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Playgrounds & Black Markers
Nineteen-year-old Jake Jett always knew what he wanted as his career, but time runs short as his chances to follow his dream seem to disappear. The constant pressure to attend a prestigious college pushes out any hope of pursuing his own desires.
Feeling unheard, Jake sinks into his hidden addiction.
Rose Johnson has the best adoptive family she could imagine. . . until they receive a new set of placements. Add that to her unexpected reunion with Jake, life is thrown completely off balance. Overcoming his repulsive attitude towards her, she’s compelled to convince him he has the power to quit his addiction and follow his dreams.
When hearts get in the way, confusion settles in. Life is more complicated than anyone could have realized. Is it possible to leave all of the steps and outcomes at the throne of God? Does everyone truly have a destiny?
Feeling unheard, Jake sinks into his hidden addiction.
Rose Johnson has the best adoptive family she could imagine. . . until they receive a new set of placements. Add that to her unexpected reunion with Jake, life is thrown completely off balance. Overcoming his repulsive attitude towards her, she’s compelled to convince him he has the power to quit his addiction and follow his dreams.
When hearts get in the way, confusion settles in. Life is more complicated than anyone could have realized. Is it possible to leave all of the steps and outcomes at the throne of God? Does everyone truly have a destiny?
- GenresContemporaryChristian
318 pages, Paperback
Published April 21, 2021
32 people want to read
About the author
Libby May
4 books85 followersElizabeth May is a Christian Author seeking to write stories worth reading by weaving real life struggles with relatable and loveable characters. She lives in the beautiful Northwest US with her sisters and best friends.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
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April 23, 2021🚨PLAYGROUNDS AN BLACK MARKERS IS LIVE! YOU CAN GET YOUR COPY ON AMAZON NOW!🚨
Media tour is April 14th - 21st with preorders opening on the 17th! Check out my blog for more information on how to join the team!
ARC's have been sent out! I'm so excited for this you guys!
COVER REVEAL ON MARCH 21ST!
Playgrounds and Black Markers is currently with an editor and will be ready for formatting next week. 2. 22. 21
Officially headed out to Alpha readers! 4. 20.20
Officially fully typed up and getting ready for its first round of edits! 4. 9. 20
Media tour is April 14th - 21st with preorders opening on the 17th! Check out my blog for more information on how to join the team!
ARC's have been sent out! I'm so excited for this you guys!
COVER REVEAL ON MARCH 21ST!
Playgrounds and Black Markers is currently with an editor and will be ready for formatting next week. 2. 22. 21
Officially headed out to Alpha readers! 4. 20.20
Officially fully typed up and getting ready for its first round of edits! 4. 9. 20
April 15, 2021
This book was so good, y'all. So good. It started out a little bit slow, but it didn't take long for me to get sucked into the story, that's for sure! One of the most notable things for me when reading Playgrounds & Black Markers was how much Libby's writing style/voice had improved. Her debut (also the prequel to P&BM), Dewdrops & Butterflies, was a good book. But I have seen how much she's grown in her writing since publishing D&B, and I am sooo behind it!
Let's start with the themes. Wow. Jake has an addiction to something we wouldn't normally consider addictive: sharpie markers. His story will pull at your heart. I don't have any experience with addiction (or anyone who has had an addiction), so I'm definitely not an expert on the subject, but the way it was handled was fantastic, in my humble opinion. Also, the cause for his addiction, as a whole other theme...yessss. I'm trying really hard not to give spoilers here, buuuut I will say, however, that the way that was resolved seemed a little...I don't know...sudden? Like, *person* had a phone call and suddenly realized the error of their ways? *shrugs* maybe it was just me.
I also loved Rose's part in the story. The way she handled Taylor and Marcus were sooo good. There were maybe one or two things that I might've disagreed with, but it was just personal preference and not anything major.
What didn't I like? The ending seemed...rushed? Like, the character arcs were complete and all, but the plot seemed to end abruptly, definitely leaving room for a third book. But, since I haven't heard any rumors about a third book, it seemed to end pretty suddenly.
Was there anything in this book that stood out, that put it above all others? No. But though I've never personally dealt with any of the themes—neglect, substance abuse, foster care, relationships—I felt it. I was Rose, wincing in pain when a hurting child kicked her shin. I was Jake, breathing in the fumes of the sharpie as he drug the tip of the marker across his skin. I was Rose, sobbing in the dark because some things in life just hurt too much. I was Jake, desperate for the love and affection he'd so long craved.
This book is full of hurt. Life. Graduations and swing sets. Ice cream and dog tags. It tugs at your heartstrings, and yet...it feels like home.
*I received a copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.
Let's start with the themes. Wow. Jake has an addiction to something we wouldn't normally consider addictive: sharpie markers. His story will pull at your heart. I don't have any experience with addiction (or anyone who has had an addiction), so I'm definitely not an expert on the subject, but the way it was handled was fantastic, in my humble opinion. Also, the cause for his addiction, as a whole other theme...yessss. I'm trying really hard not to give spoilers here, buuuut I will say, however, that the way that was resolved seemed a little...I don't know...sudden? Like, *person* had a phone call and suddenly realized the error of their ways? *shrugs* maybe it was just me.
I also loved Rose's part in the story. The way she handled Taylor and Marcus were sooo good. There were maybe one or two things that I might've disagreed with, but it was just personal preference and not anything major.
What didn't I like? The ending seemed...rushed? Like, the character arcs were complete and all, but the plot seemed to end abruptly, definitely leaving room for a third book. But, since I haven't heard any rumors about a third book, it seemed to end pretty suddenly.
Was there anything in this book that stood out, that put it above all others? No. But though I've never personally dealt with any of the themes—neglect, substance abuse, foster care, relationships—I felt it. I was Rose, wincing in pain when a hurting child kicked her shin. I was Jake, breathing in the fumes of the sharpie as he drug the tip of the marker across his skin. I was Rose, sobbing in the dark because some things in life just hurt too much. I was Jake, desperate for the love and affection he'd so long craved.
This book is full of hurt. Life. Graduations and swing sets. Ice cream and dog tags. It tugs at your heartstrings, and yet...it feels like home.
*I received a copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.
September 5, 2024
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. So I found this book pretty much as gripping as Dewdrops & Butterflies. I loved Jake in D&B, so I was super excited to read his story! I loved Rob so much, and Louis and his family were awesome. I really liked Jake, and I loved seeing Rosie again. I appreciated how the topic of addiction was handled. I wasn’t a fan of Jake having a girlfriend and being so touchy with her, but I understand he wasn’t saved and they didn’t do anything super bad, so I was grateful. I certainly didn’t like Aubrey, however. Rosie’s love story also bugged me a little but I appreciated the remarks on dating, which were super good. And I really, really related to Rosie’s storyline—the whole WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS?—as well as Jake’s. Overall, it was a well-written, enjoyable YA and I’m eager to reread it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
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April 24, 2021Okay, yes, it took me FOREVER to update this on here. Didn't actually take me this long to read--ha! There's no way I could have put it down for that long.
Better review to come when I get the final version, but it's good, guys. So, so good! <33<3
Better review to come when I get the final version, but it's good, guys. So, so good! <33<3
March 23, 2021
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style, the characters, the relationships between everyone, and the freeness of sexual content and swearing! I really appreciated the cleanness of the book (aside from the fact that Jake has an inhalation addiction, but the book centers on his struggle with it). Not enough authors talk about mental health without adding in a bunch of trash.
The characters felt realistic to me from only a couple pages in and not over dramatized or flat and boring. They felt real. It does switch from POV to POV and to Jake's past so at first I was having a bit of a hard time following along, but after awhile I figured out who was who. I think it might have been helpful in the beginning if you've read Libby May's other book, Dewdrops and Butterflies, but honestly even though I haven't yet I think it worked out well and I wasn't still waiting to figure out who everyone was by the end of the book.
I really liked Jake and Rose the best, obviously, since they're the main characters. Even though I was a bit confused with the POVs in the beginning, I did end up enjoying hearing from both sides of them later since I understood where they each stood in the story.
For Jake, there were times where I wanted to hug him tightly and somehow get him out of the situation of feeling so helpless and alone and maybe shake his mom upside down because she was so busy with her own grief of several years that she hardly realized her son was in danger. But ahhghgh I love Jake.
Jake's main struggle is dealing with his inhalation addiction. I appreciated that the author wrote about this because again, the story was clean, so I could learn about this without being bombarded with trash along the way as if that's always tied to mental health. Thank you.
I really liked Rose and honestly, I think I felt the most like her. Sure, I'm not adopted and I certainly don't have the backstory she did or anything but I could understand why she felt certain ways at times, especially with the topic of the other twins in the house. (Looking at you, Taylor.) I feel like we'd be pretty good friends.
Taylor! Rose was super sweet because as much as Taylor said she hated Rose and a bunch of nasty things like that, Rose didn't give up. That's strong on her part. But she did it because she realized that Taylor was deprived of love and that's why she acted how she did.
Next, I'm a bit conflicted. Personally, I really liked how God and His Word was in the book. When things got hard or someone was worried about something or thankful or whatever, they prayed. They learned to trust in God. The characters were mature and modest. I liked all of that. However, the conflict part was how I didn't agree with everything, like how they mixed up God and Jesus being the same person and how God became Jesus and that stuff. There was some other Christian beliefs that I personally don't agree with but that's a different conversation. I also did feel like some of it was a bit pushy and fake towards the end of the book versus the beginning of the book.
Anyway, overall, I did enjoy this book. The writing flowed beautifully, the characters were relatable and interesting to get to know, and the storyline was fun to read. I didn't always want to put the book down when it was time for me to jump onto my Zoom class.
Content:
Language:
I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style, the characters, the relationships between everyone, and the freeness of sexual content and swearing! I really appreciated the cleanness of the book (aside from the fact that Jake has an inhalation addiction, but the book centers on his struggle with it). Not enough authors talk about mental health without adding in a bunch of trash.
The characters felt realistic to me from only a couple pages in and not over dramatized or flat and boring. They felt real. It does switch from POV to POV and to Jake's past so at first I was having a bit of a hard time following along, but after awhile I figured out who was who. I think it might have been helpful in the beginning if you've read Libby May's other book, Dewdrops and Butterflies, but honestly even though I haven't yet I think it worked out well and I wasn't still waiting to figure out who everyone was by the end of the book.
I really liked Jake and Rose the best, obviously, since they're the main characters. Even though I was a bit confused with the POVs in the beginning, I did end up enjoying hearing from both sides of them later since I understood where they each stood in the story.
For Jake, there were times where I wanted to hug him tightly and somehow get him out of the situation of feeling so helpless and alone and maybe shake his mom upside down because she was so busy with her own grief of several years that she hardly realized her son was in danger. But ahhghgh I love Jake.
Jake's main struggle is dealing with his inhalation addiction. I appreciated that the author wrote about this because again, the story was clean, so I could learn about this without being bombarded with trash along the way as if that's always tied to mental health. Thank you.
I really liked Rose and honestly, I think I felt the most like her. Sure, I'm not adopted and I certainly don't have the backstory she did or anything but I could understand why she felt certain ways at times, especially with the topic of the other twins in the house. (Looking at you, Taylor.) I feel like we'd be pretty good friends.
Taylor! Rose was super sweet because as much as Taylor said she hated Rose and a bunch of nasty things like that, Rose didn't give up. That's strong on her part. But she did it because she realized that Taylor was deprived of love and that's why she acted how she did.
Next, I'm a bit conflicted. Personally, I really liked how God and His Word was in the book. When things got hard or someone was worried about something or thankful or whatever, they prayed. They learned to trust in God. The characters were mature and modest. I liked all of that. However, the conflict part was how I didn't agree with everything, like how they mixed up God and Jesus being the same person and how God became Jesus and that stuff. There was some other Christian beliefs that I personally don't agree with but that's a different conversation. I also did feel like some of it was a bit pushy and fake towards the end of the book versus the beginning of the book.
Anyway, overall, I did enjoy this book. The writing flowed beautifully, the characters were relatable and interesting to get to know, and the storyline was fun to read. I didn't always want to put the book down when it was time for me to jump onto my Zoom class.
Content:
Language:
April 21, 2021
RTC in just a bit.
March 22, 2021
“People make wrong assumptions based on appearance, don’t they?”
“Yeah… I guess they do.”
-
I am blown away by how beautiful this story is. So much pain and hope and love wrapped up into one lovely book.
Overview:
-Language: one use of 'gosh'
-Romance: boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, married couples kiss, forehead kisses, crushes, feelings, etc.
-Violence: a main character has been physically & verbally abused in the past and there are details mentioned of that, girl screams at a main character to 'kill herself'
-Blood/Gore: details of a character sustaining an injury and the blood then, blood on a characters shirt and a characters hands
-Potentially Sensitive for the Reader: Jake suffers from a severe addiction, which you will discover quickly in the book. He'll often go unconscious and be very sick and require oxygen when he wakes up. Some of the times where he yielded to the temptation can be distressing to a younger or more sensitive reader. I would just use caution!
I grew to love these characters very much as I read through Playgrounds and Black Markers. I felt their pain and felt their happiness. I loved seeing the family relationships and reading the different thoughts of the main characters, Jake and Rose.
I had a special connection with the book because our family also does foster care, and through it we've adopted two siblings. Some of our experiences with foster care haven't always been pleasant, so I'm grateful Libby kept things real. ;)
Things I liked. . .
The characters. Jake, Libby, Alex, Jenni, all of them- especially little Jazz. :P So well written, and though the relationships were flawed, they were special.
The God-centeredness of the story. I really REALLY appreciated this a lot. Many people won't include God or much of Him into their works, but Libby didn't fall short of putting Him front and center. The characters often wrestled with God, but in the end, He got the glory. Well done!!
The sweet romance. Haha, I'm a sucker for the romance stories. While this book wasn't about a love story, it had enough feelings and emotions packed in to suit me. I need a sequel, ASAP!!!
Things I didn't like. . .
Only thing to say here is that while I loved each character to death, I often found myself mixing them up or getting confused as to 'who's who'. Would've appreciated one or two characters being left out of the story. ;)
-
Needless to say, this book is a gem. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it engaging, well-written, detailed, and full of the proper emotions and description I needed to enjoy it. While there was much pain written throughout, I found myself remembering a phrase:
'you are not beyond restoration.'
Well, that about does it! Oh! I received an advanced review copy of this book. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts written are my own.
Thanks, Libby. You better be proud;)
*recommended for ages 13+ due to descriptions on addiction and abuse
“Yeah… I guess they do.”
-
I am blown away by how beautiful this story is. So much pain and hope and love wrapped up into one lovely book.
Overview:
-Language: one use of 'gosh'
-Romance: boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, married couples kiss, forehead kisses, crushes, feelings, etc.
-Violence: a main character has been physically & verbally abused in the past and there are details mentioned of that, girl screams at a main character to 'kill herself'
-Blood/Gore: details of a character sustaining an injury and the blood then, blood on a characters shirt and a characters hands
-Potentially Sensitive for the Reader: Jake suffers from a severe addiction, which you will discover quickly in the book. He'll often go unconscious and be very sick and require oxygen when he wakes up. Some of the times where he yielded to the temptation can be distressing to a younger or more sensitive reader. I would just use caution!
I grew to love these characters very much as I read through Playgrounds and Black Markers. I felt their pain and felt their happiness. I loved seeing the family relationships and reading the different thoughts of the main characters, Jake and Rose.
I had a special connection with the book because our family also does foster care, and through it we've adopted two siblings. Some of our experiences with foster care haven't always been pleasant, so I'm grateful Libby kept things real. ;)
Things I liked. . .
The characters. Jake, Libby, Alex, Jenni, all of them- especially little Jazz. :P So well written, and though the relationships were flawed, they were special.
The God-centeredness of the story. I really REALLY appreciated this a lot. Many people won't include God or much of Him into their works, but Libby didn't fall short of putting Him front and center. The characters often wrestled with God, but in the end, He got the glory. Well done!!
The sweet romance. Haha, I'm a sucker for the romance stories. While this book wasn't about a love story, it had enough feelings and emotions packed in to suit me. I need a sequel, ASAP!!!
Things I didn't like. . .
Only thing to say here is that while I loved each character to death, I often found myself mixing them up or getting confused as to 'who's who'. Would've appreciated one or two characters being left out of the story. ;)
-
Needless to say, this book is a gem. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it engaging, well-written, detailed, and full of the proper emotions and description I needed to enjoy it. While there was much pain written throughout, I found myself remembering a phrase:
'you are not beyond restoration.'
Well, that about does it! Oh! I received an advanced review copy of this book. My review was not influenced in any way. All thoughts written are my own.
Thanks, Libby. You better be proud;)
*recommended for ages 13+ due to descriptions on addiction and abuse
October 1, 2024
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by a lot of books this year.
I actually really really liked this- I say ‘actually’ because I don’t normally (as in, hardly ever) read contemporary, and am not a fan of ‘hurting’ stories.
Turns out, though, this is not a ‘hurting’ story. It’s a healing story.
Relationships are rocky: mother and son, foster sisters, friends, love interests… and the whole story weaves themes of God’s perfect plan and being wanted by Him to lead our characters and their relationships to the beautiful healing they all need.
The simple, personalised prose lets the heartfelt story speak for itself, and for me, it definitely spoke ;) I often find character-to-God relationships in books fake, same-y or one sided, and I was so pleased to find Rose’s wasn’t like that ( I enjoyed Dewdrops and Butterflies, love Rose even more in this one!) and Jake’s journey to Him felt real and heartfelt. (yay that we get his story! Sidetrack, I’m not a teenage boy suffering like he, but I personally think the author portrayed him really well)
It’s a tough book in some ways: addiction, struggling with being unwanted, foster trouble… but not only is it handled gently in its realism, there is a weave-in of lighthearted, grin-for-real, entertaining moments creating a needed balance.
I’m gonna recommend this one ;)
PS! :D a shout out and a thank you to how the author portrayed dating! At first I was like ‘okay, I guess I can’t get away from dating in contemporary books about teens, even though I don’t like it, it’s wholesomely done and the Christian couple don’t kiss) But then! Rose’s mother talks to her about commitment, not dating ‘for fun’ and how dating is playing with other girls husbands. I loved how Rose wasn’t in a rush to get married, wanting it, but understanding she wasn’t ready yet, and I loved what she learned as it went one. Appreciated ;D
I actually really really liked this- I say ‘actually’ because I don’t normally (as in, hardly ever) read contemporary, and am not a fan of ‘hurting’ stories.
Turns out, though, this is not a ‘hurting’ story. It’s a healing story.
Relationships are rocky: mother and son, foster sisters, friends, love interests… and the whole story weaves themes of God’s perfect plan and being wanted by Him to lead our characters and their relationships to the beautiful healing they all need.
The simple, personalised prose lets the heartfelt story speak for itself, and for me, it definitely spoke ;) I often find character-to-God relationships in books fake, same-y or one sided, and I was so pleased to find Rose’s wasn’t like that ( I enjoyed Dewdrops and Butterflies, love Rose even more in this one!) and Jake’s journey to Him felt real and heartfelt. (yay that we get his story! Sidetrack, I’m not a teenage boy suffering like he, but I personally think the author portrayed him really well)
It’s a tough book in some ways: addiction, struggling with being unwanted, foster trouble… but not only is it handled gently in its realism, there is a weave-in of lighthearted, grin-for-real, entertaining moments creating a needed balance.
I’m gonna recommend this one ;)
PS! :D a shout out and a thank you to how the author portrayed dating! At first I was like ‘okay, I guess I can’t get away from dating in contemporary books about teens, even though I don’t like it, it’s wholesomely done and the Christian couple don’t kiss) But then! Rose’s mother talks to her about commitment, not dating ‘for fun’ and how dating is playing with other girls husbands. I loved how Rose wasn’t in a rush to get married, wanting it, but understanding she wasn’t ready yet, and I loved what she learned as it went one. Appreciated ;D
May 16, 2021
*I received an ARC of this book. A positive review was not required.*
Alright y'all, this story is so good! I actually cried! As a writer, I spend too much time critiquing the story while I read. Libby pulled me into the story and wouldn't let it go. It was so good!
Stories, like onions, have layers. Concept, theme and conflict, characters, and style.
Libby did an excellent job blending these layers together. She wove each layer into a thread and then wove those threads into a tapestry!
This book deals with addiction and relationships with family, foster family, girlfriend/boyfriend , and most importantly JESUS.
Jake's best trait/fatal flaw is people pleasing. Rose's is keeping people safe. Libby knows what she is doing. I was able to connect with both of them and that is something that rarely happens with duel POV.
In my opinion, there wasn't enough Jenni and Angel. I love how much Jenni has grown as a more motherly mother between book one and book two, but I would also have loved to see more of her. And Jazz was adorable!
PABM is told from three POVs, Jake's, Rose's, and past Jake's. I thougt that was a very unique way to approach the story! Libby's style and writing voice have improved so much since Dewdrops And Butterflies! The beginning of the book is a little slow, but it picks up a few chapters in and I'm already looking forward to any books there might be in the future!
Overall, this is a story I think ever teen girl should read. If you are waiting for an invitation to read this book, here it is!
Alright y'all, this story is so good! I actually cried! As a writer, I spend too much time critiquing the story while I read. Libby pulled me into the story and wouldn't let it go. It was so good!
Stories, like onions, have layers. Concept, theme and conflict, characters, and style.
Libby did an excellent job blending these layers together. She wove each layer into a thread and then wove those threads into a tapestry!
This book deals with addiction and relationships with family, foster family, girlfriend/boyfriend , and most importantly JESUS.
Jake's best trait/fatal flaw is people pleasing. Rose's is keeping people safe. Libby knows what she is doing. I was able to connect with both of them and that is something that rarely happens with duel POV.
In my opinion, there wasn't enough Jenni and Angel. I love how much Jenni has grown as a more motherly mother between book one and book two, but I would also have loved to see more of her. And Jazz was adorable!
PABM is told from three POVs, Jake's, Rose's, and past Jake's. I thougt that was a very unique way to approach the story! Libby's style and writing voice have improved so much since Dewdrops And Butterflies! The beginning of the book is a little slow, but it picks up a few chapters in and I'm already looking forward to any books there might be in the future!
Overall, this is a story I think ever teen girl should read. If you are waiting for an invitation to read this book, here it is!
May 16, 2021
This book is absolutely beautiful! I very very quickly fell in love with Jake. He was so sad, lonely, and anxious about everything and everyone but kind at the same time. I definitely related to him struggling with anxiety over pleasing people.
Rose was confusing to me. I’ve read her book (Dewdrops and Butterflies) so I already knew her backstory which this book referenced a number of times. Rose would seem confused and overwhelmed in one chapter and then confident in the next. I like Rose I just had a hard time following her story.
Markus was umm i don’t even know how to describe it, I didn’t really like him. It was like he was a bit to hands on or fast for me. Like as soon as i met him I immediately disliked him. I’m mean he seems like a nice guy but something about him I did not like.
The foster girls (I can’t remember their names) were like kids. The one was a little angel and the other a little terror and that’s how kids are. Jazz was such a little sweet baby that I wanted to hug him so many times, reminded me a tad of my youngest sister when she was that age. Jenni and Alex were such a well of wisdom and I love em.
Jake’s mom, was another that confused me a tad. She seemed to change overnight without really a reason why. She was not the perfect mom but she tried.
I really really loved this book and am happy that it sits on my shelf. It is a beautiful story about redemption and forgiveness. I would recommend it for older teens/young adults because of the themes (addiction, romance, abuse).
Rose was confusing to me. I’ve read her book (Dewdrops and Butterflies) so I already knew her backstory which this book referenced a number of times. Rose would seem confused and overwhelmed in one chapter and then confident in the next. I like Rose I just had a hard time following her story.
Markus was umm i don’t even know how to describe it, I didn’t really like him. It was like he was a bit to hands on or fast for me. Like as soon as i met him I immediately disliked him. I’m mean he seems like a nice guy but something about him I did not like.
The foster girls (I can’t remember their names) were like kids. The one was a little angel and the other a little terror and that’s how kids are. Jazz was such a little sweet baby that I wanted to hug him so many times, reminded me a tad of my youngest sister when she was that age. Jenni and Alex were such a well of wisdom and I love em.
Jake’s mom, was another that confused me a tad. She seemed to change overnight without really a reason why. She was not the perfect mom but she tried.
I really really loved this book and am happy that it sits on my shelf. It is a beautiful story about redemption and forgiveness. I would recommend it for older teens/young adults because of the themes (addiction, romance, abuse).
January 19, 2022
This book was just as well written as the first. I’m left after reading it with a mess of emotions ranging from extremely happy and pleased to very remorseful that it ended.
I cannot express how much I love Libby May’s books. This one is both so heavy and deep, yet uplifting and hopeful. I love the Gospel weaved through the story.
I love the characters who are flawed and broken people (some saved by grace) but changing throughout the story either strengthening in their faith, mending broken relationships, or coming to know Christ as their Saviour.
I loved the switching perspective between Jake, the past and Rose. It was never confusing or hard to read. I felt like it flowed together splendidly, propelling the narrative and giving more insight into Jake’s broken and hurting past.
Dewdrops and Butterflies & Playgrounds and Black Markers are both books that I have been incredibly touched and encouraged by. I cannot recommend them enough to older readers as the topics in this book are tough to read. I love Jake and Rose. I hope we get to read about them again as their story is so sweet.
*Content Warnings* Inhalation Abuse, Talk of Death, Some scary scenes, Kissing (nothing is mentioned in great deal)
I cannot express how much I love Libby May’s books. This one is both so heavy and deep, yet uplifting and hopeful. I love the Gospel weaved through the story.
I love the characters who are flawed and broken people (some saved by grace) but changing throughout the story either strengthening in their faith, mending broken relationships, or coming to know Christ as their Saviour.
I loved the switching perspective between Jake, the past and Rose. It was never confusing or hard to read. I felt like it flowed together splendidly, propelling the narrative and giving more insight into Jake’s broken and hurting past.
Dewdrops and Butterflies & Playgrounds and Black Markers are both books that I have been incredibly touched and encouraged by. I cannot recommend them enough to older readers as the topics in this book are tough to read. I love Jake and Rose. I hope we get to read about them again as their story is so sweet.
*Content Warnings* Inhalation Abuse, Talk of Death, Some scary scenes, Kissing (nothing is mentioned in great deal)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews