ABL Review At-A-Glance
Ø Title: We Were Beautiful
Ø My Rating: 4.5
Ø Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Young Adult
Ø Author:
Heather Hepler
Heather Hepler
Ø Format:
Paperback*
Paperback*
Ø Publication Date: April 2, 2019
Compare To:
Synopsis
It’s been a year since fifteen-year-old Mia
Hopkins was in the car crash that killed her older sister and left her terribly
scarred. The doctors tell her she was lucky to survive. Her therapist says it
will take time to heal. The police reports claim there were trace amounts of
alcohol in her bloodstream. But no matter how much she tries to reconstruct the
events of that fateful night, Mia’s memory is spotty at best. She’s left with
accusations, rumors, and guilt so powerful it could consume her.
Hopkins was in the car crash that killed her older sister and left her terribly
scarred. The doctors tell her she was lucky to survive. Her therapist says it
will take time to heal. The police reports claim there were trace amounts of
alcohol in her bloodstream. But no matter how much she tries to reconstruct the
events of that fateful night, Mia’s memory is spotty at best. She’s left with
accusations, rumors, and guilt so powerful it could consume her.
As the rest of Mia’s family struggles with their
own grief, Mia is sent to New York City to spend the summer with a grandmother
she’s never met. All Mia wants to do is hide from the world, but instead she’s
stuck with a summer job in the bustling kitchens of the cafe down the street.
There she meets Fig–blue-haired, friendly, and vivacious–who takes Mia under
her wing. As Mia gets to know Fig and her friends–including Cooper, the
artistic boy who is always on Mia’s mind–she realizes that she’s not the only
one with a painful past.
own grief, Mia is sent to New York City to spend the summer with a grandmother
she’s never met. All Mia wants to do is hide from the world, but instead she’s
stuck with a summer job in the bustling kitchens of the cafe down the street.
There she meets Fig–blue-haired, friendly, and vivacious–who takes Mia under
her wing. As Mia gets to know Fig and her friends–including Cooper, the
artistic boy who is always on Mia’s mind–she realizes that she’s not the only
one with a painful past.
Over the summer, Mia begins to learn that
redemption isn’t as impossible as she once thought, but her scars inside run
deep and aren’t nearly so simple to heal … especially when Mia finally pieces
together her memories of the night Rachel died.
redemption isn’t as impossible as she once thought, but her scars inside run
deep and aren’t nearly so simple to heal … especially when Mia finally pieces
together her memories of the night Rachel died.
My Thoughts…
Tragedy can strike any person at any time and it
can change your life. Here we find Mia,
who is terribly scarred following an accident that changed the lives of her
entire family. In the beginning, all we
know is that something irrevocable has happened creating a vast distance
between Mia and her father, and necessitated her moving in with her
grandmother.
can change your life. Here we find Mia,
who is terribly scarred following an accident that changed the lives of her
entire family. In the beginning, all we
know is that something irrevocable has happened creating a vast distance
between Mia and her father, and necessitated her moving in with her
grandmother.
The gaps of the story are slowly filled in as
Mia’s memory comes back. This book is
really interesting, because the story is told through Mia’s memories as they
are returning to her. In a way, the
format of the book mirrors Mia’s journey perfectly. Nothing is completely clear to her, but as
her memories come back, more of her past is revealed to both herself and the
reader.
Mia’s memory comes back. This book is
really interesting, because the story is told through Mia’s memories as they
are returning to her. In a way, the
format of the book mirrors Mia’s journey perfectly. Nothing is completely clear to her, but as
her memories come back, more of her past is revealed to both herself and the
reader.
I really loved Mia. I can’t imagine being scarred in that way,
and I can’t imagine losing my sister.
She survived something truly horrific, only to wish that she hadn’t, and
to face the reality that maybe others wished she hadn’t. I’m not really sure how Mia was able to pick
up and move on, but I really love books that can put me in a situation that I
could never imagine on my own. It’s like
really getting to live in another world.
and I can’t imagine losing my sister.
She survived something truly horrific, only to wish that she hadn’t, and
to face the reality that maybe others wished she hadn’t. I’m not really sure how Mia was able to pick
up and move on, but I really love books that can put me in a situation that I
could never imagine on my own. It’s like
really getting to live in another world.
My favorite part about Mia and the writing in We
Were Beautiful is how accurately Heather Hepler portrays teenage love and
insecurity. Even in an overwhelming
amount of stress, being a teenager is a universal rite of passage. Hepler brings amazing clarity and humor to
this difficult and exciting time in a person’s life. The characters are wonderfully well
developed, some with eccentric personalities.
Her new friend Fig and her large extended family balance out Mia’s
propensity for introversion and introspection.
Were Beautiful is how accurately Heather Hepler portrays teenage love and
insecurity. Even in an overwhelming
amount of stress, being a teenager is a universal rite of passage. Hepler brings amazing clarity and humor to
this difficult and exciting time in a person’s life. The characters are wonderfully well
developed, some with eccentric personalities.
Her new friend Fig and her large extended family balance out Mia’s
propensity for introversion and introspection.
Honestly, this book was a delightful and intuitive
read that I thoroughly I enjoyed. It’s
completely fresh and perfect for young adult book readers.
read that I thoroughly I enjoyed. It’s
completely fresh and perfect for young adult book readers.
* Special thanks to Heather
Hepler, Blink, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of We Were Beautiful in exchange for an honest review.
Hepler, Blink, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of We Were Beautiful in exchange for an honest review.
https://tlcbooktours.com/2019/01/heather-hepler-author-of-we-were-beautiful-on-tour-april-2019/
I just picked this one up yesterday and I'm anxious to break into it! Thanks for being on this tour. Sara @ TLC Book Tours
Professionally written blogs are rare to find, however I appreciate all the points mentioned here. I also want to include some other writing skills which everyone must aware of.
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