Cascading Petals Book Tour and Review

Life as a teenager isn’t always what you see in the movies. Designer clothes, luxury cars, and European vacations are all depicted in movies as something every teenager seem to have. But there are also dark sides to every teenager. When pressure from family and friends get in the way of growing into healthy and happy adults, the facade that most teens wear falls away to reveal troubles that they tried so hard to hide.

In Cascading Petals, we are immediately taken into the life of the young heroine, Jewel Hart. Eighteen-year-old Jewel is beautiful, smart, and talented, with a heart of gold and a smile that lights up the world. But overshadowing this brilliant girl is a lifetime of bullying and being ignored by her classmates and school administrative. Written in the voice of Jewel along with other central characters, we glimpse into the not so fabulous life as a teen. With the rise of bullying and threats all around her, will Jewel overcome her pain and doubts as she tries to survive her last year in high school?

Along the way, Jewel meets the new boy in town, Kaiden, who is handsome, intelligent, and self assured. He immediately takes a liking to Jewel, seeing the true “jewel” that she is although she tries to hide it from him. The blossoming of their friendship and eventual love is beautiful to read and was very well written by the author. I felt their strengths for each other as well as their pain in trying to fit into a world where you could easily be treated as a nobody. But Jewel and Kaiden’s support for each other as well as from their families made this story really shine.

Cascading Petals is a story that hits you straight to the heart. My own heart broke towards the end of this story, feeling the pain that these main characters felt and hoping they will eventually triumph through. Cascading Petals isn’t just a book about teenagers going through a hard time in high school or in life. It’s a story that tells of hardship and sadness beginning at a very young age for both Jewel, Kaiden, Amy, and Lexi. While Jewel, Kaiden, and Amy had the love and support of their families, no one can truly know another’s pain, of the fear and angst that lives in those who have been bullied or harmed in any way their entire lives.

There is a lot of be said and learned from reading a book such as Cascading Petals. It’s a good reminder to treat others with respect and to stand up for yourself. Life is usually not fair and we have all been dealt some misgivings here and there. But it’s how we pick ourselves up after the fall and shine brighter than others that help us overcome the bad dealings in life. Teenagers and even pre-teens get a sense that they can do anything in their world, that they can say whatever they want and act however they want. But little do they know that the big world out there can be so much crueler if they don’t open their eyes to their own actions and behavior. Every choice we make has a consequence – be it good or bad. And with young adults, it can be excruciatingly hard for them to know what’s truly right and wrong. Heck, even most adults have trouble with that sometimes.

Each and every one of us have been teased, bullied, or made fun of one way or another. It’s an unfortunate side effect of being human. It’s important to remember that we all have shortcomings and pitfalls. No one is perfect nor should we even try to be perfect. And in the end, does it really matter that you aren’t the prettiest girl in school or the jockiest jock? Does it matter if you have a better car or have designer clothes while the person next to you barely lives within their means? It doesn’t make us better or worse. It should just make us feel compassion and help others understand that life has more meaning than what’s on the surface. I truly hope you read Cascading Petals as it can be a good “wake up call” for all of us.

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