DESCRIPTION
Twin sisters share a unique bond, one that can’t be broken by miles, time, or even death. Hannah and Hope Morton are no exception. When Hope takes her own life, Hannah loses a sister and a best friend, a catastrophe she isn’t sure she’ll survive herself.
With her family in ruins, Hannah is slowly disappearing, drowning in a sea of misery. Even her wild, energetic best friend can’t pull her out of her grief. Desperate to help Hannah, her brother comes home from college, bringing his best friend Julian along, the first boy to break Hannah’s heart. None of their efforts are enough to pull Hannah off her self destructive path, though. Julian is the only one who can get through to her, working his way into her frozen soul with cocky remarks and genuine love that warms her from the inside out.
As Hannah works to find answers, she continues to uncover new secrets and people that reveal a side of Hope she had never shared with her twin. Alone now, Hannah must make a decision of her own: move on and start a new life with the people she has left, or let the weight of her grief drag her down with her sister.
 |
 |
 |
REVIEW
A Sliver of Hope was a gut-wrenching read from page one. Pretty much by page three I just wanted to cry. Hannah and Hope are twins, but we never get to meet Hope, because she killed herself on April Fool’s Day and left behind a mess of friends and family who loved her and never knew she was hurting.
Although there are a lot of people affected by Hope’s decision to kill herself, her twin Hannah is devastated. Nellenback captures the grief one twin would feel over the purposeful loss of her other half.
Told in the form of a diary, A Sliver of Hope is Hannah’s journey back from the dead. Because that’s how she feels after her sister abandons her on a day where they had planned to pull off a huge prank. Something they did every year, something Hannah had counted on, something Hope ruined forever with her selfish decision to end her own life.
Much of the book is written directly to Hope—and Hannah pulls no punches when she discusses her feelings with her now dead sister. She’s angry, she cusses at her, she hates her for what she left behind, her family torn apart.
But worst of all, Hannah discovers that Hope was hiding a whole other life. She had a secret boyfriend, one who starts to mistake Hannah for Hope.
Through all this Hannah realizes no one can pull her up from the depths of her depression—not her parents, not her boyfriend, not her best friend, not her therapist. No one but her.
This is a really good book, very sad and maybe a little depressing at times, but a captivating read for sure. Hope’s journey is inspiring and her growth as a character is well worth the misty eyes you will surely have once you start reading this book.
Karla Nellenbach divides her time between day jobbing, writing, and indulging in her Winchester obsession. The rest of her day is spent playing butler to a cranky old man masquerading as a housecat and two rambunctious puppies that closely resemble small horses.
Born and raised in the wilds of Michigan, she knows two immutable facts: (1) it is entirely possible to live in a thumb, and (2) you definitely can go home again…you just might not survive the winter.
Having resided in the sunscape of Florida for the last decade, she’s still on a quest to see a real live alligator outside of the “petting” zoo. Karla is currently at work on her next novel. You can find more information on Karla and her work at her website, The Last Word: http://www.karlanellenbach.com/
 |
 |
 |
Bookworm Brandee
This sounds really good, Julie. A tough subject to read, yes, but definitely thought provoking. You said that Nellenbach is able to capture the grief a twin would feel over the loss of their twin, and that’s some talented writing. Thanks for sharing your fab review!