I thoroughly loved reading the outstanding and extraordinary, beautifully written story. I volntarily reviewed a story from NetGalley. When Ren was ten years old, he couldn't take the abuse and being a slave anymore and ran away, but he had a stowaway, a baby, Della, who was playing with a blue ribbon. Ren didn't know how to take care of a baby and could barely take care of himself. He tried leaving Della with a loving family, but finally decided they were in this together. The dynamics between Ren and Della is special, but as Della goes to school and gets older, her feeling for Ren change. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written story riveting the reader from the beginning to the end of the story looking forward with anticipation for the second story in the series.

**6++++ I-Love-You-Ren-Wild stars**

What can I say about The Boy & his Ribbon?

I have no words to describe the feelings I have for this book. Scratch that, I have too many. I mean why? There are some books that come to you and you forget their story as soon as you finish reading it; but there are books that when you are in the first page you just can't let go, and when you are done the story stays with you forever. The Boy & his Ribbon was the exact same thing for me. I wish I'd never read it, but at the same time I couldn't read it sooner.

It took me 12 days to finish this fantasic story. Not because I didn't like. Just the opposite, in fact. The story is just unbelievably amazing, left me heartbroken, the characters were so powerful, their emotions seem real, and they got to transfer the power of what they were feeling really well. To me this was an unbelievable book, one of those that it almost felt like it was a privilege to read.

In a nutshell, this book will make you laugh, cry, mad, sad, joyful, and many other emotions that I have no time to describe. Please do yourself a favor, and read this book!!!


I would like to thank NetGalley and Bouni Amici Press for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Boy & His Ribbon is simply superb. Pepper Winters has quite possibly written her best book to date and my personal favorite since Unseen Messages. What she has created with this most captivating of stories is one that consumed my very soul. I was swept up in the journey that Ren Wild and his Della Ribbon embarked on and did not want to let them go. I'm over the moon that book two will be here sooner rather than later since these two have so much more to tell us. I simply NEED their words.

I'm not sure I've ever read a tale of perseverance that had such power over me. The selflessness Ren exhibited over and over again when he should have been able to live life his own way after escaping such brutality at the tender age of ten, floored me. The author took this vulnerable young boy and gave him the grace and humility others twice his age couldn't even fathom. I love this character more than I can even describe. His protectiveness over his Della, his ribbon, brought me to my knees.

This is not just a story. It is an unbelievably grueling adventure that not only put my stomach in constant mayhem but somehow gave me indescribable pleasure in watching how Ren and Della simply survived. There is a true beauty in getting to witness the power of the human spirit. How despite everything thrown their way, these two manage to find the joy in living one more day. And as their lives get more and more complicated with feelings burgeoning where they shouldn't, I was both anxious and hesitant to keep turning the pages.

The author brilliantly gives us both sides of the story with Della in the present and Ren starting from the very beginning as they commenced their lifetime adventure together. I just couldn't put this book down and felt every single heartache and triumph as Ren acts as guardian and savior for his Della. Knowing their time together may not last forever, there is a push and pull that ripped me apart in one moment and then soothed me the next. This is writing that is unmatched.

This is outstanding artistry that only comes along once in a great while. Do yourself a huge favor and read The Boy & His Ribbon and experience an odyssey like no other.

I happily give The Boy & His Ribbon a HUGE 5+++++++ stars! Bravo!

If I could give this book more stars, I certainly would. If you've read a book by Pepper Winters before you know going into it that it won't always be the easiest read, but you also know it will be well worth it and this book is no exception. Ren & Della face a tough life from the start and then have to navigate growing up without much adult guidance. I loved this book and characters and hated them, I wanted to stop reading at some points, but knew I had to keep going and it was very much worth it. I can't wait to see how this story concludes in book 2. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book provided by Net Galley.

Wow! What an amazing yet unique story. Ren and Della’s story is complicated yet simple while mixed with a forbidden element. Spans over 17 years and leaves you wanting more. Delivers all the feels. Can’t wait for book 2!

I'm so conflicted about this book. I've finished it several days ago but yet to put words to this story.

It is mildly taboo and disturbing. However, it is well written and very engaging. I couldn't put it down. I held my breath trying to figure out where could this go? I went in blind, given the fact that the blurb doesn't tell you much and even then I still had different expectations. They were blown away within the first few chapters because I knew this was not the story I had in mind. This is unlike anything I have read.

The latter part of the book had me tense with emotions and I knew it was the author's intentions to seal the deal. The first part to me was unrealistic. I had to take away a star just off of that alone. Ren would have never survived in the real world like that. The whole journey would have been squashed.

Despite all of my conflicting feelings, I still want to know what happened. The book ends on such a cliffhanger and the emotions were at a high that I need to know.

ARC provided to me for an honest review via netgalley.

I just read one of the most soul clenching, heart rending, and utterly hopeful love stories. And yet, I am a sobbing mess of despair. You see, the Boy & his Ribbon, isn't a traditional love story. It's a story filled with love, hope, and devotion. It's an idealistic dream in a reality far too dismal to imagine.

A love and bond created in hardship. A love developing over time. A family. the Boy & his Ribbon.

I still hurt all over from this book. It's impossible to finish this story without a heart rending ache. It's impossible not to echo Della's feelings. It's not probable that you can read this story and be satisfied with the end because it is truly a beginning. But we don't know to what, and honestly, that tears my heart up wondering. I'm afraid of what will become of my friends. I'm afraid of the rift. But most of all, I'm terrified I won't get my fantasy Disney dream. You see this melancholy story is the perfect set up for an amazing fairytale...

But life isn't fairytales. Pepper Winters is a genius at shredding my heart. She has never let me down and so I will struggle with my need. I will clutch my chest hoping for quick relief. But we both know, that nothing Pepper writes comes without sacrifice. I know it will hurt but when it comes to books....I am masochist begging to be hurt more. Clawing for the pain, I will always, ALWAYS, ask, plead, beg, chant, and pant for more.

In the end, you will be just as needy. Don't say you weren't warned!

Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood


This book is beyond anything I have ever read by this author. It's compelling, heartbreaking, and beautiful. As always the characters are complex, they fuel a driving need to be wrapped up in their story. To be a part of it...

I want to scream and rage and sob and allow all the indiscernible words and sounds that this book stirred in me loose. But there is no way. No possible way to describe all the feelings, emotions, desire and need this book gave me and then so sharply took away. I am broken. So incredibly, completely broken by the story of Ren and Della.

I went into this book with one expectation and as it slowly unfolds, was pretty sure I knew the path it would take. Before I realized it, these characters were going in a whole different direction and I rearranged my predictions and settled in for a different journey. Then wildly, I ended up somewhere I never even imagined I would be. Oh sure, some of it I knew would happen but never did I foresee it unfolding in the manner that it did. Never did I expect these characters to live, dream, struggle and make the decisions that they did.

This is one of the most poignant books I’ve read in…well, probably forever! The voice this author gave to both Ren and Della resonated within me and kept me captivated unable to set it aside for even a brief respite. I needed to know what happened next. How did Ren go from one place in his life to the next with such insurmountable odds against him? How does a young child grow up in these conditions? And how does a man make the choices he made and find peace for himself now that the end is here?

I could summarize Ren and Della’s story. I could add a tad more than the blurb gives you. And really, it could be done without really spoiling anything. But the truth of the matter is, this book isn’t just about these characters’ story, but about the emotion that comes from living a life outside the norm all while you hold fast to the one that gives you peace even while you struggle for survival. There is no summary that’s going to allow you to understand that this book is more than a story. It’s feeling and thinking and deciphering how each one of us would handle it should we have ever been in Ren and Della’s situation.

I didn’t want this story to end and I certainly didn’t want it to end when it did and in the manner that it did. Pepper Winters literally wrenched my heart out of my chest and flung it across the room and there is no possible way for it to be healed and replaced until I get the conclusion to Ren and Della’s story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

The Boy and His Ribbon is the story of Ren and Della. Ren is sold into slavery as a boy. At ten years old, Ren is ready to make his escape. He is at his do or die point. He successfully escapes but he does not realize he has a stowaway, baby Della. Ren is faced with taking her back (which is not an option really; he would be killed) or keep her. He opts to keep her but it makes the journey a thousand times harder. I will say the idea that a 10-year-old boy could care for a baby and survive seemed unrealistic. This is partly why it was not a five star for me. Although this is fiction, a few parts just seem too unreal.

The story is told from past to present. In present day, Della is writing her story as a school assignment. The things Della thought and felt were odd for her age. I could not wrap my head around her worldly take on things. Della is a character that a reader could hate. She can be incredibly selfish and stupid. I struggled with her but I also understood. These two grew up in the wild. Imagine two children living off the grid. No concept of right or wrong. No one to answer to. Just day after day with only each other trying to survive. To her credit, as Della writes her story, she recognizes her own youthful ignorance.

Ren was an incredibly compelling character. He was really the star of this book. He was strong and resilient. Although he starts out hating Della for his predicament, he needs her love. He liked being alone and off the grid. But caring for Della kept him from loneliness. As the story progresses Della and Ren grow and continue to survive until Ren gets ill. This leads to a change in their living situation. This leads to more complications as Della’s feelings change. At this point, it could be taboo for some readers. I get that, but these two loved each other beyond reason. When you are all you have in the world and you grow to adulthood together it is very real to me that feelings could evolve. Della’s came about a bit too early: which as I said above was a bit odd. Because Ren was older, he could view it differently and he is absolutely tormented by the idea of falling for Della. Ren’s torment was painful to read. He has not had any guidance in the world. He is struggling to understand and has no one to turn to. Della is hurting too ( some of her own making ) but she also had other experiences to shape her.

As I said I loved Ren. If I gave five stars to this book it would be just for him. He sacrifced for Della without taking anything for himself. He deserves to get what he wants in life and not hurt from his choices. I am really looking forward to the next book. That ending was so sad and painful. I actually hope for a separation for these two so they can evolve.

The Boy and His Ribbon by Pepper Winters is a contemporary romance that is book #1 in her new series The Ribbon Duet.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I’ve read some of Pepper’s other books so I expected going into this book that I would be reading another one of her brilliant darker taboo romance stories. I was so wrong but so pleasantly surprised and delighted that my assumption was so far off. In her new book, The Boy and His Ribbon, Pepper has taken a different direction and has somewhat crossed into YA territory without taking the giant leap into it because this book is intended for adults and she has very much kept the flavors for which she is known for in taboo and forbidden romances.

Ren Wild is a boy who has never known family and love and his only interaction with humans has been filled with hate and abuse. Della McClary is a girl too young to know what hate is and has only known love and belonging with the boy named Ren. The boy Ren whom stole her as a baby from a home of abuse and hatred that he was so desperate to escape from. Ren, ten years old and ten years Della’s senior runs away with her tucked inside his backpack into the forest and for almost 17 raises her the best he can. He’s her brother, her father, her best friend, and her protector. They both struggle to survive homelessness, starvation, society, and nature while and the same time surviving the attraction and secrets they both know are forbidden.

Pepper yanked my heart out with this book and I hope to God the second book in this duet puts it back into my chest. There are some books you read and you love and you remember snippets of why you loved it so much and then there are some books you read and they stay with you and leave you in not only a severe book hangover but a funk because you got so immersed in the characters. This book is the latter and my favorite Pepper book thus far. There was a point in this book where I didn’t think I could proceed, not because I was bored with the story but because I thought I knew where this story was headed and I was afraid to read anymore for fear of being in the fetal position crying my eyes out. A little exaggeration on my part but I did take a break for a day to calm my racing heart before diving back in. This story was a roller coaster ride and went into an entirely different direction I was envisioning. Ren and Della were so real and authentic in their flaws and they made mistakes that they blamed on themselves but their biggest flaw was really their true love for one another or rather their over analyzation of it and what it meant. You always feel for Pepper’s characters, and I will be waiting very impatiently for book #2 of this duet!

“Kiss someone you love with all your heart. Don’t settle for a cheap thrill. Save it for the person who means the world to you.”

I'm not just shattered but I'm utterly shattered! This was such a roller-coaster of raw emotions swinging high and low.

Sold into hard labour at the age of eight Ren "Wild" escapes two years later, and unbeknownst to him he has a stowaway in his backpack, baby Della "Ribbon" Mclary. The two start a journey where they rely on each other and their relationship morphs from “What the hell am I supposed to do with you?” to “I love you so much it hurts”

This is a story about a pure and innocent friendship but also about inappropriate forbidden feelings, a deeply wanted relationship that can never be.

The Boy and His Ribbon tells the story of two souls who came together in harsh time, enduring harsh conditions surviving childhood, going into confusing adulthood.

"I’d never stopped to think about what he’d given up to grant me my dreams. He’d stayed in a place so I could learn. He’d worked in a job so I could play.
He’d never had a childhood.
Never had a week off.
Never been given the gifts that he’d given me so often and so generously."

I so wanted to put my arms around these two, what an amazing character Ren is, I really love him and am still choking up writing this. I yearned so deep for them both, I thought my heart was going to burst!

Ren has never known what it means to be a child, never known how it feels to have mother love but still manages to become this amazing person with so much love to give.
"When he’s in your arms...that’s when he lets himself be seen. His kisses are full of tragedy. His touches are full of sorrow."

I so want him to finally be happy but I won't know soon because now I've to wait almost eight weeks for book 2...

5 "Uniquely Mesmerizing" Stars
I don’t know how she does it, but Pepper Winters always succeeds in having me completely fascinated by her books. She’s that author to me; the one I know without a doubt that anything she writes I’ll adore! She has a way with words that can’t help but grab you and make you feel everything! Her striking prose brings emotions to one extreme to the other and I love it!

With The Boy & His Ribbon, Pepper Winters created a unique tale about survival, unrequited love and unconditional love! This book utterly destroyed me from the pure heartbreak bleeding through the pages. It’s not only about the sad parts though, because Ren and Della’s story is also so much about a love that defies anything.

They grow up together, learn together and are everything to each other for the better part of their life and that leaves an indelible mark on them for sure. I don’t want to enter into the details of this story, because it needs to be felt and experience to understand its powerful impact. Nothing can do justice to the words of this author. This book can’t be categorized, because it is so unique and different from what I’ve ever read!

I don’t know how to express the strength of my love for this spectacular novel. You need to feel the torment, agony, love and injustice Ren and Della endure and grab this story. The Boy & His Ribbon is a true masterpiece by its uniqueness and the intricacy of both characters and their uncommon thoughts, wants and desires. I was left in pieces after the last few words of this captivating coming of age story and I can’t wait for The Girl & Her Ren now! I know conclusion of The Ribbon Duet will be epic. Give this book a chance and you won’t regret your journey through Ren and Della’s minds!

Didn’t realize it was a duet with a cliffhanger. I don’t do well with those especially the next book will be out in 2 months.

This was both one of the most unique and outrageously hooking trips I have taken in a while.
________________

-“Ah! It’s not squirms, it’s sperms!” -
I think it's safe to start this review by stating a couple key things that are running through my mind.

→ Pepper Winters has always been an author that I would and will drop what I am doing and run for whatever she is offering. I think The Boy and His Ribbon is her best writing to date. Although it may not be my favourite story, I have seen her writing evolve from her earlier works and this is the epitome - it truly showcases how passionate she is about stories.

→ This was probably the closest I've come to a 4 star read in a month. A month of slow and very meh reads that I wish were better for both me and the book.

"I knew the second the matching piece of my heart arrived."

→ In the last section of her book, in her acknowledgments - Pepper writes about how effortless it was to write and finish this book. Reading it was the exact same experience. Once you pick it up, it all but begs you to finish it. Then once you get to that cliffhanger - you too, are going to be sitting here like me not knowing what the hell to do with life. Join the club, we have shirts.

→ I'd say the latter end of the book (so the last handful of chapters) were solid 4/ 5 star reads. It oozed in sorrow and emotion and it made me want to rip my heart out and tell it to stop beating like a maniac. Because it was so real and it could relate to so many others out there - the whole concept of unrequited love has been an audience favourite since Shakespearean times and hats off to Pepper for making it an unforgettable read!

"Why do I insist on slicing through the sticky tape on my constantly breaking heart and stabbing it over and over again? "

→ Lastly, and this is probably the most important: The Boy and His Ribbon is probably not for everyone. This was a very different approach to romance. I'd rightly put it in the dark romance section not because it deals with the topics that we usually find in that sub section - but because it takes something light and pure like innocence and it turns it into something dark and sinful that you can't help but root for, even though you know it's probably not right. It does all of this without you knowing that you are the puppet and this book pulls the strings.

"My heart stopped with how perfect she was. How smart. How kind. How brave. I’d never look at the colour blue again without thinking of her. I’d never hold another ribbon again without wanting to hold her."




-Atypical Romance -

Right as it starts, you are pulled into rooting for a character that you don't even know! That's the power of this book - you find yourself being the foam finger cheerleader of these beyond broken and burnt characters and even though the romance may be 'wrong' - you're still there on the bleachers going "THAT'S MY F#@!ERS"


All through the first 75%, I couldn't help but notice how it read like Flowers in the Attic. It felt like the plot was very character driven because if it wasn't - I would say that at times, it held very stale and dull plot movements. The start when Della is a baby felt really unrealistic because kids at that age don't tend to comprehend and mentally understand all the stuff that Della could, but I shortly overlooked that as the chapters carried on.

The characters were the winning leaf for me in this clusterfuck of a tree. The romance felt weird at times, because we got to see a child being raised and in a way, I ended up being an authority figure over Della because it truly felt like I watch her grow up. So I understand where Ren's thoughts were coming from. Not to spoil much for future readers, but go into this with an open mind and read both points of views with an open heart.

I also think the blurb of the book doesn't give away much for a reason, because like me if you go into this blind - you will experience a helluva lot more than you anticipated to!

I'm glad the author showed how disturbing it was too - I'm glad she just didn't tiptoe around the subject because they weren't technically related - she faced it headfirst and dived with all the potential reviewer sharks that could come out and say she masked something inappropriate as romance.

Whereas the book is well written and you can't help but not feel for the characters that are here it all seemed somewhat far fetched in my opinion.

Finding the right words to describe how this book made me feel is more difficult than I expected. I mean, this IS Pepper Winters so I knew not to expect your normal romance. I expect dark, tragic, deranged and sometimes truly messed up. But for whatever reason, I did not expect, as I began this story, to truly feel like my heart was breaking. Ren by all accounts is like that wild, barefoot, running through the woods boy and while he may end up in civilization now and again, his heart truly feels the need to be in the forest, living a quiet, hardworking, sometimes difficult existence away from others. His early years are marked by pain from many different quadrants and moving forward in his own way is the only thing he wants in life. Largely uneducated and perhaps naive to most of today's world, he has only one thing to really live for besides his freedom-That of his stowaway. He proves everyday that she is all that truly matters to him and he would do whatever it takes to protect her. I believe Della knows this, but being in love with him as opposed to loving him for what he is doing for her will eventually split them apart. The beauty of this story is in the love they have for each other despite not necessarily being on the same page...but the heartbreak....I absolutely can't wait for the final story and pray against all odds that somehow for both of them...there is a happily ever after, even it is not together.

I really struggle to write a review when a book affects me so much. I almost feel like I should go back through my Goodreads list and change some five star reads because after reading this book, they just don't measure up. I'm suffering from a hardcore book hangover right now. This book has wrecked me and all I want now is more Ren and Della. This book put me through a gamut of emotions: jealousy, betrayal, hope, love, fear, longing, devastation. I could go on, but the list would be too long. I know some may feel that certain circumstances in the book may seem unrealistic, but I feel like when you really break it down, when you think about what Ren endured in his first 10 years of life, the will to survive and care for another doesn't seem so far fetched. Some children are just forced to grow up so much faster than their contemporaries., I think those differences are clearly shown in Ren/Della versus Cassie/Liam.

I completely devoured this book in less than a day. I couldn't stop reading it and forced myself to go to sleep only so I could be a functioning parent the next day. The frightening thing about this story is that I know it's still going to get worse than it is before it's over, but I think it will be completely worth it. This is by far the best book I've read this year. I wasn't expected to be so blown away and captivated by this book. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for these characters in The Girl and Her Ren.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC of this through Netgalley.

This book was everything I wanted, hoped for, and more! I haven’t ugly-cried for a book like I had for this one in a long time. This to me says good writing--when my stomach was in knots and my emotions were all over the place thanks to the characters and their story-it’s sign of a good novel. It’s so hard to word what I would like to say about this novel, because it literally left me speechless. I suspect I will be unable to begin another book for a day or so; this one’s leaving me with a hangover.

I reflect back on this book and think about where the journey took me. To think that 300 pages ago, they were a child and a baby. The book feels so realistic that it feels as if I grew up with these kids. The childhood time was beautiful and strong and the adult (Ren) and teen (Della) time was heartbreaking and wonderful.

The story is a unique one beginning with a young ten-year-old boy running away for his life. When he makes it a distance away from the farm he was enslaved on, he finds his ex-owner’s new baby daughter in his bag. I questioned this a little bit--even if she crawled into his bag, he left during the night. So either why was she not in bed or if she hid away during daylight, did they really forget their own baby. Throughout the story I question what would have become of Della. Once old enough, would they treat their own child as they did the other children. She was dressed properly, fed, and seemed to be cared for, so as she is their own, would she have been the exception? But then she would be abusing children like Ren? Anyway, he debates what to do with a one-year-old. After an attempt to give her to a family for a good life which failed, he takes her back, and thus she is his to watch, care for, and raise.

The most interesting and yet sad feature of this novel is their age difference of ten years. So while she’s 5 years old and still a child, he’s 15 and growing into a man. When she’s 10, and just before teenagehood, he’s 20 and an adult. So they grow up together, as Ren protecting and providing for them both as he would to a sibling. But when two people grow up together with no one but themselves, the other person is the other’s entire world, so who else will you love in every way? For Ren, he was so much older than her so he kept to the big brother thing while using other women, but none could be what he was looking for. Because what he wanted was ten years younger than him and even that he wouldn’t admit it to himself. When Della is growing and her body is changing, she starts to develop more than just familia feelings toward Ren.

The book is told in mainly Ren’s POV, and I think this sold the book to me further. It was so beautiful and heartbreaking to read the book from his perspectives, to know what he wants and what he is denying himself of. We get snippets written by Della’s POV in a writing university assignment that gave bits of her story. I enjoyed these, especially in the later years when she’s an older teen and is able to essentially know and understand herself. She gave hints to what to expect at the end of the novel, yet that didn’t stop the tears from happening once the ending came. I suspect book 2 will be in her POV mainly. As much as I think that’ll be good, I’m secretly hoping that it’ll be his, or at least both. I suspect throughout all the time, he never went far from her. While she’s writing their story, he’s probably nearby watching and protecting her. So a dual POV would work nicely.

I have not read a plot so unique in a long time. It just sucked me in from page 1 and refused to let go. I’m concluding my semester which means a lot of assignments and I forced myself to put the book down but it was just impossible to. My mind never left the story. I think it was interesting because it was almost a prequel to the main story. No, actually, no, I don’t want to say that. The main story is their story; them growing up together and them connecting and surviving. So I’ll say it like this: this book is a prequel to the romance that I am sure is to come. Since we’re told the book year by year while Della teases us with her writing in the present, I will assume that the second book is all in the present, as their story leading up to the present is now over. But that’s not to say this one isn’t magical. I think the lack of (direct) romance is what made this book. My heart broke for the characters, especially Ren, over and over again.

There is not one part of this book I did not like. Ren was fierce, beautiful and sad. Della was funny, strong, and heartbreaking once past 16. The writing was flawless and just draws you in from the get-go. Like I said, the good writing allowed for ugly tears, so that’s saying something. The plot was unique and such an adventure. I just can’t wait to continue it with them in the summer. The angst in the novel and between the characters just had my stomach in knots. The secondary characters really provided growth to Deall and Ren in the most important times.

This coming of age love story is my new favorite book. Definitely a top 2018 read. I’m sure if I was diagnosed, it would be the reason for anxiety that I’m sure exists.

And oh, that tattoo. My heart cheered and cried at the same time.

C’mon The Girl and her Ren!

[bookcover:The Boy and His Ribbon|37914571]
4 <b> Ribbon Stars</b>
https://youtu.be/n9dNipnzjrQ

I’d first like to mention the amazing SHH buddy read this book was apart of https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/19238990-toppick-with-myla-akd-mar-25-buzz-books?page=1
This is an (F)BR with my Shhlutty Sisters: SueBee, Lu, Timitra, C, Myla, Ann, Sophie, Susan, Akd, Snow, Megan, Tina, and myself
A ton of awesome people came together in one week to read the newest Pepper Winters novel. It affected us all in different ways.
For me it was emotional and raw. I was sad, happy and irrated with our main characters. I cried for their lives past and present. The ending is depressing and I just don’t even know how to express it all.
<b> Within thirty horrible minutes, I had everything I needed </b>

This story is about Ren who was abused, tortured and sold like cattle. For many years all he knew was pain and abuse. He never knew what being fed or loved felt like. When he decided he needed a new and better life and he also needed the rest of his fingers. He packed a few bits of food and took off into the night. Our story almost ended at the very beginning but along the way Della came into his life and changed his entire world. The story is their own with Della narrating their histories from the future we get both sides of the story which are told in their own chapters. This story is a coming to terms story and realizing everything changes along the way. This story will capture everyones attention in their own ways. I think for me it was the beginning that wrecked my heart for others it may be Della’s story and for some the ending will do it.
It is hard to review this story without giving it away.. but it’s a great and new type of story written by an author branching out and I appreciated it!

This story is about Ren and his Ribbon

Absolutely loved this unique story. I sunk right into it from beginning to end.