This book is one I found difficult to rate. The writing is excellent, the story concept is great, but there was something missing. For me, that was the character development. As the blurb explains, this book is about domestic abuse and for me I think the main reason it fell flat is that I didn't get to invest in Sparrow's character or the relationship she had with Tristan. The book begins with Sparrow and Tristan getting together and all seems great, but then it jumps ahead and we have Sparrow panicking over not answering her phone to Tristan, being anxious and afraid of saying the wrong thing, etc, but because there has been no lead up to this and no real time to get to know either character, I just wasn't emotionally invested. It wasn't clear why Sparrow behaved the way she did or let Tristan treat her like that. Then all of a sudden he attacks her and leaves her for dead.

The story is told in dual POV with Sparrow and Lucas, but I'm really not sure why. Lucas didn't really have a major storyline and again I didn't really connect with him. For me Lucas's part in the story was about friendship and about him learning to deal with his own emotions, but again, as a reader, I didn't get to fully connect with him either.

As I mentioned above, the writing is excellent and I found myself wanting to read on to see all my questions answered. The section after the attack told in Sparrow's point of view was beautifully told and held some real emotion but I think as a reader it was too late to really invest in the story. I also didn't get to learn anything about the relationship with Tristan.

I was disappointed with the Finale being told in Lucas's point of view and as a reader, I felt the story should have ended with Sparrow and what happened next for her, her closure, her ending.

Overall, while I enjoyed the book, I think more story and more character building would have made me absolutely love it.

This book was very different and suspenseful. I felt like I didn't know what was going to happen next. The plot was fast moving and full of twist so if you like that kind of book then you will like this. I thought the main character was very interesting and I could actually relate to her.

Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson took on the serious topic of domestic violence and had us, the readers, get the whole story, before, during, and after. I give any author who writes a book that tackles the after of abuse and sexual violence a huge thumbs up mostly because so many people make that the climax, or the twist, or have the personal leaving/ dying/ getting help as the last thing we see when in reality there is so much more that happens after the fact. So kudos to Jackson for making a book that goes where so few want to.

I felt that the writing was a bit clunky at times and suffered from telling not showing. Important or significant moments in characters lives would happen off screen and then we would be told about them in a sentence or two but never actually get to experience them or see how the characters responded in those moments.

Sparrow had significant character growth in this novel, and I'm happy she did, her journey was harrowing and was treated with respect. Unfortunately it seemed like she was the only one that was going to get that level of treatment as our other narrator, her best friend Lucas, didn't seem to change at all from beginning to end despite being involved in the horrible events.

I think the was a good first novel from Jackson and do look forward to seeing what she will write in the future as she has already made bold steps in her debut.

This book wasn't for me. I appreciate it is well written but the storyline didn't go in a direction that I enjoyed. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC egalley.

(2/5⭐️) DNF.

Sparrow is a high school ballerina struggling with demons of her past (her mom’s death when she was a child), as well as an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. This story is about how she deals with these things while being a high schooler and ballerina who has a bright future ahead of her.

This was a disappointing read. I’ve read five or six ballet books, having authored one myself. I suppose I was expecting a lot more from this. There are so many deep parallels that can be drawn with ballet and physiological issues. I don’t think the author did a good job there. I had to stop at chapter six after reading some icky-feeling boyfriend abuse scenes. Moreover, the story was very disjointed, skipping over all the events I would have felt were important, leaving me confused and feeling like I had missed something.

Unfortunately, I did not find myself invested. The relationship between Sparrow and Tristan King was so rushed, that there was no development between them. It went from sudden meeting, to first date, to abusive boyfriend. I found myself unable to understand why Sparrow would put up with such treatment. She kept saying it was because she loved Tristan, but I wasn’t able to see that because I was not part of any development of love between them.

I wonder if there was a reason the author wrote this in such a disjointed way? Perhaps she was trying to draw parallels between trauma victims and confusion/missing swaths of memory and information, but I think she could have done it in a better way.

The relationship abuse I witnessed between Tristan and Sparrow left me feeling depressed, icky, and even anxious. It also felt really overplayed, like the author was trying too hard. All in all, I didn’t find myself enjoying a minute of this book and had to put it down for how upset it made me feel. I like to read for enjoyment and captivation. I felt neither of these.

Also, there wasn’t a lot of actual ballet in this book so if you’re hoping for more ballet, I’d go elsewhere.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC. I did my best to give it an honest review based on the six chapters I read. Unfortunately, this just wasn’t the book for me.

So I found myself torn between a 3 and 4 star, but in the end I had to give it a 3.5

For my personal taste in novels I found Sparrow to be not for me, but I can not deny that it was a well done book that tackled some important topics.

The book is told through the perspective of Savannah Darcy Rose (known as Sparrow by friends and family) and Lucas: Savannah's best friend and dance partner. I'm going to stop right here to acknowledge and agree with other reviewers who mentioned that the transition from POV's was bit clumsy. It just felt strange how so much information was withheld then released later through the opposite POV (I don't hate this completely, I just found it awkward).

So anyway, Sparrow is a gifted ballerina who is still haunted by her mother's death. One day she ends up in a relationship with Tristan, a dude both her and her other BFF Delaney both had crush on. All is well- until it isn't.

The novel Sparrow gives a solid and raw look into teenage abusive relationships, and author Mary Cecilia Jackson captures it quite well, not sugar coating some of the harsh realities. For that, I applaud this book.

That being it said, its not perfectly done and I did have some minor issues. For one, I felt the character development to be lacking a little. And two, that strange POV perspective that I mentioned earlier.

This is still something I will highly consider adding to my library collection.

This book seemed a bit different from my typical read. I real like the dual POV's . I found it confusing, and the characters weren't as developed as I expected. I had a hard time engaging or caring about the characters.

The synopsis had me thinking I would love this book, but the execution of this story was just all sorts of wrong. First off, the book is told in alternating POVs, but not in a good way. Sparrow's POV starts us off, and as she goes through her story, she'll skip tons of key moments, a week here, a month there, where you're like, What are you people talking about and when did all this happen??? I frequently went back in the book to see if I somehow accidentally skipped a few pages. I had not. You see, after Sparrow is done speaking, finally, Lucas comes in with his POV, which is literally all the missing pieces from Sparrow's story, AFTER IT'S OVER. If you're going to alternate like that, at least line them up chronologically, or in a way that doesn't leave the reader absolutely lost.

Second, most of the characters were completely flat, boring, and predictable, with nothing new or interesting, and nothing that grabbed me or made me care about any of them. None of them had any kind of character growth or deeper side of themselves. About 3/4 of the way through, Sparrow starts to show some personality and growth into real persona, but by then it was a bit too late.

I made it to the end, and I feel like it was a hard let down. Instead of letting us read through the hard parts, the parts that matter, we get an obscure time jump and a THE END.

My favourite read so far this year!

Sparrow is a gifted ballerina! She loves it and dedicates many hours to ballet. But when she gets a boyfriend she begins to feel perhaps she has taken on too much.
Her boyfriend is controlling, getting jealous over Lucas - Sparrow's dance partner. So when Sparrow is attacked immediately all fingers point to him. But did he do it?

When I first started reading this book, it felt like a bog standard story - like a typical, predictable romance. But the more I read on, the more I was gripped!. I remember my eyes were getting tired and that I should go to bed but somehow my eyes powered through. As we had to know what happened next.

The story is quite emotional and nearly had me in tears,

The story is divided into chapters from the points of view of Savannah (Sparrow) and Lucas. Occasionally the two of these overlap and you are going over the same ground. Yet at the same time you uncover something new.

I tend to love anything that has to do with ballet, and this book was no deviation from that love, and was the reason I wanted to read this from the start.
The very opening page was gripping and poetic and left you wanting more. I did find the MC Sparrow a frustrating character throughout the book, which at times could make the book hard to read. There was many a time I felt like reaching in and shaking her, and probably yelled out-loud "What are you doing/ thinking - talk to someone".
However, as much as it frustrated me personally, this is also something that the author conveyed quite well as a person in an abusive relationship and with an abusive past can't process abuse as not being their fault, and honestly come out and talk with someone about it.
Overall, this was a beautifully written book which managed to make me feel all sorts of emotions and yell out-loud.

Two major points in the book's favor, particularly in contrast to other YA books: portrayal of ballet as an artistic outlet that does not involve eating disorders/self harm/attacking other dancers, and discussion of abuse cycles and the way trauma can extend over years and manifest in different ways. I also appreciated the small clues toward the beginning which became more fully explained later.

I will say, however, that much of the book didn't strike a particular chord with me. The first half in particular seemed weaker - the time jump in Sparrow and Tristan's relationship, the side characters who aren't especially well differentiated and mostly disappear later in the book. Lucas's perspective, which I never really warmed to, seemed especially extraneous during this half, when so much of his chapters only repeated Sparrow's POV without significant further insight into either their characters or the situation.

I think the very thing which made the book stand out from others about abuse in teen couples, and which transformed the second part (delving into how Sparrow had been conditioned to accept or excuse the verbal abuse and later violence in their relationship, even when it was so clear and so obviously severe; a portrayal of continuing trauma in her life rather than the "frog in hot water" situations which characterize many other YA books of this type) made Lucas's chapters a weak link. They seemed so heavily focused on Tristan and Lucas blaming himself for not intervening in the relationship, even as the narrative seemed to have moved to a secondary level in its examination of the abuse.

Overall, I think I enjoyed it more because it had interesting ideas to share than and a careful way of sharing them than because of any particular love of the characters or enjoyment of the language, but it's certainly not a bad read (although potentially heavily triggering).

This book was okay. I did not have many feelings as I read, so this is definitely a sign that the book was readable but not remarkable.

The writing style was difficult to read...it felt stilted overall and throw off the pacing.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC. This was one I was really anticipating and it didn't disappoint me! Will read more from this author in the future!

I’ve read some heartbreaking novels about domestic abuse this year. From all those stories, Sparrow was my favorite.

Savannah Rose –Sparrow to her friends and family– is a seventeen-year-old talented ballerina. Sparrow starts dating Tristan, the popular guy at school. But soon she realizes he's not perfect as she thought. After suffering a brutal assault by him, Sparrow has two options. She can either admit what happened to her family and best friend Lucas or keep silence. Choosing the latter, because that’s what her mother taught her, Sparrow’s life gets darker. When this happens, she knows it's time to stop being a victim and confront her past, or she will fall in a hole with no way out.

After reading the first part of the story, I was convinced that the book wasn’t about a toxic relationship. It's about how our childhood experiences determine who we become when we grow up and how they affect our future. It's about a strong character who suffers the consequences of having a troubled mother. Physical abuse is a sensitive topic to write about, but the author finds a heartbreaking-unique way to tell Sparrow's story.

The narrative perspective is told by Sparrow and Lucas. The first one helps us to understand how a person who suffers abuse feels like and all the process she struggles to recover, and the second one to realize that a tragedy not only affects the victim but also people around her. I would have liked the entire book to be only from Sparrow's point of view. She's an intense and interesting character and had a lot to offer to the story, especially her recovery journey. Besides Sparrow, Lucas, as a person, had a lot to deal with. All those experiences could have made him grow through the pages, and it wasn't like that. It didn't make me cry or feel sad. I felt like his part lacked empathy.

What I liked the most about Sparrow is the last part of the book. The dialogues are wisely written. Her visits with the therapist after the coma her boyfriend puts her in, made me understand the physical and psychological damage that a person faces after an assault like the protagonist suffers; how hard it is to feel loved again and believe in others, but especially in herself.

In all, Sparrow is a fantastic book if you feel ok reading about abuse. It has explicit content, but it is necessary for people who are getting a difficult time in their lives.

P.S. I loved the cover of the book and what it represents for the story.

4.5 Stars

Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson is an emotional and heartbreaking read that highlights the strength of the human psyche and soul to let go and move forward just as beautifully and gracefully despite tragedy.

In this bittersweet novel, we take a journey with Sparrow, a young and talented ballerina. We experience heart-pounding highs and earth-crashing lows as she falls in love and, after a brutal betrayal, must figure out who she is and what she is made of. This violent and tragic incident also sets off a wave of emotional, physical and mental destruction that leaves no one close to Sparrow unscathed.

Can Sparrow learn to live again or will she be forever broken and silenced?

This is a compelling read that kept me turning the pages. Full of heartbreak and devastation, I shed tears and got angry. Make sure you have tissues handy. What Sparrow endures may be triggering but, rest assured, she will find her way.
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I must say that I absolutely loved Lucas. His strength, protectiveness and friendship are unparalleled. He is so down to earth and yet so untamable. He is himself. Honest and true.

This book, for me, seems true to nature. The way Sparrow’s friends try to help while she pushes them away seems eerily authentic.

I was left with a couple questions as well. Why did Tristan choose to date Sparrow after so many years? It seemed a little out of the blue, for me. Also, why does she count by threes? Where did that come from?

At certain points, like when Tristan has an abrupt change in his demeanor, I felt that I was missing parts of the story. He becomes someone different and we don’t get to see the breakdown right away. Sparrow and Tristan’s relationship seems to be unraveling and yet, we don’t know how they got there either. It seems to go from zero to sixty so quickly. Later on, in the novel, when told from Lucas’s point of view, the story does go back in time to explain the missing pieces. I don’t know if that is the best way for the story to unfold but I got all the information I needed regardless and persevered.

For me, this book ends with a HFN. It’s a bittersweet ending that has me aching for another chapter in Lucas and Sparrow’s lives. I need more and hope this author follows this up with a sequel.

I received an ARC via NetGalley of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sparrow by Mary Vecilia Jackson brings the reader into the life of Savannah. Savannah, Sparrow, spends her time outside of school at ballet practice with her dance partner and best friend, Lucas. Both dancers are practicing for a big performance. Tristan is one of the most popular boys in school and notices Savannah when he unintentionally bumps her with his car, as she is running late to practice. Sparrow is surprised and accepts Tristan’s invitation to go on a date.
Sparrow is struggling with the death of her mother. Her mother appears in her dreams, but Sparrow is confused as to why. She knows her mother was angry with her often and Sparrow had to hide to avoid the anger.
Tristan and Sparrow seem to hit it off nicely, but some observations from friends lead them to believe that Tristan is not the right boyfriend for Sparrow. Will Sparrow come to the same realization?

The author alternates point of view and connects the reader to the personalities of both Lucas and Sparrow. The author flawlessly builds empathy and anger throughout the novel. I cried, longed to help, and felt Lucas’s anger. Exceptional and necessary topic regarding dating violence and abuse. All teens male or female need to know if it does not feel right and you are being treated as less than the blessing you are, perhaps you may not have met the match made for you. #Hottingerhighlights #yareads #middleschoolelateacher #secondaryelateacher #importantteenlit

Nearly three stars

This novel is filled with important themes for both teen and adult readers alike: child abuse, domestic violence, personal power-based violence, bystander intervention, and trauma. There are some difficult and memorable scenes relating to all of these areas.

While I appreciate the themes, I had real struggles with some of the stylistic choices here. There is too much happening. The constant references to Swan Lake - like the mother/Sparrow juxtaposition, the changing hair color, the destruction of the painting, etc. - are heavy handed. Also, I wish the author had omitted the Shakespeare references; these felt distracting and for me did not add any context, enlightenment, or emphasis. Some of the dialogue is incredibly bizarre. Several of the teenage characters use similes and idioms that are age-appropriate for grandparents maybe (????) but certainly not for them. I also found these choices strange and distracting. The most challenging aspect of the narrative is the choppy and disjointed focus on Sparrow and Lucas. I had a hard time getting into the novel until the focus moved over to Lucas. For me, the shifts between characters were often abrupt and oddly placed.

I really like the concept, but I felt like this needed several more rounds of brutal editing before even being released in the current ARC format. I'll be excited to read more from this author in the future and hope that the ideas will be more polished upon publication.

There was a lot I liked about this book, but probably an equal amount I didn't like.

It's about a girl called Sparrow, a talented dancer in a small town who is haunted by her past to a degree that threatens her future. She gets into a relationship with a handsome player who treats her like crap and starts trying to alienate her from her friends.

In a second POV we get Lucas's story. Lucas is Sparrow's dance partner and all-around nice guy. He's also in love with her, so his jealousy and suspicion of the above-mentioned handsome player starts off feeling like sour grapes.

I didn't feel like this was a book that really needed a second POV character, especially since each time Lucas stepped into the story, we were taken back in time so we could see the events of the previous section through his eyes. This really slowed the book down and seeing the same events again didn't really add much to the story. And Lucas is far too much the good-guy to be truly interesting. Even when he gave in to his temper and let his rage out, he still came across as a nice guy.

The other thing I really didn't like about the book was how quickly Sparrow's relationship with Tristan developed. It didn't really develop, She met him, they went out, and suddenly they were in a relationship and in love. I never understood the connection or what made her think he loved her or why she loved him. Nothing in any of his actions made me believe that. The thing with abusive relationships is that before they become manipulative and dangerous, there has to be something real and powerful there. Otherwise no one would stay in one. Staying is hoping things will go back to being the perfect thing that existed to begin with.

While ballet is obviously important to Sparrow and Lucas, it isn't really a huge part of the book, so if you're looking for a story that delves deep into the ballet world, this isn't the book for you. This is much more a delve into the psyche of a young woman whose traumatic past has her confused about what love actually looks and feels like.

And as that, it does work on many levels. There are just a few too many distractions around this core plot, and not enough realistic set up in the early part of the book to sustain the later parts.

I did myself a great disservice by not reading the synopsis beforehand. My assumption (based on the cover and the First Look first chapter and the general Black Swan vibes it invokes) was that this was a gritty, dance-intensive story with technique and competition and peer pressure to succeed being the main focus of the narrative.

Oh, how wrong I was.

When I was first introduced to Tristan, the main "love" interest, I was so perplexed by the rushed feelings and obvious red flags and alarm bells ringing in my head, I thought that this might be the worst attempt at teen romance ever written. And then the abuse started and I realized the dark and very intentionally twisted turn the story was rapidly taking and it was profoundly shocking. I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't deeply emotionally affected by some of the imagery of Sparrow in the hospital. The juxtaposition of Sparrow as a beautiful, graceful ballerina and a broken, battered shell of her former self was intense and visceral. The chapters where she clings between life and death are particularly haunting. There were several scenes like this that I broke out a Kleenex or two, for sure.

While emotionally, the story was very effective, I had some issues with the pacing and the POV choices. I don't believe the story needed a second point of view from Lucas, the hero best friend/potential love interest. I found myself barely paying attention during these chapters, and practically skimmed the chapters where he moves to his granny's house. I just don't believe that he contributed enough to the narrative and it made me antsy because all I wanted to do was see how Sparrow was doing instead. I would have much preferred to remain with Sparrow as she recovered and delved into the issues surrounding her flawed relationship with her mother. By the time this whole other aspect of the story was identified, it had to be promptly resolved and I ultimately, I felt short-changed.

I wanted to love this book more than I did. It started out rough and for most of the book I felt like some of the story was missing. It follows Sparrow, a ballerina who has suffered horrific abuse b.y her later mother. She becomes entangled with a boyfriend who abuses her just as her mother did. Sparrow feels like she deserves the way she is treated, both by her late mother, and by Tristan.

It was a tough book to read and does contain triggers. Kudos to the author for the beautiful way it was written, especially as a debut book.