Review: Standing Sideways by J. Lynn Bailey

Synopsis

When Livia Stone suddenly loses her twin brother, Jasper, she must learn to navigate her new life alone. As she faces tragedy and starts down a road toward
self-destruction, Daniel enters Livia’s life—at a moment when she needs it most.

Standing Sideways is a poignant, relevant, and touching story of survival, courage, and compassion that will have readers crying, laughing, and most of all, debating the issues affecting the lives of parents and teens alike on a journey of hope and forgiveness.

Goodreads

Title: Standing Sideways
Series: Standalone
Author: J. Lynn Bailey
Release date: January 30, 2018
Cliffhanger: No
Rating: 4 stars[Yes (hide spoiler)]

Have you ever felt like you can’t catch your breath? Or hope the breath you breathe will be your last?

With a biting, sarcastic narrative, J. Lynn Bailey has composed a story about grief, addiction, and surviving after everything you thought you knew about life is ripped apart. I had no idea what to expect when I opened up this book, as I was not previously familiar with this author's work. I can honestly say that I got so much more than I could've anticipated. I would even go so far as to say that there were moments of brilliance in this story. Many moments I just sat back and soaked in the words, wanting to take my time with them.

If we knew our departure date, maybe we wouldn’t enjoy the pure moments of joy that life provided. Maybe our souls have their own journey, and our bodies are just a costume we wear while our time is spent on Earth.

Standing Sideways was pensive, insightful, and filled with raw honesty. This story is inspired by a real life tragedy, and that comes through in the gritty emotion that permeates Livia's struggle to cope. To wake up every day and take a breath without breaking, and dissolving under the weight of her pain. Livia's twin brother Jasper was like her other half, the best part of her. They were inseparable, and couldn't even imagine a time when their lives would fork apart onto different roads. Until the day her identity was divided in a new way: before and after.

Before Livia was preparing to follow her dreams of studying writing at Harvey College. She was mature, driven, and had a bright future ahead of her. After Livia was a person reborn from the ashes of Jasper's death. She was now a girl who could barely look at herself in the mirror without flinching. All of the coping mechanisms she developed ranged from unhealthy to dangerous. And yet she couldn't find the will to change. You will see Livia coming apart at the seams right before your eyes. Veering from apathetic to enraged over the injustice of the world, she questions her sanity, her faith in God, and the possibility that she's stumbling down a dangerous path.

Where does Daniel enter into all of this? He's the new boy in town, a transplant from England who has an air of mystery about him. After running into Livia and her best friend Cao on their first day of school, the two quickly form a friendship with an undercurrent of attraction. Forming an attachment for someone is not a wise course of action for either of them at this point. But Daniel is secretly struggling with a broken family and grief himself, and the mutual understanding that they provide each other makes it harder for them to resist the pull they feel.

His fingertips barely graze
my midsection,
and I feel an explosion of stars
in my head.
Butterflies have hatched.
Stars align. A new universe is born.
I’m screwed.

I really enjoyed Daniel and Livia as a couple, but their romance wasn't the highlight of the book for me. It was their own individual growth, and the lessons they learned along the way. This is a wonderful story that touched on many different significant topics. Though, I did have a few issues with it overall that prevented me from giving it a full five stars.  A few loose ends in the plot, and some repetition.  

I debated for a few days about how to rate this. I really loved the storyline, and felt that has such an eloquent way with words. That made it very difficult for me to lower my rating, but there were enough issues there that I wasn't able to let them go. Would I still recommend this? Absolutely, without a doubt. If you're looking for an emotional YA book that will pull at your heartstrings, I urge you to give it a chance. Standing Sideways is a book that came directly from the author's heart, and it shows. I'm looking forward to seeing what she has to offer in the future.

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON: 

View all my reviews