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A review by thepaperreels
Accidental by Alex Richards
4.0
I'm giving away a copy of this book HERE and its OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!
[trigger warning: gun violence]
"Not anymore, though. Hell, no. This is about me. It is my story. Because of my past, I will make sure my future is different."
Accidental is such a refreshing read, a book that I can confidently say we don't encounter much. Don't you just admire authors that are brave enough to weave a story that includes heavy and tough subjects about today’s society? I think we should stop shying away from books that are considered "political".
In Accidental, Johanna, our main character, is dealing with a secret that her absentee father brought with him when he showed up after missing from her life for so many years. We get to see why the huge secret was kept hidden in the first place, how it affected Johanna’s relationships, and most importantly, we get to witness how Johanna will handle all of it. I didn't like our main character at first and it took a chapter or two before I warmed up to her. Johanna is authentic with a real voice of a teen who got her life turned upside down. You can feel how betrayed she was as it was written in a very effective way by the author. Johanna as a person isn't perfect, she's angsty, she can be self-involved and mean to her friends and even to her own family but what's great about Johanna is that Richards took us with her on her journey to emotional maturity. She became self-aware and owned up to her mistakes and everything was penned in a very realistic and interesting way. (and side note: I LOVE ALL THE STAR WARS reference) l commend how the relationships are written especially the one with Johanna and her grandparents. It was moving and one of the main drives of this story.
I enjoyed the plot and the pacing of Accidental which makes it difficult to put down. I was fooled by the first two to three chapters thinking it will just be another YA realistic fiction, but I was so wrong. Every chapter is striking and written in a gorgeous way which makes it very readable. The story is executed in a very brave and yet delicate manner. And what I find great is how everyone got their character development and that everyone’s underlying subplot was addressed. Each subplot has a purpose as well that makes the story as a whole. There was a light touch of romance that I like!! I fell for our love interest, Milo. He's an amazing and realistic teenage boy. The romance isn't that heavy but necessary as it showed how Johanna managed to use this relationship for her betterment. Truly admiring!
If you think Accidental is just another YA Realistic Fiction, think again. Accidental has something new to offer at the YA table and it's something that every reader should read at least once. Accidental is brave and necessary, a story with a punch!
[trigger warning: gun violence]
"Not anymore, though. Hell, no. This is about me. It is my story. Because of my past, I will make sure my future is different."
Accidental is such a refreshing read, a book that I can confidently say we don't encounter much. Don't you just admire authors that are brave enough to weave a story that includes heavy and tough subjects about today’s society? I think we should stop shying away from books that are considered "political".
In Accidental, Johanna, our main character, is dealing with a secret that her absentee father brought with him when he showed up after missing from her life for so many years. We get to see why the huge secret was kept hidden in the first place, how it affected Johanna’s relationships, and most importantly, we get to witness how Johanna will handle all of it. I didn't like our main character at first and it took a chapter or two before I warmed up to her. Johanna is authentic with a real voice of a teen who got her life turned upside down. You can feel how betrayed she was as it was written in a very effective way by the author. Johanna as a person isn't perfect, she's angsty, she can be self-involved and mean to her friends and even to her own family but what's great about Johanna is that Richards took us with her on her journey to emotional maturity. She became self-aware and owned up to her mistakes and everything was penned in a very realistic and interesting way. (and side note: I LOVE ALL THE STAR WARS reference) l commend how the relationships are written especially the one with Johanna and her grandparents. It was moving and one of the main drives of this story.
I enjoyed the plot and the pacing of Accidental which makes it difficult to put down. I was fooled by the first two to three chapters thinking it will just be another YA realistic fiction, but I was so wrong. Every chapter is striking and written in a gorgeous way which makes it very readable. The story is executed in a very brave and yet delicate manner. And what I find great is how everyone got their character development and that everyone’s underlying subplot was addressed. Each subplot has a purpose as well that makes the story as a whole. There was a light touch of romance that I like!! I fell for our love interest, Milo. He's an amazing and realistic teenage boy. The romance isn't that heavy but necessary as it showed how Johanna managed to use this relationship for her betterment. Truly admiring!
If you think Accidental is just another YA Realistic Fiction, think again. Accidental has something new to offer at the YA table and it's something that every reader should read at least once. Accidental is brave and necessary, a story with a punch!