Sudden Hope

By: Daniele Lanzarotta

Narrated by: Mae Ruling

Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

Alec is a 17-year-old who has endured more in life than anyone should have to. Seeing his neighbor and ex-best friend, Skylar, struggle after a tragic loss, Alec makes it his mission to show her that life is worth living. Little does he know that he will learn that same lesson.

©2015 Daniele Lanzarotta (P)2016 Daniele Lanzarotta

Excellent

it was so good. I can't wait to find out what happens next. this whole story I never knew what was coming.

Have Kleenex

I was absolutely swept away by this story. From the very first chapter to the last chapter I was enchanted. Daniele Lanzarotta is a wonderful writer and writes this in such a way your emotions REALLY get invested with the characters! Mae Ruling did a great job narrating this story. I would like to add it would have been really nice to have two narrators for Alec and Skylar. Only because there were many times it changed POV and it would take me a moment to figure out whose head I was in!

Skylar is a sweet girl, her heart was broken by the boy she loved as a child. Then her best friend does something that should never happen but it does. It was heart breaking and you really feel it. So Skylar goes through alot and changes alot due to it. She goes through alot of troubles no high schooler should endure and really brings to life bullying and how real it is and how hard it is to come forward with it!!

Alec, Alec has my heart. This boy despite his horrible inescapable history does his best to live his life but he has strict rules he refuses to break. He tries to help Skylar heal from her hurt but learns he can heal too. It really is a heart warming story!

I requested and was given this audiobook complimentary at my request and have voluntarily left this review with my honest opinion

Sudden Hope

When tragedy strikes. Alec and Skylar use to be friends when they were younger. Alec got sick and they went their separate ways. When Skylar's best friend commits suicide they somehow reconnect. The ultimate question is "What makes Life worth living?" I enjoyed this book.

Two POVs ... Needed Duel Narration

So ... I liked this. 3.5 stars. I listened to the audiobook (which I received for free in exchange for an honest review) and I think that was my main complaint ... the narrator here (Mae Ruling) was good, sweet little girl voice, perfect for Skylar. But not for Alec! This NEEDED a male narrator for his parts. If this had been told in 3rd person ... okay, maybe I could have dealt with a single narrator, but as it was first person, and Alec is telling HIS story for over half the book, it needs a male voice. The female narrator, the same voice ... did not work for me.

As for the story itself ... I didn't quite buy the "they had been the best of friends" because they had been SO young. Kindergarten and 2nd grade. I assume the friendship had been there BEFORE school started, because only a week into the school year, Alec pulls away from Skylar after being teased by this friends, and then they basically don't speak for 10 years. How good a friends could a 1st grade have been with a pre-school aged girl that he would continue to ponder this lost friendship for the next 10 years ?

The book seemed really reticent to talk about Alec's sickness - it would make vague references without really coming out and telling us what he'd been through. If you read the blurb, you know it was cancer, and that probably would be the assumption for most people but still, I found it rather annoying. Seriously, the word "cancer" doesn't even come up until chapter 36.

So (not a spoiler as it's there in the blurb) there are these two big issues the characters are dealing with. Trying to cope after a friend's suicide, and not daring to live because of fear. There were some interesting discussions (and there could be interesting discussions in a book club or what not) regarding some of the things the book brings up. Then ... there is another BIG issue. I wasn't really expecting that. On the one hand, it seemed a little over the top, too much (suicide, cancer, now this?) but then again, not totally unbelievable in this day and age.

Beyond the drama of suicide and cancer and figuring out how to keep living ... there is the general high school drama of dating and school and sports and mean girls.

Overall, I think I'll remember this book fondly. I was glad I could grab the Kindle copy on Kindle Unlimited. I wanted to refer to it a time or two. But seriously, as far as the audiobook goes ... get a guy to read Alec. I really think it would have made a big difference for me.

Wonderful Story

I really enjoyed this book touching heart warming story filled with so many emotions

I received this audiobook free in exchange for an honest review.

2 thumbs up

I’d recommend this book to anyone. I’m not one for love stories but I figured I’d give this a go. I’m not disappointed in my decision.

This whole story includes real life situations that some kids go through in school with bullying wrapped with a warming story of 2 kids who came together through a tragedy and survived another together. If I had to compare it to anything it would be a mix between, A Walk to Remember & 13 Reasons Why mixed with its own story. Give it a listen.

A very touching story

This book had a lot of serious situations and I thought Alec and Skylar acted very Mature for their age . I also loved the journey they had together in this story . The reason they stopped being friends is very relatable and cute . the Narration was also enjoyable .

I received a copy from the author and chose to leave a honest and unbiased review

Amazing Story!

I really love how the story follows and the storyline. The author really made you want to not take break just to know how the book ends. The narrator brought it all alive.

True emotions while listening to the narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Mae Ruling does an amazing job bring Daniele's characters to life. The emotions she carries as see is narrating helps you feel how each character is feeling.

What did you like best about this story?

I have read the book before and listening to the book helped me fall in love with everyone in the story even more. You get a true since of how Daniele was feeling as she was writing the story. I loved how you hear it in Mae's voice as she was reading the part about Alec climbing the ladder to get to the roof to talk to Skylar.

Have you listened to any of Mae Ruling’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first Mae Ruling books and I can't wait to listen to more books by her. I hope she doesn't more work with Daniele. They are a great team.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

How she handled the part with Mike and the shooting? Just like when I was reading the book myself I was in tears again. Bring back so many memories from my years in Jr/Middle school.

Any additional comments?

If you have not read the book yet and love audible books this is a great one to own. I hope that Daniele works with Mae Ruling again for the second book in the series Catch Me If I Fall.