Review Arc: Emerald City by Alicia Leppert

Title: Emerald City

Author: Alicia K. Leppert

Published: April 10th 2012 by Sweetwater Books

ARC taken from Netgalley

Book Description:

Olivia Tate is a broken shell of a girl haunted by the tragic events that fill her past. She has closed herself off from the world, each day grasping at something—anything—to live for. Convinced there will never be a way out, she seeks solace in the depths of her medicine cabinet. When she wakes up days later in the hospital she is introduced to Jude, the quiet stranger responsible for saving her life. She never could have guessed then that her mysterious rescuer would end up saving her life a second time, while simultaneously turning her world upside down.

My Thoughts:

                Olivia Tate is broken. After the tragic death of her mother, her whole life quickly falls apart, leaving her nothing but an empty shell. She has no one left, but herself, and this is when she started shutting herself from everyone, even her best friend. Olivia lived a rather lonely life, doing mundane tasks robotically. And when everything takes its toll, she decided to take the pills in her medicine cabinet to end it all. Well, that’s what Olivia was hoping it would be, but not until she woke up in the hospital days later where she learned that she was saved by that person whom she had no idea would completely change her life. Forever.

                Emerald City is a novel about pain, hope, sacrifice, and most especially, love. In the first part of the book, we read about how Olivia changed from being hopeless, into one who becomes optimistic and strong. We watch her as she struggles with her depression and goes through the healing process. I can say that her progress was written well. Her growth was done step-by-step and wasn’t abrupt, and you can really feel her emotions as if they were your own.

I also liked how her relationship with Jude turned into something more. It wasn’t like the typical “love at first sight”. Jude was the one who helped her go through her everyday struggles, and he was the one who’s always there whenever she needed him. It was really sweet and touching. The only problem I had with Jude was he was “too perfect” for me. He’s gorgeous, nice, sweet, caring, plus more of those qualities that you’ll want for the perfect boyfriend. Olivia is a likeable character. I admire her for being a strong character. Despite everything she has been through and after being in the dark for so long, she still managed to stand up, move on, and find the path towards the light.

What I wasn’t prepared in this novel was the revelation of Jude’s secret. I didn’t even get any hints about Jude’s secret so I was surprised when it was revealed, and I’m not too happy about it. Or maybe I was the only one who didn’t noticed anything? How Olivia easily found out about his secrets and also easily accepts it made me stop reading and scowl at my kindle. I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right for me. The events after the revelation already seemed rushed and random characters suddenly popped out. *sigh* Okay, maybe it’s also just me.

Anyway, even with some of my negative comments, I still enjoyed reading the Emerald City. It’s a fast read wherein you can relate to the main character’s struggles.

I give this book 3 whales.