This was an ok read that just tried to take on too much. It seemed like it was trying to be a retelling if Hansel and Gretel, which would have been cool, but then it tried to hard to be relevant. Important topics such as rape were not handled in a way that did not succeed. Important issues were almost glossed over and there wasn’t enough tension or feeling.

There are definite trigger warnings in the book so please beware before you decide to pick this up.
I'm not sure what it was but there was something very compelling about this book. I didn't feel a very deep connection with the characters but none the less really enjoyed seeing their progression though out the story.

This is the story of Greta and her battle with coming to terms with that happened to her. It's interesting to see her go from shame and self blame to realizing that it wasn't her fault at all, all while dealing with family issues.
I loved to see the connections that Greta and her twin, Ash, developed with unlikely people: Elgin, their landlord. Alice, Elgin's daughter, Nate, their neighbor and Priya, a classmate.

Overall it was an interesting read about the struggle and development of a young woman who has been through quite a few traumatic experiences.


ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In the fable of Hansel and Gretal, a loving father listens to his wife, and tries to get rid of his children.

While this is not exactly a modern retelling of the story of Hansel and Gretal, there are parallels. There is an evil step-mother. There is a loving but controled husband. There is abandonment. And although the teenagers (rather than children) do find what appears to be someone else to take care of them, it is not with an evil witch that wants to eat them, but with a sad landlord, who is waiting for Spring.

Those are really the only similarities. The rest of the book is about date rape, and how mean girls and jocks can screw up your time at school, on top of your father abandoning you.

I feel for Greta, trying to get over her date rape, where she is made to feel bad. I also feel for their landlord, who welcomes them into his upstairs apartment, where he takes care of them.

Although Greta is well fleshed out, the rest are merely cardboard. The Jock. The mean girls. I did like that the creepy weird guy across the street turned out to be not so creepy and weird.

An interesting take on the themes of abandonment and rape.

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

THis was a thoughtful book that allowed for messiness in the relationships and avoided an overly tidy conclusion. The Hansel and Gretle allusions weren’t overplayed, and the writing moved at a clip I think will be appreciated by some of less voracious readers. Esp those who may relate to the circumstances of these characters.

TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Parental neglect, rape, slut-shaming

MY RATING:
5 STARS

Initially, I requested this ARC on NetGalley due to my misconception that it was a Hansel and Gretal retelling. While it certainly does contain some noticeable elements found in the classic fairy tale we all know and love, I definitely wouldn’t deem it a “retelling”.

Because it’s honestly so much more than that.

Trail of Crumbs follows young Greta and her twin brother, Ash, as they deal with the aftermath of their neglectful father and cruel step-mother leaving them. As they struggle to come up with the funds needed to provide for themselves, they find an unlikely companion in their eccentric landlord along with his strong-willed daughter. At the same time, Greta finds herself trying to come to terms with what actually happened during a party where she presumably “had sex” and blacked out… She wants the justice she deserves, but will anyone believe her when she reveals how that night really played out?

This beautiful book surpassed my expectations by a landslide.

I loved everything about it, starting with the characters. Greta was a likeable protagonist from the beginning, with her thoughtful narration and her relatable experiences. I loved how she had such a close-knit relationship with Ash, for most siblings in YA literature are portrayed as cold, distinct, and often cruel towards the main character. Ash and Greta were constantly helping, protecting, and looking out for each other. Their connection was so heartwarming to read about!

Additionally, I really enjoyed getting to see Greta’s character grow and develop as the novel progressed. Throughout the book, Greta is constantly thrown into tragic and heartbreaking situations that no teenage girl should have to endure… But, fortunately, because of these experiences, Greta becomes a stronger individual and proves that it is possible to recover and rebuild yourself after hardships.

Not only did I like the primary characters in this novel, but I also appreciated the supporting ones. Elgin, Alice, Noah, and Priya were all unique secondary characters that managed to be just as fleshed out as the main ones! Personally, as an avid reader, I believe that supporting characters should be just as interesting to read about as primary characters. Lisa J. Lawrence did an excellent job of creating a complex and diverse cast of characters, so kudos to her!

Moving on, might I just mention how much I love the author’s writing style? Ms. Lawrence has managed to weave a beautiful and lyrical story that will have you compelled until the very last page. Her writing is so unique and refreshing to see amongst many of the poorly paced, trope-filled novels you see on shelves today (No shade or anything)!

All in all, I really enjoyed Trail of Crumbs and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well-written contemporary read that tackles significant issues found in society today.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Orca Book Publishers, and Lisa J. Lawrence for providing me with this book! It’s been a pleasure working with you!

Thank you to Orc publishing for the arc of this book.
It’s not the type of book I usually read, it was heavy and depressing from the start.
Was an ok read, not great, but ok.

I really enjoyed this book, despite its somewhat grim storyline. Greta and Ash are twins, whose father and stepmother have abandoned them. They have no money and Greta has been traumatized, but once they open up to some strangers, they find that there are some kind people in the world. They have neighbors who pitch in to take care of them and they have each other.

This book was well-written and the characters are well-drawn. I particularly liked Alice and Elgin and Nate as the secondary characters, who helped Greta and Ash.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of TRAIL OF BREADCRUMBS by Lisa J Lawrence in exchange for my honest review.***

When Greta and Ash’s evil stepmother convinces their father to abandon them, their eccentric landlord takes them in. Greta is also dealing with school bullying following a date rape. TRAIL OF BREADCRUMBS is a story about the family we have and the family we create, about friendships, love and forgiveness.

Lisa Lawrence tackles some important topics in this mishmash story that could have benefited from a more interwoven timeline, characters with greater depth and fewer tropes. In the beginning, I wondered if A TRAIL OF BREADCRUMBS was a modern retelling of Hansel and Greta, because the stepmother was pure evil without an ounce of dimension. My favorite characters were Nate, Elgin and Priya, who played pivotal yet small parts of the story.

The rape storyline didn’t pack any emotion and Greta’s journey seemed to happen without the steps necessary to healing. TRAIL OF BREADCRUMBS didn’t evoke any feelings for me, but I was interested in the storyline, which moved along at a steady pace. Better editing could have tweaked a few parts to make this a 4 or 5 star review.

Hello, I will be adding this review to my Instagram, blog, and Goodreads two weeks before its publication date. I will also add this review to Amazon and Barnes and Noble on the publication date. I will add links to reviews once they are public. Thank you.

Trail of Crumbs by Lisa J. Lawrence is a story about a High School senior named Greta who is trying to keep herself afloat while dealing with an awful stepmother and the terrible realization of what happened to her one night at a party. Luckily, she has a twin brother, Ash, and unexpected friends to help her along the way.

Greta is such a tragic character from the beginning. It is constantly one thing after another that goes wrong and at some points she just can't deal with it any longer. This book takes us along for a ride of heartbreak and rebuilding of oneself. She is a character of real emotion as well as her brother as they both cope with the issues they face in different ways. The book also teaches us that it is okay to ask for help and even tell others of an incident because that in itself can also help the healing process.

The writing style for this book was a little confusing because at times it would switch from the present to something that happened in the past and I would have to reread a couple sentences to understand what happened. 

Overall, it was a good short read and I would give it 3/5 stars. If you like contemporaries with hard issues I would recommend this book which comes out March 26th, 2019.

Thank you Orca Book Publishers for this eARC through NetGalley.