this book.

Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.

[Amy Lignor · Rating 4 out of 5]

When we first meet Rosie, she is standing by her mother’s grave in a beautiful gown and stiletto heels, paying homage to the fashionable, happy, and amazing woman who was her beloved Mom. Rosie’s mother has been taken to heaven after her bout with Huntington’s Disease, and all Rosie can think about is the fact that she may just have the gene that will lead her to the same demise.

Rosie was her mom’s miracle baby to say the least. At forty-two, her mother gave birth to her - the same night her father died in a car accident on the way to the hospital. And the readers are soon taken back into another life - a life when Rosie was younger, in love, and was simply waiting for her life to begin.

Now, all she does is wonder - she sits in fear just waiting for the doctors to say that Huntington’s is her fate. What she doesn’t expect is to be told that her entire existence has been an absolute lie. Her mother wasn’t her mother; in fact, her real mother turns out to have her own story of fear and fame that Rosie ends up delving straight into. On top of that, Rosie’s real father is also still alive, and raising a girl who should be Rosie.

In essence, the basis of this intricate tale is an easy one. Would you want to know? Every human on the planet is facing death at some point, but if you did find out that there was a chance you had a gene that would destroy you, would you want that information ahead of time? Would knowing that you are on the ‘list’ to be taken early make you hole up in your house and wait for the inevitable end, or would it make you seize life and enjoy every day that you have left?

This story is truly deep, with a lovely romance and a strong female character who does everything within her power to discover all she can about her past in order to have a future. Ms. Dale has offered a truly beautiful story that will have readers completely engrossed in the eventual outcome.

Until Next Time, Everybody.
Amy

[JeanBookNerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie Dale’s Someone Else’s Life is a riveting story right from the start. It was a midweek evening when I started on this book and thought I would start by reading the first few chapters right before going to sleep. After the first chapter, my evening plan of going to sleep was non-existent. I found myself absorbed by its engaging plot and unforgettable characters. Dale puts together a mix of tragedy, heartbreak, and drama about a girl’s self-discovery voyage in finding her place in this world.

The plot revolves around seventeen-year-old Rosie, who’s mother was a victim of Huntington’s disease. Fearing that she might have this devastating illness, she plans on getting tested, but not before her mother’s best friend tell Rosie that her deceased mother is not her biological parent. Armed with the news, Rosie plans on locating her real mother.

It was an emotional roller-coaster ride from the first page to the last. I found this book to have a deep message behind Rosie’s story. It will motivate readers to some long deep thoughts about one’s identity, relationships, and the general meaning of life. This delightfully charming novel is easy to relate to, especially for ones who have lost someone dearly. Dale’s story of Rosie is very captivating and we learn that people, blood-related or not, who truly love and care about you is what makes them family.

[Teri Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a confession to make at the outset: this isn't my usual sort of read. There aren't any ghosts, alternative dimensions, totalitarian governments, creatures of fantasy or nightmare.... You get the idea. It is set in our world with people you might run into up the road or at the airport. People with hidden pasts and secrets, true, but don't we all have secrets?
But the secrets in this story go beyond the usual. They can change everything, forever - and not just for Rosie, when she learns the first fragment. For other people, too.
One thing I loved about this story is the hidden twists that I didn't predict. I'm good at puzzling out plots and it is rare that a twist both surprises me, and gives that satisfying 'of course!'. And this story did this more than once.
Though I did have the urge to slap a few of the characters now and then - especially Holly.

[TheBookAddictedGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You saved each other.”
Rosie Kenning’s mum Trudie had Huntington’s. Rosie, dropping everything for her mother, had to watch the once vibrant woman she loved so much die slowly and terribly. With her Mum gone and her whole world in pieces, Rosie now has to find out if this is to be her future, if she has inherited the Huntington’s gene. Until she’s told that Trudie isn’t her biological mother. But how can that be? How can she not be Trudie? Is she grieving someone who isn’t even hers to grieve? And if so, who is her real mother?
With her past as blank as her future, can Rosie continue living a lie, or can she risk destroying the lives of those around her to find out more about her past...?
I knew this would be an amazing book – I mean, have you read the blurb?! – but I wasn’t expecting something twisty and swirly, full of shocks and surprises with characters I’d fall so head over heels in love with, I’d want to magic them out of the book! If this book isn’t already on your radar, by God, go get yourself a copy NOW! It’s such an amazing book and worth every penny! I adored every moment and was left wanting more, more, more! A book that truly tugged at the heartstrings one moment and had me stupidly smiling the next.
Rosie Kenning was so strong and so caring. I admired her so much, putting her whole life on hold so she could take care of her mother. I just loved her from the word go. And it was just so obvious that she absolutely adored her mother Trudie. She had to grow up so fast, and she lost so much. But through it all she was selfless, brave, loving and strong. She was amazing, and we could all learn something from her.
Andy Hunter, Rosie’s boyfriend, was sweet and caring and cute and yummy! He was just adorable, really protective and supportive, always there for her… Did you guess that I had a minor book-boyfriend crush on Andy?
I have to mention Trudie Kenning, Rosie’s mother, who although was already dead by the time the story starts, played a big part in it none the less. She was strong, light-spirited, trying to make a joke of everything, and obviously loved Rosie just as much as her daughter loved her. She was inspirational, even though we never ‘met’ her.
The rest of the supporting characters were equally amazing. Rosie’s Nana was so sweet and cheerful: I loved her! Jack Woods was funny, sweet and friendly, and just the perfect father. If I could have any fictional father, from any book, I’d pick Jack, hands down. Kitty Clare was someone I couldn’t figure her out. I thought: oh, so that’s the real Kitty. Then: wham! Still, I couldn’t help feeling sorry for her, seeing the position she was in… Aunt Sarah, who loved Trudie so much she… did what she did. She was a loving and kind person, one I found I couldn’t dislike at all – I felt sorry for her too, I mean: what would you have done in her position?
What I liked most about this book is the flawless way Katie tackled the difficult issues. Huntington’s and the effects it has. And may I just say that I really admire the way Katie described the disease – enough of the medical info so we can grasp the basics, no jargon to confuse us. But more, the emotional description. The pain at watching your Mum die, the fear of not knowing if that could be you, drowning in it all. Throughout the book, I couldn’t help thinking: “Could I have done that, if I were in Rosie’s place? Dropped everything, even my friends and school, knowing I’d have to watch my mother die, watch what could be my future..?” And then there was the whole biological parent thing. The importance of being related by blood. I mean, any old person can make a baby. What’s hard is raising them and loving them. That’s what makes a parent. Rosie in particular really shows this: even though she was looking for her birth parents, Trudie is still her Mum and nothing could change that.
The writing was just so, so good. Emotional, powerful and utterly addictive, it was just perfect for this kind of book – more than perfect, in fact. I could feel everything, see everything! And I adored the dual narrative; I loved that we had no clue who the other narrator was to begin with – I didn’t guess either! As for the plot, well, it was twistier than… a really twisty thing. There was just shock after shock, surprise after surprise and I literally saw nothing coming!! And that, may I just say, was a huge achievement and made the book so, so, so much more addictive! I loved every second… even the bits I cried at. Which was quite a few of them.
An amazing, incredible, moving, emotional, thought-provoking story that had me surprised at every twist, hooked to every word and racing to get to the end, so I could know what happened next. Katie, whatever you may write next, you have me extraordinarily excited and I will be first in line, without a doubt!
Beautiful, inspiring, heart-warming, life affirming, perfect… I came to the end and just wanted to read it all over again. As I said before: perfect.

[Ashlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story immediately captured my attention and made me tear up on several occasions. Poor Rosie! Not only did she just lose her mother, but she finds out that her mother isn't her mother! Now she has no clue who she is and no clue what to move on to when she eventually initiates the "healing process." I didn't like Sarah really, because I didn't think it was her decision to make, but who knows what they would do in a horribly sad situation like that!? I though Sarah was written really well though, because she was so human. I empathized with her difficult choice and situation, even though I disagreed with the decision she made. So many lives were upturned by her revelation, but really, it was Rosie's choice to do what she wanted with the information.

The only thing I didn't like about Rosie is that I felt she took too much upon herself, even though I can absolutely relate to that, because I'm the same way. My biggest qualm with this though is that, out of everyone, she should have trusted Andy enough to talk to him, at least to smooth things over from their "break-up" that wasn't even really a break up. If she had talked to him from the beginning, when her mother got really sick, then there wouldn't have been any misunderstanding between them about why she missed their first trip and he would have done anything he could to help her with her mother and to find her birth mother. I really liked Andy overall because his reaction to Rosie's behavior, without knowing any of the truth, seemed pretty realistic. He had all the right emotions in all the right places, at the right times, but not mechanically, not in a way that was unbelievable. In fact, I think all the characters reacted appropriately (with realistic expectations).

The plot of this story was really good. I loved how the twists kept coming and characters kept being added. I was slightly confused by the parallel story lines, but towards the books end I was able to sort it out and understand who was who and what was what. I initially thought the separate story line (not Rosie's) was her biological mother's flashbacks, and it almost seems like it was intentionally meant to be thought of that way until we meet Holly and understand her story line and what's happening in her life.

Another subplot of the book, Huntington's disease, was really moving and sad. It really sets so many things into motion, so, I guess you could actually say that nearly all of Rosie's actions are motivated by the disease. I mean, does she find out if she has it, does she find her mother's biological daughter and tell her about it, does she potentially ruin someones life? Will that character see it as Rosie ruining her life or giving her a chance? How about her biological father? It was well laid out, in my opinion and well thought out. Rosie had a lot of tough decisions to make and it really helped her sort out her own feelings of her mother's death. Rosie grew up a lot in this book, in a relatively short time, but the supporting cast of characters and the plot is intriguing and self-propelling. Katie Dale did a really great job of layering the story and characters just right so that it didn't drag on but I kept interest.

I'm rating Someone Else's Life 4 STARS. It was a good read and I'm glad I didn't overlook it. It brings awareness to a disease commonly unknown and shares a heartfelt story about what it really means to be someone's daughter. Well done!

[Aneesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone Else's Life promised to be a good read and did start off that way... until it went downhill. Right from the beginning, the characters seemed a little flaky, a little off, somehow and as the story went on it kept on getting worse.

The narration was really annoying, not to mention confused the crap out of me. The switch between the two characters was so sudden most of the time and only when I was halfway through the book did it make any sense. It really threw me off and it took a while to get used to it. The characters, however, were a whole other ball game. I didn't get used to them.

Rosie, the main female character, wasn't much of anything really. She had no real personality and very little about her was endearing to the reader. The word resentful, petty and selfish come to mind. I mean, yeah, I got that she was worried in case she had Huntington's disease but she seemed so childish and selfish about it. The author did not do a good about portraying her as the victim. And this continued on through the book with Andy (her ex) being the voice of reason... all the freaking time! It would have been nice if she had ever made the right decision with no help for once. Her character really irked me, and as if that wasn't enough, Rosie turn out to be nothing compared to Holly! I have never wanted to smack a character more in my life! All of my feelings for Rosie multiplied by 100 make up my feelings for this chick. All she did was whine, whine and whine some more about everything. I mean , yeah, I get it 'your life sucks' but there are only so many times I can read about it and feel any sort of sympathy for you!

None of the characters appealed to me besides maybe Ben (only because he's a kid, and a cute one at that). Andy was a pushover, Jack acted like he couldn't decide which daughter he rooted for more, Megan was a cold sort, Kitty was a bitch (as intended, I suppose), Josh was a stiff character and his relationship with Holly really didn't make sense. Neither did Rosie and Andy's relationship come off as genuine. It just seemed as though some one has thrown them together and said, hey, this'll work out! They're perfect for each other!' whereas it doesn't come off that way. Rosie used him and he kept on leaving her and coming back with an apology and and 'I love you' on his lips... and it worked out, until the next time.

The relationships, the characters, the plot, it all seemed all over the place which was such a disappointment because the book really promised to be something special. I was really looking forward to this book as it was dealing with an illness/disease and after reading The Fault's in Our Stars I was curious (and hopeful) about this book. It seems my expectations were just a little too high.

This book just came off as unrealistic, stiff and restricted - just like the characters. The execution was poor and very unsatisfying.

More of a 1.5 star rating for this book.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katie Dale's debut novel, Someone Else's Life, is an absolute roller-coaster of a read, filled with more twists and drama than I ever expected. Katie Dale is a 'winner' of the 2008 Undiscovered Voices Anthology which publishes some of the best un-agented/published work by authors of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (British Isles).

When Rosie's mum, Trudie, was diagnosed with Huntington's disease, Rosie's entire life changed. She took care of her mum to her death and even worse than this, spent the entire time knowing she could have inherited this same disease.

After her mother's death she learns an even more shocking truth: she is not Trudie's biological daughter. Trudi's 'real' daughter was incredibly ill at birth and going to die so a family friend, Sarah, swapped the baby for Rosie, who had been abandoned by a teenage mother.

Devastated and curious about her 'real' parents, she joins her boyfriend Andy on a gap year to America to find them. Obviously, Rosie is dealing with the grief of Trudie, but I felt like she wanted to find her 'real' parents so quickly after finding out. That said, if I was the same position I am pretty sure that would be one of my instant reactions.

The relationship between Rosie and Andy was great. When the novel opens, we are introduced to them as estranged after Rosie distances herself following Trudi's illness and as the novel progresses their spark well and truly rekindles. I just loved the two of them together as they felt so natural together and you really end up rooting for them.

Without wanting to spoil the many unexpected twists I encountered in Someone Else's Life, I will say this: it's a book where you are just swept along on an incredibly powerful and emotional journey where what you expect to happen often doesn't.

When a novel deals with a plot like this, it can be really easy for it descend into a soap opera with flat 2-dimensional characters, but Someone Else's Life doesn't fall into this trap at all. The characters are complicated, relatable and well fleshed out. The fact that in a debut novel, this topic has been so well-handled makes me exceptionally excited to see Katie Dale's future work.

Most importantly this is a novel about family. What I loved was that Dale made the excellent point in the book that family is about more than blood, it's about who raises you - this is something I personally feel very strongly about, so I loved seeing this in a book.

I was able to read this novel through NetGalley as an e-galley ARC and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity Random House Children's Books presented me with. This was truly an excellent and highly recommended read.

Someone Else's Life is released February 2nd in the UK and on the 14th in the US.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got so much emotional whiplash from this book that 24 hours after finishing it, I'm already trying to follow the convoluted plot from beginning to end. There were just so many layers of plots and different storylines. I definitely got tired of Rosie's initial whining and selfishness, but she ended up being one of the more mature characters once she was enmeshed in her biological father's life, and I liked her interactions with them quite a lot. I also got tired of Holly's inexplicable indecision over whether or not to find out if she and/or her unborn baby will have Huntington's. Just thinking about it makes my blood boil all over again. FOOL!

Then there were all the nail-biting "I'LL RUIN YOUR LIFE / NO, I'LL RUIN YOUR LIFE!" drama surrounding the possible consequences of Sarah's law-breaking all those years ago. I liked it, but talk about ramping up my anxiety to 11.

However, I really loved the romances. Rosie's ex, Andy, was the most darling person, even though it hurt watching them go through constant cycles of coming together and pulling away (he keeps trying to stick around, she keeps pushing him away/prioritizing other people but gets upset when he's gone, he gets rightfully frustrated and leaves, but ends up coming back). They had so much chemistry that I knew even if they didn't work out, they had such a strong bond that the ride was worth it (although of course I secretly hoped for a happy, romantic ending). Of course, I also cried at least once when he left. I'm still not in a good place to read about high school sweethearts who break up for dumb reasons (thanks, Glee).

I also loved what a steadfast guy that Joe was, with his collegiate proposing and his unshakable loyalty in the face of Holly's crazy. I never even really even disliked Holly. She was significantly less mature than Rosie, but it was hard to fault her wildly emotional state when, from everything she observed at all the worst moments, this random quasi-sister did seem to be basically moving in on her family.

Overall, I think it was worth the read, just because it was neat to explore the family and quasi-family connections (plus the romance thing), but I also think I'm done with Katie Dale books and how I annoyed I get at the withholding of key information at the beginning just to make it EXTRA TWISTY until everything falls into place. I will say I liked it more than Little White Lies, if I had to rank them.

[Crystal ✬ Lost in Storyland · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two narrators, and you don’t find out the identity of the second narrator until the middle of the book. Until then, you can only guess at the narrator’s identity based off Rosie’s findings alone. The double narrative rounds out the story about the two girls whose lives were switched at birth. However, it does make it hard to fully get into any one narrative: because there are breaks in each narrative from when the other narrative takes over, we never fully get to know one girl.

Rosie is too indecisive. She loses her loving boyfriend Andy when her mom Trudy is diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease. Now that she’s gotten him back, she still hides things from him, unable to trust him with important details in her life. She wants her boyfriend, but she also wants the family that she discovers in America. I was afraid that she would end up losing everything out of her pure desire to find her birth mother.

In contrast, Holly doesn’t want to share, which made it hard for me to like her. On the one hand, most people would be distressed if they found out they weren’t their beloved father’s daughter and that his real one had turned up. On the other hand, she acts so out of hand—and out of cruel intentions towards Rosie—that I wanted things to turn out badly for her, even though she’s going through a tough time.

As far as parents go, Trudy sounds like a great mother. It is no wonder that Rosie is so devastated when she finds out that she wasn’t related to her, especially after having lived her life wondering if she would inherit Huntington’s. The same goes for Jack. Holly too takes the news hard when she learns that she lived someone else’s life for the past eighteen years. Both girls are going through a hard time, and both girls direct their energies into destructive channels.

Someone Else’s Life is the moving story about two girls whose lives become irreversibly changed when they learn that they were switched at birth. It is not an overly happy story. There is anger, frustration, despair, and resignation. And there is no real ending to this story. Rather, it is about facing your options and choosing your path in life.

Original post at Imaginary Reads

[Iris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe even a 1.5*. This book was terrible, but I managed to finish the whole thing so it's a 2*.

So the one good aspect of the book lies in the author's respect and portrayal of Huntington's Disease. However, I've never had any first hand experience of the condition, so it could be wrong. But I think Dale was able to be sensitive when regarding it in the plotline.

The novel also begins relatively well, but then it just goes downhill from there. There are so many bad things about this book, I really don't know where to begin. The worst thing probably has to be the characterisation. The book is narrated by both Rosie and (spoiler) Holly. Both characters made me want to punch them and then respectively punch myself so then I didn't have to listen to them YAP anymore. Oh my god, the prose is just so whiny and awful and I didn't warm to them at all. In fact, I hated every character in the book. The main guy, Andy, was such a naive pushover and got to me. Every person was annoying to be honest.

The chapter style was also bad. Dale alternated between two different narrators which is something that I've seen been done a lot better with other authors. I also think her "chapters" were way too short (the average length was like 2 pages), which halted any kind of plot or character development to flow naturally. The author also used the most clichéd and forced metaphors and similes throughout. They were the kind of ones which you can tell are deliberate and really weren't necessary.

Although it is a dramatic book, I think Dale wrote way too much of the book where there are just scenes of people complaining and crying and "oh-woe"ing.

All the cliffhangers weren't tense at all, and every "plot twist" was predictable. After reading the first few chapters, I had already guessed the whole plot, and I was about 80% right.

Also, this book just made me roll my eyes in frustration way too many times. I'd read something on the page to only have to look away and take a moment to process how terrible it was.

So overall, this book is bearable, but definitely not something I would willingly re-read.

[ILoveBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best quality this book contains is the raw emotion the author is able to portray through the characters. Not much of anything is held back, the reader will truly feel as if he/she is in the middle of the plot.


When Rosie's mother, Trudie, dies from Huntington's Disease, Rosie must make the terrible decision of discovering if she, too, has the gene. However, before she can even take the test, she is told by her mother's best friend and midwife that she cannot possibly have the gene. With further prompting, her mother's best friend admits to swapping out Trudie's baby for a healthier one. Rosie doesn't quite know what to do, but being an inquisitive type, she sets out to find her real parents. What she finds instead is a stable, happy family with a daughter who may be Trudie's real daughter hiding many secrets and a star of a mother who won't give her the time of day. Rosie must make several life-altering decisions in her quest to discover her real family, as well as discovering what a "real family" truly is...could she have already had this "real family" with Trudie?


As a character, Rosie is very open and sincere. She is easy to like, but she does have her faults. Her boyfriend, Andy, is engagingly sweet and very supportive of Rosie's decisions. It is interesting to note that this story is not based around one main character at all-there seem to be at least two main characters and several very important second characters that push the plot along at a fast pace.


The events of this novel were always intriguing and could definitely be dramatic-as the topic would suggest. The characters will pull the reader right into the story and hold his/her attention throughout the novel. This book is highly recommended to young adult/teen readers.

[Pragya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find my full review on http://reviewingshelf.wordpress.com

This book awe'd me from start to finish.

I started reading this thinking I will read a few pages till bedtime but my plan didn't work. I read this book in a 5 hour marathon reading session finally sleeping at 4 in the morning. And no, reading the rest of the book in the morning was NOT an option.

Shut yourself in a secret place where no one can find you before you start reading. Distractions play havoc with reading.

Be FOREWARNED, do not eat much before reading this book. This is a roller coaster ride with lots of twists and turns and you don't want to heave, right?

The GoodThe book gripped me right from the start and played hide and seek with my imagination. It surpassed my thinking and every time I felt like I have figured this book out, it would take another completely unprecedented turn. Phew! Was I tired!

The concept is novel and engaging. You feel for the characters.

The book is so well-written, one thing leading to the other, entwined so nicely that I almost gasped at times.


The Not so Good

The length could have been shortened a bit. There were some unbelievable and filmy things that I just couldn't believe. And I wish the book title was shorter. I love one word titles, two word ones are good but three is long, no? OK, maybe I am just finding a reason to disagree about. LOL!


In all, a great book that hooks you into the plot. In some way, it reminded me of Wanderlove, perhaps it was the travelling bit.

[Ramya · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I won't let you fall"

[Mansi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely speechless. By far, this is the best book I have read for 2013.

We meet Rosie, a teenager who dropped out of school to take care of her mother because she had Huntington's disease. There is no cure for it, and her mother is now dead. There is a fifty percent chance that she may have it because the disease is hereditary. When she asks her neighbour named Sarah (a close family friend) if she can take the test, Sarah breaks done some life changing news. That Rosie's mother isn't actually her daughter, and she was switched with another child at birth.

From here and on in, we follow Rosie on her story in finding her true parents. She stayed true to herself, and she was brave as she travelled, looking for her real parents. But there is one problem, what if they don't want her?

An amazing tale that really made me grateful for who I have in my life. It is in my grace that I just thank God for all I have.

This story is like Mean Girls meets Maury. In a way you could say. =)

[Yv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit is echt een boek die totaal anders was dan dat ik hadverwacht! Ik had verwacht dat het plot, dat gegeven wordt op de kaft (en hier op GR), zo ongeveer een half tot driekwart boek in beslag zou nemen. Dat het een boek zou zijn die een lange aanloop zou hebben over Huntingdon Disease en de herinneringen aan het leven dat Rosie en haar moeder Trudie hadden voordat Trudie stierf.

Nooit had ik verwacht dat dit slechts een paar hoofdstukken zou beslaan en dat de rest van het boek één grote achtbaan is! Van mooie momenten gaat het naar prachtige momenten, naar herinneringen, naar narigheid, naar extreme omstandigheden en weer terug via alle wegen die mogelijk zijn. En het is woord voor woord prachtig geschreven. En als verrassing waren er ook nog een paar twists die ik absoluut niet had zien aankomen! Dit voelde echt niet alsof ik dik 400 pagina's had weggelezen.

Het enige waar ik me aan heb gestoord, is het gedrag van Holly. Zo vreselijk egoïstisch! Maar aan de andere kant... Hoe zou ik zelf reageren...?!

[Jenna Jakubowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book a lot, but there were so many twist and turns!!!

[E. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dit was drama voor gevorderden. Problemen voor problemenslurpers. Alles waar ik de kriebels van krijg.

[Monica Haak · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5e ster. Not my piece of cake. Wat een plottwists wat een gedoe.

[Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW ON B'S BOOK BLOG!

I received the ARC version of this book from NetGalley and Random House to read for review.

Well, I'm a sucker for sad stories. This one is it. This book made me cry big time.

Someone Else's Life is sad, dramatic, and tense. Heavy stuff, you might say. I enjoyed it very much, although it's kind of too long for my taste. The writing is enjoyable, the story rich and powerful. 

Rosie Kenning, 17, decides to have her DNA tested to see whether she's inherited Huntington's Disease that took her mother Trudie away from her. This disease is hereditary and the offspring has 50 percent chance of inheriting it. Sarah, Trudie's best friend and midwife, tells Rosie that she doesn't need the test, because she definitely doesn't have the disease. The reason Sarah is so sure is that Sarah swapped Rosie with another baby. She meant well. That night, two mothers gave birth to two babies. One was Trudie, the other a 17-year-old girl who wanted to give her baby up for adoption. Trudie's husband was driving to the hospital to be with her but got into a car accident and was killed that very night. The baby Trudie desperately needed was extremely weak and it looked like it wouldn't survive. The other girl's baby who was named Holly Woods, on the other hand, was healthy, and in no way wanted by the mother. Sarah thought she wouldn't be able to stand watching Trudie suffer anymore that she already did, so she swapped these two babies, believing it was the right thing to do, since Trudie's baby was going to die, and the other wasn't wanted. When Rosie hears this, she is devastated. Then everything begins to make sense -- the way Trudie's hair color was chestnut while hers is dark, etc. It's around then that Andy, Rosie's ex boyfriend, comes around again. Together they try to search for Rosie's biological mother, only to find out that she's working as an actress in America. When Andy says he's going traveling, Rosie sees it as a perfect opportunity to look for her, as America is the first destination. It starts out as a quest to only find her biological mother, but little does Rosie know how many lives she will be affecting, how much pain she'll be causing... It is much more than she bargains for. 

Such a powerful story! WHOA WHOA WHOA! Seriously. I remember crying my eyes out for such a long, long time, and I wasn't even half way through yet. I have to admit I have never heard of Huntington's Disease before I read this book. It was heart-breaking to read how greatly and horribly a disease can affect you and the people around you. I personally find the story very rich and complex. Kind of complicated, too, but that's what makes the story so interesting. There's always something that keeps you from putting the book down. Always some sub-plots and twists and turns that are constantly thrown into the story.

If you plan to read this book, know that you just sign up for an emotional roller coaster ride. A good one, too, I might add. There's sadness, confusion, anger, jealousy, guilt, shock, surprise as well as love and hatred. It was overwhelming for me in a good way. To feel all these emotions within an hour or something. I was feeling sad and sympathetic with Rosie for a moment, and then the perspective switched and I was extremely angry at Rosie, cursing her, hating on her. I was really into the story. It has a way to suck you right in. 

I like how the characters are portrayed. But to talk about them here is like showing you spoilers, because there are many more characters involved in this than you might imagine. So, no, not gonna do that. I only have a few things to mention about the main characters that you already know about: Rosie and Andy. 

Hmm... I don't think there's a gentler way to put this... but I kind of hate Rosie. I don't know... I guess some things are better left alone, especially when it's too late to change anything. But of course, she has to try to find her mother, and when she does, that should be the end of it, accept it and move on. Except that it isn't and she doesn't. She has to make her way into other lives and shatter them with all this I-have-to-tell-them thing. Really? I don't think so, Rosie. You think you're doing them a big favor by showing up and changing everything, but darling, I think they're better off before you came around. Sorry. 

And Andy. Ugh, dear God. He annoys me. This guy keeps leaving her and keeps coming back. He keeps demanding the truth and promising to understand and can't take it and keeps getting mad. If it's just once or twice, it would be fine with me. But it was more than that. If I'm not mistaken, it's around 4 or 5 times. What an ass. If a guy kept leaving you and coming back and saying sorry, would you always forgive him and then everything would be okay like Rosie and Andy here? No for me! Make up your mind, Andy, it's either leave or stay! Ugh! 

Anyway, enough with the rant. Those were the only problems I had with this book, along with the length,  which in my opinion is much longer than it really needs to be. Other than these, this book is great. If you like sad and dramatic and heavy stories with powerful emotions, this book is definitely for you! 




See on blog!

[alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story raising awareness and raising money for Huntington’s but there seemed to be so many things going on at once it was a bit difficult to keep up. I realised when I got towards the end that it was feeling a bit like a fanfic with all the drastic plot points. Andy was sweet but a bit of a flake I lost track of the number of times he left her then came back within a few chapters.