A bleak but fairly honest and accurate view of a teenagers life when it’s all going wrong.
The central point of two girls going out for a ride with two adult men, drinking and taking pills and only one of them going home is a book that highlights the fallout and grief with the cause and villain coming in a close second to the story of this book.
It is a little fantastical with our our main character, Summer, having a “bear-wolf” creature to run to in the woods and still seeing her best friend Cee and talking to her after she dies and that is probably the downsides of this book it didn’t seem to fit with this tragic and bleak look at teenage life for two girls who are not being truly cared for and looked after. There are no role model adults in the book and no consequences for bad people.
Cee and Summer are the only characters to suffer with the consequences of their actions and it is this that makes it so sad and yet realistically tragic.
A really quick read and the author wrote a really unputdownable story

I received this ARC for FREE from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

If "hot mess" were a book, this book would be it.
I can't for the life of me determine the genre of this book, it's published as YA thriller, but I didn't get what was thrilling or suspenseful about it.
Two teens joined at the hip, living through booze and drugs, it all shatters when one of them dies suddenly of cardiac arrest because of drug consumption, starting from this point, the whole book is about the other one's grief.
The writing style made up for the slow pace and weak plot, the author definitely had the talent to write the same sequence of events and feelings over and over, without making me feel bored.
That said though, it wasn't really enjoyable, and I didn't like how the whole thing didn't have a specific purpose, even the ending was lackluster, so basically, a really forgettable read.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

When Summer’s best friend Cee dies from cardiac arrest after both girls have taken pills, the accusations on social media begin, but as the bullying intensifies, Summer grows closer to revealing the secret both families are harbouring. The character depth was amazing!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of I Am Winter in exchange for an honest review.

I just really really struggled with the narration here. No one read their age and the pacing consistently felt too slow for the plot.

Teenagers Summer and Cee (Courtney) lived on the same street and had been friends since the year that Summer had turned eleven. Due to her unhappy homelife (although Summer's wasn't much better) Cee preferred to spend her time at Summer's house and if they weren't gossiping in Summer's basement bedroom then they could be found hanging around in the local park with cee's older brother Richie (who Summer had a crush on) and his group of friends. Although Summer knew that the group only accepted her because she was with Cee, she didn't care because it gave her the opportunity to spend time with Richie.
Then, one night, tragedy strikes after the two girls sneak out of their homes and Cee dies from a cardiac arrest after they both take some pills. Suddenly,Summer finds herself the victim of a terrifying campaign of hate and harassment. She starts receiving threatening notes through the letterbox, nasty comments about her are posted on social media and people who she thought were her friends start turning against her. Struggling with her feelings of grief and guilt and her own mother's unpredictable, selfish behaviour will Summer have the strength to figure who is sending the notes and why and a way to move onto the next step in her journey through life. Or was Summer's life destined to follow the same path as her ill fated friend.

This emotionally charged, character driven story is narrated entirely from the perspective of Summer, a multi layered individual about whom I felt conflicting emotions as the story unfolded. After witnessing the behaviour of the vast majority of the so called adults who featured throughout the story, it was obvious that the youngsters were doomed from the moment that they were born. Maybe times were more innocent back when I was in my teens or I was a bit of a goody two shoes but I would never have dreamt of behaving the way Summer and the other youngsters did. If I had been caught drinking and smoking, I would have been severely punished and as for getting into a strangers car???. Yeah, sure I liked boys but the main things on my mind were homework and hoping that my dad would remember to pick up that week's edition of Jackie magazine on his way home from work. It was obvious that Summer simply wanted what most of us desire in life, to feel needed and loved,something that was sadly lacking in her home. She had some really likeable character traits, I loved how much she cared for her vulnerable baby brother Jonah and her interactions with her friend Kofi who was a wonderful character and definitely my stand out favourite.

The woods that grew near to Summer's house played a large part in this story along with a strange creature called a bear - wolf who lived in a hollow in one of the trees. I have always thought that woods have a haunting word of mystery about them, the scenery is stunning and peaceful during the day but once darkness falls, the atmosphere completely changed and turns eerie and sinister. The intriguing question was, did the bear - wolf really exist or was it just a figment of Summer's imagination?

I really really enjoyed this extremely well written domestic drama with a added dash of mystery with a plot that covers a wide range of relatable issues and subjects about which the author has written with care and sensitivity. The story is very dark and hard hitting at times and causes the reader to experience a wide range of emotions. The diverse cast of characters, many of whom were unlikable and untrustworthy were vivid and realistic. A chilling sense of foreboding permeates the pages of the book and as the story worked it's way towards its unpredictable conclusion, i was never certain where the author was going to take her story. A captivating y/a read and very very highly recommended.

This book definitely felt like a first draft... I was not hooked by the writing. I think the plot actually has promise, but it was hard to read.

I am winter
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm going to dive right into this one. The sorrow that I felt for Summer was becoming painful! Denise Brown captured it perfectly.
I was blown away with all the different secrets that were happening around Summer. I adored Summer, she may not have been perfect, but even with everything she was going through, the caring relationship that she had with her little brother just melted my heart.
As the story goes on you will find out about how hard Summer's best friend Cee had it also. This one is going to stick with me for a while!

For me the book started very slowly & it took me a while to get into it, but once I did, it was non stop all the way until I'd finished reading.

Primarily a YA book, this is a book that I think any age will enjoy & certain elements of Summer & her lifestyle resonated with me so much, but that's adolescence, the growing up, the learning curve & the life lessons.

Well written, with an eclectic bunch of flawed & damaged characters. Triggers include loss, grief, drug abuse, domestic issues & abandonment.

I enjoyed reading this book & look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to Literally PR for my tour spot & Netgalley copy.

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 4 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

I am Winter by @denisebrownuk

Thank you to @hashtag_press for kindly gifting me a copy of Denise Brown’s latest release; I am Winter. Thank you for also inviting me to be on this blog tour, I have loved reading this book and can’t wait to see what Denise Brown writes next.

This was a real page turner! Once I got into the story I couldn’t put this book down. There were sensitive issues which were written perfectly, allowing the reader to relate and empathise with the characters.

SYNOPSIS;

Summer and Cee have always been best-friends, they have always done everything together and life is much better when they’re doing what they do best; having fun!

However fate takes an awful turn and tragedy strikes one night when Cee has a cardiac arrest after being in a car crash with Summer .. they had both taken drugs and unbeknown to Summer; Cee had a fatal heart condition.

Overcome with grief, Summer doesn’t know how to cope and life seems to get harder as she begins to receive threatening notes through her door as well as a flood on messages on social media; all of which blame her for her beloved friends death.

Can Summer get to the bottom of these hateful notes and prove her innocence?

Can she overcome her grief in amongst so much hostility?

I really loved Summer’s character a lot, her friend Kofi was excellent throughout and I definitely had a soft spot for him. It was really sad to read about her home life and the behaviours and attitude her mum presented with. I saw myself despising some characters and then loving others! Which goes to show that the author done a great job here.

Highly recommend this to fans of Mystery

4 ⭐️

Denise Brown does a great job of weaving a harrowing tale of two best friends struggling to survive a world that seems stacked against them.

Summer and Cee are wild, promiscuous, loud, unafraid and totally devoted to the wellbeing of each other. These are two teenagers who do not have any kind of guidance and find themselves grasping for ways to figure out what life is, what life means, and how to navigate the rollercoaster of emotions and events that inevitably occur.

Unfortunately for Cee the lifestyle isn’t kind to her and after a night out with Summer she suffers from cardiac arrest and leaves Summer to dwindle on her own.

It is in the discovery of a secret beholden to Summer and Cee’s families that Summer is able to wipe the fog from her eyes and gain some clarity over her situation.

The book is told from Summer’s perspective thus enabling the events to become messy and chaotic, and a touch unreliable, from a young woman’s point-of-view. But as she ventures closure to the truth, the chaotic elements of the book fall away and the reader is able to fully focus on Summer.

The element of the bear-wolf is used to further show the reader how uncared for Summer is and how deeply she craves for someone to nurture her and be there for her. It also juxtaposes her own mother and give stark differences to what is reality and what is fantasy.

The ending felt a little flat. The book does an amazing job of fluctuating between present events and flashbacks. The ending felt rushed compared to the events of the novel, although the ending was satisfying.

This reader sure hopes to find out more about Summer and Cee and hopes they find the peace and comfort that they desire and quite frankly, deserve.

Woooow! 😳🥺

This was quite the novel! A 16 year old girl, Summer, loses her best friend in the most heartbreaking way and the aspects of her life & what goes on is heartbreaking. But there comes twists toward the end of the novel that you just do NOT see coming and you're absolutely shocked. It was really good & I enjoyed it quite a bit. What she went through, uncovered - all of it! A truly gripping novel where you can't help but feel for Summer.

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by LiterallyPR.

I am Winter is a YA fiction book about navigating grief, loss and acceptance.
Summer and her best friend Courtney (cee) are living life at large at 15 years of age. They're sneaking out to the park drinking and smoking, getting into clubs with fake IDS and having a great time doing so. Until one fateful life which ends in tragedy.
Summers pain and anguish is so apparent and heartfelt throughout this story. I loved how the author mixed fantasy with reality during the course of the book and found it very cleverly written.
We've all done things as a teen that we're not always proud of, and this book resonated with me from my teen years.
I found this a very quick read and struggled to put it down!

I really wanted to like this story more than I did. The synopsis sounded really interesting and how it ties to the story is but there is so much filler in this novel. I was hoping for a more twisty thriller but that's not what it feels like I received. I came close to having I am winter end up being shelved as dnf a few times but then i found the story would start to feel like it might be going somewhere. Overall I found the story just long and slow. I wish I had enjoyed it more.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and Hashtag Press for approving my request in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


Real rating: 3,5 stars.


TRIGGER WARNING: use of alcohol and drugs by minors, verbal and written threats, domestic violence, parental abandonment.


From those blurb's few lines, it looks like a mystery young adult - and while it's true a little mystery is in there, it's not as broad and present as it might seem at first.

As much as I love the American setting in a book or a movie, I have to say that when I find myself reading about stories set in the UK, I already feel more in my element since I'm Italian - I don't know, maybe it's because of the same continent or similar stories and ways of doing things. For example, we most come of age at 18 instead of 21 as in the US - and if you are a teenager here, it's easier enough to look more mature than your age or to have an adult friend to get you alcohol, which is more difficult if you have to bridge a gap up to a 21-year-old someone.

And I've seen a lot of European teenagers' lives in Summer and Cee, who are used to go out with Cee's older brother - Ritchie, the boy Summer has always been in love with - and his company, gathering at the park to party and have almost always some alcohol at hand. Seriously, it was all perfectly believable in my eyes - in the eyes of my 14-year-old self who already drank low-alcohol content cocktails, in the eyes of my 16-year-old self who went dancing in the clubs and already drank vodka or tequila because in 2005 there was no law banning the sale of alcohol to minors under eighteen years of age.

Summer and Cee, despite not having immediately started their journey together as best friends, later found in each other the person who understood them the most. Both have difficult family situations: Summer has a mother who rarely behaves like one and her priority has always been keep her boyfriends content and have all their attention on her - even now that she has been with Mac for some time and has had a second child, Jonah, she can't manage to live up to the role; Cee, instead, has a mother whom she calls "the Ovary" who always had children with different men and somehow it's up to Cee to raise them. School is seen as a waste of time, so much so that even the teachers have given up on them and no longer call home to report absence - for Summer and Cee, the most important thing is to go out with the guys, go to clubs and find relief where they can in a life they hate.

But one night Summer goes out with a guy she has recently met and she didn't expect Tom to bring a friend along, so she begs Cee to join her. Summer knows she's whiny and always in need of her friend, but she finally manages to convince Cee - Cee reaches her in the car with a bottle of gin and pills, Drake is on the radio and everything seems to be fine, but in an instant the car skids and at the exact same moment, Summer sees Cee's lips turn blue.

When Summer wakes up in the hospital many things have changed, the first one Cee being dead. Why didn't Summer know Cee had a heart condition? Cee's mother blames her for the death of her daughter because Summer made her leave the house in the middle of the night, on social networks they attack her and say that her tears are fake, her old friends avoid her and basically everyone thinks that she was the one who brought the pills that killed Cee - but that's not true, Cee brought them. And where did Cee get them?


The part of the pills and where they come from - although it remains a latent question in Summer's mind for most of the book - does get an answer, but it's not the main focus of this story.

"I Am Winter" is a somewhat introspective novel, which immerses us in Summer's family life and shows us the spiral of depression and guilt into which she falls. If only she hadn't called Cee that night, if only she hadn't been so needy ... And it's not just because of her guilt that Summer falls into depression, but we also see how she becomes a prisoner of her own home due to threats she receives not only online, but also through the letterbox on the door.

I appreciate how Summer continues to "see" and "talk" to Cee in her room - how the missing of her is something tangible. I appreciated how she reunites with an old childhood friend, Kofi, and how she discovers another soul akin to hers. I appreciated how the estrangement to her old life and old habits have made her rediscover her little brother with Down syndrome and his needs - making her even more attentive to her mother's mood swings and the furious arguments Lizzie has with Mac.

I have seen a lot of myself in her reflections on friendship, especially when you have one special friend that you somehow depend on for a variety of things - in the end, other people were really friends with you or they were because they were first friends with your friend and basically you were just the "plus one" to them that no one really wanted around?

I less appreciated the way a few events of the past, especially in the first half of the book, were inserted into the narrative: very often it wasn't so clear if they were things that happened a long time ago or if they were things that just happened or even contemporary. Surely it was due to the fact that I read an eARC, but certain points didn't go exactly as smooth as they were supposed to and the rhythm was jammed.

Another thing that was unclear to me is the animal that Summer defines as her protector and that lives in the woods, in an oak hollow where Summer took refuge when needed as a kid and hid her treasures. Was it real? Does it exist? Summer calls it her "bear-wolf" throughout the book because as a child she didn't know how to identify the species but, in addition to the doubt about its existence, the doubt about the type of animal also remains.

I would have also appreciated a few more initial moments dedicated to the development of Summer and Cee's friendship - in the prologue they are classmates and neighbors who accidentally spend an afternoon together when their usual friends are not available, the next page we find them as a couple of fifteen-year-old girls and best friends, with Cee who spends most of her nights sleeping at Summer's house to escape her mother.

The pills' source totally took me by surprise, but even about this important matter we discover the minimum necessary as there's no real discussion that explains why and wherefore - if it was a "one and only" type of situation on the part of this person or if that's a habit, since Summer witnessed something worrying before.

In general I appreciated "I Am Winter": it provides a more than accurate drawing of adolescence in which I've also seen part of my own, it has important themes within it and on many occasions I felt so sorry for Summer, for she has to behave like an adult when the real adults are focused only on themselves and not on the needs of their children - I cheered for her when she finds the strength to rebel, even if we don't find out exactly how it goes given the open ending. Too bad for the rhythm that gets jammed on more than one occasion and for certain circumstances and dynamics that I would have liked to see a little more in-depth.

Can I be the first to say that if Netflix or Hulu does not pick this up for a movie, I will be shocked.

I Am Winter, was absolutely insane!!! Mind blowing! Off the charts! Psychological thriller!

Summer and Cee were best friends. After a stupid decision to have a little fun and take some pills, Cee dies from cardiac arrest. Summer is already devastated by the loss of her best friend and consumed by guilt but then the town starts talking, bullies can be extremely hurtful and then there is always social media to add the icing on the cake. Summer isn't going to survive the guilt.

Then Summer starts to see that both her family and Cee family had their share of secrets, what will happen when Summer gets closer to exposing them?

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book. This is hands down a must read, I will definitely be suggesting this at my next book club ! I would without a doubt love to read it again.

I am Winter is a YA book dealing with a teen struggling after the loss of her best friend. I enjoyed the realism in this book and can imagine this lifestyle being the truth for many teens what I didn't like was the constant references to pop culture and I find that this dates the book rather than enhances it.

Hashtag Press,
Thank you for this really good eARC!

I Am Winter by Denise Brown is a phenomenal Young Adult mystery.
I enjoyed getting inside the cyber bullying and it honestly hit home to me!
The amount of meanness that's in this world with kids and teens is ridiculous and this story rings true!

The characters here are amazing and made me want more of this story.
Denise's writing is something amazing and I honestly can't wait read to read more from her!
This book has everything I look for in a YA thriller and then some.
If you're looking for a good mystery to hold your attention and keep you flipping the pages this is it!

Realistic teenage conflicts and the need to conform provide a hugely relatable main character. The prequel of past conflict adds tension to the main relationship and a little mystery how the girls end up as besties. The "crush" is also believable, adding depth. This is not an easy read from the perspective of dilemmas and values, with significant angst from themes of neglect and abuse, however it was a compelling read completed in just a few days. The author cleverly carries the reader along with the pain and confusion of grief and loss (no spoiler here as a death was clearly indicated by the blurb) developing multiple perspectives using surrounding characters while maintaining an element of mystery. It forces the reader to connect with real struggles of some families and is definitely thought provoking. While there are areas of description they are not over-detailed, allowing the reader creativity to imagine the scenes as they occur. The book's strength is the detailed way it conveys the character's feeling and actions. I personally was a little disappointed and surprised at the ending, as the mystery remains unresolved and my preference would be to have a resolution. Saying that, I know many readers who will happily prefer it exactly as is!