this book made me so sad and truly, truly made me angry. Aside from the obvious commentary about the U.S. justice system and the concept of death row, the way this book is written feels almost like a call to how we talk about news or events. Like, the spurts of words and description and the bouncing from page to page felt like the news cycle and how little attention we put on things and people that matter. So heartbreaking and so pungent.

I have read a few of Sarah Crossan's books in the past and enjoyed them, but for some reason I just couldn't get past 30 pages without putting the book down

A beautiful story. I really enjoyed reading this. I wasn't sure what it was about, but it turns out that this is one of those that is even better if you don't know much when you start, and just let the pages tell the story.

We've had some exploration of the effect prison has on the family outside, the shame and desperation. How much is that compounded by the death penalty. Take an already broken family and add that new stress. It's an intriguing concept but the execution is surprisingly low energy. We have some introspection, the protagonist coming to terms with this reality. But there's no investigation, no real sense that a pardon or stay will actually happen. Just a slow tumble toward the inevitable and no long term implication regarding the future.

Sarah Crossan has ripped my very heart out and broke it into smithereens. Moonrise is the story revolving around the family of a man on death row. Poverty, neglect, and a failed justice system. But no matter the odds, the family will never give up on Ed. It's a heartbreaking, punch to the gut kind of story that I will never forget.

This was simultaneously an easy and very difficult read. The style of the writing means that it went quick - you got the pieces of the story in small bits that slowly built up and never felt slow. But behind that fast pace was a story that was so difficult to read, especially with the way life seems to be going these days. One to stay with me for a while...

I am now a puddle.

Whenever there is a murder, and someone is convicted and sentenced to death, we automatically feel for the victim's family. This book challenged me to look at it from the other side.

The story is told from the point of view of Joe, a 17 year old man, who's brother had received his execution date after 10 years on death row. Joe was quite young, when his brother was incarcerated, but was determined to be with him during his final days.

I really loved the way Crossan showed them reconnecting. We saw their interactions in the present, as well as flashbacks, which clearly illustrated Joe's love, affection, and admiration for his brother. Crossan also clearly illustrated the emotional toll Ed's impending death was having on Joe. He was dealing with some deep abandonment issues, and this just compounded those.

The issue of capital punishment was what inspired this book, but it was the focus on the family dynamic, which captured my heart. The book is heartbreaking and left me in tears, but there was this underlying idea of family and love, which touched my heart.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the advance Kindle copy of this 5/8 release. I did manage to read it before it came out, but May has been crazy. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Joe has not seen his brother in ten years. Ed is in death row, and it is his final month before his execution. Joe finds himself in the town where Ed is slated to die, working and seeing his brother as much as possible. Even though he was only seven when Ed left, Joe has a lot to come to terms with as he says goodbye. This story is heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I highly recommend it for high school readers.

Seventeen-year-old Joe hasn't seen his brother in ten years. Why not? Because Ed is on death row. Regardless of what people think and whether Ed is guilty or innocent, does not stop Joe from spending the last month with his brother.

I will probably be in the minority here, but Moonrise was close to being deemed DNF (Did Not Finish). The writing did not help me empathize with either brother or his situation. I expected more from a novel focusing on death and forgiveness. Ah well.

Happy Pub Day, Sarah Crossan! Moonrise is now available.

LiteraryMarie

Heartbreaking novel in verse about a young man whose brother is accused of murdering a cop. As Ed's execution date is set, the narrator moves to Texas in the hopes that he can meet with his brother and get to know him again while hoping to delay his impending death.

Sarah Crossan has done it again. Written in verse, the story is emotionally-powerful. The writing is incredible, as I've come to expect from Crossan. This is a heartbreaking, yet so important read. It's quick due to the style. Highly recommended to those who enjoy novels written in verse or novels that will make you feel emotion.

It has been ten years since Joe has seen his brother. Ed didn’t plan to be gone that long, but when he is convicted of killing a police officer, his life came to a sudden stop. Now Ed is on death row and his execution date is quickly approaching. Joe decides he will relocate to Texas to help support his brother during this trying time, even if it means he has to deal with people treating him badly because of his brother. Ed still says he is innocent, but will that be enough in the end?

Moonrise is a novel-in-verse that takes a very hard topic and brings it to readers in an easy to experience platform. There are many questions that readers will need to ponder, yet they will leave with no straight answer. Readers who have enjoyed Crossan’s other works will not be disappointed in this story, but be aware that this is not a feel-good story and readers won’t finish it feeling happy.

This was quite an interesting read. Fast and quick, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting but it was riveting in the way it makes you think about the world we live in and our justice system. Very sad book but worth the read.

What made me pick this book up:
The cover is gorgeous, and it was on netgalley to review.

What did I like about the cover:
I thin it's beautiful, the colors and the night sky are gorgeous.

What made me read this book:
It was for a task and I wanted to review it. The synopsis was really interesting too.

What did I like the most:
Okay, let me just start by saying this book broke my heart. I haven't cried this hard in a book in a very long time With that being said...
This is weird, given my rating, but up until the end I really didn't like anything, except the lady from the diner. She was funny. But honestly that was it. And she wasn't even that important since I can't even remember her name.

What didn't I like:
I feel like up until the end, this entire book is a waste of time. I understand the need for build up, but this had so much bouncing back and forth that it didn't make sense. I disliked the characters and I didn't care what happened. Up until the end that is. The rest was just annoying. I based my star rating solely on the end and all the feels it gave me.

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
Well, it did give me a lot of feels. If she has another book that the entire book is like that, I might like it.


I disliked about 90% of this book, but the ending was so powerful.

I finished this title early yesterday morning and cried into my coffee for about fifteen minutes. The author is a fabulous storyteller, plain and simple. It's written in verse form, but I had no problem with it. In fact it was a quick smooth read. It touched on many current socio-economic and sociopolitical issues. I liked it because the "race" of the MC wasn't apparent for a good portion of the book. It shows the reader that the poor aren't inherently lazy and/or unintelligent, and how the negative preconceived notions many people can have about low income families actually set the family members up for failure. It's high on my "get woke" book list.

Book Review: Moonrise by Sarah Crossan
courtesy of www.netgalley.com
publish date: May 8, 2018

Sarah Crossan brought me into a world I don't think I'll ever encounter in my own life, but she brought me into it nonetheless. Great job helping me to be a part of someone else's life, especially when I'd have no understanding otherwise.

What it is like having your older brother on death row, having a family that can barely take care of itself, having the seesaw conviction of unconditional love with others telling you to forget about your brother... mix in a great [unexpected] plot twist... creates a story full of sympathy, doubt, and life.

I really enjoyed Crossan's writing style; it helped with the rhythm of the story and with the personalities of the characters. Not quite prose paragraphs and not quite verse novel, the format added motion and emotion to the narrative.

I read this right before I read, The Hate U Give, and Moonrise is it's own unique tale, not derivative or redundant, and it provides a great addition to the repertoire of life stories I never would encounter without the aide of Angie Thomas or Sarah Crossan.

I can see this book working for a YA book club, especially because of the moral issues tackled: death sentence, race, poverty, family, and addiction.

I'm looking forward to having this book in my high school library.

When I requested this, I didn't realize it was written in verse. I typically stay away from books in that format as they are not really my style. Fortunately, I decided to go ahead and read this anyway, and I'm so glad I did. The verse format didn't negatively impact my reading experience at all, and it actually moved the plot along faster. I found myself not only enjoying the story, but flying through the pages. I'm impressed by the author's ability to evoke a myriad of emotions without even saying that much. Moonrise is a profound story with a lasting impact; it's impossible not to feel impacted by the heart-wrenching ending.

Sad, beautiful, and overwhelming. Coming to love Crossan’s style.

Joe's brother is on death row. His days are numbered and Joe has to figure out a way to make them count. What do families of death row inmates experience as they walk through this end with someone they love? What if they aren't guilty? ...What if they are?
Told in free verse, Moonrise is one of those stories that won't be forgotten. It takes the reader inside the prison walls and reveals some of the flaws with our justice system when it comes to social classes. It is about hellos and goodbyes, hopes and regrets, and ultimately--love. I highly recommend.

This is a story of hope and heartbreak. For every person on death row, there is a family left behind. This is that story