Review: War Poppy

War Poppy by Nicole Lynne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"This isn't goodbye, only see you later."

I read those words twice in those words twice in this book.
The first time they were sad, yet left you with a bit of hope.

The second they were gut wrenching....

This book could have gone in so many directions, the authors chose a darker route. They showed the ups and downs of Brandon's PTSD and Poppy's struggles to know what the right thing to do for him and herself were.
In the end it wasn't ever really up to her. She did what she knew to do, she tried with everything she was to help, to be there for him and try to understand what he was going through and to love him through it.
In the end she wasn't the problem.
She wasn't the solution either.
Brandon's own mind was the problem and his ability or inability to deal with what was going on inside his head.

The struggle for these two characters was beyond heart breaking. The back and forth, ups and downs. The hope that things could be like they used to be one moment only to be stomped on the next.
I truly don't believe I have words to express just how emotional, raw and breathtaking this book is. It's been awhile since I was completely gutted when reading a book, emotionally drained and left with puffy eyes but this one did all that. I went to bed with swollen eyes last night hoping I could put those feelings into words this morning that would fully express the journey this book took me on. I'm certain this review doesn't begin to cover it, reading the book yourself is truly the only way to grasp the feelings this book gives the reader. It's an emotional roller coaster, but there aren't just a few ups and downs, their entire lives are constant ups and downs, day to day ups and downs and in the end they both make life changing decisions.

5 gut wrenching, heart breaking and hope giving stars.

View all my reviews