'Moonrise' was truly excellent from start to finish. I couldn't put it down and I loved every page. The characters were well-drawn and distinctive people, each with concrete and believable backstories and motivation. 

The story follows the main character, Joe Moon, as he travels to Texas to visit his brother Ed, who is awaiting execution on death row. The story flits between now and their childhood, where the story fluctuates between darkness and light effortlessly and skillfully. 

This novel was fantastic. Highly recommended.

Another stand-out from the always brilliant Sarah Crossan. Beautiful, lyrical and left me with a tear in my eye.

Beautifully written in verse, this book had me gripped throughout. The characters felt well developed and I truly cared what happened to all of them. It was an emotional journey, and raised many questions about the criminal justice system in America, as well as forcing you to think about relationships and making the most of the time you spend with loved ones. Amazing book that I will be recommending. I'm going to read "One" immediately (I'm not sure how this has stayed in my to be read pile for so long!)

**I received a copy of the uncorrected proof of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I really, really enjoyed this - it's a beautifully written book (though it took me a bit to get used to the writing style), and it resonates. It's a heavy book emotionally - not gonna lie, there were a few tears near the end, but it was well worth the read.

You would have thought that by now, I would know not to read a Sarah Crossan book in public. I haven't. Luckily I could pass off my watery eyes as hay fever but wow, I'm always surprised at how much her verses get to me emotionally. 

In this we see the main character Joe visit his brother, Ed, for the first time in ten years and Ed just happens to be on death row in Texas. The story is told so unbelievably well, both in the present and the past, and like I said above; each segment is no longer than 200 words but I just got so emotionally invested which was a pleasant surprise. Each character is unique to the others and although it is all told from Joe’s POV, they are all so strong and I defy you not to get a lump in your throat as the book reaches its end. 

Britain doesn't have the death penalty but reading about it in Moonrise really did make me think about it more than I possibly have before. This book is a fictional look at the injustice system but it is centred around real life events (that I'm aware is a testy subject with strong viewpoints on both side of the argument so won't go into my views). It was such a sobering read and, even though it hurt, I loved every second of it. 

Sarah Crossan is one of my insta-read authors and I am so happy that she delivered once again.

My first ever Sarah Crossan story, no one warned me to guard my heart. A story that shows how unfair the justice system is on victims and their families. A harrowing story that leaves you emotionally drained.

I wanted to read Moonrise after reading the blurb and being captivated. I love how Sarah Crossan writes such a diverse range of stories and this one sounded intriguing. I liked the idea of someone coping with the multitude of emotions that would swirl in your head if someone you loved was accused of a crime and then dealing with the intensity of knowing that meant their life was forfeit. 

Ed is on death row. He is charged with murdering a police office, worse the crime occurred in a state that supports the death penalty. Jo, his younger brother has been dealing with the fall out of this for 10 years. Now they’ve finally got the call that gives the official date that Ed will die. Jo decides he needs to go, needs to see Ed to talk, to make the most of time that is steadily ticking away. The emotionally charged journey this takes Jo on is raw and full of pain. It wrecked me and I read the book in one quick sitting. 

The style of Sarah's writing in terms of limited amount of words reminded me of her book The Weight of Water, although without the poetic lilt. I was enthralled by the story and found myself holding back tears for most of it. It was exceptionally well written. The fact Sarah can weave such a powerful and deep book in so few words is a mark of what a sensationally gifted writer she is. The characters are well rounded and the story moves at a great pace. 

If like me you really like closure the book might frustrate you as I found I could not decide if Ed was innocent or guilty .You get Ed’s story and you have to decide if you trust Ed. For me the story was a harrowing tale fraught with emotion and it stayed with me long after I finished. 
*I recieved this book from a Netgalley request for my honest opinion. The book is out on 7th September and is well worth a read!

What I liked: I love Sarah Crossan’s writing style. I’ve said that before. It’s prose poetry (I think?) and I’m not going to sound at all knowledgeable about that kind of thing because I am not, all I know is that it works for me. It’s lyrical and pretty and I like it. The story is moving and the issues are important and the way Crossan writes means that whilst the story seems simple, it actually gets you right in the chest.

What I didn’t like: Instalove. That again. Le sigh. Also Joe bugged me a little and I had lots of questions about the family dynamic that weren’t answered because I always have all the questions. It was a little predictable too, the family background especially.

From the author of One another free verse book full of strong characters.

I thought this novel was extremely unique and offered a really interesting view of capital punishment. However for me it was far too short! I felt it was just getting to the meat of the plot when - boom - it was finished. Having thought about it later I think perhaps the author was trying to convey the shock that occurs when a death penalty actually goes ahead but I was just left with so many questions.

A story of life and death. A difficult read but an important one.

I adore Crossan's writing, and the verse form. This was a very quick read for me, but a beautiful one that makes you think. Switching from present to past was done smoothly. Highly recommend.

I received a free copy of this from Netgalley through the kindness of the publisher.

I have always admired Sarah Crossan's books. Her book -One- was kept as a bestseller and on our Buy One Get One Free and Three For Two since it first came out, being highly recommended. I always wanted to read one of them, but other obligations always came up. When I saw it as a potential Netgalley Early Reviewer, I immediately put my name forward as I saw it as a sign. So I went into this blind, and I think that this might have made my experience slightly harder than it should be.

This mostly stems from my own reading preferences in how books are written. I went into this completely blind, for some reason completely forgetting that I had dipped into -One- every now and then it had been written more in free-flowing proses where sentences can be divided between two paragraphs, and conversations between people can exist within one paragraph rather than given their own life. This caused me to find it slightly difficult to read, as my inner editor was forcing me out of the story with nearly every sentence I was feeling disconcerted with how it was written. This isn't the fault of the author. Once I managed to hit my head a few times that this was how it was written, and that there was a point to this, I fell deep into the story and didn't re-emerge until several hours later.

This story griped my heart and then just squeezed, becoming tighter and tighter as it progressed. From the first moment the Main Character (Joe) leaves home to travel to where his brother (Ed) is imprisoned, it's as if his voice leaps up in the page. The broken up sentences between paragraphs immerse the reader into this thoughts, as if you watch him carry out the motions and can hear his unique voice running through his head. He easily pulls in the emotions of the other characters around him, especially in the case of Ed,  Angela (Sister) and Aunt Karen, to keep the entire story flowing at a fast-paced rate that doesn't let the reader go.

And as it feels as though it's tumbling into the abyss, as all becomes loss after loss, the reader can't help but feel the same slight hope that Joe feels. The possibility of it actually occurring is slim, because of the reality of the book mirroring the reality we live in, but at the same time the reader clings on to the same hope as Joe.

I would highly recommend this book, for anyone twelve up. It punches the reader in the chest, again and again, and drives home what is mentioned in the news, and in various publications around crime. I now have no excuse to not read her other book -One-, as I want to be able to hand this book, and her other books, to customers in the shop.

I can honestly say that I have fallen head over heels for Sarah’s writing. I read One last year, and this year I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Moonrise and it didn’t disappoint. I rarely cry at books (yep I’m heartless which is hilarious because in ‘real life’ I cry at everything but hey), but this brought tears to my eyes (as did One).

I don’t think I’ve read a book that focuses on death row; I know they exist but not really in the YA genre (or none that I’ve found anyway) and it was so fresh and unique. I loved that she chose to narrate it from the perspective of the brother, as it gave a different view of the impact death row can have on someone. So often the media singly focuses on the prisoner and their crimes, but the family goes forgotten or they are simply guilty by association. Here, this idea is explored, and it delves into the effect that family and childhood can have, but also how the family deal with having a member on death row, as the siblings are completely innocent and are just trying to make their way in the world.

There was so much variety in the characters and their situations which was amazing. To see them come together around the central focus of the prison and death row in spite of their differing positions and stories was fascinating, and I really, really loved it. My heart repeatedly broke for Joe and the struggles he went through, and honestly he was just a wonderful, but tragic, character.

As I’ve said, I love Sarah’s writing style so, so much. The poetry isn’t technical, but this story would not be half of what it is with ‘technical’ poetry. It’s simple, but it’s cutting and beautiful and everything it needs to be and more. It perfectly captures moments and feelings without dragging them out or going into too much detail. This is one of those stories that is all about moments and feelings, and this style tells it perfectly.

The pacing is fairly slow, but as I’ve said, this books is about capturing snippets of time and emotion. So, as a result, it doesn’t feel slow at all. I felt completely caught up in everything that was going on; in the stories of all of the characters, in the hope and heartbreak and everything else in between.

I loved this book, and I think that’s clear in this review. Sarah Crossan has become an auto-buy author without a doubt (I bought the rest of hers at YALC last weekend!), simply because of her uniqueness, wonderful storytelling, and ability to make me feel every emotion under the sun and bring tears to my eyes.

Gosh this book has worn out my poor heart. My nerves are frazzled but it was brilliant AND devastating. 

In this story the narrator chronicles the harrowing count down (as the brother) of a young man on death row. As a result it gives a refreshing and provocative perspective that allows the idea of 'victims' of crime to be turned on its head. Important elements are woven in that will hopefully make the reader digest the duplicity behind a justice system that seemingly thrives on the notion of an 'eye for an eye'. 

As a slight con the writing was good but the style is can be distracting and this is mainly because I'm not a fan of stories told in verse. However fortunately this is one of those rare occasions where I could look past the style and just enjoy the story. A definite worthwhile but heartbreaking read.

Sarah Crossan does write books about difficult subjects.  This one is written in prose and is as powerful as "One" was.  It explores the relationships between siblings in a dysfunctional family.  Throughout the book more is learnt about their life together before Ed left.  His character is contradictory and Joe's feelings towards him are understandably conflicted.  The question remains, how could someone who cared for his much younger brother so much be the 'terrible' person the system says he is?  

Unfortunately, I feel the author's telling of the story is the one that would play out in the United States and as such this book is making a strong political and social point.  It confirms my views of how justice is administered at times and I wonder if this is healthy for all?

There are some good twists towards the end which help the plot move to its climax.  It is difficult to write a review of this without providing spoilers.  I would recommend this to readers but would also say it is not an easy ride and would welcome the opportunity to discuss it with them..

(3.5 stars) Sarah Crossan's books never fail to move me and Moonrise was no exception. I found that the verse form resulted in some beautifully constructed images and added to the poignancy at just the right moments, forcing me to dwell on the idea of the idea of the death sentence and how unjust the system surrounding it can be. The flashbacks to the character's childhoods also added to this. I didn't love it quite as much as I loved One, hence why I'm rating it slightly lower than I rated that, but I've already gone back and reflected on this story several times since completing it, so I think it's definitely going to be one that stays with me for a long time to come. I'd definitely recommend picking this up, especially as it deals with a topic that I've never read about in YA before.

Writing this with tears in my eyes and a heart broken once more by Sarah Crossan's beautiful, lyrical but oh so painful writing. Such a powerful, hard story to read but what it says about love for your family and personal responsibility will stay with me for a very long time. The utter hopelessness of Ed's situation brings the reality of the death penalty and its effects on everyone around it into stark, unforgiving focus and Joe's struggle to come to terms with his brothers imminent death is almost too painful to read. I will definitely reread this to revel in the blank verse format and the way that each and every word is measured and has such impact, but I think I'll give myself time to recover and digest first.

Sarah Crossan has long been one of my favourite teen writers and I was lucky enough to host two days of events with her during my days as a bookseller to promote her wonderful books Apple & Rain and The Weight of Water. Her latest book, following in the powerful footsteps of the amazing One, has many of the same wonderful qualities. It's incredibly compulsive and I would have been turning the pages like mad if I'd not been reading it on my Kindle.

Another great read from Sarah Crossan. The blend of poetry and writing, the style of writing and the drama all make a fantastic book.