Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste: Amazing! One of a kind. Touching. Emotional. Raw. Real.

It happened in stages.

My father left.

My twin sister died of an incurable autoimmune disease.

My mother started breaking down.

Then I was diagnosed with the very thing that took my other half from me.

That was when I realized Mama’s eyes turned gold when she cried.

So I moved in with my father and his new family—new wife, new son, new stepbrother.

Kaiden Monroe made me feel normal.

Hated. Cared for. Loathed. And … loved.

Somewhere along the way, I’d found solace in the boy with brooding eyes.

But everything happens in stages.

And nothing good ever lasts.

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MY REVIEW

This is such a poignant book and touches on more than one difficult theme. One of them living with a silent and chronic disease. It is heartbreakingly powerful. I’ve never loved characters as much as I did in this book. The family, the love, the fight, the losses and the courage were shown by not only our main character, Emery, but everyone in her circle.

I was mesmerized and transfixed by the story being told. I was on the edge of my seat desperately trying to figure out which way this story was headed.

This book is heartbreaking and moving. Regardless of what is put in her path, Emery has strength and courage to overcome.

When dealing with a chronic disease, it affects not only he person but the family as well. You hurt when they hurt and vice versa. The strength that is shown by Emery and everyone in her circle is Herculean.

The characters touched me in a way I don’t think I’ve ever felt. This story and its characters feel REAL. Their trials and triumphs became mine and that can only attest to the brilliance and courage this author has to write about something that is so personal and hits so close to home.

I thought I knew what I was getting into with this book and although I came close, this author simply blew me and my feelings away. It is uncomfortable and raw. Blissful and sweet. Full of pain and sorrow. Full of love and full of life. And, make no mistake, that is what this story is about, LIFE. The life of Emery, a teenager who suffers from a chronic and silent disease, as she experiences life in all its wonderful glory and devastation.

If you don’t like real life, read this book. If you don’t like pain and devastation, read this book. If you love a strong heroine, read this book. If you love undying and romantic love, read this book. Last of all, if you love LIFE read this book because life is not being LIVED unless you accept the good with the bad.

Amazing! One of a kind. Touching. Emotional. Raw. Real.

I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

EXCERPT

We walk for what feels like forever until I see a large sycamore tree in the middle of a field of purple flowers. It seems out of place, yet perfectly set at the same time.

Kaiden walks over to it and sits down, leaning his back against the thick trunk. He seems at peace, which is a new look for him. His body is eased as he stretches his long legs out without a care in the world.

I stare. Not just at him, but at the tree. It’s huge with its long branches and bright green leaves transitioning into yellow and orange and red that give the space a beautiful kind of life. Lo would have loved this spot. She would have dragged me out and stayed here until Mama called our names in frantic worry. Lo always wanted to be free, out in the open, surrounded by trees and plants and animals.

Suddenly, the tears that had finally stopped falling on the way over begin building again until everything blurs. Bottom lip trembling, I hear Kaiden’s heavy sigh.

“What’s wrong now?”

I answer silently what my emotions won’t let me speak aloud.

Lo was buried under a sycamore tree.