Hi, everyone!!!
Today it’s my review stop for My Name is Rose, a book blog tour hosted by the amazing blog tour company I keep hearing about, Xpresso Book Tours. I’m super stoked that I manage to finish reading this book AND share my review with you right on time. 😛 By the way, this is also my first time working with Xpresso Book Tours and I’m loving the whole process; from the time frame of blog tour to the bloggers’ service they provide, there’s literally nothing to complain. 🙂
Anyway, let’s cut to the chase and get started!
Title: My Name is Rose
Author: Alexa Kingaard
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
Release Date: March 15th, 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
Synopsis:
Rose is unsettled, curious, and bored. Life in a hippie commune is her parent’s dream come true, not hers. She doesn’t share their passion for living off the land, nor does she enjoy the isolation that is thrust upon her. When she convinces them to send her to public school in the nearby town, a new world opens up to her.
As she pursues her education, Rose chooses a different path, leaving her parents heartbroken at her insistence they are hiding something from her. She’s convinced her father isn’t the man her mother married.
Although she finds love far away from her roots and upbringing, her wounds only deepen as she keeps her family at arm’s length. What she loses during those years can only be retrieved with her understanding that “a Rose by any other name is still a Rose.”
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My Review
***Actual Rating: 3.5/5 I’m-Still-Me Stars***
Life isn’t hard. People make it that way.
My Name is Rose is by far the most realistic story I’ve ever read. Told from the female main character, Rose’s, point-of-view, this book consists of the most confusing, unsolvable, yet thought-provoking issues we can easily relate to. The story starts with the outcome of Rose’s stubbornness persistent quest for a mystery about herself which she so desperately in need of unveiling. Smoothly, Rose genuinely and gradually reveals her inner thoughts as a young girl, a graceful lady, and later, a both-mature-and-immature grown-up.
I, on the other hand, stuck to my books, made a few friends who were outliers in the school social scene like me, grew three more inches, and lost twenty pounds. There were times when boys would stop in the hall and stare, but I always felt it was because I had something stuck in my teeth, or I was dragging around a piece of toilet paper stuck to my shoe. No one ever called me beautiful or singled me out for the girl they wanted to take anywhere, let alone to a school dance.
The reason I can fully relate to Rose’s experience is mainly because she’s not those popular hot chicks at school who always demand attention; instead, she is this slightly awkward girl-next-door who wants nothing but the peace of mind. Rose has had a crush on Andrew, her childhood classmate/friend, for as long as she remembers but she never dares dream about him or fantasize over him just because! When she gets older, Andrew comes back for her eventually. Although I don’t know why he turns around at the last minute, I actually AM relieved to see her happy with her true love…at least that’s what she tries to tell me.
What was a monumental moment to me seemed like a casual encounter, practiced and routine, to Andrew.
Everything Rose goes through is extremely unforgettable, from the butterfly-in-the-stomach feeling to that slump-in-your-throat bitterness, all of which will certainly leave you reflecting on your own life and pondering on things you’ve probably never thought about.
”You know what I mean, Rose. And those were different times. I’ve changed, River’s changed, you’ve changed. It happens. Life is lived in cycles. Just because you cling to one idea as a youngster, doesn’t mean you always have to think and feel the same way your entire existence. Every decade you live adds a new dimension and perspective. I had my turn being a mother and raising a child. You had your turn being a child. Now, you get to take your turn as a mother. Circle of life.”
Interestingly, as serious as this book sounds, Rose’s journey of becoming an adult doesn’t bore me at all. Undoubtedly, this book is pretty much about lessons of life, but I truly appreciate the author’s writing style. She manages to use the most uncomplicated vocabulary to deliver some of the most profound subjects. In particular, I absolutely love the metaphor of the circle of life; the concept seems pretty hard to understand yet when you come to think about it, living our lives in cycles makes perfect sense.
”And you have now succeeded in creating the same chasm between you and Glory (Rose’s mom) as she did with her own mother. You chose to risk all our lives, all our futures, to chase one hair-brained idea to the bitter end to satisfy you, no one else, just you. The rest of us will suffer so you can find an answer to some real or imagined hardship that was perpetrated upon you at birth. No matter what the truth is, River and Glory gave you an amazing life and loved you with all their hearts. Why can’t you just leave it at that, Rose? Why can’t that be enough?”
However, the main focus in this book isn’t about those morals I mentioned above. In my opinion, Rose’s story is more about her regrets than the precious lessons life has taught her. As we all know, she spends half of her life wondering about her bloodline from the day she was born and the stubbornness in her never wavers. She keeps looking for the absolute answer towards something that may or may not have a certain solution, which sadly turns out to be a disappointment for her.
Just because she figures something out in the end of the book doesn’t guarantee her a better, happier life afterwards. Besides, what’s the point when she makes so much sacrifice just to seek it? I admit I’m being super vague about the plot right now; I don’t want to spoil you with any possible detail. All I can say is that there IS still a great ending to Rose’s life journey and that sometimes letting go is probably the best choice anyone could’ve ever made throughout their lives.
All in all, My Name is Rose is a pretty realistic coming-of-age story and I’d RECOMMEND it to everyone. I’m sure all of you could gain something valuable in this book and hopefully, Rose’s character will further inspire you to be a lovelier person. Please hesitate no more and go pick up this book!
***Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
About the Author
Alexa Kingaard was born in San Diego, CA and has lived most of her life in the area. She currently resides in Carlsbad and is the mother of an adult son and daughter who continue to be her biggest fans and cheerleaders. A realtor for fifteen years, she remains involved with her profession and praises her brokers and clients for giving her the nod to be creative.
She gives all the credit for completing her debut novel, KEEP FOREVER, to her inspiration and late ex-husband, Jeff, who battled the residual effects of the Vietnam War for decades after his return.
Her second novel, MY NAME IS ROSE, will be released through Acorn Publishing March 15, 2019.
International Giveaway
For a chance to win $20 Amazon gift card, simply enter HERE!
Ends April 4th, 2019.
Good luck, everyone!
Blog Tour Schedule
March 25th
–Lone Tree Reviews >> Review
–Here is what I read blog >> Excerpt
–Life of a Simple Reader >> Review
–cupcakesandbookshelves >> Excerpt
March 26th
–What’s Beyond Forks? >> Review
–TrulyBooked >> Review
–I’m Into Books >> Excerpt
–Catherine Edward’s Blog >> Excerpt
–Rockin’ Book Reviews >> Review
March 27th
–Literary Gold >> Excerpt
–Reading With Wrin >> Review
–Home Town Girl Living in a Writer’s World >> Review
–Confessions of the Perfect Mom >> Review
–Bobos Book Bank >> Excerpt
–Het leven van een boekenworm >> Review
–united indie book blog >> Excerpt
March 28th
–BookwyrmBites >> Excerpt
–Incidental Inspiration >> Review
–Movies, Shows, & Books >> Excerpt
–Adventures Thru Wonderland >> Review
–❧Defining Ways❧ >. Excerpt
March 29th
–Sinfonia dos Livros >> Review
–Marilynjgon >> Review
–Cranky TBC >> Review
–Always & Forever Fangirling >> Excerpt
Life of a Simple Reader 
This book really caught my eye because my name is Rose – and wow, it sounds so good, too!
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It’s a lovely story! I think you’ll enjoy it a whole lot, Rosie. :))
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