Storm Shells by GJ Walker-Smith

“Charli’s stories hadn’t damaged me. They’d captivated and enchanted me.” – Storm Shells by GJ Walker-Smith

That’s what I am thinking when reading GJ Walker-Smith’s books. Charli’s stories are like the water on the coast of Tasmania: You dive in, you come back up and still, all you want is to take another nose-dive in.

I am a lucky one (probably the luckiest person of the world) and I got to pre-read ‘Storm Shells’. And there is another quote I want to use to say exactly what I think:

‘ “I’m scared, Adam,” I bleakly confessed.’ – Storm Shells by GJ Walker-Smith

That’s how I felt when I started reading the book. I mean, we all know we left off with Charli and Adam in a place where I didn’t see a chance for return. Charli was deeply hurt and I have to say, I didn’t have much hope for Adam. Gemma heard all about that…

The book already got me convinced with the prologue… Alex always gets me weak. Man, GJ knows how to write a good guy. And she knows how to do the opposite.

So, what did I enjoy most about Storm Shells? I mean, can you seriously pick? Let me tell you, I couldn’t. I really adored the way Charli acts, reacts, lives. She grew up so much in the books and there is no better way to see that than reading ‘Storm Shells’ and constantly thinking: Yeah, that’s her, the grown-up, sensible Charli-version. The woman Alex always hoped to raise.

And then we have Adam. And I swear, I about strangled Adam almost every page in the beginning. I couldn’t understand why he did what he did, or didn’t do what I expected him to do, but I never doubted that GJ would make it all right and what can I say… Boy, she did so good on it. But before we got there, we had to go through something different…

“Everything ended today,” she whispered. “You’re never going to change, Adam. You’re never going to be able to give me what I want, no matter how much you love me.” – Storm Shells by GJ Walker-Smith

Returning to Charli changed everything and nothing for Adam and I have to say, when he came back it was clear, too, why nothing was different. It was clear that they desperately loved each other, and it was clear that they couldn’t live without each other, but it was also clear that they (not yet) could live together, either.

‘ “True love is still true, even if you can’t live it the way you want to,” I told her. ‘ – Storm Shells by GJ Walker-Smith

That’s what’s important for Charli and Adam, and I loved how Charli never once doubted that she loves Adam or that he loves her. No matter where Charli stood, which consequences she faced, she never once wavered in her love for Adam and I loved the way she looks at the whole thing: She doesn’t wear the cloud-nine-glasses anymore, she doesn’t have unrealistic hopes and she doesn’t pretend to know the answer. She just knows that for her protecting her heart is the best. And that means protecting Adam from everything and everyone, too. She doesn’t let people talk bad about him and that shows to me how strong her heart is.

There were parts were I just wanted to hit my head against a wall, asking ‘why, why, why?’ again and again, but GJ was patient with me, let me get over my anger and there you go, big brownie points for Adam. He mans up, becoming the guy we all want him to be and making me fall right back for him. Everything he does after finally hitting the ‘make-myself-grow-up-button’ is exactly the step in the right direction. Taking a leap of faith is what it all took and Adam had do jump down a cliff, find the white horse, fight the dragon called doubt and go back to secure his one and only fairy.

It was a wild ride and no doubt one of the best series-conclusions I ever read. The Saving-Wishes-Series is one of the best I ever read and worth every penny, cent, pound you have to spent on it. Hell, it’s probably worth a lot more than that because what it gives you is a head full of crazy ideas and la-la-Land-fantasy that make life just that bit better.

+++ End of the serious part of the review+++

And now to what I really think about the book: Charli and Adam? Who in the world are Charli and Adam? There is Alex. Alex all over and MAN, that man is just amazing!

‘Alex lurched forward, taking my face in his cold hands, grinning like an idiot.’ – Storm Shells by GJ Walker-Smith

That’s my favorite quote from the whole book. For you it might not be spectacular, for me though it’s amazing. Alex is just… *sigh*

Okay, so much for my fan-girl-moment. I’m done. Thank you, Gemma. Thank you.

Yours truly, 

book-loverette Julie