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My Whole Truth
Seventeen-year-old Seelie Stanton never wanted to kill someone. She never wanted to be invisible in her own family, never wanted to crush on her best friend Alyssa, and she definitely never wanted to know how effectively a mallet could destroy someone’s head.
But the universe doesn’t care what she wants. Shane Mayfield doesn’t care what Seelie wants either. When the former high school basketball star attacks her, she has no choice but to defend herself. She saved her own life, but she can’t bring herself to talk about what happened that night. Not all of it. Not even when she’s arrested for murder.
But the universe doesn’t care what she wants. Shane Mayfield doesn’t care what Seelie wants either. When the former high school basketball star attacks her, she has no choice but to defend herself. She saved her own life, but she can’t bring herself to talk about what happened that night. Not all of it. Not even when she’s arrested for murder.
315 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2018
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981 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
December 14, 2021
I’ve struggled with this review for a few weeks, because I was stunned. Speechless. Now, I accept the fact that I will never find and assemble accurate words to aptly address my deep desire for everyone to read this book. But, I can’t keep not telling you about My Whole Truth by Mischa Thrace. So…
Starting this story is a bit like having a bucket of ice-cold water dumped over your head. From out of nowhere. That steal-your-breath, shocking feeling, fused with white-hot anger, stayed with me. Quite frankly, still simmers. Perhaps, because this Realistic Fiction plot is so current, it is almost creepy.
The scenario certainly sets me off, but there’s a brilliant balance with the sincere and effortless strength and support that Seelie receives from her friends. And because they are adolescents, situations can only stay serious for so long. Even from her hospital bed, merely moments after being attacked, Seelie stays true to teens everywhere by easily ignoring simple ‘stay still and quiet’ instructions. And she calls her friends, not a parent. Although, she is not wrong there.
If everyone had a best bud like Lyssa, there would be no more bullying. The ultimate antihero, I couldn’t help but cheer a little bit whenever she stepped out of line. From the minute she arrived in the emergency room, all the way to the end of the tortuous trial, Lyssa stuck by Seelie’s side.
Whereas, Seelie’s mother stayed busy with her restaurant, as usual. Since she wasn’t in the hayloft at the time, Mom couldn’t be expected to actually know what happened anyway. She does recall that Seelie has always been rude to Shane, while seemingly everyone else in the entire town adores the judge’s son. And maternal ambivalence is only the tip of the iceberg.
This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books, with huge thanks to North Star Editions for the Advance Review Copy.
Starting this story is a bit like having a bucket of ice-cold water dumped over your head. From out of nowhere. That steal-your-breath, shocking feeling, fused with white-hot anger, stayed with me. Quite frankly, still simmers. Perhaps, because this Realistic Fiction plot is so current, it is almost creepy.
The scenario certainly sets me off, but there’s a brilliant balance with the sincere and effortless strength and support that Seelie receives from her friends. And because they are adolescents, situations can only stay serious for so long. Even from her hospital bed, merely moments after being attacked, Seelie stays true to teens everywhere by easily ignoring simple ‘stay still and quiet’ instructions. And she calls her friends, not a parent. Although, she is not wrong there.
If everyone had a best bud like Lyssa, there would be no more bullying. The ultimate antihero, I couldn’t help but cheer a little bit whenever she stepped out of line. From the minute she arrived in the emergency room, all the way to the end of the tortuous trial, Lyssa stuck by Seelie’s side.
Whereas, Seelie’s mother stayed busy with her restaurant, as usual. Since she wasn’t in the hayloft at the time, Mom couldn’t be expected to actually know what happened anyway. She does recall that Seelie has always been rude to Shane, while seemingly everyone else in the entire town adores the judge’s son. And maternal ambivalence is only the tip of the iceberg.
This review was written by jv poore for Buried Under Books, with huge thanks to North Star Editions for the Advance Review Copy.
November 10, 2018
👩🏻 3.5 Stars (rounded up) for this story of strength, bravery and truth 🏇
The opening scene of the book is powerful. Seelie is brutally attacked by Shane Mayfield, the son of a well respected and connected local judge. In the throes of defending herself against Shane's vicious attack she ends up killing him in self-defense.
"I knew he would kill me if he got back up so I made sure he couldn't... Don't you understand? I had to save myself. I had to."
Yet, due to various connections within the legal/justice system and pressure from Shane's well-respected father Seelie is arrested for murder. The story chronicles her experiences during the trial and the aftermath of her attack. While the story was interesting and dealt well with Seelie's feelings after the attack there were certain things that kept this from being a stronger read for me. I felt like there was a lot thrown into this book but much of it was only explored on a very surface level. One of the biggest unexplored aspects for me was Seelie's strained relationship with her mother. There was so much animosity and resentment between them but no real explanation was given for it.
I did enjoy the Faction which is the name Seelie and her group of close friends had given themselves. The friendship amongst them was strong, accepting, forgiving and a true lifeline for Seelie during her horrible ordeal. I also found it relevant that Seelie basically shut down after her assault. That is a very real response from survivors of assault. I enjoyed watching her come to terms with what happened to her and finding ways to slowly speak out and share all the details of her attack.
Overall, this was a well done YA novel. It started off strong and kept me turning the pages. I just personally would have enjoyed a bit more fleshing out of the back story and Seelie's life.
Thank you to Misha Thrace, North Star Editions and NetGalley for the advance copy.
The opening scene of the book is powerful. Seelie is brutally attacked by Shane Mayfield, the son of a well respected and connected local judge. In the throes of defending herself against Shane's vicious attack she ends up killing him in self-defense.
"I knew he would kill me if he got back up so I made sure he couldn't... Don't you understand? I had to save myself. I had to."
Yet, due to various connections within the legal/justice system and pressure from Shane's well-respected father Seelie is arrested for murder. The story chronicles her experiences during the trial and the aftermath of her attack. While the story was interesting and dealt well with Seelie's feelings after the attack there were certain things that kept this from being a stronger read for me. I felt like there was a lot thrown into this book but much of it was only explored on a very surface level. One of the biggest unexplored aspects for me was Seelie's strained relationship with her mother. There was so much animosity and resentment between them but no real explanation was given for it.
I did enjoy the Faction which is the name Seelie and her group of close friends had given themselves. The friendship amongst them was strong, accepting, forgiving and a true lifeline for Seelie during her horrible ordeal. I also found it relevant that Seelie basically shut down after her assault. That is a very real response from survivors of assault. I enjoyed watching her come to terms with what happened to her and finding ways to slowly speak out and share all the details of her attack.
Overall, this was a well done YA novel. It started off strong and kept me turning the pages. I just personally would have enjoyed a bit more fleshing out of the back story and Seelie's life.
Thank you to Misha Thrace, North Star Editions and NetGalley for the advance copy.
April 15, 2018
My Whole Truth by Mischa Thrace is Young Adult mystery novel that tells the story of Seelie (Cecilia) Stanton, a teenaged girl who is attacked by Shane, the older brother of a classmate. Seelie fights for her life and kills Shane Mayfield, seemingly a perfect case of self-defense. Seelie is questioned by a detective devoid of empathy. The teen has bruises on her neck, and her leg and face have been ripped open by a knife but she is treated as a liar from the get-go. Seelie is rattled and embarrassed and omits some details of the attack. Add in Shane’s family (his father is a prominent judge) and Seelie finds herself charged with murder.
The book details the aftereffects of the attack on Seelie, and her ensuing trial. Seelie’s mother is a cold workaholic and Seelie is lucky to have a core group of friends, Finn, Ashlyn, and Lyssa. Lyssa has two dads who are better parents to Seelie than her own mother. Seelie also has a wonderful attorney named Cara who decides to defend the teen pro bono. Thrace is a talented writer, especially when writing the characters in the book. My Whole Truth is suspenseful with lots of unexpected turns. At times Seelie drove me insane, keeping information to herself that would only have bolstered her side of the story. But this is a YA novel and it’s been a very long time since I thought like a teenager.
Thank you to NetGalley, Flux and Ms. Thrace for the ARC copy of this book.
The book details the aftereffects of the attack on Seelie, and her ensuing trial. Seelie’s mother is a cold workaholic and Seelie is lucky to have a core group of friends, Finn, Ashlyn, and Lyssa. Lyssa has two dads who are better parents to Seelie than her own mother. Seelie also has a wonderful attorney named Cara who decides to defend the teen pro bono. Thrace is a talented writer, especially when writing the characters in the book. My Whole Truth is suspenseful with lots of unexpected turns. At times Seelie drove me insane, keeping information to herself that would only have bolstered her side of the story. But this is a YA novel and it’s been a very long time since I thought like a teenager.
Thank you to NetGalley, Flux and Ms. Thrace for the ARC copy of this book.
June 15, 2018
"The air is dead with the stench of blood.
Mine.
His."
When a book starts with a paragraph like that, I know I am in trouble because I am SOLD!!
My Whole Truth is a YA suspense novel about a 17-year- old Seelie who is brutally attacked by a 21-year-old Shane and kills him in self-defence. Or at least that's what it seems until she is arrested for murder.
Seelie does not have many friends but she has three very close ones - Lyssa, Finn and Ashlyn. The foursome looks to be unseparable at first but as new facts come to light, little cracks in their friendship start to appear.
The main premise of the book is a murder story but my heart went out to the relationships between the four characters. I was intrigued to discover their stories and secrets. And secrets there were! This book pulled me in and didn't let go until the last page. I will definitely watch out for the next Mischa Thrace novel.
4.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for providing me with a free e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Mine.
His."
When a book starts with a paragraph like that, I know I am in trouble because I am SOLD!!
My Whole Truth is a YA suspense novel about a 17-year- old Seelie who is brutally attacked by a 21-year-old Shane and kills him in self-defence. Or at least that's what it seems until she is arrested for murder.
Seelie does not have many friends but she has three very close ones - Lyssa, Finn and Ashlyn. The foursome looks to be unseparable at first but as new facts come to light, little cracks in their friendship start to appear.
The main premise of the book is a murder story but my heart went out to the relationships between the four characters. I was intrigued to discover their stories and secrets. And secrets there were! This book pulled me in and didn't let go until the last page. I will definitely watch out for the next Mischa Thrace novel.
4.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for providing me with a free e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2018
My Whole Truth is a YA/Teen book that covers some dark subjects. Told first person from the view of 17 year old Seelie, the book starts with her calling 911 after being attacked by, and subsequently killing, a 20 year old former classmate. Without doubt, a great suspenseful beginning but that's where the novelty of this story ended for me. The main character is grossly undeveloped as is the story in general. Seelie has a turbulent relationship with her mother, which is a recurring theme in this story, however the author offers no explanation for it. Alot of the book is implausible and felt rushed.
I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for sending me an ARC of this book.
--4.5 stars--
Trigger Warning: Sexual assault/rape, victim blaming, bullying,
This was a powerful book. It was difficult to read at times due to the subject matter, of course. A lot of you will be wanting to throw your copies or reading devices out of frustration, like I did. The story in itself isn't exactly new or groundbreaking, but I feel like it's a very important story that needs to be told. The disgusting act of victim-blaming and the unfair immunity of privileged white men is still very present in our society, especially in this post-Weinstein era.
I was very much invested in Seelie's situation and was rooting for her to pull through, and I felt her pain throughout the entire book. Seelie has a mother who is very neglectful and selfish, but luckily she has a solid support system in her friend group that she calls "the faction". I really liked the friendship between these kids. I think Seelie has one-on-one subplots with each of them, Lyssa in particular being the most prominent since she is the best friend and love interest.
I loved her, by the way. She reminded me of Chloe Price from the video game Life is Strange, if any of you have seen or played it. Ballsy, devoted, takes no shit from anyone. She was easily my favorite character. The romance between her and Seelie was a slow build. They spend most of the book being friends, and I think it was the right choice. Not only did it allow for their bond to strengthen further, but Seelie had so much on her plate with everything going on in her life that romance was probably the last thing on her mind. I appreciated that the author took time with these girls and let the romance happen naturally.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this and finished it very quickly. Like I said, it's not the most original story ever, but I think the author told it in a very heartfelt and realistic way.
--4.5 stars--
Trigger Warning: Sexual assault/rape, victim blaming, bullying,
This was a powerful book. It was difficult to read at times due to the subject matter, of course. A lot of you will be wanting to throw your copies or reading devices out of frustration, like I did. The story in itself isn't exactly new or groundbreaking, but I feel like it's a very important story that needs to be told. The disgusting act of victim-blaming and the unfair immunity of privileged white men is still very present in our society, especially in this post-Weinstein era.
I was very much invested in Seelie's situation and was rooting for her to pull through, and I felt her pain throughout the entire book. Seelie has a mother who is very neglectful and selfish, but luckily she has a solid support system in her friend group that she calls "the faction". I really liked the friendship between these kids. I think Seelie has one-on-one subplots with each of them, Lyssa in particular being the most prominent since she is the best friend and love interest.
I loved her, by the way. She reminded me of Chloe Price from the video game Life is Strange, if any of you have seen or played it. Ballsy, devoted, takes no shit from anyone. She was easily my favorite character. The romance between her and Seelie was a slow build. They spend most of the book being friends, and I think it was the right choice. Not only did it allow for their bond to strengthen further, but Seelie had so much on her plate with everything going on in her life that romance was probably the last thing on her mind. I appreciated that the author took time with these girls and let the romance happen naturally.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this and finished it very quickly. Like I said, it's not the most original story ever, but I think the author told it in a very heartfelt and realistic way.
July 7, 2018
This book was an emotional journey of frustration, strength, bravery, and truth. The main character is attacked and kills her attacker (a popular boy with a judge father). She claims self-defense, but is tried for murder.
The novel chronicles her experiences through the justice system and aftermath of being attacked.
I loved the portrayal of friendship in this book and it also had good representation. I will be thinking of it for awhile to come. Highly recommended.
The novel chronicles her experiences through the justice system and aftermath of being attacked.
I loved the portrayal of friendship in this book and it also had good representation. I will be thinking of it for awhile to come. Highly recommended.
August 30, 2020
A high school boy is dead and seventeen year old Seelie (short for Cecilia) stands accused. Was it self-defense or cold-blooded murder?
This subject matter is surprisingly dark for a YA novel. The more disturbing parts are glossed over except for one detailed scene that reads like an article straight out of Teen Vogue. It left me irritated this politically charged opinion was so blatantly aimed at young women. However, I don’t believe in censorship either ... so my approval isn’t necessary.
I finished the book fairly pleased with the overall theme of girl power. The writing is fun and snappy enough for three stars.
This subject matter is surprisingly dark for a YA novel. The more disturbing parts are glossed over except for one detailed scene that reads like an article straight out of Teen Vogue. It left me irritated this politically charged opinion was so blatantly aimed at young women. However, I don’t believe in censorship either ... so my approval isn’t necessary.
I finished the book fairly pleased with the overall theme of girl power. The writing is fun and snappy enough for three stars.
September 26, 2018
*4.25 Stars*
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
TW: assault, victim-blaming,
My Whole Truth tells Seelie's story. It starts in a very brutal scene where we understand that she just had to fight for her life and was left injured and bleeding.
Quickly, we figure out that she killed whoever assaulted her.
She succeeds in calling for help and is sent to the hospital.
But, somehow, that's only the start of the nightmare she's going to be living.
I think the discussed themes are very important and I'm glad they're being talked about more and more.
I really really liked this book.
It made me mad as hell and I was mostly raging throughout the whole book but Seelie was endearing even though we knew she was hiding something from us, she wasn't telling us, the readers, everything. I really felt for her.
I found the characters well developed and interesting, with real depth.
The relationships between Seelie and her friends were very interesting too, so were her relationships with all the adults from the book.
My anger mostly came from how unfairly Seelie was treated at school but also at home and even in public.
The plot was, I think, well written and even if it might have been unbelievable to some, it wasn't to me. I honestly think that in our current society, things like this could happen, that it does happen.
I seriously could not put the book down, it really kept me on my toes, I really needed to know how it ended.
All in all, a captivating and important debut novel. Which means another author to keep track of!
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
TW: assault, victim-blaming,
My Whole Truth tells Seelie's story. It starts in a very brutal scene where we understand that she just had to fight for her life and was left injured and bleeding.
Quickly, we figure out that she killed whoever assaulted her.
She succeeds in calling for help and is sent to the hospital.
But, somehow, that's only the start of the nightmare she's going to be living.
I think the discussed themes are very important and I'm glad they're being talked about more and more.
I really really liked this book.
It made me mad as hell and I was mostly raging throughout the whole book but Seelie was endearing even though we knew she was hiding something from us, she wasn't telling us, the readers, everything. I really felt for her.
I found the characters well developed and interesting, with real depth.
The relationships between Seelie and her friends were very interesting too, so were her relationships with all the adults from the book.
My anger mostly came from how unfairly Seelie was treated at school but also at home and even in public.
The plot was, I think, well written and even if it might have been unbelievable to some, it wasn't to me. I honestly think that in our current society, things like this could happen, that it does happen.
I seriously could not put the book down, it really kept me on my toes, I really needed to know how it ended.
All in all, a captivating and important debut novel. Which means another author to keep track of!
August 24, 2018
4 stars.
TW for rape.
I had pretty low expectations going into this one, but I ended up LOVING it. It's always super refreshing to see a queer relationship (or a queer person at all) in a non contemporary book, especially it being F/F. This book was extraordinary thrilling as we followed the trail following the main character's attack, and give a perspective not often brought to light.
I am going to give this 4 stars though because I had issues with how the love interest crossed a few boundaries towards the end.
(Representation: Lesbian mc and F/F couple)
This is definitely a book that I won't forget in the near future.
TW for rape.
I had pretty low expectations going into this one, but I ended up LOVING it. It's always super refreshing to see a queer relationship (or a queer person at all) in a non contemporary book, especially it being F/F. This book was extraordinary thrilling as we followed the trail following the main character's attack, and give a perspective not often brought to light.
I am going to give this 4 stars though because I had issues with how the love interest crossed a few boundaries towards the end.
(Representation: Lesbian mc and F/F couple)
This is definitely a book that I won't forget in the near future.
May 7, 2018
Warning: Book contains elements of sexual abuse, murder and bullying. If you get triggered by these subjects, there are plenty of other books out there.
On that note, let me begin. Don't let the YA label fool you. If anything it's more than YA. If I'm being honest, this was a difficult book for me to read, mostly because the bullying is intense and the subjects are hard to deal with.
The story begins off with the protagonist, Cecilia Stanton running away from her attacker and calling 911. She's bleeding and barely manages to alert authorities about her state. It's then a progression to an hospital, and then between court rooms and a crappy school as we are taken through the ordeal of the girl as she struggles with the law and schoolmates who are nothing but assholes.
Cecilia has completely shut out and doesn't wanna discuss the events that occurred with anyone, not even with her lawyer. So it's to be seen if she is jailed or proclaimed a hero.
When I read the blurb for the first time I didn't think it would be this serious. There are a lot of subplots happening there and the author has touched upon a lot of issues, but it doesn't shift the focus from the main story.
I loved that atleast one person stuck with her through the story. Her mom is mostly absent so her entire circle revolves around 3 friends - Alyssa, Finn and Ashlyn. The love and support these people have for her is applaudable. I loved how Lyssa always tried to protect her and everyone needs a friend/partner like her. The lawyer who took up her case pro bono was also brilliant. She had a backstory of her own and it just breaks your heart. in fact this entire story breaks your heart.
Stop whateber you're doing and pick this book up. The author has done a tremendous job of dealing with a sensitive aubject. The writing is amazing and it makes the experience of reading this book even better.
Read this book, if not for the message it gives, atleast for the writing and the plot which are so perfect it makes you cry.
On that note, let me begin. Don't let the YA label fool you. If anything it's more than YA. If I'm being honest, this was a difficult book for me to read, mostly because the bullying is intense and the subjects are hard to deal with.
The story begins off with the protagonist, Cecilia Stanton running away from her attacker and calling 911. She's bleeding and barely manages to alert authorities about her state. It's then a progression to an hospital, and then between court rooms and a crappy school as we are taken through the ordeal of the girl as she struggles with the law and schoolmates who are nothing but assholes.
Cecilia has completely shut out and doesn't wanna discuss the events that occurred with anyone, not even with her lawyer. So it's to be seen if she is jailed or proclaimed a hero.
When I read the blurb for the first time I didn't think it would be this serious. There are a lot of subplots happening there and the author has touched upon a lot of issues, but it doesn't shift the focus from the main story.
I loved that atleast one person stuck with her through the story. Her mom is mostly absent so her entire circle revolves around 3 friends - Alyssa, Finn and Ashlyn. The love and support these people have for her is applaudable. I loved how Lyssa always tried to protect her and everyone needs a friend/partner like her. The lawyer who took up her case pro bono was also brilliant. She had a backstory of her own and it just breaks your heart. in fact this entire story breaks your heart.
Stop whateber you're doing and pick this book up. The author has done a tremendous job of dealing with a sensitive aubject. The writing is amazing and it makes the experience of reading this book even better.
Read this book, if not for the message it gives, atleast for the writing and the plot which are so perfect it makes you cry.
Want to read
October 1, 2018'My Whole Truth' is Mischa Thrace's highly anticipated debut novel and it's a solid one at that! Firstly, I have to mention the synopsis - it has to be one of the most powerful and alluring I've ever laid eyes on so kudos to whoever wrote it. It's done its job and then some! Quite often a wonderfully engaging premise can, unfortunately, result in major disappointment for a reader, but I had no such issues here. Bottom line - this is a superb debut!
The story follows teenager Seelie Stanton and a series of unfortunate incidents that have the potential to change her life forever if the information ever comes to light. However, that is exactly what happens, and although her future is in serious jeopardy, she still can't bring herself to speak to the police about the night in question, but she may have no choice but to do so as the consequences of keeping shtum are simply too great.
Part mystery thriller, part coming-of-age novel - this is certainly an accomplished debut, and I loved it! The writing was excellent with a great flow to it which meant I flew through in one sitting, the plot is scintillating - you never quite know what's about to happen or who you can trust. The characters are so relatable even for me despite not being in the intended age range, and I can imagine young adults being able to sympathise/empathise even more. Each character is so well developed that you really care about them and what will end up happening to them in the end. Basically, there is so much to appreciate about this work that I could write an essay, and I still wouldn't have covered them all.
This is classed as young adult fiction, and the recommended reading age is apparently 14-18, and I would say that this is pretty accurate due to the exploration of a variety of different issues and the inclusion of mature content including sexual assault, depression, relationships and friendships, to name but a few. I am extremely excited for the promise and potential Ms Thrace has shown in her first published work. I'm absolutely positive that there's much more to come from this author, and I for one cannot wait to read her future books! A splendid read which I highly recommend to YA readers, readers of crime thrillers or those who appreciate well written, topical intelligent reads.
Many thanks to Flux for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The story follows teenager Seelie Stanton and a series of unfortunate incidents that have the potential to change her life forever if the information ever comes to light. However, that is exactly what happens, and although her future is in serious jeopardy, she still can't bring herself to speak to the police about the night in question, but she may have no choice but to do so as the consequences of keeping shtum are simply too great.
Part mystery thriller, part coming-of-age novel - this is certainly an accomplished debut, and I loved it! The writing was excellent with a great flow to it which meant I flew through in one sitting, the plot is scintillating - you never quite know what's about to happen or who you can trust. The characters are so relatable even for me despite not being in the intended age range, and I can imagine young adults being able to sympathise/empathise even more. Each character is so well developed that you really care about them and what will end up happening to them in the end. Basically, there is so much to appreciate about this work that I could write an essay, and I still wouldn't have covered them all.
This is classed as young adult fiction, and the recommended reading age is apparently 14-18, and I would say that this is pretty accurate due to the exploration of a variety of different issues and the inclusion of mature content including sexual assault, depression, relationships and friendships, to name but a few. I am extremely excited for the promise and potential Ms Thrace has shown in her first published work. I'm absolutely positive that there's much more to come from this author, and I for one cannot wait to read her future books! A splendid read which I highly recommend to YA readers, readers of crime thrillers or those who appreciate well written, topical intelligent reads.
Many thanks to Flux for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
April 5, 2018
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of MY WHOLE TRUTH by Mischa Thrace in exchange for my honest review.***
4.5 STARS
Seelie kills Travis to save her life. Too bad his father is a judge, because now she’s charged with murder. Her friends believe in and support her; her lawyer is great. Seelie’s widowed mom, not so much.
Debut writer Mischa Thrace hits a home run in her first at bat. Throughout reading MY WHOLE TRUTH, I had the same curiosity and interest in the pit of my stomach as I did reading Eileen Cook’s WITH MALICE and Abigail Haas’s DANGEROUS GIRLS with an imperfect narrator I wasn’t certain I could trust. Seelie misses her dad and resents her mother. Even when her mom tries to reach out and be helpful, Seelie is downright mean. I wish their relationship has been explored further. Seelie keeps a lot of secrets, to her own detriment often choosing secrecy over friendship. I loved attorney Cara and best friend Lyssa and her two dads.
Thrace gave Seelie a compelling voice with a balance of positive and negative attributes. At times I wanted to shake her. MY WHOLE TRUTH read like a fast paced thriller never letting up on the hold-your-breath feeling. I can’t wait to see what Thrace writes next.
4.5 STARS
Seelie kills Travis to save her life. Too bad his father is a judge, because now she’s charged with murder. Her friends believe in and support her; her lawyer is great. Seelie’s widowed mom, not so much.
Debut writer Mischa Thrace hits a home run in her first at bat. Throughout reading MY WHOLE TRUTH, I had the same curiosity and interest in the pit of my stomach as I did reading Eileen Cook’s WITH MALICE and Abigail Haas’s DANGEROUS GIRLS with an imperfect narrator I wasn’t certain I could trust. Seelie misses her dad and resents her mother. Even when her mom tries to reach out and be helpful, Seelie is downright mean. I wish their relationship has been explored further. Seelie keeps a lot of secrets, to her own detriment often choosing secrecy over friendship. I loved attorney Cara and best friend Lyssa and her two dads.
Thrace gave Seelie a compelling voice with a balance of positive and negative attributes. At times I wanted to shake her. MY WHOLE TRUTH read like a fast paced thriller never letting up on the hold-your-breath feeling. I can’t wait to see what Thrace writes next.
June 27, 2018
WOW. What a ride.
First off, I want to say thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This has been my favorite ARC I've received to date.
This story will put you in your feels. There is seriously no other way to put it. You will be so sad and so infuriated and if you don't feel these emotions throughout this, then I'm just gonna go ahead and let you know that your heart is either nonexistent or has transformed into a cold, dark, black lump of coal and you really need to get that checked out.
Right off the bat, I loved that this started out after Seelie is attacked. This kind of leaves readers relying on Seelie's version of what happened, but keeps you feeling like there are still things left to be told (an accurate feeling, i'll add). Though we do get details later throughout the story about what happened in the barn, readers don't have to read the attack taking place, which I felt like was rather appropriate, considering there are no trigger warnings preceding this (there should be).
While the story focuses largely on Seelie's impending doom of prison time and a murder charge, it also spends time on other things, like the people in her life and the relationships she has with them, however weak and flimsy some of them may be. This really helped to make the story feel more realistic to me. While of course being charged with murder when you were merely defending yourself against an attacker would certainly take over anyone's life, a lot of this story has to do with the other things going on in Seelie's life as well.
The character's in this book felt really well planned out and written to me. The relationships between Seelie and her friends are real and raw and I won't spoil this, because it's definitely worth reading, but they go through shit, just like anyone else (albeit the murder charge). Seelie's mother is a rather upsetting character who is just as absent as she is a nuisance, and the fact that she finds Seelie responsible for what happened in the barn shows the reality that not everyone you love will always be on your side. The characters in this really made this story.
Well, them and the plot. Once again, I don't want to ruin anything, but this is a worthwhile read. From the synopsis alone, readers already get the gist of things, but the little details and plot bombs (they really didn't feel like twists, more like random spurts of information) really build what is going on here.
Overall... well let's just say I don't give five stars very often. This is a great story and I can't wait for it to be released so that everyone can have the chance to read it.
First off, I want to say thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This has been my favorite ARC I've received to date.
This story will put you in your feels. There is seriously no other way to put it. You will be so sad and so infuriated and if you don't feel these emotions throughout this, then I'm just gonna go ahead and let you know that your heart is either nonexistent or has transformed into a cold, dark, black lump of coal and you really need to get that checked out.
Right off the bat, I loved that this started out after Seelie is attacked. This kind of leaves readers relying on Seelie's version of what happened, but keeps you feeling like there are still things left to be told (an accurate feeling, i'll add). Though we do get details later throughout the story about what happened in the barn, readers don't have to read the attack taking place, which I felt like was rather appropriate, considering there are no trigger warnings preceding this (there should be).
While the story focuses largely on Seelie's impending doom of prison time and a murder charge, it also spends time on other things, like the people in her life and the relationships she has with them, however weak and flimsy some of them may be. This really helped to make the story feel more realistic to me. While of course being charged with murder when you were merely defending yourself against an attacker would certainly take over anyone's life, a lot of this story has to do with the other things going on in Seelie's life as well.
The character's in this book felt really well planned out and written to me. The relationships between Seelie and her friends are real and raw and I won't spoil this, because it's definitely worth reading, but they go through shit, just like anyone else (albeit the murder charge). Seelie's mother is a rather upsetting character who is just as absent as she is a nuisance, and the fact that she finds Seelie responsible for what happened in the barn shows the reality that not everyone you love will always be on your side. The characters in this really made this story.
Well, them and the plot. Once again, I don't want to ruin anything, but this is a worthwhile read. From the synopsis alone, readers already get the gist of things, but the little details and plot bombs (they really didn't feel like twists, more like random spurts of information) really build what is going on here.
Overall... well let's just say I don't give five stars very often. This is a great story and I can't wait for it to be released so that everyone can have the chance to read it.
June 13, 2018
3.5 stars
This book made me realize that I've never read an F/F Romance book. Sure I've read books with side characters that were lesbians, but never one about them, which is a tragedy in itself because seriously, I read an unhealthy amount of their male counterpart- M/M Romance.
That literally had nothing to do with the book in itself, but I just thought I'd mention it because why the hell not?
Anyways, since we are on the topic of a lesbian romance, I feel like I should mention that the romance took a second seat in this story.. or maybe third.. or fourth. Wait a minute, let me do a rerun-
See? It takes the fourth seat.
Okay moving on.. this story focused on 17 year old Seelie- a normal highschooler who had been attacked by her senior, and she ended up murdering him in self-defense. Turns out the murdered guy was the son of a very powerful judge who then drags her to court to get her a life-sentence or something like that. That seems to be the center plot of the story- the how's and why's and when's of how she moves on and stuff like that.
Thrown into the mix is one ultra-melodramatic mother, one drug dealing friend, one suuuuper religious friend in love with aforementioned drug dealer, and one artistic, dangerous and honestly kind of unstable love interest.
Talk about drama!
Although with all that there's still an HEA, it somehow feels inconclusive to me. Definitely there was a lot that could still be resolved with more that just one sentence- like the whole situation with her narcissistic mother, who I have a really tough time believing that she even existed because seriously, there's impossible, and there's IMPOSSIBLE. Guess which category mommy dearest fell into? And the whole thing with Lyssa felt like an afterthought. I wish there was a little more build to their story other that Seelie just loving her from before the book began, and Lyssa being weirdly overprotective of her.
And despite all that, I liked this book. It was really fast paced, and there were moments where you generally feel for the girl because life just kept shitting and shitting and shitting on her. Mischa's writing has a good tone to it- it fits right in with the genre she initially intended it for- YA and LGBTQ.
This book made me realize that I've never read an F/F Romance book. Sure I've read books with side characters that were lesbians, but never one about them, which is a tragedy in itself because seriously, I read an unhealthy amount of their male counterpart- M/M Romance.
That literally had nothing to do with the book in itself, but I just thought I'd mention it because why the hell not?
Anyways, since we are on the topic of a lesbian romance, I feel like I should mention that the romance took a second seat in this story.. or maybe third.. or fourth. Wait a minute, let me do a rerun-
• The murder trial
• Friendship
• Mommy issues
• Romance
See? It takes the fourth seat.
Okay moving on.. this story focused on 17 year old Seelie- a normal highschooler who had been attacked by her senior, and she ended up murdering him in self-defense. Turns out the murdered guy was the son of a very powerful judge who then drags her to court to get her a life-sentence or something like that. That seems to be the center plot of the story- the how's and why's and when's of how she moves on and stuff like that.
Thrown into the mix is one ultra-melodramatic mother, one drug dealing friend, one suuuuper religious friend in love with aforementioned drug dealer, and one artistic, dangerous and honestly kind of unstable love interest.
Talk about drama!
Although with all that there's still an HEA, it somehow feels inconclusive to me. Definitely there was a lot that could still be resolved with more that just one sentence- like the whole situation with her narcissistic mother, who I have a really tough time believing that she even existed because seriously, there's impossible, and there's IMPOSSIBLE. Guess which category mommy dearest fell into? And the whole thing with Lyssa felt like an afterthought. I wish there was a little more build to their story other that Seelie just loving her from before the book began, and Lyssa being weirdly overprotective of her.
And despite all that, I liked this book. It was really fast paced, and there were moments where you generally feel for the girl because life just kept shitting and shitting and shitting on her. Mischa's writing has a good tone to it- it fits right in with the genre she initially intended it for- YA and LGBTQ.
June 12, 2018
Special thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Seelie Stanton is a fairly normal seventeen year old. She enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her small group of friends (who call themselves the faction.) While at work one day, she is attacked by Shane Mayfield, the brother of one of her classmates and son of a local judge. Shane dies as the result of Seelie defending herself. Seelie is left in the difficult position of having to convince the small town she grew up in and the legal system that she was defending herself from an attack.
I liked a few things about this book, but I disliked even more.
The things I liked:
-I loved Seelie and the faction. They felt like very real teenagers. Sometimes I feel like teens in YA are written a lot more mature than your average teenager. It wasn't the case in My Whole Truth. I loved the little mentiosn of things like Doctor Who, Supernatural, etc, because those were things I also relate to my teen years.
-It is written beautifully. There's a few lines that conveyed what Seelie was feeling perfectly.
-I liked how there were mentions of Seelie's crush on Lyssa, but that it wasn't a main storyline.
The things I disliked:
-Seelie's mom. She's awful. I don't understand how or why she constantly blamed Seelie for the attack. I also feel like there was no growth between Seelie and her mother and it left something to be desired. I would have at least liked there to have been a reason why her mother was so awful.
-I felt like the story was super unrealistic. Usually I want my contempory reads to be somewhat realistic. Things that struck me as being unrealistic would be the fact that the school allowed Seelie to attend class even though she was on trial for murder. Another is how the hospital never once considers that she could've been raped and never even mentioned collecting a rape kit. I also felt like Seelie was discharged from the hospital a little early considering her wounds.
-The tone felt a little too light for the story. It felt like almost no one was taking anything seriously.
Overall the story was okay, but it just didn't feel complete.
Seelie Stanton is a fairly normal seventeen year old. She enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her small group of friends (who call themselves the faction.) While at work one day, she is attacked by Shane Mayfield, the brother of one of her classmates and son of a local judge. Shane dies as the result of Seelie defending herself. Seelie is left in the difficult position of having to convince the small town she grew up in and the legal system that she was defending herself from an attack.
I liked a few things about this book, but I disliked even more.
The things I liked:
-I loved Seelie and the faction. They felt like very real teenagers. Sometimes I feel like teens in YA are written a lot more mature than your average teenager. It wasn't the case in My Whole Truth. I loved the little mentiosn of things like Doctor Who, Supernatural, etc, because those were things I also relate to my teen years.
-It is written beautifully. There's a few lines that conveyed what Seelie was feeling perfectly.
-I liked how there were mentions of Seelie's crush on Lyssa, but that it wasn't a main storyline.
The things I disliked:
-Seelie's mom. She's awful. I don't understand how or why she constantly blamed Seelie for the attack. I also feel like there was no growth between Seelie and her mother and it left something to be desired. I would have at least liked there to have been a reason why her mother was so awful.
-I felt like the story was super unrealistic. Usually I want my contempory reads to be somewhat realistic. Things that struck me as being unrealistic would be the fact that the school allowed Seelie to attend class even though she was on trial for murder. Another is how the hospital never once considers that she could've been raped and never even mentioned collecting a rape kit. I also felt like Seelie was discharged from the hospital a little early considering her wounds.
-The tone felt a little too light for the story. It felt like almost no one was taking anything seriously.
Overall the story was okay, but it just didn't feel complete.
April 12, 2018
Wow.
I feel like I just spent the past few days binge watching a Nextflix show called “My whole truth: the Cecilia Stanton story” <-- (I would totally watch that!!)
This book was captivating. From the first chapter, I wanted to do nothing else but to keep reading to find out what happens.
Here are some things that I liked about this book:
- Strong female protagonist - Seelie had strong ideas about her self and her values. I liked that she wasn't looking for approval or easily influenced - especially in a time when social media is so relevant and self-value might be measured by popular opinion.
- The importance of having good friends that you can trust – quality vs quantity! yes!
- Being able to have a choice.
- The woman who answered the phone. (loc 2779 - at 71% of the book) She was amazing and she didn't even know it. She deserves recognition.
-The image of a tattoo of an open book with “there are other worlds than these” flying from the pages. Amazing. I want one!
- The truth. Even though I think it should have come out sooner, I appreciate the fact that it did. It will set you free.
The one thing that I didn't completely understand was the relationship (or absence of) between Seelie and her mom. Maybe that can be addressed in season 2...
I enjoyed reading this book. It was like a YA crime drama! I liked how the events unfolded as I got to know the characters better. I would recommend it!
“Too often we teach stories that have no connection to real life, especially for high schoolers. But literature is supposed to make us feel something, even something unpleasant. It’s a sign of life.”
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book.
I feel like I just spent the past few days binge watching a Nextflix show called “My whole truth: the Cecilia Stanton story” <-- (I would totally watch that!!)
This book was captivating. From the first chapter, I wanted to do nothing else but to keep reading to find out what happens.
Here are some things that I liked about this book:
- Strong female protagonist - Seelie had strong ideas about her self and her values. I liked that she wasn't looking for approval or easily influenced - especially in a time when social media is so relevant and self-value might be measured by popular opinion.
- The importance of having good friends that you can trust – quality vs quantity! yes!
- Being able to have a choice.
- The woman who answered the phone. (loc 2779 - at 71% of the book) She was amazing and she didn't even know it. She deserves recognition.
-The image of a tattoo of an open book with “there are other worlds than these” flying from the pages. Amazing. I want one!
- The truth. Even though I think it should have come out sooner, I appreciate the fact that it did. It will set you free.
The one thing that I didn't completely understand was the relationship (or absence of) between Seelie and her mom. Maybe that can be addressed in season 2...
I enjoyed reading this book. It was like a YA crime drama! I liked how the events unfolded as I got to know the characters better. I would recommend it!
“Too often we teach stories that have no connection to real life, especially for high schoolers. But literature is supposed to make us feel something, even something unpleasant. It’s a sign of life.”
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book.
June 27, 2018
When Seelie is cornered and attacked by Shane, her small town’s golden boy, the situation is clear to her– only one of them gets out alive. She manages to kill Shane in a clear act of self-defense, but not many in her town see it the same way. With city politics intertwined in her trial for murder, Seelie must fight to prove she was right for killing him. By her side is her fierce, pro-bono lawyer seeking to help Seelie to make up for the flaws she sees in the justice system. Seelie’s crush and two best friends stand by her, but complications unfold as secrets are revealed that threaten to unravel their tight-knit group…and land Seelie in jail for a crime she didn’t commit.
My Whole Truth is a gripping, fast-paced debut novel by Mischa Thrace. The action draws the reader in instantaneously, and the stakes are soaring from start to finish. I adored Thrace’s exploration of a tight group of friends–and the crushes and fierce loyalty that come with it– that complements the extraordinarily dangerous and stressful situation that Seelie is in. This book officially comes out on OCTOBER 2nd from Flux, and I hope you pick yourself up a copy!
My Whole Truth is a gripping, fast-paced debut novel by Mischa Thrace. The action draws the reader in instantaneously, and the stakes are soaring from start to finish. I adored Thrace’s exploration of a tight group of friends–and the crushes and fierce loyalty that come with it– that complements the extraordinarily dangerous and stressful situation that Seelie is in. This book officially comes out on OCTOBER 2nd from Flux, and I hope you pick yourself up a copy!
April 30, 2018
Not sure where to begin on this one as the storyline was a bit unbelievable but the writing was good and it flowed. There is a small lesbian storyline offshoot for the main character Seelie (Cecelia) and her closest friend Lyssa but it is very minor. The main focus of the book is on Seelie and her small "faction" of friends that include Lyssa and two other close friends of Seelies. I like how her close knit group of friends really stick up for each other. I think Seelie's savage attack that ends in the killing of her attacker (not a spoiler) and her defense of her actions in court are a little too cartoonish and slightly unbelievable. In addition, her horrible relationship with her mother is completely overdone and there is no growth or development at all. All in all, I would recommend to younger adults --Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.
April 25, 2019
It’s not the novel’s story.
This story has been told before.
It’s not that the plot has a structure of twists to keep the reader stumped and the ending held in expectation.
Although, early on, the reader is told not all is being revealed.
Mischa Thrace has written this novel with such an honest, authentic voice, a reader forgets the book is a work of fiction.
Whatever awards Mischa has or will receive are truly deserved.
Reviewed in Le Coeur de l'Artiste http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-...
This story has been told before.
It’s not that the plot has a structure of twists to keep the reader stumped and the ending held in expectation.
Although, early on, the reader is told not all is being revealed.
Mischa Thrace has written this novel with such an honest, authentic voice, a reader forgets the book is a work of fiction.
Whatever awards Mischa has or will receive are truly deserved.
Reviewed in Le Coeur de l'Artiste http://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de-...
April 22, 2018
Holy crap this read.. Nothing short of a rollercoaster, Seelie is taking us on one bumpy ride through one of the most hellish things that could happen to someone.
My Whole Truth is a story about that; uncovering the truth, even though it’s difficult. And one about unending friendships.
If you’re looking for a book that takes you by your reader-balls and doesn’t let go until the very last page.. this book is for you!
My Whole Truth is a story about that; uncovering the truth, even though it’s difficult. And one about unending friendships.
If you’re looking for a book that takes you by your reader-balls and doesn’t let go until the very last page.. this book is for you!
Read
September 19, 2018With sharp writing and compelling twists, My Whole Truth turns a blistering eye to the aftermath of a brutal assault—and a young woman’s fight to regain control of her story and life. A riveting debut.
May 10, 2019
Good read although predictable.
December 4, 2023
Beautiful story and great imagery but the MC was SO INSUFFERABLE 😩
Aren’t you a little past teenage angst and i’m not like the other girls at this point in your life?
while i couldn’t STAND the characters the story really is heartwarming and unfortunately unrealistic
the author did a great job talking about the topic so hats off to them
Aren’t you a little past teenage angst and i’m not like the other girls at this point in your life?
while i couldn’t STAND the characters the story really is heartwarming and unfortunately unrealistic
the author did a great job talking about the topic so hats off to them
Read
September 23, 2018BE AWARE OF THE TRIGGERS, because there are quite a few and I'm mentioning them in my review too. Another thing I'm mentioning right now is that this is the story of a survivor, written by a survivor and this review is also written by a survivor. Had to be said.
I started reading this novel about an hour before bed time and I ended up going to sleep.. three hours late and halfway through My Whole Truth. I couldn't stop reading at all. I tried, honestly. But I just couldn't fall asleep because I had to know what happened next. That rarely happens!
The story starts right after Seelie, our main character, escaped her attacker by hitting him on the head with a mallet. After that, everything spirals out of control. She ends up in the hospital, telling half-truths and not admitting to anyone - even herself - what exactly happened. I needed to know what had happened to her. You immediately get an idea of what could've gone down - being sexual assault - but in a way, you keep second-guessing it because some things just.. didn't add up for me. I was intrigued and curious to see what had taken place.
That curiosity is what you need in a mystery novel like this one. If you're not curious about the outcome, or about what exactly happened in the past, the book's not well-written and this one is. The fast pace, the little snippets of information you get, the problems and situations Seelie has to face: it all works perfectly and kept a hold on me throughout the entire book.
Another aspect I really liked is how Mischa gave Seelie the perfect support system. Even though they don't know everything that happened, you can see and feel how her friends want to help her through anything coming her way.
Her friends - which she calls "the faction", consists of three unique characters. Each has their own characteristics, beliefs and pasts, which are shown throughout the novel. They do struggle with each other, but what friends don't? It made their friendship all the more real to me. And that's not even mentioning the slow burn f/f romance. It feels absolutely perfect since Seelie definitely has plenty on her plate and the focus should not be on romance. I loved how the author knew this and let their relationship grow accordingly.
HUGE SPOILER IN NEXT PART. SKIP TO NEXT QUOTE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ ABOUT IMPORTANT TRIGGER WARNINGS.
I already mentioned one huge trigger, sexual assault, but there are more. They're at the top of my review, but I do feel like pointing them out again because they are important. They're huge triggers for a lot of people. Victim-blaming, mental health, bullying, murder, mention of drug-dealing and the biggest one of all - abortion. I didn't know about any of these triggers going in and, for once, I honestly didn't mind. I saw most things coming. Even though it wasn't easy reading about certain subjects - I already wrote a post on my blog in the past regarding the sexual assault I survived - and my pregnant state on top of that, I still feel this story was worth reading.
On one hand, I'd like to go further into the one trigger I left in white, but.. let's keep it at "people can view this part of the book differently since it has a lot to do with one's own principles, beliefs and past." I believe it has to be present in the book, I can see why others would think differently but this is my review.
There was only one thing annoying me somewhat and that's Seelie's relationship with her mom. To say it's strained is a definite understatement. There isn't much love lost between those two and.. of course, that's entirely possible. What annoyed me is how we never get a decent explanation as to why this is the case. Why do they pretty much hate each other? Why is their relationship the way it is? What happened exactly to ruin a mother-daughter bond so thoroughly? There are some vague hints given but.. It wasn't enough to satisfy my curiosity.
I can only conclude that this is a book worth reading. It's the story of a survivor, written by a survivor. Stories like this one are important, worth sharing and I'm so, so happy to find this book one I can absolutely agree with. Yes, I'm ordering myself a finished copy. I need this on my shelves.
4.5/5
I received an ecopy of this novel through NetGalley. All opinions in this review are entirely, completely mine and have not been influenced by anyone.
I started reading this novel about an hour before bed time and I ended up going to sleep.. three hours late and halfway through My Whole Truth. I couldn't stop reading at all. I tried, honestly. But I just couldn't fall asleep because I had to know what happened next. That rarely happens!
The story starts right after Seelie, our main character, escaped her attacker by hitting him on the head with a mallet. After that, everything spirals out of control. She ends up in the hospital, telling half-truths and not admitting to anyone - even herself - what exactly happened. I needed to know what had happened to her. You immediately get an idea of what could've gone down - being sexual assault - but in a way, you keep second-guessing it because some things just.. didn't add up for me. I was intrigued and curious to see what had taken place.
My dreams are a punishment punctuated with flashes of gore and monsters with faces like the insides of cherries.
That curiosity is what you need in a mystery novel like this one. If you're not curious about the outcome, or about what exactly happened in the past, the book's not well-written and this one is. The fast pace, the little snippets of information you get, the problems and situations Seelie has to face: it all works perfectly and kept a hold on me throughout the entire book.
Another aspect I really liked is how Mischa gave Seelie the perfect support system. Even though they don't know everything that happened, you can see and feel how her friends want to help her through anything coming her way.
Her friends - which she calls "the faction", consists of three unique characters. Each has their own characteristics, beliefs and pasts, which are shown throughout the novel. They do struggle with each other, but what friends don't? It made their friendship all the more real to me. And that's not even mentioning the slow burn f/f romance. It feels absolutely perfect since Seelie definitely has plenty on her plate and the focus should not be on romance. I loved how the author knew this and let their relationship grow accordingly.
My brain can't convince my tongue to form the words, so they go unspoken. I bypass it completely, as if not saying it might make it so it never happened.
HUGE SPOILER IN NEXT PART. SKIP TO NEXT QUOTE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ ABOUT IMPORTANT TRIGGER WARNINGS.
I already mentioned one huge trigger, sexual assault, but there are more. They're at the top of my review, but I do feel like pointing them out again because they are important. They're huge triggers for a lot of people. Victim-blaming, mental health, bullying, murder, mention of drug-dealing and the biggest one of all - abortion. I didn't know about any of these triggers going in and, for once, I honestly didn't mind. I saw most things coming. Even though it wasn't easy reading about certain subjects - I already wrote a post on my blog in the past regarding the sexual assault I survived - and my pregnant state on top of that, I still feel this story was worth reading.
On one hand, I'd like to go further into the one trigger I left in white, but.. let's keep it at "people can view this part of the book differently since it has a lot to do with one's own principles, beliefs and past." I believe it has to be present in the book, I can see why others would think differently but this is my review.
We are a chain of broken people trying to keep one another from drowning.
There was only one thing annoying me somewhat and that's Seelie's relationship with her mom. To say it's strained is a definite understatement. There isn't much love lost between those two and.. of course, that's entirely possible. What annoyed me is how we never get a decent explanation as to why this is the case. Why do they pretty much hate each other? Why is their relationship the way it is? What happened exactly to ruin a mother-daughter bond so thoroughly? There are some vague hints given but.. It wasn't enough to satisfy my curiosity.
I am so afraid of what the truth will to do us.
I can only conclude that this is a book worth reading. It's the story of a survivor, written by a survivor. Stories like this one are important, worth sharing and I'm so, so happy to find this book one I can absolutely agree with. Yes, I'm ordering myself a finished copy. I need this on my shelves.
4.5/5
I received an ecopy of this novel through NetGalley. All opinions in this review are entirely, completely mine and have not been influenced by anyone.
June 13, 2018
I am of an unpopular opinion here: I did not enjoy this book as a whole.
What I DID like was the friend group our main character is a part of, though I had trouble keeping track of which female was which because aside from Ashlyn's religious beliefs, she didn't have much of a personality. I loved Lyssa and Finn however, and the camaraderie among the group.
I had a lot of trouble with this book.
In general, being in the dark about something that happened before the book started doesn't bother me because I like being thrown right into the action. The caveat to this for me is when our main character knows something we don't know and just doesn't tell us. It got real old real fast for me that Seelie was keeping something not only from the reader but from literally everyone, especially something that changed the entire nature of her case.
On the whole, I understand Seelie's relationship with her mother but it continuously rubbed me the wrong way because it seemed to me that no matter what her mom did, Seelie wouldn't accept that maybe she actually cared or was concerned. I feel like this relationship was one of those YA parent relationships that aren't realistic because they're not as complex as they should be. To me it seemed like Seelie was treating her mom the way a mom would see it, not the way a young adult would see it, which made Seelie's voice feel inauthentic.
My biggest issue is with Seelie's secret keeping and the way the ending resolved. I found it unrealistic and frustrating, and I feel like the twist was set up well but everything after it just frustrated me. It's hard to explain why it frustrated me so much without spoiling it, but suffice to say I didn't think Seelie's actions were realistic for someone in her circumstances, I didn't think the court scene was at all realistic in the most infuriating way (court doesn't take a day for a case like this, come on), and it felt underdeveloped.
My last big annoyance with this book is the way Seelie and Ashyln's disagreement resolved, which is to say it didn't.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just had so many problems with it.
What I DID like was the friend group our main character is a part of, though I had trouble keeping track of which female was which because aside from Ashlyn's religious beliefs, she didn't have much of a personality. I loved Lyssa and Finn however, and the camaraderie among the group.
I had a lot of trouble with this book.
In general, being in the dark about something that happened before the book started doesn't bother me because I like being thrown right into the action. The caveat to this for me is when our main character knows something we don't know and just doesn't tell us. It got real old real fast for me that Seelie was keeping something not only from the reader but from literally everyone, especially something that changed the entire nature of her case.
On the whole, I understand Seelie's relationship with her mother but it continuously rubbed me the wrong way because it seemed to me that no matter what her mom did, Seelie wouldn't accept that maybe she actually cared or was concerned. I feel like this relationship was one of those YA parent relationships that aren't realistic because they're not as complex as they should be. To me it seemed like Seelie was treating her mom the way a mom would see it, not the way a young adult would see it, which made Seelie's voice feel inauthentic.
My biggest issue is with Seelie's secret keeping and the way the ending resolved. I found it unrealistic and frustrating, and I feel like the twist was set up well but everything after it just frustrated me. It's hard to explain why it frustrated me so much without spoiling it, but suffice to say I didn't think Seelie's actions were realistic for someone in her circumstances, I didn't think the court scene was at all realistic in the most infuriating way (court doesn't take a day for a case like this, come on), and it felt underdeveloped.
My last big annoyance with this book is the way Seelie and Ashyln's disagreement resolved, which is to say it didn't.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just had so many problems with it.
April 19, 2018
This is a well-written novel with a page-turning plot, and others are sure to sing its praises.
Great opening lines, a great foursome of friends who call themselves The Faction, and plenty of social issues pack this YA novel with topics for discussion. However, the 17-year-old heroine never lightens up in her attitude toward her widowed mother. Dad, who died of cancer, was the girl's go-to person; Mom is a workaholic who just isn't there for Cecelia/Seelie, to the point that every scene with this mother/daughter duo is unpleasant. And it never gets better. Seelie never seems to make that character arc from self-absorbed, snotty teenage daughter to wiser, older daughter who discovers some breathing room with her mother.
As a mother of three, not a teenager reading YA, my viewpoint on this may be irrelevant. But if my daughters were still teenagers, I wouldn't want them reading YA novels that reinforced the idea of high school girls being wiser than their mothers.
I've heard teenage girls say they don't like novels about heroines who are overweight, unattractive, or lacking in personal charm. Cecelia seems to strike out on all three counts. Add to that her apparent lesbianism, and still more girls will likely pass this novel over for another Edward and Bella story. Which is sad. "Twilight" didn't really tackle social issues like "My Whole Truth" does.
Some of the plot devices annoy me as much as snarky teenage attitude does. I can believe the police are sufficiently incompetent not to ask for certain types of DNA evidence, but medical staff, too, overlooking some critical evidence when a beaten, bleeding girl comes into E.R. ... and what happens later... there was already more than enough unpleasantness in the story without this added scene of tension and deeply personal decisions.
The debate about crimes committed due to the influence of certain illegal drugs also missed the mark. Granted, I know nothing about PCP or other drugs, but I've heard from EMTs that bullets won't stop an attacker who's high on meth. You have to take out the hip joints and legs to immobilize the attacker. At close range, as Seelie would have been, without a gun, the inexplicably available mallet had to be employed, repeatedly, to get the attacker to stop moving.
That mallet. I grew up on a farm, not a horse farm, but who keeps mallets under the hay in the upper loft of a hay mow? That one just had me shaking my head. Too many things like this pull a reader out of the novel and make it hard to stay engaged, to keep caring about the characters.
The Faction, a guy and three gals, ultimately had me no longer caring as much about them as I did in the opening pages. Their bad choices range from trivial to catastrophic, and I'm just too old to read stories that aren't more fun-filled and triumphant. I've read enough tragedy, most of it in the form of historical fiction, and too much of it in genre fiction. It's almost enough to drive a woman to read chic-lit and romance novels.
Almost.
I would have liked to see more evidence of the heroine's love of horses and some scenes of healing, which could have happened, if Cecelia had listened to Elaine, the horse owner who's hired her for the past three years. The horses got nowhere near enough attention, in my opinion. Teen readers may disagree with me on that.
Two minor characters deliver some surprises, one the victim's brother Trevor, the other a girl who hand-writes a note and slips it into Cecelia's locker. In a fast-paced narrative, any potential for character growth is swept aside. Nobody seems to do the growing up I would expect of characters in a YA novel.
Again, this is a well-written novel with a page-turning plot and plenty of social issues worthy of a classroom discussion, but it's not the soaring, triumphant sort of tale I turn to these days. It's dark and brutal to the bitter end, with a victory that just doesn't
Great opening lines, a great foursome of friends who call themselves The Faction, and plenty of social issues pack this YA novel with topics for discussion. However, the 17-year-old heroine never lightens up in her attitude toward her widowed mother. Dad, who died of cancer, was the girl's go-to person; Mom is a workaholic who just isn't there for Cecelia/Seelie, to the point that every scene with this mother/daughter duo is unpleasant. And it never gets better. Seelie never seems to make that character arc from self-absorbed, snotty teenage daughter to wiser, older daughter who discovers some breathing room with her mother.
As a mother of three, not a teenager reading YA, my viewpoint on this may be irrelevant. But if my daughters were still teenagers, I wouldn't want them reading YA novels that reinforced the idea of high school girls being wiser than their mothers.
I've heard teenage girls say they don't like novels about heroines who are overweight, unattractive, or lacking in personal charm. Cecelia seems to strike out on all three counts. Add to that her apparent lesbianism, and still more girls will likely pass this novel over for another Edward and Bella story. Which is sad. "Twilight" didn't really tackle social issues like "My Whole Truth" does.
Some of the plot devices annoy me as much as snarky teenage attitude does. I can believe the police are sufficiently incompetent not to ask for certain types of DNA evidence, but medical staff, too, overlooking some critical evidence when a beaten, bleeding girl comes into E.R. ... and what happens later... there was already more than enough unpleasantness in the story without this added scene of tension and deeply personal decisions.
The debate about crimes committed due to the influence of certain illegal drugs also missed the mark. Granted, I know nothing about PCP or other drugs, but I've heard from EMTs that bullets won't stop an attacker who's high on meth. You have to take out the hip joints and legs to immobilize the attacker. At close range, as Seelie would have been, without a gun, the inexplicably available mallet had to be employed, repeatedly, to get the attacker to stop moving.
That mallet. I grew up on a farm, not a horse farm, but who keeps mallets under the hay in the upper loft of a hay mow? That one just had me shaking my head. Too many things like this pull a reader out of the novel and make it hard to stay engaged, to keep caring about the characters.
The Faction, a guy and three gals, ultimately had me no longer caring as much about them as I did in the opening pages. Their bad choices range from trivial to catastrophic, and I'm just too old to read stories that aren't more fun-filled and triumphant. I've read enough tragedy, most of it in the form of historical fiction, and too much of it in genre fiction. It's almost enough to drive a woman to read chic-lit and romance novels.
Almost.
I would have liked to see more evidence of the heroine's love of horses and some scenes of healing, which could have happened, if Cecelia had listened to Elaine, the horse owner who's hired her for the past three years. The horses got nowhere near enough attention, in my opinion. Teen readers may disagree with me on that.
Two minor characters deliver some surprises, one the victim's brother Trevor, the other a girl who hand-writes a note and slips it into Cecelia's locker. In a fast-paced narrative, any potential for character growth is swept aside. Nobody seems to do the growing up I would expect of characters in a YA novel.
Again, this is a well-written novel with a page-turning plot and plenty of social issues worthy of a classroom discussion, but it's not the soaring, triumphant sort of tale I turn to these days. It's dark and brutal to the bitter end, with a victory that just doesn't
May 17, 2018
This was my first time reading one of Mischa Thrace's books and I must say that it is a good read and it kept my attention, but it also frustrated me to no end. While I enjoyed reading this book that began in the present and backtracked to a traumatic day (October 21st) for Cecelia "Seelie" Stanton throughout the story, at times I became so irritated with her I could scream. I understand why the book is entitled, "My Whole Truth", but Seelie really should have just told the truth from the beginning which would have saved her a whole lot of trouble in the end. As she lay in the hospital bed, it was totally obviously to me what her attacker, Shane, had done to her and that surprise after a 20 minute trip to Walmart later on in the story really wasn't much of a surprise at all to me because it was obvious what had happened. I have so many mixed emotions pertaining to this book right now. While it's a good story, I am sitting her typing out this review feeling frustrated that I even read the book in it's entirety because she should have just told the truth. I'm really steaming hot mad at her. Like, seriously. I haven't been this frustrated with a fictional book character in a very long time. I would suggest reading this story only if you have patience to deal with a 17 year olds version of untruths which will eventually lead up to her "whole truth". I almost want to pull my hair out, I am so irritated right now and not in a good way.
However, emotions and feelings set aside, this book was well written and flowed well. The author does a great job at telling the story and is really detailed about the character's emotions, feelings, and fears. The author also did a great job in writing the judicial aspect of the book. I did enjoy reading about Seelie's feelings for one of her friend's in the "Faction", but I had guessed early on it the story she felt that way before it was revealed. If you are looking for a drama filled YA book, then this one is definitely for you. If you end up as nearly as frustrated as I am, don't say that I didn't warn you ahead of time.
However, emotions and feelings set aside, this book was well written and flowed well. The author does a great job at telling the story and is really detailed about the character's emotions, feelings, and fears. The author also did a great job in writing the judicial aspect of the book. I did enjoy reading about Seelie's feelings for one of her friend's in the "Faction", but I had guessed early on it the story she felt that way before it was revealed. If you are looking for a drama filled YA book, then this one is definitely for you. If you end up as nearly as frustrated as I am, don't say that I didn't warn you ahead of time.
September 4, 2018
This was an intense story that had me turning the pages as fast as I could. I read it in a day! The story begins with a violent crime that Seelie gets charged with, even though she was acting in self defense. It happens at the stables she works at, with the basketball star from her school.
Seelie is a tough, independent seventeen year old, just trying to survive high school when this turns her entire world upside down. With all that she is going through in the story I kept thinking, I would not be able to be as strong.
I really admired her strength in the story and the relationship she had with her three friends. Seelie isn’t the popular girl in school, but instead has a small group of friends that are basically her entire support system.
Once she is released on bail with an ankle bracelet she has to continue attending her small town high school where she is anything but popular. High school is hard enough, but when your charged with murdering the basketball star from your school? It’s beyond imaginable.
This was a powerful story and a quick YA read, I definitely enjoyed it!
Seelie is a tough, independent seventeen year old, just trying to survive high school when this turns her entire world upside down. With all that she is going through in the story I kept thinking, I would not be able to be as strong.
I really admired her strength in the story and the relationship she had with her three friends. Seelie isn’t the popular girl in school, but instead has a small group of friends that are basically her entire support system.
Once she is released on bail with an ankle bracelet she has to continue attending her small town high school where she is anything but popular. High school is hard enough, but when your charged with murdering the basketball star from your school? It’s beyond imaginable.
This was a powerful story and a quick YA read, I definitely enjoyed it!
July 31, 2018
I enjoy reading a really good YA book every now and then and this book did not disappoint. Cecelia "Seelie" Stanton was attacked in the hayloft of the barn where she was taking care of the horses. Seelie ended up killing Shane Mayfield, a known drug user and a bully. Seelie received serious injuries during the attack and was subsequently arrested and charged with murder. Seeley and her 3 friends who refer to themselves as "The Faction" and are a very strange bunch of characters. All of the characters with the exception of Cara, Seeley's lawyer, are very unlikable. Even with all the unlikable characters, this was a fast-paced easy read and I really enjoyed. At the end of the book, I still did not like any of the characters except for Cara.
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