Book Review: Finding Hope by Colleen Nelson

Release Date: March 19th, 2016
Read: April 5th-8th, 2016
Publishing:  Dundurn
Series: N/A
Format: Paperback, 200 pages
Source: Exchange with publisher for honest review.

Description from GoodReads:

   Hope leaves her small town for a fresh start, but her plans are derailed by an online romance and the appearance of her brother.

   Hope lives in a small town with nothing to do and nowhere to go. With a drug addict for a brother, she focuses on the only thing that keeps her sane, writing poetry. To escape, she jumps at the chance to attend Ravenhurst Academy as a boarding student. She’ll even put up with the clique-ish Ravens if it means making a fresh start.

   At first, Ravenhurst is better than Hope could have dreamed. She has a boyfriend and a cool roommate, and she might finally have found a place she can fit in. But can she trust her online boyfriend? And what can she do after her brother shows up at the school gates, desperate for help, and the Ravens turn on her? Trapped and unsure, Hope realizes that if she wants to save her brother, she has to save herself first.

Review:

   I'd never felt so alone.
   I had met Colleen at the MYRCA Round Table Dinner in October 2015, where my sister and I got to talk to her for a good period of time! But it wasn't until Dundurn sent me a copy of Finding Hope, that I actually had the chance to read one of her novels, and I couldn't be more excited. I had actually finished it in time for it's book launch, which made the experience even better.
   Finding Hope was told between the perspective of both Eric and his sister Hope, Eric being my favourite. It was intriguing to see the way Nelson portrayed his character. Being in the mind of a drug addict, sometimes we got to see his mind sober, and other times not. The research that had gone into making the novel accurate was probably extensive.
   Completely opposite of Eric, was Hope. Although siblings, I found them both complete opposites of each other. I also admired Hope's need to help her brother with his situation, although throughout the novel I found myself not taking a liking to her. Even if she had to deal with her rough life, of having to take care of her brother, and dealing with it on a day to day basis, I still found her immature and gullible. More often than not, I found myself shaking my head at her actions.
   Besides my dislike of Hope, Finding Hope was a quick, enjoyable and mature read. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a contemporary to read. Although just a fair warning, it does have some more, mature matters besides the drug addiction that would probably wouldn't make the book best for younger audiences.

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

"A secret
Held close
spills,
tripping like blood into
your waiting hands."

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Family, Drug Use, Abuse