Find your voice Friday

It's the last day of school! I'm not sure who's more excited, me or the kids! It is officially time for the summer fun to begin. Time for spending the weekend with family and friends, laying in the sun (reading of course), staying up later and watching all the shows on Animal Planet that show people catching animals with their bare hands and relocating them humanly and last but not least just plain chill'n out. I don't like for my kids to hear me complain about school so I try to set a good example and not complain about the homework and the mad crazy morning dash out the door. My daughter surprised me last evening and said she can finally finish all her books she has started (she reads multiple at a time and it drives me crazy!). It annoyed her this year that she didn't have the time to read like she has in the past. Welcome to middle school. My son advanced several reading levels and I'm so proud of him. I love to hear him read. This week I checked out a new to me author of a young adult series......

Sweetness by Lindsay Paige
Emily wished she was invisible. But after moving to a new town with her dad, a charming boy makes it impossible for her to disappear. Despite her feelings of unworthiness, Emily soon finds herself drawn to the safety of Jake's world.

Good looking and the star of the hockey team, Jake has a lot going for him. What most people don't see is the difficult life he has at home. When quiet Emily steals his heart, Jake vows to help her discover she is worthy of love.

Just when the two of them realize the sweetness of their relationship, they are put to the test. Only together can they overcome their haunted pasts to fight for a future together.

I have to admit I was having a Twilight moment when I started reading this book. I was unaware that there was a one before this one. With that being the further I got into it I realized it was defiantly not the same. I was crushed by Emily's situation with her mom. At no point should a parent treat their child as she treated Emily. What made it worse was Emily still loved and missed her mom. It is beyond me how someone that has demeaned you like that could possible be worthy of your love. But maybe that's just me. Call me crazy but I like carrying my big black purse of grudge. Forgiveness is not something I give very easily if at all. It also impressed me that Jake is willing to take on helping Emily get herself back. He's just a high schooler raising his little brother and dealing with his own issues. Shout out to you Jake.

I give this book 2 chocolate dipped strawberries and a pair of running shoes with the lights that flash. If you're gonna run at night, be safe.
PEACE
ps