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A review by suspensethrill
The Life That Mattered by Jewel E. Ann
5.0
"That's the thing about you, Evie... I had no idea I was waiting for someone until you arrived."
It's been forever and a day since I've felt words bubble up inside of me in a way where I need to review a book, rather than feeling obligated to do so. Coasting by on books that don't give you an urgency to discuss its contents with other bookworms isn't good for the soul, but I'm not sure it's all on the books that I've chosen. Sprinkle in a handful of worldwide pandemic and a dash of ever-changing interests, and you've got me, a reader who has created an entire brand around a specific genre of books she's trying to break free from, and is desperately trying to rediscover who she is and where she's going. At the end of the day I'd like to think that, instead of finding this book, that [b:The Life That Mattered|51008731|The Life That Mattered (Life, #1)|Jewel E. Ann|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580948366l/51008731._SY75_.jpg|72582953] found me, but that's just a dramatic way of telling you that I really jived with this story.
"Hinder not the soul's intended path unto the light, lest the shards of darkness shed upon thee."
If you took the time to read the synopsis above, you'll notice that it is vague and brief, which is done purposefully. I highly recommend that you go into this book, and it's sequel [b:The Life You Stole|49970354|The Life You Stole (Life, #2)|Jewel E. Ann|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578940665l/49970354._SY75_.jpg|72582970], completely blind. There will be no spoilers in this review, but I will put a note below in a spoiler tag that gives a little clarity on one aspect that might be a dealbreaker for some readers. Basically this is a story about 3 old friends + 1 new friend and the consequences of the choices that they make. There is romance and heartbreak, death and new life, plus a bit of mystery and suspense. Did I mention that the author does a great job of making the reader sweat and breaks your heart thoroughly? Just making sure.
"People with broken souls didn't have real smiles. They grimaced from the broken pieces of their soul impaling their heart."
Friends, I truly felt connected to these characters. Ann does such a fabulous job of making each character, rather central or brief in appearance, feel relatable to the point that upon closing the second book, I was anxious in saying goodbye to this cast I adored. There are some heavy subjects discussed in these books, like the loss of loved ones, abuse, mental health and depression. It's fair to note as well that this book does end on a major cliffhanger, but the good news is that part two, which is the conclusion, is already published and you can read these back to back like I did! If you choose to pick these up, I highly recommend reading with a buddy, because I had the best time discussing this duet with Jenn from Stories and Coffee. I cannot recommend these books highly enough, and if you read these and love them too, I'd love to chat about Evie, Ronin, Lila, and Graham with you!
*This story does have a slight paranormal aspect to it, more on the side of magical realism. While it isn't anything over-the-top, it is central the the plot for both books, and not something that can be skimmed over.
It's been forever and a day since I've felt words bubble up inside of me in a way where I need to review a book, rather than feeling obligated to do so. Coasting by on books that don't give you an urgency to discuss its contents with other bookworms isn't good for the soul, but I'm not sure it's all on the books that I've chosen. Sprinkle in a handful of worldwide pandemic and a dash of ever-changing interests, and you've got me, a reader who has created an entire brand around a specific genre of books she's trying to break free from, and is desperately trying to rediscover who she is and where she's going. At the end of the day I'd like to think that, instead of finding this book, that [b:The Life That Mattered|51008731|The Life That Mattered (Life, #1)|Jewel E. Ann|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580948366l/51008731._SY75_.jpg|72582953] found me, but that's just a dramatic way of telling you that I really jived with this story.
"Hinder not the soul's intended path unto the light, lest the shards of darkness shed upon thee."
If you took the time to read the synopsis above, you'll notice that it is vague and brief, which is done purposefully. I highly recommend that you go into this book, and it's sequel [b:The Life You Stole|49970354|The Life You Stole (Life, #2)|Jewel E. Ann|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578940665l/49970354._SY75_.jpg|72582970], completely blind. There will be no spoilers in this review, but I will put a note below in a spoiler tag that gives a little clarity on one aspect that might be a dealbreaker for some readers. Basically this is a story about 3 old friends + 1 new friend and the consequences of the choices that they make. There is romance and heartbreak, death and new life, plus a bit of mystery and suspense. Did I mention that the author does a great job of making the reader sweat and breaks your heart thoroughly? Just making sure.
"People with broken souls didn't have real smiles. They grimaced from the broken pieces of their soul impaling their heart."
Friends, I truly felt connected to these characters. Ann does such a fabulous job of making each character, rather central or brief in appearance, feel relatable to the point that upon closing the second book, I was anxious in saying goodbye to this cast I adored. There are some heavy subjects discussed in these books, like the loss of loved ones, abuse, mental health and depression. It's fair to note as well that this book does end on a major cliffhanger, but the good news is that part two, which is the conclusion, is already published and you can read these back to back like I did! If you choose to pick these up, I highly recommend reading with a buddy, because I had the best time discussing this duet with Jenn from Stories and Coffee. I cannot recommend these books highly enough, and if you read these and love them too, I'd love to chat about Evie, Ronin, Lila, and Graham with you!