ARC Review: Sia by Josh Grayson

Title: Sia

Author: Josh Grayson

Release Date: 20th November 2013

Publisher:-

Find on: Goodreads

Quick Review: When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle.

Detailed Review: My reaction after reading this book was like that: smiling idiotically at nothing in particular. I thought, that was a great ending. This is one of the first books I've read this year with a happily ever after. 

I really liked Sia because it was certainly a fresh read for me. I seldom go for contemporaries, but after reading this and other books like This Song Will Save Your Life, it has made me reconsider my opinion of contemporaries. Yup, that's how good the book was.

And also the characters in the book had depth and character which stand out in the book and are not easily forgotten. I felt a connection with Sia and Carol. Their friendship was very touching and beautiful. It gives us a look into true friendship. It's amazing how the author only needed a few chapters to show how special their friendship was.

The story itself had an originality that sometimes resonates in only contemporaries. Starting with the very first chapter, I was hooked and I found it hard to not turn the pages faster than it took me to read them. The story was simple, but don't get me wrong, it was not plain. Just simple. But the author made a lot out of one simple story. I behold to you, the magic of contemporary authors!

I liked how the author also included real life events like the San Francisco earthquake and the Oscars. But I thought the author could have done better with the Oscars by including a bit more depth.  And perhaps the book could be a bit longer! 

But honestly, it was a great debut! And I'll say it in French. C'etait genial!

Brief Review: This book was refreshing and compelling with it's story and the characters within it. I felt a connection with the characters and especially with Sia. It gives us a brief insight into renewal, true friendship and rediscovering yourself when given a second chance. If some of the events in the book had more depth, it would certainly guarantee a five-star rating! A deeply thought-provoking debut that ensures a great start to Grayson's career! 

Final Rating: 4/5 'Really Liked It!'

QUOTE:

This sounds cliche, but this is what I learnt from Sia,

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” --- Gandhi

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