Blog Tour || What The Flower Says of Death by Danielle Koste | Review + Giveaway
Today I'm taking part in the 'What The Flower Says of Death' blog tour! I'll start off with my spoiler free review and then move on to the goodies! (If you haven't already, you can enter the giveaway currently running, for the opportunity to win a copy of 'WTFSOD' signed by the author!)
What The Flower Says of Death by Danielle Koste
Release Date: 25th September 2018
Genre/s: Paranormal, romance, young adult.
Themes: Anxiety, depression, death and suicide.
What The Flower Says of Death delves into themes of love and loss in an absolutely magical way. The author was able to pack a punch and create a heartbreakingly real read while also being caring and considerate about the subjects she was broaching. The pacing was slow but I was never bored and I think it was because the book followed such a deeply emotional rooted plot.
Synopsis:
Violet Holt has already met Death once.
After a failed suicide attempt, she finds herself dumped by her callous mother on the doorstep of her family’s desolate oceanside estate. With only the company of her estranged grandmother, comatose grandfather, and the monsters in her head, at least there was no one to interfere with her plans to try again on her eighteenth birthday.
No one, except maybe Jack: a skeleton of a boy who says he’s there to rake her grandmother’s leaves, yet seems more experienced at stalking than grounds-keeping. She knows he’s keeping a secret behind his gentle smiles and aloofness, but it’s difficult for Violet to be put off by his untimely thin-air appearances when figuring out the mystery of his true identity makes for such a good distraction.
Violet’s trauma is deeper than the wound on her wrist though, and it cannot be simply whisked away in a whirlwind of guessing games and pleasant gestures. She struggles to reconnect with her grandmother, find forgiveness for her mother, and closure with her grandfather’s dire condition, all while battling the strain of it all on her family. Even with a flicker of something hopeful blossoming within herself, Violet knows her birthday plans must be inevitable.
Death wouldn’t be there for her if it wasn’t.
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It is a very character focussed story, so if that's something you don't enjoy you might not love this, but I honestly can't imagine anyone not taking something away from this book. The characters felt overwhelmingly realistic and that made the book even more thought provoking. Violet was so relatable.
'Every single star is significant, because it's each one that helps make the sky so overwhelmingly grand.'
I adored Danielle Koste's writing. Within the first couple of pages I had fell in love. It was eerily lyrical and so real. There are so many amazing sentences that I can't get out of my head. The words were chosen and put together so perfectly.
The only thing that irritated me a little, was the skipping over of some of the time. The instances where the protagonist talks about what happened instead of actually seeing those moments unfold, did make the relationship development feel slightly rushed. I would have specifically liked to see more build up concerning the romance. It was right on the tip of being incredible, there was just something holding me back from getting fully invested in it. I think the main reason was the fact that it felt too short and I just wanted more from these characters.
'I was playing a dangerous game with my dark thoughts, my dangerous lover.'
One of my favourite things was the way the book focussed so much on the familial relationships. The way it subtly followed three generations of women in Violet's family and how it portrayed the message of how you can't always judge a person by what actions they take. Sometimes it's hard to look past our own struggles and see the reasons for why someone feels or acts the way they do.
In addition the mental health representation is one of the most realistic I've read about before in any book, I absolutely love how well done it was. As someone who often deals with anxiety I understand how little worries can build up and become an overwhelming barrier that seems impossible to pass. I connected so much to story and it made me feel so many things. But the most important thing of all was that it didn't make me feel bad at all. Following Violet through her struggles was almost empowering.
It was such a powerfully emotional read, and I was so drained by the time I got to the end of this book. The plot, and characters, and atmosphere that Koste created was perfect. I was completely consumed by the story. I honestly can't believe how immersed I felt while reading it.
I've already pre-ordered a physical copy and can't wait to get a hold of it. I'll definitely be re-reading this book in the future! This is a story I would highly recommend!
Rating: 4.5 Stars
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About The Author:
Danielle Koste is a born and raised Canadian, but currently lives with her significant other in the equally snowy and cold Stockholm, Sweden. While working a day job and learning the language of the locals, she spends her free time honing the craft she's always had a passion for.
When procrastinating, Danielle likes to enjoy other forms of rich story-telling, besides the obvious abundance of novels filling up her apartment and Kindle. Movies, music, and video games are among her favourite time-wasters
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Giveaway:
Good Luck!
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Pre-order Links:
Ebook!
Amazon: https://goo.gl/Tw5gfU
Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/WmA6wh
Barnes and Noble: https://goo.gl/WaZKhU
Google Play: https://goo.gl/7ThJt1
iBook: https://goo.gl/ZXSS3k
Kobo: https://goo.gl/BivHyA
Paperback!
Amazon: https://goo.gl/xECy82
Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/jsvzPm
Barnes and Noble: https://goo.gl/9r4cGn
Indigo: https://goo.gl/3UEZRE
Book Depository: https://goo.gl/bTybML
Adlibris: goo.gl/vqT4xq
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And don't forget to check out the other wonderful bloggers also taking part in the 'What The Flower Says of Death' blog tour!
A massive thank you to Danielle Koste for asking me to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you so much for reading!
- Sophie Elaina
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