Book Review – Kyland by Mia Sheridan

Kyland
A heartwarming coming of age book where the characters struggle desperately with their circumstance, and become dear friends… and so much more over time. But as in all of my favorite kinds of love stories, the harder the life, the angstier the love!

YES! Very good and highly recommended by pretty much… EVERYONE! LOL! 😉

Allison: Omg! I just finished Kyland by Mia Sheridan. It’s amazing, like seriously 5-star amazing! Every bit as good as Archers Voice. I laughed and cried and yelled at my kindle. It’s a must read! It will definitely be making some best read lists in 2015.

Melody: You have to read Kyland!! It’s a hands down 5.0 star read!!

MichelleS: I just finished Kyland. 5 stars for sure! I had a lump in my throat and lone tears kept squeezing out of my left eye for the entire second half of the book. It was just so dang sweet and achy and beautiful. I’m totally in love with this man/boy right now…. until the next one comes along anyway. It had an epilogue, and all that angst…. just perfect.

marina: Kyland is definitely a book that I think about a lot.

Melody: Just wanted to give you a friendly reminder to read Kyland!! It’s an absolutely amazing read that stays with you. You will never forget the characters!

MichelleS: Maryse – don’t forget about Kyland… he may have been shelved due to all the greatness that has been on your Kindle lately, but I am SURE you’d fall in love with him and their story. And…. you’re on a roll… why not add one more? … Out of those three, Archer’s Voice was the stand-out. Kyland was also good. Leo didn’t do it for me. All stand-alones.

Jean: I agree MichelleS, Leo was just okay for me, but Kyland and Archer’s Voice were unforgettable!

bev: I just started Kyland, 15%, and Jean was right. So, far I’m hooked.

It tickled my fancy for sure. I can’t resist a good hard-luck story, and in this one? BOTH were from dire circumstances and doing their best to stay alive AND go to school. Plus it had that sweet sleeping/cuddling together without “sleeping” together. I LOVE when they do that!!! And I loved getting to know them through their day to day struggles, personal apprehensions, painful pasts and insecure futures. I mean… how could they possibly succeed right? Not unless of course they managed to win a scholarship.

And therein lies *some* of the drama! BOTH, before knowing each other, have done everything in their abilities to stay at the top of their class to win that scholarship. And BOTH want the best for themselves. And both… want the best for each other.

And I knew it was because she had pride. Which, for people like us, was more a curse than a blessing.

That’s right! You guessed it… there is only one that can win the scholarship.

But you know what? It’s not all about that. It’s about her current life situation, her mentally unstable, delusional beauty-queen mom,

Words wouldn’t work with our mama, not when she was like this. Tomorrow she’d take the sash off. Tomorrow she’d stay in bed all day. And in a few days, the medicine would kick in and she’d be somewhat back to normal. And then she’d decide she didn’t need it anymore and secretly go off it and we’d do this all over again. And I had to wonder, should a seventeen-year-old girl be so tired? Just tired down to my bones . . . weary in my very soul?

her best friend & sister and the men that have destroyed their hearts, time and time again. And yet despite all of that, Kyland proves to be a solid friend to Tenleigh. Reluctant, at first because Kyland wants NOTHING to do with forming attachments. He has one goal, and it’s to leave Kentucky and make something of himself with the education he has been working towards.

I needed that scholarship. My whole life depended on it. So, as far as what it was about Tenleigh that interested me so much, it didn’t matter. I’d be leaving soon and I’d never look back, not at beautiful,green-eyed Tenleigh Falyn or anyone else.

And while Tenleigh has also been determined to win the scholarship, once she gets to know Kyland’s heart, her own heart is reluctant to let go… of him.

Great read full of life, love and heartache in all forms. Family embarrassments, the good townsfolk, rumors and truths.

“Even for people like us— there’s always someone who’s hungrier. And hunger, well, it comes in different forms.” He lowered his head. “I try not to forget that,” he finished quietly, looking slightly embarrassed.

Love and lies and sacrifices.

Mind you, at times, I found it somewhat…  predictable. I wasn’t all that surprised at the super-angsty “surprise” that came my way, and kind of had a feeling. I “knew”… stuff. So I read without the *shock* emotion I would have loved to feel… (even thought it was sure gaspworthy!!). So there were quite a few stop-and-starts once I hit the 50% mark. That’s right! I was hooked more onto the first half that I was, the second.

bev: Finished Kyland. I wish I had seen more of a Journey in the middle and the end, but I did really like it. I’d love to see the Appalachian mountains.

Maryse: have started Kyland and I’m already loving it ’cause of both of their financial status. I like the hard-luck stories the most.

MichelleS: Maryse – yay Kyland!!! That’s what drew me to it as well. Their situation is so desperate – both of them (instead of the usual rich boy, poor girl or vice-versa). I am still thinking about it.

bev: MichelleS, I did so enjoy Kyland. The first fifty percent or so the best. But only because I liked that so much I wanted the last part to be as in depth. It was a perfect lazy Sunday read.

YES BEV!!!!! I usually am into a book more into the 2nd half but this one was the opposite. It was ALL good, but the first half was 5-stars for me.

But all that said, the overall heartwarming message of determination and resilience, of people coming together and the spirit of love… helping to renew and rebuild had my heart swelling! The beginning (with all of that “hard life”) and the message is what made this story, for me.

I had worked four f**king years for that. And it was right within my grasp. A beautiful girl with a spirit so bright I wanted to squint when I looked at her was not going to derail me now.

Think again, Kyland. 😉

4 stars —> 5 stars for the beauty in the message and the writing but there was just something that kept me from being “unputdownable” hooked…

I mean.. come on. How can anyone possibly resist a book about this?:

I worked when I got the shifts. I struggled, I went hungry some nights, and I scraped together pennies to pay for mama’s medicine.

And I fell in love.

Deep, hard, utter and complete love.

And he was still leaving. And he still wouldn’t look back.