Scan barcode
jashoney22's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
THERE ARE NO SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW, BUT I CAN'T PROMISE THAT IT WON'T REVEAL AT LEAST ONE THING FOR YOU. I TRIED MY BEST, THOUGH TO KEEP THIS REVIEW SPOILER FREE.
_________________________________________________________
Review for the first time I read it:
This was one of the best Young Adult Romance novels I have read in a long time. I read an excerpt before I bought it and was immediately intrigued. I then read reviews and most of them said that the ending was rather abrupt, but I thought the ending was perfect.
I wasn't really sure how this story was going to go because it's hard to read a story where the character doesn't talk until the last few pages because you get frustrated in feeling like you're the character and there's so much you want to say to the other characters- if that makes any sense. But, I was relieved when we got romance and a whole lot of emotion in this book.
I think many YA readers will love this book.
As you first read the book, you are dying to know why Oakley doesn't talk. And then you think you missed something in the story because you still have no idea, but that was the purpose of the book. Throughout the whole book, the author gives you hints as to what happens to her, but you don't find out until the very end in a very spectacular ending if I do say so myself.
I adored Cole and how much he cared about Oakley and I was happy when he finally asked her to be his girlfriend. It was a very touching moment.
And can I just say how much I love the name Oakley? It's such a pretty and unique name.
_______________________________________________________
Review for the second time I read it (also on my blog: jasminecarlisleblog.wordpress.com)
Title: Silence
Author: Natasha Preston
Published: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Edition: 2012 ebook
My rating: *****/***** (5/5)
This review is actually going to be from the SECOND time I read it. If you want to read the review I posted the first time I read it, you can find it on my Goodreads page here.
First off, I want to tell you that this book is completely free on Amazon for Kindle. I LOVED this book, so if you want to try it out, I would highly recommend it. What's the harm? It's free.
Like I said, I loved this book. I gave it five out of five stars the first time AND five out of five stars the second time. I read it in April of 2015 and recently remembered how much I loved it. Therefore, I decided to read it again.
In this book, the main character, Oakley, doesn't talk. No one knows WHY she doesn't talk and she doesn't tell the reader why she doesn't talk even though it's from her point of view. There are subtle hints, but if you're not looking for them, they might not mean anything to you.
Oakley makes it through eleven years of being mute from the help of her mom, her brother, and her maybe-more-than-a-best-friend. She's bullied and has a bunch of emotions because of everything, but she still manages to make it through. It really makes you open your eyes to others who are going through the same thing as Oakley.
There's romance, emotion, action, suspense, and I lot of reading. When I read this book both times, I couldn't help myself from just reading. I sat down and opened it up and didn't put it down unless I had to sleep.
I'm going to keep this spoiler-free because I don't want to accidentally ruin anything for anyone who hasn't read it so that's all I'm going to say about this book. Again, it's completely free and you can get it on your kindle/tablet/phone if you download the Kindle app. I highly suggest you read it and if you do, I'm here for those of you who have the feels!
_________________________________________________________
Review for the first time I read it:
This was one of the best Young Adult Romance novels I have read in a long time. I read an excerpt before I bought it and was immediately intrigued. I then read reviews and most of them said that the ending was rather abrupt, but I thought the ending was perfect.
I wasn't really sure how this story was going to go because it's hard to read a story where the character doesn't talk until the last few pages because you get frustrated in feeling like you're the character and there's so much you want to say to the other characters- if that makes any sense. But, I was relieved when we got romance and a whole lot of emotion in this book.
I think many YA readers will love this book.
As you first read the book, you are dying to know why Oakley doesn't talk. And then you think you missed something in the story because you still have no idea, but that was the purpose of the book. Throughout the whole book, the author gives you hints as to what happens to her, but you don't find out until the very end in a very spectacular ending if I do say so myself.
I adored Cole and how much he cared about Oakley and I was happy when he finally asked her to be his girlfriend. It was a very touching moment.
And can I just say how much I love the name Oakley? It's such a pretty and unique name.
_______________________________________________________
Review for the second time I read it (also on my blog: jasminecarlisleblog.wordpress.com)
Title: Silence
Author: Natasha Preston
Published: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Edition: 2012 ebook
My rating: *****/***** (5/5)
This review is actually going to be from the SECOND time I read it. If you want to read the review I posted the first time I read it, you can find it on my Goodreads page here.
First off, I want to tell you that this book is completely free on Amazon for Kindle. I LOVED this book, so if you want to try it out, I would highly recommend it. What's the harm? It's free.
Like I said, I loved this book. I gave it five out of five stars the first time AND five out of five stars the second time. I read it in April of 2015 and recently remembered how much I loved it. Therefore, I decided to read it again.
In this book, the main character, Oakley, doesn't talk. No one knows WHY she doesn't talk and she doesn't tell the reader why she doesn't talk even though it's from her point of view. There are subtle hints, but if you're not looking for them, they might not mean anything to you.
Oakley makes it through eleven years of being mute from the help of her mom, her brother, and her maybe-more-than-a-best-friend. She's bullied and has a bunch of emotions because of everything, but she still manages to make it through. It really makes you open your eyes to others who are going through the same thing as Oakley.
There's romance, emotion, action, suspense, and I lot of reading. When I read this book both times, I couldn't help myself from just reading. I sat down and opened it up and didn't put it down unless I had to sleep.
I'm going to keep this spoiler-free because I don't want to accidentally ruin anything for anyone who hasn't read it so that's all I'm going to say about this book. Again, it's completely free and you can get it on your kindle/tablet/phone if you download the Kindle app. I highly suggest you read it and if you do, I'm here for those of you who have the feels!
kimberseverance's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my god this book had my heart in my hands the whole entire time. Not only does it claw at your soul in a way you can't explain, but also can't stop going back for, this book leaves you in this great suspense almost all along the way.
I LOVE this book. It came out of nowhere and really surprised me.
I LOVE this book. It came out of nowhere and really surprised me.
ellen5525's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this book. The ending made me tear up a little. What makes it even better is that it was free, can't wait to read the next one.
talonvictoria's review against another edition
3.0
"Silence was my prison."
After finishing this story, I really was on the fence on how to rate/review it. On one hand, I really enjoyed the concept and plot of this book but on the other I just didn't typically enjoy some of the characters and the speed of the story. The first half was painfully slow. If you don't speed read the first half of this book, you're a liar.
Character wise, there were a lot of them that played zero part in this story. Julian was a waste of time for me. He was unnecessary drama. Just unnecessary all the way around. I think the author put him into this book because she was trying to make Cole look like some protective alpha but that just wasn't him. So, in the end, every time Cole had to take up for Oakley when it came to Julian, I just wasn't impressed to say the least.
I did really enjoy the plot line of this book. The fact that the author showed that someone could love another person without words really hit me in the feelers. To me, that made the book unlike anything I have read before and I really appreciated that. Love is not words. It's not speaking or saying things. Its simply...action. And although I felt like Oakley could have done better with her actions, I still felt the love that Cole and her had and I was here for it!
"Looking at him was like falling. It was perfect."
Cole was a great part of this story. Having such a young and understanding lead male that isn't afraid to show his vulnerable side is always a plus for me. His POV chapters were so crucial to this story in a sense that we needed to see how he viewed Oakley when her words weren't there. How her silence affected him was a big part of this story and he handles it so well.
The editing in this novel wasn't superb and a lot of the grammatical issues were bad as well but a lot of times I don't base my reviews on that because I feel as if that is a petty reason. But all in all I enjoyed reading Silence because it showed that even though words are scarce- love is strong when you try.
After finishing this story, I really was on the fence on how to rate/review it. On one hand, I really enjoyed the concept and plot of this book but on the other I just didn't typically enjoy some of the characters and the speed of the story. The first half was painfully slow. If you don't speed read the first half of this book, you're a liar.
Character wise, there were a lot of them that played zero part in this story. Julian was a waste of time for me. He was unnecessary drama. Just unnecessary all the way around. I think the author put him into this book because she was trying to make Cole look like some protective alpha but that just wasn't him. So, in the end, every time Cole had to take up for Oakley when it came to Julian, I just wasn't impressed to say the least.
I did really enjoy the plot line of this book. The fact that the author showed that someone could love another person without words really hit me in the feelers. To me, that made the book unlike anything I have read before and I really appreciated that. Love is not words. It's not speaking or saying things. Its simply...action. And although I felt like Oakley could have done better with her actions, I still felt the love that Cole and her had and I was here for it!
"Looking at him was like falling. It was perfect."
Cole was a great part of this story. Having such a young and understanding lead male that isn't afraid to show his vulnerable side is always a plus for me. His POV chapters were so crucial to this story in a sense that we needed to see how he viewed Oakley when her words weren't there. How her silence affected him was a big part of this story and he handles it so well.
The editing in this novel wasn't superb and a lot of the grammatical issues were bad as well but a lot of times I don't base my reviews on that because I feel as if that is a petty reason. But all in all I enjoyed reading Silence because it showed that even though words are scarce- love is strong when you try.
briewhale's review against another edition
4.0
This book was so powerful when I first read it back in 2015. Now, in 2021, I knew the twist already. It was still incredibly moving. And listening to the audiobook gave me all the accents that I missed the first time around. Silence drums up a lot of strong emotions, both good and bad, happy and sad.
hanacakoe's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thatbooknerd__'s review against another edition
2.0
Ive had this book on my kindle for ages now. Its been sitting there doing nothing so I finally decided to give it a go. I liked the old cover but this new one is beautiful.
The blurb was interesting and made me want to jump into the book straight away.
Starting this book was interesting, I liked and I needed to find out more but as the story went on, it got boring and predictable.
Oakley, the lead female, as much as I wanted to like her, I kind of wanted to punch her. All she could think about was Cole. Her hot next door neighbor that she had been friends with her whole life.
I couldn't connect with the characters, while I liked the idea of there long standing friendship I didnt feel connected to them or feel there connection to each other.
The story was predictable, I knew what was coming from the beginning and I was right. I honestly dont know how her family didnt see it. If your kid stopped talking there's obviously a very good reason for it.
I don't think I will be reading book 2, but I would be interested in seeing what other books the author has available.
The blurb was interesting and made me want to jump into the book straight away.
Starting this book was interesting, I liked and I needed to find out more but as the story went on, it got boring and predictable.
Oakley, the lead female, as much as I wanted to like her, I kind of wanted to punch her. All she could think about was Cole. Her hot next door neighbor that she had been friends with her whole life.
I couldn't connect with the characters, while I liked the idea of there long standing friendship I didnt feel connected to them or feel there connection to each other.
The story was predictable, I knew what was coming from the beginning and I was right. I honestly dont know how her family didnt see it. If your kid stopped talking there's obviously a very good reason for it.
I don't think I will be reading book 2, but I would be interested in seeing what other books the author has available.
maxines_obsessions's review against another edition
5.0
So many tissues needed, it felt like it punched a hole in my chest.
gettinglostinagoodbook's review against another edition
5.0
It's been a very long time since I have stayed up all night just to finish a book. I can't function when I do that anymore! However - this time I had no choice! I could not turn this book off, believe me I tried! I even dowloaded book 2 the next morning, but decided to wait until I had a full nights sleep - just in case!
Oakley' fear and her love for her family prevents her from talking, it's been 11 years of silence. This however does not matter to her neighbour and best friend Cole. He continues to be her best friend, and stands up for her at all times. They have developed a way of communicating, and understand one another completely. Cole is the only person Oakley feels safe with.
Their friendship is slowly developing into more, but Oakley feels that she is not good enough for Cole. He deserves so much better. Her low self- esteem and doubts surrounding her secret prevent her from giving in to her feelings. Cole is so afraid of hurting Oakley even more that he too avoids it.
The raw emotions and character development kept me completely enthralled. Preston made me fells like I was there with them. Even Jasper's love for his sister, his protectiveness and his avoidance of the issues is palpable. He wants to protect his baby sister but does not know how or even what from.
I have to admit, when Oakley revealed her secret I think I cried. Ok - I bawled!
Preston has taken a very controversial topic and humanized it. The horror is portrayed without details or graphic images. The focus is not in the event, but the aftereffects and long lasting influence that traumatic experiences can have. Not only on the victim, but on all those around them as well!
My only complaint was that I didn't feel the people who loved her did enough to help Oakley.
Oakley' fear and her love for her family prevents her from talking, it's been 11 years of silence. This however does not matter to her neighbour and best friend Cole. He continues to be her best friend, and stands up for her at all times. They have developed a way of communicating, and understand one another completely. Cole is the only person Oakley feels safe with.
Their friendship is slowly developing into more, but Oakley feels that she is not good enough for Cole. He deserves so much better. Her low self- esteem and doubts surrounding her secret prevent her from giving in to her feelings. Cole is so afraid of hurting Oakley even more that he too avoids it.
The raw emotions and character development kept me completely enthralled. Preston made me fells like I was there with them. Even Jasper's love for his sister, his protectiveness and his avoidance of the issues is palpable. He wants to protect his baby sister but does not know how or even what from.
I have to admit, when Oakley revealed her secret I think I cried. Ok - I bawled!
Preston has taken a very controversial topic and humanized it. The horror is portrayed without details or graphic images. The focus is not in the event, but the aftereffects and long lasting influence that traumatic experiences can have. Not only on the victim, but on all those around them as well!
My only complaint was that I didn't feel the people who loved her did enough to help Oakley.
saigereadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
an amazing read, rather dark but I loved it !