Author: Jackie Lea Sommers
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Katherine Tegen via Edelweiss
Goodreads
Silas Hart has seriously shaken up Westlin Beck's small-town life. Brand new to town, Silas is different than the guys in Green Lake. He's curious, poetic, philosophical, maddening-- and really, really cute. But Silas has a sister-- and she has a secret. And West has a boyfriend. And life in Green Lake is about to change forever.Review by Nara
Truest is a stunning, addictive debut. Romantic, fun, tender, and satisfying, it asks as many questions as it answers.
There have been a surprising number of very good contemporaries this year. I guess because of various things, including the We Need Diversity campaign, we've been getting a lot more diversity in terms of race, sexuality, even things like mental or physical illness. I have to say, Truest is among the best that I've read this year. It's daring in its romance, and bold in its portrayal of mental health.
I don't know if I'd call the romance in Truest a love triangle. There are two people that West is involved with romantically, but it's actually more like at the start, she loves (maybe) Elliott, and when she meets Silas, it's clear that she prefers him. So there is that division where you can tell who she's going to choose. But then again, because there is that choice, maybe it's inherently a love triangle. I do have to leave a bit of a trigger warning for cheating here. There's both emotional and actual cheating, and while I obviously didn't approve of the idea of it, I actually think the way the characters dealt with it was appropriate. They didn't drag it on unduly, and the reactions of the various characters involved was quite realistic.
You can tell from the very start that there's something going on with Silas' twin sister Laurel, and you can tell from the start that it's something that might not necessarily end well. Her secret is both heartbreaking and incredibly interesting, and I can definitely say I learnt something new from this book. On the other hand, Silas. What can I say about Silas? He's so delightfully nerdy, from his taste in books to his punny t-shirts. And he has such a great relationship with Laurel, although you can tell that it's strained somewhat (understandably) because of the secret.
Well, all in all, unless you're extremely put off by cheating in books, Truest is certainly a book that I'd recommend. It's definitely a standout contemporary that will probably stay with me for quite a while.
Incredible
RatingsOverall: 9/10
Plot: 4.5/5
Romance: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 4/5
