Review: Careful
Sep •
20 •
2012
Careful by Isobella Jade
Series: The Careful, Quiet,
Published by Self-Published on July 26th 2012
Genres: Young Adult- Fantasy/ Paranormal
Source: Blog Tour, FTC: Exchange for honest opinion
Goodreads
"I couldn’t feel my arms or legs. My neck, my hair, my stomach—they weren’t mine anymore."
If you lived in Willow Ridge, a town based on Jade’s hometown called Liverpool in Central New York, you’d know of Estella Montclair. Estella is one of the top high school sprinters around and she’s in the newspaper all the time.
After Estella Montclair is killed in a texting and driving crash, what remains of her face and body is devastating.
But not all of her has died.
During the first month after her death, Estella’s spirit travels among her living friends and family. Her best friends Zara, Eva and Jett show her how pain and sorrow can break apart or strengthen a bond. She also sees for the first time that loss can spark revenge, catastrophe can come without warning, and we all have secrets. She wonders if her chance for love with Phoenix has passed her by, and if out of sight truly means out of mind.
And maybe one day the girl who caused her death will admit her mistake.
While adjusting to a new state of being, Estella struggles to face the limitations that come with death, but blossoms by recognizing she can still touch the lives of the people she once knew so well."
Another heartfelt story sure to make you see things differently, Careful takes a dive into what it’s like for those you love left behind after your death.
What I really enjoyed most about this book is the different perspective. After Estella’s unexpected death, she dwindles with the living seeing the aftermath of her death. This part I loved. Watching Estellas parents grieve, the fights in school with her friends and watching her crush fade away, all makes for a great story. The emotions swirled inside me as I saw people spark fights over a lost taken so soon. I loved the loyalty that Estella’s friends gave throughout the whole story. The stuck by their friend and made she she lived on in everything they did.
There really is much going in the story other than watching other move on with their lives after Estella is gone. And this part is my gripe. Other than Estella’s death is cause by texting and driving, I don’t see the point of hanging out watching other live for so long. I get to watch it from the beginning for a few days but Estella lives in other life for a whole month. Half-way through the book, it felt repeated. I can find the appreciation in watching the grieving but after a while it felt too much.
Careful portrays a powerful story of lost taken too soon. Emotions bombard the reader giving them a front row seat in a roller coaster. Sentimental and bittersweet, Careful is good.
I give it 3 BITES!
About the author:
“Isobella Jade is an author, petite model and a wizard of self-promotion. Her modeling memoir Almost 5’4″ is her personal memoir about being a shorter-than-average model in NYC, the ins and outs and highs and lows of striving to beat the odds. Her graphic novel Model Life was released in November 2009 and Short Stuff is her collection of on-the-job experiences that took place after Almost 5’4″ and includes modeling tips for shorter girls. Her most recent work is a new YA novel called Careful, the first book of the Careful, Quiet, Invisible series.”
Website
Twitter username
Book trailer:
I was recently visiting my hometown in Syracuse, NY and chatted with ABC affiliate News Channel 9 about the book:
Giveaway:
5 signed print copies of Careful (US only)
5 e-book copies of Careful (International)
This sounds like a really powerful story! I hadn’t heard of it before! Great review, Savvy!
This sounds like an interesting book. Great review!
Steph @ SOOTP
Hmm, I’m not sure about this one… it sounds interesting in so far as the whole aftermath bit, but it sounds a bit too much like Lovely Bones with a bit of goofy (she wonders if she’s lost Phoenix… er… she is dead, right?) I think it sounds like an enjoyable read, if goofy teenage drama doesn’t bog it down too much.
thanks for a great review! sounds interesting!
I can see how her hanging around for so long without any other purpose aside from simply watching friends and family would get a bit repetitive, but I do like the overall premise! Though I am curious about what happens with Phoenix – the line about her wondering if chance at love with him passing her by has me a touch befuddled given she’s a ghost now:) Thanks for the review Savy!
This sounds like something that is VERY emotional! I can see how watching the living could be too much. Especially when no real interaction is involved. Still.. I’m with Jenny… that premise is interesting.