kodom251999's review
5.0
ARC for review
Sometimes it amazes me, how talented some authors are. Pepper Winters is one of those writers. I started this book and I am amazed at the emotions it dredges from me. Horror at abuse along with sadness for Ren. I have teared up and smiled at Della. It’s amazing how one book can run the gamut on every emotion.
I think Cherry River showed them the kindness of people. People who work hard, and love harder. Finding their way with nothing but their kindness.
Della makes you feel her heartbreak. You feel her envy of Cassie. It makes you remember being 13, and knowing there are things you don’t know. You just wanted to know what it meant to really love someone. Every moment feels amplified to a million. Their dynamic of brother and sister they fell in in to survive almost destroyed. Ren is so hard on himself. Every thought in his head is to take care of Della. Never once giving himself a break. Never once thinking of himself always of her. The angst... ahhhh! The last chapter of this book wore me out. I wanted to rage myself! 😳
So, yes... read this book! It won’t let you down. It’s definitely a Pepper Winters book.
Sometimes it amazes me, how talented some authors are. Pepper Winters is one of those writers. I started this book and I am amazed at the emotions it dredges from me. Horror at abuse along with sadness for Ren. I have teared up and smiled at Della. It’s amazing how one book can run the gamut on every emotion.
I think Cherry River showed them the kindness of people. People who work hard, and love harder. Finding their way with nothing but their kindness.
Della makes you feel her heartbreak. You feel her envy of Cassie. It makes you remember being 13, and knowing there are things you don’t know. You just wanted to know what it meant to really love someone. Every moment feels amplified to a million. Their dynamic of brother and sister they fell in in to survive almost destroyed. Ren is so hard on himself. Every thought in his head is to take care of Della. Never once giving himself a break. Never once thinking of himself always of her. The angst... ahhhh! The last chapter of this book wore me out. I wanted to rage myself! 😳
So, yes... read this book! It won’t let you down. It’s definitely a Pepper Winters book.
reclusivereader's review
1.0
I don't even know where to begin. I want to curb my snarky tongue but honestly my mind is whirring from all the stuff about THE BOY AND HIS RIBBON that I just couldn't. Couldn't believe, couldn't tolerate, did I mention the couldn't believe, and just overall.. couldn't.
The first in The Ribbon Duet starts off in a dark place. And I was actually really excited about it. I've never read Winters before, despite much encouragement from a buddy, so didn't know how much darker things would go when the book opens up about a child slaver situation, with a couple who are obviously not nice, and have done, and do, horrible things to the children who they buy to work their farm. But we don't linger with them because Ren, our protagonist, is on the run. He's ten years old, possesses nine fingers, and discovers too late he has a stowaway in his backpack full of supplies. A stowaway who happens to be the Mclary's natural born daughter and all of only a year old.
Ren faces a decision : does he abandon her to die, does he kill her himself, or does he risk his own recapture by pushing on with the unexpected baggage? He obviously pushes on. But it's not an easy journey. His early struggles with this burden were actually some of my favourites, even if I had to suspend a lot of disbelief over the supposed abilities of a ten year old. But that was merely foreshadowing to worse things I'd have to swallow or believe were possible.
I'm living proof that a heart can be broken a thousand times and still function, still keep you alive -- desperately hoping that it won't happen again, all the whole knowing it will.
As the story progresses we end up experiencing eighteen years with Ren and Della and all the obstacles, hardships, and sweetness, that make up their lives together. We also get forewarning that there isn't yet a happy ending via Della's present-day reminiscing by way of a school assignment about her life which shifts into a diary-esque purge of feelings and events. Feelings of a non-brotherly sort to the boy who is both father and brother to her. And we get to see Ren's conflict grow as he struggles to deal with this person who is his everything, who has ever been his responsibility, but who is no longer a baby and no longer treats him in the simple way she did when she was young. And how he cannot deal with the change in their relationship, and yet hates himself for both his own confusion, and hates her for ruining what they had.
Eventually I would need to be more than the illiterate boy who'd carried her away in a backack. I'd have to be a role model, counselor, and friend. And I as determined to be a friend who could read and write.
The bare bones about this story is great. I loved how Winters went into detail about Ren's lack of schooling and awareness of things, how he had to be taught by Della despite their age difference, and all the sacrifices he made for her. How they spent most of their lives in the forest, in abandoned farms and shacks. And yes, on a whole, the situation is unrealistic. But it was made worse by how the characters behaved. Mature conversations at five? An eight year old with a voice that "hinted a rich depth that would rival any woman's. Husky and melodic with just enough sweet and sour to drive boys insane"? At eight? GTFO.
Also, I don't know why, but the nickname "Little Ribbon" or "Ribbon" just.. bothered me. Sometimes I think I am completely heartless. Oh, and equally unbelievable was that said piece of blue ribbon would've survived eighteen years intact. Yeah, no.
This story just devolved into so much conflict and angst and uncertainty, beyond the general 'not damn likely' vibe, and I just checked out in order to keep my sanity. I know I'm often weird with kids-as-MCs in stories and this was definitely heightened by all the added adult expectations and roles that they assumed, things they said, things they felt, and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief for it. Add in the denial and the lies and the mistrust and the blinding need to possess but also push away and nope.
I want to know how it ends, because I'm endlessly curious and also a masochist, but this read was really not my jam.
1.5 "love was simple with one rule : if you hurt the person you love, it would be as bad as hurting yourself" stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
The first in The Ribbon Duet starts off in a dark place. And I was actually really excited about it. I've never read Winters before, despite much encouragement from a buddy, so didn't know how much darker things would go when the book opens up about a child slaver situation, with a couple who are obviously not nice, and have done, and do, horrible things to the children who they buy to work their farm. But we don't linger with them because Ren, our protagonist, is on the run. He's ten years old, possesses nine fingers, and discovers too late he has a stowaway in his backpack full of supplies. A stowaway who happens to be the Mclary's natural born daughter and all of only a year old.
Ren faces a decision : does he abandon her to die, does he kill her himself, or does he risk his own recapture by pushing on with the unexpected baggage? He obviously pushes on. But it's not an easy journey. His early struggles with this burden were actually some of my favourites, even if I had to suspend a lot of disbelief over the supposed abilities of a ten year old. But that was merely foreshadowing to worse things I'd have to swallow or believe were possible.
I'm living proof that a heart can be broken a thousand times and still function, still keep you alive -- desperately hoping that it won't happen again, all the whole knowing it will.
As the story progresses we end up experiencing eighteen years with Ren and Della and all the obstacles, hardships, and sweetness, that make up their lives together. We also get forewarning that there isn't yet a happy ending via Della's present-day reminiscing by way of a school assignment about her life which shifts into a diary-esque purge of feelings and events. Feelings of a non-brotherly sort to the boy who is both father and brother to her. And we get to see Ren's conflict grow as he struggles to deal with this person who is his everything, who has ever been his responsibility, but who is no longer a baby and no longer treats him in the simple way she did when she was young. And how he cannot deal with the change in their relationship, and yet hates himself for both his own confusion, and hates her for ruining what they had.
Eventually I would need to be more than the illiterate boy who'd carried her away in a backack. I'd have to be a role model, counselor, and friend. And I as determined to be a friend who could read and write.
The bare bones about this story is great. I loved how Winters went into detail about Ren's lack of schooling and awareness of things, how he had to be taught by Della despite their age difference, and all the sacrifices he made for her. How they spent most of their lives in the forest, in abandoned farms and shacks. And yes, on a whole, the situation is unrealistic. But it was made worse by how the characters behaved. Mature conversations at five? An eight year old with a voice that "hinted a rich depth that would rival any woman's. Husky and melodic with just enough sweet and sour to drive boys insane"? At eight? GTFO.
Also, I don't know why, but the nickname "Little Ribbon" or "Ribbon" just.. bothered me. Sometimes I think I am completely heartless. Oh, and equally unbelievable was that said piece of blue ribbon would've survived eighteen years intact. Yeah, no.
This story just devolved into so much conflict and angst and uncertainty, beyond the general 'not damn likely' vibe, and I just checked out in order to keep my sanity. I know I'm often weird with kids-as-MCs in stories and this was definitely heightened by all the added adult expectations and roles that they assumed, things they said, things they felt, and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief for it. Add in the denial and the lies and the mistrust and the blinding need to possess but also push away and nope.
I want to know how it ends, because I'm endlessly curious and also a masochist, but this read was really not my jam.
1.5 "love was simple with one rule : if you hurt the person you love, it would be as bad as hurting yourself" stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
lovehollyxx's review
5.0
Pepper Winters is known for writing big books, and the fact that I read this book in one day, is testament to just how truly brilliant The Boy And His Ribbon is. I was instantly sucked into Ren and Della's heartbreaking story of forbidden love, and the more I read, the tighter both my chest and throat felt from trying to hold in the emotion.
This is a two part series, so if you're completely against reading books with unresolved endings, then I advise you to wait until June when book 2 releases, but if you're happy either way then please read this book!! It is so powerful and moving and utterly heart-rendering.
This book spans 18 years, and in those years I read a story not like any I've read before. A story I didn't realise I wanted to know - no, scrap that - a story I didn't realise I needed to know until I turned that first page. A story that only Pepper Winters could tell. And tell it she did. A very worthy 5 star read. Bring on The Girl And Her Ren.
This is a two part series, so if you're completely against reading books with unresolved endings, then I advise you to wait until June when book 2 releases, but if you're happy either way then please read this book!! It is so powerful and moving and utterly heart-rendering.
This book spans 18 years, and in those years I read a story not like any I've read before. A story I didn't realise I wanted to know - no, scrap that - a story I didn't realise I needed to know until I turned that first page. A story that only Pepper Winters could tell. And tell it she did. A very worthy 5 star read. Bring on The Girl And Her Ren.
julie_loves_books's review
3.0
"I often found my heart swelling with warmth for my young, tiny friend and cracking in pain knowing this life we shared couldn’t go on forever. She would eventually need more. She would eventually outgrow me."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The blurb for this is pretty vague, so you're essentially going in blind. I did know/assume that it was going to be a forbidden romance, but I didn't know how or why.
This book gets off to a really good start and Ren's story draws you right in. At 10 years of age, he's escaping a life he was sold in to and running towards the forest for freedom. Once safe, he sits down to rest and discovers that he has a stowaway in his backpack. A baby. Della Mclary. He has no idea how she got in there and has no idea how both he and she can survive. He has little food, no shelter and has no idea of how to care for a baby.
From here, the rest of their story plays out. While he's coming of age, he's raising her as his sister. The book spans the next 17 years and with that, they both mature and feelings develop. Ren has wanted nothing but to care for and protect Della and Della has loved Ren and looked up to him in all the ways that a sister should. Until...those feelings start to change for both of them.
Aside from having to suspend a great amount of disbelief for these two to have survived as long as they did on their own, this book is a long, slow burn as their story is revealed. It's told from both POVs: Ren in the past and Della in the present. I absolutely adored Ren. He did nothing but love and protect Della to give her the best life he could. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of Della. Her portion of the story is pretty much an 18-year-old's 'Dear Diary' retelling and I just didn't connect with her.
The first half of the book we're watching the children grow and seeing them bond over trying to survive. The second half of the book they enter their teenage/young adult years. I didn't find this as enjoyable to read. With these ages comes a lot of angst and it just piles on as the book continues. By the end, I didn't really care for either character and the story that the author chose for them.
I will say, her writing was the only saving grace or I probably wouldn't have finished this. I just didn't care for the story overall. I love forbidden stories, but I want the characters to fight for each other and that just wasn't the case here. Book 2 in this duet is even longer than this one and I'm afraid the story is going to be told much the same and I'm not interested in investing that time...plus, I've read some spoilers which confirmed my suspicions. Would I recommend this? Probably not. If you're looking for a coming of age/forbidden story, I really enjoyed All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood. Give that one a try.
Nickname: Della Ribbon
In my ten measly years on this unforgiving, cruel, terrible earth, right there I found home, and no matter where we ended up, I’d always be home because I would never let her go again.
That was what he did to me, you see? He made my entire life a jewelery box of special, sad, hard, happy, incredible moments that I want to wear each and every day.
Even without his bedtime stories filling in the blanks and painting pictures I’ve forgotten, I can honestly say Ren is my favorite word. I love every history attached to it. I love every pain lashed to it. I love the boy it belongs to.
Even as a boy, he was beautiful. Too beautiful to carry the depth of suspicion and guardedness he never fully shed. Too beautiful to be responsible for the wake of misdeeds left in his path. Too beautiful to be normal.
I often found my heart swelling with warmth for my young, tiny friend and cracking in pain knowing this life we shared couldn’t go on forever. She would eventually need more. She would eventually outgrow me.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like being touched; I just became overwhelmed whenever she did. It’d gotten to the point where I was afraid that one day, I wouldn’t be able to breathe unless she touched me all the time.
My heart stopped with how perfect she was. How smart. How kind. How brave. I’d never look at the color blue again without thinking of her. I’d never hold another ribbon again without wanting to hold her.
I mean, just the way he looked at me? Wow, I wish I could draw instead of just write so you could see what I saw and feel what I felt. The way Ren looked at you made you suffer beneath his expectation and glow beneath his praise. He touched you deeper than any hand could reach. He affected you harder than any spoken word ever could. He cared with his entire soul and committed with entire being.
“I wish for Ren to always be mine. To take me everywhere. And to give me more birthdays.”
I wanted to hate that cute red and white uniform with its dark grey pinafore, frilly socks, and black shiny buckle up shoes, but I couldn’t. I could only love it because it gave her access to a piece of life I’d been denied, and I wanted her to have it all.
You see, there was never a day in my life when I haven’t loved Ren Wild. Every memory, he’s there. Every experience, he’s with me. And for that...I almost hate him. There is no me without him,
“I will always love you, Della Ribbon. Until the day I die and even past that.”
My life wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding if she’d never stowed away in my backpack and become my most favorite thing in the world.
She wasn’t just my equal anymore, she was my shooting star, sending her far out of my reach.
I would do everything required to make it all go away, because he must never know that kissing him might’ve been the worst thing I’d ever done, but it was also the best, the realest, the most truest thing I’d ever felt, and I would never apologize for that.
It hurt so damn much to love her so fucking dearly but be so confused. I loved her in so many ways, but here she was, trying to get me to love her in an entirely different one, and I honestly didn’t know if I could.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The blurb for this is pretty vague, so you're essentially going in blind. I did know/assume that it was going to be a forbidden romance, but I didn't know how or why.
This book gets off to a really good start and Ren's story draws you right in. At 10 years of age, he's escaping a life he was sold in to and running towards the forest for freedom. Once safe, he sits down to rest and discovers that he has a stowaway in his backpack. A baby. Della Mclary. He has no idea how she got in there and has no idea how both he and she can survive. He has little food, no shelter and has no idea of how to care for a baby.
From here, the rest of their story plays out. While he's coming of age, he's raising her as his sister. The book spans the next 17 years and with that, they both mature and feelings develop. Ren has wanted nothing but to care for and protect Della and Della has loved Ren and looked up to him in all the ways that a sister should. Until...those feelings start to change for both of them.
Aside from having to suspend a great amount of disbelief for these two to have survived as long as they did on their own, this book is a long, slow burn as their story is revealed. It's told from both POVs: Ren in the past and Della in the present. I absolutely adored Ren. He did nothing but love and protect Della to give her the best life he could. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of Della. Her portion of the story is pretty much an 18-year-old's 'Dear Diary' retelling and I just didn't connect with her.
The first half of the book we're watching the children grow and seeing them bond over trying to survive. The second half of the book they enter their teenage/young adult years. I didn't find this as enjoyable to read. With these ages comes a lot of angst and it just piles on as the book continues. By the end, I didn't really care for either character and the story that the author chose for them.
I will say, her writing was the only saving grace or I probably wouldn't have finished this. I just didn't care for the story overall. I love forbidden stories, but I want the characters to fight for each other and that just wasn't the case here. Book 2 in this duet is even longer than this one and I'm afraid the story is going to be told much the same and I'm not interested in investing that time...plus, I've read some spoilers which confirmed my suspicions. Would I recommend this? Probably not. If you're looking for a coming of age/forbidden story, I really enjoyed All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood. Give that one a try.
Nickname: Della Ribbon
In my ten measly years on this unforgiving, cruel, terrible earth, right there I found home, and no matter where we ended up, I’d always be home because I would never let her go again.
That was what he did to me, you see? He made my entire life a jewelery box of special, sad, hard, happy, incredible moments that I want to wear each and every day.
Even without his bedtime stories filling in the blanks and painting pictures I’ve forgotten, I can honestly say Ren is my favorite word. I love every history attached to it. I love every pain lashed to it. I love the boy it belongs to.
Even as a boy, he was beautiful. Too beautiful to carry the depth of suspicion and guardedness he never fully shed. Too beautiful to be responsible for the wake of misdeeds left in his path. Too beautiful to be normal.
I often found my heart swelling with warmth for my young, tiny friend and cracking in pain knowing this life we shared couldn’t go on forever. She would eventually need more. She would eventually outgrow me.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like being touched; I just became overwhelmed whenever she did. It’d gotten to the point where I was afraid that one day, I wouldn’t be able to breathe unless she touched me all the time.
My heart stopped with how perfect she was. How smart. How kind. How brave. I’d never look at the color blue again without thinking of her. I’d never hold another ribbon again without wanting to hold her.
I mean, just the way he looked at me? Wow, I wish I could draw instead of just write so you could see what I saw and feel what I felt. The way Ren looked at you made you suffer beneath his expectation and glow beneath his praise. He touched you deeper than any hand could reach. He affected you harder than any spoken word ever could. He cared with his entire soul and committed with entire being.
“I wish for Ren to always be mine. To take me everywhere. And to give me more birthdays.”
I wanted to hate that cute red and white uniform with its dark grey pinafore, frilly socks, and black shiny buckle up shoes, but I couldn’t. I could only love it because it gave her access to a piece of life I’d been denied, and I wanted her to have it all.
You see, there was never a day in my life when I haven’t loved Ren Wild. Every memory, he’s there. Every experience, he’s with me. And for that...I almost hate him. There is no me without him,
“I will always love you, Della Ribbon. Until the day I die and even past that.”
My life wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding if she’d never stowed away in my backpack and become my most favorite thing in the world.
She wasn’t just my equal anymore, she was my shooting star, sending her far out of my reach.
I would do everything required to make it all go away, because he must never know that kissing him might’ve been the worst thing I’d ever done, but it was also the best, the realest, the most truest thing I’d ever felt, and I would never apologize for that.
It hurt so damn much to love her so fucking dearly but be so confused. I loved her in so many ways, but here she was, trying to get me to love her in an entirely different one, and I honestly didn’t know if I could.
talonvictoria's review
4.0
”I would never let her down again. I would die for her. I would love for her. I would kill for her.”
This isn’t like a lot of the other books that Pepper Winters writes. Not at all. I didn’t think I would like it because 1) I typically enjoy her story tropes and the way she writes and 2)as I kept reading I realized this story wasn’t going anywhere. Until suddenly, it was.
I’m torn on how to rate this actually so I’m just going to say this book can’t be rated accurately because although I liked it, it took me awhile to like it. The first half or so (Della age 5-10) took me some time to get into but once I got to the point where I couldn’t stop turning the pages, there was no going back for me.
The dynamic between Ren and Della was electrifying but not in the romantic sense. I can totally dig that. Watching him take care of her and learn the ropes of being around her, opened up such a soft spot for me for Ren. Pepper did a superb job at making sure she built this brother/sister relationship for us to see and then she slowly turned us to realize that hey, maybe it’s not so sister/brother and THAT WAS OKAY! I was okay. It wasn’t weird for me. They were soul mates. No matter their age.
I loved the way Pepper incorporated Della’s thoughts into something that we see every so often in the book as her actual writing! I loved that. Hearing part of the story, her story, through her own POV really set the tone of the story for me.
”He cared with his entire soul and committed with his entire being.”
The coolest part of this story was how the author spanned 20 years, in a clean manner. Not jumping or rushing through anything, it was clean and smooth. Each chapter transitioning into a new year and a new experience. I really felt as if the author did a great job showing us the age transitions and the events that growing children often go through such as puberty, school, learning, etc.
Unrequited love stories seem to be a trope I’m starting to really enjoy and that’s what this story was. A girl, loving a boy so much, but a boy loving her in a different way. In a way that the girl didn’t understand wouldn’t evolve like hers did. I am here for Ren and Della. I’m going to the next book because all of the tension that Pepper built up in this first book needs some relieving for me.
This isn’t like a lot of the other books that Pepper Winters writes. Not at all. I didn’t think I would like it because 1) I typically enjoy her story tropes and the way she writes and 2)as I kept reading I realized this story wasn’t going anywhere. Until suddenly, it was.
I’m torn on how to rate this actually so I’m just going to say this book can’t be rated accurately because although I liked it, it took me awhile to like it. The first half or so (Della age 5-10) took me some time to get into but once I got to the point where I couldn’t stop turning the pages, there was no going back for me.
The dynamic between Ren and Della was electrifying but not in the romantic sense. I can totally dig that. Watching him take care of her and learn the ropes of being around her, opened up such a soft spot for me for Ren. Pepper did a superb job at making sure she built this brother/sister relationship for us to see and then she slowly turned us to realize that hey, maybe it’s not so sister/brother and THAT WAS OKAY! I was okay. It wasn’t weird for me. They were soul mates. No matter their age.
I loved the way Pepper incorporated Della’s thoughts into something that we see every so often in the book as her actual writing! I loved that. Hearing part of the story, her story, through her own POV really set the tone of the story for me.
”He cared with his entire soul and committed with his entire being.”
The coolest part of this story was how the author spanned 20 years, in a clean manner. Not jumping or rushing through anything, it was clean and smooth. Each chapter transitioning into a new year and a new experience. I really felt as if the author did a great job showing us the age transitions and the events that growing children often go through such as puberty, school, learning, etc.
Unrequited love stories seem to be a trope I’m starting to really enjoy and that’s what this story was. A girl, loving a boy so much, but a boy loving her in a different way. In a way that the girl didn’t understand wouldn’t evolve like hers did. I am here for Ren and Della. I’m going to the next book because all of the tension that Pepper built up in this first book needs some relieving for me.
ness11's review
5.0
*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
5 "Brilliant and Beautiful" Stars!!!!!!
Ok, let's do this. I was going to give myself time before I wrote this review. But I think it's best to write this now, since my emotions are still very raw. You know, one of the joys in reading is discovering authors your haven't read before. And I hit the jackpot. I mean I'm talking HUGE, MEGA and ALL the money in the world, jackpot. My disheveled hair, puffy face and tear streaked cheeks, while tears continue to escape my eyes are all thanks to Pepper Winters. Congratulations Pepper, you've ruined me. Ruined me to the point that I can't come back. The old Vanessa, gone, bye, she's never to be seen again. You've unleashed the new version of myself. The new version that now knows what reading a book by you entails. I want to ask that old version of me what the hell she was thinking, why the hell did it take her so damn long to read one of your books? I want to shake her and make her see the light, make her walk down that path where she will be forever changed. You see, your words Pepper, your words cracked open my soul. You took broken pieces I didn't know I had and put them back together. You revived a heart that I didn't know was lifeless.
It's safe to say my world was turned upside down as soon I opened The Boy and His Ribbon. This book, THIS BOOK is a game changer. I want to tell you about it. I want to tell you everything. But, I can't and I won't. You need to read for yourself. You need to experience this book in all it's wonderful glory. You need to feel every crack your heart will endure. You need to shed all the ugly tears. You need to feel every push and pull. I promise you, it's all worth it though.
I said I couldn't and wouldn't talk about the book, right? But I can't not tell you a little about him. Ren. The boy turned man who was everything and more. He claimed me. He seeped in the crevices of my heart and made a home there. He's a savior and protector. He will do anything in his power to make sure that the ones he cares for have everything they need. He puts everyone first. And because of his upbringing he doesn't expect anything from anyone. He's learned to survive on his own and he likes his solitude. He loves. And the way he loves is inspiring. Being loved by Ren is the greatest and most beautiful thing. Ren was my favorite. I fell, and I fell hard for the boy turned man.
I know I didn't go into detail, but I don't want to ruin this book for you. I didn't want to slip up and accidentally spoil something because I need you to read this book. READ THIS BOOK! READ THIS BOOK! READ THIS BOOK!
Pepper, I'm thanking my lucky stars. Thanking them for shining the light I needed to FINALLY read one of yours book. And I honestly don't know what I did to deserve your words, but I am so grateful. And now, I don't know what the hell I'm going to do until June 5th. I NEED the conclusion to this story, NOW!!!
5 "Brilliant and Beautiful" Stars!!!!!!
Ok, let's do this. I was going to give myself time before I wrote this review. But I think it's best to write this now, since my emotions are still very raw. You know, one of the joys in reading is discovering authors your haven't read before. And I hit the jackpot. I mean I'm talking HUGE, MEGA and ALL the money in the world, jackpot. My disheveled hair, puffy face and tear streaked cheeks, while tears continue to escape my eyes are all thanks to Pepper Winters. Congratulations Pepper, you've ruined me. Ruined me to the point that I can't come back. The old Vanessa, gone, bye, she's never to be seen again. You've unleashed the new version of myself. The new version that now knows what reading a book by you entails. I want to ask that old version of me what the hell she was thinking, why the hell did it take her so damn long to read one of your books? I want to shake her and make her see the light, make her walk down that path where she will be forever changed. You see, your words Pepper, your words cracked open my soul. You took broken pieces I didn't know I had and put them back together. You revived a heart that I didn't know was lifeless.
It's safe to say my world was turned upside down as soon I opened The Boy and His Ribbon. This book, THIS BOOK is a game changer. I want to tell you about it. I want to tell you everything. But, I can't and I won't. You need to read for yourself. You need to experience this book in all it's wonderful glory. You need to feel every crack your heart will endure. You need to shed all the ugly tears. You need to feel every push and pull. I promise you, it's all worth it though.
I said I couldn't and wouldn't talk about the book, right? But I can't not tell you a little about him. Ren. The boy turned man who was everything and more. He claimed me. He seeped in the crevices of my heart and made a home there. He's a savior and protector. He will do anything in his power to make sure that the ones he cares for have everything they need. He puts everyone first. And because of his upbringing he doesn't expect anything from anyone. He's learned to survive on his own and he likes his solitude. He loves. And the way he loves is inspiring. Being loved by Ren is the greatest and most beautiful thing. Ren was my favorite. I fell, and I fell hard for the boy turned man.
I know I didn't go into detail, but I don't want to ruin this book for you. I didn't want to slip up and accidentally spoil something because I need you to read this book. READ THIS BOOK! READ THIS BOOK! READ THIS BOOK!
Pepper, I'm thanking my lucky stars. Thanking them for shining the light I needed to FINALLY read one of yours book. And I honestly don't know what I did to deserve your words, but I am so grateful. And now, I don't know what the hell I'm going to do until June 5th. I NEED the conclusion to this story, NOW!!!
cait96's review
5.0
Della and Ren are soulmates and I refuse to believe otherwise. Such a great coming-of-age book. Starts off slow but by the end I was racing for the second book. It isn't entirely realistic but damn it was GOOD. Ribbon and Wild... 5☆