Review: Awakening Foster Kelly by Cara Rosalie Olsen

Awakening Foster Kelly by Cara Rosalie Olsen

Published: 26th June 2013 by CreateSpace

Genre: Young Adult / RomancePage Count: 702Format: eBookSource: Author

Synopsis: If only a pile of wayward curls and the inability to stay on her feet were seventeen year-old Foster Kelly’s most pressing concerns. Unfortunately, stubborn hair and clumsiness are just the tip of it. At the age of five when Foster is told, “You don’t belong here,” it was only a mistake, but the result is one broken heart. These four carelessly spoken words have shaped and shadowed Foster, and now—a senior at Shorecliffs High-school—she seeks the wallflower’s existence, denying herself the most casual of friendships, much too afraid that someone will see what she believes is certain: she does not belong anywhere—or with anyone. 

This reality would continue to suit her just fine; however . . . Love has a long-standing history of undoing broken hearts.

Like a comet, an unexpected arrival knocks Foster out of the crowded, starry sky, sending her directly into the limelight. Exposed and afraid, she will attempt to regain anonymity; but it isn’t so easy now that someone is watching. He pursues this shy enigma, confronting Foster’s deepest fears head-on, and in the process falls wholly and completely in love with her. But there is something he is not saying . . . a secret capable of certain ruin. Either he will break her heart once and for all, or he will heal it.

In the end, though, it is Foster who must decide if she is worth mending.

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Purchase: Amazon UK* / Amazon US / B&N

Cara Rosalie Olsen: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

*When purchasing through this link, I will receive a small amount, once I have enough saved up I will put it towards a giveaway.

Review: 

3 / 5 stars

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Awakening Foster Kelly after being contacted by the author to read and give an honest review, from the start Cara mentioned that it was a long a book and was very understanding with the time it took me to read, which is great because being pressured is no fun. This will in no way effect my opinion of the book.

Awakening Foster Kelly did take me a long time to read, normally lengths of books aren't off putting to me, but I was reading this during finishing up my first semester at university and then over Christmas, timing just wasn't on my side. 

For me, Awakening Foster Kelly has to be reviewed in three different sections, the beginning, middle and the end. That is how my review will be structured and whilst I will keep it as spoiler free as possible, I believe my review for the ending will give a lot away so don't read that if you don't want spoilers.

Beginning
The introduction to Foster's life is interesting, very descriptive and made Foster come to life, it was perfect to make her come too life.
However, for me this part was too long, it felt like it took forever to get here.

Again though, it is worth mentioning that this could be partly due to my busy schedule when I was reading it.

Middle
I think I'd class this from when Foster and Dominic meet for the first time, from here is where the story grabbed my attention because I wanted to know why he was acting so rude for no reason, I wanted to know his secrets, I wanted Foster to get to know him.

We got this. 

But slowly.

Because of how Foster is, she's shy, she's awkward and she's not willing to push for answers she fears may effect her, but also because her thought process and dream scenes are long, well thought out, like she's constantly writing poetry and music. 

It makes sense because it fits her character. It's who she is.

However, once I got to understand her, and know what to expect, I kind of started to skim these scenes. 

I was impatient. I wanted to know now, unlike Foster.

But its strange because whilst I was getting impatient, I wouldn't want the book to be altered because then we'd be missing a vital part of who Foster is, and who she needs to become. 

Its her journey and it makes sense. 

So whilst I was skim reading. I was still gripped!

End

I'm not sure how to review this part.

This is where the spoilers will be.

Up until this point the book was pretty firmly a four star read.

The explanation of why Dominic had acted oddly with Foster was fine, it sat well with me and I was happy to expect to read the rest of the story.

But when the "dead" girlfriend showed back up, I felt betrayed and uncomfortable.

Mostly because it only clicked then that Foster wasn't aware they looked similar, though to me he practically screamed it at her.

The uncomfortable feelings though came from worrying how Dominic would handle it, to me he handled it wrong.

Granted confusion was on his side to act wrong, but I felt as hurt as Foster did.

To have it ended here would have sat much better with myself.

But no.

It carried on.

I now felt betrayed by the author, sorry Cara.

Why is that I hear you asking?

Well its simple, it was a dream that Kelly Foster had whilst in a coma.

She was the dead girlfriend, only she was in a coma, so in a way it was her body leading her mind to the truth to help her wake up.

Which don't get me wrong, the symbolism is great. I love that.

Its Dominic that upset me.

I was upset but content to let him go, be part of her magical journey to finding herself, but no he's real.

Not only is he real, he dreamt of her too.

The music they wrote together in the dream is what they choose to work on and so forth and happily ever after.

Its odd that this made me like the book less, because in a way I should be super stoked as I love supernatural books, but I think that there was no explanation and it was a seemingly normal Earth other than their shared dream that bothered me.

That and the fact I kind of felt like I'd, in a way, wasted the time reading it, if none of it happened.

Maybe that is because I preferred dream Dominic, or I was too hurt to give real Dominic a chance.

*sigh* 

I'm bummed out that I didn't like the ending but otherwise, I really enjoyed the story.