Review of Tied to You

[Stephanie Runyon]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tied to You" by Cassandra Crull.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Kat Sells reflects on her life while sitting in her bedroom. Suddenly, she looks out the door and sees movement. There is a man from her past standing on the landing. The man looks confused. Carl, her husband, enters the room and walks through the man. He does not see the man. The next day, the man was still there, and Kat recognized who he was. Twenty years ago, Dave was her “cowboy crush” and first genuine love. In Tied To You, Cassandra Crull introduces Kat and her tumultuous life to the moment she sees Dave’s ghost in her home. What does Dave’s ghost want with Kat?

Kat was a self-described wild, loyal, brutally honest, broken person. She had moved to Serenity Springs after the death of her brother. She started a downward spiral by drinking and smoking marijuana every day. Dave asked her out on a date and their romance grew. Kat lost her virginity to Dave, but the next day, she broke up with him. She dates a boy from a different school. Evan introduces her to cocaine, and Kat sabotages every relationship she has. Dave suffers the ultimate blow from Kat. What did she do?

I fell in love with Dave’s character, and Kat evoked so much anger at how she treated him. The details of Kat’s emotions brought her inner turmoil into the story. The raw emotion coupled with her actions shows how her addiction became a coping mechanism. It was effortless to follow the timeline from the past to the present day. The personality of every person who interacted with Kat was well-developed too. This made Tied To You difficult to put down.

The sole problem I encountered with the book was the editing. While it was not overbearing to detract from my enjoyment of the novel, another round of editing would be beneficial. One error made me laugh somewhat from the picture I could see in my head: “His nose and mouse nestled into the crook of her neck.”

I am giving Tied To You three out of four stars. I deducted one star for the editing issue I mentioned. The engaging dialogue, realistic portrayal of high school hijinks, and excellent depiction of Kat’s emotions outweigh the negative.

I would recommend this book to young adults who enjoy a coming-of-age story with a touch of paranormal effect. I also believe this novel would be beneficial in demonstrating how drug and alcohol use isn’t an ineffective coping skill. There are some possible triggers that could affect potential readers. There are several situations involving sexual assault, drug use, alcohol abuse, and suicidal ideation included. The details of the physical acts are vague, but they intensely describe the emotional effects.

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Tied to You
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[M debbie]

Thank you for being honest with the editing remark, however, I would still enjoy reading this thrilling story. Great review.

[Edit_or]

I’m really what Dave wants from Kay as a ghost. I guess I’ll read for myself and get the whole gist.
I enjoyed the review. Thank you.

[Stephanie Runyon]

I’m really what Dave wants from Kay as a ghost. I guess I’ll read for myself and get the whole gist.
I enjoyed the review. Thank you.

Keep tissues nearby because there is a lot of momemnts where I cried on this one.

[Ebele Ekelobi]

Young adults who enjoy a coming-of-age story with a touch of paranormal effect will most definitely enjoy this one. Great review.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

If it involves ghosts and a troubled teenager, I'm up for it. Especially since, as you say, the details of the sensitive topics are not that graphic. This book might even be a relatable and hopefully an inspiring story
for young people who are going through similar issues.
And I did laugh at the mouse quote, too.
I hope the author fixes the edition. Fantastic review!

[Tonia Freeman]

You know it’s a good book when it makes you feel something. Great review!

[Cheryl Erickson]

Your book review piqued my interest. I would like to know why Dave's ghost appears in Kat's life twenty years later. As Kat grew older, I hope that she was able to heal and find healthier coping mechanisms to deal with the trials of her life. Thank you for the insightful review. Congrats on the 100!!!

[Kavita Shah]

A story involving a ghost and abuses with Kat at the centre. It is not for me but sounds good. Thank you for the insightful review!

[Kelebogile Moahloli]

I loved reading this story its so entertaining that i now want to know more about each character especially Kat. It just needs a little bit of editing there and there.

[Leasa Ana Maria]

The story sounds intriguing. I didn't expect a ghost story. Thank you for the review.

[Chimereucheya Okoroafo]

I do wonder if there's a bit of horror to this mystery. A ghost in one's home raises so many questions. You have already asked one - what does the ghost want? I'd love to read this book and search for the answers. Spectacular review.

[Not available anymore]

The ghost aspect of this book makes it sound horror-like and Kat sounds like a broken character, a character that has gone through a lot and a character one can get emotionally attached to, sabotaging her relationships and taking drugs, sounds like a lot, but this is a great review

[Amy Luman]

This sounds scary without being too overwhelming. I wonder if the ghost just wants to find out if Kat is all right? I’ve noticed that authors write better novels if there is a bit of reality involved. Is that the case here?

[Leonie Vermaak]

What an excellent review!!! I'm so intrigued now that I can't wait to read the book. The ghost part is what captured my attention, cause they never appear 'just because', there's alway a reason.