Apple & Rain - Sarah Crossan
Book Synopsis: When Apple's mother returns after eleven years away, Apple feels whole again. But just like the stormy Christmas Eve when she left, her mother's homecoming is bittersweet. It's only when Apple meets someone more lost than she is that she begins to see things as they really are. A story about sad endings. A story about happy beginnings. A story to make you realise who is special.
I spent nearly 1/4 of the book trying to figure out why in the world the title has anything to do with rain... honestly, it finally dawned on me when I realized the title was even more relative than a few drops of a rainstorm.
Although I didn't completely hate this book, I didn't entirely love it either. No, that's a lie, I loved it.
The character was at an age that wasn't very memorable for me, but I did feel that Apple was easy to relate to, but I couldn't stand her attitude.
Towards the end of the book I started to change my opinion, and I actually liked Del, my favorite character was without a doubt Nan. This book showed me that poetry is more than speaking the truth. It's more about your own personal truth and how you can express yourself through the words that ache to write, but feel so good when you finally get them out. Like John Mayer says, "Say what you need to say, or say nothing at all."
Rain was probably the most annoying aspect of the novel, but I grew to admire her from a very deep place in my heart. Apple and her mother's relationship was tumultuous and it was as if I was reading a dramatic article from one of those cheap tabloid magazines.
I'll be looking forward to reading her other books.
Rating: ★★★★★