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There Will Come a Time
Mark knows grief. Ever since the accident that killed his twin sister, Grace, the only time he feels at peace is when he visits the bridge on which she died. Comfort is fleeting, but it’s almost within reach when he’s standing on the wrong side of the suicide bars. Almost.
Grace’s best friend, Hanna, says she understands what he’s going through. But she doesn’t. She can’t. It’s not just the enormity of his loss. As her twin, Mark should have known Grace as well as he knows himself. Yet when he reads her journal, it’s as if he didn’t know her at all.
As a way to remember Grace, Hanna convinces Mark to complete Grace’s bucket list from her journal. Mark’s sadness, anger, and his growing feelings for Hannah threaten to overwhelm him. But Mark can’t back out. He made a promise to honor Grace—and it’s his one chance to set things right.
Grace’s best friend, Hanna, says she understands what he’s going through. But she doesn’t. She can’t. It’s not just the enormity of his loss. As her twin, Mark should have known Grace as well as he knows himself. Yet when he reads her journal, it’s as if he didn’t know her at all.
As a way to remember Grace, Hanna convinces Mark to complete Grace’s bucket list from her journal. Mark’s sadness, anger, and his growing feelings for Hannah threaten to overwhelm him. But Mark can’t back out. He made a promise to honor Grace—and it’s his one chance to set things right.
315 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 2014
About the author
Carrie Arcos
7 books235 followersCarrie Arcos is a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature for OUT OF REACH; her fifth novel SKYWATCHERS will be available August 2020. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. For more information, check out her website: carriearcos.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
May 29, 2015
Crossposted @ The Library Mistress
Tell me how to talk about grief, death, and survival altogether and I'd give you one goddamn review. I mean, can anyone teach me how to deal with these three with a smile on my face? Or, better yet, a happy happy heart? No. Then brace yourselves for one melancholic take on this book.
Truth be told, there weren't actual tears involved while I was reading this book, but it left me with something grander than salty liquid running through my cheeks. It made my heart bleed. I was warned actually. That quote from the very first page of the book did it. But as I've said before, let's not leave any book unfinished even if it has the tendency to shatter your heart into million pieces, a jerk from the past already did that so why would I fear a book? (This is me, being cheeky... not bitter lol.)
This book starts off really strong and quick, it won't keep you guessing. It will give you straight facts and a fair background information. This is a story of a Filipino boy. You have a problem with that? Then don't read. I actually admire the author's guts for choosing a Filipino lead, perhaps partly because I'm Filipino, but mostly because of the courage it has to take. I mean, let's face it, most Young Adult novels have American protagonists and although Mark here is Fil-Am having been raised in America and all, Carrie Arcos never forgot to incorporate Filipino traditions in, for one, Mark calls his aunts Tita, and while, Filipino food might be overrated, well, this Uyayi isn't:
However, this is not the story of Mark alone. This book is about Grace, Mark's twin who happened to die in a car accident with him driving. No, it's entirely not Mark's fault, aside from him, taking the way to the bridge instead of just choosing another path. But, Mark can't help but be miserable, he has been under the watch of a psychiatrist for a time and the whole accident thing transformed him from being one promising bassist to an asshole. Mark is a dick or more precisely, the accident made him a jerk. But I don't know why I can't hate him the way I want to strangle other annoying protagonists. I actually wanted to hug him all the time, I mean, his friends can be inconsiderate sometimes and this girl Hanna, Grace's bestfriend and his love interest has the tendency to be an MPDG. But I let all those issues go and still gave this a perfect five because... I feel you Mark. I really do.
So what's new? Aside from this being told in a Filipino teen's POV, this book about grief and death is not about the big C. So, you won't read anything about the struggle of a patient battling against a killer disease in here, we've had enough of those books, so, I guess we need some change. #SorryNotSorry This book is about pain. (Not the pain that demands to be felt, mind you - Just kidding.) Pain not just because of death but the pain of choosing to live. And perhaps, how difficult it is to turn pain into something beautiful.
I could've finished this book in an instant. It has around 300 pages but I know for a fact that a day or two is more than enough but later I found out that I just can't. Not because this isn't an easy read or I was again busy with work, in fact I brought it along with me everywhere. I just can't help but stop every once in a while because this book is too draining. No, not because it was written badly, to be honest, it was written beautifully. But I found it draining because it drew too much emotion from me. I may not have a twin, and I'll never understand how is it to have one, but I have brothers and just thinking of the possibility of me leaving them behind and finding out that they'll undergo such ordeal is not just heartbreaking. This may be so wrong but I actually thought of how my other brother will react if such thing happened to us. We aren't twins but we grew up almost like one, for he is only 10 months younger than I am, we shared the same toys, same school, at one point the same bed and same closet. We drove together around town as well, and although we do have other friends and we don't talk too much about crushes and cheesy stuff, I know that I can always rely on him, like always. But it's a crazy thing to ponder on really, your death, and how people will take it. I remember someone saying that a funeral is really not to honor the dead but to let the loved ones take enough time and space to grieve. But really, will the sadness ever go way? Will the grieving stop once the body is cremated or is already six feet under? Will the pain stay? Will we ever move on? I guess not, but we have to, right?
I once wrote something after my grandfather passed away years ago, in that I said that I can only stop thinking about him, stop grieving and start using the experience as an inspiration, one day when all the pain is gone. This book made me realize that although the pain and suffering might not really end, there will come a time that you'll start living your life the way you should, you might not be able to fully move on, but you have to move, the day when the pain will all be gone might never come, but we can always hope that it will and there will come a time.
Tell me how to talk about grief, death, and survival altogether and I'd give you one goddamn review. I mean, can anyone teach me how to deal with these three with a smile on my face? Or, better yet, a happy happy heart? No. Then brace yourselves for one melancholic take on this book.
"I didn't need six therapy sessions to tell me that I'll never be whole again."
Truth be told, there weren't actual tears involved while I was reading this book, but it left me with something grander than salty liquid running through my cheeks. It made my heart bleed. I was warned actually. That quote from the very first page of the book did it. But as I've said before, let's not leave any book unfinished even if it has the tendency to shatter your heart into million pieces, a jerk from the past already did that so why would I fear a book? (This is me, being cheeky... not bitter lol.)
"He took one look at me: male, Filipino, teen, beanie, white plugs, red T-shirt, jeans, and said, "What's up?""
This book starts off really strong and quick, it won't keep you guessing. It will give you straight facts and a fair background information. This is a story of a Filipino boy. You have a problem with that? Then don't read. I actually admire the author's guts for choosing a Filipino lead, perhaps partly because I'm Filipino, but mostly because of the courage it has to take. I mean, let's face it, most Young Adult novels have American protagonists and although Mark here is Fil-Am having been raised in America and all, Carrie Arcos never forgot to incorporate Filipino traditions in, for one, Mark calls his aunts Tita, and while, Filipino food might be overrated, well, this Uyayi isn't:
However, this is not the story of Mark alone. This book is about Grace, Mark's twin who happened to die in a car accident with him driving. No, it's entirely not Mark's fault, aside from him, taking the way to the bridge instead of just choosing another path. But, Mark can't help but be miserable, he has been under the watch of a psychiatrist for a time and the whole accident thing transformed him from being one promising bassist to an asshole. Mark is a dick or more precisely, the accident made him a jerk. But I don't know why I can't hate him the way I want to strangle other annoying protagonists. I actually wanted to hug him all the time, I mean, his friends can be inconsiderate sometimes and this girl Hanna, Grace's bestfriend and his love interest has the tendency to be an MPDG. But I let all those issues go and still gave this a perfect five because... I feel you Mark. I really do.
"Sometimes, we come to the end of ourselves and it takes courage to find our way back."
So what's new? Aside from this being told in a Filipino teen's POV, this book about grief and death is not about the big C. So, you won't read anything about the struggle of a patient battling against a killer disease in here, we've had enough of those books, so, I guess we need some change. #SorryNotSorry This book is about pain. (Not the pain that demands to be felt, mind you - Just kidding.) Pain not just because of death but the pain of choosing to live. And perhaps, how difficult it is to turn pain into something beautiful.
"But even here, where Grace's footsteps have never tread, I feel her absence, which makes her more present than ever."
I could've finished this book in an instant. It has around 300 pages but I know for a fact that a day or two is more than enough but later I found out that I just can't. Not because this isn't an easy read or I was again busy with work, in fact I brought it along with me everywhere. I just can't help but stop every once in a while because this book is too draining. No, not because it was written badly, to be honest, it was written beautifully. But I found it draining because it drew too much emotion from me. I may not have a twin, and I'll never understand how is it to have one, but I have brothers and just thinking of the possibility of me leaving them behind and finding out that they'll undergo such ordeal is not just heartbreaking. This may be so wrong but I actually thought of how my other brother will react if such thing happened to us. We aren't twins but we grew up almost like one, for he is only 10 months younger than I am, we shared the same toys, same school, at one point the same bed and same closet. We drove together around town as well, and although we do have other friends and we don't talk too much about crushes and cheesy stuff, I know that I can always rely on him, like always. But it's a crazy thing to ponder on really, your death, and how people will take it. I remember someone saying that a funeral is really not to honor the dead but to let the loved ones take enough time and space to grieve. But really, will the sadness ever go way? Will the grieving stop once the body is cremated or is already six feet under? Will the pain stay? Will we ever move on? I guess not, but we have to, right?
"Are we ever really whole? We're all broken in some way."
I once wrote something after my grandfather passed away years ago, in that I said that I can only stop thinking about him, stop grieving and start using the experience as an inspiration, one day when all the pain is gone. This book made me realize that although the pain and suffering might not really end, there will come a time that you'll start living your life the way you should, you might not be able to fully move on, but you have to move, the day when the pain will all be gone might never come, but we can always hope that it will and there will come a time.
August 5, 2014
3.5 Stars
There Will Come a Time…when the sorrow won’t swallow us whole. A time when the grief doesn’t completely overwhelm us. And even a time when we can move with feeling rather than out of habit. After the death of his twin sister, Grace, Mark cannot possibly imagine how his life and heart will ever be whole and healed again.
”Your twin will always be a part of you because she has always been a part of you.”
Grace and Mark Santos were twins, siblings, and friends. They shared everything. Laughs, time, fears, secrets, and dreams. After Grace is gone, the guilt and anger threaten to consume Mark. When he can’t keep it all inside, he lashes out at home and school. I could feel how lost and lonely Mark was without Grace. His constant—the one he thought would always be there with him was ripped away in an instant. It broke my heart. Grace was a writer though and through her journals, Mark discovers a new side to his sister. Her voice is so loud and clear in the pages easing some of his loneliness, but her words also reveal some surprises. Notebooks filled with lists and memories that inspire Mark and several other people in his life to act and live! To honor Grace by living a few of her “to-do”s. Fun and scary adventures that might help Mark find his way out of his anger and heal his heart.
”I feel like I’m living for the both of us. I’m still here, so we’re still here.”
The only bump in the road for me was the sudden turns. I know Mark needed to move on, forgive, and start to heal. But some of the moves hit me right in the face! Bam! Oh, we’re talking to him now. Or wow! We’re really doing that now. I needed more transition into some of these steps. My heart needed to feel time go by and feel the changes in Mark. I did by the end, but in the course of events it felt like some of the actions came on too fast.
This book holds some of my favorite elements though. Ms. Arcos fills the pages with huge energy and life, which for me is very important in a story dealing with death. We all need to feel and know that life goes on with support from friends, family, and sometimes even strangers. Mark attends a performing arts high school so alive with movement and energy. Music, dancing, fashion, and singing! I loved the constant flow of creativity and wonder moving through this story. Energy! From running, surfing, and hiking to the magical *beat*beat*beats of music! At times the energy hums! It made my heart hum. These pages capture the pain of grief but also the love of life. We can’t have one without the other unfortunately.
This big, warm, lively, artistic bunch of characters surrounded Mark with friendship, inspiration and patience. Hanna, Lily, Pete, Jenny and Sebastian all provided layers of smiles and strength for Mark. It was a joy to meet them all. Especially Mark and Grace. I felt like I knew Grace too just by the way Mark spoke of her with such warmth and honesty. I will miss his voice. I’ll miss them both.
Death is a part of life. So cruel and unfair sometimes. With love and understanding we can make it through. I hope...I hope with time the pain turns to warm memories. This book reminded me that missing someone everyday isn’t a bad thing. Its life and love. The ones we love are never gone from our hearts or even our everydays. What do you miss about the ones you lost? What do you miss right now—today? For me, I miss my grandmother’s coleslaw. I went to a cookout over the weekend and it just hit me. I missed the way she always put raisins in her coleslaw. Haha…As a kid, I thought it was disgusting. But here I am years later—missing it. :)
I’ll be sure to be on the lookout for more from Carrie Arcos.
Recommended read.
May 4, 2014
*Also posted at Oops! I Read A Book Again*
Thank you to Simon Pulse, Edelweiss and Book Nerd Tours for the review copy! This in no way affected my views of the novel.
Me reading this book is very timely with the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign as it features a Filipino main character. When I learned that that's the case, my interest for the book skyrocketed. It is very seldom to encounter Filipinos in literature, and a protagonist at that. Plus, it's a book dealing with grief and I love to cry myself to sleep with those.
Mark Santos was driving at the Colorado Street Bridge with his twin Grace when a car swerved to their lane and crashed their vehicle. He watched Grace die and ever since then, has been a prickly porcupine driving everyone away. He barely passed junior year, hasn't been sleeping well, goes to the bridge where his sister died. The anger and the guilt he feels are so palpable that I just want to hug him. I've read novels dealing with the grief a parent's death brings but I can't even imagine losing a twin. There was this bit where one of Mark's support group in Twinless Twins explained that a twin is an individual but that they have a unique sense of identity. Even before their birth, they have operated as a "we" and to lose your twin would be to lose that "we". But since you're twins, your twin feels like he or she is still there with you and you still feel like a "we" even though physically, you're just an "I". I admit to crying to that. I admit to crying a lot of times with this novel.
Mark is "acting out" but you can't fault him for losing interest in everything when nothing makes sense - how his twin sister is now dead. There Will Come a Time chronicles a period in time where he learns not to feel guilty about being alive, having a support group, trying to forgive his mom who left them when they were young, not owning all the grief, understanding that he's not the only one who's in despair, forgiving the guy who hit their car and most importantly, deciding to honor Grace by living his life. The novel is a slice-of-life one, starting with the summer before senior year, continuing to Mark's senior year. In the span of the novel, he meets new people, gets in a fight with people he loves, makes up with them, pushes his boundaries, puts himself in other's shoes and of course, completes Grace's Top Five Things To Do This Year. His journey, although still ongoing, was heartbreaking but in the end, it will put a smile to your face while your tears are still streaming down. That was a perfect ending to this novel, Carrie.
As for the writing, it will just wring your heart out with its beauty and simplicity. Grace was a writer and a poet, although she kept her poems in her journal. This was one of hers and it's just gorgeous. Carrie, I cried reading this. I cried a lot. You just know how to get it out of my tear ducts, huh?
"If I could tell you, I'd start with how I think you look in the morning. It's not all sunbeams and dew and mountaintops. It's more sleepy eyes and messy hair and pillow lines on your cheek from resting so hard.
If I could tell you, I'd start with how I'm feeling. It's not all butterflies and passion and my heart skipping a beat when you walk in the room. I am scared and shy and overwhelmed.
I'd tell you not to say those words, the ones you're hiding in plain sight, the ones that will turn kisses and holding hands into promises. I want to say wait.
Wait. Slow. It. Down. I'm not ready.
Time is churning, spinning, swirling us into infinity. I want to open my arms, lie on my back, and let the current take me. Close my eyes and not think about what is ready to pull me into the deep, pull me under. I don't want to think of forever and ever and ever. I want to follow where the water leads, which is to this moment.
This moment is not forever. This moment is me and you and us in time. This moment I want to tell you everything, but I can't because I am not everything and you are not everything. Not everything needs to be spoken. Because when you or I speak things, they come to be. Our words become worlds where people dwell and live and hurt and laugh, and there's no destroying what our words create.
If I could tell you anything it would be that I am here with you now. And that's better than forever, because lots of things can happen between seventeen and forever.
So I will simply take your hand, kiss the tips of your eyelids, and walk with you toward tomorrow."
I rest my case. There Will Come a Time is a simply written yet wonderfully heart-tugging novel about loss and moving forward. Moving forward is not about forgetting but it is about acknowledging your loss and still living and not just existing because your life is a gift and with a gift, there should be no guilt. *sobs and hiccups*
Thank you to Simon Pulse, Edelweiss and Book Nerd Tours for the review copy! This in no way affected my views of the novel.
Me reading this book is very timely with the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign as it features a Filipino main character. When I learned that that's the case, my interest for the book skyrocketed. It is very seldom to encounter Filipinos in literature, and a protagonist at that. Plus, it's a book dealing with grief and I love to cry myself to sleep with those.
Mark Santos was driving at the Colorado Street Bridge with his twin Grace when a car swerved to their lane and crashed their vehicle. He watched Grace die and ever since then, has been a prickly porcupine driving everyone away. He barely passed junior year, hasn't been sleeping well, goes to the bridge where his sister died. The anger and the guilt he feels are so palpable that I just want to hug him. I've read novels dealing with the grief a parent's death brings but I can't even imagine losing a twin. There was this bit where one of Mark's support group in Twinless Twins explained that a twin is an individual but that they have a unique sense of identity. Even before their birth, they have operated as a "we" and to lose your twin would be to lose that "we". But since you're twins, your twin feels like he or she is still there with you and you still feel like a "we" even though physically, you're just an "I". I admit to crying to that. I admit to crying a lot of times with this novel.
Mark is "acting out" but you can't fault him for losing interest in everything when nothing makes sense - how his twin sister is now dead. There Will Come a Time chronicles a period in time where he learns not to feel guilty about being alive, having a support group, trying to forgive his mom who left them when they were young, not owning all the grief, understanding that he's not the only one who's in despair, forgiving the guy who hit their car and most importantly, deciding to honor Grace by living his life. The novel is a slice-of-life one, starting with the summer before senior year, continuing to Mark's senior year. In the span of the novel, he meets new people, gets in a fight with people he loves, makes up with them, pushes his boundaries, puts himself in other's shoes and of course, completes Grace's Top Five Things To Do This Year. His journey, although still ongoing, was heartbreaking but in the end, it will put a smile to your face while your tears are still streaming down. That was a perfect ending to this novel, Carrie.
As for the writing, it will just wring your heart out with its beauty and simplicity. Grace was a writer and a poet, although she kept her poems in her journal. This was one of hers and it's just gorgeous. Carrie, I cried reading this. I cried a lot. You just know how to get it out of my tear ducts, huh?
"If I could tell you, I'd start with how I think you look in the morning. It's not all sunbeams and dew and mountaintops. It's more sleepy eyes and messy hair and pillow lines on your cheek from resting so hard.
If I could tell you, I'd start with how I'm feeling. It's not all butterflies and passion and my heart skipping a beat when you walk in the room. I am scared and shy and overwhelmed.
I'd tell you not to say those words, the ones you're hiding in plain sight, the ones that will turn kisses and holding hands into promises. I want to say wait.
Wait. Slow. It. Down. I'm not ready.
Time is churning, spinning, swirling us into infinity. I want to open my arms, lie on my back, and let the current take me. Close my eyes and not think about what is ready to pull me into the deep, pull me under. I don't want to think of forever and ever and ever. I want to follow where the water leads, which is to this moment.
This moment is not forever. This moment is me and you and us in time. This moment I want to tell you everything, but I can't because I am not everything and you are not everything. Not everything needs to be spoken. Because when you or I speak things, they come to be. Our words become worlds where people dwell and live and hurt and laugh, and there's no destroying what our words create.
If I could tell you anything it would be that I am here with you now. And that's better than forever, because lots of things can happen between seventeen and forever.
So I will simply take your hand, kiss the tips of your eyelids, and walk with you toward tomorrow."
I rest my case. There Will Come a Time is a simply written yet wonderfully heart-tugging novel about loss and moving forward. Moving forward is not about forgetting but it is about acknowledging your loss and still living and not just existing because your life is a gift and with a gift, there should be no guilt. *sobs and hiccups*
August 5, 2017
Wow, this book was so powerful. There Will Come a Time really pulled at my heartstrings and gave me the feels. But in a wonderful way! It was a truly beautiful story of loss and learning that life goes on.
I adored the characters in this story. Mark was unlike any character I've ever read about before. First of all, I rarely read contemporaries from a boy's point of view, so that was a nice change. Also, he had an edge, even before the accident. I find that in most stories about losing people, the character is more sad than anything else. Mark dealt with the grief with a lot of anger, and I found that this portrayal was important because this is the reality for many people. And watching Mark change and grow over the course of the book was truly emotional and touching.
I liked learning more about Grace, even after she had died, when Mark thought about old memories of her or would read her journals. The twins' relationship was so strong and beautiful. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see them torn about in such a horrid way. It was painful to see Mark attempt to recover from it. When he'd do things such as visit the bridge, it truly tore me apart. But when Mark learned how to forgive himself and keep living, it was a triumphing moment. I felt proud of him for managing to come so far.
I thought that Mark and Hanna trying to complete Grace's list was a fantastic way to honor her. It was a tough thing for Mark to do, but it helped him learn how to bear the pain a little better and let go of all the anger.
Sebastian was a great character. He was fun (I especially enjoyed his alien and sci-fi obsession), and he's always there for Mark. He always forgave him and let him back in even after he made mistakes. Like I said earlier, I'm not used to contemporaries from a guy's point of view, so I don't often see a lot of friendships between guys like this. I really enjoyed it though. I also loved Mark's other friend Pete. He was a really cool character and I loved his passion for fashion. He just seemed like a really fun and great person to be around.
Hanna was an interesting love interest. It was the cliché of childhood friends falling in love as teens, but with a good twist. She was a really great friend to Mark and was with him in even the toughest times because of her forgiving nature.
Mark's stepmother Jenny was a great character! She was funny and super sweet and nice. I think she really seemed to understand Mark in ways that other people didn't.
And I absolutely loved Lily. Her bluntness was interesting and unique in a way, and I really think she played a huge part in helping Mark recover. I really enjoyed the texts the shared about what they missed about who they lost. Seeing Mark find the little things about Grace's absence was heart-wrenching, but wonderful.
I also really liked how Mark was part of that group Twinless Twins. I think that they also played a rather large role in helping Mark, and it was nice to see him learn to forgive, but not forget with their help.
Something else I'd like to mention is how much this book fit one of my favorite songs, Beautiful Pain, by Andy Black. The lyrics of the song are about losing somebody close, and it was perfect match to what happens in the story. I absolutely love when I can find a song that fits something in a book. Plus I already loved this song. Seriously, Andy Black is incredible, check him out!
This was a really beautiful book that I suggest giving a go. It'll make you smile as well as shed a tear or two.
I adored the characters in this story. Mark was unlike any character I've ever read about before. First of all, I rarely read contemporaries from a boy's point of view, so that was a nice change. Also, he had an edge, even before the accident. I find that in most stories about losing people, the character is more sad than anything else. Mark dealt with the grief with a lot of anger, and I found that this portrayal was important because this is the reality for many people. And watching Mark change and grow over the course of the book was truly emotional and touching.
I liked learning more about Grace, even after she had died, when Mark thought about old memories of her or would read her journals. The twins' relationship was so strong and beautiful. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see them torn about in such a horrid way. It was painful to see Mark attempt to recover from it. When he'd do things such as visit the bridge, it truly tore me apart. But when Mark learned how to forgive himself and keep living, it was a triumphing moment. I felt proud of him for managing to come so far.
I thought that Mark and Hanna trying to complete Grace's list was a fantastic way to honor her. It was a tough thing for Mark to do, but it helped him learn how to bear the pain a little better and let go of all the anger.
Sebastian was a great character. He was fun (I especially enjoyed his alien and sci-fi obsession), and he's always there for Mark. He always forgave him and let him back in even after he made mistakes. Like I said earlier, I'm not used to contemporaries from a guy's point of view, so I don't often see a lot of friendships between guys like this. I really enjoyed it though. I also loved Mark's other friend Pete. He was a really cool character and I loved his passion for fashion. He just seemed like a really fun and great person to be around.
Hanna was an interesting love interest. It was the cliché of childhood friends falling in love as teens, but with a good twist. She was a really great friend to Mark and was with him in even the toughest times because of her forgiving nature.
Mark's stepmother Jenny was a great character! She was funny and super sweet and nice. I think she really seemed to understand Mark in ways that other people didn't.
And I absolutely loved Lily. Her bluntness was interesting and unique in a way, and I really think she played a huge part in helping Mark recover. I really enjoyed the texts the shared about what they missed about who they lost. Seeing Mark find the little things about Grace's absence was heart-wrenching, but wonderful.
I also really liked how Mark was part of that group Twinless Twins. I think that they also played a rather large role in helping Mark, and it was nice to see him learn to forgive, but not forget with their help.
Something else I'd like to mention is how much this book fit one of my favorite songs, Beautiful Pain, by Andy Black. The lyrics of the song are about losing somebody close, and it was perfect match to what happens in the story. I absolutely love when I can find a song that fits something in a book. Plus I already loved this song. Seriously, Andy Black is incredible, check him out!
This was a really beautiful book that I suggest giving a go. It'll make you smile as well as shed a tear or two.
June 14, 2015
A special thanks to the girls over @ On the Same Page ARC Tours for lending me an ARC copy!
Don't let the page count fool you; this little book not only packs an emotional punch but paints a realistic and moving portrait of grief. Mark lost his twin sister, Grace, in a car accident, and he's feeling the full range of emotions: loss, anger, sadness, and survivor's guilt. He and his sister were very close, best friends with that connection only twins seem to understand. Without Grace, he's struggling to make sense of his life, no longer sure he's even a whole person anymore. It's only when Hanna, his and his sister's best friend and neighbor, proposes they fulfill Grace's "Top Five Things To Do This Year" list that Mark begins to work through his grief.
What is the right way to cope with loss and respond to grief? Ever since the accident, Mark has pushed away the people he cares about the most because he doesn't think they can understand what he's going through. His loss somehow feels greater than theirs because Grace was his twin. And so the way other people deal with the heartbreak of losing her only angers him and causes him to lash out at them. He has a difficult time talking about Grace, whereas everyone else - Hanna, his father and stepmom, even the Twinless Twins support group he joins - wants him to share and open up. It takes times and a few screw-ups for Mark to realize that he doesn't have a monopoly on grief; that everyone will miss Grace in their own way. It's a touching journey, and I'm glad that I felt not only overwhelming sadness for him, but ultimately hope as well.
Without a doubt, the best aspect of There Will Come a Time is the relationships in Mark's life. He and his dad are not in the best place at the start of the book. Neither are sure how to talk to the other, especially because Mark has such a difficult time reconciling the family he has now to the family he had before Grace died. Her empty chair at the kitchen table haunts him. By doing the top five list and by going to the support group, remembering Grace out loud becomes easier, and his relationship with his dad finally starts to soften.
The top five list - learn to surf, go bungee jumping, perform spoken word at a club, climb a mountain and watch the sunset, and run a 5K - of course brings him inexorably closer to Hanna. Growing up, it wasn't that Hanna was Grace's best friend; the three of them formed a tight unit. Mark has almost always had deeper feelings for her, but he's been afraid to act on them, especially now. He's unsure if a romantic relationship would damage their friendship, and he doesn't even think he deserves a happiness that Grace is now denied. I loved the romance in this book: it's subtle, quiet, and steady, and a perfect example of best-friends-to-more. Hanna is his rock, refusing to give up on him, and he obviously cares deeply for her. Their relationship is the soothing touch this book needs, and I like that they get closer by doing things that are honoring Grace.
Of course, the most important relationship is the one between Mark and his sister. Despite her passing, it takes on a journey of its own, evolving and strengthening over the course of the book. When Mark reads Grace's journal, it's a bit of a shock when he discovers that not all of her thoughts of the two of them are so favorable. She expressed her wish to be her own person, to not always be considered "Grace and Mark" but just "Grace". Yet it's so clear how much she looked up to Mark and that they were truly best friends. I think more than anything this opens Mark's eyes to the realization that he doesn't want the Grace in his memory to be perfect. He wants to remember her, flaws and all.
The writing is just what it needs to be: raw, sparse, and at times beautifully poetic. I'm a fan of male point-of-views, and Mark's voice was very easy to digest. His pain and vulnerability are tangible things, yet I'm thankful Mark never lets himself completely drown. He is also Filipino, but the emphasis placed on that detail felt shallow; I never got a greater sense of his ethnicity. Other than his relationships, one thing that helps Mark deal with grief is music. He's a bass player, and the passages describing when he's lost in his music are some of my favorite.
Yes, There Will Come a Time is a story about loss and grief, but it's also about moving on and living the kind of life that means something. Mark will always miss the person who has been his other half, but he's his own person as well. He realizes that he needs to reach for that life Grace would want him to have.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
I don't want to be a pebble turning into sand, rubbed free of Grace. I want to keep her in my heart and hold her deep, where the waters cannot touch.
Don't let the page count fool you; this little book not only packs an emotional punch but paints a realistic and moving portrait of grief. Mark lost his twin sister, Grace, in a car accident, and he's feeling the full range of emotions: loss, anger, sadness, and survivor's guilt. He and his sister were very close, best friends with that connection only twins seem to understand. Without Grace, he's struggling to make sense of his life, no longer sure he's even a whole person anymore. It's only when Hanna, his and his sister's best friend and neighbor, proposes they fulfill Grace's "Top Five Things To Do This Year" list that Mark begins to work through his grief.
What is the right way to cope with loss and respond to grief? Ever since the accident, Mark has pushed away the people he cares about the most because he doesn't think they can understand what he's going through. His loss somehow feels greater than theirs because Grace was his twin. And so the way other people deal with the heartbreak of losing her only angers him and causes him to lash out at them. He has a difficult time talking about Grace, whereas everyone else - Hanna, his father and stepmom, even the Twinless Twins support group he joins - wants him to share and open up. It takes times and a few screw-ups for Mark to realize that he doesn't have a monopoly on grief; that everyone will miss Grace in their own way. It's a touching journey, and I'm glad that I felt not only overwhelming sadness for him, but ultimately hope as well.
Without a doubt, the best aspect of There Will Come a Time is the relationships in Mark's life. He and his dad are not in the best place at the start of the book. Neither are sure how to talk to the other, especially because Mark has such a difficult time reconciling the family he has now to the family he had before Grace died. Her empty chair at the kitchen table haunts him. By doing the top five list and by going to the support group, remembering Grace out loud becomes easier, and his relationship with his dad finally starts to soften.
The top five list - learn to surf, go bungee jumping, perform spoken word at a club, climb a mountain and watch the sunset, and run a 5K - of course brings him inexorably closer to Hanna. Growing up, it wasn't that Hanna was Grace's best friend; the three of them formed a tight unit. Mark has almost always had deeper feelings for her, but he's been afraid to act on them, especially now. He's unsure if a romantic relationship would damage their friendship, and he doesn't even think he deserves a happiness that Grace is now denied. I loved the romance in this book: it's subtle, quiet, and steady, and a perfect example of best-friends-to-more. Hanna is his rock, refusing to give up on him, and he obviously cares deeply for her. Their relationship is the soothing touch this book needs, and I like that they get closer by doing things that are honoring Grace.
Of course, the most important relationship is the one between Mark and his sister. Despite her passing, it takes on a journey of its own, evolving and strengthening over the course of the book. When Mark reads Grace's journal, it's a bit of a shock when he discovers that not all of her thoughts of the two of them are so favorable. She expressed her wish to be her own person, to not always be considered "Grace and Mark" but just "Grace". Yet it's so clear how much she looked up to Mark and that they were truly best friends. I think more than anything this opens Mark's eyes to the realization that he doesn't want the Grace in his memory to be perfect. He wants to remember her, flaws and all.
The writing is just what it needs to be: raw, sparse, and at times beautifully poetic. I'm a fan of male point-of-views, and Mark's voice was very easy to digest. His pain and vulnerability are tangible things, yet I'm thankful Mark never lets himself completely drown. He is also Filipino, but the emphasis placed on that detail felt shallow; I never got a greater sense of his ethnicity. Other than his relationships, one thing that helps Mark deal with grief is music. He's a bass player, and the passages describing when he's lost in his music are some of my favorite.
Yes, There Will Come a Time is a story about loss and grief, but it's also about moving on and living the kind of life that means something. Mark will always miss the person who has been his other half, but he's his own person as well. He realizes that he needs to reach for that life Grace would want him to have.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
April 7, 2014
Sometimes I start reading a book and I am awestruck by how the writer brings a character to life so vividly and completely. It's voice and character details and getting inside that character and knowing them from the inside out.
I savored this story, reading it slowly and enjoying the very real emotions it evoked. There's a scene near the end where two characters are coming down a hill and my heart was pounding, seeing the drama unfold.
I savored this story, reading it slowly and enjoying the very real emotions it evoked. There's a scene near the end where two characters are coming down a hill and my heart was pounding, seeing the drama unfold.
March 16, 2018
Here's another ARC I downloaded in 2014 and am just now getting around to reading! :)
Wow, I was really surprised by this one! It was a bit heavy for a vacation book, but I'm glad I read it. I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book. Everyone was very realistically drawn, and unique in their own little ways. Also, this book is effortlessly diverse. Mark lives in LA and goes to a special arts high school, so he is surrounded by talented people of all types. I kind of want to read a series of books about the kids at this school! It sounded like such a neat atmosphere.
The grief in this book is very well-written. I think most teenage boys would react as Mark does; without being able to cry, he just seethes and stews. The realization that his sister had a whole life outside of their twinship is pretty devastating to him, even though it was kind of a "duh" situation for everyone else. There were a few times when I felt like I couldn't really connect with how he was feeling, but I haven't lost anyone close to me in a good long while, especially not someone like a sibling. The most touching part of the book, for me, was his interaction with the other man who had been in the accident...I cried pretty hard through that whole scene.
Have the tissues handy if you pick this one up, especially if you have been through a similar grief situation.
Wow, I was really surprised by this one! It was a bit heavy for a vacation book, but I'm glad I read it. I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book. Everyone was very realistically drawn, and unique in their own little ways. Also, this book is effortlessly diverse. Mark lives in LA and goes to a special arts high school, so he is surrounded by talented people of all types. I kind of want to read a series of books about the kids at this school! It sounded like such a neat atmosphere.
The grief in this book is very well-written. I think most teenage boys would react as Mark does; without being able to cry, he just seethes and stews. The realization that his sister had a whole life outside of their twinship is pretty devastating to him, even though it was kind of a "duh" situation for everyone else. There were a few times when I felt like I couldn't really connect with how he was feeling, but I haven't lost anyone close to me in a good long while, especially not someone like a sibling. The most touching part of the book, for me, was his interaction with the other man who had been in the accident...I cried pretty hard through that whole scene.
Have the tissues handy if you pick this one up, especially if you have been through a similar grief situation.
June 29, 2023
this book has me literally crying for no reason!!!!!!
December 16, 2015
This review could also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*3.5 star rating*
There Will Come a Time is rich, special and a story that develops itself on grief, loss and mental illness. It was pretty enjoyable compared to other stories of its kind, and I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Carrie Arcos throws readers a story that may be found in some sections of the bookstore, though it, at the same time, has its own nice flair to it that makes it extra special. For once, we have a male protagonist by our side here who is easy going, but also who is very emotional, which I like and would prefer in characters. Even though they're guys, they're not supposed to all be macho and too cool for the book game—emotions are good.
The story seems pretty simplistic, but it is in depth and utterly lovely. Mark, the main character, is overcoming the loss of his twin sister, Grace, who has committed suicide. The signs weren't really there, and everything is falling apart in his life at the moment. On the urge to discover what really happened to her, Mark teams up with her best friend, Hanna, and they honour their friend and sister by completing her bucket list and going on an exhibition that is different from most books.
This wasn't your average bucket list story. Instead of the achy-breaky boyfriend or girlfriend picking up the pieces left behind by the character who committed suicide and leaving readers unable to figure out what that person was really like other than learning about the things they wanted to achieve in life, we had a brother and best friend team up, just trying to figure out who Grace really was and what is Mark and Hanna's real relationship, because it always has been mixed. Grace's death may have been horrible and tragic, but at the same time, it threw in a new perspective for the characters who needed that boost of energy to boost their own relationships and find gratitude and happiness somehow, somewhere. It had a deep subject and bunch of concepts that leaves readers thinking. Arcos always adds that in her writing, and tweaks it at the end of chapters to leave suspense and readers wanting more.
There Will Come a Time is an easy story to get by with. You don't have to have MUCH concentration onto the story to really find a good understanding. If you read the plot with an easy going attitude, the story would seem enjoyable and easy to you, depending on how much emotion you would really like to feel. Arcos' writing is better than Out of Reach, and there weren't too many flaws I actually saw in the plot. This is the right read for you if you certainly enjoy contemporary romance mixed with grief.
Mark's character could be a best friend or shoulder to cry on for someone. If you have suffered grief or loss, Mark could be totally relatable. He shows aspects of what it's like to be a teenager, ordinary or not. And with the help (and romance) of Hanna, he (not to be cheesy) shows his true colours. You could be strong after loss, there is a light, even though it doesn't seem very promising from the first look at it.
There Will Come a Time is a light, fresh dash of wonderfulness to your bookshelf. I'm sure that everyone could find something in it to devour and adore. Go for it because there's not too many out there that are similar.
*3.5 star rating*
There Will Come a Time is rich, special and a story that develops itself on grief, loss and mental illness. It was pretty enjoyable compared to other stories of its kind, and I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Carrie Arcos throws readers a story that may be found in some sections of the bookstore, though it, at the same time, has its own nice flair to it that makes it extra special. For once, we have a male protagonist by our side here who is easy going, but also who is very emotional, which I like and would prefer in characters. Even though they're guys, they're not supposed to all be macho and too cool for the book game—emotions are good.
"Their kindness kills me. It's not the sugary-sweet kind. It's genuine and motivated by love and there's no lighting it. Sometimes love can be more overwhelming than hate. So I don't go."
The story seems pretty simplistic, but it is in depth and utterly lovely. Mark, the main character, is overcoming the loss of his twin sister, Grace, who has committed suicide. The signs weren't really there, and everything is falling apart in his life at the moment. On the urge to discover what really happened to her, Mark teams up with her best friend, Hanna, and they honour their friend and sister by completing her bucket list and going on an exhibition that is different from most books.
This wasn't your average bucket list story. Instead of the achy-breaky boyfriend or girlfriend picking up the pieces left behind by the character who committed suicide and leaving readers unable to figure out what that person was really like other than learning about the things they wanted to achieve in life, we had a brother and best friend team up, just trying to figure out who Grace really was and what is Mark and Hanna's real relationship, because it always has been mixed. Grace's death may have been horrible and tragic, but at the same time, it threw in a new perspective for the characters who needed that boost of energy to boost their own relationships and find gratitude and happiness somehow, somewhere. It had a deep subject and bunch of concepts that leaves readers thinking. Arcos always adds that in her writing, and tweaks it at the end of chapters to leave suspense and readers wanting more.
There Will Come a Time is an easy story to get by with. You don't have to have MUCH concentration onto the story to really find a good understanding. If you read the plot with an easy going attitude, the story would seem enjoyable and easy to you, depending on how much emotion you would really like to feel. Arcos' writing is better than Out of Reach, and there weren't too many flaws I actually saw in the plot. This is the right read for you if you certainly enjoy contemporary romance mixed with grief.
"This moment is not forever. This moment is me and you and us in time. This moment I want to tell you everything, but I can't because I am not everything and you are not everything. Not everything needs to be spoken. Because when you or I speak things, they come to be. Our words become worlds where people dwell and live and hurt and laugh, and there's no destroying what our words create."
Mark's character could be a best friend or shoulder to cry on for someone. If you have suffered grief or loss, Mark could be totally relatable. He shows aspects of what it's like to be a teenager, ordinary or not. And with the help (and romance) of Hanna, he (not to be cheesy) shows his true colours. You could be strong after loss, there is a light, even though it doesn't seem very promising from the first look at it.
There Will Come a Time is a light, fresh dash of wonderfulness to your bookshelf. I'm sure that everyone could find something in it to devour and adore. Go for it because there's not too many out there that are similar.
May 29, 2014
(View this review on My Library in the Making.)
Grief is something we all deal with in different ways: some lash out, some harm themselves, and then there are some like Mark who withdraw from the world. When he and his twin sister, Grace, get involved in a car accident that results to her death, Mark lets the loss take over his life, not knowing how to move on without her and wishing he was the one who'd died instead.
There doesn't seem to be an end to Mark's pain, until the long-lost package with Grace's things from the accident finally come in the mail. In it, he and Hanna, Grace's best friend, find a journal filled with Grace's thoughts, things she kept hidden from everyone, and suddenly, the Grace they knew feels like another person from Grace as she knew herself. But aside from the girl's secrets, they also find a bucket list of five things she'd wanted to accomplish that fateful year, and the two decide to honor her memory by completing the list for her.
Bucket lists have always equated to fun for me, but There Will Come a Time kind of ruined that for me because can you imagine completing your dead twin's list? Mark could have faced his pain with his family and friends but because of his anger, both at himself and the other driver who caused the accident, he chose to face it alone. As is to be expected, he doesn't get too far with that, often finding solace at the bridge where the accident took place as he tries to get close to his twin sister, the way they were close since they'd been in their mother's womb.
The list helps Mark in more ways than one, but it also tests the few remaining relationships he has. He learns that he doesn't have sole ownership on the grief over Grace's death and that sometimes, relief starts with forgiveness. I read the second half of this book while watching my family frolic in a river, and that made me appreciate how well the author integrated the Filipino culture into her story. Everything she wrote about Mark's family - down to the amazing food, yes - is just so easy for me to imagine happening in real life. And that's where There Will Come a Time really shines through: with how real and well-written it is. Even if you've never known loss as intense as Mark's, I can promise that this book will be an experience for you. Perhaps a traumatic one, but still.
MY FAVORITE PART was Mark finally knowing forgiveness. Tears.
Grief is something we all deal with in different ways: some lash out, some harm themselves, and then there are some like Mark who withdraw from the world. When he and his twin sister, Grace, get involved in a car accident that results to her death, Mark lets the loss take over his life, not knowing how to move on without her and wishing he was the one who'd died instead.
"I'm saying there will come a time when you won't be so angry or in so much pain. It doesn't have to be now. You just have to believe that it'll come and let people in."
There doesn't seem to be an end to Mark's pain, until the long-lost package with Grace's things from the accident finally come in the mail. In it, he and Hanna, Grace's best friend, find a journal filled with Grace's thoughts, things she kept hidden from everyone, and suddenly, the Grace they knew feels like another person from Grace as she knew herself. But aside from the girl's secrets, they also find a bucket list of five things she'd wanted to accomplish that fateful year, and the two decide to honor her memory by completing the list for her.
Bucket lists have always equated to fun for me, but There Will Come a Time kind of ruined that for me because can you imagine completing your dead twin's list? Mark could have faced his pain with his family and friends but because of his anger, both at himself and the other driver who caused the accident, he chose to face it alone. As is to be expected, he doesn't get too far with that, often finding solace at the bridge where the accident took place as he tries to get close to his twin sister, the way they were close since they'd been in their mother's womb.
Because how can you really know joy if you don't know despair? Nothing exists without its opposite.
The list helps Mark in more ways than one, but it also tests the few remaining relationships he has. He learns that he doesn't have sole ownership on the grief over Grace's death and that sometimes, relief starts with forgiveness. I read the second half of this book while watching my family frolic in a river, and that made me appreciate how well the author integrated the Filipino culture into her story. Everything she wrote about Mark's family - down to the amazing food, yes - is just so easy for me to imagine happening in real life. And that's where There Will Come a Time really shines through: with how real and well-written it is. Even if you've never known loss as intense as Mark's, I can promise that this book will be an experience for you. Perhaps a traumatic one, but still.
MY FAVORITE PART was Mark finally knowing forgiveness. Tears.
December 22, 2014
3.5 stars
You get to the point in reading when you read one book about grief and death and you feel like you have read them all. I mean there isn't a whole lot that can be said that is different when talking about grief and loss. Sure people grieve differently and at their own pace, but when you put that grief in a book it can all start to blend. With that said I think There Will Come a Time is a different kind of grief book that stands on it's own and is memorable in its own right.
There Will Come a Time is the story of Mark, a grieving high schooler that is dealing with the death of his twin sister Grace. Since the accident that took Grace Mark has been angry and holding on by a thread. He feels lost without his twin, guilting for being alive and disconnected from his life. He waffles between wanting to switch places with Grace and wanting to be with her in death. He has nothing to hold on to other than Hannah, Grace's best friend. And when Hannah suggests they complete a list that Grace wanted to do Mark agrees. The closer Mark and Hannah get the more Mark's feelings for her grow and so does his guilt for being unable to save Grace.
What I liked the most about this book was the realness of Mark. He was believable in his grief and his anger and his feelings. He lost what felt like a part of him and I think that came through in the writing. I could feel his guilt at being the least bit happy. I could feel why he hurt so much that he was there when Grace wasn't. And I could feel the uncertainty at getting to live the life Grace never would get to. All of that really worked in making Mark a likable character even when he was acting out because as a reader you understood the pain. And his relationship with Hannah was all sorts of perfect. They just worked from the start and I liked that a lot. It wasn't forced or pushed. It was natural which made it right.
I also really liked Mark's dad and step mother Jenny. A lot of times in YA the parents are more of a hinderance than a part of the book. But that wasn't the case here. And the fact that Jenny wasn't someone else for Mark to hate was a nice added touch. She was actually someone he wanted to spend time with and that was refreshing. It doesn't happen often and books and I thought it was a nice inclusion in this one and just fit right.
Basically I found this book really enjoyable in a heartbreakingly, uplifting way. It was done in a way that shows grief and pain don't last forever. That when you are ready to move on you're ready. That it is okay to be sad and angry and to feel guilty. But it is also okay to be happy and to live.
You get to the point in reading when you read one book about grief and death and you feel like you have read them all. I mean there isn't a whole lot that can be said that is different when talking about grief and loss. Sure people grieve differently and at their own pace, but when you put that grief in a book it can all start to blend. With that said I think There Will Come a Time is a different kind of grief book that stands on it's own and is memorable in its own right.
There Will Come a Time is the story of Mark, a grieving high schooler that is dealing with the death of his twin sister Grace. Since the accident that took Grace Mark has been angry and holding on by a thread. He feels lost without his twin, guilting for being alive and disconnected from his life. He waffles between wanting to switch places with Grace and wanting to be with her in death. He has nothing to hold on to other than Hannah, Grace's best friend. And when Hannah suggests they complete a list that Grace wanted to do Mark agrees. The closer Mark and Hannah get the more Mark's feelings for her grow and so does his guilt for being unable to save Grace.
What I liked the most about this book was the realness of Mark. He was believable in his grief and his anger and his feelings. He lost what felt like a part of him and I think that came through in the writing. I could feel his guilt at being the least bit happy. I could feel why he hurt so much that he was there when Grace wasn't. And I could feel the uncertainty at getting to live the life Grace never would get to. All of that really worked in making Mark a likable character even when he was acting out because as a reader you understood the pain. And his relationship with Hannah was all sorts of perfect. They just worked from the start and I liked that a lot. It wasn't forced or pushed. It was natural which made it right.
I also really liked Mark's dad and step mother Jenny. A lot of times in YA the parents are more of a hinderance than a part of the book. But that wasn't the case here. And the fact that Jenny wasn't someone else for Mark to hate was a nice added touch. She was actually someone he wanted to spend time with and that was refreshing. It doesn't happen often and books and I thought it was a nice inclusion in this one and just fit right.
Basically I found this book really enjoyable in a heartbreakingly, uplifting way. It was done in a way that shows grief and pain don't last forever. That when you are ready to move on you're ready. That it is okay to be sad and angry and to feel guilty. But it is also okay to be happy and to live.
February 3, 2014
There Will Come A Time…
OK... I am not quite sure why I get excited whenever I come across a protagonist whose upbringing (could/might) run parallel to mine, but I always do. (Perhaps it’s because rare is the moment when I come across a Filipino-anything in YA?) My excitement was only furthered by another parallel: he’s a fraternal twin! Because really, dude, was this book written for me?
Then reality/reason seeped through (or more likely, his story became clearer to me): outside those two things: this book wasn’t all I was hoping it was going to be. The Pinoy flavor that could have been has been much diluted. I mean, sure there are nods to Pinoy stuff mostly in talk of food and lingo and kin yet, in the effect, we have little nods and little else. And if I were honest: the same is really a non-issue here.
While I’d have loved it more if things veered toward him and a connection to who his parents are as well as they’re experience and how all that affects the first, well, that’s not what this story is about. Instead the point here is how he is in fact exactly like any other kid. And who he, as “brother” (not simply “Filipino” brother,) deals with what he’s been dealt with… and that’s OK too because there’s accuracy in that portrayal: that grief isn’t geographic, that loss and attachment aren’t just because of where your parents come form or how you’re brought up. It’s simpler than that: because bottom line there is connection and attachment as well as reaction to loss of the same.
Making things even more “universal” is him and his want-don’t want thing going on with him and the other girl who’s has always been there. It’s not as easy as first presented… the connection between them. If the first aspect of the story is heartbreaking, you’d think some of what soothes would be served up here. It’s not. Nothing in fact in this is easy for him: seeing her in a different light given the shifts in their position in relation to each other is not heartbreaking but runs more along the twin lines of confusing and frustrating.
Overall, this was OK.
Thank you, Edelweiss!
OK... I am not quite sure why I get excited whenever I come across a protagonist whose upbringing (could/might) run parallel to mine, but I always do. (Perhaps it’s because rare is the moment when I come across a Filipino-anything in YA?) My excitement was only furthered by another parallel: he’s a fraternal twin! Because really, dude, was this book written for me?
Then reality/reason seeped through (or more likely, his story became clearer to me): outside those two things: this book wasn’t all I was hoping it was going to be. The Pinoy flavor that could have been has been much diluted. I mean, sure there are nods to Pinoy stuff mostly in talk of food and lingo and kin yet, in the effect, we have little nods and little else. And if I were honest: the same is really a non-issue here.
While I’d have loved it more if things veered toward him and a connection to who his parents are as well as they’re experience and how all that affects the first, well, that’s not what this story is about. Instead the point here is how he is in fact exactly like any other kid. And who he, as “brother” (not simply “Filipino” brother,) deals with what he’s been dealt with… and that’s OK too because there’s accuracy in that portrayal: that grief isn’t geographic, that loss and attachment aren’t just because of where your parents come form or how you’re brought up. It’s simpler than that: because bottom line there is connection and attachment as well as reaction to loss of the same.
Making things even more “universal” is him and his want-don’t want thing going on with him and the other girl who’s has always been there. It’s not as easy as first presented… the connection between them. If the first aspect of the story is heartbreaking, you’d think some of what soothes would be served up here. It’s not. Nothing in fact in this is easy for him: seeing her in a different light given the shifts in their position in relation to each other is not heartbreaking but runs more along the twin lines of confusing and frustrating.
Overall, this was OK.
Thank you, Edelweiss!
February 2, 2014
Update: read it and sobbed like a baby.
I'M SO FUCKING EXCITED. THIS IS *THE* 2014 BOOK I WANT.
I really like the cover and Carrie said that it "has captured the emotional tone of the book." which is awesome because this cover
, also captures the tone of the book.
Did I mention that I'm excited?!?!?!?!?! Out of Reach is one of my favorite books. So I'm REALLY REALLY REALLLLLLYYYYYY EXCITED.
Whoa. All these excitement feels *takes deep breaths*
I'M SO FUCKING EXCITED. THIS IS *THE* 2014 BOOK I WANT.
I really like the cover and Carrie said that it "has captured the emotional tone of the book." which is awesome because this cover
Did I mention that I'm excited?!?!?!?!?! Out of Reach is one of my favorite books. So I'm REALLY REALLY REALLLLLLYYYYYY EXCITED.
Whoa. All these excitement feels *takes deep breaths*
April 4, 2017
I felt for Mark, but I never really felt for him. Does that make sense? Grief is hard. It gets better, a little, slowly. No one wants to hear it, but that's the truth.
October 16, 2019
2.5 stars
October 23, 2022
one thing i love is when i do something before reading and being reminded of the book when it happens again. i remember eating an egg salad before kotw and now everytime i eat it i am reminded of that beautiful book. this morning i was listening to phoebe bridgers and now she will always be associated to this story. i cannot express how much i’ve been dying to read again. this book makes me so sad. and happy. and sad. and sad and sad and sad and i’m crying so much right now this book was so good that’s all.
March 17, 2017
I think this was a very good book, but I felt it focused more on Mark's and Hanna's relationship than Grace's death. Also, it stated in the description that, after reading Grace's journal, Mark barley knew his sister at all, but in the book there was barley anything about the journal. One thing this book was good at showing was Mark going through grief and his depression. He went to a support group with others who lost their twin, visited the bridge where Grace died, and also pushed away his friends and would get angry at the slightest statement. Overall, I thought this was a great book and I personally would read it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2018
There Will Come a Time was a book I received as a gift for my birthday. I hadn't heard of it or Carrie Arcos before, so I really didn't know what to expect. I loved the cover right off the bat I thought it was really beautiful. It has this stillness to it that just pulled me in. When I finally cracked this book open I was just engulfed in this sea of grief and pain. Any book that can make you feel something so deeply throughout your entire being is an author who is suppose to be writing. It actually took me a long time to get to typing this review, because I really needed to just take some time after this book ended to live in that aftermath, before I could reflect on it.
This book follows Mark a young man who recently lost his twin sister on his journey through the ocean of grief. For me this book was very relatable. I lost my father at a very young age and could see myself a lot in Mark. I understood all the emotions he was going through and that struggle of having to move on and not wanting to let go of them. There were so many times throughout this book I was saying "Yes! That is so true." or "I've said that before." It's such a unreal feeling to read a book and feel understood or seen. Like everything you've been through or felt doesn't feel so strange or crazy. I would recommend this book to anyone who has lost somebody close to them and I promise you won't feel so alone anymore.
One of those relatable moments for me was when he's talking about her funeral and he says "What they all said about Grace was true, but it was also false. They were only focusing on her good qualities, as if she were this perfect person. Grace was amazing, but she was also human, which meant she was messy and complicated. How could you sum up a person's life in five minutes anyway." This is something I've talked about a lot. That falseness that happens after someone dies, All these people come out and talk about how amazing they were, and you're left going "Wait didn't you guys have a falling out years ago? Like what happened to that?" Nobody wants to say anything negative and by doing that it starts to create this fake person who isn't real. When you love someone and know someone so fully. It's so hard just be surrounded by this perfect version of them. That's why it was so powerful to me that scene where they are on the ground reading her journals and laughing at all the crazy things she wrote, because they knew her faults and they loved her anyways. Even when she wasn't easy to love and that's real.
I am overwhelmed by all the things I want to talk about. There were just that many things I loved about it. I loved the "what do you miss today?" It was beautiful and something I'd like to find a way to incorporate into my everyday life as well. I loved that it reminded me that although grief feels like such an isolated thing, it's really the people next to you and behind you that get you through it. I loved that I ugly cried through most of it, because there is nothing more therapeutic than ugly crying into a book that knows your soul. And lastly I love that I get to pass this book on to everyone I know. Thank you Carrie Arcos for writing a book that wasn't scared of showing us the nitty gritty of loss. You make powerful work and I hope everyone reads this book.
This book follows Mark a young man who recently lost his twin sister on his journey through the ocean of grief. For me this book was very relatable. I lost my father at a very young age and could see myself a lot in Mark. I understood all the emotions he was going through and that struggle of having to move on and not wanting to let go of them. There were so many times throughout this book I was saying "Yes! That is so true." or "I've said that before." It's such a unreal feeling to read a book and feel understood or seen. Like everything you've been through or felt doesn't feel so strange or crazy. I would recommend this book to anyone who has lost somebody close to them and I promise you won't feel so alone anymore.
One of those relatable moments for me was when he's talking about her funeral and he says "What they all said about Grace was true, but it was also false. They were only focusing on her good qualities, as if she were this perfect person. Grace was amazing, but she was also human, which meant she was messy and complicated. How could you sum up a person's life in five minutes anyway." This is something I've talked about a lot. That falseness that happens after someone dies, All these people come out and talk about how amazing they were, and you're left going "Wait didn't you guys have a falling out years ago? Like what happened to that?" Nobody wants to say anything negative and by doing that it starts to create this fake person who isn't real. When you love someone and know someone so fully. It's so hard just be surrounded by this perfect version of them. That's why it was so powerful to me that scene where they are on the ground reading her journals and laughing at all the crazy things she wrote, because they knew her faults and they loved her anyways. Even when she wasn't easy to love and that's real.
I am overwhelmed by all the things I want to talk about. There were just that many things I loved about it. I loved the "what do you miss today?" It was beautiful and something I'd like to find a way to incorporate into my everyday life as well. I loved that it reminded me that although grief feels like such an isolated thing, it's really the people next to you and behind you that get you through it. I loved that I ugly cried through most of it, because there is nothing more therapeutic than ugly crying into a book that knows your soul. And lastly I love that I get to pass this book on to everyone I know. Thank you Carrie Arcos for writing a book that wasn't scared of showing us the nitty gritty of loss. You make powerful work and I hope everyone reads this book.
September 29, 2014
3.5 stars
No matter who is getting up early to go to work, no matter what work is being done, no matter what fights people are having, no matter what happiness, or sorrow. Life keeps going.
Are you still a twin if you lose the person who is basically the other half of you?
That’s the question that Mark struggles with these days. Losing his twin sister, Grace, in a car accident has him filled with guilt and regret and second guesses, Mark has to go on with his life but he isn’t sure how he’s going to do that.
Enter Hanna, Grace’s best friend, and the girl who lives across the street. When a journal of Grace’s is recovered that includes a bucket list of things that Grace wanted to do… things that she was afraid of doing… Hanna suggests completing the list in honor of her and Mark grudgingly agrees.
As Mark reads through Grace’s journal though, he realizes that maybe he didn’t know his twin as well as he thought, and the anger and sadness that he fights to make sense of everything and his growing feelings for Hanna are overwhelming.
I’m a twin. I don’t know if you know this about me, and so I went into this book expecting great big sobs simply because the premise of this story is … a nightmare. Something I can’t even imagine … something I don’t WANT to imagine.
I didn’t sob, but there were definite spots where the sadness and anger that Mark felt threatened to overwhelm even me. I think that these parts are really well done and quite realistic. The survivor’s guilt that Mark experiences, the anger that he felt, Arcos writes it in a way that makes the reader experience it too.
I really enjoyed Arcos writing style and there were some passages that I highlighted just because I loved the way they sounded…
They say grief is an ocean measured in waves and currents, rocking and tossing you about like a boat stranded in the middle of the deep. But this is not true. Grief is a dull blade against the skin of your soul it takes time doing its work.
I think ultimately, I wanted more about Mark’s family though and how and what they were doing to cope with the loss. Mark is Filipino which in itself is unique in YA, but we only get brief glimpses into that life… mentions of food and certain family members, but it doesn’t really delve any deeper than a scratch on the surface.
Arcos has created a story of grief and sadness, yes, but there is also hope and happiness. It’s a story of forgiving yourself and moving forward even when it’s the last thing you think you should do. If you’re looking for a touching story of family and friendship, definitely pick this one up.
Thank you to Simon Pulse & Edelweiss for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
No matter who is getting up early to go to work, no matter what work is being done, no matter what fights people are having, no matter what happiness, or sorrow. Life keeps going.
Are you still a twin if you lose the person who is basically the other half of you?
That’s the question that Mark struggles with these days. Losing his twin sister, Grace, in a car accident has him filled with guilt and regret and second guesses, Mark has to go on with his life but he isn’t sure how he’s going to do that.
Enter Hanna, Grace’s best friend, and the girl who lives across the street. When a journal of Grace’s is recovered that includes a bucket list of things that Grace wanted to do… things that she was afraid of doing… Hanna suggests completing the list in honor of her and Mark grudgingly agrees.
As Mark reads through Grace’s journal though, he realizes that maybe he didn’t know his twin as well as he thought, and the anger and sadness that he fights to make sense of everything and his growing feelings for Hanna are overwhelming.
I’m a twin. I don’t know if you know this about me, and so I went into this book expecting great big sobs simply because the premise of this story is … a nightmare. Something I can’t even imagine … something I don’t WANT to imagine.
I didn’t sob, but there were definite spots where the sadness and anger that Mark felt threatened to overwhelm even me. I think that these parts are really well done and quite realistic. The survivor’s guilt that Mark experiences, the anger that he felt, Arcos writes it in a way that makes the reader experience it too.
I really enjoyed Arcos writing style and there were some passages that I highlighted just because I loved the way they sounded…
They say grief is an ocean measured in waves and currents, rocking and tossing you about like a boat stranded in the middle of the deep. But this is not true. Grief is a dull blade against the skin of your soul it takes time doing its work.
I think ultimately, I wanted more about Mark’s family though and how and what they were doing to cope with the loss. Mark is Filipino which in itself is unique in YA, but we only get brief glimpses into that life… mentions of food and certain family members, but it doesn’t really delve any deeper than a scratch on the surface.
Arcos has created a story of grief and sadness, yes, but there is also hope and happiness. It’s a story of forgiving yourself and moving forward even when it’s the last thing you think you should do. If you’re looking for a touching story of family and friendship, definitely pick this one up.
Thank you to Simon Pulse & Edelweiss for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
May 21, 2014
Ahhhhhh, 5 stars. Good to see you again in my reads shelf.
I know that the moment I got my hands on this book I will love this. I was lazily scrolling on the recommendations tab here in Goodreads and strolling around my local bookstore for a fresh new read, then I have decided that reading one more story about star-crossed lovers, teenage issues, insecurities and those same old stuff will make my head explode. Fortunately, I stumbled upon this campaign called "#WeNeedDiverseBooks' and, would you look at that, I saw this book. Not only the plot piqued my interest but also when I saw that the main protagonist is a Filipino, I knew I am in for a new treat and that I should read it while I can. Seriously, this book is one of the best things that happened in my whole summer break.
Mark is such a realistic character. I know I am really indifferent towards the male protagonist (blame the feminist in me) but Mark really is just a normal teenager who just happens to have a twin sister who died and is now in the state of grieving and finding ways towards acceptance and forgiveness. I am also shocked that I haven't made a negative comment about Chris, his therapist, even though he had only a small role. I really have a thing about defending psychologists in tv shows, movies and books; I think their roles are being butchered in media today (maybe it's because I happen to be a Psychologist in the making and I am being biased). Anyway, I loved how the story flowed so effortlessly and perfectly, I loved the story, period. I find myself laughing and nodding on the Filipino references made, suddenly craving for a plate of longganisa and lumpia (god, I haven't eaten them for a while now). I admit, I was expecting for a "Mahal kita, mula pa noon" (translation: I love you since then) or something like that in the end but ... mhmm, maybe I was asking for too much Filipino references. But still, it exceeded my expectations and I found myself crying, literally tearing up because of a book which is a first time for a while, with Mark and it feels so good feeling again, not just reading. I missed that feeling so much I may read this again eventually after a few weeks when I'll be disappointed again with my reads.
I have no more words for this book. It's very well-written and heart-tugging (Heart-tugging?! Tsk tsk, my English professor will be very disappointed with me right now). Seriously, this book is sooooo underrated people should put down whatever crap they're reading and read this, pronto.
P.S. I am now preparing myself because it's going to be a lot while before I'm going to give a book 5 stars or a place in my favorites shelf. I really am proud of myself for being curious enough, leading to my discovery of this book.
I know that the moment I got my hands on this book I will love this. I was lazily scrolling on the recommendations tab here in Goodreads and strolling around my local bookstore for a fresh new read, then I have decided that reading one more story about star-crossed lovers, teenage issues, insecurities and those same old stuff will make my head explode. Fortunately, I stumbled upon this campaign called "#WeNeedDiverseBooks' and, would you look at that, I saw this book. Not only the plot piqued my interest but also when I saw that the main protagonist is a Filipino, I knew I am in for a new treat and that I should read it while I can. Seriously, this book is one of the best things that happened in my whole summer break.
Mark is such a realistic character. I know I am really indifferent towards the male protagonist (blame the feminist in me) but Mark really is just a normal teenager who just happens to have a twin sister who died and is now in the state of grieving and finding ways towards acceptance and forgiveness. I am also shocked that I haven't made a negative comment about Chris, his therapist, even though he had only a small role. I really have a thing about defending psychologists in tv shows, movies and books; I think their roles are being butchered in media today (maybe it's because I happen to be a Psychologist in the making and I am being biased). Anyway, I loved how the story flowed so effortlessly and perfectly, I loved the story, period. I find myself laughing and nodding on the Filipino references made, suddenly craving for a plate of longganisa and lumpia (god, I haven't eaten them for a while now). I admit, I was expecting for a "Mahal kita, mula pa noon" (translation: I love you since then) or something like that in the end but ... mhmm, maybe I was asking for too much Filipino references. But still, it exceeded my expectations and I found myself crying, literally tearing up because of a book which is a first time for a while, with Mark and it feels so good feeling again, not just reading. I missed that feeling so much I may read this again eventually after a few weeks when I'll be disappointed again with my reads.
I have no more words for this book. It's very well-written and heart-tugging (Heart-tugging?! Tsk tsk, my English professor will be very disappointed with me right now). Seriously, this book is sooooo underrated people should put down whatever crap they're reading and read this, pronto.
P.S. I am now preparing myself because it's going to be a lot while before I'm going to give a book 5 stars or a place in my favorites shelf. I really am proud of myself for being curious enough, leading to my discovery of this book.
March 21, 2014
Carrie Arcos's debut Out of Reach was one of my favorite books of last year, so I was beyond excited for There Will Come a Time. And luckily, I wasn't disappointed! Carrie Arcos's writing is just as great in this one as in Out of Reach, and I loved everything about it!
I just love Carrie Arcos's writing style; it's what makes this novel work.The best word to describe her style, I think, would be addicting - I just couldn't stop reading. Her style flows really nicely, and I was immersed in the story from beginning on. It's not the most ornate or beautiful writing, but the voice is honest and strong and just works. I really don't know how else to explain it, but I just love anything that Carrie Arcos writes.
Mark is an intriguing, dynamic character. He can be kind of an asshole sometimes, and it frustrated me so much how he kept trying to push everyone away, but he has some sweet moments too, so I couldn't help but love him. This makes him a very dynamic, realistic character, and his voice is honest and relatable. I loved all the secondary characters, too: Mark's family, Hanna, his friends at school, and the rest of the Twinless Twins. The only character that was a little underdeveloped, to me, was Grace: I wish we had gotten to know her a little better, because that would have made Mark's grief even more palpable, and There Will Come a Time could have been an even more emotional read. (Not that I didn't already cry the way it was.)
The plot is very understated; There Will Come a Time is most definitely a character-driven novel. I really enjoyed reading about Mark and Hanna's adventures to honor Grace. Oftentimes, the completing-a-dead-loved-one's-bucket-list type of storylines feel kind of forced to me, but the story in There Will Come a Time develops very naturally. Carrie Arcos balances this storyline well with the family dynamics, Mark's relationships with people at his school, and of course his relationship with Hanna. I especially loved Mark's and Hanna's relationship: I love how the novel didn't focus on the romance or make it overly dramatic. Mark and Hanna's friendship-and-possibly-more develops very naturally over the course of the novel.
I didn't love There Will Come a Time quite as much as Out of Reach just because of the more unique plot idea in Out of Reach, but I did absolutely love There Will Come a Time, too. Carrie Arcos's writing is amazing, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
I just love Carrie Arcos's writing style; it's what makes this novel work.The best word to describe her style, I think, would be addicting - I just couldn't stop reading. Her style flows really nicely, and I was immersed in the story from beginning on. It's not the most ornate or beautiful writing, but the voice is honest and strong and just works. I really don't know how else to explain it, but I just love anything that Carrie Arcos writes.
Mark is an intriguing, dynamic character. He can be kind of an asshole sometimes, and it frustrated me so much how he kept trying to push everyone away, but he has some sweet moments too, so I couldn't help but love him. This makes him a very dynamic, realistic character, and his voice is honest and relatable. I loved all the secondary characters, too: Mark's family, Hanna, his friends at school, and the rest of the Twinless Twins. The only character that was a little underdeveloped, to me, was Grace: I wish we had gotten to know her a little better, because that would have made Mark's grief even more palpable, and There Will Come a Time could have been an even more emotional read. (Not that I didn't already cry the way it was.)
The plot is very understated; There Will Come a Time is most definitely a character-driven novel. I really enjoyed reading about Mark and Hanna's adventures to honor Grace. Oftentimes, the completing-a-dead-loved-one's-bucket-list type of storylines feel kind of forced to me, but the story in There Will Come a Time develops very naturally. Carrie Arcos balances this storyline well with the family dynamics, Mark's relationships with people at his school, and of course his relationship with Hanna. I especially loved Mark's and Hanna's relationship: I love how the novel didn't focus on the romance or make it overly dramatic. Mark and Hanna's friendship-and-possibly-more develops very naturally over the course of the novel.
I didn't love There Will Come a Time quite as much as Out of Reach just because of the more unique plot idea in Out of Reach, but I did absolutely love There Will Come a Time, too. Carrie Arcos's writing is amazing, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
March 14, 2017
This was a good read about the ups and downs of losing someone you love. The confusing and mixed feelings about loss and life. How you can forgive but still be mad as hell. How you're not sure if you should talk about the person who died, but love being able to.
I wasn't that fond of the overall story and didn't really feel anything between Hannah and Mark however. I mean I don't feel like this was suppose to be a story with a plot though. I also feel like the bucket list items lacked in feeling. I feel like they just kind of happen and that's it.
I do recommend it to anyone who has lost someone or knows someone who lost someone and needs help understanding all their emotions.
I wasn't that fond of the overall story and didn't really feel anything between Hannah and Mark however. I mean I don't feel like this was suppose to be a story with a plot though. I also feel like the bucket list items lacked in feeling. I feel like they just kind of happen and that's it.
I do recommend it to anyone who has lost someone or knows someone who lost someone and needs help understanding all their emotions.
March 21, 2016
3.5
There Will Come A Time is definitely my favorite book I've read this year so far, Passenger aside. It is a brief contemporary that follows Mark Santos, a seventeen year old music prodigy as he suffers from the tragic loss of his twin sister, Grace.
I really loved this book. Arcos does a wonderful job of making Mark likeable: he's not whiny- he's just angry, confused, and guilty. I also loved the fact that the author incorporated so much diversity in this book. The novel is set in California- so it would be daft of her not to. In addition, Mark is Filipino and it is clear that Carrie has done her research.
I am so sad that that this book had to end. I loved Mark- he was such an interesting character. I liked how he was actively trying to get better- and not just waiting for his grief to come and pass. I also enjoyed watching him attempt to mend his relationship with his parents, half-sister, best friends, and Hanna- his love interest.
Much like Saving Francesca, there isn't much plot here, but I enjoy well-written character studies. The reason why this book isn't five stars is because of the 3rd act: there wasn't really a "climax" or a "come to jesus moment", and when the book came to a close, it was as if the story just began.
"I wonder if this is how Grace felt at the end. If there was a moment of peace right after she said my name and the car hit us. Right before she stopped breathing, did she have a brief moment when dying came as naturally as living?"
There Will Come A Time is definitely my favorite book I've read this year so far, Passenger aside. It is a brief contemporary that follows Mark Santos, a seventeen year old music prodigy as he suffers from the tragic loss of his twin sister, Grace.
I really loved this book. Arcos does a wonderful job of making Mark likeable: he's not whiny- he's just angry, confused, and guilty. I also loved the fact that the author incorporated so much diversity in this book. The novel is set in California- so it would be daft of her not to. In addition, Mark is Filipino and it is clear that Carrie has done her research.
“Ghosts are just pieces of memory. They haunt us because we don't want to forget. We are the ghost makers. We take fragments of the dead and project them onto shadows and sounds, trying to make sense of loss by assigning it a new shape. Ghosts aren't real.”
I am so sad that that this book had to end. I loved Mark- he was such an interesting character. I liked how he was actively trying to get better- and not just waiting for his grief to come and pass. I also enjoyed watching him attempt to mend his relationship with his parents, half-sister, best friends, and Hanna- his love interest.
Much like Saving Francesca, there isn't much plot here, but I enjoy well-written character studies. The reason why this book isn't five stars is because of the 3rd act: there wasn't really a "climax" or a "come to jesus moment", and when the book came to a close, it was as if the story just began.
December 19, 2014
I LOVED this book! This book had a great plot set-up. There were many different events that led up to the plot. Nothing was missing. The setting of this book takes place during the summer/winter time during Mark's senior year,in Los Angeles, California. I believe that this setting was perfect for the novel. Mark goes on wild adventures, so what's a better state than California? In this book, you will meet many characters, but Mark is the one telling the story. Mark has a hard time coping with the loss of his twin sister, and I can relate to him because I am also a twin. Besides Mark, there were other characters including Hanna, Sebastian, Fern, Jenny, River, etc., and all have different personalities. I felt like I was actually in the room, greeting each individual. All the diversity in the book, made you want to read more and more about each character. The different views the characters had, made the book interesting to read. Although this book is about the death of Mark's sister, the author had a positive tone. The tone wasn't sad or depressing, but the author helps people learn the meaning of life. Life shouldn't be about holding back, but it should be about learning to move forward. Life goes on.
This book is suitable for anyone, especially twins! I would highly recommend this book for anyone to read. My twin sister recommended it to me, and I loved it, so I am recommending it to all of you. This book left me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what was going to happen next. While reading, I learned some life lessons. You take in so much from this book. Check this book out today!
This book is suitable for anyone, especially twins! I would highly recommend this book for anyone to read. My twin sister recommended it to me, and I loved it, so I am recommending it to all of you. This book left me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what was going to happen next. While reading, I learned some life lessons. You take in so much from this book. Check this book out today!
March 29, 2014
Mark Santos has/had a twin sister named Grace. Mark and Grace were in a car accident and Grace was killed while Mark who was driving survived. They were both looking forward to their senior year in high school but now Mark has to experience his senior year without Grace. Mark misses his twin sister and has not found a way to work through the grieving process. Grace’s best friend, Hanna, who is also their neighbor, finds a bucket list in one of Grace’s journals. Hanna convinces Mark that together they can complete the top five things to do this year list that Grace has made. Completing the bucket list helps Mark cope with losing Grace but he still has to find a strategy for managing his guilt over being the accident survivor and for dealing with the heartbreak of losing his twin sister.
The plot flowed well and supported the theme of the book. Losing a sibling or friend is not something that most young adults can fathom and having a male character telling about such an emotional experience is an additional benefit in strengthening the story. I like how the author resolves the burden of Mark’s conflicted grief but she also hints that as time goes on Mark will continually get better at managing the heartache and loss.
This review is written after the reading an ARC of this book.
The plot flowed well and supported the theme of the book. Losing a sibling or friend is not something that most young adults can fathom and having a male character telling about such an emotional experience is an additional benefit in strengthening the story. I like how the author resolves the burden of Mark’s conflicted grief but she also hints that as time goes on Mark will continually get better at managing the heartache and loss.
This review is written after the reading an ARC of this book.
December 11, 2015
I didn't expect to finish this book today. I have so many things to do and I'm trying to ignore the building amount of stress I'm feeling but it's hard. So when I picked this book up, I assumed I'd read a few chapters, not the entire thing in one sitting.
I'm crying. I started around the middle of this book. Don't authors know killing one twin is the worst thing you can do, next to killing a beloved pet(why no, I'm not looking at you JK Rowling)?!
It's a beautiful book. The characters are all extremely well written and it's easy to fall in love with them. You feel like you know them, like Mark and Grace are real people.
I also liked how art shows up. Being a person who learns and learned at two art schools, the description is completely on point. Also running. I loved how music plays a part in Mark's life.
I loved Grace's poem and I wish we could have seen more of her writing.
I felt like Mark might have changed his attitude slightly too quickly, like one moment he was angry and the next he was talking to River. But that's just me being picky.
All in all, it's an excellent book. While I probably won't reread it, it's a great read. It's emotional and sad. I recommend it.
Also heck yeah, this is my 156th book of the year and I am done with my challenge.
I'm crying. I started around the middle of this book. Don't authors know killing one twin is the worst thing you can do, next to killing a beloved pet(why no, I'm not looking at you JK Rowling)?!
It's a beautiful book. The characters are all extremely well written and it's easy to fall in love with them. You feel like you know them, like Mark and Grace are real people.
I also liked how art shows up. Being a person who learns and learned at two art schools, the description is completely on point. Also running. I loved how music plays a part in Mark's life.
I loved Grace's poem and I wish we could have seen more of her writing.
I felt like Mark might have changed his attitude slightly too quickly, like one moment he was angry and the next he was talking to River. But that's just me being picky.
All in all, it's an excellent book. While I probably won't reread it, it's a great read. It's emotional and sad. I recommend it.
Also heck yeah, this is my 156th book of the year and I am done with my challenge.
April 15, 2017
This was a good quick read. It was just what I needed. I wanted a break from all the other “heavy” fantasy/dystopian stuff that I read, and this book did the job. The plot and characters kept me interested. That’s all I really have to say about this book; I’m satisfied.
April 12, 2014
I can't believe I am 5 starring two books in less than a week.
April 1, 2016
I really liked this book. It really takes you through the the life of a teen who lost his twin. The book can get somewhat emotional at times but it's not crying emotional.
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