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Book Three
He watched her self-destruct while his world fell apart...
Serge moves from his childhood home on the Upper East Side of New York to a wealthy enclave high up in the Hollywood Hills. His family is broken, dysfunctional, but he has high hopes for a new beginning. He meets a quiet little girl, Zelda, who will grow to be the center of his very busy life.
His world crumbles as his mother's drinking escalates and Zelda suffers a complete mental breakdown. Serge struggles, picking up the pieces of those crashing around him. He's left with a guilt he can't shake...
Years go by and Zelda explodes back into Serge's life. His feelings for her intensify into a fiery passion... but she's with Danny, Serge's best friend.
Book Three is a sweeping romantic saga on the battle between love and lifelong loyalty.
Book Three can be read as a standalone and the Zelda's World series can be read in any order. The book does not end on a cliffhanger and it has a surprisingly happy ending.
Themes: Codependency, Alcoholism, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault (not graphic or gratuitous), Loyalty, Friendship, True Love, Sexual Situations, Some Coarse Language.
Serge moves from his childhood home on the Upper East Side of New York to a wealthy enclave high up in the Hollywood Hills. His family is broken, dysfunctional, but he has high hopes for a new beginning. He meets a quiet little girl, Zelda, who will grow to be the center of his very busy life.
His world crumbles as his mother's drinking escalates and Zelda suffers a complete mental breakdown. Serge struggles, picking up the pieces of those crashing around him. He's left with a guilt he can't shake...
Years go by and Zelda explodes back into Serge's life. His feelings for her intensify into a fiery passion... but she's with Danny, Serge's best friend.
Book Three is a sweeping romantic saga on the battle between love and lifelong loyalty.
Book Three can be read as a standalone and the Zelda's World series can be read in any order. The book does not end on a cliffhanger and it has a surprisingly happy ending.
Themes: Codependency, Alcoholism, Mental Illness, Sexual Assault (not graphic or gratuitous), Loyalty, Friendship, True Love, Sexual Situations, Some Coarse Language.
468 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2015
6 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 30, 2015
I received this book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Having read Trashed, the fourth book of the Zelda's World series, I was excited to find out that Book Three was part of that series too! Keep in mind, though, that even though it is a series, it's okay to read them out of order, and the books are just as great as stand-alones. You definitely will not miss anything major if you read them out of order, and each story is easy to pick up with. I have to say, though, since I read Trashed, I was actually pretty excited to see the reappearance of Celena again, just that this time, Book Three was written in Serge's point of view. On one hand, it gave me awesome insight into these characters' world by presenting the story from another character's point of view; on the other, it kind of made me feel like I was sharing an "inside joke/story" of sorts with the author, since I already knew a bit about Serge and Celena's relationship and dynamics.
Onto this book, Book Three--
It is just as unique and enjoyable as Trashed. As another reviewer had mentioned, Paloma Meir really tells the story with authenticity. And once again, her characters are filled with depth. Like real people, you can never understand them 100%, and as I read, I just felt intrigued. I wanted to get to know the characters more and know their story! Another unique thing about this book is the fact that it spans over a great period of time. The chapters are quite long, but detailed, as Serge recounts his childhood, teenage, and then adult years. It's not just a simple romance novel; it has elements of growing up, coming of age, pain, struggles, etc, that just really added more depth into this book. As a reader, I really wanted to be challenged with what I'm reading, and Book Three really gave me that. With Serge, he's really not just telling you the story--he's kind of inviting you to guess a little bit, on what is about to happen. He invited you into his own life in a down to earth, genuine tone. I found myself really liking him. You will find yourself really trying to understand the characters and really relating to their struggles as well.
Perhaps the one criticism I do have about this book is that I had no idea where it was going at the beginning. As a book, it wasn't hard to get into, no. However, I did feel that it lacked a compelling hook and a momentum to really get the story kickstarted at the very beginning. We meet Zelda, an odd, yet interesting girl at the beginning of the book when Serge and his sister, Carolina, moved to Los Angeles. Zelda intrigued me, though I suppose something of a foreshadow, a hint at what is to come later in the book, would've been really nice to urge the story along right at the beginning! With that being said, though, I quite enjoyed the tale and recommend this highly.
Having read Trashed, the fourth book of the Zelda's World series, I was excited to find out that Book Three was part of that series too! Keep in mind, though, that even though it is a series, it's okay to read them out of order, and the books are just as great as stand-alones. You definitely will not miss anything major if you read them out of order, and each story is easy to pick up with. I have to say, though, since I read Trashed, I was actually pretty excited to see the reappearance of Celena again, just that this time, Book Three was written in Serge's point of view. On one hand, it gave me awesome insight into these characters' world by presenting the story from another character's point of view; on the other, it kind of made me feel like I was sharing an "inside joke/story" of sorts with the author, since I already knew a bit about Serge and Celena's relationship and dynamics.
Onto this book, Book Three--
It is just as unique and enjoyable as Trashed. As another reviewer had mentioned, Paloma Meir really tells the story with authenticity. And once again, her characters are filled with depth. Like real people, you can never understand them 100%, and as I read, I just felt intrigued. I wanted to get to know the characters more and know their story! Another unique thing about this book is the fact that it spans over a great period of time. The chapters are quite long, but detailed, as Serge recounts his childhood, teenage, and then adult years. It's not just a simple romance novel; it has elements of growing up, coming of age, pain, struggles, etc, that just really added more depth into this book. As a reader, I really wanted to be challenged with what I'm reading, and Book Three really gave me that. With Serge, he's really not just telling you the story--he's kind of inviting you to guess a little bit, on what is about to happen. He invited you into his own life in a down to earth, genuine tone. I found myself really liking him. You will find yourself really trying to understand the characters and really relating to their struggles as well.
Perhaps the one criticism I do have about this book is that I had no idea where it was going at the beginning. As a book, it wasn't hard to get into, no. However, I did feel that it lacked a compelling hook and a momentum to really get the story kickstarted at the very beginning. We meet Zelda, an odd, yet interesting girl at the beginning of the book when Serge and his sister, Carolina, moved to Los Angeles. Zelda intrigued me, though I suppose something of a foreshadow, a hint at what is to come later in the book, would've been really nice to urge the story along right at the beginning! With that being said, though, I quite enjoyed the tale and recommend this highly.
April 25, 2015
Book Three by Paloma Meir
I received the ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a rare writer that can tell a story with authenticity, characters that you care about. SE Hinton’s The Outsiders has that and Ms. Meir did it here.
It begins with newly uprooted - from NYC and their penthouse in the family hotel on the Upper East Side - Serge, his younger sister Carolina, and the “whiff of a girl” sitting on the side of the road, the ethereal fey Zelda. Their lives are going to be entangled forever. Danny, just a bit up the street, and Serge will be best friends, silently for awhile each in love with Zelda.
First love is so sweet and you’d think nothing could go wrong. The terrible sexual assault that happens and the attempt to keep it secret have disastrous consequences, spinning Zelda into fear and shame, just as Serge and Carolina’s mother alcoholism can’t be pretended away any longer.
The author captures what it’s really like to get your first period, your first kiss, your first sense of sexuality and completely honestly. The author shows you what it’s like to be a girl wearing pretty clothes and trusting the world, then having that trust turn to shame and fear and a need to cut your beautiful hair off, to wear big clothes and not take a bath. She really makes you know what it feels like, and how hard it is to come back from that.
It’s a story of friendship, that changes as they grow up and the memories and secrets they share.
The author is a great storyteller. And that’s what makes a great read. I think you’ll love Ms. Meir’s stories. I’m a fan.
I received the ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a rare writer that can tell a story with authenticity, characters that you care about. SE Hinton’s The Outsiders has that and Ms. Meir did it here.
It begins with newly uprooted - from NYC and their penthouse in the family hotel on the Upper East Side - Serge, his younger sister Carolina, and the “whiff of a girl” sitting on the side of the road, the ethereal fey Zelda. Their lives are going to be entangled forever. Danny, just a bit up the street, and Serge will be best friends, silently for awhile each in love with Zelda.
First love is so sweet and you’d think nothing could go wrong. The terrible sexual assault that happens and the attempt to keep it secret have disastrous consequences, spinning Zelda into fear and shame, just as Serge and Carolina’s mother alcoholism can’t be pretended away any longer.
The author captures what it’s really like to get your first period, your first kiss, your first sense of sexuality and completely honestly. The author shows you what it’s like to be a girl wearing pretty clothes and trusting the world, then having that trust turn to shame and fear and a need to cut your beautiful hair off, to wear big clothes and not take a bath. She really makes you know what it feels like, and how hard it is to come back from that.
It’s a story of friendship, that changes as they grow up and the memories and secrets they share.
The author is a great storyteller. And that’s what makes a great read. I think you’ll love Ms. Meir’s stories. I’m a fan.
August 14, 2015
Book Three is the first book by Palomar Meir that I have read and I really like the writing style.
It is Serge's voice we hear, with rich descriptions of his life from the time his family moved to California, where he and his sister meet a young girl named Zelda. Zelda figures in the lives of Serge and Carolina through this storyline. At first I wasn't sure about the style of storytelling, but it didn't take long before I was enthralled. Trying to second guess who was going to end up with who and when with the small hints that weren't always hints was fun as well as frustrating. I understand that there are several books in this series that tell the same basic story from different points of view. Each can stand alone, I believe. As I have not read any of the others I cannot comment on how important it may be to read more, but it sure is appealing to me to do so. I am looking forward to doing just that.
“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
It is Serge's voice we hear, with rich descriptions of his life from the time his family moved to California, where he and his sister meet a young girl named Zelda. Zelda figures in the lives of Serge and Carolina through this storyline. At first I wasn't sure about the style of storytelling, but it didn't take long before I was enthralled. Trying to second guess who was going to end up with who and when with the small hints that weren't always hints was fun as well as frustrating. I understand that there are several books in this series that tell the same basic story from different points of view. Each can stand alone, I believe. As I have not read any of the others I cannot comment on how important it may be to read more, but it sure is appealing to me to do so. I am looking forward to doing just that.
“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
July 26, 2015
boring since I already read book 1 and 2, its the same story told from a different characters perspective,
November 30, 2015
Basically just a repeat of the other book from a different point of view.
March 22, 2016
Quite a story!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews