Open Thy Heart

Great sequel!

ARC kindly provided by Jessica L. Brooks in exchange for an honest review.

Review
‘Open Thy Heart’ was a great sequel in the ‘Flora’ series that really built on the tension, drama and mystery that we see in novel one, ‘If I Speak True’. The characters were awesome, funny and generally superb (excluding the evil villains). And let us not forget the ending! Because the ending was just………………beautiful. *cries tears of regret at ending the book*
What really appealed to be and something that I noticed was the characters: when they were mad, we became mad; when they were happy, we were happy; when they were sad, we were sad. It really was an emotional rollercoaster for this novel. Soooo, when Dahlia, the MAIN character in this book, is bored…well, to be honest, I was quite bored, too. In fact it was a slow beginning, and this series tends to have moments when things just drag on. I just couldn’t wait for the action to START! A little warning for those readers who dislike a slow beginning.
On the upside, the pace does pick up about a quarter of the way through the book and more surprises are revealed.
Now to the hilarious quotes from this book that cracked me up!
‘Helen sighs. “I disagree.”
“Well you’re the only one on earth who does.”
“I guarantee I’m not alone here in saying this, Dahlia. Many parents do.”
Really? Parents where? Timbuktu? Australia? Uranus?’
– this struck me as really funny because I am from Australia and the whole thing is just hysterical. I mean, Australia is NOT THAT FAR AWAY FROM OTHER COUNTRIES/CIVILISATIONS. I mean, pffff, we're ONLY an ISLAND! Doesn't mean we're ISOLATED! (Even though we were for the first 200 million years.)
I really enjoyed the humour in ‘Open Thy Heart’ and the relationship dynamics and how there were a diversity of REAL emotions that I experienced during the novel. I laughed, I teared up and I went rampaging mad. But all’s fair in love and good novels.
Like in the previous novel, I loved the diversity of characters and how the author contrasts Ambrosia and Shaver. Sometimes lines tend to get blurry for some novels – but not in this one! It gave me this exhilarating rush every time Dahlia entered Ambrosia and I really admire how it was the unspoken feeling that lay underneath the words like a current that brought that rush about.
Ok, so the novel was slightly clichéd with the continuation of the love triangle that started in book one but I thought of it as a kind of re-enactment of history like Dahlia’s own grandmother’s experience with Shaver and Ambrosia. But there were plot twists and serious that were GOSH DARN UNEXPECTED. It totally built the anticipation and mystery in the story.
Sooo, let’s talk about THE ENDING! I loved, loved, loved the ending. I can’t wait for the next book and am dying miserably because there is no sign of it actually happening on Goodreads. I just get this weird instinctual feeling that the whole time during the – sometimes boring – span of the first two books, the author was leading up to something REALLY exciting and I CAN’T WAIT!
The plot twists and secrets are just seriously unexpected. Loved it. Built anticipation and mystery in the story.
The grammar was awesome and I loved Jessica L. Brook’s prose. There were a few typos I spotted in the novel but no spelling mistakes.
Congratulations Jessica L. Brooks! Whoop-whoop!

Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!