Get Ready, World... Carlie is Coming for You!

I have some book signings lined up in October and November, and for one of these book signings, I need a poster. So last night I was designing one and I had an idea (that I ended up changing) and in doing some research for this idea, I visited Goodreads in order to peruse a few reviews left for my books.

Before I go any further, I need to thank every single person who has ever written a review for one of my books, whether that review was posted to Amazon, Goodreads, or Audible. First of all, you have no idea how much of a difference those reviews make. I'm someone who always checks the reviews before I make a purchase, and when I see a book, whether it's print or audio, that hasn't been reviewed, I am often wary going into the purchase. So the fact that my books have some reviews means a LOT. Second of all, even though I always ask my friends to review my books, so few of my friends actually take the three or four minutes required to post reviews. I've got a memory like a steel trap, though, and my goal has always been to take my biggest supporters on an all-expenses-paid-trip to see a band of my choice (Dispatch, Trampled By Turtles, or The Lumineers, most likely) at Red Rocks... so just know that I have a legitimate, tangible list and it is very much up to date.

Do you know who is on that tangible, up-to-date Red Rocks list? Carlie. And now you're maybe wondering who Carlie is. Well, let me tell you. Carlie is one of the best things that came out of Covid-19. Had it not been for the fact that my friend/coworker Annie and I combined our very tiny classes during that year of remote learning (team teaching for the win!), I wouldn't have had the privilege of getting to know Carlie. Fortunately, though, the world experienced a horrific pandemic and our paths crossed!

Torn Asunder is dedicated to Carlie. That's how much I love this kid.

People? Carlie can write. My gosh, can she write. You will -- probably in the very near future -- see one of her novels appear on the New York Times Best Sellers List. This belief was only reinforced last night when I stumbled upon a review Carlie left for my novel Like A Flip Turn. I had no idea she'd written it, and as I read it, I found myself clutching my heart and actually crying. I'm going to include part of it below so you have an idea of what to expect when her books eventually hit the market. Not only does she weave her words together so well, but Carlie feels things. She feels things in her core. And she connects with characters in a way that every single author wants her/his readers to connect to characters.

So world? Here is a sampling of what Carlie has to offer. She's amazing. You're going to love her. (And I'm going to denote a few of my favorite lines in red.)

As much as I would like to ignore the fact that it quite literally took me months to write this review, I do have my reasons, no matter how valid (or invalid) they may be. In all truth, I didn't know how I was going to encapsulate my feelings into one review. Whenever I feel this way about a book, I tend to take a while to write the review. I just know that there will be aspects of the novel that I forget to mention in this review, and I also know that, while I love words, sometimes they are lacking. So, please bear with me as I do the best that I can to review this novel.

Jenny is the character that I think of first when I consider this novel. Frankly, Jenny had me hooked from the first paragraph with her description of the summer. It pulled me into the story, and I found that it was often Jenny's descriptions that made me feel as if I was standing in Lake Caywood. I love how Jenny is a word girl, and I love how she connects words to colors. Jenny was also just a likeable character. She formed easy connections with other characters, but I admired how she did so without showing every single part of herself to these characters right off the bat. Jenny has a hidden complexity to her that is hidden from the readers until it all seems to come crashing down. However, the crash is somewhat beautiful even in its heartbreak.

Lydia was interesting from the start because of her age. It is not often that I read anything from the perspective of a child at Lydia's stage of life. It took me back to a different time in my life as well as provided a fresh perspective on matters that readers otherwise would have only seen from an adult perspective. Lydia, similarly to Jenny, was a character whose relationships I enjoyed reading about. Lydia has a lot going on underneath the surface, and it was so intriguing to see how this came through in her life and relationships.

Ruby is the character that I feel is most subtle and nuanced in this novel. Don't get me wrong- Ruby had a fantastic and compelling story. Every chapter of Ruby's was a treat, but Ruby was definitely the most mysterious both to readers and to the other characters. I think Ruby's part of this novel frustrated me the most because her story was so set in stone. Yes, Ruby was still living, so, obviously her entire story wasn't done. At the same time, there was so much about what happened to Ruby that couldn't be changed. Readers were having to catch up on her life while feeling the hopelessness that comes with seeing a beginning and an ending while fearing all that happens in the middle. For all of my frustration, Ruby was one of the most calm and therapeutic characters.

At its heart, this novel is one of relationships. Now I am not talking romance. There was romance in this novel, but there was a subtlety to the romances even when they were the focus of a chapter or scene. Each romance felt so natural that I think even those who do not gravitate toward romance in novels would be okay with what this novel has. Beyond the romances there were so many strong friendships and family dynamics that made the characters feel even more real and fleshed out this world as a whole. These relationships are what heightened the emotions of the novel and made me fall in love.

The plot was logical while having just enough twists. There was one specific twist that I saw coming, but there were also plenty that I did not see coming that took me by complete surprise. I don't want to lie and say that I was completely hooked from the second that I started reading. It took me a few chapters to get into the groove of the novel and the characters, but, once I was in, I was in. One of the consistencies that I have found with this author is how her novels are nothing short of comforting. It's not that they feel like a hug (they are not all warm and fuzzy). No, Hannah Rae's novels feel like walking through your hometown. There is something familiar yet unknown about what you are going to encounter. There is a tenderness for this place that you have always known, the people who you have seen pass through, and the changes that you have endured. Even with this sense of comfort, the author managed to take my breath away. I thought that I knew where all of the heartbreak in this novel would come from, but I was so very wrong. The author threw twists that absolutely shattered my heart. This author knows how to pack an emotional punch, and, boy did she do so. I adored the ending, even if that broke my heart a little too. The last chapter just about took me out; it was hauntingly beautiful, it was perfect, it put every piece into place.

Now, if Carlie can talk about my characters with that much feeling and love... imagine what she has to say about her own characters. This is a young woman who's going places, folks. I only hope that I'm established enough to help her go farther -- and get there so much faster -- than I have.