You Can't Shatter Me Blog Tour Stop!

Tahlia writes magical realism and urban fantasy for young adults & adults. She likes stories that are inspiring & empowering and that question the nature of reality, mind and perception. She is an avid reader, an extremely casual high school teacher, an occasional mask-maker and has studied philosophy & meditation for many years. After scripting and performing in Visual Theatre shows for 20 years, she is now a bone-fide expatriate of the performing arts. She lives in an Australian rainforest, is married with a teenage daughter and loves cats, but she doesn’t have one because they eat native birds.

Weblog / Happy Honkers Blog / Facebook / Twitter

"This heart-warming story will inspire and empower teens and adults alike. As well as providing real solutions for the bullying issue, the unique magical realism style provides an exciting and unusual fantasy element."

Sixteen year old Carly wants to write her own life and cast herself as a superhero, but the story gets out of control when she stands up to a bully and he turns on her. His increasing harassment forces her to deal with flying hooks, giant thistles, deadly dragons and a suffocating closet. Dylan, a karate-trained nerd who supports her stand against the bully, turns out to be a secret admirer, and while he struggles to control his inner caveman, Carly searches for her own way to stop the bully.  An old hippie shows her an inner magic that’s supposed to make her invincible, but will Carly learn to use it before Dylan risks all in a violent confrontation?

~ MY REVIEW ~

The subject of bullying is one that definitely deserves to be addressed. I am happy to see that lately it has taken more of a center stage. Teens especially should be aware of how devastating the effects of bullying can be. In You Can't Shatter Me, author Tahlia Newland embraces this topic and delivers it in an imaginative yet informative way. In my opinion, this is a book that all young adults should read. It is also a great book for parents and educators who may need a fresh look into teen struggles and bullying. The main character Carly has big dreams and the reader will be quickly swept up in her story. In short this book is a coming of age novel, but I feel it also goes deeper than that. This story tells about the power of friendship and how supporting one another is priceless. It also deals with finding your inner strength. Carly is a constant reminder that everyone has a power, the power to write their own life. That sentence is one I will be reminding myself of often. I loved Dylan's character! He is sweet and smart, two of the best qualities to have. There is one part in the story where Dylan is figuratively and literally battling words in his room. Words like, angst and anger. I thought this was such a great peek into how many people feel. I know I have. When he finally cuts down the last word he feels relieved and some what stronger.  His relationship with Carly made me smile. They are able to help and support each other while also growing as individuals. Both of them find their strength and figure out how to cope with what life brings. 

Tahlia does a brilliant job making an other wise tedious topic fun and relatable for readers. This book will make you think and really reflect on the subject at hand. The writing style was enjoyable and fluid. Although short in length, this book contains a powerful message and the author manages to drive this message home without over doing it. You are left feeling complete and some what light. I would definitely recommend giving this story a read!

KINDLE US / KINDLE UK / SMASHWORDS / GOODREADS