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The Scars We Choose
Scarlett Elizabeth Nell Waverly has a story to tell and it’s as big as her name.
Like most stories, hers is divided into interwoven parts. The first part starts when she’s young and her family buys a beach house on the Florida Gulf Coast. That’s where she meets and falls in love with Julian Rose, a handsome biracial boy with a scarred face and a whacky, secret-keeping family. Just like her own.
But not quite. Young Lizzie Nell’s family disapproves of her friendship and budding romance with Julian Rose and they take drastic measures at keeping them apart.
Julian also has a story, a story as magical as his haint blue eyes, only he’s still trying to figure out where it starts and how it ends.
Not long after he turns nine and learns a little about his mother’s disappearance, Julian sets out to write her messages, stuffing them inside empty rum bottles and tossing them into the Gulf. Although he doesn’t yet know it, there is magic in his words, a magic as remarkable as his connection to the little girl down the beach.
As time moves on, and the two blossom into adolescence, Lizzie Nell can no longer live the life her family has chosen for her. She runs away—from school, from her unrelenting mother, and even from her name—setting out for New Orleans where she and Julian have planned to make a life together.
But some things have a way of finding us, like our scars, the truth, and despondent mothers.
The first book in a two-part series, The Scars We Choose is a coming-of-age story about how we define love, the ways in which we cope when overcoming adversity, and the consequences that can arise when we allow other people, places, and events to affect our decisions, and ultimately, our happiness.
Like most stories, hers is divided into interwoven parts. The first part starts when she’s young and her family buys a beach house on the Florida Gulf Coast. That’s where she meets and falls in love with Julian Rose, a handsome biracial boy with a scarred face and a whacky, secret-keeping family. Just like her own.
But not quite. Young Lizzie Nell’s family disapproves of her friendship and budding romance with Julian Rose and they take drastic measures at keeping them apart.
Julian also has a story, a story as magical as his haint blue eyes, only he’s still trying to figure out where it starts and how it ends.
Not long after he turns nine and learns a little about his mother’s disappearance, Julian sets out to write her messages, stuffing them inside empty rum bottles and tossing them into the Gulf. Although he doesn’t yet know it, there is magic in his words, a magic as remarkable as his connection to the little girl down the beach.
As time moves on, and the two blossom into adolescence, Lizzie Nell can no longer live the life her family has chosen for her. She runs away—from school, from her unrelenting mother, and even from her name—setting out for New Orleans where she and Julian have planned to make a life together.
But some things have a way of finding us, like our scars, the truth, and despondent mothers.
The first book in a two-part series, The Scars We Choose is a coming-of-age story about how we define love, the ways in which we cope when overcoming adversity, and the consequences that can arise when we allow other people, places, and events to affect our decisions, and ultimately, our happiness.
- GenresEbooks
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 10, 2020
10 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
A. Lee Hughes
7 books32 followersIn her more than thirty years as a storyteller and visual designer, Amanda “Mandy” Hughes has written and designed over a dozen works of literary, Southern Gothic, and women’s fiction under pen name A. Lee Hughes. She also uses the tarot to inspire storytelling, and her book Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration and companion tarot deck are helping her peers do exactly that.
Mandy is the founder of Haint Blue Creative®, a space for readers and storytellers to explore, learn, and create. She holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Psychology, and she has worked as an instructional designer for over twenty years.
When she’s not writing, Mandy enjoys the movies, theater, music, traveling, nature walks, birdwatching, and bingeing The Office. She lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons, two of whom are furrier than the others (but not by much). Visit her website at www.haintbluecreative.com and find her on Substack @HaintBlueCreative.
Mandy is the founder of Haint Blue Creative®, a space for readers and storytellers to explore, learn, and create. She holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Psychology, and she has worked as an instructional designer for over twenty years.
When she’s not writing, Mandy enjoys the movies, theater, music, traveling, nature walks, birdwatching, and bingeing The Office. She lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons, two of whom are furrier than the others (but not by much). Visit her website at www.haintbluecreative.com and find her on Substack @HaintBlueCreative.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
October 3, 2022
In a Nutshell: A coming-of-age story with ‘scarred’ characters. Beautiful writing. Okay plot. Appealing lead characters. Stereotypical secondary characters. Incomplete narration, to be continued in Book Two.
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Lyrical writing, almost poetic in its style.
✔ Fairly quick-paced, despite the elaborate descriptions.
✔ Wonderful lead characters in Scarlett and Julian and a couple of secondary characters such as Grandma Nell and Dr. White.
✔ The myriad ways in which the title applies to the story, right from Scarlett’s vitiligo to Julian’s physical scars on his face, to the emotional scars on many of the characters. The title is not just appealing but also apt.
✔ Covers some tough themes such as racial discrimination, toxic parenting, parental abandonment, interracial relationships, bullying, problems with fitting in, and weight-related issues.
✔ The beauty and pain of first love is depicted in an amazing manner. I loved the connection, the banter, and the understanding between Scarlett and Julian.
✔ The story makes good use of its locations, especially that of Pass-a-Grille, Florida.
✔ Surprisingly typo-free and fluid for an indie book. I am pleasantly surprised.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ The modern timeline gets predictable quickly. While seemingly disconnected with the historical timeline at first, by the midway mark, it is amply clear where things are going.
❌ There are far too many jumps in the timeline and things become trickier to remember.
❌ Scarlett and Julian sound the same throughout the story, whether they are seven or in their teens or, in Scarlett’s case, in their early thirties. They don’t grow as the pages turn but sound grown up throughout.
❌ Scarlett talks of feeling electric connections through her body when she first meet Julian. She is 7.5 years old. Say what!??!??!
❌ The secondary characters are complicated but even within their layered personalities, they are stereotypical and their behaviour overly exaggerated at times. Quite a contradiction, this.
❌ The Creole spoken by one of the characters in the 2013 timeline, though adding an authentic feel, is tough to understand and breaks the reading flow.
❌ Things became somewhat dragged and repetitive towards the middle. I started skipping through the content, but around the 65% mark, the story starts progressing again.
The book raises quite a few questions but answers only a few as the story is to be continued in the second volume. I am hence immediately hopping on to Book Two to see if these queries are sorted out, and will edit my review as needed. Had most of my questions been answered in this volume, I would have skipped the second book, but I want answers! And I want a happy ending for Scarlett and Julian.
To be honest, I don’t know why a second book was needed because this is just about 280 pages long, and quite a few scenes are extended. Cutting down on the frivolous elements in this one would have easily made provision for a single, comprehensive 350-400 page novel, which would have been better for the readers.
Anyway, regardless of the complaints, this is still one of the better indie works I have read, especially in terms of its prose. As it is more focussed on writing than plot progression, it will click only if you pick it up at the right time, preferably on a day when you want a more emotional experience than a thrilling one.
3.5 stars. (Being a tad generous as it is by an indie author and also because I am optimistic about the next book.)
⚠ Content Warnings: There is quite a lot of toxic content in the story related to skin colour, medical conditions, weight, and race. Some are due to the characters’ natures and hence have to be tolerated. Others (such as Valerie being fatshamed) are unnecessary.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through ‘Voracious Readers Only’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.
The book is available on KU.
ETA: Book Two was a huge disappointment. Doesn't do justice to the main point at all.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
2013, Louisiana. Thirty-something Scarlett Elizabeth Nell Waverly (who loves to be called “Scarlett” but whose mom insists on calling “Lizzie Nell”) is at her old friend Ms. Pinkie’s place. Ms. Pinkie is an expert practitioner of Haitian Vodou and is helping Scarlett trace her long lost love, Julian. But as she works, she wants to know Scarlett’s backstory.
1986 onwards. Georgia & Florida. From the minute 7-year-old Scarlett bumps into 9-year-old Julian, the two kids have had a bond. But her mom doesn’t approve of her friendship with the biracial boy. Scarlett meets Julian only when she spends her summers at her grandparent’s vacation house in Florida, but despite their limited time together, their connection never dims. As they grow older, the time comes when the two of them have to take some tough decisions, about their individual lives, some dark secrets from the past, and their possible future together. As we know from the 2013 timeline, the two aren’t together. What happened to the young lovers?
The story comes to us mostly in the first person perspective of Scarlett.
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Lyrical writing, almost poetic in its style.
✔ Fairly quick-paced, despite the elaborate descriptions.
✔ Wonderful lead characters in Scarlett and Julian and a couple of secondary characters such as Grandma Nell and Dr. White.
✔ The myriad ways in which the title applies to the story, right from Scarlett’s vitiligo to Julian’s physical scars on his face, to the emotional scars on many of the characters. The title is not just appealing but also apt.
✔ Covers some tough themes such as racial discrimination, toxic parenting, parental abandonment, interracial relationships, bullying, problems with fitting in, and weight-related issues.
✔ The beauty and pain of first love is depicted in an amazing manner. I loved the connection, the banter, and the understanding between Scarlett and Julian.
✔ The story makes good use of its locations, especially that of Pass-a-Grille, Florida.
✔ Surprisingly typo-free and fluid for an indie book. I am pleasantly surprised.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ The modern timeline gets predictable quickly. While seemingly disconnected with the historical timeline at first, by the midway mark, it is amply clear where things are going.
❌ There are far too many jumps in the timeline and things become trickier to remember.
❌ Scarlett and Julian sound the same throughout the story, whether they are seven or in their teens or, in Scarlett’s case, in their early thirties. They don’t grow as the pages turn but sound grown up throughout.
❌ Scarlett talks of feeling electric connections through her body when she first meet Julian. She is 7.5 years old. Say what!??!??!
❌ The secondary characters are complicated but even within their layered personalities, they are stereotypical and their behaviour overly exaggerated at times. Quite a contradiction, this.
❌ The Creole spoken by one of the characters in the 2013 timeline, though adding an authentic feel, is tough to understand and breaks the reading flow.
❌ Things became somewhat dragged and repetitive towards the middle. I started skipping through the content, but around the 65% mark, the story starts progressing again.
The book raises quite a few questions but answers only a few as the story is to be continued in the second volume. I am hence immediately hopping on to Book Two to see if these queries are sorted out, and will edit my review as needed. Had most of my questions been answered in this volume, I would have skipped the second book, but I want answers! And I want a happy ending for Scarlett and Julian.
To be honest, I don’t know why a second book was needed because this is just about 280 pages long, and quite a few scenes are extended. Cutting down on the frivolous elements in this one would have easily made provision for a single, comprehensive 350-400 page novel, which would have been better for the readers.
Anyway, regardless of the complaints, this is still one of the better indie works I have read, especially in terms of its prose. As it is more focussed on writing than plot progression, it will click only if you pick it up at the right time, preferably on a day when you want a more emotional experience than a thrilling one.
3.5 stars. (Being a tad generous as it is by an indie author and also because I am optimistic about the next book.)
⚠ Content Warnings: There is quite a lot of toxic content in the story related to skin colour, medical conditions, weight, and race. Some are due to the characters’ natures and hence have to be tolerated. Others (such as Valerie being fatshamed) are unnecessary.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through ‘Voracious Readers Only’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.
The book is available on KU.
ETA: Book Two was a huge disappointment. Doesn't do justice to the main point at all.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
July 12, 2022
Wow!!! This book was so much better than some of the popular ones. A coming of age book that consisted of romance, and a little bit of magic and mystery.
"The heart can’t tell time. And, it has no concept of age or color."
This quote was just perfect to describe the love between Scarlett and Julien. They met when they were so young but nothing could stop them loving each other.
The writing was smooth and there wasn't a boring moment. The characters came alive for me as they were all full of personalities. I hate Scarlett 's mum as the author portrayed her as an ignorant woman while I loved Dr. White because he helped Scarlett to make the right decisions.
The story was bittersweet but captivating and the pages couldn't stop turning.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"The heart can’t tell time. And, it has no concept of age or color."
This quote was just perfect to describe the love between Scarlett and Julien. They met when they were so young but nothing could stop them loving each other.
The writing was smooth and there wasn't a boring moment. The characters came alive for me as they were all full of personalities. I hate Scarlett 's mum as the author portrayed her as an ignorant woman while I loved Dr. White because he helped Scarlett to make the right decisions.
The story was bittersweet but captivating and the pages couldn't stop turning.
I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 15, 2021
Impeccable!
I could go on for days about how this story has impacted me. I had to step back and give myself time to gather my thoughts and write this review. I cannot believe the similarities between my life experiences and that of the main character, Scarlet. A. Lee Hughes has plucked the essence of the people in my life and dropped them into the characters in this book. EVERYTHING, down to the exact words Faye (Scarlet’s mother) says to her, the things she does to her - WAS my life. Even the love between a boy and a girl of different races. Similarities aside, it is imperative that you know the author does not know me. She has never heard my life story and The Scars We Choose is not based on my life. What you need to know is that a theme throughout this book is the magic of destiny. The power of people uniting because it is “in the cards.” I was meant to cross paths with A. Lee Hughes. I was meant to read this book - so that the scars that I chose, can heal. This is the best book I have read this year. A. Lee Hughe’s writing is impeccable. See for yourself and read this book!
I could go on for days about how this story has impacted me. I had to step back and give myself time to gather my thoughts and write this review. I cannot believe the similarities between my life experiences and that of the main character, Scarlet. A. Lee Hughes has plucked the essence of the people in my life and dropped them into the characters in this book. EVERYTHING, down to the exact words Faye (Scarlet’s mother) says to her, the things she does to her - WAS my life. Even the love between a boy and a girl of different races. Similarities aside, it is imperative that you know the author does not know me. She has never heard my life story and The Scars We Choose is not based on my life. What you need to know is that a theme throughout this book is the magic of destiny. The power of people uniting because it is “in the cards.” I was meant to cross paths with A. Lee Hughes. I was meant to read this book - so that the scars that I chose, can heal. This is the best book I have read this year. A. Lee Hughe’s writing is impeccable. See for yourself and read this book!
July 10, 2020
I know I'll be thinking about this book for a long time, which is why I'm glad there's going to be a book two! This was an amazing read, full of reality and art, both interwoven into an emotional story about staying true to oneself in the face of adversity. This book addresses topics such as racism, the stigma around interracial relationships, and the effects of toxic upbringing on one's self-esteem. I chose to read it specifically for these reasons, and it fulfilled all the promises made in the blurb and many more.
After reading the first few pages and noticing the descriptive writing style, I was afraid I wasn't going to like it. Description-heavy writing styles tend to be hit or miss for me. I believed the pace was going to be slow all the way through, either that or, faced with so many descriptions, I wouldn't be able to get attached to the little girl with wide eyes and a big heart. After all, many children are like this, what made her so different?
I was so so so wrong, and I'm so happy I continued reading!!
Scarlett wasn't your typical bright little girl with big dreams for the world, she was a little girl holding tight to her dreams in spite of her mother's deliberate tries to take them away from her and crush them. She was able to see the humanity behind flaws, behind ignorance even. Over the course of the novel, I saw her growing and developing many layers of personality while maintaining her core beliefs. I don't have words to express how bad my initial prediction was, how complex this novel proved to be instead, and how much it felt like I sat down to have coffee with someone who told me their life story. And such a tormented, interesting life it was.
As for the descriptive writing style, I ended up highlighting many vivid, beautiful, or simply delicate images. The pace started to pick up after the 17% mark (in case anyone is a hurried, skeptical reader like I am) and ascended into greatness from there. It reminded me of a classic in this regard, starting slow and taking its time before hitting you with everything it's got.
Talking about greatness, the subplot surrounding Julian's family and his history was a hidden gem I was surprised to find. It was one of my favorite things about this book, up there with the cute dialogs between Scarlett and Julian, and the noisy list.
Overall I'm glad I was provided with an ARC version of this novel to review. This one will be on my list of books to remember and I can't wait for the sequel.
P.S. If one night you find yourself not being able to sleep because of a stomach ache and a haunting artistic sadness (??), this book might be a good companion :)
September 22, 2020
Oh my gosh, that ending?! My mind is reeling! I feel like I am grasping and clawing and begging for more!!
Wow... I ADORED THIS BOOK 😍
This beautiful book was refreshing and sweet. Just a few chapters in and I could imagine this story being made into a beautiful movie. The characters... Stunning! I adore Scarlett and Julian. Their bond starting from when they meet as children is gorgeous, uplifting, sweet and pure. They made me smile, they made me hope and dream and wish for them. Scarlett made me laugh out loud multiple times during her innocent little girl years. She is simply beautiful.
The characters in this book were bought to life so beautifully that I came to care for so many of them. The lovely Ms Pinkie, what a sweetheart!! The gorgeous Genevieve, Zeke, a beautiful, kind hearted, giant of a man, Mr Rogers, the sweet Ms Blossom and even Mrs Chambless. Every. Single. One of them. GORGEOUS characters.
This stunning read made my heart soar. It made me smile and laugh and bought tears to my eyes. I wanted to reach through the pages and hug some characters and never let them go, and others, I wanted to shake some sense into them, but those infuriating characters, as blind and senseless as they seem to be, bring so much depth into this story and when it comes down to it, they are the reason behind everything.
Just read this beautiful piece of writing. That’s all I can say. It is simply gorgeous!
Wow... I ADORED THIS BOOK 😍
This beautiful book was refreshing and sweet. Just a few chapters in and I could imagine this story being made into a beautiful movie. The characters... Stunning! I adore Scarlett and Julian. Their bond starting from when they meet as children is gorgeous, uplifting, sweet and pure. They made me smile, they made me hope and dream and wish for them. Scarlett made me laugh out loud multiple times during her innocent little girl years. She is simply beautiful.
The characters in this book were bought to life so beautifully that I came to care for so many of them. The lovely Ms Pinkie, what a sweetheart!! The gorgeous Genevieve, Zeke, a beautiful, kind hearted, giant of a man, Mr Rogers, the sweet Ms Blossom and even Mrs Chambless. Every. Single. One of them. GORGEOUS characters.
This stunning read made my heart soar. It made me smile and laugh and bought tears to my eyes. I wanted to reach through the pages and hug some characters and never let them go, and others, I wanted to shake some sense into them, but those infuriating characters, as blind and senseless as they seem to be, bring so much depth into this story and when it comes down to it, they are the reason behind everything.
Just read this beautiful piece of writing. That’s all I can say. It is simply gorgeous!
July 15, 2022
I loved everything about this book from start to finish. I was so invested in the storyline and characters and was literally unable to put this book down. It was interesting how the narrative interwove between the main character's chlidhood and adulthood following hopes, dreams, aspirations, hearbreak and disappointments. Hughes has a beautiful style of writing that will engage readers and keep them wanting more, is there more? Please let there be more from this talented author!
July 8, 2020
I was given The Scars We Choose as an ARC from the author. I love this book! Once she starts retelling the story from her point of view as a child, I was hooked. I love her innocence. The author uses amazing descriptions to help picture the whole story but especially when she describes the boy's eyes. Her Nosy List is so fun and I enjoyed how she continued to add to it even as she grew older. I loved the Clearly Canadian reference as that brought me back to my high school years. I laughed, I cried, but mostly I hoped throughout the entire story. I can not wait to read more stories by this author.
July 6, 2020
*I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated in any way for my comments.
Beautifully told and very well written story. This is a heart-felt, and at times a very emotional and passionate read. It conjures up all those feelings one has for a first love making them float back to the surface. Although that love is wrapped in a mystery, or scarred, this story proves true love is patient, kind, and unconditional. The best part of reading this book is seeing the story form through the past, present, and future of her main characters eyes. And all of it is woven together impeccably by author A. Lee Hughes. This book will have you wanting more with each turn of the page. Cannot wait for Book 2.
Beautifully told and very well written story. This is a heart-felt, and at times a very emotional and passionate read. It conjures up all those feelings one has for a first love making them float back to the surface. Although that love is wrapped in a mystery, or scarred, this story proves true love is patient, kind, and unconditional. The best part of reading this book is seeing the story form through the past, present, and future of her main characters eyes. And all of it is woven together impeccably by author A. Lee Hughes. This book will have you wanting more with each turn of the page. Cannot wait for Book 2.
July 6, 2020
The Scars We Chose is a beautifully written, heart wrenching story that explores how certain moments we experience and the people we meet in childhood, define and shape us. Hughes artfully weaves past and present together in a flawless pattern, gifting the reader with beautiful moments that linger long after reading. Lizzie Nell emerges from a world of racism and bullying with an open heart and mind, she is who we should all aspire to be - brave and loving -emerging like a mermaid from the water in all her glory. Beautifully touching and fully engaging, I think everyone needs to read this story. If it's not on your TBR, it should be.
July 9, 2020
I received an ARC and can’t be more thrilled to recommend this book. This book is a wonderful experience of life, love, and the struggles to understand how and why things happen as they do in our lives. Tough family dynamics, loss, love, first live...all covered with sensitivity and humanity!
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July 3, 2020What a fantastic book. I loved it. The writing flowed easily. If only we could all see life through a child/young person's eyes and heart. To carry on through life without being tainted with parental, environmental opinions and influences. I could relate to the almost narcissistic mother and Scarlet wanting to find herself and follow her own path.To carry on through life without being prejudiced and see everyone for their own beauty. Beautifully written book. I can't wait for the next one.
June 30, 2020
Wow, what a book! I kindly got given an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the author, and I was blown away by the story and the writing skill of the author. This is great book covering a large number of topics that society still face everyday. A real eye opening book, and a real heartfelt read that made me laugh out loud as well as feel real love for the deep characters included in the story. A Lee Hughes is an author I have not come across before, but boy am I glad I found her; she is sure to be a firm favourite for any romance (and non-romance) fans that like a story that truly transports you to another place in another time. Fantastic!
July 22, 2020
There is something truly magical about this novel.
The storyline delicately flips back and forth between the main character as a child and as an adult, weaving through her experiences in life as she, against all odds, chooses to see beyond the things that can tragically divide us. This story made me feel like a child again. The author does a beautiful job of narrating a world of beauty and magic, big dreams and heart-breaking disappointment.
As the novel flips to the main character as an adult, the magic remains. Only now it is in the heart of New Orleans, over candle-lit conversations about the circumstances in our lives that we once felt could break us, yet in the end, have only made us stronger.
So far, this is an evolving story (there is another book coming!) about two people, once rejected and scarred by the ones who should have loved them the most, finding acceptance within the tribes they chose for themselves. I like stories like this. I can relate to stories like this. Well done to the author, this is a beautiful book. I very much look forward to the next one!
The storyline delicately flips back and forth between the main character as a child and as an adult, weaving through her experiences in life as she, against all odds, chooses to see beyond the things that can tragically divide us. This story made me feel like a child again. The author does a beautiful job of narrating a world of beauty and magic, big dreams and heart-breaking disappointment.
As the novel flips to the main character as an adult, the magic remains. Only now it is in the heart of New Orleans, over candle-lit conversations about the circumstances in our lives that we once felt could break us, yet in the end, have only made us stronger.
So far, this is an evolving story (there is another book coming!) about two people, once rejected and scarred by the ones who should have loved them the most, finding acceptance within the tribes they chose for themselves. I like stories like this. I can relate to stories like this. Well done to the author, this is a beautiful book. I very much look forward to the next one!
May 7, 2021
I feel so much about this book and have so much to say, I just hope I can do it justice. As I read this I got the same feeling I had when I read the YA-YA Sisterhood. It was just an completely enveloping book that swallows you up heart and soul. We follow sweet Scarlett Elizabeth Nell Waverly as she grows up in a rich white family in Georgia. I mention that she is from a white family because one of the biggest parts of this book is the prejudice we all face and it doesn't matter what color we are, we all face it for some reason or another. In this particular story, Scarlett's mama, Faye is one of those stuck up snobs who looks down her nose at everyone, white trash, those of a different color, the disabled, overweight, you name it. If you are not like er, you are just not worthy. This breaks my heart because there is so much beauty and happiness in the world that people like Faye are missing out on. Life is so short, living it with so much hate isn't living it to the fullest, you miss out on SO MUCH!
SO, as you can imagine being a small Child who doesn't understand prejudice yet, Scarlett just naturally loves anyone who gives her love. It's so simple to her. If only we all thought like an innocent child. While her family vacations in the summer's at Pass-A-Grille Beach Florida, she meets Julian, a young bi-racial boy with gorgeous haint blue eyes and a mysterious scar on his face. He is the most beautiful boy she has ever seen and he wants to be her friend, vitiligo and all.
Julian and Scarlett group every summer together and each year Julian shows Scarlett something new and shows her how amazing she is and how what she wants matters. As their feelings grow each year, Scarlett's mama, who refuses to call her by her first name, tries everything she can to keep them apart.
This story centers around Scarlett's summer and also shares a spotlight with a grown Scarlett some 18 years or so later as she shares her story with her neighbors on a New Orleans beach.
I absolutely fell in love with Gramm Nell who taught her how to apply lipstick without looking in a mirror and how to show just enough cleavage without being vulgar, just like Scarlett O'Hara. She also teaches her new words and provides Scarlett with her first dictionary. The relationship she has with her Grandpa Chappy, who teaches her to hock a loogie and how to pop her gum louder, is such beautiful testament of the love grandparents wrap around us.
Hughes describes things so well, I felt as if I were right there experiencing it all with Scarlett. The simple act of pressing the eject button on a boombox brought me back to my childhood and allowed me to smile. This book is so full of nostalgia from my own childhood, it gave me even more attachement. Things I remember so much like, jelly shoes and the way pebbles got stuck n the soles made me laugh. Reading how much she loved Brand from the Goonies made my heart soar, the mere mention of The Goonies, one of my all time favorite movies pushed an excited energy through me. Other things we all will remember, The Real World, rainbow belts!!!, In Living Color, Clearly Canadians (what was your fave flavor?) Guess Jeans, Little House on the Prairie (I watched this with my daddy) Treasure Trolls, mixed tapes, it just keeps going. I loved the way it took me back to a simpler time in my life and I felt lucky to not have grown up in a rich home like Scarlett did, because I was free to befriend and love whomever I wanted without having to keep up a certain expectation for my family. After reading this book, my heart goes out to those children who are raised to "be better" than everyone else. It's not fair. I applaud Scarlett's bravery and how she refused to allow her parents bigotry to change the way she thought. It's hard to break the family ties that bind us, but she is a tough cookie, stronger than she realizes!
This book shows that "we should all be overwhelmed by each other's music. That the heart can't tell time. Love doesn't know time or color and that the road to adversity is always the hardest. It is pained with truth. But nobody else can choose for your heart. It chooses for itself!"
Read this book, feel the bees of excitement as you discover first love, understand other people's hearts and try and figure out the secrets and mysteries of this beautifully written story! One of my favorites!
Hughes, I applaud you as I give you a standing ovation!
SO, as you can imagine being a small Child who doesn't understand prejudice yet, Scarlett just naturally loves anyone who gives her love. It's so simple to her. If only we all thought like an innocent child. While her family vacations in the summer's at Pass-A-Grille Beach Florida, she meets Julian, a young bi-racial boy with gorgeous haint blue eyes and a mysterious scar on his face. He is the most beautiful boy she has ever seen and he wants to be her friend, vitiligo and all.
Julian and Scarlett group every summer together and each year Julian shows Scarlett something new and shows her how amazing she is and how what she wants matters. As their feelings grow each year, Scarlett's mama, who refuses to call her by her first name, tries everything she can to keep them apart.
This story centers around Scarlett's summer and also shares a spotlight with a grown Scarlett some 18 years or so later as she shares her story with her neighbors on a New Orleans beach.
I absolutely fell in love with Gramm Nell who taught her how to apply lipstick without looking in a mirror and how to show just enough cleavage without being vulgar, just like Scarlett O'Hara. She also teaches her new words and provides Scarlett with her first dictionary. The relationship she has with her Grandpa Chappy, who teaches her to hock a loogie and how to pop her gum louder, is such beautiful testament of the love grandparents wrap around us.
Hughes describes things so well, I felt as if I were right there experiencing it all with Scarlett. The simple act of pressing the eject button on a boombox brought me back to my childhood and allowed me to smile. This book is so full of nostalgia from my own childhood, it gave me even more attachement. Things I remember so much like, jelly shoes and the way pebbles got stuck n the soles made me laugh. Reading how much she loved Brand from the Goonies made my heart soar, the mere mention of The Goonies, one of my all time favorite movies pushed an excited energy through me. Other things we all will remember, The Real World, rainbow belts!!!, In Living Color, Clearly Canadians (what was your fave flavor?) Guess Jeans, Little House on the Prairie (I watched this with my daddy) Treasure Trolls, mixed tapes, it just keeps going. I loved the way it took me back to a simpler time in my life and I felt lucky to not have grown up in a rich home like Scarlett did, because I was free to befriend and love whomever I wanted without having to keep up a certain expectation for my family. After reading this book, my heart goes out to those children who are raised to "be better" than everyone else. It's not fair. I applaud Scarlett's bravery and how she refused to allow her parents bigotry to change the way she thought. It's hard to break the family ties that bind us, but she is a tough cookie, stronger than she realizes!
This book shows that "we should all be overwhelmed by each other's music. That the heart can't tell time. Love doesn't know time or color and that the road to adversity is always the hardest. It is pained with truth. But nobody else can choose for your heart. It chooses for itself!"
Read this book, feel the bees of excitement as you discover first love, understand other people's hearts and try and figure out the secrets and mysteries of this beautifully written story! One of my favorites!
Hughes, I applaud you as I give you a standing ovation!
July 30, 2020
"Sometimes we can know all the words, and we can have the best intentions of saying the very thing we believe a person needs to hear to ease their pain. To heal their heart. But sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. Love through silence is a song that doesn’t need any words."
This book.. oh god, this book.
I was lucky enough to receive a free ebook copy of The Scars We Choose so I could give my opinion via review (thank you, by the way) so here I am, hoping to do it justice.
The Scars We Choose is a raw, unflinchingly human story that I cannot praise enough- while I was a little uncertain when I began reading, the book quickly pulled me in and refused to let me go until I'd devoured every page, every detail of Scarlett Elizabeth Nell Waverley "Rosebud's" tale. The prose is enchanting, the characters real, flawed, and bursting with life, and the narrative itself is easy to lose oneself in.
I found myself captivated by Scarlett's voice, and I shared in every laugh, smile, heartache, and tear as I watched her grow from a small child to a woman entirely her own, learning to let go of her parents' expectations and embrace her vision of what her life should be.
While Scarlett's story isn't over, I adored the way Hughes chose to end the first act, and now I'm clamouring for more!
Overall, The Scars We Choose is a beautifully haunting novel that will stay on my mind, and in my heart, for years to come.
This book.. oh god, this book.
I was lucky enough to receive a free ebook copy of The Scars We Choose so I could give my opinion via review (thank you, by the way) so here I am, hoping to do it justice.
The Scars We Choose is a raw, unflinchingly human story that I cannot praise enough- while I was a little uncertain when I began reading, the book quickly pulled me in and refused to let me go until I'd devoured every page, every detail of Scarlett Elizabeth Nell Waverley "Rosebud's" tale. The prose is enchanting, the characters real, flawed, and bursting with life, and the narrative itself is easy to lose oneself in.
I found myself captivated by Scarlett's voice, and I shared in every laugh, smile, heartache, and tear as I watched her grow from a small child to a woman entirely her own, learning to let go of her parents' expectations and embrace her vision of what her life should be.
While Scarlett's story isn't over, I adored the way Hughes chose to end the first act, and now I'm clamouring for more!
Overall, The Scars We Choose is a beautifully haunting novel that will stay on my mind, and in my heart, for years to come.
July 27, 2020
What can I say about this novel? First of all, it is IMPECCABLE! This story and these characters honestly spoke to me. From being that girl from Georgia who found herself in an interracial relationship w/o the acceptance of her parents to that amazing art teacher in high school. There were moments, events, feelings, people and places in this story that I've experienced in my very own life. When you can connect to a story like that it makes it even more real and dear as a reader. This novel captured so many aspects of what I enjoy as a reader. Southern fiction, young love, the water, a little magic (& New Orleans), adversity & diversity with a beautiful protagonist and of course an antagonist you wish you could punch in the face! The writer had the ability to make me laugh, shed a few tears and even piss me off! This novel spans decades and the writer's ability to make each one seem like it was just yesterday is fantastic. There's the pull to read just one more page because you think you know what's going to happen but then you aren't quite sure. I'm a problem solver and investigator when I read. I'm always trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together along the way. This novel gets credit for keeping me going and I loved it! I can't wait to see what book two will bring and see how this journey proceeds.
August 31, 2022
Thank you for my free copy from Voracious Readers only in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the first few chapters of the book very much,it is beautifully written and it began to draw me in to its themes and storyline. However as it progressed I lost interest and found myself skipping through some chapters because it couldn't quite see why they were there and what they added to the story. The characters of Lizzie Nell and Julian I found very believable but some other characters were very flat and uninteresting and added nothing to the story. I doubt I will be reading BOOK 2. 2.5 ☆
I enjoyed the first few chapters of the book very much,it is beautifully written and it began to draw me in to its themes and storyline. However as it progressed I lost interest and found myself skipping through some chapters because it couldn't quite see why they were there and what they added to the story. The characters of Lizzie Nell and Julian I found very believable but some other characters were very flat and uninteresting and added nothing to the story. I doubt I will be reading BOOK 2. 2.5 ☆
July 19, 2022
Hooked from the first chapter, I had to know how this story ended. Unfortunately, you don't get an ending by the last page of this one, it looks like you need to get the second book for that. It might be worth it, but I felt like there was some content that could have been cut down a bit to make this a complete story.
Lots of unexpected incidents, and love, and hate, and anger, and sadness, and I could go on and on, this book deals with a lot! I really enjoyed this book!
I received this book for free from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
Lots of unexpected incidents, and love, and hate, and anger, and sadness, and I could go on and on, this book deals with a lot! I really enjoyed this book!
I received this book for free from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2022
Impressive novel for the successful way of describing real life situations which happen daily and touch your soul and heart. At some point in the novel your path crosses with one of the characters and you see yourself reflected as if in a mirror.
The life of Scarlett, a girl suffering from vitiligo whose mother forbids her to use her first name and calls her Lizzie; from where her first conscious difference between mother and daughter begins and the girl does not understand.
A story that allows you to know the process of discovering physical attraction, its sensations; love which later has to defend from their parents rejection due to racial differences. A very rich novel that captures complex life problems, the non-acceptance of the girl health problem, differences in their parents marriage, full of details that you cannot stop reading and in more than one situation you see yourself reflected in it.
I highly recommend it’s reading, I am sure you will enjoy it very much.
The life of Scarlett, a girl suffering from vitiligo whose mother forbids her to use her first name and calls her Lizzie; from where her first conscious difference between mother and daughter begins and the girl does not understand.
A story that allows you to know the process of discovering physical attraction, its sensations; love which later has to defend from their parents rejection due to racial differences. A very rich novel that captures complex life problems, the non-acceptance of the girl health problem, differences in their parents marriage, full of details that you cannot stop reading and in more than one situation you see yourself reflected in it.
I highly recommend it’s reading, I am sure you will enjoy it very much.
August 9, 2022
I received a free copy from Voracious Readers Only. I absolutely loved this book. What a great coming of age story! The characters are great, especially Scarlett. I am going to order Book Two right now.
December 26, 2020
What a book! What characters. Can't wait for the next one.
October 5, 2020
After reading my complimentary copy from Voracious Readers Only, I can't wait to see what happens. What a wonderful story - a very realistic coming of age book. It doesn't matter what other people think, it is your perception. This book shows that class and colour don't matter, it's about what you feel. Loved it.
August 27, 2022
What an incredible story of white girl meets black boy and the angst that incurs when her parents get involved. This story will have you second guessing humanity. How can some mothers be so cruel? Loved this story and can't wait to read book two
July 9, 2020
I recieved an ARC of The Scars We Choose for my honest review and I'm so grateful I did. I've read two other books by A. Lee Hughes so I knew I'd likely enjoy this book like I did her other two. What's great is that all three books were completely different stories but all amazing in their own ways. I loved reading from the perspective of the past and the present. It made the story fun but also made you want to find out what happens in the gaps between the years. This book brought on a lot of emotions between anger, frustration, giddiness, wonder, happiness, etc. There's so many questions left to be answered which was nicely summed up at the end of the story. I'm hooked and can't wait to read the second part!
December 6, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and Voracious Readers Only for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in July 2020.
"The Scars We Choose" by A. Lee Hughes starts off as a very promising romance, the first instalment in a two-book series, but it ended up disappointing me in some ways.
I was very impressed with the lyrical language the author used, it sounds more like poetry than prose, and it goes beautifully with the story and its setting.
That said, the plot is pretty clichéd: a star-crossed couple struggles to be together despite the whole world putting obstacles in their way, but I wouldn't have minded that much, had an engrossing story made up for it.
However, I didn't particularly appreciate how all the characters are sorely one-dimensional: the villains are so irredeemably wicked as to become ridiculous, and the good guys are so angelically flawless as to become insufferable. The whole cast of characters ends up feeling fake, cardboard figurines rather than flesh and blood persons.
Scarlett, the protagonist and first-person narrator, refers to herself as being flawed because of her skin condition (she has vitiligo) and Julian, her love interest, is supposed to be flawed as well because of the scars on his face, but these are not really flaws, they're just skin problems. Aside from that, they are kind, smart, artistically gifted... The kind of people who just don't exist in real life and are boring to read about in a novel.
I also felt the interracial bit was quite overdone, to the point that it becomes hereditary: the "white girl falls in love with black boy" trope was used not just once, but twice, across two generations in the same family, with almost no variation on the theme.
It left me wondering whether the only reason Scarlett fell for Julian was to spite her own very racist mother by being with a black (or actually biracial) boy. That, and possibly because he's the only person of her age she interacts with in the whole book (which spans *27* years of her life!).
Both Scarlett and Julian literally meet with nobody else even close to their age (at least on-page), except for poor Valerie, who is described as some sort of monster just because she's "ugly" and fat and lonely. That's one more thing that shocked me: I wasn't expecting this level of body-shaming from a book that takes such a brave stand against racism. All kinds of discrimination are bad, not just racism!
Another thing that made the characters unrelatable - the main ones as much as the minor ones - is that they have no arc: they don't change, grow up or evolve emotionally throughout the book in any way. 27 years later they're exactly the same they were 27 years earlier.
Scarlett and Julian are 7 and 9 years old, respectively, when they first meet, but they talk and behave way older than their age (which impacts on the credibility of the story). By the time they last see each other, years later, they haven't changed a bit, so they end up sounding way immature for their age.
Besides, the two main characters act consistently passive, which gets annoying after awhile. It seems like being a victim (of oppressive parents, of a traumatic past, of circumstances, of a racist society...) is the only thing defining them. Come on, guys, snap out of it! Do something about it, instead of just suffering and moping around!
One more thing that impacted negatively on my reading experience is the way Ms Pinkie and Genevieve's Creole accent is transcribed on-page. Boy, was it difficult to decipher what they were saying! Sometimes I couldn't figure it out, despite going back and rereading the sentence two or three times. Reading a novel shouldn't be that tiresome!
Last but not least, I really couldn't stomach the scene where seven-year-old Scarlett becomes sexually aroused while looking at a painting of two naked merfolk kissing, and I found it even more disturbing when a few pages later she spies her daddy masturbating in front of a porn film. Those have to be two of the most cringe-worthy scenes I've ever had the misfortune to read!
"The Scars We Choose" by A. Lee Hughes starts off as a very promising romance, the first instalment in a two-book series, but it ended up disappointing me in some ways.
I was very impressed with the lyrical language the author used, it sounds more like poetry than prose, and it goes beautifully with the story and its setting.
That said, the plot is pretty clichéd: a star-crossed couple struggles to be together despite the whole world putting obstacles in their way, but I wouldn't have minded that much, had an engrossing story made up for it.
However, I didn't particularly appreciate how all the characters are sorely one-dimensional: the villains are so irredeemably wicked as to become ridiculous, and the good guys are so angelically flawless as to become insufferable. The whole cast of characters ends up feeling fake, cardboard figurines rather than flesh and blood persons.
Scarlett, the protagonist and first-person narrator, refers to herself as being flawed because of her skin condition (she has vitiligo) and Julian, her love interest, is supposed to be flawed as well because of the scars on his face, but these are not really flaws, they're just skin problems. Aside from that, they are kind, smart, artistically gifted... The kind of people who just don't exist in real life and are boring to read about in a novel.
I also felt the interracial bit was quite overdone, to the point that it becomes hereditary: the "white girl falls in love with black boy" trope was used not just once, but twice, across two generations in the same family, with almost no variation on the theme.
It left me wondering whether the only reason Scarlett fell for Julian was to spite her own very racist mother by being with a black (or actually biracial) boy. That, and possibly because he's the only person of her age she interacts with in the whole book (which spans *27* years of her life!).
Both Scarlett and Julian literally meet with nobody else even close to their age (at least on-page), except for poor Valerie, who is described as some sort of monster just because she's "ugly" and fat and lonely. That's one more thing that shocked me: I wasn't expecting this level of body-shaming from a book that takes such a brave stand against racism. All kinds of discrimination are bad, not just racism!
Another thing that made the characters unrelatable - the main ones as much as the minor ones - is that they have no arc: they don't change, grow up or evolve emotionally throughout the book in any way. 27 years later they're exactly the same they were 27 years earlier.
Scarlett and Julian are 7 and 9 years old, respectively, when they first meet, but they talk and behave way older than their age (which impacts on the credibility of the story). By the time they last see each other, years later, they haven't changed a bit, so they end up sounding way immature for their age.
Besides, the two main characters act consistently passive, which gets annoying after awhile. It seems like being a victim (of oppressive parents, of a traumatic past, of circumstances, of a racist society...) is the only thing defining them. Come on, guys, snap out of it! Do something about it, instead of just suffering and moping around!
One more thing that impacted negatively on my reading experience is the way Ms Pinkie and Genevieve's Creole accent is transcribed on-page. Boy, was it difficult to decipher what they were saying! Sometimes I couldn't figure it out, despite going back and rereading the sentence two or three times. Reading a novel shouldn't be that tiresome!
Last but not least, I really couldn't stomach the scene where seven-year-old Scarlett becomes sexually aroused while looking at a painting of two naked merfolk kissing, and I found it even more disturbing when a few pages later she spies her daddy masturbating in front of a porn film. Those have to be two of the most cringe-worthy scenes I've ever had the misfortune to read!
November 28, 2022
I received a copy of this book through VRO in exchange for an honest review. This is a tough review to write as there were many aspects of the story I quibbled with and yet others I enjoyed.
The prose at times was challenging. It took me 5 tries to finish reading the first page as the writing seemed convoluted. I did get used to it but I found myself annoyed with what was supposed to be the narrator at age 7.5. The language used, concepts addressed and feelings expressed seemed incongruent with the age the protagonist was.
I found the writing inconsistent from chapter to chapter. Most notably, the historical chapter 1961-1976 which shed light on julien’s past seemed like it was written on double speed and was a chapter that had me rolling my eyes as it felt over the top dramatic. In addition, the love story I found hard to digest and at times it became rather harlequinesque.
I chose this book because I was interested in reading about the southern culture and the “ magical “ voodoo. That was an interesting layer.
I appreciated the focus head on, on tough ideas - racism, bullying, toxic parenting to name a few.
It had some lovely secondary characters - Granma chappy, ms blossom, dr. White.
I read it, enjoyed aspects of it but am not compelled to read part two.
The prose at times was challenging. It took me 5 tries to finish reading the first page as the writing seemed convoluted. I did get used to it but I found myself annoyed with what was supposed to be the narrator at age 7.5. The language used, concepts addressed and feelings expressed seemed incongruent with the age the protagonist was.
I found the writing inconsistent from chapter to chapter. Most notably, the historical chapter 1961-1976 which shed light on julien’s past seemed like it was written on double speed and was a chapter that had me rolling my eyes as it felt over the top dramatic. In addition, the love story I found hard to digest and at times it became rather harlequinesque.
I chose this book because I was interested in reading about the southern culture and the “ magical “ voodoo. That was an interesting layer.
I appreciated the focus head on, on tough ideas - racism, bullying, toxic parenting to name a few.
It had some lovely secondary characters - Granma chappy, ms blossom, dr. White.
I read it, enjoyed aspects of it but am not compelled to read part two.
December 18, 2022
Brilliant, pager-tuner, heart-touching, I thought this book fascinating. The story touched me a lot because I remember my grandparents and how is wonderful to dive into the reading world. I want to read the continuation, though I was curious about the continuation. When Lizzie Nell meets Julian Rose, you predict a lot changes that are coming. Their connection is so magic, lovely and unfortunaly, rocky that both went head over heels for each other regardless of her family. I recommend this book! Thanks for the author and Voracious Readers!
July 26, 2022
I received a copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked how the author crafted the story. I thought the actual writing of the story was good. My problem was with the story itself. I felt the story was very linear. The characters never grew/changed throughout the story. Because the characters didn't change, it seemed the story never moved. It stayed in the same place.
I really liked how the author crafted the story. I thought the actual writing of the story was good. My problem was with the story itself. I felt the story was very linear. The characters never grew/changed throughout the story. Because the characters didn't change, it seemed the story never moved. It stayed in the same place.
December 20, 2022
* I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only *
I had no idea that I was in for such a treat when I received a copy of this book. At first I was a little skeptical, as the beginning started a little slow for me, but WOW! One of my favorite books I’ve ever read. This was so emotional, it has tugged on my heartstrings, and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next one ❤️ 10/10
I had no idea that I was in for such a treat when I received a copy of this book. At first I was a little skeptical, as the beginning started a little slow for me, but WOW! One of my favorite books I’ve ever read. This was so emotional, it has tugged on my heartstrings, and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next one ❤️ 10/10
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