We Were Beautiful Review and Giveaway!

Posted by abakersp in Contemporary, YA / 1 Comment

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Welcome to the Blog Tour and Giveaway for We Were Beautiful by Heather Hepler, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting with this book, but let me tell you that I was hooked from the start!

ABOUT THE BOOK

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Title: We Were Beautiful
Author: Heather Hepler
Publisher: Blink YA
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: April 2, 2019

It’s been a year since fifteen-year-old Mia Hopkins was in the car crash that killed her older sister and left her terribly scarred. The doctors tell her she was lucky to survive. Her therapist says it will take time to heal. The police reports claim there were trace amounts of alcohol in her bloodstream. But no matter how much she tries to reconstruct the events of that fateful night, Mia’s memory is spotty at best. She’s left with accusations, rumors, and guilt so powerful it could consume her.

As the rest of Mia’s family struggles with their own grief, Mia is sent to New York City to spend the summer with a grandmother she’s never met. All Mia wants to do is hide from the world, but instead she’s stuck with a summer job in the bustling kitchens of the cafe down the street. There she meets Fig–blue-haired, friendly, and vivacious–who takes Mia under her wing. As Mia gets to know Fig and her friends–including Cooper, the artistic boy who is always on Mia’s mind–she realizes that she’s not the only one with a painful past.

Over the summer, Mia begins to learn that redemption isn’t as impossible as she once thought, but her scars inside run deep and aren’t nearly so simple to heal … especially when Mia finally pieces together her memories of the night Rachel died.

PURCHASE LINKS: goodreads | amazon | b&n | christian book | book depository

MY PERSPECTIVE

This book was full of emotion, much more then I expected. It brought my back to my teenage years. I didn’t have an accident which scarred my face like Mia, but I did know what it was like to live with a messed up family, and had a body that people tended to stare and comment on (I was a pudgy kid). I also didn’t lose a sister, but Hepler still manages to make you feel what Mia feels. I connected with Mia in a way I didn’t think possible, especially with a YA book.

Hepler created such vivid characters, and I found myself wanting to go to the city to visit them. I wanted to see the art, I wanted to taste a cannoli, and I really wanted to meet Mia’s grandmother. She reminds me a lot of my own grandmother – proper, not full of a lot of emotion, and yet fiercely loves her granddaughter. Mia’s new friends are wonderfully written. The theme here – acceptance. If we’ve got some deformity, whether it’s our face, arm, leg, whatever, it should not define us. There was one part in the book where Fig tells Mia that she noticed her face for about 30 seconds, and that was it. From then on out, she saw Mia. Just Mia. That’s a powerful message for our teenage kids today who are so worried about body shame, image, and fitting in. It’s not about fitting in. It’s about being comfortable in your own skin, and being who God made you to be.

I thought this was a beautifully written, fully engaging story that left me wanting more. I want to see the characters today and how they are doing. When I reached the end, I almost felt as if my circle of friends was moving away. You know it’s a good book when you can say that! This is the first book I’ve read by Heather Hepler, but I know it will not be the last!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Heather Hepler is the author of several books for teens and tweens including the new release “We Were Beautiful”.

She loves tomato soup, fat cats, and hiking. (Not necessarily in that order.) She’s lived in East Texas, Alaska, and Death Valley. Currently she, her son, their two spoiled cats, and their ridiculously smart dog live in Downeast Maine.

She loves it when readers write to her, and she promises to write them back.

CONNECT WITH HEATHER: website | facebook | pinterest | instagram

TOUR GIVEAWAY

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(2) winners will win:

a print copy of We Were Beautiful (US only)

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight April 2, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm April 9, 2019. US Mailing addresses only, due to shipping costs. Void where prohibited by law. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

Launch at JustRead Tours

One response to “We Were Beautiful Review and Giveaway!

  1. Kay Garrett

    Thank you for your review on “We Were Beautiful” by Heather Hepler and for being part of the JustRead Publicity Tours blog tour.

    Sounds like a great book. A new to me author that I need to explore further for sure.