I'd first like to say a big thank you to the teams at Readers First and Hot Key Books for kindly sending me a copy of Wink to read.
Seventh-grader Ross is not only struggling with the awkward everyday life of school and growing up. He's also dealing with having a life-threatening illness, a scar - and everyone looking at him. A combination he could do without. Between radiation treatments, freak-outs, family life, and school life - all Ross wants is to be normal. It's thanks to a group of unexpected people who bring him back to life and help him survive school with one eye open.
It's always difficult when reading a book that talks about something very real and very serious; something that is affecting some every day. However, Rob Harrell's mix of charming humour and sketches made Wink the type of book I was able to read through in just two short sittings. Pairing the humour and sketches with the wonderful plot about how Ross copes with his daily life, and Wink has very quickly become one of the books that I'm sure to remember.
Technically, I am not the target audience of this book - however... I was able to enjoy it and appreciate it as a 22-year-old who often finds her nose stuck in a thriller over anything else. Throughout the book, I found myself thinking back to the wonderful gem that is Wonder by R.J Palacio, which I read several years back. Though both books focus on very different issues, they're very similar.
This book made me laugh, gasp and even get a little teary-eyed. A win in my eyes!
Seventh-grader Ross is not only struggling with the awkward everyday life of school and growing up. He's also dealing with having a life-threatening illness, a scar - and everyone looking at him. A combination he could do without. Between radiation treatments, freak-outs, family life, and school life - all Ross wants is to be normal. It's thanks to a group of unexpected people who bring him back to life and help him survive school with one eye open.
It's always difficult when reading a book that talks about something very real and very serious; something that is affecting some every day. However, Rob Harrell's mix of charming humour and sketches made Wink the type of book I was able to read through in just two short sittings. Pairing the humour and sketches with the wonderful plot about how Ross copes with his daily life, and Wink has very quickly become one of the books that I'm sure to remember.
Technically, I am not the target audience of this book - however... I was able to enjoy it and appreciate it as a 22-year-old who often finds her nose stuck in a thriller over anything else. Throughout the book, I found myself thinking back to the wonderful gem that is Wonder by R.J Palacio, which I read several years back. Though both books focus on very different issues, they're very similar.
This book made me laugh, gasp and even get a little teary-eyed. A win in my eyes!