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Authored by C.G Drews Pages: 376 Released in: 2018
I will begin by saying that I thought I could write this review right after I finished the book but I couldn't because my heart was gone, so that should give you a preview of what's to come. Definitely get that box of Kleenex ready if you are going to venture into the pages of this amazing debut novel by C.G. Drews.
Summary:
Beck's mother, a once famous pianist, lives her shattered dreams through her son.
Crushed by her violence, and forced to play the piano until his hands bleed, Beck is Broken until August comes along.
August, with her bare feet and doodled hands. August, fiercely protective of those in need.
Can she help Beck unlock his own music and say all the things he's never said?
I'm going to be honest, the trigger warning (TW) in this book is real. If you are uncomfortable by reading scenes related to domestic abuse, please keep away. I would say this was probably one of the hardest aspects of the book. Beck is desperately trying to find a way out and he can't find it. Beck is full of music, but his own which he keeps bottled in to play the etudes that made his mom famous. She isn't easily satisfied, and trust me it shows.
Despite all the hurt, Beck manages to keep control of the thing he cares about more than music. His little sister Joey. His effort in making sure his sister doesn't suffer the hurt he deals with is one that endeared me to him. He does not want her to play the piano, he wants her to choose her own life, and he will be damned if his mom lays a hand on her. She is wild mannered and violent towards others because of the behavior she's observed at home but has a soft spot for her brother. She teases him but you can tell he means everything.
and God bless August, I am sure Beck was happy when she walked into his life but, holy smokes so was I! She was a welcome respite, I knew it, Beck knew it, Joey knew it. Initially, he was a little apprehensive to let her in but despite her bare feet, and love for rescuing things, he felt safe there, at least knowing she was there. Joey quickly found someone to talk with and feel loved by so to Joey it was a no brainer, she liked August.
August and Beck were like Day and night in this book. You'll smile when August is around and you'll frown when Beck is alone. However, the moments they spend together, you as the reader, will finally get to breathe. It feels like that's intentional from the writer because it's how Beck must have felt about his life. He only had a couple of moments where he could breathe.
Reaching the end of the story I didn't expect to be so devastated, one moment I felt betrayal and then relief, next I felt anger and dread, and then I felt like I had watched a boy do the best he could with what he had. The decisions were hard but they had to be made, for him, for Joey.
If you don't mind going through all the ugly to discover how this boy becomes his salvation, give this book a chance, it is a quick read but man is it a memorable one!
"I don't need rescuing, I'll save myself"
Rating 5/5 ❤❤❤❤❤
It is not every day where you can have a quick read and feel so much emotion in so little time but C.G Drews did it. From the opening line, she haunts you with what's to come, and even though you hurt through it all you want to keep reading. This book invests you in Beck, in his fight for survival, in his fight for his own music. That's all I really need in a book, the need to get to the end, even if it kills me.
If you would like to give this book a try you can find it here: Amazon or Book Depository !