Wednesday 7 March 2018

Review | More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

Image and video hosting by TinyPicMore Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
Published On: March 8, 2018
Published By: Bloomsbury
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 416
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Rev Fletcher is battling the demons of his past. But with loving adoptive parents by his side, he’s managed to keep them at bay...until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back. 
Emma Blue spends her time perfecting the computer game she built from scratch, rather than facing her parents’ crumbling marriage. She can solve any problem with the right code, but when an online troll’s harassment escalates, she’s truly afraid.
When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected. This must-read story will once again have readers falling for Brigid Kemmerer’s emotional storytelling.

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

First things first, it needs to be noted that this is a standalone novel! Despite many calling it a sequel to Brigid Kemmerer's 2017 release Letters To The Lost, this simply follows a character introduced in that book and can definitely be read on it's own. I had not read Letters To The Lost before picking this one up and I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything, so please don't let that put you off if you were considering giving this book a go.

This book follows two main characters with their own individual storylines. I found it very interesting to have both main characters have such complex, intense situations going on. It almost felt like the alternating POV chapters could have been two separate books merged together. In fact, at times I wished they would have been two separate books in order to find out more about each of them and dive deeper into their stories.

However, my one complaint about this book follows on from that point somewhat. I wanted more of their individual stories! Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed seeing them together and how their relationship developed, but I wanted more of their personal lives. I want to know more about Rev's family and his experiences of getting used to a new foster brother. I want to know more about Emma's relationships with her parents and her best friend. There were so many aspects to each of their lives and I don't feel they were all explored in as much depth as they could have been.

Despite enjoying both of their storylines, I didn't love both characters. I really liked Rev and loved reading from his perspective. I found his family life to be very interesting and I thought the way he handled all of the things he had to deal with was always quite understandable. He didn't always deal with things the best way but you could make sense of why he did it. He was also very easy to relate to and empathise with. Emma, on the other hand, I didn't like as much. Unlike Rev, I found didn't understand the way she dealt with things most of the time. I found her and her situation very interesting to read about but she did seem very selfish and immature at times, particularly in the way she treated her mother, which made her harder to like. I did, however, love that she was a gamer and created her own game!

I did really enjoy this book and all of the many intense situations the characters were having to deal with. However, I found some of it to be a little predictable. I didn't predict much of what went on with Rev but nothing of Emma's situation came as a surprise to me. I wasn't at all surprised by the ending, which was disappointing as I think it could have been a real shock moment had I not already worked out what was coming.

Overall, this was a good read with some darker, intense aspects as well as a pretty cute romance. The plot had a lot going on and didn't go quite as in depth as I would have liked in many areas, however it was fast paced, making it a quick read. While I did enjoy the book, it didn't bring anything new and didn't blow me away.

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