Cover Image: The Leading Edge of Now

The Leading Edge of Now

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Member Reviews

Warning: Rape is discussed in this book.



I LOVE love love this book. This book is great for the YA and teenagers. I will highly recommend this book to anyone.



Marci has written a brutally honest and emotional novel of a young teenager who is learning about herself. She has gone through hell and back. She struggles as she moves back in with her uncle after being an orphan for three years. She struggles with her new neighbors who happened to be her close friends before she became an orphan. She struggles thinking her ex-boyfriend had raped her but it turns out it wasn't the case as she tries to remember who had raped her on that fateful memorial's day at a party. She struggles with the death of her father. This is her year of learning about herself as she realizes that she has to find her truth, face her truth, and speak her truth in order to heal and come out okay.

The book isn't just based on sexual assault. This book focuses on many things that YA and teenagers deal with nowadays. I enjoyed the wry humor from Grace. I was able to relate to her because she was real as real can be.

I promise you won't regret reading this novel.

I'm giving this book a high 4 stars



I received this ARC from Kids Can Press through Net Galley for in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Thank you

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Mini review:

DNF

Trigger warning: Mention of death and alcoholism. Up till the point I read.

I received this E-ARC via the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this! I’ve read the authors debut and loved it! Unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

The writing style was alright in the beginning. As I read on it really started to irk me. To the point I couldn’t continue.

Still recommend.

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Trigger warning: rape. Overall this book was good. I thought it was moving and the length was perfect. As someone whose father passed away, I could relate to Grace in that aspect, but that’s about it!

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Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of The Leading Edge of Now by Marci Lyn Curtis. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Trigger warning - rape

The Leading Edge of Now by Marci Lyn Curtin is an suspenseful and emotional ride. Going in I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. Grace is an orphan who is placed with her Uncle Rusty, after two years. This brings Grace back into a house where she has a painful memory, memories that aren't exactly what she thought they where. Slowly Grace starts to uncover what really happened to her that night. I won't say any more because that will ruin the plot. But you will discover why it took two years for her Uncle to take her in after her father died, what really happened that night and how Grace deals with her grief and being a survivor.

This story is heartbreaking. You discover things about that night at the same time that Grace does and her realization hits you like a ton of bricks. The suspense had me hooked. I suspected everyone, except the actual person who did this horrendous act. The ending felt natural and realistic. You really experience Grace's growth and her slowly getting her life back.

Marci Lyn Curtis wrote this book beautifully and I can't wait to pick up more of her work. I highly recommend this book to anyone. But as mentioned above, be aware that it deals with rape and the aftermath.

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Although it took me a while to get into, I did get hooked in the end. A truly difficult topic handled in a thoughtful and sensitive way.

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This book was just okay, I read through it quick and it did hold my attention for the most part, but it wasn't a mind blowing book, although it was focused on a very serious important topic, it was still just lacking something for me.

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FTC DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kids Can Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the mystery element, I also liked that the guilty party was not an immediately obvious guess. I suspected most of the males in Grace's life at one point or another.

I didn't care that much for Grace though, she seemed to over explain or describe things, and she was also a bit of a drama queen, not about the rape but about other things. I also thought the romance was completely unnecessary to the book.

Also, I loved how everyone has a realistic flaw either physical or emotional. This made the characters more believable.

So overall it was an okay to good book but not great/

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I was given the opportunity via NetGalley to read an electronic copy of The Leading Edge of Now. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Grace Cochran, supported by her case worker from Social Services, is reunited with her Uncle Rusty. After being in foster care for two years, it is a little difficult for Grace to adjust to life back in New Harbor. As it is hard for her to trust, will Grace allow the memories of the past cloud her future? Will certain revelations regarding her past have the power to destroy Grace or will she finally be able to move forward?

Author Marci Lyn Curtis did a great job highlighting the delicate subject of assault and how difficult it can be for survivors to move forward with their lives. The Leading Edge of Now is well paced with fully realized characters that have a story to tell. I would definitely recommend parents read this novel along with their teens, as it is a great way to open a dialogue about a difficult subject matter.

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There is a lot going on in this story, but first let me get one thing out of the way. There is a rape. It is not graphic, but it is felt by the main character, Grace, and it colors most everything else that goes on in her life, including having to move in with her uncle, where the rape took place, after her father dies of a heart attack.

There is also a bit of light flirting, but because of the rape hanging over everything, it doesn’t go very far, and for good reason.

And because life is messy, the path to the resolution does not run smoothly, and there are many twists and turns along the way.

I won’t say the book was enjoyable, because it isn’t that type of book, but it did make me cry, which mean that it hit me where it it intended to hit me.

Good final resolution, and well done book.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

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First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


What a beautiful, moving and heart-breaking book.

I have no intention to dwell on the plot because I think it would be best if you just read the book and enjoy the emotional roller-coaster without any additional infos - you have to live and suffer through it.

It's a book about the slow realization of being a survivor.
Grace is anxious, confused, ashamed - doubts and the not knowing for sure what happened the night she was raped torment her.
She's ashamed, even if - on a rational level - she knows it's not her fault. Still, she feels guilty, she wonders if she could have done something different to prevent it.
And due to the humiliation she feels, it's hard for her to talk about it with someone - she doesn''t have the courage, she's not strong enough to go to the police and to dig a little deeper.

But then something happens: Grace finds she's not alone because there are people that care about her and that are ready to go the bottom of the problem.
Thanks to them, Grace finds her own courage to take matter in her own hands - to confront her past while living in the present and making the best of it.

The writing and the pacing are simply amazing, it was impossible for me to put this book down - I read it in two days - and past and present are so beautifully mixed together.
The characters are real and well-described - I liked Grace because she found the strenght to take back her own life from the one who stole it and I liked how rape was portrayed, how it does affect not only the victim but also the ones who surrond her. Even the ones knowing what happened, but shutting up.

This book tied my stomach in knots because I was living everything along with Grace, it took me by the heart and made me cry and I surely recommend it - I'll also buy a paper copy of it.

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I loved this book. It was so very good. I loved Grace and Janna and Owen, and even Faith and Rusty. The story just seemed real. Owen and Grace's relationship was sweet and angsty. The conflict and plot was really interesting and Grace's story actually made me tear up.. There were a number of different characters and some suspense involved. I devoured this book and will recommend it to my nieces. .

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Okay, this was absolutely outstanding. I was left with a lot of emotions that I now don't know how to deal with, which of course is expected when reading a book about such a sensitive topic such as rape.

Not only did I absolutely love Grace as a character, I also felt for every single other character in this book. Marci Lyn Curtis managed to tear my heart out of my chest and I was crying during every single chapter. Also, I wasn't expecting some of the things that happened, and honestly, the author played me so hard

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Loved this book. I'm a high school librarian, so I read a lot of YA to see what we should purchase for our library. This one went to the top of my list quickly. It was tough to put down, but also tough to read in parts because of the story. Yes, there are triggers with this book, but I know (unfortunately) that I have kids in my school who will be able to relate to Grace and I think it's important that they can see themselves in a book. My hope is that, if a student needs a book like this, they read The Leading Edge of Now and find hope - and healing - and maybe a way out.

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I found myself reading the acknowledgments when this book was done. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to continue reading a book that badly in my entire life. This story is tragic. A combination of new and old love, as well as new and old tragedy. Rape is not something I typically read about, and it is not something I ever gravitate towards to as a reader, especially when choosing books to request and review. However, something drew me to this book when I found it on NetGalley, and I don’t think I’ve read a better contemporary novel in my life.

(Full review coming on my blog in a few weeks!)

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3.5 Stars.

The Leading Edge of Now is an emotional story of a young girl coming to terms with multiple life-altering events. Two years after losing her father and going through several foster families, Grace is brought back to the small town of New Harbor to live with her uncle. But being back in New Harbor is bringing up memories of her father and the hurt she felt when her uncle didn’t come for her right after her father died. Not only that, but she’s also forced to face the memories of the night she was raped, even though most of that night is fuzzy due to the medication she had taken. Grace has to navigate repairing relationships with her uncle and former friends, and trying to figure out just what exactly happened that night so maybe she can start to heal and move forward with her life.

Overall, I think this is a strong story that tackles some tough topics. The writing is strong and it does such a wonderful job of describing Grace’s emotions. It makes you feel them with her to the point where you hurt right along with Grace. However, there were times where the writing felt a little too heavy. There were a lot of metaphors used throughout the book, and for the most part they were beautiful and breathtaking, but I did find that occasionally it seemed to go overboard, taking away from the story.

As far as Grace’s best friend, Janna, and her love interest, Owen, I liked both of these characters. I thought Grace and Janna’s reconnection was authentic and I was glad to see things work out between them. I really liked Owen’s character, even if he did seem a little too perfect. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy though, with a kind and caring heart. I appreciated how he was there for Grace through everything, and how he ultimately wanted to better himself as well.

When it came to Grace trying to figure out what happened the night she was raped, it seemed like everything was just too convenient. Certain characters would appear basically just to move the investigation further and that was it. I’m glad everything came together so Grace could finally figure out who was responsible so he could be brought to justice, but the way it happened and how quickly it happened just didn’t seem entirely realistic to me.

Even still, I thought it was a very powerful and emotional story, and I would recommend it. I really enjoyed the way the story ended and the hopeful feeling it gave. However, do keep in mind that if reading about sexual assault is difficult for you, this book may not be the best choice. The story never goes into great detail about what happened that night, but it’s still often discussed, and the way it effects Grace is often very raw and emotional. Just something to keep in mind.

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Grace once loved New Harbor, it was a place of summer escape and lifelong friendship, until one visit it isn't and she hasn't been back since. Now in the care of her Uncle Rusty after having just adjusted to life as an orphan she is back and the happy and painful times are mixing all together. Everything in New Harbor reminds her of her innocence, the one she has lost. She knows she has to find out the truth in order to heal, in order to trust again, but the truth may just hurt the very people she's missed having by her side.

Marci Lyn Curtis has created a cast of characters that you can't help but love and a story that is impossible to put down. In just one sitting I read The Leading Edge of Now cover to cover, desperate to uncover the truths Grace sets out to find, hoping she'd heal and find that life's circumstances only make her stronger. The losses in her life are difficult and heartbreaking, I too had no trust for the uncle that took so long to rescue her from orphanhood and brought her back to the one place she and her father had run from. But I also loved that the move back to New Harbor brought old friends back into her life, friends that despite the time and the hurt between them want so much for things to be good again. New Harbor brought the truth to light and though it changed Grace and those around her forever, it is used in the story to show the hope and the good that can come from fighting through the difficult.

"That the best and worst parts of my life are suddenly woven together as one. That this part-here, now-this is the one I want to pay attention to."

I don't often reach for books that are marked as having a trigger warning for rape, in this case the dazzling early reviews convinced me I needed to read on. Grace's story is incredibly similar to my own, her brain having blocked the painful details of a night that changed her forever. This story, however, is not a painful one, it's a beautiful story about growth, boundaries, and learning to fly. Grace is headstrong, hilarious, a little too forward sometimes, and coming into her own as a woman. She's relatable, realistic, and inspirational. Secondary characters Owen, Janna, and Rusty were also incredible, with each going through extensive growth as they began to walk alongside Grace in her hunt for answers.

I loved that Marci Lyn Curtis takes such a difficult topic, one that many have experienced, and doesn't take it on the stereotpyical route. She tackles the hard questions, she portrays things in a senstive manner, and didn't tie things up in a neat bow that makes the resolution seem easy to get to. Grace's journey, the steps she has to take, the reliving of her experiences, are not easy, and I like that they weren't glossed over. She questions her friends, her family, her own memory, and those things are very natural and real. The story is thoughtful, providing readers with a sympathetic viewpoint that readers with and without personal experience will be able to connect with.

"I don't need someone to yank me toward wellness. I need someone to walk beside me as I find it on my own."

I loved The Leading Edge of Now; I smiled and cried and ached for Grace, I felt those things for myself when I looked back on the things I had to overcome, and I think Marci Lyn Curtis did an incredible job telling a story that needs to be heard. It is relevant, it is impactful, and it is memorable. I highly recommend this book.

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*SENT TO ME FROM NETGALLEY
4.5/5

**TRIGGER WARNING RAPE**

With what is going on in the world right now, this is the book that everyone should read. Anyone can be a rapist. This book made that very clear. Marci Lyn Curtis wrote this book beautifully and I applaud her for it. Comparing this book to THE WAY I USED TO BE (which also has the main character as a sexual assault survivor), LEADING EDGE OF NOW is ten times better. This book has been under the radar and it needs to be brought into the light of YA lit.

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This was a very wonderful read. The relationship was so fun to read about and no insta love made me very happy.

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I loved this book. I don't often rate contemporary books 5 stars because it's just not my favorite genre to read but I really enjoyed this one and I couldn't put it down. When I started reading it, I didn't know anything about this book. I didn't read any reviews but that gorgeous cover draw me in and I couldn't help myself, I had to know what this book was about.

I had no expectations whatsoever and after finishing it, I don't have any negative points to make here. This book was really good overall. I loved the characters and seeing Grace grow as she figured out what happened to her that night two years ago. (trigger warning : rape) Not knowing who raped her left me guessing for a while. Also, the romance with Owen was sweet.

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for letting me read and review this book

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I received an e-arc of this book thru Net Galley.

A story of how an experience in our lives can completely ruin and change our perspective as a whole but also how to fight it without being ashamed and moving on. I found this book both heartbreaking and full of hope.

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