Again, I have been blown away by a Mia Sheridan book.
This story is the beautiful, captivating and heartwarming story of 2 teenagers, who have a hard time and really bad start at life. They use their bad luck, and heartache to fuel their desire to get out of where they live.
Tenleigh and Kyland live in a town hidden away in the mountains. Both Tenleigh and Kyland know what it feels like to be hungry, dirt poor. No shoes, clothes, money for anything. All they have is hope. The hope that they can work hard enough, and win the Tyton Coal scholarship. Yet there is only 1 scholarship, and they both want it badly. It's all they have. Although they fight the inevitable friendship, and chemistry, it's something that happens to come naturally to them. What builds between them is the most tender and beautiful, sighworthy love. The sort of love that can't be fought. They both need to leave the town, and the only way out is the scholarship. So they develop a friendship, knowing full well, one of them will be leaving at the end of the school year, the other one won't.
It broke my heart to see all the suffering in this place that they live, it really opens up your eyes, knowing full well that part isn't all fiction. But, reading about how Kyland and Tenleigh managed to make the best of what they had, like on Christmas day, was incredible. It made me realise just lucky we are. Anyway, aside from that eye opener. The bigger part of this story that made an impression, was the incredible love story. Mia Sheridan has become like the Queen of everlasting, love stories. The kind that stick with you forever. Where you need your own Kyland to be real.
Tenleigh was incredible, such a inspirational, beautiful character, inside and out. I loved how she was so selfless, funny and loved deeply.
Kyland was the pretty much the male version of Tenleigh. Any attributes she had, were mirrored by Kyland. They brought out the best in each other, and you just know, around the corner pain and heartache will spoil everything.
It's one of those stories, that you think you can guess how it will play out, right from the start. Yet, I could never have guessed what would of happened, and I'm left glued to every word. I did know I would end up crying, I think that is a given with a Mia Sheridan book, but it's always worth it when you get to the end.
Half agony, half hope.
Half pain, half ecstacy.
Half grief, half joy.
Half my downfall, half my savior.
This time, I realised something that I didn't think of with the last books of Mia Sheridan's that I have read.
I am a huge, huge Virginia Andrews fan. I always have been. I grew up with Virginia Andrews books, and read them over and over until I could repeat the lines. Yes, a little sad but I don't care. Anyway, after reading Kyland I came to a realisation, Mia Sheridan's books remind me of Virginia Andrews books. It never clicked before when I read the others, but suddenly after reading Kyland, I worked out why I loved it so much. It reminded me of the same sort of feeling I had after reading a VA book. It's hard to explain, but it's like the voice of her books are timeless. Her stories don't have a super modern feel, they don't need it. They have their own time and voice, and are nothing like any other books that I read, that are currently released. Virginia Andrews books always had their own feel too, and nothing like any other books. I know this is a completely random thought, and probably something nobody else would agree on, but for me it's a huge compliment. It's something that just makes me love Mia Sheridan's books all the more.
Someday, when I'm living my dreams, I'm going to think of all the things that broke my heart and I'm going to be thankful for them.
A huge amount more than 5 stars. 5 definitely doesn't cut it with Kyland.
**I was given an ARC of this book, in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
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