Review: We Are All That's Left

We Are All That's Left
by Carrie Arcos

Publisher: Philomel
Publication Date: May 15, 2018

WE ARE ALL THAT’S LEFT by Carrie Arcos is an unflinching look at the terror of war and in contrast, the lasting power of love. The story switches back and forth between the life of Zara in present-day Rhode Island and the childhood of her mom, Nadja, in the midst of the Bosnian War two decades prior. After a terror attack at a local farmer’s market leaves Zara injured and her mom in a coma, Zara races to find out more about her mom’s hidden past and to rebuild her life on an unstable foundation. 

In WE ARE ALL THAT’S LEFT, Arcos has intricately woven together two unique but related storylines. The characters are believable and the plot is set at an excitingly rapid pace, keeping the story going while still advancing the character development. The story and writing of WE ARE ALL THAT’S LEFT make it into a thrilling, remarkable novel with a powerful message of love and all of the forms it can come in. I recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, gripping storylines, or strong heroines.

Review: Crazy Messy Beautiful

Crazy Messy Beautiful
by Carrie Arcos

Publisher: Philomel Books / Penguin Random House
Publication Date: February 7, 2017

CRAZY MESSY BEAUTIFUL is an unconventional story that deeply examines the meaning of true love. The story follows Neruda Diaz, named after famous poet Pablo Neruda, as he attempts to find the passionate love described in his namesake’s work. However, as Neruda’s personal relationships grow more complex, he is forced to reevaluate his previous perceptions of what love really is.

While this story is set up like a very traditional YA romance, the plot was more nuanced than I had originally anticipated. First of all, the story is more of a coming of age story than a love story: by starting to experience life instead of simply witnessing it or drawing it, Neruda matures vastly and gains understanding beyond the confines of romance. While I appreciated that this book was not especially clichéd, I would still definitely say that it is more of a light read. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a story that’s somewhere in the middle of the spectrum of extreme playful romance to extremely serious literature.