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Deader By Dawn
Oh, silly Turkey! Fright Night and The Keep
are not proper poster elements of Evil Dead II...
By now, all of you reading this probably own the Lionsgate 25th anniversary edition of Sam Raimi's EVIL DEAD II. A fusion of extreme gore fueled terror and Three Stooges shenanigans, it easily ranks as one of the top five splatstick horror comedies ever made, and single handedly catapulted Bruce Campbell from "that one pussy who survives in the first Evil Dead flick" to the constantly abused one-liner quipping B-movie icon we know and love today... and wish would stop directing. What? We're all thinking it, damn it!
Certainly Sam Raimi's prior The Evil Dead had a streak of black humor, but there's no doubt in my mind that the film was primarily - as the staff themselves snuck into the end credits - a "grueling terror" film with much of the schlockier moments emerging from the ineptitude that's bound to happen when even talented college kids are tackling their first feature film. Perhaps sensing that the film's sillier elements were its strongest, the sequel embraces them fully, going so far that any pretenses it may have had of being a serious fright film are, quite literally, lopped off at the wrist and then hidden under a dust bin and weighted with a copy of A Farewell to Arms. Though hardly the first gruesome horror-comedy of the modern age - Day of the Dead, An American Werewolf in London, and Basket Case all beat Raimi to the punch of making the graphic violence so over the top it became an intentional joke - it's still easily one of the best fusions of graphic violence and vaudevillian yucks, with only awe-inspiring masterpieces like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, Re-Animator, Braindead, Kakugo no Susume or the entire combined Troma catalog even threatening to topple it as reigning champion.
Original Trailer - Now available in Nth-Gen Vision!
It's at times been accused of remaking the first film, but in reality it only summarizes Shelly's demise because Raimi couldn't legally access footage from his own earlier film. It ranks as some of the most ridiculous make-up effects in the KNB EFX Group's history, but that's not a complaint; the whole film's purpose is to use the tropes of the 70s horror film to make the audience laugh, not scream, so Raimi's on set calls of "bring in the muppet!" couldn't have been any more spot on. The film is an absolute success as dragging the original Evil Dead film's legacy of tree rape and brutal dismemberment through the lens of Tom and Jerry (with substantially more viscera).
This entire film franchise has had more fucking video releases than any one man should legally be allowed to keep track of. So ignoring numerous VHS, Laserdisc and import releases, we've been treated to no less than FOUR noteworthy home video editions in the last decade or so:
* Anchor Bay's 2000 DVD (Digitally Mastered by THX)
- This DVD was also available in a limited edition oversize tin. Goddamn, Anchor Bay...
* Anchor Bay's 2005 "Book of the Dead 2" Divimax DVD
- This comes packaged in a rubber replica of The Necronomicon. It screams!
* Anchor Bay's 2007 Divimax Blu-ray
- Same master as the 2005 Book of the Dead 2 DVD. Uh-oh.
* Lionsgate's 2011 25th Anniversary Blu-ray
- The version we'll look at today.
Now let's not mince words on this one: The 2000 "THX DVD" was a phenomenal presentation for a DVD release. Color timing was spot on, there was nothing in the way of offensive digital manipulation, and the correct 1.85:1 framing left the inclusion of the 4:3 open-matte version slightly redundant - but kudos for slapping it on there anyway. Compression wasn't ideal due to bitrates under 5 Mb/s, but it was still a reference release ten years ago.
Now direct your attention to THIS COMPARISON between the 2000 "THX DVD" and the 2005 "Book of the Dead 2" DVD. Notice anything wrong? Like the textures in the background missing in the first shot, or Bruce's face becoming a faded waxy mask in the third? These are the unfortunate side effects of digital noise and grain removal tools. Mrs. Kentai, being the awesome lady that she is, bought me the overpriced squishy BOTD2 edition, only for me to usurp her thoughtful gift months later with the THX DVD, once I found it for peanuts in a bargain bin. Yes, it was that disappointing... worse yet, it was one of Anchor Bay's "Divimax" titles, the name they gave to their HD restoration process, so when they announced a Blu-ray in 2007, I think everyone within ear shot expected the worst... and man, we got it. The initial Anchor Bay Blu-ray was such a smeared, washed out, and thoroughly rotten affair that the THX DVD is - in many ways - a less awful way to experience the film. Yes, I realize what I've just said: the 480i THX DVD was preferable to the 1080p Blu-ray, for the mere fact that at least the DVD's shortcomings weren't enhancements added by an overzealous attempt to "fix" a mid '80s splatter film by removing the grain and pumping up the gamma to 'brighten up' the intentionally dark film.
So here we are in 2011. Once again, Evil Dead II has a new home video release. I'm glad to say that I am never, ever going to feel compelled to buy it again. And I fucking mean it this time.
Let's start with the new 2K transfer and see the results compared with the Divimax Blu-ray, courtesy of those cool cats at Caps-A-Holic: HOLY SHIT, THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT!! Honestly, there's perhaps never been a more literal example of a Blu-ray wiping its digital ass with the prior HD release. The difference between this and the Anchor Bay BD - forget any DVDs you're hoarding! - is simply night and day. Just look at the pretty pictures, take your time and enjoy the view. Thankfully, there isn't much dour to say: Levels look natural and film-like, without any major clipping or black crush. Bitrates are through the roof and compression artifacts or banding are a total non-issue. There's very minor specs through the print, but none of it's especially distracting or even noteworthy - you'll know you're looking at 35mm, and it suggests that they've done very little to scrub the print clean. In the scheme of things it looks damn good, and in my eyes, Evil Dead 2: The 25th Anniversary Edition deserved no less.
That said, I do suspect that there's been a thin layer of noise reduction applied here - or maybe a similar temporal process (stabilization? deflicker?) that's slightly dulled the grain structure, giving the texture of the film itself a slightly hazy look in motion - not so much in stills, which isn't a bad thing. We also have the following quote from Michael Felsher, the Blu-ray's executive producer on the matter, which doesn't do much dissuade my opinions:
"I'll admit its hard for me to be objective in some ways, but having just viewed the new transfer of EVIL DEAD II for the first time, I have to say this lays to waste any version of the film you've ever seen before. Lionsgate really stepped up to the plate for this one. Deep rich colors, natural healthy film grain, sparing use of noise reduction, and practically blemish free. This is the first time the original negative was used to create a home video transfer for this title, and it shows!"
It does indeed, sir. Having seen a number of recent Lionsgate BD titles (The Crow and Pulp Fiction spring to mind) I'm starting to think this minor level of filtering is just standard practice for their encoder? What with every effort made to ensure that the new HD master is as high quality as possible, it'd be odd to apply even a minor pass of noise reduction - unless that minor temporal smoothing is just what their AVC encoder tends to do? The film's reliance on dim lighting, soft focus and optical effects meant it was never going to look razor sharp to start with, so this is less me complaining about the disc looking bad, and more me scratching my head and wondering why it looks that way. It doesn't have obvious static grain or temporal smearing, so perhaps this is all in my head? At the very least, the Audio Video Science forum is full of other people who are seeing the exact same thing, so if I am crazy it's one of those weird mass-hysterias where dozens of unrelated people are going crazy at the exact same time.
If you're on the fence here, don't read too much into this technical niggling I'm doing. Just like the Rurouni Kenshin Blu-rays I spoke of earlier this year, I don't think the disc looks "poor" - far from it! If I made it a habit of doling out numbers for discs this'd probably be in the High 8s, while that earlier Anchor Bay atrocity would rot somewhere in the 4s. It ain't bad, that's for sure. It's just a little odd looking, and I wish I could put my finger on why.
That said, I'm not nearly as impressed by the audio. Don't misunderstand, I have little doubt that the all new 24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is a reasonably accurate recreation of the theatrical experience, but with added clarity and some largely warranted directionality. Despite being released in 1987 and Dolby Stereo having more or less become the worldwide standard in theaters, the original mix for Evil Dead II seems to have been a vanilla mono track, and it's low-budget origins show through to a fault with this slightly dull, unimpressive sounding track. There's substantially less background hiss on the new Blu-ray than there was of the 2005 DVD, but I think Anchor Bay's earlier surround mix pumped everything - music, dialog and sound effects - to the point of booming homogeneity, and as such things like the switch in levels from on set dialog to post-dubbing ("Workshed!" springs to mind.) became all the more noticeable on Blu-ray. There's nothing wrong with the remix that I could spot, it just shows off the seams in the original sound design in a way no previous digital release has. As is so often the case with vintage independent horror films it doesn't sound very good, objectively speaking... it just kind of sounds like Evil Dead II, and that's how it'll always sound. There's no original mono track for comparison, but there wasn't for any of the prior DVD/BD releases of the film either, so whatever.
The star attraction in the Bonus Features department is the all new Swallowed Souls: The Making of Evil Dead II, a 98 minute making-of feature produced by Red Shirt Pictures that runs 14 minutes longer than the actual film(!), with talking heads from virtually everyone involved in the making of the movie - well you know, except for Sam goddamn Raimi, which seems just a little weird. Despite having literally gone right back into splatstick territory after having finished his Spider-Man trilogy and having both overseen the new HD transfers and recorded a new commentary for The Evil Dead, his presence is sorely lacking on these new bonus features and he has yet to have been mentioned once in reference to the transfer work. It's a little strange that he'd show so much affection for The Evil Dead and then wash his hands of the sequel a year later,
Now don't get me wrong, I love me some Evil Dead II and it's nice to see it get a polished and focused behind-the-scenes documentary after years of random on-set photos with some lacking-in-narration context. But somehow this all seems just a little... excessive. Maybe with Sam on tap, it wouldn't seem that way? I'll watch the damn thing, make no mistake, it just strikes me as a little over the top. There's also 30 minutes of KNB behind-the-scenes camcorder footage including deleted scenes once only available on shoddy gray-area bootleg tapes, which is pretty goddamn awesome. Also, 8 minutes of location scouting. Not to be a ponce to Red Shirt for their dedication or anything, but do people actually like these things? I always try to watch them, being an OCD crazy person and all that, but I can't remember not being bored out of my skull with any of these clips that are always "Here's a building. 25 years ago, it looked like this. Now it's... basically the same except, except it's got nicer green roof tiles and there's a Taco Bell next to it instead of a gas station." I'm sure this one's as good as any other, but is there really a demand for them?
The extras train hasn't pulled into the station quite yet: We also get Anchor Bay's old "Behind the Screams" and "The Gore The Merrier" DVD featurettes, and of course the LD Sam Raimi/Bruce Campbell commentary track, the original theatrical trailer and a host of still galleries. Seriously, the only reason you might have to hang on to your THX DVD is the 4:3 open-matte version, but unlike the original Evil Dead, nobody has ever really questioned ED2's 1.85:1 aspect ratio as being the ideal way to see the film. The old 4:3 print certainly has more vertical information, but that doesn't by default mean any of that information is vital to the framing.
If there was one real purists complaint to be leveled at this release, it'd likely be the lack of a pair of wires, scrubbed back to the beyond through digital magic - one of them yanking Bruce Campbell out of a shattering windshield, and another rocketing a rubber eye out of Ted Raimi's skull into someone's screaming mouth. These minor alterations were actually on the BOTD2 'Divimax' master as well, so we can only assume they're something Raimi himself has requested. He's had a hand in fussing around with the Evil Dead trilogy on multiple occasions in the last ten years - removing a crew member here, or a spotlight there - but they've always been fairly inoffensive, technical gaffes. Don't worry, Ted Raimi's stop-motion transformation into a skeletal ghoul hasn't been replaced with CGI or anything! If you want to see the wire sticking out of the bottom of the flying eyeball you'll have to hang onto your THX DVD, but I really can't say I'm all that irked about it personally.
The 25th Anniversary Blu-ray is literally selling for less than twelve bucks everywhere. Amazon, Wal-Mart, Deep Discount, your mom's house and so on. It's "Region A" locked for those that need to know that sort of thing, and comes in a typical blue keepcase. Don't bother waiting for the 30th Anniversary, Evil Dead II isn't going to get any better or cheaper than this. If you like the flick - heck, even if you hate it - there's little reason to hold back or wait for anything better to come along. Lionsgate has done the film proud, and I can safely retire every single prior release forever. Groovy.
Labels: Blu-ray, Evil Dead, Horror Movies, Review
I thought the new blu ray of "Evil Dead 2" was pretty damn nice. Yes, it was definitely filtered a little, but it still looks beautiful. The funny thing is "The Evil Dead", despite having a drastically lower budget and being shot in 16mm, looks better on blu than its sequel. Speaking of low budget, did you know that "Manos: The Hands Of Fate", the practically no budget cult film is undergoing restoration from an original 16mm work print and will be eventually released on blu ray. You can read about it here( I'm psyched as it is one of my all time favorite guilty pleasures!)-
www.manosinhd.com/
Someone on AVS said something close to "It looks very good. No more, no less." I think that sums it up nicely - but hey, if we're all going to spend yet another $10 on this damned movie, the least I can do is squeeze a quick post out of it... :)
Wow, MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE on Blu-ray? Really? That's just wild! But I guess we got TROLL 2 last Halloween, so there's probably some market for kitschy terrible movies over qualtively better (but less infamous) B-movies.
I've never seen Manos myself, but this loving restoration seems as good a reason as any to give it a look. Thanks for the site, too! Seeing actual, untouched 16mm scans is like sweet, sweet catip.
You're welcome! The guy doing the restoration for "Manos: The Hands of Fate" definitely knows what he is doing so I'm sure the blu ray will turn out great. It's awesome to see any older film, good or bad, get decent treatment.
Christopher D. Jacobson said...
You know, speaking of Sam Raimi alterations, I'm surprised the "fixes" he did for the Elite DVD weren't done on the Blu-ray: like the zooming on evil Cheryl's face, or the removal of the hand-painted lightning bolt just before. I have to say I kinda prefer the zoom on her face, since it coincides with what he'd do with the camera in the later films. So they restore those two bits the way they originally were, but then take out Rob Tapert bumbling around. Uh...
Raimi's hard to read all right, but I'd much rather he focus on actual gaffes he didn't catch during production (erasing wires and crew members) than re-doing any of the special effects or reframing the film seemingly at random. All of the changes made for the The Evil Dead Blu-ray transfers have been to erase honest technical gaffes they either didn't spot or couldn't avoid, and while I'm sure some people will mourn the loss of the filament holding up the projectile-eyeball more than I do, I don't think it really loses its low-tech charm. Raimi's fussing over certain aspects is a bit perplexing, but I mostly feel he's got his head on straight, and that's more than I can say for far too many talented film makers out there...
With a little luck, maybe Raimi will put together a new edition of Army of Darkness in time for the remake... speaking of which, how the fuck did Diablo Cody get involved in that?!
Jeez, Diablo Cody... I hurt inside over that decision.
The eyeball wire removal doesn't bug me one bit, personally. I kinda prefer it without, I think.
I got my MGM AOD DVD and it's great. Glad to finally own a copy of the film that looks...like film. Some nice little new bits that aren't in the Anchor Bay director's cut, like Sheila getting her dressed ripped off.
The R3 DVD's better than the R1 one in just about every way; only thing I like more about the R1 is the deleted scenes are anamorphic, and I loooove those scenes. The creepy intro, the long windmill scene......well, the other scenes suck, but those two are great.
Hipster bullshit aside, have you watched Ataque de Pánico!, the short that essentially got Fede Álvarez the spot as director? It's pretty damn cool.
MotorcycleBoyReigns said...
The poster rips off the Fright Night poster at the top.


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Click here to listen to our 'How I Grew My Brand' Podcast series
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Piper hosts its 12th hospitality networking lunch
On 27 January 2015, Piper brought together leading figures from Britain's most dynamic bar and restaurant operators to discuss the challenges facing the hospitality sector.
The speaker was Alex Reilley, co-founder and executive vice chairman of bar and restaurant group Loungers. Founded in Bristol in 2002, Loungers pioneered and developed the 'Lounge' neighbourhood café/bar concept, alongside the growth of its Cosy Club bar and dining rooms. Since Piper invested in the business in 2012, Loungers has expanded from 22 to 57 sites nationwide and won numerous industry accolades.
Reilley gave a frank and entertaining account of the lessons he has picked up along the way. Entitled 'Five Things I Wish I'd Known When We Started,' he began by recognising the importance of people. Lots of them. 'You'll need more people than you can possibly imagine,' he said. 'Plus a big office.'
Loungers now employs more than 1,500 staff and has its own large purpose-built headquarters – a far cry from the days when Alex and co-founders Jake Bishop and Dave Reid shared a desk on the lower deck of a boat. But not everyone wants to stay on the journey. 'The second thing on my list is knowing that people may want to get off the bus,' said Reilley. Some will have different aspirations, others may find it difficult to manage their roles as a business scales.
His third tip was: 'Accepting you'll shed lots of skin.' He explained how the obsessive nature of founders often results in them continuing to perform tasks that can and should easily be done by others. 'As you grow a business, you should be bringing in people who are experts in their roles – better than you could ever be. So you need to let them get on with it and allow your own role to evolve.'
Reilley also acknowledged that 'being good to all your partners' was key to successful growth. 'From suppliers through to banks and investors, it doesn't hurt to treat them well and let them know you really value what they're bringing you.' Maintaining good relations will reap both short and long-term benefits.
Finally, and arguably Reilley's biggest lesson was: 'knowing that you'll be forking out more than £100,000 on your staff party. That's how much we'll be spending this year!' Admittedly, the Loungers' staff party involves more than cold sausage rolls in an upstairs pub room – last year's jamboree, called LoungeFest, was a day long festival in a field in Gloucestershire – but his point was clear: 'As you get bigger and more professional, don't begin to lose your identity. Always remember why you started the business in the first place.'
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[6 Dec 2020] - We are excited to have invested £7m into The Thinking Traveller, the world's most thoughtful villa brand, backing founders and joint-CEOs Huw and Rossella Beaugié…
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[12 Nov 2020] - We are delighted to announce that Mindful Chef has been bought by Nestlé. In a wonderful two-year journey since we invested £6m in December 2018,…
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Specialist police team marks first anniversary with huge drugs haul
Editor July 10, 2020
A specialist South Wales Police team set up to tackle serious violence marked its first anniversary by scooping its most valuable haul of drugs.
More than £2m worth of drugs was recovered by the Op Sceptre Team following the arrest last week of one man and a search of 16 properties across the region.
The seizure is the latest by the force's Op Sceptre Team and its efforts to disrupt those involved in criminality.
Last July, Home Office funding paid for an extension to the team's role in Cardiff, and for the establishment of a new branch of the team in Swansea.
In the 12 months since, the team has made hundreds of arrests, seized large quantities of drugs – including from the most serious class A – and taken scores of weapons off the streets.
Officers have also seized hundreds of thousands of pounds in ill-gotten cash, and millions of pounds' worth of drugs – including the £2m haul seized in Cardiff last week.
A proactive stop-search of a vehicle on Thursday, July 2, in Newport Road, Cardiff, by the Op Sceptre Team based in the capital, led to searches of addresses in Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend, Caerphilly, and Blaenau Gwent, with a number of cannabis factories being uncovered. That investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, on Sunday (July 5), the Swansea-based unit made a number of arrests in separate cases – including relating to the alleged supply crack cocaine and heroin – and seized thousands of pounds' worth of drugs and cash.
The latest results mean that since the start of July 2019, the Cardiff and Swansea units together have:
• Taken more than 350 weapons off the streets
• Seized 180 vehicles
• Seized £3.2m worth of drugs and £330,000 in cash
• Made hundreds of arrests
Superintendent Esyr Jones, force lead for serious violence, said: "The covert Op Sceptre Teams are committed to disrupting those involved in perpetrating the most serious violence and criminal exploitation on our streets.
"South Wales is a safe place to live and work, and we are absolutely committed to ensuring that stays the case. Criminal exploitation and violence will not be tolerated and we will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who bring misery to our communities.
"We encourage anyone with information to report issues to us via 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers."
The work of the Op Sceptre Team is complemented by neighbourhood, response, specialist operations, and other police teams.
Anyone with concerns should call 101, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or 999 in an emergency.
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This award-winning data centre is one of the largest air-cooled buildings in the world and set a new 'green' standard for this technology, with a PUE of 1.16 for the data halls.
Together, with engineers from Norman Disney & Young, we were part of a team for a Phase 1, part-conversion of a 30,000 square metre warehouse into a data centre with 10,000 square metres of white space.
Tees Valley, UK
"In light of rapidly-escalating fuel costs, this project required experts from diverse fields to look at new ideas for power and cooling by using the outside coastal air in this locality. Entering the vast spaces and fans for the air handling plant was like walking into a villain's lair in a James Bond movie set."
- Paul Davis, Architect (UK)


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Story Excerpt: Adela's Curse
March 7, 2016 March 5, 2016 Shannon
"Adela, would you like to dance?" Rafael asked.
"Oh, I don't…" Adela stammered.
"Of course you do," Lidia said. "Please help me escape him."
Rafael rolled his eyes comically at her and took Adela's hand, leading her out onto the dance floor.
"Did Lidia make your necklace?" he asked. "She's quite talented," he continued after receiving Adela's nod.
"I've seen the carvings you make," Adela said. "Lidia might even have one."
"Really?" Rafael said with interest.
Rafael laughed. "You tease me! And what else can you do?"
"I have the amazing talent of being able to wiggle my ears," Adela said seriously, and Rafael laughed again, spinning her as the dance ended.
"Lidia says that your singing puts the birds to shame," he said.
"If she means that I can twitter quite excellently, then yes."
Rafael's laughter seemed ever present. "You continue to amaze me. Would you consider singing tonight? I would love to hear you."
"I see you and Lidia have been scheming," Adela said. She loved singing but not in front of a crowd like this!
"Alas, I cannot deny that," Rafael sighed heavily. He escorted her through the dancers and back to Lidia.
"Your friend is quite charming; a welcome relief from your constant nagging," Rafael told Lidia.
"What? You cannot stomach hearing your own voice repeated back to you?" Lidia asked.
"I was not aware that my voice sounded like nails on rock."
"That's because no one has had the heart to tell you. No doubt they are too busy swooning and stroking your ego."
"I have an ego?"
"With a hat like that, who wouldn't?"
Adela's Curse
A curse. A murderous scheme. A choice.
A witch and her master capture a young faery and command her to kill their enemy. Adela has no choice but to obey. If she does not, they will force the location of her people's mountain home from her and kill her. To make matters even worse, the person she is to kill is only a man struggling to save his dying land and mend a broken heart.
Count Stefan is a man simply trying to forget the woman he loves and save a land crippled by drought. When a mysterious woman arrives at his castle claiming to be a seamstress, he knows she is more than she seems.
Adela enlists the help of Damian, another faery, to try and delay the inevitable. He insists she has a choice. But with the witch controlling her every move, does she?
Find Adela's Curse on Goodreads
The Blog Tour
Claire Banschbach was born and raised in Midland, TX, the fourth of eight children. She was homeschooled through high school and is now a proud member of the Texas A&M University class of 2014. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. She continues to write in her spare time (and often when she doesn't have spare time). She hopes her strong foundation in God will help to guide her writing.
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1 thought on "Story Excerpt: Adela's Curse"
Claire Banschbach says:
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Shannon! 🙂


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Manager of Discovery and Experience at Taronga Zoo. Paul has been working Paul Paul Maguire is Manager of Discovery and Experience at Taronga Zoo for 17 years. Paul Maguire works at the Taronga Zoo and is passionate about not only the animals themselves but also about youth. TEDxDubbo focused attention on what we call FACETS -- Food, Agriculture, Climate, Energy, Topsoil and Sustainability. .
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To order her book from Amazon, The Story of Stuff, click on the image or contact your local bookstore. Thank you.
Conservation Talks bring you short clips of some of the brightest minds in conservation talking about what they know best.
In this installment, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the first female administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) discusses what she sees as the biggest challenge facing conservation science today in a world that is changing so rapidly.
A resumé like Jane's is very rare: first female president of the International Council for Science, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Ecological Society of America, and a member of the National Science Board. Jane is also a Distinguished Professor of Zoology at Oregon State University, and has held academic residencies at Stanford, Harvard, University of the West Indies, University of Canterbury, and many others.


Burman University is able to relieve some financial stress from some students thanks to a Servus Credit Union partnership.
$50,000 was given to the Burman University scholarship committee to decide the amounts and number of scholarships that will be awarded each year.
Students will be qualified through hard work in and out of school, says J-R Ferrer who is VP of marketing and enrollment.
"We look at the whole student growth not just in academics, but in spiritual ways and in community and social ways so we want to make sure we provide opportunities for them and reward all these things they are doing just outside of the classroom," he explains.
Students who have demonstrated strong academic achievement, community service, campus involvement, and program participation will all be able to apply.
"They can see the criteria, so they now if they are strong in these areas they can put in an application for them, and they are awarded according to the work that they put in," Ferrer explains.
Ferrer says they will then give those students the opportunity to apply, and then will hand them out at an award show next spring.


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Thethmar, also known as Theodemar, was a Premonstratensian canon and missionary. A contemporary and friend of St. Vicelinus, he worked to convert the Wends, a tribe in modern Germany.

Notes

German Roman Catholic saints
12th-century Christian saints
1152 deaths
Premonstratensians
Year of birth unknown

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Natural Health Exam - This exam is a comprehensive study of the human body using observation skills from the Orient and Europe. It is a preventative approach focusing on organ system efficiency and cleansing. For each client the exam consists of a combination of alternative modalities; Iridology, Tongue analysis, Facial Observation, Pulse analysis, a Japanese Hara technique, Kinesiology Muscle Testing, Remedy testing, and Natural Treatment plan recommendations.
Lymphatic Acupressure - Lymphatic Acupressure is a specialized body work technique that applies repetitive acupressure at lymph node sites and acupressure along the meridians adjacent to lymph vessels. This is an energetic method that stimulates the movement of lymph fluid. This therapy assists with inflammation due to numerous heath complaints such as sinusitis, arthritis, gastritis, back pain, neck pain and more.
Cranial Sacral Therapy - CST is a holistic healing assessment and technique that uses light acupressure and gentle touch to balance the cranium, spine, and sacral area which includes the nerve ganglion sites, cerebral spinal fluid, and soft tissues of the central nervous system. This therapy helps the spine become more limber and causes cerebral spinal fluid to move more freely thereby balancing the central nervous system. It treats neck pain, headaches, stiffness, back pain, TMJ, sciatica, and more.
Magnet Therapy - Magnetic therapy, also called magnetic field therapy and bioenergy therapy, is an alternative therapy that uses magnets of varying sizes and strengths that are placed on the body to relieve pain and treat disease. Thin metal magnets are attached to the body alone or in groups. In a therapy session the magnets are applied to the skin and left in place from 20 to 60 minutes. Magnets have been reported to stimulate metabolism, increase the amount of oxygen available to cells, and create a less acidic environment within the body. Conditions treated include arthritis, circulatory disorders, nerve pain, inflammation, insomnia, muscle pain, neuropathy, sciatica, and to increase energy.
Aromatherapy Acupressure/Consultation and Treatment - Essential oils have been used for hundreds of years for perfume, and therapeutic purposes. Therapeutic essential oils are concentrated essences of medicinal plants which can affect the human body physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. With Shelley's first consult with you she will make recommendations. After the assessment she will provide an Aromatherapy Acupressure session. Aromatherapy Acupressure is a healing technique using therapeutic essential oils that are dropped along the spine and then worked into the surrounding tissue. Some call this the Raindrop Technique.
Shelley is a native of the DC/MD area. She is a mother of two girls, 2 labradoodles, 2 cats and 5 hens. She resides with her husband in Frederick Maryland. Shelley enjoys the beach and the outdoors. She has a goal of growing at least twenty percent of her own organic food.
Shelley is a doctor of natural health and has been practicing holistic health and energy work since 1995. She received her degree from First National University which was one of the founding schools in natural health. Shelley became interested in energy work in 1995 while undergoing Reiki treatments. Shelley focuses her practices on energy work and helps clients by using acupressure, aroma therapy, biofeedback, homeopathy, lymphatic acupressure, nutrition and visualization.
She is also educated in doTerra Essential Oils and provides aromatherapy consultations and treatments. Shelley has worked with the Washington Institute of Natural Medicine and currently teaches Acupressure, Aromatherapy, Holistic Laboratory, Visualization and Mind/Body Medicine for the Institute.
All fees are subject to change. This web page is not contractual. Please call ahead to verify.


Pedestrians often sustain catastrophic or even fatal injuries in car accidents. Unlike people inside an auto, they lack the protection that a vehicle affords its passengers. At Frankl & Kominsky, we understand the gravity of pedestrian collisions. Our car crash lawyers offer aggressive representation to individuals who were hurt in an accident near Boynton Beach or the surrounding area.
People are struck by careless drivers in Florida on a daily basis. The state's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported over 8,258 pedestrian crashes in 2012. Over 7,400 individuals were hurt in traffic accidents, and 473 people suffered fatal injuries. Children, teenagers, and the elderly are more likely to be involved in pedestrian accidents.
Florida motorists must have personal injury protection coverage, but the state only requires $10,000 in insurance. This amount is not enough to cover many serious pedestrian crashes. A lawsuit may help a victim recover adequate compensation.
Florida gives victims the opportunity to take legal action against those responsible for causing their harm. You can sue the party you believe is at fault for your pedestrian accident injuries. If you can prove that the defendant in your case is legally responsible, or liable, for the crash, you can potentially recover damages.
Forced you to incur actual damages.
Florida motorists have an obligation to use care behind the wheel. They must abide by traffic rules and regulations, and they also must use whatever precautions are reasonable given the specific circumstances. For example, a driver should slow down when driving near a school. You must be able to prove that the defendant breached the duty of care, such as by failing to yield at an intersection or running a red light.
You also need to show that the driver's breach caused your injuries. You can only prove negligence if you can establish a sufficiently close link between the defendant's careless actions and the accident. You then have to show actual damages related to your injuries, such as medical bills.
The defendant in your case may argue that you are to blame for the crash. For instance, you may be partially negligent if you failed to cross at a designated crosswalk that was available to you. You may still file a claim against the driver, but a court will assess whether your own carelessness contributed to the accident and to what extent. Florida follows a pure comparative fault rule in negligence cases. You can recover a reduced amount of damages as long as you are not fully responsible for your injuries.
If you are successful in your lawsuit, you can possibly recover damages to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among other types of harm. If your relative lost his or her life in a pedestrian accident, you can pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim. Potential damages can include your relative's medical and burial expenses, as well as your own loss of companionship.
Florida sets specific time limits on injury and wrongful death claims. Generally, a negligence-based claim must be filed within four years from the accident. Wrongful death lawsuits have a two-year statute of limitations.
At Frankl & Kominsky, we are passionate about helping auto collision victims pursue the compensation they need for their injuries. Our auto accident lawyers have helped countless South Florida pedestrians assert their claims for damages against careless drivers. We can review your case and discuss what legal options may be available to you. If we decide to move forward, we will tenaciously pursue your right to damages. We serve clients in communities such as Delray Beach, Lake Worth, and Palm Beach Gardens. Call us at (855) 800-8000 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation. We are fluent in Spanish and Creole.


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The Insomniacs
A sharp and romantic novel about two suburban teens who can't sleep uncovering the secrets of their neighborhood by night. Think The Summer I Turned Pretty with flashes of Rear Window! When seventeen-year-old competitive diver Ingrid freezes up and sustains a head injury at a routine meet, her orderly life is turned upside down. Now housebound and sedentary on doctor's orde A sharp and romantic novel about two suburban teens who can't sleep uncovering the secrets of their neighborhood by night. Think The Summer I Turned Pretty with flashes of Rear Window! When seventeen-year-old competitive diver Ingrid freezes up and sustains a head injury at a routine meet, her orderly life is turned upside down. Now housebound and sedentary on doctor's orders, Ingrid can't sleep and is haunted by the question of what triggered her uncharacteristic stage fright. The only thing she remembers about the moment before the dive is seeing Van, her neighbor, former best friend, and forever crush, on the sidelines. Then one sleepless night, she sees Van outside her window...looking right back at her. They tentatively begin "not sleeping" together every night but still living separate lives by day. Ingrid tells herself this is just temporary, but soon, she and Van are up every night together, increasingly intertwined in helping each other put pieces of memory together. As Van works through his own reasons for not being able to sleep, both of them are pulled into a mystery that threatens to turn their quiet neighborhood into a darker place than they realized.
30 review for The Insomniacs
Samantha (WLABB) – Aug 06, 2020
After suffering a head injury, Ingrid is plagued by insomnia as she tries to unravel what was behind her diving accident. Her sleepless nights lead her back to her once best friend, also unable to sleep after a night of blackouts and holes in his memory. Together they search for answers, while drawing closer to one another and renewing their friendship. The promise of mystery drew me to this story, and yes, there was a mystery going on, but I found myself more intrigued by Ingrid. Here was this After suffering a head injury, Ingrid is plagued by insomnia as she tries to unravel what was behind her diving accident. Her sleepless nights lead her back to her once best friend, also unable to sleep after a night of blackouts and holes in his memory. Together they search for answers, while drawing closer to one another and renewing their friendship. The promise of mystery drew me to this story, and yes, there was a mystery going on, but I found myself more intrigued by Ingrid. Here was this young woman, who was an accomplished diver with an Olympic dream. She was always able to do it all and do it all well. From the outside, you would never guess the weight of the baggage she carried. There were a bunch of reveals about Ingrid's past and present throughout the story, which told the tale of a girl, who was let down by those she hero worshipped and depended upon. This experience, this hole in her memory forced her to confront some of the truths about her life. It was a bit sad to watch her close the door on certain people in her life, but I was happy to see her make a conscience choice to save some of the other relationships which had suffered over the years. One of the relationships she chose to save was with her childhood best friend and neighbor, Van. After her father left, Ingrid put up a wall and broke her connections to the past. She dedicated herself to diving, in an effort to impress her absentee father, but she never stop caring about Van. The nights they spent awake together ranged from awkward and tense to delightful. They resuscitated their relationship and let some new feelings burn, while uncovering those missing pieces to their memory puzzles. This book, for me, was a coming of age tale wrapped in a mystery with a touch of romance. I was all in from the very first page, and I found myself fully invested in the outcome. Ingrid may have set set out to discover what went wrong the day of her ill-fated dive, but she ended up finding herself in the process, and I enjoyed getting to be a part of her journey. *ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Erika Lynn (shelf.inspiration) – Aug 25, 2020
3 Stars REVIEW: Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Marit Weisenberg for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Ingrid who suffered a concussion at one of her diving meets. Ingrid can't remember what happened to cause her to hit her head, only that she met eyes with her neighbor and crush Van right before. Ingrid is also unable to sleep, and one-night see sees Van staring out at her. Both the teens begin to meet up and spend their sleepless night 3 Stars REVIEW: Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Marit Weisenberg for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Ingrid who suffered a concussion at one of her diving meets. Ingrid can't remember what happened to cause her to hit her head, only that she met eyes with her neighbor and crush Van right before. Ingrid is also unable to sleep, and one-night see sees Van staring out at her. Both the teens begin to meet up and spend their sleepless nights together while they try to piece her memory back together. They also get wrapped up in a mystery of one of the houses on their block which holds some dark secrets. Overall, I enjoyed this book. In the beginning, I had a hard time getting into it, connecting to the characters, and I thought it was slow. However, as the story progressed the plot became more interesting and I became more invested. The last third of the book was so good, and I wish that there would have been more little clues or lead up to some of the big reveals that would have made the first section of the book more fast-paced. I did like Ingrid as a character and I thought that her (and the other characters) family situations were inclusive. The author included all sorts of family make-ups and dynamics which are representative of families today, so that was refreshing. I would recommend this book to others who love YA books about teens in high school or books that follow specific friend groups. This story did have a little romance and mystery in it as well, so I think many can find something to enjoy in this story. See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram SYNOPSIS: Ingrid can't sleep. She can't remember, either. A competitive diver, seventeen-year-old Ingrid is haunted by what she saw at the pool at a routine meet, before falling off the high dive and waking up concussed. The only thing she remembers about the moment before her dive is locking eyes with Van—her neighbor, former best friend, and forever crush—kissing his girlfriend on the sidelines. But that can't be all. Then one sleepless night, she sees Van out her window…looking right back at her. They begin not sleeping together by night, still ignoring each other at school by day. Ingrid tells herself this is just temporary, but soon, she and Van are up every night piecing her memory back together. As Van works through his own reasons for not being able to sleep, they're both pulled into a mystery that threatens to turn their quiet neighborhood into a darker place than they realized. RELEASE DATE: September 1, 2020
Ellen ✦ Book Bellas ✦ – Sep 06, 2020
4 - 4.5 STARS Although I enjoy Young Adult books, I have not read much in this genre for a while. 'The Insomniacs' was a beautiful story of trauma, healing and romance, with an added dash of suspense. Overall I found this book to be a very compelling story and Van has my heart forever! Described as the story of "two teens who discover the secrets of their neighborhood after everyone else turns out the lights", this book is told from the point of view of Ingrid, a competitive diver who has suff 4 - 4.5 STARS Although I enjoy Young Adult books, I have not read much in this genre for a while. 'The Insomniacs' was a beautiful story of trauma, healing and romance, with an added dash of suspense. Overall I found this book to be a very compelling story and Van has my heart forever! Described as the story of "two teens who discover the secrets of their neighborhood after everyone else turns out the lights", this book is told from the point of view of Ingrid, a competitive diver who has suffered a concussion from a dive gone wrong. She is now suffering from insomnia and sees that her neighbor Van is also up all night, too. Van and Ingrid used to be best friends, but Ingrid pulled away from their group after a traumatic event that was witnessed by the whole neighborhood. The humiliation was too much for her to bear, and she and Van began to completely ignore each other. Van is also troubled by something that happened one night recently when he might have been drunk. He is struggling to remember what happened to him, and racked with guilt that he might have harmed his girlfriend Caroline. Because Ingrid cannot not practice with her high school dive team for a month, she feels adrift and unmoored. She begins to notice strange events at night at the abandoned house next door to her. Eventually she and Van reconcile and begin hanging out again, and soon he joins her in staying up all night, watching the house and waiting for clues as to what is going on. Ingrid is secretly in love with Van but since he has a girlfriend she holds her emotions in check and struggles to keep their relationship on a platonic level There is plenty of chemistry between them and soon it becomes very obvious that there is more than meets the eye with his seemingly perfect, popular girlfriend Caroline. I found 'The Insomniacs' to be deeply engaging and suspenseful and a wonderful entry in the Y/A field. I did find the plot to be a little busy in some points and felt the story became mired down in too much extraneous detail towards the last part. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book for its wonderful descriptions of the pressure of competitive sports as well as the beautiful character development. Ingrid is a strong protagonist and an intelligent, brave young woman. Van is a sensitive love interest and very open about his emotions. I found these two characters to be very refreshing and original. So often books set in high school turn out to be unrealistic and cartoonish in their character depictions. The main protagonists here grow emotionally over the course of the story and while neither may have a picture-perfect life, they both learn to deal with their families and the eventual fall-out from the central mystery of the story. Ingrid and Van's relationships with their families was depicted in a very sweet, yet sometimes harsh way. This book was a complete surprise to me and I could not put it down once I started. And can talk about this gorgeous cover? It is a perfect depiction of what's inside! If you love enemies-to-lovers and Y/A romance, then you will love this book. While there is an element of suspense to the story, the main plot is focused on Ingrid and Van and their slow-burn relationship. This book deserves all the accolades and I loved the author's style of writing. 'The Insomniacs' should be a must-read for all lovers of the Y/A romance genre.
Leah – Aug 10, 2020
Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the advanced e-galley copy! Publishing: Sep 1 2020 RTC
Caitlyn DeRouin – Dec 11, 2020
tws: injury (concussion from diving), underage drinking, underage smoking, underage drug use, pedophelia lol @ me reading a book titled the insomniacs when i can't sleep because of my insomnia. really though this book was so good. i saw the twist coming about 5 seconds before the characters figured it out (okay i was partially wrong, but had the correct idea) and i honestly couldn't believe it but then once i thought about it it all made sense. i loved it. tws: injury (concussion from diving), underage drinking, underage smoking, underage drug use, pedophelia lol @ me reading a book titled the insomniacs when i can't sleep because of my insomnia. really though this book was so good. i saw the twist coming about 5 seconds before the characters figured it out (okay i was partially wrong, but had the correct idea) and i honestly couldn't believe it but then once i thought about it it all made sense. i loved it.
michelle (magical reads) – Jul 28, 2020
3.5 stars read on my blog rep: biracial (Japanese, white) love interest, Indian-American side character cw: recreational drug use, alcohol poisoning, mentions of death of a parent, (view spoiler)[predatory relationship between a coach and a student (off-page) (hide spoiler)] **I received an ARC through a trade. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.** I liked the idea of hiding the real me. There was a lot of respect to be had when you came off as being invu 3.5 stars read on my blog rep: biracial (Japanese, white) love interest, Indian-American side character cw: recreational drug use, alcohol poisoning, mentions of death of a parent, (view spoiler)[predatory relationship between a coach and a student (off-page) (hide spoiler)] **I received an ARC through a trade. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.** I liked the idea of hiding the real me. There was a lot of respect to be had when you came off as being invulnerable. When I saw this book was compared to Emergency Contact, I immediately added it to my TBR list! It also reminded me of Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff with the insomnia plot line. The Insomniacs was a coming of age story with a touch of mystery, set in the hazy in-between atmosphere of waking and dreaming. Competitive diver Ingrid is recovering from a concussion after a serious diving accident. She's been suffering from insomnia since then and overthinking her crush on her childhood best friend and neighbor, Van. She discovers that he also can't sleep, so they decide to stay up together, trying to see if something is going on in the abandoned house next door. I really liked Ingrid and being in her head. She narrates with a lot of detail, which I like because I also think like that; she's also fairly closed off and prefers to be on the sidelines, observing, which again I relate to. After her dad left and with her mom being so busy, she's used to being independent and solving her own problems. Asking for help is something she's not used to, which contributes to her insomnia. The prose was really good; you really feel like you're in that foggy head space between sleep and dreaming. Her lack of sleep definitely resonates throughout the story. It makes her bolder and more willing to be a participant in her life. I also liked the attention to detail in this book. Characterizations were set up very thoroughly and briefly. All of the characters read like real people. I also thought the setting was very well established; the book is fairly centered around Ingrid's neighborhood, which borders the greenbelt in Austin, Texas. The descriptions of the setting (Austin in particular) really place you there. You learn a lot about her surroundings without it being too heavy-handed; it was more the atmosphere of Austin than actually being there, if that makes sense, but I liked that. The romance was cute! Ingrid and Van used to be childhood best friends but she stopped talking to him and the other boys in her neighborhood after they witnessed her dad leaving her and her mom. However, she's always had a crush on Van and as a consequence, she's always been hyper aware of him since then. While I did really enjoy this book, especially the atmosphere, I just found it too much at times. Really, I think that it just had one too many plot lines and didn't juggle them very well. I think I would have been fine with just Ingrid's problems with her concussion and figuring out her sudden aversion to diving, as well as the romance, but there were a lot of other parts that felt a bit superfluous. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book! Overall, The Insomniacs was a solid debut. I enjoyed the atmosphere and really related to the protagonist. The Insomniacs was a coming-of-age story with a touch of mystery; I recommend it if you like estranged childhood friends to lovers! original review: I liked this overall but at times I didn't, if that makes sense? it also was long for a contemporary and kinda juggled one too many plot lines, I feel like
Emma – May 14, 2020
Most of Ingrid Roth's life is a mess. Her mother is barely home, always taking extra shifts at the hospital. Their house is rundown and falling apart. Ingrid hasn't spoken to any of her friends in the neighborhood cul de sac in years. And, of course, Ingrid's father is long gone. But Ingrid has always had diving under control. Competitive diving is supposed to be a safe space--her ticket to a college scholarship, the way she'll one day get her father's attention. Diving is the one thing Ingrid al Most of Ingrid Roth's life is a mess. Her mother is barely home, always taking extra shifts at the hospital. Their house is rundown and falling apart. Ingrid hasn't spoken to any of her friends in the neighborhood cul de sac in years. And, of course, Ingrid's father is long gone. But Ingrid has always had diving under control. Competitive diving is supposed to be a safe space--her ticket to a college scholarship, the way she'll one day get her father's attention. Diving is the one thing Ingrid always does right. Until she doesn't. Ingrid doesn't remember the accident. She knows she must have frozen up, lost control. She knows her head hit the board and she's supposed to be resting to recover from the head trauma. The only problem is Ingrid hasn't been able to sleep in days. Haunted by her lack of memory of the accident, as scared to return to the diving board as she is to fall behind in training, Ingrid spends her nights watching the neighborhood and Van--her neighbor, her former best friend, the boy she's had a crush on forever. Then Ingrid finds Van watching her. Van and Ingrid start spending their sleepless nights together as they both try to find a way to rest. Will the promise of answers be the thing that brings Ingrid and Van back together? Or will it drive them apart once and for all? in The Insomniacs (2020) by Marit Weisenberg. Find it on Bookshop. The Insomniacs is a heady blend of the vague menace reminiscent of the Hitchcock classic Rear Window and the summery nostalgia and romance in The Summer I Turned Pretty. Ingrid's narration is choppy and tense as she tries to put together the pieces to explain her accident. While both Ingrid and Van are focused on fixing their insomnia, the lack of sleep soon becomes a stand in for other problems. After years of letting her athleticism and physicality shape her daily life, Ingrid is paralyzed in the face of so much introspection as she has to confront her feelings about diving and, worse, the memories she can't quite summon of the moments leading up to the accident. Van, meanwhile, struggles to understand what secrets his girlfriend and best friends seem to have been keeping from him and what they have to do with the abandoned house on the cul de sac. The Insomniacs is an atmospheric story filled with secrets and suspense. Ingrid and Van drive the story but their neighborhood is as much of a character in this tense story where both characters have to confront some hard truths--including acknowledging when they need to ask for help. Ideal for readers who like their protagonists to have a lot of chemistry and their suspense to have tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Highly recommended. Possible Pairings: Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett, The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, The Last Time We Were Us by Leah Konen, The Sullivan Sisters by Kathryn Ormsbee, Tonight The Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales, How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford, We Are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian, Rear Window (1954) *An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*
Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* – Jul 07, 2020
The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg, 336 pgs. Flatiron Books, 2020. $19. Language: R (53 swears, 13 "f"); Mature Content: PG-13 (drug and alcohol use, drug overdose (victim recovers), affair between student and coach (off page)), Violence: PG-13 (diving accident is described). BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS—ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL—HIGH Ingrid is a high school star diver on her way to national acclaim and scholarships when in a moment of distraction, she falters and suffers a major injury. Recovering from The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg, 336 pgs. Flatiron Books, 2020. $19. Language: R (53 swears, 13 "f"); Mature Content: PG-13 (drug and alcohol use, drug overdose (victim recovers), affair between student and coach (off page)), Violence: PG-13 (diving accident is described). BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS—ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL—HIGH Ingrid is a high school star diver on her way to national acclaim and scholarships when in a moment of distraction, she falters and suffers a major injury. Recovering from her injury, Ingrid has turned into an insomniac and begins to watch the abandoned house next door, convinced something is going on. When her neighbor and crush, who is also fighting insomnia, joins her in her nightly vigils, secrets will be discovered and futures will be changed forever. A fast paced read that has all the elements to thrill. Romance, mystery, and secrets to uncover will keep the reader intrigued and allow some of the shortcomings in the plot to be forgiven. The main character has an incredible amount to deal with and is realistically portrayed in her downward spiral as her perfectly organized world begins to crumble. As with most YA novels, the adults are withdrawn or conveniently out of the way allowing for many of the antics of the teens to occur, which otherwise would have been impossible to pull off. Readers will be satisfied with an ending that brings all of the plot threads to a close; however, more could have been said about the benefits and absolute need for many of the characters to seek and receive therapy. Serious situations with long-term consequences, which many readers may themselves have experienced, should be acknowledged to have no easy answers and a healing process that could take more than a few weeks. Reviewer: AEB https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
Maya – Feb 20, 2020
I haven't yet read the ARC I received because my 14yo snagged it and won't let go. Since becoming a teenager, my daughter's interest in reading for pleasure has waned and there have been only two books that she has not just chosen over TV and her phone, but that she stays up way past her bedtime to read: Kindred by Octavia Butler and The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg. I can't wait to read it for myself. I haven't yet read the ARC I received because my 14yo snagged it and won't let go. Since becoming a teenager, my daughter's interest in reading for pleasure has waned and there have been only two books that she has not just chosen over TV and her phone, but that she stays up way past her bedtime to read: Kindred by Octavia Butler and The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg. I can't wait to read it for myself.
Meg – Jul 04, 2020
I LOVED IT! The main character Ingrid is so richly written; she's flawed but so relatable. This books weaves multiple storylines seamlessly-ingrid's injury and her loss of confidence about diving, the element of mystery surrounding her concussion and breakins in the neighborhood, ingrid's relationship with her best friends and her absentee father. And Van-he is swoon worthy! Go buy this book and commit the next day to reading it because it sucks you in!
Shannon (It Starts At Midnight) – Sep 03, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight Oh hi, I loved this book. A lot. It centers around Ingrid, who has just suffered a concussion during a brutal diving injury. Have you ever seen a diver hit their head on the board? It is horrifying. The blood, the dead silence of the crowd... 0/10, do not recommend. Well, neither does Ingrid. After a very successful career, she's doubting herself and her capabilities. She's never before f You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight Oh hi, I loved this book. A lot. It centers around Ingrid, who has just suffered a concussion during a brutal diving injury. Have you ever seen a diver hit their head on the board? It is horrifying. The blood, the dead silence of the crowd... 0/10, do not recommend. Well, neither does Ingrid. After a very successful career, she's doubting herself and her capabilities. She's never before felt that sense of doubt, so it's shaken her. And with her injury, she is forced to step back from diving, which has become her life. One of the side effects of her concussion seems to be insomnia, and while she's awake roaming the halls, Ingrid reconnects with neighbor/former friend/longtime crush Van. Van just so happened to be at the meet where Ingrid was hurt and okay, maybe Ingrid had been a bit rattled when she saw him canoodling her teammate right before her dive. Look, this is why my high school coach would kick any guy immediately off the deck, she'd not even need security, she'd just drag him away herself. By the ear, probably. I digress. Not only are Ingrid and Van rekindling their friendship, but they're on a mission to find out a few things: What is up with the creepy, abandoned house next door; what the deal is with their other (former) mutual friends; why neither one of them can sleep; and a whole other slew of mysteries that creep up along the way. I'll say no more, because spoilers. But the mystery is really fun (and I didn't see where it was headed at all!) but even more wonderful is how Ingrid learns and grows, and takes the time to build (and rebuild) relationships with her family, her friends (current and former), and begins to figure out what she really wants out of life. Bottom Line: I loved this book so much, and I am so afraid to spoil any of it for you, so you should really just read the thing.
Melissa (LifeFullyBooked) – Sep 03, 2020
This is an interesting YA with an air of mystery. Ingrid is a champion diver who hits her head, gets a concussion, and now suffers from insomnia. Is it a result of the concussion or is there something else at play--why can't she remember what happened right before the accident? She meets up nightly with Van, her neighbor and longtime crush who she had a falling out with many years ago. He too is experiencing some sleepless nights. As the two grow closer again and start sharing secrets, they star This is an interesting YA with an air of mystery. Ingrid is a champion diver who hits her head, gets a concussion, and now suffers from insomnia. Is it a result of the concussion or is there something else at play--why can't she remember what happened right before the accident? She meets up nightly with Van, her neighbor and longtime crush who she had a falling out with many years ago. He too is experiencing some sleepless nights. As the two grow closer again and start sharing secrets, they start to notice that things around them aren't as they seem. I liked the interplay between the two characters, but I felt like the ultimate payoff and big reveal were not enough. I also didn't like the side storyline (about the house and all of the other "friends") and thought it seemed unrealistic. The other thing I didn't care for were the absent adults. Yes, I get that Ingrid's mom is a nurse and works long shifts, but she should have days off and she didn't seem to know anything about Ingrid, what she was doing, or how her recovery was really going. She should have noticed, it almost seemed like Ingrid was way smarter than her mom. Overall, I did like the story and think it will really appeal to the YA audience. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps – Sep 06, 2020
1.5 STARS Champion diver Ingrid, suffering from a concussion, can't sleep. Her neighbor and crush Van, also has insomnia and a girlfriend. THE INSOMNIACS isn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy the reading experience. The blurb had me expecting mystery and intrigue, instead Marit Weisenberg's novel is a slow moving coming of age story. The word building aspect, though above average never stood out. The characters' backstories were more interesting than the actual characters. One of my biggest complai 1.5 STARS Champion diver Ingrid, suffering from a concussion, can't sleep. Her neighbor and crush Van, also has insomnia and a girlfriend. THE INSOMNIACS isn't a bad book, but I didn't enjoy the reading experience. The blurb had me expecting mystery and intrigue, instead Marit Weisenberg's novel is a slow moving coming of age story. The word building aspect, though above average never stood out. The characters' backstories were more interesting than the actual characters. One of my biggest complaints about the book is that Ingrid's mom seemed to alienate her from her dad, not sharing info with the absentee dad and not encouraging a relationship. This would have been fine if it had been addressed in the book rather than written as a positive parenting attribute. I seem to be among the few readers who didn't like the book, so you may enjoy it more than me.
M. [storme reads a lot] – Aug 10, 2020
This is an excellent YA book I am going to be telling all of my friends to read asap. Ingrid has insomnia. As does her neighbor Van. Ingrid has insomnia after a bad accident from diving. Van has very strong anxiety. Van also thinks there's something odd happening in the empty house in their cul de sac. This sleeplessness bonds the two together, and they set of to find out what's going on in this strange empty house. The mystery was well done, never obvious and keeping the pages turning the whole This is an excellent YA book I am going to be telling all of my friends to read asap. Ingrid has insomnia. As does her neighbor Van. Ingrid has insomnia after a bad accident from diving. Van has very strong anxiety. Van also thinks there's something odd happening in the empty house in their cul de sac. This sleeplessness bonds the two together, and they set of to find out what's going on in this strange empty house. The mystery was well done, never obvious and keeping the pages turning the whole time for me. There are no clear answers and reading is the only way to find out what's really going to happen. So that was fun. Also, I think this book does well to show the dark side of teen life these days along with some of the events happening to women in the current climate of the world. This is more than romance or suspense. This is actually a deep book with a plethora of emotions and topics. This was truly one of the best books I have read in a long time. Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron books for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Kat – Apr 17, 2020
What a great read! Full of twists, secrets, and a little romance! #TheInsomniacs #MustReadYA
What a great read! Full of twists, secrets, and a little romance! #TheInsomniacs #MustReadYA Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the e-arc copy of this novel.
Autumn – Sep 08, 2020
Ingrid Roth is a born diver. Just like her father. The very same father that walked out on her and her mother years ago and never bothered to looked back. All he left behind was his debt and a massive house that is quickly falling to ruin. That doesn't matter, because for Ingrid, her real home is on the board. There she can forget how hard her mother works, how training to be the best never left her any time make friends and about the boy who sole her heart at the age of five. All it takes is a Ingrid Roth is a born diver. Just like her father. The very same father that walked out on her and her mother years ago and never bothered to looked back. All he left behind was his debt and a massive house that is quickly falling to ruin. That doesn't matter, because for Ingrid, her real home is on the board. There she can forget how hard her mother works, how training to be the best never left her any time make friends and about the boy who sole her heart at the age of five. All it takes is a one slight miscalculation to rip it all away. In the light of day, I was embarrassed even thinking about the crazy surge of jealousy I'd felt when I first saw Van at the dive meet, there to support his girlfriend. Still, it shouldn't have mattered if Van was there. Diving was the one thing I could do, where I was safe and could control everything. I was always able to shut out the outside world. Instead I said, "I don't know! Maybe it was the blueberry muffin I ate for breakfast. Maybe I slept on one side and my balance was off." I swallowed down the truth. It was time to put away my ridiculous childhood crush on Van. Van and Ingrid have been neighbors ever she can remember. Not only was he her first real friend, he was also her first heartbreak. Now after terrifying dive accident steals Ingrid's ability to sleep, she and Van find a strange sort of comfort in their shared affliction. Each night brings them closer to each other and closer to finding out what's really going on in the empty house next door. But can the fragile love that they forged while the rest of the world was asleep, survive the harsh light of day? Van had taken the place of diving. He wasn't some dumb distraction like I'd first thought when I'd renounced him as my crush, blaming his presence for my fall. He'd become something even worse in the time since. He'd become my adrenaline thrill. Diving was something I controlled. This was even more dangerous because it involved another person. Marit Weisenberg redefines the Young Adult genre with The Insomniacs! Everything about this story feels more emotional, more significant – just so much more. The tender relationship that develops between the main characters made my heart ache in the very best of ways. It's Van's fearless honesty and willingness to lay himself bare that had me falling head over heels for him. While Ingrid possesses the kind of bravery and sheer determination that is usually reserved for someone far older. Simply put, they are both old souls. And the literary world is better place with them in it…
Sarah (Unqualified Reader) – Aug 18, 2020
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Flat Iron books in exchange for an honest review Usually when I have high hopes for a book, they are not all met. That is not the case for The Insomniacs. I knew I wanted to read this after reading the synopsis, and feel so fortunate to have gotten an ARC. This book is a perfect mixture of romance and mystery, and the pages turn themselves. I think the slow burn writing style really complemented both the mystery and the romance, and made the I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and Flat Iron books in exchange for an honest review Usually when I have high hopes for a book, they are not all met. That is not the case for The Insomniacs. I knew I wanted to read this after reading the synopsis, and feel so fortunate to have gotten an ARC. This book is a perfect mixture of romance and mystery, and the pages turn themselves. I think the slow burn writing style really complemented both the mystery and the romance, and made the twists at the end so much more thrilling. Ingrid is our main character, and I admired her a lot. I think it was so nice to see her vulnerability, fears, and stresses, but then also see her strength, perseverance, and resilience. I think she was an amazing lead female. The author obviously did a lot of research on living with a concussion. Her descriptions of symptoms were spot on. The only minor discrepancy is that with Ingrid's mom as a nurse, I doubt she would have been driving, or back to school as quickly as she was. I really appreciated that Ingrid and her mom had a healthy relationship. I think showing positive relationships between parents and children is really beneficial to younger readers. I also really loved the relationship between Ingrid and Van. I think they complemented each other really well. Van is a really great male lead. He complimented the story by being a bit mysterious and quiet. I liked the side characters for the most part, most of them had something to do with the plot of the story. The only side characters that really didn't have a role were Izzie and her friends. However, their lack of development and purpose didn't affect the quality of the story.
Haley Baker – Aug 21, 2020
I may have picked this book based on the cool cover. Believe it or not that works most of the time! . Insomnia...the story of my life and there's A LOT I related to on that level in the book. This is the story of a 17-year-old named Ingrid. She's a junior in high school and a competitive diver with Olympic possibilities. As the book opens she's had an accident during a dive that has left her with a nasty concussion. She can't remember the accident and now is unable to sleep. During one of her slee I may have picked this book based on the cool cover. Believe it or not that works most of the time! . Insomnia...the story of my life and there's A LOT I related to on that level in the book. This is the story of a 17-year-old named Ingrid. She's a junior in high school and a competitive diver with Olympic possibilities. As the book opens she's had an accident during a dive that has left her with a nasty concussion. She can't remember the accident and now is unable to sleep. During one of her sleepless nights she sees something at the abandoned house next door. She is confused from the concussion and from not sleeping. A boy in the neighborhood, Van, didn't see what Ingrid saw but has his own suspicions about what is going on at the abandoned house. Van is also having trouble sleeping after an incident while partying that he can't quite recall. The two of them start to hang out during the night. They try to piece together what's going on in the neighborhood, figure out why they can't sleep, and out how it all fits together. . The story is tense in some spots but not scary. The middle of the book is mainly them reconnecting after many years of ignoring each other. . The book is good. I really enjoyed it. I was engaged with the characters and storyline throughout. The middle is a tad slow when they are getting to know each other again but not uninteresting.
Jennifer – Aug 25, 2020
I love a book told by an unreliable narrator, and The Insomniacs does not disappoint. Weisenberg's main character, Ingrid, becomes convinced there's something going on in the vacant house next door; however, she's suffering from a severe concussion, memory loss, and insomnia. It's no small feat to make a reader want to trust and believe a character who doesn't even trust their own memories, but Weisenberg pulls this off extremely well. This novel sets the right tone with an engaging plot and real I love a book told by an unreliable narrator, and The Insomniacs does not disappoint. Weisenberg's main character, Ingrid, becomes convinced there's something going on in the vacant house next door; however, she's suffering from a severe concussion, memory loss, and insomnia. It's no small feat to make a reader want to trust and believe a character who doesn't even trust their own memories, but Weisenberg pulls this off extremely well. This novel sets the right tone with an engaging plot and realistic, well-drawn characters. The plot is smartly developed and carries out at just the right pace to keep the reader engaged and invested. I would not hesitate to recommend this book for young readers who enjoy a bit of mystery mixed with realistic teen angst, everyday family drama, and psychological suspense.
Renee – Aug 24, 2020
Ingrid is a high school junior with definite plans for her future. She is a competitive diver, destined for a full college scholarship, and maybe even the Olympics. When a dive goes wrong, she winds up with a concussion, no memory of the actual dive, and a terrible case of insomnia. In order to get back to the life she knows, she will have to reconnect with a boy and perhaps rethink what is most important in her life. The story unfolds as Ingrid and her childhood crush, Van, try to work out why t Ingrid is a high school junior with definite plans for her future. She is a competitive diver, destined for a full college scholarship, and maybe even the Olympics. When a dive goes wrong, she winds up with a concussion, no memory of the actual dive, and a terrible case of insomnia. In order to get back to the life she knows, she will have to reconnect with a boy and perhaps rethink what is most important in her life. The story unfolds as Ingrid and her childhood crush, Van, try to work out why they both have insomnia. There is an abandoned house in their neighborhood giving off creepy vibes, though once the mystery was explained, I saw it with different eyes. At first, I loved Ingrid's relationship with her mom, then not so much, but ultimately, I felt I mostly understood it. There were many lovely scenes between Ingrid and Van, though I did wish some of the story was told by him and not solely from Ingrid. A quick read that kept me guessing and hoping things would work out for Ingrid.
Natalie – Aug 16, 2020
Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC to read and review. I've been reading a lot of YA lately, which I do often because I teach. However, I can't get over how much I have loved some of the books I've read. This one was no exception. Ingrid is a very talented diver, that has a terrible accident at a meet, which causes her to split her head open and suffer a concussion. She has to stop diving for a month. In the meantime, she suffers from insomnia and other things. She begins seeing t Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC to read and review. I've been reading a lot of YA lately, which I do often because I teach. However, I can't get over how much I have loved some of the books I've read. This one was no exception. Ingrid is a very talented diver, that has a terrible accident at a meet, which causes her to split her head open and suffer a concussion. She has to stop diving for a month. In the meantime, she suffers from insomnia and other things. She begins seeing things that leads her to believe she may be imagining it or going crazy. Her childhood best friend that she had lost touch with believes her and is also suffering from insomnia. They spend late nights/ early mornings together trying to solve their mystery. This book has elements of romance, which I don't always appreciate but it worked in this situation. I enjoyed this book a lot. I was sympathetic with the characters and I loved the twists in the story. The ending was uplifting. Anyone that appreciates teenage crushes and drama will like this story. It's an easy read that definitely kept my attention and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next.
Tara Goedjen – Aug 25, 2020
A mysterious house next door, a neighborhood crush, and an unshakable insomnia that blurs the lines of reality... basically everything I love in a book! Marit Weisenberg seamlessly weaves all the threads together in one satisfying conclusion, and I (literally) couldn't put The Insomniacs down. It felt so raw and real that I kept thinking about it too, long after reaching the end! A mysterious house next door, a neighborhood crush, and an unshakable insomnia that blurs the lines of reality... basically everything I love in a book! Marit Weisenberg seamlessly weaves all the threads together in one satisfying conclusion, and I (literally) couldn't put The Insomniacs down. It felt so raw and real that I kept thinking about it too, long after reaching the end!
May – Sep 05, 2020
I devoured this immersive, propulsive read in two gulps! I was so drawn into Ingrid and Van's world and the surrounding mystery totally sucked me in and I literally couldn't put it down! Such richly-drawn characters, exquisite prose, a wholly unique setting and incredible plot twists - I can't recommend this novel highly enough! I devoured this immersive, propulsive read in two gulps! I was so drawn into Ingrid and Van's world and the surrounding mystery totally sucked me in and I literally couldn't put it down! Such richly-drawn characters, exquisite prose, a wholly unique setting and incredible plot twists - I can't recommend this novel highly enough!
ninnnng – Nov 27, 2020
I didn't expect to like this much. this was the perfect time for me to read this after reading a heavy subjects. it was light and sweet and everything I was looking for. the romance was really cute. oh the yearning was sooooo good. ahh and it a 'they can't sleep but when they lay down together they made each other sleep well' to me 👁👄👁 I didn't expect to like this much. this was the perfect time for me to read this after reading a heavy subjects. it was light and sweet and everything I was looking for. the romance was really cute. oh the yearning was sooooo good. ahh and it a 'they can't sleep but when they lay down together they made each other sleep well' to me 👁👄👁
Krysta – Aug 01, 2020
Source: ARC from publisher giveaway The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg is a riveting YA mystery that keeps the focus on the developing relationship between its protagonists even as it builds suspense. Ingrid is a competitive diver who cannot remember what she saw that made her hit the board. Van is her next door neighbor and longtime crush. He is having trouble remembering an evening with his friends. Together, they begin to stay up all night, trying to to piece together their missing memories. A Source: ARC from publisher giveaway The Insomniacs by Marit Weisenberg is a riveting YA mystery that keeps the focus on the developing relationship between its protagonists even as it builds suspense. Ingrid is a competitive diver who cannot remember what she saw that made her hit the board. Van is her next door neighbor and longtime crush. He is having trouble remembering an evening with his friends. Together, they begin to stay up all night, trying to to piece together their missing memories. As time passes, however, their nights together start to mean something more. But Van does not seem to want to bring their relationship into the day. Weisenberg expertly increases the tension in her novel, often moving away from the mystery and towards her characters, but always keeping the suspense in the background. The Insomniacs is not necessarily the type of book I would have picked up on my own. However, since I had a copy, I read it, and I found myself gripped by the narrative. It was only when I was halfway through that I realized that, although the summary makes this book sound like a thriller, with Ingrid and Van seeking clues to their missing memories, it is really more of a story about Ingrid finding herself. She has to let go of her father, who left her; figure out what she wants out of a relationship with Van; and acknowledge to herself that much of her life she has spent chasing her coach's approval, using him as a surrogate father figure. She has to decide why she is really diving, if she wants to continue, and how she will continue when she is afraid to go back on the board. Still, even though I was focused on Ingrid's character arc, I still wanted to know what had happened to her on the day of her accident. Ingrid may have seemed to have left it behind, but I could not. I think it is a testimony to Weisenberg's skill that the mystery does not have to be at the forefront of the story to be compelling. Indeed, having Ingrid lose focus perhaps makes the reader even more interested–it raises the possibility that Ingrid might simply let everything go, leaving the reading hanging forever! Ultimately, The Insomniacs delivers a satisfying conclusion, giving Ingrid important character growth and revealing what happened both to Ingrid and to Van. The book is a gripping read, one that lovers of YA thrillers will enjoy, but one that will also appeal to readers who might not normally pick up this kind of fare.
Jenny Hernandez – Aug 16, 2020
Sweet YA novel full of mystery with a dash of romance. Ingrid tries to figure out what happened in her last dive while she watches her neighborhood. She and one of her former best friends try to help each other with their insomnia while also figuring out what's happening in the empty house next door. I enjoyed the novel. I love the touches of Ingrid trying to be self sufficient so her mother doesn't worry, figuring out her issues with her father, and her feelings about her friends. It's relatable. Sweet YA novel full of mystery with a dash of romance. Ingrid tries to figure out what happened in her last dive while she watches her neighborhood. She and one of her former best friends try to help each other with their insomnia while also figuring out what's happening in the empty house next door. I enjoyed the novel. I love the touches of Ingrid trying to be self sufficient so her mother doesn't worry, figuring out her issues with her father, and her feelings about her friends. It's relatable. It reminded me a lot of what I went through as a child of a single parent. I will be recommending it to a few YA novel readers I know. Thank you Flatiron Books and Netgalley for the e-galley copy!
Melissia Aubin-przybyla – Aug 15, 2020
The title of the book grabbed my attention first. I suffered from insomnia myself. Ingrid is suffering from insomnia after a dive went wrong. She can't remember what led to that. With help from a childhood friend and secret crush who also is suffering from insomnia, together they uncover the truth. I liked how very realistic this story was. From the description of the insomnia itself to the issue that caused her insomnia. And i liked the romance between Van and Ingrid. Thanks to NetGalley for the The title of the book grabbed my attention first. I suffered from insomnia myself. Ingrid is suffering from insomnia after a dive went wrong. She can't remember what led to that. With help from a childhood friend and secret crush who also is suffering from insomnia, together they uncover the truth. I liked how very realistic this story was. From the description of the insomnia itself to the issue that caused her insomnia. And i liked the romance between Van and Ingrid. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this before publication. I will definitely be buying this for my collection.
TL – Aug 18, 2020
I won this via flatiron giveaway on Instagram (link via netgalley for digital copy). All my opinions are my own. ---
capture stories – Aug 18, 2020
Ingrid, a seventeen-year-old aspiring athlete, trained to be a national diver who CANNOT SLEEP and CANNOT REMEMBER due to a diving practice head injury. She went for therapy sessions, and strict doctor's orders restrained her from any intense activities, which meant taking a break from diving routine. Ingrid had a hard time following through with the new break routine. She was always triggered by unexpected headaches, which sometimes instigated blurry memories, accidents, and atypical jitters wh Ingrid, a seventeen-year-old aspiring athlete, trained to be a national diver who CANNOT SLEEP and CANNOT REMEMBER due to a diving practice head injury. She went for therapy sessions, and strict doctor's orders restrained her from any intense activities, which meant taking a break from diving routine. Ingrid had a hard time following through with the new break routine. She was always triggered by unexpected headaches, which sometimes instigated blurry memories, accidents, and atypical jitters when in-crowd. Life was a mess now. Van, a neighborly boy, a former best friend, someone she crushes on since junior, is the only memory sustained. It so happened that one night, Ingrid was up sleepless, she saw Van, who lived right opposite her house, looked back at her from his window. They locked eyes. The story of their estranged friendship rekindled when they found out they shared the same problem, insomnia. Van had experiences with insomnia earlier than Ingrid and knew of methods to get by with sleeplessness. They strike some exciting discussions about mental health and sleep issues to help each other put pieces of missing memories together. While pulling off the scenarios of a best friend at night, stranger by the day. Pieces of vague memories slowly come into a picture as they worked through the sleepless nights and later find themselves pulled into a secret that threatens their neighborhood, families, friendship, and the trust of their loved ones. For me, The Insomniacs were about teenagers finding and feeling their ways into the adolescent world. Ms. Weisenberg had splendidly depicted the realistic and the complexity of emotions therein faced by most teenagers. The story speaks in the volume of real issues teenagers face nowadays, where their actions were often incomprehensible and indefinable. Mainly, juvenile hormones have caused them to do things differently at that stage of life, sometimes resulting in regrettable and inexplicable mistakes. Undoing and redoing the mistakes that spun into a dilemma of endless loops and not getting it right can be daunting. The process repeats until they have learned how to navigate complex emotions and come to a coherent conclusion. I have enjoyed reading most parts of the story that wrapped itself with mystery, a little bit of suspense, and a touch of romance. Oh boy, teen puppy love can be so sweet and yet distressing at the same time. The first few chapters caught my attention as the author deftly leaves a bit of the mystery between pages, a bait for the sequel. Ingrid's journey to discover what went wrong with her accident, her courage to face the truths about her life, and in the end, found herself were inspiring. The deep emotions involving friendship, families, and the complicated feelings on teen issues gravitated after the read, leaving solemnity and profound understanding—a great YA book it is. There's just one caveat about the matters of consent and power between adult-teens, which I think should be thoroughly discussed and played out. Other than that, I have pretty much enjoyed the book and hope you will too! Huge thanks to Flatiron and Netgalley for the gift copy
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