Art & Soul

by Brittainy C. Cherry

Romance da mesma autora de O Ar Que Ele Respira e Sr. Daniels.

Quando Jake descobre que seu amor de infância, Ana Louise, vai se casar, ele decide deixar Los Angeles para voltar à pequena cidade no interior de Kansas onde nasceu e cresceu. Ana Louise está prestes a se casar com Henry, o ex-melhor amigo de Jake. Cada um seguiu com sua vida, mas ela era feliz com Henry... Não era? Entre um término conturbado e um reencontro inesperado, quem sabe o que pode acontecer às vésperas de um casamento?

De um jeito doce e por vezes cômico, Brittainy C. Cherry escreve uma história envolvente sobre amor e, acima de tudo, perdão.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, New Adult, Contemporary, High School, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers

Audible Audio

First published April 20, 2015

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 'abstract' stars!



Last year, I read this book called Loving Mr. Daniels and it blew me away. I’m talking my favorite top read of 2014. When I saw this author had a new book coming out, my excitement level was off the charts. This book is different than LMD, but wow. It’s incredible. Brittainy C. Cherry is such an amazing storyteller. She creates these characters that are completely endearing- even ones you don’t want to like you end up loving. And her words are just stunning. I feel like I highlighted half the book!



Aria is not the same girl she was. She’s used to being unnoticed. She’s the art student who solely hangs out with her best friend and focuses on school and art. She is good with that. But one choice she made will forever change her life and who she is.

Levi is used to being a free spirit. He lives with his mother who home schools him, and he focuses on the music. It’s all about the music. A turn of events has him coming to stay with his dad for the year. Levi is a little odd, but in the very best way possible. He’s friendly and immediately popular at school- but he doesn’t care about that. Only one person in that school has really caught his eye and it’s her. It’s Aria.



Aria is standoffish in the beginning, she is like that with everyone, but something about Levi takes her out of her shell a bit. They get paired together in an arts project. Aria is the Art- and Levi is the Soul. Levi tries to get close to Aria, to get her to be friends. Eventually he wears her down.

“Levi.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think we can be friends?”

“I thought we already were.”

Levi may always put on a happy face, but he’s going through a lot right now, too. Aria is the only one who can really make it better. The only one he feels like he can open up to.



From friendship forms an unlikely romance. It’s one that probably isn’t the best idea, with the situation one of them is in, but Levi and Aria can’t help falling for each other. No matter how hard she tries to push him away, there is something about Levi Meyers that she can’t shake. Perhaps it’s because he’s that one person she can talk to. That she can be happy with, sad with, just be herself with.

He was the best kind of oxymoron. When I was with him I could be a sad kind of happy and be content with that feeling.

Levi Meyers is one of those fictional characters you wish were real. You will LOVE this boy. He is the most kind, compassionate, sweet and loving characters. He is so different from your average hero- especially one who’s in high school. He doesn’t care who and what is cool. He genuinely cares about people. Even though he’s young, he knows whats important in life.

Aria is another fantastic character. Her out look on life is not the same as Levi’s. After what she’s been through, it’s a bit more jaded. She is artistic, a little more to herself. She needs a Levi in her life. A guy like him to be there for her. And he was. And as her character grew, by the end, I loved her just as much as Levi.



Levi and Aria’s story moved me. It made me think, made me feel and left me with this beautiful feeling of hope. Hope that there are genuinely good people out there. There is no greater feeling than to finish a book with a giant smile on your face and feel hopeful and happy. It did have it’s emotional moments, there were several times I broke down in tears (although I’m not sure if everyone will- it’s not really a huge tear jerker, I was just sensitive to some of the subject matter).

Art & Soul stole my heart from the very first chapter. After reading this book, it’s proven to me without a shadow of a doubt that B Cherry is not a one hit wonder. This book was incredible. I could go on and on about how much I loved it (although I think it’s pretty clear by now), but really my only advice to you is to read it. I don’t care what type of books you like, give this one a shot. It’s an exceptionally beautiful story with tons of heart and going towards the top of my favorites list for 2015.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Air Guitar Stars

"Was Levi Meyers real? Did he really exist? Or did my sad, black heart create him because it longed for a little bit of color?



What an amazingly wonderful story! The writing is simply perfect while we are gifted with dual povs of our heroine and hero. Aria Watson who is sixteen years old and pregnant (no sex scenes in this book the heroine is pregnant for the majority of the story) and Levi Meyers who is the new guy in town. Levi has moved in with his estranged father to work on their relationship. Levi and Aria become friends and so much more in this story. Levi was one of the sweetest book boyfriends I have had the opportunity to meet. Going against the norm and always being true to himself while always being loving and caring with just the right amount of humor made him just dreamy!

“He was so beautiful that it was almost offensive. He looked like a whisper sounds. Sweet, gentle, and romantic. It was making me dizzy.”

Aria struggles with being pregnant and the fall and reactions of her family. She makes some big decisions while Levi struggles to connect to his father and is torn to his needy mother back home in Alabama. It must be mentioned that All the secondary characters were just as expertly written and this story had depth and heart.

"I loved him. I loved him so, so much. I loved him with no regrets of yesterday and no fears of tomorrow. I loved him in the moment, quietly, with secret whispers of love that only our young spirits could comprehend."

I cried and laughed and felt practically every emotion in between through the pages of this book.

"Levi raised his hand, and Mr. Harper called on him, I cringed. "Yes boy with the violin?" "Are we allowed to add our own questions to the fact sheet, teacher with the impressive mustache?"

Brittainy C. Cherry delivered a heartfelt story that was simply fantastic.



All that’s left to do is grab my air guitar...



I highly recommend friends picking this book up it's definitely a favorite of 2015 for me!

"The future's not real. So it's best to live in the here and now with you."

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!!



What a wonderful story! “Art & Soul” was my second book by this author and like the first one, it blew me away. It was a well written, touching, amazing story with two main characters so vivid and endearing and a love story that touch my heart. Brittainy C. Cherry is a fantastic storyteller and with her simple words she managed to create this story about two teenagers dealing with life changing situations who will find each other, support each other and fall for each other in such a wonderful way.

“Maybe it’s okay to no longer be the person we thought we were meant to be. Maybe it’s okay to just be who we are now and accept that.”

Aria is 16 years old art student. She loves art with all her heart, especially abstract art. She used to be unnoticed, invisible, her passion and her best friend being enough for her. Until one night when everything changes for her and everyone seems to notice her unfortunately not in a very good way.

"Was Levi Meyers real? Did he really exist? Or did my sad, black heart create him because it longed for a little bit of color?"

Levi is the new guy in school. Under certain circumstances he had to move from Alabama to Wisconsin. He hadvlived all his life with his mother who schooled him and taught him how to love music. For him music means everything. Now he lives with his father, hoping that eventually will reconnect with the man who used to be so different towards him when he was younger.

Levi is drawn to Aria from the beginning. He is drawn to her beauty, to her uniqueness, to her sadness. He wants to make her smile. At first Aria is uncomfortable with the way Levi watches her, preferring to be invisible, but she can’t deny how beautiful and different Levi is.

“I wasn’t ready to admit it, or show it, but Levi made me smile. Not just on the outside, but on the inside, too.”

They get to know each other better when they are paired together for their Art & Soul project. They become friends and soon they find themselves falling for each other.



I loved this book and these characters. I absolutely adored them. It rarely happens to love the two main characters equally. Levi was a swoon worthy hero that immediately made me fall for him. The way he was with Aria melt my heart. He was charming, sweet, caring, attentive and thoughtful. He also was a good friend and a good son. He was simply perfect.

“He was the best kind of oxymoron. When I was with him I could be a sad kind of happy and be content with that feeling.“

I loved his kindness not only towards Aria, but towards the other characters as well. He felt mature for his age and I liked the way he sees everything in life and how he sees past social norms. Aria is a likeable character as well. Her character growth is really well done. She’s kind hearted and like Levi more mature than her age.

I enjoyed Aria and Levy’s friendship. It’s that kind of friendship everyone of us hopes to have, but I have to say I loved them as lovers. Even if the premise of this story is nothing new, the story was unique in its own way and Aria and Levy’s love story was heartwarming. Their beautiful story made me feel, made me smile, made me cry and made me hope. I loved the way they communicated with each other and I really felt how compatible they are. They complemented each other like no other.

“The world was often ugly and painful, filled with hate, sadness, and despair. But Aria? She made sense in a senseless world.”

I really enjoyed the love and the friendship in this book. There are more types of love and friendship developed here and I loved this aspect of the story. Mrs. Cherry writing was wonderful, flawless and her choice of words was simply fantastic. They will make you feel every emotion there is.

All in all, “Art & Soul” was a wonderful, unique story about life, love, friendship and of course about art, music and heart and soul with endearing characters, captivating storyline and fantastic writing. It was a stoty that will stay with me for a long time to come!

"That’s the thing about the future, and the past even. They don’t exist in this moment. We only have the here and now. If we focus too much on the past or too heavily on the future, we miss out on our present desires, the things we want right now.”

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!



I’ve never read a book from this author before, but a couple of my book buddies highly recommended her work to me – specifically this book – and I thought to myself, why not? It’s been a while since I last read a good YA romance anyway. And boy, did I hit the jackpot with this one! One of the very first things that stood out to me about this book was how beautiful the writing was. There were numerous times while I was reading the words struck me so vividly I had to stop and just stare at my iPad in awe. I love that there’s really nothing fancy about the author’s writing style – it’s quite simplistic actually – but she writes in such a candid, conversationalist manner it’s so, so easy to read and even easier to fall in love with her words. She makes her characters feel real and tangible, and not once did I think any conflicts or problems that came up throughout the book were created for drama purposes only. And when I finished reading (I also read this in one sitting too!), the one main thought running through my mind was this was a damn good book! A book that made me feel so many emotions – I smiled, I laughed, I raged, and I cried my little heart out.

The premise of this story is very simple, but the characters in question are anything but simple. It’s told in alternating POVs between two lonesome teenagers who find in each other a kindred spirit. The heroine Aria makes a small mistake one night and winds up pregnant, shocking news that not only negatively affects her relationship with her family, but also leads to further isolation and scorn at school by her peers. Around the same time, the hero Levi moves into town in hopes of mending his broken relationship with his estranged father. He’s outwardly charismatic and so he’s accepted into the school’s popular circle, but on the inside his personality is much like Aria’s: both alone and at-times terrified by the number of hardships in their lives. And so, the art girl and the violin boy connect in a way that many of their peers and family don’t understand, let alone themselves. All they know is that they’re inexplicably drawn to each other.



I love that there’s no insta-love! Aria and Levi are friends for some time before romance comes in, and even then their relationship is tender and sweet with a quiet intensity. I also liked the book setup, and by that I mean how the author decided to let the story unfold. It wasn’t entirely a romance novel and she didn’t decide to exclusively focus on just the romance. There was a focus on each character’s own self-discovery as they navigated through their obstacles. There was room for side characters to shine so even though they were unimpressionable at first, by the end they were just as endearing as the main characters. In short, this was a life story – both Aria’s and Levi’s – and a story about life, something that became even clearer in the last quarter of the book where I bawled my eyes out. I was so overwhelmed by emotion and each and every one of the author’s words in this part hit me hard.



So obviously I highly recommend this book, especially if you loved Slammed by Colleen Hoover. They are two totally different stories with different plotlines but holy hell, the feels are so similar. And even if you weren’t a fan of Slammed, I say still give this book a try anyways. It’s one of those special, exceptional stories that I think everyone who reads it will find a certain amount of beauty in the book and be able to connect with it on a certain level. A top favorite of mine for sure!

Art & Soul is a YA romance standalone. Better get some tissues ready while you read :)

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Art & Soul
Series: Standalone
Author: Brittainy C Cherry
Release Date: 21 April, 2015
Rating: 4.5 stars
Cliffhanger:. No
HEA: Yes








Sometimes you read a book that makes you forget how to breathe. It’s hard to the describe the feeling, though. On the one hand, you feel touched and completely blown away. It makes it hard to even form coherent thoughts; not mentioning writing a review that would give the novel justice. On the other hand, your lungs, your mind and soul seem so empty, so void. You feel like screaming, crying and laughing at once. That’s emotional overload for me. And I feel it every time I reach for Brittainy C. Cherry books. It’s the best feeling in the world, while still painful and sad experience.

"That’s the thing about the future, and the past even. They don’t exist in this moment. We only have the here and now. If we focus too much on the past or too heavily on the future, we miss out on our present desires, the things we want right now.”



Art & Soul totally surprised me. It’s different than any other young adult novel I’ve read, because the author has a unique way of telling the story – her words are beautiful, moving and poetic. They play with readers’ heart and soul and don’t leave him/her even a second to prepare for more. Levi and Aria’s story is absolutely unique roller coaster of emotions; you’ll get everything - from heart fluttering, sweet moments to raw and edgy pain and sorrow. You won't be able to stop yourself from reading and feeling all of those things.

"Sometimes the most beautiful pieces of art were created from the darkest of souls."



This story is just so stunning and real I couldn't put the book down even for a single second, even when my eyes were blurry from the tears or when my hands shook so hard I couldn’t keep my ereader straight. It's just that good!

I can't recommend this book enough. There are no words from me that could really sum up this book.



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[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars and beyond, way beyond to make it to infinity! (Yep, that’s right. I know my Math too.^^ )

Brief Intermission: The characters exchanged abundant corny Math jokes that’ll make you crack up for sure. Here, let me give you one of my own.

Me: Why is six afraid of seven?
11 year old niece: Because seven is a bigger number?
Me: No! Because seven ate nine. Get that?
11 year old niece: Rolls eyes and leaves aunt on her own.

Bahahahaha! I did say corny. -end of intermission-

REVIEW

“A person who never truly lost themselves could never truly find themselves either.”

Nobody is asking but I’m saying it just the same. I have just read one of the best YA contemporaries right here, people. Like ever!

This book, this book! I feel like an impertinent fool nonsensically (just picked this word up from the book) gushing about the beauty of a story I just read when I know there is nothing I could possibly say to express how painfully good, beautifully heart aching and awfully perfect this story is. Yep, the book has lots and lots of oxymorons. (If you haven’t learned the meaning of this word yet from your Literature class or from Google, I suggest you just read the book.^^) They are part of the many reasons I loved this so much.

Everything about this story is just amazing. Superb writing, genuinely impressive characterizations, the most surprisingly one of a kind plot, the comfortable settings, and the bittersweet themes that are so true, they hurt, the emotions…half the time I was laughing my heart out and the other half I’m sobbing my heart out and I think we have already established that books that make us laugh hard and cry hard at the same time are the best kinds. This is one of them.^^

You’ll be surprised to meet the most non-clichéd MCs, just look at the gorgeous cover. Spunky, sassy girl meets gorgeous, southern boy from Alabama. Don’t let appearances fool you though because inside, these characters are your full blown dorks. Love them to bits! Seriously, Levi has already won me over with his charming air guitar and lip syncing skills but he even had to play John Legend’s All of Me? I am so moving on from you, Gray of First Comes Love series.^^ The rest of the characters are just as important, as genuine and as relevant and I felt for each one of them. I wouldn’t even consider this book mainly a romance. Just you wait and see when you read the book.

Okay. I’m stopping now. I won’t tell you anything more because the rest is for you to savor once you read the book which I’m sure you will.^^

Click here to view my first attempt at a collage because I can’t move on from the book. I feel like I need to create something out of it.^^

Thank you to Nyra's gorgeous review. <3

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS!! ★★★★★



Art – noun | [\ˈärt\] : The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.

What an amazing book!! Yet another read that took me by a complete surprise, Art & Soul was beautifully written with characters that were so endearing and realistic, a story that I'd say would appeal to everyone. Having not read anything by this author before, I was completely blown away by her ability to take such a simple plot and turned it into such an emotionally-fuelled journey with her writing. After finishing this, I was so afraid that I couldn't find the right words to bring it justice because I'd like to shout from the rooftops and tell everybody to READ THIS BOOK!!



Art & Soul follows the story of Aria Watson whose passion is in art, her favorite kind being the abstract ones. She's always been the good girl, staying out of trouble at school but all that changed when one bad decision led to her being noticed by everyone for the wrong reason. Then there's also Levi Myers who plays the violin, the new boy in school that has been grabbing everyone's attention too. He just moved in from Alabama, staying with his dad who has separated from his mum and in hopes that moving to Wisconsin would mend the broken relationship between his parents. When both Levi & Aria got paired up for a school project that requires them to present a piece which infused art with music, what started out as a friendship slowly blossomed into something more and beautiful.



The only way I could describe this book is that reading Art & Soul made me remembered why I fell in love with the New Adult genre in the first place. Reading this brought me back to a place I've longed for, it reminded me when I first picked up my first CoHo book, Slammed and fell in love with a simple yet wonderful read that had me smiling, laughing and crying throughout. You get the same high school setting; nothing extraordinary but it's the author's writing that will touch your soul with her words. I fell in love with all her characters, even the ones that I thought I'd hate for their actions. I felt like I personally got to know each of them and was alongside them fighting their own battles.

"I wanted Dad to want me a little. I wanted Mom to stop wanting me so much. I wanted to be wanted, but not wanted a lot."

What I loved most about Art & Soul was that it didn't just solely focused on the romance aspect between Levi & Aria but it became a story that presented love in all forms. You get to witness the true love that stemmed from a parent towards their own child, the love of a survivor who had a second chance at life and most of all, this book brought hope even when it seemed like there was none and the world was against you.



The story flowed effortlessly with each chapter and the dual POV was done beautifully for both Aria & Levi. There were just moments in this read that left me breathless as the emotions brought upon by these characters were just so raw and real. It had me misty-eyed at one point but I couldn't put it down because I just needed to know that things will be okay thereafter.



Even with the absence of smut that would probably shelved this as a YA genre instead, this book had all the right ingredients that still made it a wonderful read but more importantly, it had the heart and soul that truly made it an unforgettable one. It got me smiling, swooning, crying but by the end of it all, it left me with a huge smile and wanting so much more. I didn't want to part ways with these characters that I've come to known and love, I wasn't ready to say goodbye :(

This is one of those books that stays with you and be remembered for its heartfelt story. I know there won't be enough words to fully capture the beauty of this read but all I ask from everyone is to give this read a shot if you're just looking for something simple yet wonderful to read. This was such a hidden gem that I never thought I'd pick up any time soon but I'm so glad that I did! A huge shoutout of thanks to Jennifer who recc'd me this and loaned it to me in a heartbeat, otherwise I would have missed out an amazing read, so THANK YOU!! ♥

Again, I'd HIGHLY recommend this to everyone and no doubt a 2015 top read for me. The writing itself was enough to warrant 5 stars & had me highlighting all the quotes non-stop, enough said ;)



Art & Soul is a standalone YA contemporary romance read.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars



Art & Soul is an endearing, heartfelt, ya story following two teenagers dealing with life changing situations. I was pleasantly surprised by this story, and shed quite a few tears, okay, I flat out sobbed at one point.

"Love openly," my heart whispered. "Love unconditionally," my heart begged. "Love the struggles," my heart taught.
"Love in the moment."

For Aria, high school has been pretty uneventful, she has always just blended in, the artist who is considered a little odd, but one night she makes a decision that changes everything.

Four different test. Four different brands. Four different days. Four matching results.

Levi has spent most of his life alienated from typical social interactions, home schooled by his eccentric mother, he has a strong love for music and words. When certain circumstances lead to him moving in with his father, he has high hopes with reconnecting with the man from his memories.

What had changed and made him stop loving me?

Levi notices Aria right away, she is unique and beautiful, yet he sees the sadness in her eyes, and wants to be the one to make her smile. While Aria tries to resist, these two quickly become friends. They support each other through some difficult situations, and find themselves falling in love.



I adored these characters, secondary characters included, each unique and special, I loved them all. I laughed, cried, swooned, it was a truly wonderful experience.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

LIVE on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1IA00eI Only .99 for 2 days!



Art & Soul is a beautifully written story about two teenagers trying to navigate and survive adult situations. This story made me laugh, ugly cry and the end left me with a huge smile on my face.

Aria is an artist, she is used to being one of the oddities and enjoys going unnoticed in her high school. She has her art and her best friend, she doesn’t need or want anything else. Levi has been living in Alabama with his mother, but has just moved to Wisconsin to live with his dad. He is the opposite of Aria, when he walks into the room people notice him, they want to know him.

He was so beautiful that it was almost offensive. He looked like a whisper sounds. Sweet, gentle, and romantic. It was making me dizzy.

As the school starts Aria and Levi quickly learn that one decision can change your whole life, it can shape your future into something you no longer recognize. Aria is no longer the girl no one notices, she is the girl they are all talking about. Then there is Levi, has uprooted his whole life to try and understand why he and his dad no longer have the relationship they used to. He wants answers on what happened and to try to repair their broken relationship.



Levi immediately sees Aria. He sees that she is beautiful, unique and sad. He wants to know her, he wants to make her smile. Aria can’t help but notice Levi. The whole school sees Levi, so she can’t understand why he is only seeing her. She is closed off and afraid of getting to know him, but when they’re paired together for their Art & Soul project they are forced to get to know each other.

“Your personality is the complete opposite of your looks.”

“I know that my personality is outstanding, so I’ll go ahead and pretend that you didn’t just call me ugly.”

As time goes on Levi and Aria develop a friendship and help each other through difficult times. There is so much character growth throughout the story and I absolutely loved watching them open up and accept comfort in each other.

Levi Myers is one of my most favorite characters I have ever read. He is selfless, loving, compassionate, and real. He isn’t perfect, but it just made me love him more. He is a child having to act like a parent. He is a teenage boy who sees past people’s differences to the heart of the matter. What I love the most, he is a teenage boy who sees past social norms and beats to his own drum.

He was the best kind of oxymoron. When I was with him I could be a sad kind of happy and be content with the feeling.

Aria is beautifully unique. She isn’t as mature as Levi, but throughout the story she really grew as a character. She is faced with one of the most difficult choices and she handles it with maturity and grace. While Levi stole my heart in the beginning, by the end, Aria owned it. She was completely selfless, giving and understanding. She was completely refreshing.

The world was often ugly and painful, filled with hate, sadness and despair. But Aria? She made sense in a senseless world.

“You understand that abstract art is standing out against the norm because it’s the only way abstract art knows how to stand. And you get so fucking happy because it’s so beautiful. And unique. And edgy. And…abstract.”

It is rare for me to love the side characters as much as the main, but Simon, Abigail, and even the parents added so much to the story. This story is full of heart and depth. Most importantly it is real life.

I loved Brittainy Cherry before I picked up this book. She wrote one of my favorite reads, Loving Mr. Daniels, so I couldn’t wait to read this story. I didn’t expect this story to move me like LMD, but it did. These stories are so different, but contain the same ingredients: heart and soul. This story moved me to tears multiple times, not just sad tears, but happy tears. That is crazy, I don’t usually cry happy tears in a book, but by the time I finished this story the characters were real to me.

There are not enough words to express how much I loved this story. I am sure Levi, the word master, would do a much better job. I will close with this. This is a story that I will read again and again, it is a story I never wanted to end, it is a story I hope everyone reads.



ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy ღCoffee Addict Booksღ · Rating 5 out of 5]

***5 oxymoron stars***

“Sometimes the most beautiful pieces of art were created from the darkest of souls.”

Aria Watson is sixteen years old and loves art, even with her popular brother in school, she goes beyond her way to be invisible with her crazy hair colors, weird outfit and dramatic makeups. She prefers losing herself in art rather than looking pretty or chasing a guy, because of one wrong choice she goes from being invisible to most noted girl in the school, not a day goes by when she’s not called ugly, whore or slut. While she struggles to survive and remain unnoticed Levi Myers, the new guy in school thinks she’s worth noticing though he is surrounded by all the popular kids he can’t stop staring at her.

With good looks and charming personality Levi could make his way to anyone’s heart easily, he’s easy going and kind to all but that’s just his way of hiding his sorrow! With a mother suffering from mental illness and father who abandoned him when he was young, Levi moves to Wisconsin from Alabama to rekindle his relationship with his father, to find out why once a loving doting father became this cold distant person who hardly speaks to him.

An Art project in school brings Aria and Levi together, where their friendship blooms to love and they become each other’s hope, a promise of better tomorrow.

“She was the rainbow to my everlasting thunderstorms.”

If at all I’ve a son, I would want him to be like Levi, (Yep! I just said that, this book is that overwhelming!) he is sweet, loving, funny, genuine, humble, kind and compassionate plus he's a professional air guitarist (how cool is that?!) I loved that he managed to spread love and laughter while his life was full of misery. Aria on other hand was a hard nut to crack, she mostly kept to herself and I loved that she stayed strong throughout the mishaps her life endured. Together they make an adorable couple! Both were lonely, scarred and shattered, being in each other’s company they learn to live and love every small glimpse of happiness shinning on their way and mostly loving each other for the way they are.

“We were two lost souls holding on to the only thing that could keep us together.
Each other.”

Art & Soul is a kind of story you want to be part of, with realistic characters, romantic dialogues and swoon worthy moments it makes you want to finish it in one sitting. There was no over the top drama, unnecessary plot twist or great amount of angst to grab your attention, but it’s a story of love, friendship, family blended with music, art and words. Writing was subtle yet engaging, slow paced but loved every moment of it, author totally justified the title of this story with beautiful description of art and music.

This is my first book from this author so I didn’t know what to expect from her but with just few pages in, I just couldn’t put it down! Brittiany C. Cherry is one amazing storyteller. Period!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! Get ready to fall in love with Aria and Levi, for all those who are sappy like me, grab a box of tissues because you will end up saying “Awww” a lot, also with that beautiful ending you are going to shed loads of happy tears ^_^

READ THIS BOOK PEOPLE!!!! (that’s me screaming at the top of my lungs!)

Ooo! Before I sign off…..
Andy baby!!!!!

Thank you so much for the rec, thanks for finding this GEM for me. This book touched my Soul, it will forever remain close to my heart, easily my top favorites of all times.

[Rachel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

“Love openly,” my heart whispered. “Love unconditionally,” my heart begged. “Love the struggles,” my heart taught. “Love in the moment.”



Art & Soul is a young adult novel about two teens who don't quite fit in. Aria made one mistake, and now the school is labeling her a slut and a whore. Levi is the attractive guy who just moved from Alabama, but his looks don't match his personality, he's a kind soul and a little bit weird. The two are neighbors and assigned an art/music project together. Levi and Aria seem to like each other, but many outside forces seem to want to keep them apart.



“Sometimes it was so easy to forget that adults were just kids in bigger bodies, and their hearts broke just like ours.”

I tried one B Cherry book years ago and it wasn't really for me. But two friends recommended this to me so I had to try it and I am so glad I did!!! This is the first young adult novel that is written by a new adult/romance author that actually frickin reads like a YA novel!!! I'm so impressed! I found myself giggling and smiling throughout so much of this book. I'm not normally one for sweet romances without angst, but this one wormed its way into my heart.

This reminds me a little bit of a sweeter Juno, you know without all the hipsters and weird slang. I loved the main characters, I loved the side characters, I hated the mean characters. Basically Cherry did my favorite thing: SHE DEVELOPED HER CHARACTERS. AND IT WAS AMAZING!

Anyways, I really enjoyed this book. It was a little bit too sweet for me (because I don't like sweet) but oddly, it really worked and I never rolled my eyes at it. I highly recommend if you haven't read Cherry's books, start with this one. I know I'll be reading more of her soon.

“That’s the thing about the future, and the past even. They don’t exist in this moment. We only have the here and now. If we focus too much on the past or too heavily on the future, we miss out on our present desires, the things we want right now.”


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[Brittainy Cherry]

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[Patricia Bejarano Martín · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it wasn't about fixing the broken hearts. Maybe it was about loving broken pieces the way they were.

3.5 en realidad.
Me ha sorprendido mucho esta historia, y más cuando me he enfrentado a ella sabiendo que podría ser un desastre por el tema principal, el embarazo de la protagonista con 16 años. Es algo muy personal, pero siempre que hay embarazos en los libros me suelen gustar más bien poco, me acaban aburriendo. No es spoiler. Esto pasa en el primer capítulo del libro. Pero debo reconocer que me ha gustado mucho como han llevado la historia, no solo centrándose en eso, sino en muchas cosas más.
Esta es la historia de Levi y Aria. Levi es un chico que acaba de llegar a la ciudad. Ama tocar el violín y vuelve con la idea de retomar la relación con su padre. En esa nueva ciudad conoce a Aria, una chica que dejará de ser una chica invisible en el instituto porque se ha quedado embarazada y ahora todo el mundo hablará de ella. Pero esto, en lugar de alejar a Levi, lo acerca mucho más. A ambos les une la pasión por el arte y la música, que aunque puedan parecer todo un oxímoron, no lo son :P Pasar tiempo juntos y compartir sus emociones se vuelve en algo habitual a pesar de sus complicadas vidas, ya que Levi también tiene bastante con lo que lidiar, así que poco a poco, se van a ir enamorando.
He amado a este par. Sus momentos eran muy dulces, llenos de ternura y mucho amor. También he adorado a Simon, mejor amigo de Aria, que por cierto, tiene un TOC que me parece que está muy bien reflejado en la historia, al igual que otros problemas de salud mental.
Por supuesto, esta autora escribe superbonito. No me cansaré de decirlo, pero es increíble la capacidad de transmitir sentimientos que tiene esta autora.
Debo decir que este libro me ha parecido juvenil y no new adult. Es un libro romántico muy bonito, lleno de comprensión, música y arte, pero me ha faltado la chispa que la autora le ha dado a sus otras novelas que sí son del género new adult. Tal vez por eso no me ha convencido al 100% a pesar de haberme gustado mucho :)
Si os apetece leer algo fresco, que toque temas importantes, con una relación de amor preciosa, sana y llena de ART & SOUL, os recomiendo muchísimo leer este libro.

[Kelli C · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Hi Art. Hi Soul. Stars

A person who never truly lost themselves could never truly find themselves, either.

This book did it...it is the first book in over a year that made me cry! How can I not give it anything less than 5 stars?!

Keeping it simple, this book was amazing. It was the story of two young characters, Levi and Aria, who not only try to survive the trials of high school, but experience a world of hurt, sorrow, and tragedy that would break the strongest of adults.

This is one of those reads that is age appropriate goodness. It is filled with witty banter and flirty innuendo done with genius. It is a read where just a touch of two pinkies will make you swoon. It is about being completely alone in a room full of people...being totally misunderstood and judged among peers....being completely selfless and mature when faced with life's biggest challenges. Most importantly, this book is about falling in love and knowing that even letting go is really just an act of falling harder.

Nothing but high praise to this author for such a beautifully broken read. The writing is amazing. The characters are so memorable. I Loved it...start to finish!!!!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need. Want. Need. Want. Need. Want.

Need need
Want want

I loved this authors book Loving Mr. Daniels ❤️ can't wait for this one !!!

[Rachel Maniacup · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a birthday gift to the most admired,all time number one best reviewer here in Good Reads(Philippines).That's no other than my little sister,AJ!Yay!HAPPY,HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you my dearest sis!
(But then,she knows that even it's not her birthday,I'd gladly read anything she recommends to me because each book she suggests is certainly a good one).^^

And now that she's celebrating her birthday,I purposefully chose this book because not only that she has annoyingly insisted this to me,but she obviously loved this book so much!(the more it intrigued me to prioritize it,hehe)

Here's my Review:
This is my 2nd book of Brittainy Cherry,and I can't deny that after reading this novel,this author made me love her even more..she has a way with words..I admire how she formulates them in the most passionate,authentic,and beautiful,sweet sentences.And as I've started reading this book last night, I couldn't believe that it was 3 am when I finally put it down(Oh my,I skipped dinner?)

This book is a very enthralling story of two young people finding comfort in each other. ARIA WATSON,the female MC is not a typical high school girl who is sad and troublesome.She is nobody as she tells her self,but she is an artist. She never want to be noticed and thinks she's unsightly,but she is beautiful.Yet,she only hangs with her neighbor Simon,her bestfriend since childhood.

LEVI MYERS,the male MC is one of those fictional characters you wish were real.He is the guy that every girl wishes to be with.He's so sweet,loving,kind and the most compassionate boy I've ever met in a world of young adult contemporary.In short,Levi is my favorite male character in all YA books I've read so far.

And when Aria and Levi met when they were both going through difficult times in their lives,they both found solace and peace in each other.The crossing of their paths seemed the most magical thing that ever happened to them.

I loved everything in this book,starting with the book cover..OMG!The cover is already mesmerizing! The storyline is so deep,it's full of emotion and spirit.It gave me all types of feels.And the characters were great..the author made every single person in this book charming(even the least likeable).

If you loved Brittany's LOVING MR.DANIELS,you sure are going to love this much more!So yes,I give my highest recommemdathion for this book! READ IT! This book teaches us that everyone of us is significant in this world,no matter who and what you are,and no matter how your physical appearances look like..we do exist.

This is one of the books that will stay with me forever,and I want to thank you my dearest sis for this.
Once again,HAPPY BIRTHDAY AJ! I love you so very much!^^:-*

[Jilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Teen angst - check.
Insta-love - check.
Super-hot guy falls for the outsider girl - check.
Horrible adults, including parents who are way more immature than their kids - check.
High school stereotyping and bullying - check.
True love at 16 - duh!! checkity check check

Okay, so I don't have much patience for books like this. I mean, come on! What kind of disappointment are we setting our teen girls up for if they think these kind of things happen? Ugh!

But, I do admit that I really liked the character of Levi. And, who wouldn't? He was written as the perfect boy. Super good-looking, understanding, compassionate, totally hates the 'popular kids' and prefers the 'weird ones', all while feeding deer in a meadow and taking care of his cancer-ridden father. Plus, he is a super-genius. Oh, and a music virtuoso. I love this kid!

And, our girl, Aria, (how convenient that she has a musical name for the musical boy?) is an artist, a pregnant teen who refuses to tell anyone who the father is (nobly, of course), and only has one friend - her geeky guy-friend with OCD. Sigh.

The book was also super angsty. These kids had every single bad thing going on in their lives possible. It was like several After School Specials at once.

What did I like? Well, there is a lot of talk of artists, which is interesting if you are an art person. The boy character was homeschooled. I homeschooled my sons, so there's that... It wasn't hard to read, or offensive. ...That's all I got. Oh, it sounded like Aria's hair was cool. Although, for a girl who didn't want to be noticed, having brightly colored hair that is shaved on one side is not the best way to go about it.


I read this book as part of my 2016 MacHalo Reading Challenge: Read a book that someone else picks. (My friend who picked it out loves the sweet YA romances. It's not her fault, it's me. I'm way too cynical for books that are supposed to evoke feelings and such.)

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Air Guitar and Lip Syncing stars!

She was the rainbow to my everlasting thunderstorms.

Once again Brittainy C. Cherry had hit me right in the heart with an incredible story about love, loss, acceptance, and tough decisions.

Art- Aria is sixteen years old and the odd and arty girl at school. The summer before before her junior year, a life-altering event had taken place that will change her forever.

Soul- Seventeen year old Levi has moved from Alabama to Wisconsin to spend a year with the father he is estranged from, leaving his mentally unstable mother at home.

Art & Soul- A project at school brings the two strangers together. The musically inclined Levi and the creative Aria will perform an interpretation of their two crafts for the school. While working on the assignment, the pair learn about one another, form a bond, and help get each other through tough times.



This will be a short review, as this book is truly hard to put into words.

This was my second book I've read by this author. Brittainy C. Cherry sure knows how to write a beautiful story.

All of her characters were extremely endearing. The plot was very realistic and oozed a lot of emotions.

I had a hard time putting this down, and I loved all of the moments that made me chuckle, sigh, and basically sob like a little girl.

I would highly recommend this heart aching story about two lonely souls.
A box of tissues is required.

[Ania (literackie_serce) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Wychodzi na to, że ukochana autorka może sprawić, że książka z nielubianym wątkiem okazuje się piękna

[FMABookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

❝He looked like a whisper sounds. Sweet, gentle, and romantic. It was making me dizzy.❞

If you haven’t yet read Art & Soul, Stop What You Are Doing. READ THIS BOOK!

Poetically written, devastatingly beautiful, Art & Soul will leave you spent from the emotional punches Cherry hits you with time and time again.

Not only was Art & Soul emotionally charged, it was thought-provoking. It reinforced the things I had been taught. Don't judge what's on the outside. See past the exterior. Take the time to get to know those around you. You may think you know what's going on in someone's life, but until you invest the time to explore them, you never really do.

❝Love openly,❞my heart whispered. ❝Love unconditionally,❞ my heart begged. ❝Love the struggles,❞ my heart taught. ❝Love in the moment.❞

Aria Watson was a bright, talented 16-year-old. She had the love of her family, she had a best friend in Simon and like the rest of us, she made mistakes. Unfortunately for her, her biggest mistake would affect the rest of her life. At 16, Aria had sex for the first time with someone she thought wanted a relationship with her, wanted her. Four things happened after that night, 1.) The boy didn't want her. 2.) She became pregnant. 3.) She felt abandoned by her family when she needed them the most.  4.) She became the typical joke at school - 16 and pregnant.

❝I wondered what it felt like to be looked at as if I were the only thing that mattered.❞

Levi Myers moved to town to be with his father. He hadn't had a relationship with him in many years and he was determined to find out why, and repair their broken relationship before it was damaged forever. He also needed to get away from his mother. Her issues were becoming too much to bear, so moving away and getting to know his father seemed like the best of both worlds. Except it wasn't. His mother still had issues and his father had even more.

❝I wanted dad to want me a little. I wanted Mom to stop wanting me so much. I wanted to be wanted, but not wanted a lot.❞

Levi and Aria develop a relationship based upon friendship and mutual understanding. Pain feels pain. Lonely sees lonely. Kindred spirits know one other.

❝Why didn't you tell me you were sad?❞ she asked, staring down at her shoes, kicking invisible rocks. ❝I didn't know I was allowed to be.❞

I absolutely loved Levi's character. He is one of my favorite male characters ever written. He is strong in his weakness, he is calm in his anger and sweet in his pain. Aria is a strong female character despite her situation. That makes me love her. She totally and completely accepts responsibility for herself and her situation and has the strength and fortitude to make smart decisions. She lives through the pain and moves on!

Art & Soul is one of the most beautifully written and thought-provoking books I have read. It will make you FEEL, it will make you THINK.

In two books, Brittainy Cherry has made her way onto my favorite authors list.

❝She was the rainbow to my everlasting thunderstorms.❞

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 – 3 Stars

I’m in the minority here. I hate it when I’m the kid that doesn’t agree with everything else. I swear I’m a fan of the author! I’ve read two of her books and gave them both five stars.

I don’t know why Art and Soul did not work for me. I was in the right mood. I wanted something that was dramatic, epic and a difficult romance.

I think that was my problem. I found no romance in this book. I couldn’t connect with the main characters at all.

First off, I love the storyline. It’s a young adult book with a 16 year old girl that is pregnant. Come on that is good. I was fine with Aria. I found her sad and I just wanted to hug her. She has one friend and the father of baby is a dick.

Levi is the new kid in school and he’s not a jock or a jerk. He’s actually kind of awkward and dorky.

First off, I originally wanted Aria to be with Simon her best friend that has ODC issues. I love the best friend relationship, but when I realized Levi was the main hero, it was a little hard for me to switch gears. Also I found Levi’s character very atypical.

Levi is basically a good looking nerd. He’s good looking so it gets him noticed by the girls, but he’s kind of nerdy because he loves music and he says odd things. I just couldn’t grasp his character. I liked that he wasn’t a jerk and he wasn’t into sex, but his fixation on Aria just didn’t seem realistic. The girl is pregnant and she’s REALLY mean to him.

There are also a lot of issues that go on. Aria has a hard family life, her dad is really upset she is pregnant and her brother hates her and all the girls pick on her at school. It was just so much angst. Levi’s dad is sick, Levi’s mom is sick and Aria isn’t giving him the time of day. I just wanted to scream at Levi to move on.

So Levi and Aria finally forge a friendship, but that’s all I saw. I saw Levi having a crush on Aria and that’s it. The conversations and dialogue was kind of dry and boring. I skimmed a lot because I didn’t feel it. I wanted the connection you know. Instead it was a lot of let’s hang out here, what do you think of art? What’s your favorite music, I was just screaming, I don’t care.

Suffice it to say, this book didn’t connect with me as much as I wanted it to. Gosh I hate it when I don’t agree with everyone else.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Sweet Alabama Stars!
Reread 10/19! Still loved this book!



What a beautiful story that will be with me for a long time. Another one that grabbed me up as soon as I started reading and had me up all night.
Aria has always been unnoticed at school. She doesn't mind. She has her best-friend Simon and that's all she needs. Simon was awesome! I loved him!
Over the summer Aria makes a bad decision that leads to something that will change her and her families life forever.
Levi is the new boy in town. I loved Levi right away! Levi has perfected his smile so nobody will be able to tell what's really going on in his life. He feels bad for needing a break from his mom and moving in with his dad.
Levi spends a lot of time in his childhood treehouse getting lost in his music. Early in the morning you can catch him out there trying to feed the deer. This is where he first meets Aria. Aria tries to push Levi away. Levi's pretty determined to get to know Aria.
Aria loves art. Her favorite being abstract. Levi loves music. His favorite instrument being the violin. During the school year Levi's music class and Aria's art class are paired up to do a project. They become friends which later becomes love. But what will all the things going on in their lives do to their relationship? Get your tissues handy people. You will need them during this touching story. At one time I found myself laughing and crying at the same time.
I loved everything about this book. A & S was my first read by this author and it won't be my last.
I wish we could of got an epilogue. Yes! I wanted more! lol

[Sara ➽ Ink Is My Sword · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 “I wouldn't mind being the Art to Levi's Soul” Stars

“We grew tired together, creating our own kind of art. We became the masterpieces of the loneliest souls. The colors in both of our eyes bled out, knowing that sometimes the most beautiful pieces of art were created from the darkest of souls.”

Aria, a teenager who loves art and has a very shitty situation. Levi, a teenager who loves music and words, he has a very shitty situation to go through. Aria and Levi meet and they basically navigate together through their shitty situations. Lovely now go read it, come back and talk with me.

I wanted to love it as much as the first time, but my picky experienced reader mind kept picking on some details that bother me.

My reaction to some characters:

Aria:

Levi:

Jason:

Connor:

Both Dads:


What I loved:

I was so into the romance and friendship between Aria and Levi, their scenes were so funny and addictive, I laughed at the wittiness and sarcasm like no other book. Brittany has a way with words that makes you feel emotions in the bottom of your stomach and you just want to continue reading more and more of these two characters. I promise I have more than 20 quotes highlighted in my book, there aren’t many times where I can understand to a deep level the mind of the writer, but this is for sure an exception. I enjoyed how we get to see the progress in the relationship, the hardships, and their struggles. A message that I really loved of this story is it shows how imperfect humans are, we are all types of messy, shitty people, yet we are also perfect in so many ways. Well except for quite a few characters who were just shitty and messy and nothing perfect, seriously screw you. The representation of platonic friendship between male-female was A+, I am a real advocate for the need of more of this friendship in books.

What I disliked:

It was very unrealistic the way high school works in my point of view, perhaps is my personal experience as I never attended a school in the US, but hell, such a trashy people. Everything was sexual innuendos, bullying, sexism, and rumors. *shivers* Actually forget what I just said my Chilean high school was all that stuff, I guess it was just to overdo in my point of view. Although I loved Levi and Aria with my whole heart, these imperfections that weren’t made as imperfections were very ugly in my eyes. As a person who has been in a vulnerable mental health situation, I could relate with Levi's mother and it physically hurt me every time he called her crazy and how she ruined his life, I guess she did many questionable decisions but sometimes the references to her just stung. I had trouble with the way slut was used, just not slut shaming thank you. The final thing is Levi’s dad. I understand that someone can be grumpy and mad at life in a situation like his, but he was just over this border, he was just really shitty with the world and hide behind the excuse of damaging things. Well if you are always choosing to be shitty, guess the result? You damage things duh.

I will promise you that if you like romances and cute but deep reads, you will not regret trying this one. Plus if you have read, I would love to talk with you about certain scenes and moments and gush and fangirl.

[Nyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first novel by Brittainy C. Cherry, and let me tell you, all the hype is real. Every single bit of it. This book had me up all night and just emitted so much emotion that I couldn't help but tear up countless times. The story is absolutely amazing and so beautiful, truly. It definitely sets itself apart from your typical high school YA novel.

Art & Soul was a heartfelt story that followed two teenagers dealing with some pretty big life changing circumstances. We have Aria, a high school social outcast that does not mind going unnoticed, but then one bad summer decision abruptly brings her into the lime-light and forever changes her and her family's life. And then comes Levi, the new boy in town, who I instantly loved, with his oxymoronic ways. Levi uses the façade of his perfect smile to hide all the bad in his life that he hides from the outside world. Aria is the only person that Levi feels that he can be real with, and so their friendship fueled by Aria's love of art and Levi's love of music gradually blossoms into a very special young love over the duration of the school year.

"Art, meet soul."

The two MC's are characters that I just couldn't help be intrigued by from the start. It's hard as a reader sometimes, I think, to equally like both main characters, but Levi and Aria were extremely easy to like and eventually love. Levi says all the right things! *swoon*

'"I meant that, you know," he whispered, his eyes on the road. "The part about there are girls and then there's Aria...I meant that."'
- Levi

The plot follows all the trials and tribulations that occur during Aria and Levi's relationship and how their life changing predicaments affect them and those around them. This book left me emotionally drained, and so for this part of the story I HIGHLY recommend tissues while reading. Highly.

"Sometimes loving someone means knowing they're better off without you."

Overall, I just absolutely adored the characters (including the secondary ones) and loved every single thing about this book. Definitely not something I will soon forget.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an amazing and beautiful story. I felt so many emotions when reading this. I laughed and I cried. My heart heart for these characters but I also felt happiness and hope. The writing was so beautiful, I was pulled in from the very first page and could not put this book down. I did not want this book to end. Aria and Levi are in high school. They are both dealing with some issues in their personal lives. Aria made one bad decision and her life has been turned upside down. Levi is the new kid in town after moving to spend some time with his estranged father. These characters are remarkable. I loved Levi from the very first moment he appeared in this story. He's funny and kind but most importantly, he sees people for who they really are. He doesn't care about being popular and he follows his heart. I adored him. Aria is extremely strong and my heart really broke for her and the decisions she had to make. I loved these characters, all of them. They are extremely well written and they have real problems. This is one of those books that stay with you forever after you read it. Art & Soul is a top pick of 2015 for me. Highly recommend!!!



**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art & Soul stole my heart! So many things to love about this book. I've owned this book for 5 years and hadn't read it yet. What was I waiting for? I have no clue but I'm glad I rectified that.

The story centers around 2 high schoolers who each are going through some major life changes. Levi happens to be the new kid in school whose dad is known as the town's jerk. Aria is the artsy girl who pretty much goes unnoticed by her classmates. They find her to be odd and not worth their time.

Their friendship was life. I think everyone desires their own Levi. He was such a great guy.

Art & Soul is filled with so many great quotes. When I heard this one I got puppy eyes listening to it.
“He gave me a half smile. I gave him the other half.”
First off, I was already getting emotional because of the scene that quote belongs to that when heard it it was like icing on the cake. So good.

Don't be like me and let this book sit on your kindle for 5 years. READ IT!

Audio book source: Audible
Narrator: Bailey Carr & Scott Aiello
Length: 8H 23M

[Just A Girl With Spirit · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 “All of Me” stars!

I usually don’t read a lot of YA books, but leave it to Brittainy to just pull me right on in, and make me fall in love with this story! Levi is such an adorable cinnamon roll. He had such wisdom beyond his years, and was head over feet for Aria. Aria. I’ve loved that name ever since Pretty Little Liars. I love her story, and being able to watch her navigate the tough harsh waters of being a pregnant teen. This book was very real in emotions, and Brittainy spares us nothing as usual. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

“Love openly,” my heart whispered. “Love unconditionally,” my heart begged. “Love the struggles,” my heart taught. “Love in the moment.”

“Maybe it wasn’t about fixing the broken hearts. Maybe it was about loving the broken pieces the way they were.”

And these quotes are a true testament to this beautiful coming of age story. All the feels!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by author in exchange of honest review

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~ Full Review to come





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[Annie Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fucking loved this book! This was my first book to read and finish in months. I devoured it in a day. Soooo good!!! I highly, highly, highly recommend this book.

*full review to come*

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes the most beautiful pieces of art were created from the darkest of souls.”

4 stars

This is an intense and emotional story of two teenagers who are facing life-altering situations. It is heavy at times, but the story is beautifully told, and Aria and Levi are amazing characters who are wonderfully brought to life and who, in the darkest times of their lives, find comfort, acceptance and love together. It’s a gorgeous story, and I loved it.

Aria is a quiet girl who happily exists in the background. She has a good home life, a best friend who means everything to her and a passion for art, and she doesn’t draw attention to herself, enjoying her relative anonymity at school. But one mistake changes everything for her and now she is suddenly the centre of a lot of negative attention, she has become a target for cruelty and taunting, and her home life is crumbling,

Levi has lived a somewhat sheltered life being home schooled by his mother, and she has taught him to love and appreciate all things music. But life with his mother is incredibly stressful and he’s recently moved from Alabama to Wisconsin to stay with his father for a while in an effort to re-establish a relationship with the man he used to idolise but who is now mostly estranged. His good looks and southern charm immediately propel him to popular status at school, but all he’s really interested in is getting to know Aria.

I don’t want to go into too much detail and give things away, but the relationship that develops between these two is absolutely beautiful. Their quick and witty banter is highly entertaining, though it did seem incredibly mature for 16/17 year olds, but I was enjoying it so I was happy to go along with it.

“Levi.”
“Yes?”
“Do you think we can be friends?”
“I thought we already were.”

From a tentative friendship they slowly grow closer and when they really start to open up to each other, they find somebody that can lean on, someone who is there for them without question, and they discover something incredibly special together.

“That’s the thing about lives. We’re all so tangled up with one another, but at the same time, we’re very much alone.”
“Being alone is pretty lonely.”
She nodded. “Yes. But sometimes being together and lonely is even worse.”
“Not right now, though.”
“No. Right now is okay. Right now is good.”

Me: Art – noun | [\ ˈärt\] : The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
Aria: I like that.
Me: I think you’re art.

I loved both Aria and Levi as characters. Individually they are dealing with so much, but they handle is all brilliantly and again, so maturely (I couldn’t have kept myself together as well as these kids did!). In particular, I thought Levi was absolutely incredible. What he was dealing with personally was huge, but the fact that he was there for Aria the way he was, and was so openly accepting and supportive of her blew my mind a little bit. He’s so incredibly caring, so cognisant of other’s feelings and wanting to make things better, he’s a beautiful soul (pardon the pun) who isn’t afraid to put himself out there, and I absolutely love him.

“I think about how you’re beautiful when you’re sad and it makes me angry when you’re mad. I hate whoever made you untouchable, because if there’s anything I would want to do more than kiss you, it would be to hold you. I like you, Aria. I know I’m not supposed to for certain reasons, but I don’t care. I like you, and I hope that’s okay because I don’t know how to stop. I’m not asking for anything from you. I swear I’m not. Just… take your time, that’s all.”

Oh swoon! Yes, there’s romance, and it’s gorgeous! Slowly developing and realistic, the love story is incredibly intense, in the way that a lot of first loves are, but it fits the characters and who they are, and I really enjoyed watching it all unfold.

I have to admit that as much as I enjoyed this story, I found the drama to be a little OTT. There was SO much going on in these kids’ lives that I thought it seemed unrealistic teen pregnancy (with a baby daddy twist), parents separating, mental illness, an estranged parent, cancer, parental death, a best friend with OCD, giving up a baby for adoption, and then all of the regular teenage, high school stuff…. It’s a lot!. I thought that each of the elements were handled really well, but it was a lot, and I thought a little bit of ‘normal’ would have balanced the story a bit more.

But the story is written beautifully, and in a way that is incredibly emotive. I particularly loved the way the relationships and character dynamics were explored, and despite all of the heaviness there are still some light moments - in particular coming from Aria’s BFF, Simon and Levi’s uncle Lance. They both bring so much to the story.

It’s an intense read, but it’s a very special story. I laughed, I swooned, and I even teared up at one point, but it left me smiling, and I’m still thinking about it even days later.

“Love openly,” my heart whispered. “Love unconditionally,” my heart begged. “Love the struggles,” my heart taught. “Love in the moment.”

4 stars.