There are times when Heather, Aly & I finish a book, but don’t have time to write a full, comprehensive review… or even a shorter “flashbulb” review. BUT we still want to share our thoughts with you on what we’ve been reading. That’s why every Saturday we’ll be featuring 3 “snippet” reviews — short, sweet, to-the-point reviews that we’ll try to keep to 2-7 sentences. So we hope you enjoy these!!
Author: Trish Doller Blurb: When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. Read more…
Title: Something Like Normal
Published: June 19, 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Format: 224 pages; Kindle
Website: www.trishdoller.com
Source: Library
My rating: 
This book broke my heart a little, as Trish Doller gives the reader a heartbreaking and frank glimpse into the mind of a grieving soldier who’s having trouble fitting back into a life that no longer feels familiar or normal. From his PTSD, to his disillusionment and anger, to his guilt and despondency, to some incredibly poor decision making, to his attempts to move forward and his inability to leave the past behind, Travis is a very real, flawed and sympathetic character. His brokenness made me both hurt and hope for him – hope especially as spending time with Harper begins to push him towards dealing with his issues. It was an eye-opening story that gave me an even greater appreciation and understanding of the men and women in our armed forces. Overall, a tough emotional story of loss, grief and guilt, but also one of love, healing and forgiveness.
Blurb: While other high school seniors are dreaming about their futures, Sophie and Carter are just trying to make it through each day. Read more…
Author: Chelsea Fine
Title: Sophie & Carter
Published: July 25, 2011 by Acacia Publishing
Format: 117 pages; Kindle
Website: www.chelseafinebooks.com
Source: Purchased
My rating: 
Ok this novella…words…I need words… Blew. My. Mind. I can’t tell you how extraordinary that is. Even in series that I love, it’s not typical for me to rate extra content 5 stars. I mean it happens *cough* Elixir *cough* but it’s rare. And for a standalone, contemporary novella to leave me speechless like this. Wow. Sophie and Carter are two terribly broken people who are amazingly strong but also vulnerable. The support they give each other is amazing. They can only truly be real with each other which adds a depth and dimension to both their relationship and their development as characters. I totally, completely and absolutely loved this story. Highly recommend it!
Happy Reading!
I’ve had my eye on Sophie & Carter for some time now, and Something LIke Normal sounds right up my alley too! Thanks for the recommendations, ladies.
Yes, both of these books are contemporary stories, so I think you’d like these. Sophie & Carter is YA, but I’d consider Something Like Normal to be a bit more on the NA side of things, maybe more crossover? If you like Something Like Normal, Charles Sheehan-Miles book Just Remember To Breathe is also really good, dealing again with an emotionally scarred soldier suffering from PTSD, and that one is definitely NA. Happy reading 😉
My reaction to Sophie and Carter was the same! Amazing novella!