Book Review: To My Hero: A Blog of Our Journey Together by Danielle Sibarium

Summary:
It would’ve been different if I had courage, even an ounce of it. But I was a coward from the day I met you, Ryan Crowley. I still am. In the end it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is the same. It’s my fault.

When the unthinkable happens Carly Cavanough is left beaten, betrayed, and devastated. Her best friend doesn’t understand. Her parents won’t listen. Everyone in her life turns against her. She’s alone. Completely alone, except for Ryan Crowley, the boy she’s been crushing on for years. She won’t admit to him what she can’t admit to herself. But he understands without words. He knows more about what she’s going through than she can possibly imagine and he knows what it will take to start the healing.

With Ryan’s help Carly begins to piece together the fragments of her once perfect life and embarks on a journey of love and healing, just long enough for the rug to be pulled out from under her again. Can she find the strength and will to pull herself together to save Ryan and herself when their lives are on the line?
 
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Age Group: YA
Source: Review copy from author
Reviewed By: Kelli
 
Review:
To My Hero was an emotional, powerful book that I really enjoyed.  Carly is a high school student in an abusive relationship.  She is the victim of an assault, and no one in her life will support her.  Her parents don't believe her side of the story, her friends take the attacker's side, and she's all alone.  Except for Ryan.  Ryan has liked Carly for forever---unbeknownst to Carly---and she's liked him too.  Ryan is Carly's rock as she recovers from her attack, and their friendship is her saving grace as her world falls apart around her.

I can't believe I'm admitting this publicly, but I didn't read the entire title before starting this book.  Or, if I did, I forgot.  Usually, that wouldn't be a big deal, but it was in this case.  The part of the title that says "A Blog of Our Journey Together" is instrumental to the story.  I didn't actually grasp that the entire book is written as a blog post until the end of the story.  And then, the writing style----Carly is writing to Ryan, recounting events----made perfect sense.  Until that point, I was a little put off by the unusual writing style.  And so I'm telling you so you'll be prepared if you read this book---which I hope you do, because it was great!

The premise of To My Hero is a powerful one.  I liked that Sibarium treated Carly's attack with the proper gravity and depth.  I also liked that Carly behaved somewhat irrationally after her attack: not taking Ryan's advice about going to the hospital or police.  I wanted her to act differently, but I felt like she was acting realistically and that made the book feel even more authentic.  The ending came as a shock but was perfect for this story.   

To My Hero is an emotional and deep story.  I really loved it, and look forward to reading more from Danielle Sibarium.

 

 

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