Book Review: Gwendolyn vs. the Band of Barren Hearts (Monster #1) - Mary E Palmerin
Synopsis:
Monsters. They don’t hide in your nightmares. They steal you away from the good life and prevent you from living your dreams. That’s where 17-year-old Gwendolyn Fitzpatrick found herself; surrounded by wicked fiends after everything she thought she had was gone in the blink of an eye. She was shuffled away with one bag of memories miles away to a pair of foster parents that hardly had her best interests at hand. Forced to obey and listen to her caregiver’s commands, Gwendolyn buries her old self and focuses on the pain to become one of them. A monster herself to seek vengeance. While yearning for her teeming point to come, Gwendolyn starts to connect with another 17-year-old foster boy living with her who calls himself Welch. Just when Gwendolyn starts to feel faith splice its way through the venom of pain, the connection she has with Welch is put in jeopardy as the harshness gets worse with each passing day. Will the two tattered spirits make it out alive?
My Rating: ★★★★★
My Thoughts:
This story is dark, painful, heartbreaking, disturbing and intriguing all rolled into one. It is a love story of Gwen and Welch. Two foster children in a foster home with twisted and vile foster parents who force them to do unthinkable acts. My heart breaks for the pain that they have to go through being in that house. Sadly, this happens in real life and not just in a book. You have two characters that do what they have to in order to survive and in the end become stronger together. The ending was well written, unexpected and will leave you wanting to know what happens after.
I have yet to read a book by Mary E Palmerin that is not disturbing yet intriguing at the same time. She weaves a story in the most disturbing way to capture your attention. This book is no different. Mrs. Palmerin writes about disturbing taboo everyday life that most of us never have to see or live through. She will have you connecting with the characters while experiencing many different emotions from the beginning of the book to the very end.
A very talented writer that only gets better and better with each book that I read. I suggest taking her warnings that she has in her books to heart. If you are not able to handle a dark read that will leave you wondering what you just read and make you a little sick to your stomach, then walk away and don’t try. The warnings are there for a reason and need to be taken seriously. On another note, if you haven’t read one and don’t know how you would react, then go grab any book by Mary E Palmerin and get ready to go on an emotional squeamish rollercoaster that will have you going back for more.