![]() I’ve always believed in what I can see, what I can hear and what I can touch. Surfing was my religion and destiny was just a fairy-tale. But one summer, over ten days during the hottest February on record, all that changed. I found hope – the kind of hope that sustains you, even when you don’t want to be sustained. The night Emily disappeared, I was branded. She became the girl on the ‘missing’ posters, and I became the one trying to keep everyone from falling apart. I thought that somehow it would keep me from being devoured by the emptiness inside me. Five years later, I was beginning to appreciate how deluded I really was. Then Maia showed up. New in town, with a past as mysterious as she was, she reminded me so much of Emily that I couldn’t stand to be anywhere near her. What I didn’t realise was that there were forces at play that neither of us could possibly understand. It takes a determined soul to alter destiny. There is a loophole, a back door, and the events that unfolded during those ten days showed me how that loophole can change everything. Do you believe in fate? If so, let me tell you my story. If not, what happened to me might change your mind. Review by Amanda![]() This is the second book of Amanda Dick’s that I have had the privilege of reviewing. It is unlike anything I have ever read before and I am still now trying to process this amazing book. The Trouble With Paper Planes focuses on the issues of loss, love, family and brokenness – how the loss of a loved one can affect you in so many different ways without you even realizing it. How loss can in effect pause your life and even though you are breathing and moving through the day, you are not truly living. This book tells the story of Heath Danes – he is the epitome of the surfer boy. He has always been the shy and quiet one, but when he meets the love of his life things change. They complement one another and bring out the best and happiest in each other. However, one fateful night everything changes – for the worse. The result of this tragedy has altered the course of Heath’s life in the most gut wrenching way. Until he meets a stranger named Maia – her sudden arrival in the quaint seaside town turns his life upside down, but in the best possible way. Heath starts living again, rebuilding himself and reconnecting with life in ways that he never dreamed possible. This book floored me in the best possible way – as I began reading it, I felt that I had it absolutely figured out and I had predicted the end, but of course Amanda Dick, would never make anything quite that simple and she completely turned my theory on its head. This book is completely unexpected and filled with so much heartache that it almost feels as if it is your heart that is breaking as you turn the pages. I became completely submersed in this book and these characters began to feel like people that I know. That is one of the magical things about Amanda’s writing, she creates a reality in the fantasy. She writes about real things in the most sublime way. I loved that this book was told mostly from Heath’s point of view – and I grew to absolutely love him. He is definitely a tortured soul filled with guilt and grief, and I loved to read about the inner workings of his turmoil. His pain and heart break is so palpable, that you almost wish you could climb through your Kindle and hug him. I love that we get to experience every facet of his grief and loss – it really is as though you are the one experiencing the most painful thing in life imaginable. I also loved the relationship that Heath and Vinnie share, I love how Vinnie loves his brother and is the goof ball of the family – always trying to lighten the mood and get his baby brother to feel again. It is definitely one of the most beautiful aspects of the book – Amanda Dick is a magician of words and I promise you that the relationship she creates between these two brothers is beyond anything you have read before. I was initially confused and intrigued by the character of Maia, she is so much like Emily – but yet so different. This character was definitely created to keep us guessing and she did just that. I can’t say too much because I don’t want to give too much of the story away, but I loved that this character was there to keep us guessing and making us wonder where we were being led throughout this book. The characters within this book are all so intertwined and so brilliantly written – I honestly feel like I have lived inside this book – and am coming out on the other side with new friends. I loved the closeness they all shared and I loved that they were all one big and somewhat dysfunctional – as with every family. Amanda Dick has outdone herself with The Trouble With Paper Planes – this is a book that will make you giggle while you have tears coursing down your face. It is completely unexpected, fresh and I loved every last word. This amazing book gets 5 brilliant stars from me. I am an Amanda Dick addict, this book yet again proves exactly why she is such a beloved author. Meet Amanda Dick![]() Amanda Dick is a night-owl, coffee addict, movie buff, music lover and DIY queen. She is rather partial to dark chocolate and believes in the power of a good vanilla latte. After living in Scotland for five years, she has now settled back home in her native New Zealand, where she lives with her husband and two children. Her debut novel, Absolution, was released on 29 October 2013 (with the second edition released on 6 January 2015). Her second novel, Between Before and After, was released on 31 May 2014. Her third novel, The Trouble with Paper Planes, is due for release in July 2015. For signed copies of paperbacks, and to keep up with the latest news, check her website (www.amandadick.com). She is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/amandadickauthor), Twitter (www.twitter.com/amandadick_) and Tsu (www.tsu.co/amandadick)
1 Comment
7/19/2015 09:13:38 am
Thank you again Amanda - I love how much you love this book and your review, as usual, is beautifully written :) x
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