Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Holding on and Letting Go by Lucy Kelly

I am so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the Holding On and Letting Go Blog Tour hosted by Irresistible Reads Book Tours. I have a review to share with you today. Let's get to it!

Holding On and Letting Go

Author: Lucy Kelly

Publication Date: March 10, 2013

~Synopsis~

Is there a way to describe the ties that bind us together? What happens when one of those ties is unexpectedly severed? Can everything else remain the same? Will the other ties hold strong?

Two years after her little brother's death, sixteen year old Emerson Caulfield returns to a home that she spent the last two years missing. In theory, everything should be the same. Her best friend, Matt,

still lives next door. Her house is in the exact same condition as they left it. The scenery and hallways haven't changed, yet for Emerson, everything is completely different. The place may be the same, but Emerson is most certainly not. She returns home hurt, angry, and miles away from the girl she once was.

~Review~

Holding On and Letting Go was a very emotional read. It really tugged at my heartstrings and dealt with the overwhelming grief that surrounds someone when they lose a loved one. This book truly delves into the sibling bond and the unwavering love siblings share for one another.

Emerson has been through a lot in her young life and the loss of her little brother had a profound affect on her. It truly changed her as a person and no matter how much she wants to or how much Matt wants her to, she can never be the person she was before she lost Peter. I really liked the way she opened up to Matt and her friends again and she really grew and strengthend throughout the book. She was so fragile and broken but she made the decision to live for Peter because it is what he would have wanted and she started the healing process. Her strength really shined in the last few chapters, which were very emotional and heartbreaking.

Matt had lost his best friend and when she came back, he could instantly see the changes in her and how broken and devastated she was. He so desperately wanted to fix her and bring back the old Emerson that he only ended up pushing her away. Matt went through some very difficult situations himself and in the end, I think he really grew as well. 

The sibling bond really shined through in this book, not just in Emerson's life, but in Matt's and Luke's as well. Emerson's parent were really terrible and it was easy to see why she was so broken. She could handle their disappointment and coldness with indifference but after Peter, it really broke her down. In the end, coming home and finding comfort and support in her friends is what helped her heal and learn to live again. I really enjoyed the heartwarming bonds between siblings and friends and even though there was some heartbreaking moments, the end was really beautiful and sweet.

~Quote~

"Em, I'm sorry," Matt replied quietly. "I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I can't be the girl you knew growing up. I'm sorry that I'm not who you want me to be." I paused for a second. "You know what? I'm not sorry for any of that stuff. I can't apologize for who I am." ~Emerson (Holding On and Letting Go by Lucy Kelly)

~IPOD Picks~

"Down" by Jason Walker

"Both of Us" by B.o.B

"Falling Slowly" by Kris Allen

About the Author

I'm not really going to write a biography. Though I am supportive of the high schools and colleges I have attended, it's probably not actually the most interesting stuff about me. I'm going to do a list of five really random things instead for now.

1) I like making lists. It's weird, and I never actually scratch things off of the list.
2) I sing and dance in the car like a maniac.
3) For the first six years of my life, I truly believed a shark lived under my bed. I watched Jaws at too young of an age.
4) Without a doubt, I am a night person. I am enormously grumpy when first woken up in the morning.

5) When I was younger, I read almost every Nancy Drew book, both new and old. I had a notebook, and I would take notes to see if I could figure out who the "bad guy" was before Nancy did. We probably tied.

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*This book was provided to me by the author for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own and unbiased.*

Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway