In December ’97 big sister Kayla writes, “It’s... Christmas break in Bay Village and I can’t bear Renee the zombie or Daddy in his dead zone fog or Mommy pretending to be happy...”

Kayla’s story and her mother’s come to life with convincing first person narration in this novel by Nicole Eva Fraser, while Renee is always a third person character, even when we see from her point of view. Fading into the background of her own life, never belonging, never quite moving forward from the mental illness that haunts almost invisibly, Renee changes from sweetly imaginative child into brooding adult and wrecker of social occasions. But she’s still loved, and this novel of awkward, genuine, confusing and wounded love, in all its many guises, is beautifully told.

Real characters fill these pages with sibling rivalry, schoolgirl friendships, mourning for the lost, and an awkward need to believe in or deny self-worth. All these issues are tackled through convincing storylines, each different thread drawing the reader further in. Each character takes center stage as adult and child, making right decisions and wrong, and moving on. Meanwhile Renee, in her strange confusion, is just as real and deserving of sympathy as anyone else, her emotions and those of her family retold with evocative conviction.

I could hardly put this novel down, and I truly loved the blend of convincingly flawed characters, of suspicion giving way to reality, and of faintly paranormal aspects converging on clinical distress. The book reads like a journey through real lives, and leaves the reader with much to ponder, and new friends to keep in the heart. It’s a well-balanced tale of unbalanced lives; and a novel of the waning century, filled with perfectly chosen detail and authentic descriptions. Enjoy.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy and I offer my honest review. ( )

Note: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Hardest Thing in This World begins with one of the characters Melody seeing the ghost of her daughter Renee while making a visit to see one of her patients. Then, from that point, the story goes back into time and the experiences are told from different perspectives: Melody (the mother) and her two daughters (Renee and Kayla). Through the eyes of these women it goes to show that the hardest thing in this world is to live.

This time, I’m going to start with potential opportunities (Cons).

1. There was a certain twist hinted as it pertained to Melody’s brother Michael, yet it didn’t quite blossom to fruition. My curiosity about it was peaked and one of the things which kept me invested in the story but I was a bit disappointed when nothing was expanded on it. For me, it took away the potential to make him a richer character and not so “cookie cutter” or in alignment with the “athlete blueprint”.
2. Winch was a character that also enticed my interest but there was not enough detailed insight into Winch’s mental state and disposition.
3. In certain areas, the timeline proved hard to follow. In a couple of chapters, I had to reread just to make sure I was following everything properly.
4. For those readers who want a clear cut resolution, The Hardest Thing in this World may not satisfy that request. No, it’s not a cliffhanger but it’s not very tidy either. The ambiance is closer to lingering than anything.

Now on to the highlights (Pros).

1. The details coinciding with mental illness (treatments and medicines, especially) were remarkable! Either the author was meticulous in her research or she knows something about it firsthand.
2. Syntax wise, The Hardest Thing in This World was done to a high standard. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation challenges were nonexistent.
3. The complexity of the female characters (Melody, Kayla, and Renee) kept the pages turning. I had this great need to know what happened next, particularly with Renee. I saw parts of myself in Kayla because of my past situation with dealing with a loved one who had issues that mirrored the ones of Renee.
4. The paranormal aspect (sighting of ghosts) intermingled with the rest of the story nicely. It did not feel out of place and added more depth to an already intriguing story.
5. The romancing the words component, along with splashes of poetry here and there, made me smile and was refreshing in a world that is leaning more towards modernization of the writing craft. Kayla’s interactions with the two men she loved and her bond with her sister was explained with a development and intensity that placed me right in the room along with them.
6. The pacing was even. It was not sluggish to where I was begging for the chapter to end, nor was it accelerated to the point where I was dizzy.

Verdict: 4.5, rounded to a 5.

The opportunities were not enough to diminish the overall lovely execution of The Hardest Thing in this World. With its emotionally gripping content and realistic snapshot of a family just trying to live, this is a page turner that I highly recommend. ( )

Note: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Hardest Thing in This World begins with one of the characters Melody seeing the ghost of her daughter Renee while making a visit to see one of her patients. Then, from that point, the story goes back into time and the experiences are told from different perspectives: Melody (the mother) and her two daughters (Renee and Kayla). Through the eyes of these women it goes to show that the hardest thing in this world is to live.

This time, I’m going to start with potential opportunities (Cons).

1. There was a certain twist hinted as it pertained to Melody’s brother Michael, yet it didn’t quite blossom to fruition. My curiosity about it was peaked and one of the things which kept me invested in the story but I was a bit disappointed when nothing was expanded on it. For me, it took away the potential to make him a richer character and not so “cookie cutter” or in alignment with the “athlete blueprint”.
2. Winch was a character that also enticed my interest but there was not enough detailed insight into Winch’s mental state and disposition.
3. In certain areas, the timeline proved hard to follow. In a couple of chapters, I had to reread just to make sure I was following everything properly.
4. For those readers who want a clear cut resolution, The Hardest Thing in this World may not satisfy that request. No, it’s not a cliffhanger but it’s not very tidy either. The ambiance is closer to lingering than anything.

Now on to the highlights (Pros).

1. The details coinciding with mental illness (treatments and medicines, especially) were remarkable! Either the author was meticulous in her research or she knows something about it firsthand.
2. Syntax wise, The Hardest Thing in This World was done to a high standard. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation challenges were nonexistent.
3. The complexity of the female characters (Melody, Kayla, and Renee) kept the pages turning. I had this great need to know what happened next, particularly with Renee. I saw parts of myself in Kayla because of my past situation with dealing with a loved one who had issues that mirrored the ones of Renee.
4. The paranormal aspect (sighting of ghosts) intermingled with the rest of the story nicely. It did not feel out of place and added more depth to an already intriguing story.
5. The romancing the words component, along with splashes of poetry here and there, made me smile and was refreshing in a world that is leaning more towards modernization of the writing craft. Kayla’s interactions with the two men she loved and her bond with her sister was explained with a development and intensity that placed me right in the room along with them.
6. The pacing was even. It was not sluggish to where I was begging for the chapter to end, nor was it accelerated to the point where I was dizzy.

Verdict: 4.5, rounded to a 5.

The opportunities were not enough to diminish the overall lovely execution of The Hardest Thing in this World. With its emotionally gripping content and realistic snapshot of a family just trying to live, this is a page turner that I highly recommend. ( )