Book Bloomer

Raw, real, and tragic.

The Legendary Shiver(paid link) is about a girl named Ruby who moves to a small town in Texas and meets a shy, lonely boy named Will. Their souls immediately recognize each other and connect on a deep level, forming an unbreakable friendship. Naturally, their friendship evolves into an even deeper love and is put to the test by the hardships of reality, coming to terms with the trauma’s of your past, and most of all accepting yourself. While Ruby fights for her dreams of being a famous singer, Will is always right there by her side and proves to be her rock over and over again. I’ll stop there, as this plot is better left discovered by its reader and their own journey through the pages. Therefore, you’ll have to read it for yourself to find out how this story ends, which I highly recommend.

It is one of the most refreshing novels I’ve read in quite some time. Something I find is very underrated about writing is when it’s made effortless. Meaning the words roll off your tongue and flow down the page. The words become your own thoughts and the actual act of reading requires little to no effort. Not only is it special when it happens, but it is very rare in today’s novels. However, MacAl captures it wonderfully while also covering a multitude of themes such as love, depression, acceptance, and loss.

It is about humanity as well as the painful realities and sacrifices that come with trying to make it as an artist in today’s world. I empathized with each character because of the depth and crafty composure by MacAl that draws you in and opens you up to the relatable experiences they are going through. He does this by using human emotion, raw and beautiful, to connect his readers to the characters. For example, you don’t have to be a struggling singer to feel Ruby’s sacrifice and pain because it comes from a much deeper level inside of her. Her true pain comes from her abuse as a child, the abandonment she feels, and her own insecurities.

Several times during my reading, I found myself connecting with various characters and on different levels. This. Is. What. Reading. Is. About. It’s about breaking down your walls and learning about yourself through others. It’s about being vulnerable and empathizing with what the characters are going through. A good book should allow you to grow as an individual and accept others for who they are, which is exactly what The Legendary Shiver does.