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Honest
Honest is the ghostly tale of a drastically unhinged girl in the midst of a warped psychological breakdown.
This is the maybe true, maybe not story of Ellen Woodley and her journey with her father back to the scene of a boat accident three years ago; an accident which killed her boyfriend, Peter, and left her disabled.
She escapes reality into the superficial world of women’s magazines, the glossy bibles that point the way to womanhood. Trapped in the void left by her boyfriend’s death, Ellen is tormented by his ghost in the cottage, reminding her of the terrible secret she has kept from the world since that day.
This is the maybe true, maybe not story of Ellen Woodley and her journey with her father back to the scene of a boat accident three years ago; an accident which killed her boyfriend, Peter, and left her disabled.
She escapes reality into the superficial world of women’s magazines, the glossy bibles that point the way to womanhood. Trapped in the void left by her boyfriend’s death, Ellen is tormented by his ghost in the cottage, reminding her of the terrible secret she has kept from the world since that day.
ebook
First published January 6, 2015
About the author
Ava Bloomfield
8 books5 followersYA author, transcriber, charity shop rummager and eater of ALL the chocolate.
Loves writing about realistic teens with big problems.
Loves writing about realistic teens with big problems.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 16, 2020
"What the hell did I just read?", I asked myself out loud after finishing the last sentence. Unusual; I had no idea what was going to happen or what was truly going on. And, to be 'honest', I still don't!
There's a fair amount of sexual abuse going on in this book. Not described in detail, thank god, but enough to make me feel very uncomfortable. Felt like a prop at times, although it is definitely part of the plot.
Good warm-up for Halloween (though still: WTFF...)
There's a fair amount of sexual abuse going on in this book. Not described in detail, thank god, but enough to make me feel very uncomfortable. Felt like a prop at times, although it is definitely part of the plot.
Good warm-up for Halloween (though still: WTFF...)
December 23, 2015
Where to start...First, let me thank Ava for handing over her book, her hard work and her baby of sorts just so I could read and review.
Now, let me explain why I was struggling whether to give 4 or 5 stars as the rating. I went with my gut in the end. I wanted to give it 4 stars because it was so mentally disturbing, but for the same reason of being mentally disturbing I had to give it 5 stars. It well and truly worked. The message was delivered, point taken and mark made! My mind was reeling from the overwhelming try to deal with "What if it was real?"… "It could be real"… "Oh my god, how would anyone survive this pain?"
For a highly empathic person this book will offer an emotional roller-coaster ride and not through fields of unicorns and fluffy bunny rabbits. It will take you down the roughest road of all the darkest feelings, confusion and heartache. It will horrify you and show you the scariest effects of a broken human mind. It will make your heart stop at times and make your stomach drop in anticipation!
I was shocked, I wanted to stop reading because I didn't think I could deal with what was to come but I couldn't. I needed to know how it all ended. I needed to get through this book to get closure for myself. Closure, which is an overarching theme of "Honest". I admit, I have cried before due to heightened emotions from reading. "Honest" made me bawl. I won't tell you though whether it was in the beginning, middle or the end of story. Read for yourself and discover how something as simple as waiting a character make decisions can place you, as a reader, stuck in between a rock and a hard place!
I absolutely loved how the title of the book plays with the whole story. I can't really say much again, without ruining the reading experience. But my overall opinion of the book is absolutely great. Not only does it deal with serious, real issues, it gives it to you straight, no smoothed edges, no glittered up lies. Not every time a reading experience has to offer you a warm, cosy feeling to offer escape from this world. Sometimes a reading experience has to go so totally against the grain, brush against the very hairs on your skin that it will forever be stuck in your memory!
Now, let me explain why I was struggling whether to give 4 or 5 stars as the rating. I went with my gut in the end. I wanted to give it 4 stars because it was so mentally disturbing, but for the same reason of being mentally disturbing I had to give it 5 stars. It well and truly worked. The message was delivered, point taken and mark made! My mind was reeling from the overwhelming try to deal with "What if it was real?"… "It could be real"… "Oh my god, how would anyone survive this pain?"
For a highly empathic person this book will offer an emotional roller-coaster ride and not through fields of unicorns and fluffy bunny rabbits. It will take you down the roughest road of all the darkest feelings, confusion and heartache. It will horrify you and show you the scariest effects of a broken human mind. It will make your heart stop at times and make your stomach drop in anticipation!
I was shocked, I wanted to stop reading because I didn't think I could deal with what was to come but I couldn't. I needed to know how it all ended. I needed to get through this book to get closure for myself. Closure, which is an overarching theme of "Honest". I admit, I have cried before due to heightened emotions from reading. "Honest" made me bawl. I won't tell you though whether it was in the beginning, middle or the end of story. Read for yourself and discover how something as simple as waiting a character make decisions can place you, as a reader, stuck in between a rock and a hard place!
I absolutely loved how the title of the book plays with the whole story. I can't really say much again, without ruining the reading experience. But my overall opinion of the book is absolutely great. Not only does it deal with serious, real issues, it gives it to you straight, no smoothed edges, no glittered up lies. Not every time a reading experience has to offer you a warm, cosy feeling to offer escape from this world. Sometimes a reading experience has to go so totally against the grain, brush against the very hairs on your skin that it will forever be stuck in your memory!
January 10, 2015
This was a strange little book, full of dark and controversial twists, with some delightfully weird and well fleshed-out characters at its centre. The story is primarily driven by said characters, which makes it easy to follow along and very difficult to put down!
The subject matter means it probably won't be to everyone's tastes, but it would be a real shame if anyone decided not to bother with it on that basis: "Honest" is an extremely well-written piece of fiction, with themes embedded in its bones, and a hugely emotional command of language and literary devices which will have you sympathising with the unspeakable. This is Bloomfield's debut novel, and it bodes well for a long and exciting writing career to come.
Honestly a brilliant read.
The subject matter means it probably won't be to everyone's tastes, but it would be a real shame if anyone decided not to bother with it on that basis: "Honest" is an extremely well-written piece of fiction, with themes embedded in its bones, and a hugely emotional command of language and literary devices which will have you sympathising with the unspeakable. This is Bloomfield's debut novel, and it bodes well for a long and exciting writing career to come.
Honestly a brilliant read.
August 17, 2017
This book started OK and I though hmmm not a lot really happening, but then when the accident is mentioned it all really starts coming together. Quite disturbing but meant to be.
December 30, 2015
Okay...but from the cover and description I thought this would be a book with an unreliable narrator. As far as I could tell, the narrator told the truth (her truth) which she fully believed with no intent to hide anything from or deceive the reader.
May 18, 2015
I loved the sharp edges of this book and how it slowly reveals that not every protagonist is a stereotypical "good guy."
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews