BOOK REVIEW ― The Tattered Gloves by J.L. Berg
"Head down.
Don’t look up.
Never make eye contact.
Those were the words I lived by growing up, the words that protected me in an unsafe home. But words are only letters and eventually even they couldn’t keep his hands off me.
Hoping to leave behind the shattered life of my past, I find myself in a boring, small town, with an aunt I’ve never met and at a school I loathe.
But soon I learn, not everything in this world is as black and white as I’ve determined. Sometimes those we are so quick to judge often need a second, third or even fourth time to make a first impression.
And often, there are friendships and even love waiting just around the corner, if we are brave enough to take the first step.
Am I brave?
Or will I hide behind these tattered gloves of mine forever?"
Don’t look up.
Never make eye contact.
Those were the words I lived by growing up, the words that protected me in an unsafe home. But words are only letters and eventually even they couldn’t keep his hands off me.
Hoping to leave behind the shattered life of my past, I find myself in a boring, small town, with an aunt I’ve never met and at a school I loathe.
But soon I learn, not everything in this world is as black and white as I’ve determined. Sometimes those we are so quick to judge often need a second, third or even fourth time to make a first impression.
And often, there are friendships and even love waiting just around the corner, if we are brave enough to take the first step.
Am I brave?
Or will I hide behind these tattered gloves of mine forever?"
Rating & Review
Head down
Don’t look up
Never make eye contact
These were the words I lived by growing up.
Before I saw the cover of The Tattered Gloves I had already read the blurb and just by that I was intrigued and my curiosity had been lit. When the cover was revealed, I was antsy to get my hands on the book and just wanted to read about the world that Berg had created.
I knew I would have liked the book because one, it was Young Adult and I'm a HUGE YA junkie and two, it was J.L. Berg. What I wasn't ready for was just how much I would love the book. The Tattered Gloves is an emotionally heartbreaking and heartwarming romance that is beautifully presented to the reader.
Willow Fairchild has never had an easy life. Growing up with a mother who neglected her every single time, Willow never had a childhood worth remembering or ideal in any way. Things had been bad between Willow and her mother until one night, a seemingly innocent night turned into the most traumatic night of Willows life that changed her. Forever.
To escape the trauma, pain, and humiliation, Willows mom rips her away from her home and sends her to live in Sugar Tree, a quaint little town with her mother's twin, Addy, who she never knew about. At the beginning, you can see the push and pull going on between Addy and Willow but you can quickly see that Addy realizes that something happened to her and she needs comfort, a safe house. She needs to have the knowledge that someone out there actually cares for her.
Willow's life changes drastically. New life, new school, new friends, new job and a guy from school, Sam, who's also the pseudo-boss of the bookstore she works at. Willow's past has made her super cautious of all things and everyone around her which results in her having a hard time opening to the kids her age and a rocky start with Sam.
Willow goes from having ay kind of emotional support and a terrible mother to having three of the most amazing people, who were ready to do anything for her, for her peace of mind. She found a mother in her aunt, an amazing friend she could open up to in Allison and a boy who loved her with everything in Sam. She goes from believing that she didn't deserve anything good in her life to standing up for her life and her dreams.
This isn't just about a girl finding love in a place she never knew existed.
This is the story of a girl who learned the true meaning of family, friendship, and love.
She learned that not everyone will turn to be like her mother or her tormentor.
She learned that she could stand up for herself and fight.
She learned that she could fall down because there was always going to someone there to catch her.
She learned to hope.
She learned to dream.
She learned her worth.
I may not have shed tears, but my heart did feel what Willow was going through and in the end, when I turned the last page of the book, I was happy. I was happy with the way the story ended and was so glad that Willow managed to find her Happy Ever After.
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