Personal Effects - E.M. Kokie

Such a raw and gripping tale.

All throughout Personal Effects my heart kept clenching and breaking for all of the pain that Matt felt and most especially for what he figures out in the end. He was a brave, honest and realistic character, that I couldn't help but feel for him. While the story did read a bit slow for me, it was a fantastic read overall.

Matt's father had always groomed him and his brother to go into the military. Growing up with that push wasn't the easiest thing for either son to deal with, but T.J. eventually joined up. Sadly, he dies on his tour in Iraq, and Matt struggles to deal with his death and his angry father. After breaking into T.J.'s stuff, he finds questions and people that he must seek out if he wants any answers. "What he learns challenges him to stand up to his father, honor his brother’s memory, and take charge of his own life."

This was such a great book. E.M. Kokie's writing was so raw and greatly detailed Matt's struggle with his brother's death and his father. I believe that she did a swell job in writing a character of the opposite gender, who had obvious male thoughts.

Really, the thing that I enjoyed most about this book was the lead character. He's written so realistically, that you probably wouldn't be able to pick him out on the street. He's not written as the totally gorgeous bad boy, or the lonely awkward guy, he just exists. In fact, I don't even know if we got total descriptions (that I paid total mind to) of his physical appearence or not. In a book, I tend to enjoy this because then it's not all about what they look like or what they're wearing. We read that what's on the inside is the only thing that matters. All we know is that there's all of this angst, pent-up anger, and FEELINGs that are so ready to bust loose, that I can't help but feel that I know him better than I know most female characters from other contemporary fiction that I've read.

Plot-wise, I was uber curious to pick up this book and discover the truth of his brother's life. Matt's questions became my questions, and I was just as eager to get those answers in the end.

Pacing-wise, for some reason it just wasn't for me. I enjoyed the crap out of this book, but some of the parts just read a bit lax for me, especially the middle. The beginning and the 150ish pages of the end kept me going the most.

Overall, Personal Effects was a great book. The plot keeps you going, the main character keeps you feeling and the ending might even twist your heart a bit. If you've eyeballed this book for awhile or are just in the least bit curious, I suggest that you pick it up and read and open your heart.

☆☆☆☆☆/5

Recommend?: If military contemporary fiction sounds appealing to you.

If you're not afraid to let your heart feel something.