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Bittersweet Wreckage
Her dad wasn't supposed to die. He wasn't supposed to have a second family, and her mom wasn't supposed to slip into a prescription drug haze. And she definitely wasn't supposed to kiss her new “half-brother.” Ivy Lynwood has spent her life under the oppressive thumb of her abusive father. When the impossible happens, and he's found dead in a boat fire, Ivy thinks her life may finally be turning around. But her newfound freedom is short-lived; just as she and her mother start to move on, they learn that Ivy’s father had a second family—whose mother also died in the boat fire. Child Services asks Ivy’s mother to take in the orphaned teenagers, and her life spirals even further out of control. Her mother disappears into a drugged la-la land, leaving Ivy to clean up the pieces… while clues of her mother’s guilt in the fire stack up. And for the first time, Ivy falls in love… with the son of her father’s dead mistress. Even though Ivy and Jesse are unrelated, he’s off limits when he moves in with the Lynwoods. Ivy knows she’ll never have the normal family she dreamed of—but can she manage to turn the wreck of her life into any family at all?
308 pages, Paperback
Published June 23, 2018
About the author
Erin Richards
28 books135 followersUSA Today best-selling author, Erin Richards, writes suspenseful paranormal, fantasy and contemporary young adult fiction with a splash of romance. You’ll typically find Erin’s characters in peril, whether based in reality or in a fantasy setting. Magic, murder and mayhem are all in a days’ work!
Erin lives in sunny Northern California, and in her spare time, she enjoys reading, photography, and re-landscaping her backyard, even though she hates digging holes…unless she’s burying fictional bodies! Erin also confesses to a fascination with American muscle cars…and reality TV shows. For more information about Erin and her novels, please visit her website at www.erinrichards.com.
Erin lives in sunny Northern California, and in her spare time, she enjoys reading, photography, and re-landscaping her backyard, even though she hates digging holes…unless she’s burying fictional bodies! Erin also confesses to a fascination with American muscle cars…and reality TV shows. For more information about Erin and her novels, please visit her website at www.erinrichards.com.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 2, 2018
I had requested a download from the author through the OTOH Books website, and the following is my honest opinion.
Each one of us are supposed to have a singe mother and father. But what would you do if your father dies in a boat fire? Wouldn’t and your mother have to continue living without him? Since you probably have no idea, why not step into the shoes of the protagonist in this book, Ivy Lynwood.
This might sound horrific for Ivy, but in reality, it had been a blessing in disguise for he had been an oppressive and abusive father. But then, a revelation was made. The woman who had died with him in the boat fire had also been his wife and that they had children of their own.
Hearing this news had been bad enough for Ivy as it began a downward spiral for her. Add in Child Services asking her mother to foster her husband’s other children, and her mother retreating into a drug induced fanciful dreamland, leaves a lot for his teenager to handle on her own. She now has two new siblings for whom she’s now responsible for; a new sister who’s a goth and who unfortunately is maliciously intimidating towards her, and a new half-brother with whom she’s finding her first love in and kisses him.
Being young, Ivy is still quite naïve regarding all of this to be able to adequately manage something this challenging. Will the fortitude Ivy possesses at her young age to sufficient enough for her to have a whole family again? And what about her relationship with her half-brother Jesse, where is it going to go?
The diametrically opposed situations in the storyline, the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, gives credence for the reason the author has chosen Bittersweet Wreckage for this book.
For having given her readers a well-written story which begs to have more, I’ve given Ms. Richards 5 STARS for her endeavor here.
Each one of us are supposed to have a singe mother and father. But what would you do if your father dies in a boat fire? Wouldn’t and your mother have to continue living without him? Since you probably have no idea, why not step into the shoes of the protagonist in this book, Ivy Lynwood.
This might sound horrific for Ivy, but in reality, it had been a blessing in disguise for he had been an oppressive and abusive father. But then, a revelation was made. The woman who had died with him in the boat fire had also been his wife and that they had children of their own.
Hearing this news had been bad enough for Ivy as it began a downward spiral for her. Add in Child Services asking her mother to foster her husband’s other children, and her mother retreating into a drug induced fanciful dreamland, leaves a lot for his teenager to handle on her own. She now has two new siblings for whom she’s now responsible for; a new sister who’s a goth and who unfortunately is maliciously intimidating towards her, and a new half-brother with whom she’s finding her first love in and kisses him.
Being young, Ivy is still quite naïve regarding all of this to be able to adequately manage something this challenging. Will the fortitude Ivy possesses at her young age to sufficient enough for her to have a whole family again? And what about her relationship with her half-brother Jesse, where is it going to go?
The diametrically opposed situations in the storyline, the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, gives credence for the reason the author has chosen Bittersweet Wreckage for this book.
For having given her readers a well-written story which begs to have more, I’ve given Ms. Richards 5 STARS for her endeavor here.
June 18, 2018
Bittersweet Wreckage is the perfect title for this book. I can't imagine being in the situation these characters were left in. And though the topic seems farfetched to me (though still within the realm of possibility,) I felt like everything was handled just right. There were times when I thought it read a little young but it was told from a sheltered teenagers point of view so it didn't bother me too much. Overall a good book, one that will definitely have me picking up others by this author.
July 3, 2018
This was a rather emotional read for me. The situation these people were in - wowza. The heroine's snarkiness was right up my alley and while I liked the romance, the familial parts of the story were more impactful to me.
October 16, 2018
Reviewed for YA Books Central
A intense story of finding hope in the worst circumstances.
The Story:
Ivy's life has been anything but easy. Her father is demanding and abusive to both her and her mother, but there's no way out. Until he dies.
They never saw it coming. Suddenly, secrets were coming to life that they were never supposed to know. Ivy soon realizes her father was not the man she thought he was. When she meets the kids orphaned by the same accident that killed her father, she starts to think maybe he did leave something good behind for her. In his death, maybe he gave her a true family.
What I loved:
Ivy is incredibly strong for everything she's gone through. I rooted for her until the very end, hoping she reached some level of happiness. I enjoyed seeing how fried affects people in different ways. The secrets are unravelled brilliantly. Intriguing doesn't even begin to describe the plot.
What was just okay:
The romance part of it. I didn't feel the connection between the two characters and empathized with her mother as she tried to keep them apart.
Final Verdict:
An interesting story filled with mystery and enough intrigue to keep you reading late into the night.
A intense story of finding hope in the worst circumstances.
The Story:
Ivy's life has been anything but easy. Her father is demanding and abusive to both her and her mother, but there's no way out. Until he dies.
They never saw it coming. Suddenly, secrets were coming to life that they were never supposed to know. Ivy soon realizes her father was not the man she thought he was. When she meets the kids orphaned by the same accident that killed her father, she starts to think maybe he did leave something good behind for her. In his death, maybe he gave her a true family.
What I loved:
Ivy is incredibly strong for everything she's gone through. I rooted for her until the very end, hoping she reached some level of happiness. I enjoyed seeing how fried affects people in different ways. The secrets are unravelled brilliantly. Intriguing doesn't even begin to describe the plot.
What was just okay:
The romance part of it. I didn't feel the connection between the two characters and empathized with her mother as she tried to keep them apart.
Final Verdict:
An interesting story filled with mystery and enough intrigue to keep you reading late into the night.
August 9, 2018
First Thoughts
I was so excited to read this book, after I received it from the author, it sounded like a book I could get lost in. (In a good way) I thought it was going to be a book that I would feel like I was the main character, one I could cry with, one I could smile with, and one I could swoon with. However it didn't really turn out that way. This is my honest review of this book.
Review
So the book doesn't have the most interesting start, its just a bit of a back story, it is useful to know for the rest of the book though. The father, I feel like his character could be a bit more developed, or portrayed better. Other than that I loved the way Ivy and her mother's relationship was portrayed, and how Ivy explained, or commentated her mothers "drugged la-la land."
Read my full review on my blog! https://allbookedupteen.blogspot.com/
I was so excited to read this book, after I received it from the author, it sounded like a book I could get lost in. (In a good way) I thought it was going to be a book that I would feel like I was the main character, one I could cry with, one I could smile with, and one I could swoon with. However it didn't really turn out that way. This is my honest review of this book.
Review
So the book doesn't have the most interesting start, its just a bit of a back story, it is useful to know for the rest of the book though. The father, I feel like his character could be a bit more developed, or portrayed better. Other than that I loved the way Ivy and her mother's relationship was portrayed, and how Ivy explained, or commentated her mothers "drugged la-la land."
Read my full review on my blog! https://allbookedupteen.blogspot.com/
June 18, 2018
This is my honest and unbias opinion of the story. I have read a story by this author Erin Richards. I am so glad I was able to read this story. This story was so unpredictable and emotional. I fell in love with the strong characters and the story. I can't wait to see what Erin Richards writes next.
July 8, 2018
The author offered me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is about a dead man having 2 different families which they have to become one after a fatal accident.
I'll confess that the whole family drama was too much for me at times and I was really curious to see how it could end. However, I think of it as a cliffhanger which needs to be completed.
3,5/5
The story is about a dead man having 2 different families which they have to become one after a fatal accident.
I'll confess that the whole family drama was too much for me at times and I was really curious to see how it could end. However, I think of it as a cliffhanger which needs to be completed.
3,5/5
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews