i am so totally in love with every character in these two books. i'm writing this now that i've finished both, so hopefully it'll be easier to say what i love about this story.

the grief on display here is so palpable, but there's so much joy too. the shepherds and blythe [and her brother, i can't remember their last name though] have two very different histories, both overflowing with pain and burden, but the two families are so easily able to come together to work through their respective issues.

blythe has so much love to share with the shepherd's and her brother, and her grief over the death of her parents kept her isolated for so many important and formative years. with the help of chris (and the other siblings!!) she is able to overcome the guilt and shame that has wrecked her and get better!! i love that these books acknowledge that even though there is healing, it's a constant process! grief and trauma follow you forever, and it's okay to have those bad days. sweet chris
since book 2 is all about sabin, i'll save my thoughts for that review!! but i just absolutely adore him and his eccentricities. he feels like a john green character to me.

overall: 5/5!!! the best book i've read since the bronze horseman! i'm so glad i stumbled across it.
spicy : ( )

I have so many mixed emotions about this book. First off, the story did keep me engaged. At times, I didn't want to put it down because I was curious as to how everything unfolded. BUT, there were also several flaws that made it hard to truly enjoy the book. One of the biggest issues I had with the book is that everything seemed to happen too quick.

I like lists, so I'm going to break it down in list form.

1.) Sex scenes-I was under the impression that this was a young adult novel but I quickly rethought that within the first 100 pages. I'm no prude, but I like to leave a little to the imagination. Sometimes the build up is the greatest satisfaction. In my opinion, some of the sex scenes were overly detailed. There was one phrase/word that was repeatedly used, and I wanted to hurl my book through the window when it came up. *side-note, they have mind-blowing sex EVERY.SINGLE.TIME -_-*

2.) Money-I know ZERO kids that have that much money to blow. Plasma TVs, cars, Hawaii vacations, houses....yeah, no.

3.) Relationships-I found the relationship between Blythe and the Shepherds endearing. However, I was a little uncomfortable with Sabin/Blythe's friendship. It seemed very weird to me.

4.) Cliches-There was some dialogue that was so cheesy and cliched that I laughed at moments I'm sure the author didn't instead to be laughed at. ( )

I really loved this one by Jessica Park. I was a little worried after I read Clear because I was NOT a fan, but I do love her Flat Out Love series! This one was amazing! I loved the main characters and the hardships they overcome. I also love how connected they all turn out being in the end. I was able to predict it for the most part but it didn't take away from the story. It does get a little steamier than I am used to reading but it wasn't off putting. I will definitely be reading the next book! ( )

I really liked the characters. The explicit sex scenes were easily skipped over, although they were weirdly out of place and out of character. The story is just so impossible, yet predictable, that I didn't enjoy it. It was missing the pleasant surprises and discoveries I like to make while reading, especially a book that contains a bit of a mystery. ( )

Prior to this book, most of the new adult I've read has been light on story and heavy on steamy scenes (good or bad depending on what you're looking for, I guess). If you're looking for a deep and emotional new adult, with family drama, Left Drowning is a good choice.

It successfully captures some of the loneliness of college, overcoming personal challenges, and learning the meaning of unconditional love. In a nutshell, Blythe has a complicated history and family life. As she struggles through finding people to identify with, she randomly meets an outgoing drama major, and later the rest of his family (four siblings, if I remember correctly, all in college). She falls for the drama major's brother, but both of their pasts and families are complex. Perhaps too complex to make it work, or could it?

Personally, I didn't care for the love interest, Chris, much. His moodiness got old. I was rooting for Blythe and the drama major from the start. But the drama, complications, and side plots kept me reading. ( )