THE LOVE WAS THERE FIRST - EMMA SCOTT - IN HARMONY ★ ÉRTÉKELÉS / ARC REVIEW ★
PLEASE
SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISH 👇👇👇
KÖNYVPROFIL
Megjelenés
ideje: 2018. február 13.
Kiadó:
Trillian
Oldalak
száma (nyomtatott verzió): 380 oldal
Fülszöveg:
The root of all madness is an unbearable truth…
At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…
Isaac Pearce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood and leave Harmony behind for good.
No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.
In Harmony is a standalone YOUNG ADULT/NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.
At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…
Isaac Pearce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood and leave Harmony behind for good.
No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.
In Harmony is a standalone YOUNG ADULT/NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.
*ARC kindly provided by the
author in exchange for an honest review*
You’re
my until.
The one that makes everything better.
Csak
két szó: az érzéseim…
Annyira
érzelmes volt.
És
annyira gyönyörű.
Emma
Scott, egy nagyon-nagyon-nagyon csodálatos történetet alkottál. És összetörted
a szívem. Újra. Először a Full Tilt-tel, most pedig az In Harmony-val.
De
most komolyan: annyira csodálatra méltó könyv volt. Kívülről és belülről is.
Csak nézzetek a borítójára: hát nem szépséges? Véleményem szerint, de, nagyon
is az. Ezután olvassátok el a fülszöveget: kíváncsi lettél tőle? Most azonnal
olvasni akarod? Akkor gyerünk, szerezzétek be és kezdjetek is neki, ugyanis
100%-ig biztos vagyok benne, hogy le lesztek nyűgözve és hamar a kedvencetekké
fog válni. De mielőtt nagyon belemerülnétek hagy adjak nektek egy jó kis
tanácsot: győződjetek meg róla, hogy van a közeletekben papír zsebkendő.
Szükségetek lesz rá.
Most
pedig néhány spoilermentes mondatban bemutatom nektek a történetet:
Női
főszereplőnk Willow Holloway, aki egészen a tizenhetedik szülinapjáig egy
átlagosnak és többnyire boldognak mondható tinédzser volt, azonban ekkor nagyon
megváltozott, ugyanis történt valami a szülinapi buliján. Valami rettenetes.
Ezután a lány sokat változott és már nem ugyanolyan, mint amilyen volt. A
későbbiekben Willow szülei bejelentik, hogy el kell költözniük New York Cityből
Indianába. A lány ezzel kapcsolatban még egy kicsit boldognak is mondható,
hiszen végre elhagyhatja ezt a helyet, ahol a szörnyűség történet vele, békére
találhat és új életet kezdhet.
A
férfi főhős a tizenkilenc éves Isaac Pearce, aki egy igazi tehetség. Egy Harmonyban található színházban dolgozik,
tehetsége van a színészethez, tudja, hogy hogyan kell játszani a színpadon, a
közönség pedig teljesen el van ájulva tőle. Azonban itt a vége a boldog dolgoknak.
Fájdalmas múlttal rendelkezik, elvesztette az egyik szülőjét, az élete már
egyáltalán nem olyan, mint egykor volt. Amilyen gyorsan csak lehet, el akarja
hagyni Harmonyt.
Aztán,
Willow a szüleivel ebbe a városkába költözik, Isaac pedig egyszerűen nem tudja
levenni a szemeit a lányról, pedig egyáltalán nem akar közel kerülni hozzá,
hiszen hamarosan elköltözik. De minden meg tud változni, ha azt akarjuk, hogy
megváltozzon, igaz? Sosem túl késő.
Emma
Scott In Harmony című regénye igazán varázslatosra sikeredett, telis-tele van
csodálatos karakterekkel. Willow teljes mértékben egy kedves, de ugyanakkor
kitartó és bátor lány, Angie a ’legjobb barát’ definíciója, Isaac pedig annyira
inspiráló, bátor és egyben nagyon félreismert. Mindenki azt gondolja, hogy ő
csak tipikusan a „rossz fiú mindenféle érzelmek nélkül”. Egyáltalán nem ilyen.
Willow és Isaac külön-külön is nagyszerűek, együtt pedig még erősebbek.
When
I’m with you, I don’t feel the need to be somewhere else or to be someone else.
I can be in my own skin without it hurting so fucking badly. That’s a gift,
Willow. One I can never repay you for.
És
még valami: a lány szülei rendesen megleptek a könyv vége felé, de amikor ez
bekövetkezett csak ennyit tudtam mondani: VÉGRE!
Az
epilógus pedig…
Egyszerűen
TÖKÉLETES.
Méltó
befejezést kapott a könyv.
Nyugodtan
kijelenthetem, hogy Emma Scott nagyon ért az érzelmes történetek írásához és
igazán jó is benne. Remélem, hogy egyszer még több magyar olvasó megismerheti
az ő nevét.
Romantikus
könyvek kedvelői: el kell olvasnotok.
RÖVID
ÖSSZEFOGLALÁS
Borító:
Szépséges, imádom. ♥
Kedvenc
karakter(ek): Isaac (♥), Willow, Angie, Marty, Benny
Nem
szimpatikus karakter(ek): Xavier
Ajánlom?
Természetesen, ez nem is kérdés! Minden romantikakedvelőnek ajánlom az In
Harmonyt.
Értékelés:
Az öt csillag nem igazán elég arra, hogy kifejezzem, mennyire is szerettem ezt
a regényt. Az értékelő skálán a kis könyvet egyértelműen az „Imádtam”-hoz
rakom.
Kedvenc
idézetek:
Someday, Willow, you might find yourself cast into
darkness too. I hope that day never comes. If it does, it will be scary at
first. But you will see your own brilliance. Your own strength. And you will
shine.
“Now that we are this far along, what do you think
of Hamlet?”
“He talks too much.”
Marty sat back in his chair, lips pursed, thinking.
“Can you expand on that?”
“He talks too fucking much.”
The
love was there first.
Doubt
thou the stars are fire,
Doubt
that the sun doth move,
Doubt
truth to be a liar,
But
never doubt I love.
You shook me to the bone in a way I've never felt before and I couldn't
take my eyes off you.
“Act
Two, Scene Two. A2, S2.” I pulled her close. “Remember?”
Her
lips parted, and her cheeks turned pink. “Of course I do. The letter. Never
doubt…”
“Never
doubt, Willow.” I kissed her again. In that moment, it seemed so easy.
So
perfect, I could almost forget the words were written for a tragedy.
EGY
KIS BETEKINTŐ A REGÉNYBE (ISAAC SZEMSZÖGÉBŐL)
“I’m
so…not into being with someone right now,” Willow said with a nervous lilt to
her words. “Not for a while, anyway.”
I
heard a whisper on the breeze, or ever again. A heaviness in her eyes hinted
she had lost something and had almost given up trying to find it.
She
hasn’t given up, I thought, a fierce admiration welling in me. That’s why she’s
doing the play. To find it again.
In
that moment, I vowed to try to cut out all the egotistical bullshit and
jealousy over Justin. The dance was out of range now anyway. I couldn’t ask her
to go even if I wanted to. Which I didn’t. My job was to help her find what she
was looking for in Hamlet, however I could. Even as it dented my eagerness to
get the hell out of Harmony.
Willow
shielded her eyes from the sun and squinted at me. “So what about you?”
“What
about me?”
“Do
you like anyone?” she asked, her voice a half tone higher than usual. She
laughed. “That’s such a high school thing to ask.”
“No,”
I said. “If all goes to plan, I’m leaving Harmony, remember? Stupid to start
something now.”
“Sure.
Makes sense.”
A
silence fell.
“Yeah,
so I probably won’t go to the dance,” Willow said. “I’m not good in that kind
of situation anymore.”
“What
kind of situation?”
She
shook her head. “Never mind. I should get back.”
Willow
started to scoot down off the block. I held my hand out to her to help. She
hesitated for a fraction of a second and then took it. I held my other hand out
and she took that too. I steadied her as she hopped down and then we were
standing face to face. Close enough I could see her pale blue eyes had lighter
shards of blue in them, like a topaz. Close enough to smell the sweetness of
her breath—coffee tinged with sugar. Close enough to dance if we wanted.
“Thanks,”
Willow said, gazing up at me.
“Sure,”
I said.
I
still held her hands. She didn’t let go.
“So,”
she breathed, still not moving.
“Yeah.”
I
glanced down at our hands. I hadn’t touched something this soft and good in
ages. The sleeve of her coat bunched up and I spied a black mark on the inside
of her forearm, close to her wrist. Willow drew in a breath as I turned her
hand over. An X, about the size of a quarter, was stark on her pale skin.
She
tugged her hands away. “I really need to get back.”
Every
instinct cried out to take her hand again, to ask her what the X meant. To lick
my thumb and erase it off her skin. I didn’t know what it meant but the sight
of it made my stomach feel heavy.
“Willow—”
“I
doodle when I’m bored. I told you that.” Her voice was sharp but her smile
wobbled. “Let’s go.”
We
walked the short distance back to town wordlessly. Back in front of the
theater, Willow shouldered her bag and glanced around. “Thanks for today. I
think Martin would be happy with our progress.”
“I
do too.”
God,
would he, I thought.
“So,
I guess I’ll see you Monday?” she said.
“You
have a ride home?”
“Oh,
uh…” She still wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I was thinking of walking.”
“To
Emerson Hills?” I said. “That’s a mile and a half and it’s getting dark soon.”
She
raised her brows. “I’m not allowed to walk in the dark?”
“You’re
allowed,” I said, “but I don’t want you to.”
Az
írónő elérhetőségei:
Weoldal:
www.emmascott.net
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/EmmaScottwrites
Twitter:
@EmmaS_writes
Instagram:
@emmascottwrites
Amazon:
http://bit.ly/EmmaScott
BOOK PROFILE
Publication date: February 13, 2018
Publisher: Trillian
Print Lenght: 380 pages
Blurb:
The root of all madness is an unbearable truth…
At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…
Isaac Pearce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood and leave Harmony behind for good.
No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.
In Harmony is a standalone YOUNG ADULT/NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.
At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…
Isaac Pearce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood and leave Harmony behind for good.
No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.
In Harmony is a standalone YOUNG ADULT/NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.
*ARC kindly provided by the
author in exchange for an honest review*
You’re
my until.
The one that makes everything better.
Just
two words: my feels…
So
many feelings.
It
was so beautiful.
Emma
Scott, you created a really-really-really wonderful story. And you broke my
heart. Again. Firstly, with Full Tilt, and now with In Harmony.
Seriously
guys, it was such an admirable book. Inside and outside too. Just look at that
cover: isn’t that gorgeous? In my opinion, yes, it is. Definitely. Then, read
the synopsis: does it make you curious? You want to read it immediately? Well
then, go ahead, because I’m 100% sure that you’ll be impressed and it will be
your next favourite. But before you jump into reading, I would like to give you
a pro tip: make sure that you have a lot of tissue paper near you. You’ll need
these.
Now,
let me just shortly introduce you the story in a spoiler-free way:
The
heroine is Willow Holloway and she was a normal and mostly happy teenager until
her seventeenth birthday, because something happend in that party. Something
really bad. Since that day she’s changed a lot and now she is not like she used
to be. Later, her parents announce that they’ll move from New York City to
Indiana. Willow is happy, because she hopes that she can find some peace and
start a new life.
The
male main character is nineteen years
old Isaac Pearce, who is a real talent.
He acts in a theatre in Harmony , he really knows how to play on the
stage, and everybody is mesmerized by him. But the bright side of his story
ends here. He has a very painful past, he lost one of his parents, and his life
is not the same any more. He wants to leave Harmony as soon as possible. Then, Willow moves to Harmony with her
parents and he can not take his eyes away from the girl, but he don’t want to
get close to her because he wants to leave. But everything can change if we
want to change it, right? It’s never too late.
In
Harmony by Emma Scott was amazing and full with marvelous characters. Willow
was such a brave, kind and strong female character, Angie is the definition of
’the best friend’, and Isaac was so inspirational, courageous and
misunderstood. Everybody saw him as the bad boy without feeling but it is not
true. He was far away from that. Willow and Isaac are wonderful characters but
they’re more powerful together.
When
I’m with you, I don’t feel the need to be somewhere else or to be someone else.
I can be in my own skin without it hurting so fucking badly. That’s a gift,
Willow. One I can never repay you for.
By
the way: her parents surpirsed me, especially at the end. When that happened I
was like: FINALLY!
And
the epilogue…
It
was PERFECT.
Swoon-worthy.
Beautiful.
I
can say that Emma knows how to write emotional stories and she is really good
at it. I hope sometimes hungarian readers can read form her, because Hungary
definitely should know her name.
Romance
readers: you need to read this one.
PS.: Thank you Emma Scott for this wonderful opportunity! :)
SUMMARY
Cover:
Gorgeous, I love it. ♥
Favourite
character(s): Isaac (♥), Willow, Angie, Marty, Benny
I
didn’t really like that/these character(s): Xavier
Recommend
it? Sure! Everybody who likes romantic novels should read In Harmony.
Rating:
5 stars are not enough to show how much I loved this book. In the scale it is
not a question that I put the little book image on ’I adored it.’.
Favourite
quote(s):
Someday, Willow, you might find yourself cast into
darkness too. I hope that day never comes. If it does, it will be scary at
first. But you will see your own brilliance. Your own strength. And you will
shine.
“Now that we are this far along, what do you think
of Hamlet?”
“He talks too much.”
Marty sat back in his chair, lips pursed, thinking.
“Can you expand on that?”
“He talks too fucking much.”
The
love was there first.
Doubt
thou the stars are fire,
Doubt
that the sun doth move,
Doubt
truth to be a liar,
But
never doubt I love.
You shook me to the bone in a way I've never felt before and I couldn't
take my eyes off you.
“Act
Two, Scene Two. A2, S2.” I pulled her close. “Remember?”
Her
lips parted, and her cheeks turned pink. “Of course I do. The letter. Never
doubt…”
“Never
doubt, Willow.” I kissed her again. In that moment, it seemed so easy.
So
perfect, I could almost forget the words were written for a tragedy.
IN HARMONY EXCERPT (ISAAC’S POV)
“I’m
so…not into being with someone right now,” Willow said with a nervous lilt to
her words. “Not for a while, anyway.”
I
heard a whisper on the breeze, or ever again. A heaviness in her eyes hinted
she had lost something and had almost given up trying to find it.
She
hasn’t given up, I thought, a fierce admiration welling in me. That’s why she’s
doing the play. To find it again.
In
that moment, I vowed to try to cut out all the egotistical bullshit and
jealousy over Justin. The dance was out of range now anyway. I couldn’t ask her
to go even if I wanted to. Which I didn’t. My job was to help her find what she
was looking for in Hamlet, however I could. Even as it dented my eagerness to
get the hell out of Harmony.
Willow
shielded her eyes from the sun and squinted at me. “So what about you?”
“What
about me?”
“Do
you like anyone?” she asked, her voice a half tone higher than usual. She
laughed. “That’s such a high school thing to ask.”
“No,”
I said. “If all goes to plan, I’m leaving Harmony, remember? Stupid to start
something now.”
“Sure.
Makes sense.”
A
silence fell.
“Yeah,
so I probably won’t go to the dance,” Willow said. “I’m not good in that kind
of situation anymore.”
“What
kind of situation?”
She
shook her head. “Never mind. I should get back.”
Willow
started to scoot down off the block. I held my hand out to her to help. She
hesitated for a fraction of a second and then took it. I held my other hand out
and she took that too. I steadied her as she hopped down and then we were
standing face to face. Close enough I could see her pale blue eyes had lighter
shards of blue in them, like a topaz. Close enough to smell the sweetness of
her breath—coffee tinged with sugar. Close enough to dance if we wanted.
“Thanks,”
Willow said, gazing up at me.
“Sure,”
I said.
I
still held her hands. She didn’t let go.
“So,”
she breathed, still not moving.
“Yeah.”
I
glanced down at our hands. I hadn’t touched something this soft and good in
ages. The sleeve of her coat bunched up and I spied a black mark on the inside
of her forearm, close to her wrist. Willow drew in a breath as I turned her
hand over. An X, about the size of a quarter, was stark on her pale skin.
She
tugged her hands away. “I really need to get back.”
Every
instinct cried out to take her hand again, to ask her what the X meant. To lick
my thumb and erase it off her skin. I didn’t know what it meant but the sight
of it made my stomach feel heavy.
“Willow—”
“I
doodle when I’m bored. I told you that.” Her voice was sharp but her smile
wobbled. “Let’s go.”
We
walked the short distance back to town wordlessly. Back in front of the
theater, Willow shouldered her bag and glanced around. “Thanks for today. I
think Martin would be happy with our progress.”
“I
do too.”
God,
would he, I thought.
“So,
I guess I’ll see you Monday?” she said.
“You
have a ride home?”
“Oh,
uh…” She still wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I was thinking of walking.”
“To
Emerson Hills?” I said. “That’s a mile and a half and it’s getting dark soon.”
She
raised her brows. “I’m not allowed to walk in the dark?”
“You’re
allowed,” I said, “but I don’t want you to.”
Where
to find Emma:
Website:
www.emmascott.net
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/EmmaScottwrites
Twitter:
@EmmaS_writes
Instagram:
@emmascottwrites
Amazon:
http://bit.ly/EmmaScott
/Pictures from Emma Scott/
Megjegyzések
Megjegyzés küldése