The Undoing of Thistle Tate by Katelyn Detweiler
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books
Publish Date: July 23, 2019
Synopsis: Famous teen author Thistle Tate struggles to keep her biggest secret: the real identity of the author of her bestselling books.
Thistle Tate is a glittering wunderkind—only seventeen, and a bestselling author of the wildly successful Lemonade Skies series, with the highly anticipated final book due to publish next year. She has diehard fans across the globe, flashy tours, and steep advances. And now she’s finally started to date her best friend and next-door-neighbor, Liam, the only one who knows her deep dark secret: she’s not the real author of the Lemonade Skies books.
Thistle’s guilt about lying intensifies after she meets the surprisingly charming Oliver, who introduces her to his super-fan little sister—but how can she have friendships based on deception? All she wants is for this last book to be written so she can be done with the ruse for good.
Then with just two weeks left to deliver the manuscript to her agent and editor, a dramatic turn of events puts everything in jeopardy, and Thistle must grapple with her own identity. Is she a victim, a fraudster, or both? On top of that, Liam is increasingly jealous of Thistle’s budding friendship with Oliver—a friendship that leaves Thistle more than a little confused about her own heart.
As the book deadline looms closer, the stakes ever higher, a startling family truth comes to light, and it’s only a matter of time before something gives—and Thistle’s world becomes undone.
Disclosure: ARC provided for an honest review. #partner
Thistle Tate signed her name and lost control of who she was. In The Undoing of Thistle Tate by Katelyn Detweiler, Thistle is the “it” girl of young adult literature. She has amazing fans who all love her stories about magic and finding her mom after her passing. But the only problem is, she doesn’t write these stories. And sadly enough, she has a story behind that.
I started this book in early July and finished it so quickly. It took me a while to write this review, because I wasn’t sure how to fully express how much I feel about this book. This book wrecked me. I connected to Thistle in such a deep level, that I couldn’t fathom what was happening until I finished. I’ve cried already, and I’m not even done yet. Guys, this book has my heart.
“I have lots of dreams, but I’ve only ever had one nightmare and it’s always exactly the same.”
This quote? It’s the first line. Katelyn Detweiler grabs you from the first few pages, introduces you to Thistle and her father, explains their situation, and pretty much allows the reader to take the story from there.
Okay, let’s get into some specifics, shall we?
Thistle’s father wrote the story and penned the books in Thistle’s name because the same stories under his name didn’t sell. Thistle has lived this life under this pseudo-life because of reasons that are explained in the book. There is this fine morally grey line that had me swinging in my compassion meter. I saw both sides of the coin and I just didn’t know what to do what all of those feelings.
There is a bit of a love triangle in this story. Oliver and Liam. Both who I saw her with, but also hated for her. I felt so strongly about the friendships that she had and made, and at one point it angered with the direction of the stories.
Having said that, I am still enamored by this story. It really touched me, and I am grateful for that reading experience. Make sure to add The Undoing of Thistle Tate to your TBR.
*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*
