The Other Side Paperback – June 6, 2019

How could I have not reviewed On The Other Side when I bought it a while back? So, as it’s never too late, here you have it! Holden is the queen of heart-wrenching pulse-racing romances, her vivid prose and the genuineness of her characters igniting every possible feeling. This young-adult novel enmeshed in a compelling plot breaths benevolence, pain and sorrow, and more importantly, hope. So, if you get teary-eyed easily, a box of tissues at hand is a must.Toby isn’t one for prying into anyone's business but funnily enough, he’s more than aware of what is going on around him. He appears to be unapproachable to those who know him, the little bit of conversation he grudgingly offers is clipped, his irony that of an old soul who’d witnessed too much. I’m sure if I told him his soul was beautiful, he wouldn't believe me; however, observing him cope in everyday life demonstrated to me that beneath his aloofness, there was an incredibly fragile young adult. Alice was for me, Toby’s blessing. Although most of his thoughts are disturbing, I loved her sixth sense; how well tuned in she was to his false bravado and how this soft-spoken gal called him up on it, slowly making him open up.Generous by nature, Alice brought out the best in Holden’s broken characters. I couldn’t have appreciated how sensitive issues were dealt with more, and never once did I find the players in this story dislikable or frivolous. Holden’s braided timeline structure doesn’t confuse the reader. On the contrary, it helped me understand the roots of Toby’s state of mind and guilt better. The before is interestingly narrated and felt like a first-person was observing what he’d had to live through. Split into three parts, the last two are shorter but just as emotional.The secondary characters trying their utmost to overcome every hard to imagine circumstance is not to be taken lightly. Each and every one of them has a cross to bear. If their want for a better life were possible, at least the author’s generosity gave me time to understand their worries and small joys. This story is mind-opening, devastating, enlightening but above all, a must-read for those who like me need to put life’s perspective in order. I cried ugly tears, I loved every single word, I loved the playlist open on a smart link! Bravo, Holden!

I'm not even sure how to write a review for this book. It seems so personal and so thought provoking that I don't think any words can do it justice. The first half of this book was very hard to get into as it is very depressing and sad but as you move through the story you realize just how much pain Toby is in and that the events in his life have had a HUGE impact on him, so much so that everything is depressing to him. Kim does an amazing job of making you feel right along with Toby and even the other characters in this story, so much so that you'll be wanting to reach through the screen to give Toby a hug and tell him he's not alone because you are right here. This book truly is heartbreaking and even more so when you come to the realization that some people really do feel like this and live like this, that it is not just in the books. I dare you to read this book and not look at depression differently or reevaluate the way you have treated somebody in the past. Even though it may not seem like a huge thing, to some people who are already struggling that "thing" may be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. This book is so powerful that I really do think every single person out there should read it, if for no other reason than to get some perspective on what your words and actions can mean to somebody else (both good and bad). The author's notes are also very powerful and I love the fact that she has them in there and gives you a look into her personal struggles as well. Well done Kim, well done!

Another book that has Kim Holden written all over it. When I want to read something emotional and that tackles the real and hard parts of life I know Kim is my girl. The Other Side was a perfect example of this.Kim knows how to write a character and their growths like no other. The characters and their struggles in this book were perfect and drove the plot so well. The different POV's and the different parts of this story were well balanced and very necessary to carry out this story.This story was a perfect example of an author taking their time with taking a hard subject and making it very relatable to every single person that reads it. I love authors who do this and they always end up being some of my favorite stories to read. Well done Kim.

I have no words right now but I'm going to try. This was a tough book to read but SO worth it. I think some may be triggered and appreciate the multiple pauses that are intentionally placed throughout the book. This story touched me so deeply and gave me so many things that will stick with me long after I finished the book. I felt so many things that I think stemmed from my own mental health and suicidal experiences. I don't know what else to say except for thank you Kim Holden for the beautiful soul that is Toby. For truly showing both the dark and the light so truthfully and unapologetically. The mismatched family in that house is sometimes the best kind of family to have.

Leggere The Other Side è stato faticoso. Parlo di quella fatica che ti fa battere il cuore, ti fa pensare, ti fa mettere in discussione ciò che sai o che credevi di sapere. Quella che ti fa guardare le cose da un altro punto di vista. Vorrei scrivere tante altre cose, ma ne dirò solamente una, invece: leggete questo libro.

Having read every single one of Kim Holden's books I was over the moon when her new release hit my kindle. Her writing is meticulous, full of depth and overflowing with feelings. This book is everything but so much more, delivering a very important message in her writing.Toby has had a very sad life, repeatedly told how worthless he is, that he is no good and will never amount to anything. He has been told this so many times he actually believes it and his story is hard to read. Kim has written the story so beautifully, so poignant I could feel the swell in my chest, the lump in my throat; I felt so much of Toby's pain and what he was going through. It flits back and forth between two years ago to present day and we find out why Toby is like he is and just what devastation this young man has gone through.We meet other important characters and each has a story to tell which just binds everything together in this amazing book. I could relate to them all in one way or another, Alice being a fabulous person I just adored, Jonny and Chris too were so endearing in there own ways. There are many revelations in this story; many are heartbreaking, sad, and soul destroying. Each chapter that Kim wrote was like peeling back layer upon layer only to reveal something else to suprise me. Angst, heartbreak, hope, and moments of complete joy only for my poor heart to come crashing down around my feet once again. The clock was ticking, I was holding my breath, my heart couldn't stand the pace but oh my what a story, one I just devoured and loved so much. Go in blind with this book, the message is raw but so important, it opened my eyes to Toby's situation and the face he put on for others whilst inside he was slowly crumbling, day by day, hour by hour.Kim Holden has such a talent with words and feelings. Everyone of her books I have loved so much and this one is no exception. Read this book. learn from it, and be humbled."No one is supposed to see this. It's supposed to remain hidden . My sadness is mine and it shouldn't bleed over anyone else"Perfection !!!

There are books that you can read and love, go to sleep and look forward to reading more of tomorrow. Then there are one’s that you keep reading until 4.30am because you need to know the character is going to be ok.Is going to be okIs going to be ok.Is going to be ok?Reminding myself to breathe.Kim Holden’s books have a depth of emotion that will just grab at your soul because she writes them in a very real way that the reader can relate to, whether they have been through it themselves or known someone who has. This book is heavy at heart, at times not an easy read and I mean that in the best of ways, because the subject matter in this book in reality is raw with despair and heartache, and Kim Holden has approached it in a completely undiluted way.She shows how destructive mental health can be when someone is not in a good relationship with themself. In a two-person relationship you can weigh up the pros and cons and decide which outdoes the other as to whether you stay or leave the other person.But in a relationship with your own mental health, when the bad outweighs the good it can become unrelenting with reasons to go, not to stay. A way out. Then there is a plan, a countdown.“I just want people to forget and keep living their lives. I’ll slip out of the daily flow the same way I lived in it…unseen.”Oh my heart – Toby.Toby is the protagonist in “The Other Side” but the other characters are equally compelling and relatable, hiding their own struggles and challenges. It is a reminder that we need to listen, understand and see what another person is going through. That the armor and smile they show to the world can drop away like a second skin when they are alone and those drums of “Not being good enough, worthy enough, important enough” come back louder and louder till they are a crescendo.Everyone needs an “Alice”, everyone needs to belong. Everyone needs to be important to someone. What comes between chapter forty-one and forty-two is a very real “Alice” moment for the reader. A step away from Toby’s story to see into yourself. See into others. A true touching of your soul and someone else recognising you.I could say so much more about this book, but my review could never do it justice. Read it, prepare your soul and heart for it, and remember there is hope, there is love and you are important.Thank you Kim Holden for this beautiful book.

I’ve got a lot of tears and heartache, but not a lot of words. What an incredible book.