This is my third book by Kristen Granata. While I am late and a little rusty, her second book made the top 8 of 2018 for me (that post is coming). The Other Brother is unlike the first two stories. In the way, it is uniquely Kristen, but uniquely Charlotte and Tanner. Kristen delivered a stellar read in my opinion. It was again, unlike any other story I have read out there. Now, what you are here for, the nitty gritty and how I came about to enjoy this third in the series.
This story can be read as a standalone. You will not be lost. Kristen did a fantastic job of weaving the timeline of Collision and Avoidance into The Other Brother. I wasn’t bored, lost, or overwhelmed with the story. We got just enough of Merritt and Chase, that if you didn’t read the first two, this will make you want to read them.
Charlotte grows in leaps and jetés. This story starts out with Charlotte being a young adult on the cusp of college life and adulthood. Kristen captured her age appropriately in my mind. She had insecurities and tumbles on her road, but she wasn’t an annoying young adult character. She blossomed in the way that only Kristen makes her females shine, on her own! Sure Tanner and others supported her, but Charlotte fought for herself. She wanted to see herself in a way that wouldn’t be a weak, timid, fragile flower. She blossomed and yet had this confidence in herself that by the end you could see shining like a beacon from within. I don’t know what more I can say about her, but she is a favorite female of mine. I loved how Kristen wrote this character. Absolutely amazing.
Tanner, the other brother, hidden in the shadows of Chase. Tanner had as much growth as Charlotte. Kristen delivered a hell of a story with two characters who found the adults they were meant to be. Tanner hid his emotional turmoil behind his anger. Kristen wrote those parts of blind rage, and you could feel them on the pages. Your heart hurt as each layer of Tanner was peeled back revealing the amazing guy we wanted him to be. He is a dark horse and an undersung hero in this story, but by the end, he stands proud and at peace. You feel for him and all he has endured in his life.
The secondary characters are all there. TJ, Chase, Merritt, Mr. & Mrs. Brooks, and little Khloe. We meet some new ones as well that only add to the overall well-roundedness of this story.
What I loved about the story overall. Kristen closed up all the loops. You aren’t left hanging on things that happen. This is a complete standalone that flows from beginning to end. She hits raw, real, and heartbreaking topics. She also shows strength, fortitude, and resilience in her characters. These are not one-dimensional characters. They are multifaceted and you would think they were real. She does that fabulous of a job that you want to walk down the street and look for this entire world to exist.
This story gets 5 sparkling pointe shoes. I have some favorite lines and some life lessons that these characters went through and can be taken away into reality. When an author can make you shout and say YES to all those teachable moments and quotes, that’s a top read for me. Kristen is going places. While this is only her third novel, she is definitely an author to watch. She will be on Ellen, and her books will give hope, strength, and unconditional love to her readers.
Favorite Lines:
“A survivor is someone who remains. Someone who copes with the aftermath and rises above it.”
“You focus too much on what other people do. That’s why you’re always so angry.”
The Other Brother (The Collision Series) Click here to buy.
Find all things about Kristen Granata here.