I've been in a reading funk for a while now, which really sucks because I've had 2 weeks off work and no read mind blowing reads. When hunting for that next read I stumbled across The Other Side, and I am so glad I picked it up! It really touched my soul... you need to pick this one up!
Title: The Other Side
Author: Kim Holden
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Denver, Colorado
1987
There are two sides to every story.
The surface reality that’s presented to the world.
And then there’s the other side.
The real one.
The one that matters.
Seventeen-year-old, self-proclaimed asshole, Toby Page, is alone.
No friends.
No family.
He trades maintenance work in exchange for room and board.
Every day he fights demons no one else can see.
Every day he wants to give up.
But he can’t.
Not yet.
When Alice Eliot moves in downstairs, she offers Toby some light in his dark world.
At a crossroads and barely hanging on, it’s hard to have perspective.
It’s difficult to see your own worth when you’re the villain in your story.
Luckily for Toby, Alice brings things out in him that no one else ever has.
As the two sides of Toby’s story are revealed, and the full reality comes into view, truth is gained.
Improbable alliances prove that kindness is fundamentally human.
Unlikely heroes emerge.
The question is, Will it all be enough to save him?
1987
There are two sides to every story.
The surface reality that’s presented to the world.
And then there’s the other side.
The real one.
The one that matters.
Seventeen-year-old, self-proclaimed asshole, Toby Page, is alone.
No friends.
No family.
He trades maintenance work in exchange for room and board.
Every day he fights demons no one else can see.
Every day he wants to give up.
But he can’t.
Not yet.
When Alice Eliot moves in downstairs, she offers Toby some light in his dark world.
At a crossroads and barely hanging on, it’s hard to have perspective.
It’s difficult to see your own worth when you’re the villain in your story.
Luckily for Toby, Alice brings things out in him that no one else ever has.
As the two sides of Toby’s story are revealed, and the full reality comes into view, truth is gained.
Improbable alliances prove that kindness is fundamentally human.
Unlikely heroes emerge.
The question is, Will it all be enough to save him?
What a mind blowing read this one! The writing was amazing and the emotion poured from the pages really moved me. I really didn't think how deep this book could take me, and as each little piece of the story was unravelled, the more my heart ached. Each character had their own demons or issues, but the way they all wove together, was amazing!
Toby was such a sad character, and I could see he was his own worst enemy. His was a stickler for routine, and I could see he worked hard at school and at home. He didn't have much, and even where he was living made me sad for him. He was such a kind soul and always saw the best in people, despite how they would treat him.
I liked the change in Toby when he met Alice. There was a connection between them that he couldn't ignore and he was continuously drawn to her. She made him feel things, like happiness and longing, which he hadn't felt in a long time. He had a plan though and I could see the direction it was heading and my heart was truly breaking for this lost young man.
Honestly, this book pulled so much emotion out of me, and there were numerous times that I shed tears. I just wanted someone to step in for Toby and show that they cared for him too. He didn't realise the amount of support that he could get from the people around him. Kim Holden sure knows how to weave a tale that can leave and impact on your soul, and I know I'll be thinking about this book for a long time to come.
I have a few teasers today, they were all moments that made my heart ache for Toby... 😥
Her hands shift from my stomach and slide around to hug me under my shirt. “Every kiss eventually ends. The memory of them doesn’t. I’ll still feel that one when I’m ninety,” she whispers so Cliff can’t hear, because the bastard is still watching us.
Hugging her back, I agree inwardly, The memory of them doesn’t...
Kindle Page 128
“Some people aren’t worth fighting for, Toby. You’re not one of them. There are people we meet in this life who anchor us. They reassure us with their presence. They bring us comfort simply by being. They love by osmosis, radiating it out and diffusing it in effortlessly. Quietly, they walk among us, treading lightly but providing stability and influence because it’s second nature. The thing that’s so special about these people is that they don’t even know they’re doing it.”
Tears are streaming again as I involuntarily gasp for the air my body is demanding to feed the torrent. I immediately bury my face in the forearms of my sweatshirt to muffle my breakdown.
“That’s you, Toby. That’s you. You’re worth fighting for.” Her voice cracks before she adds, “You have no fucking idea how much I wish you realized it and started fighting for yourself.”
Kindle Page 239
I’m eighteen years old and this is the first cake I’ve ever had that was mine, name written on it or not. We never had birthday cakes growing up. We never celebrated milestones. We never did a lot of things and it was okay because that’s just how it was.
But this cake is mine.
Kindle Page 318
Some of my favorite things: Reading (YA or New Adult), writing (especially on a productive day), the two coolest guys on the planet (my husband and son), my bicycle (hand built by my husband), Facebook (it’s an addiction at this point), iced coffee (hazelnut from McDonalds), and music (LOVE Sunset Sons, the 1975, Dredg, the xx, Balance and Composure, Teenage Bottlerocket, Manchester Orchestra, and 30 Seconds to Mars).I also love dreaming. Big. Writing a few years ago was an elusive dream until I grabbed a hold of it with both hands and refused to let go. Keep chasing YOUR dreams
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