Stars:
This book was my first of 2020 and it got the year off to a very high standard!
‘Zoe’ has a terrible secret that she is keeping; she feels she can’t share it with anyone in her life. So instead, she decides to write to Stuart Harris – a death row inmate.
The book is written in a series of letters which are written by Zoe and sent to him. In them, she shares the depths of her soul (but not her real name!); Zoe tells Stuart all about the events leading up to her secret, as well as the fall out afterwards.
Her guilt eats her up and feels heavy on her shoulders, which comes across so well within the writing. Her letters are written in a way which make you feel as though they’re written for you. That it’s you she is wanting to tell her story to. The small details shared create an immersive narrative which really pulls you in.
The letters are also written in a very authentic way making Zoe seem not just like someone who is explaining her secret, but like a real person dealing with real teenage emotions.
This was a beautiful book packed full of emotion – you can fully expect to shed a tear as you read this.
Teacher Bookworm 