He’s the boy who wants to disappear. One mistake and seventeen-year-old Shake LeCasse lost everything. Now there’s no going back and no way to move forward. The once-popular Varsity hockey captain is living in the basement of a grandmother he barely knows, ditching school, avoiding friends and working hard on self-destruction. She’s the girl nobody sees. Cleo Lee survives however she can. Lie, … survives however she can. Lie, cheat, steal, whatever it takes, and saving Mr. Popular isn’t part of the plan. Telling him the truth about the night that destroyed his life is downright dangerous. She needs to keep quiet, be smart and let the guy she’s been half in love with since middle school throw away a future she’d do anything to have. Too bad she sucks at playing it safe.
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YA authors, clean your desks, take your inspiration pills, sharpen your pens!
There is a new author in town and she comes with a blast! If this Charisse Moritz’s first work is not just a supernova, then we are to be fed by a new Sun!
Yep! CM was for me a fresh breath giving me a strong reason and reward for not giving up to YA stories. And when I’m talking about YA stories I refer to those full of drama, angst stories, about characters who are (or feel that they are) between rock and a hard place.
CM navigates between sentiments and harsh realities admirably avoiding the cliches and the razors of too much, unconvincing aspects or distasteful repetitions. She masterfully increases the intensity of the readers’ feelings, bringing a bit of new information, a different angle or a different facet fueling this way the necessary crescendo and readers’ interest. Her characters are smart and they prove it whilst there is still enough room for emotional reactions and “not thinking all the way” situations so characteristic to the teens.
The main moments and important stages are punctuated by Shakespeare’s quotes. They are a conclusion for what it was and a prevision of what it comes. Hemingway’s encompasses exactly what we want from the story. Well done! Reading Shakespeare Burning could open the taste of the new generation for classics.
All the seriousness of what happened and happens is tuned at the perfect level by using humor. It is brought in different ways and by different characters, but even in the humor, there is a trace of sorrow.
The result is a story that captures you, involves you in everything that happens.
This is certainly an author to keep an eye on! Enjoy
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Loved loved loved this book! It was dark, gritty and oh so romantic. I was hooked right from the first chapter.
First you have Shake. The boy struggling with past demons who is determined to drown. Reading his tragedy and self destruction was heartbreaking. Watching him overcome all odds and be the boy and hero he can be was so rewarding. He made me laugh, cry and root for him the entire way in his turbulent journey.
Next is Cleo. Cleo’s hardships had me cringing and racing to find out more more more. I felt for her so much. She hides behind a rough exterior and harsh talk. Inside she is a bleeding heart and desperate for love of her own. Shake and her together were brutal, adorable, hilarious and so good for each other.
The side characters Rat and Allie each had their own unique personalities and humor. Rat had me laughing out loud multiple times in the book. The BAR, the Twat, and pixie sticks. Haha. Allie’s loud antics were something I constantly looked forward to. Who doesn’t love a good pop star ballad sung out?
The book will have you racing to finish. The story builds and builds in the best way. I finished it one night because I just had to KNOW how it all turned out. Best book I’ve read in a long time!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
With deep characters and a quick pace, I found Shakespeare Burning to be a fantastic nights read. I say “night” because I refused to stop until it was done. If you are a fan of Anna Todd’s #HESSA you will LOVE this book.
This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. From the start, I was laughing at the vivid descriptions and humorous comparisons between characters and things. With alternating narrators you get a complete sense of the story, and I fell in love with both characters from the start. I will also say, I was kept in suspense (from the beginning) with regards to what Cleo knew or didn’t know about Shake’s family and the ending did not disappoint. I highly recommend, and look forward to more work from the author.
Shakespeare Burning opens with Cleo and Shake (and wonderful secondary character, Allie) in detention. Shake, who had been a god around school before his entire life changed eight months earlier, now wants nothing more than to disappear. Cleo, who’s always been invisible, has a penetrating stare that makes Shake feel “seen” and it’s unbearable. Suddenly, everywhere he goes, she seems to be there, making him think and feel things he doesn’t want. Cleo, who may have more information about what really happened that tragic night, knows she has to stay away but can’t. The undeniable magnetism between these two, the suspense of the true backstory and the clever, witty, often poignant writing of the author, Charisse Moritz, make this novel an unputdownable page-turner.
This novel may be YA but the writing is not at all juvenile. One reviewer didn’t understand “I turtle my head…” but I remember smiling at this line; the use of turtle as a verb is no different than when we say “I googled something”. To me, that kind of writing displays a real understanding of how people, especially those of Cleo and Shake’s age, speak and I hope the author doesn’t change her clever style. I laughed throughout the book, from the very first page, which was an unexpected surprise. But don’t mistake this for a light, fluffy comedy romp; Moritz tackles some heavy emotional issues, including loss and survivor’s guilt, sexual abuse, drug use and violence. She handles each of these beautifully and, while I cried and felt the characters’ pain and struggle, I wasn’t bogged down by overly descriptive ugliness. Cleo and Shake have endured enough in their young lives and deserve happiness. Will they find it with each other? You’ll have to read and see.
Shake LeCasse is a troubled young man trying to find a way to escape the survivor’s guilt. Suddenly, everywhere he looks he sees Cleo Lee–a girl with a bad reputation of being from the wrong side of town. He can’t decide whether he hates her or wants her. Maybe it’s both? Both a sympathetic and frustrating character, you cannot help but want better for Shake.
Cleo Lee is the kind of girl you want on your side. She is fiercely loyal, funny, strong, independent, and she wants Shake, but her secrets keep her from doing more than keeping an eye out for him. That is until they both cannot stay away.
I was instantly sucked in by the first chapter of Shakespeare Burning. Between the captivating and entertaining mindset of Shake LeCasse and the strength of Charisse Moritz’s storytelling ability, I was a goner. So much so that I could not put it down and finished within a day of picking it up. Those are the authors to watch out for! They sneak up on you and have you hunting them down for their next great piece.
This dark, yet beautifully tragic book finds a way to make you laugh, cry, and connect with such intense characters, all while racing to the end. I received this copy from Amazon after connecting with the author, Charisse Moritz. She had my heart breaking with every Shakespeare quote and beautiful metaphor. For a debut novel, she knocked this one out of the park!
#Bingeworthy #ShakespeareanLove #SweetRomance
Charisse Moritz blew me away with her debut novel and I am eager to read more of her work. I hope she is busy writing.
High school. Do you remember those days? Were you one of the popular ones? Or did you march to your own drummer?
It took me a minute or two to get started, but as personalities began to emerge, it played like a movie in my mind.
He has fallen a long way from the varsity hockey captain he used to be. His grandma wastes no words, telling it like it is, but has him asking the question, “What do I need?” His name is Shake LeCasse. They call him Shakespeare. Ever since the accident, his life has went to hell. Survivor’s guilt keeps him paralyzed. I feel Cleo is going to shake him up good. I quickly grew to love her.
Cleo feels a kinship with him and it grows. She thinks he’s hot. She gets a taste of what she wants before common sense rears it ugly head and reins her in. Cleo is deep, soft and hard, feisty…she ‘borrows’ things, pops in and out like a fairy, Now you she her, now you don’t.
…I can hear his heart beat. Funny how they all sound the same. Even the broken ones.
We have some laughs along the way, along with all the teenage angst that high school entails.
The more I read, the more I loved watching the characters learn and grow, each filling a hole in the others lives that no one else can. I love the snarky, witty dialogue.
“I’m going to kill him. Then I’m going to revive his ass, just so I can kill him again.”
Well…Shakespeare Burning is not a book I would normally pick up to read, but I am so glad I did. Branching out from my normal reads paid off in spades! I am so glad Charisse Moritz reached out to me and after I read the fantastic blurb that tweaked my interest, I had to know more. Something about it talked to me.
The book, the story, the wonderful characters drew me deeper and deeper into a story of loss, grief, sorrow, need, faith, loyalty and love.
I voluntarily read an ARC of Shakespeare Burning by Charisse Moritz.
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