ARC Review: The Boy From the Woods by Jen Minkman

Title: The Boy From the Woods
Author: Jen Minkman
Publication:December 1st 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal
Source: Provided by the kind author...
Goodreads

Julia fell down on her knees next to his lifeless body, her heart filling with dread as she noticed the left side of his face was covered in blood. He had fallen off the motorbike, hitting his temple on a sharp-edged rock. His head injury looked really, really bad.
“Michael?” she whispered softly, putting a trembling hand on his forehead. “Can you hear me?”

Julia has been in love with Michael for years. He’s the hottest guy in school, and she can’t believe her luck when they finally hit it off during Senior Prom. Her dream doesn’t last, though: after a few dates, he callously dumps her out of the blue. Summer vacation starts with Julia feeling heart-broken and miserable.
But then she rescues Michael in the woods when he has a motorcycle accident in a heavy thunderstorm. From that point onward, her life is turned upside down. Michael has changed completely after the blow to the head that nearly killed him... and he wants her back. But why is he so different? And will she be able to trust him this time around?

Can the boy who broke your heart ever win it back again..?

-- My Rating --

4/5 Oscars: Really liked it

-- My Thoughts --

     Jen Minkman is not an unfamiliar author to me. I have read two of her books in her series, The Island, before and they have been really good. Although short, they expressed a lot of individuality. This book was not short, by any means and it was much more beautiful than I expected it to be.
     Julia has been in love with Michael for as long as she can remember. But when they spend a fabulous night together and he never calls her back, she's devastated. Then Michael has an accident in the woods, and Julia is the one to find him. But is that the Michael she knew?
     The thing i LOVED the most about this book were the characters. They were unique individuals, with flaws and misgivings and talents and everything in between. I loved Julia, even though she was naive at first, she did grow on me and she developed into a beautiful and brave young lady. I loved her interactions with her family, and her family living without a father figure in their lives, it was a bit hard. I felt all her love and devotion to her mother and her little sister and that moved me.
     I also liked her interactions with her friends. They were a very close-knit group and i loved their freedom with each other. It reminded me of my friends and I, and how loyal we are to each other. The romance in this book is at its peak of glory. The two guys are like two gems, just waiting for someone to find them. Michael is a jerk, at first. But after the accident, it's like another side of him is unleashed, and although we find out the reason for that in the end, it was still beautiful watching him with Julia and you could truly feel his love for her. On the other side, there's Thorsten. He's cute, genuine, and her truly cares for Julie, too. Michael is the mysterious and dark personality and Thorsten is the open-hearted one. But you can never choose between any of them, even in the end.
     The ending is fabulous. It's truly amazing and I have to admit that it made me cry a bit, too. It was heart-breaking and i could have never imagined it ending that way, but it was still beautiful and hopeful, and it made me realize that even though it might not work out, love will always stay. Jen Minkman has moved herself to the list of my favorite authors and i am waiting, on edge  for her new books to come out, she is a great and talented author. And an amazing person to talk to!