Abbie Emmons is a skilled writer and manages to create a fun read. This was okay for a debut novel, but there is work to be done that can only be learned through time and practice! Overall, I loved the characters. They really drove the story and kept the plot moving. I didn’t particullary like some of the elements of styled that were being used, but that’s just from my personal preference. Nonetheless, I look forward to reviewing future books from Emmons!

Tessa is reeling after a car accident leaves her with transient cortical blindness when she meets a stranger who wants to help her. Weston has suffered a loss of his own and continues to show up for Tessa every day, helping her overcome her fears and insecurities.

This is a sweet book about loss, friendship, healing and love between two teenagers who have had a rough go of things. This was a quick read with sweet characters. I loved the innocence and depth of their relationship. I was rooting for them throughout!

*I received an ARC of this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.*

I really wanted to like this novel since I really adore the author and her beautifully made YouTube videos on writing, but it was tiresome trying to get through this book. You can really tell that Abbie knows what she's doing when it comes to writing on a technical level, but the execution is poorly done.

First off, I found a lot of the main character's thoughts/mission statements being berated to the reader over and over again, sometimes even on the same page. And it felt like Abbie either didn't trust her skill enough, or didn't trust the reader to be smart enough, to understand the emotional journey the main character was going through.

It also read very plainly like an outline. Usually, when you're reading a book, if it's done well you're able to be fully immersed in the world and the characters. The plot points and the beats are all there, but you're too busy worrying and caring and learning about the character's to notice. That's not the case with this book, unfortunately.

I didn't care for any of the character's either. They didn't breathe. They were YA character's in a debut YA novel. They didn't feel real. I honestly can't tell you anything about Tessa other than she's temporarily blind and likes to write poetry. She's also a rude enough for it to be annoying, as Abbie really beats us over the head with it.

As I said, I really wanted to like this book. I was excited and thought I was going to love it. But even from page one, it really felt off, and the breath never left the page. I ended up skimming through the last portion of the book because I really, really, couldn't read any more of it. A painful thing for me to say since I really do like the author.

This is a review of the book though, not the author, so I had to be honest.

I will probably follow Abbie's work in the future, but I won't go out of my way to read it.

I absolutely loved this book. It was everything I needed in a book: lovable characters, swoon-worthy romance and an uplifting message. I fell in love with the characters instantly and, particularly Weston, was so inspiring and empowering. I really appreciated the representation of those with disabilities and I think it added lovely depth to the book.
But, despite the often heavy subjects, this story was still fun, light and lovely to fall into. For a debut novel, this was amazing and I can't wait to read more of Abbie Emmons' work in the future!

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

The first thing that caught my attention with 100 Days of Sunlight was the beautiful cover. The yellow. The pictures. Before I knew what the book was about I had decided I wanted to read the book. Yes. I judged a book by it’s cover. Once I actually read the synopsis, I wanted to read this book even more so. Now 2 days later, I sit here wishing the book had more to it as I wasn’t ready for it to end.

I very much enjoyed this book. I love how the author gave us insight to both of the main characters, Tessa and Weston. You get to experience both of their journeys to overcome their personal obstacles. There is more to life that what we SEE. The author dedicates a section to each of the other senses, showing more than the visual beauty in the world. People get so caught up in their lives they take for granted each of the senses we have. They are each amazing in their own way and Abbie Emmons helps remind us of that.

I hope those of you that choose to read 100 Days of Sunlight enjoy it as much as I did!

I can not begin to tell you how much joy this book gave me! Not only does Abbie Emmons tell a beautiful story of two people who needed each other she takes you on a journey with them. As I was reading this book I felt like I was a part of it! Every part of this book made me feel a little something as I read it.

100 Days Of Sunlight is a feel-great book and one that I am going to remember reading for a long time!

*I received this book to read in an exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

I counted down the days with Tessa.

This book was written so well, the plotline neatly brought forth, and that I truly expected from such a talented person :) The cover grabbed my attention, but the storyline even more. As I read it, I was gripped by the difficultly that Tessa faced, but also pulled forth with the hope of how the book would end. The sweetness of loving life with the help of Weston was sweet and made me smile. I love the progression of their relationship! :)

While I found the story sweet and gripped me from page one, the swearing and bad language was way too much...I actually had to stop reading a couple times because it hindered me from enjoying the actual story. I was aware going in that there would be swearing, but definitely more than I anticipated (even more than many YA or secular fiction I've read before). Really that is the main reason why I didn't love this book and I'm sad it took away my full enjoyment of an otherwise lovely story.

*Other content* There was talk about going to church (Tessa's grandfather is a pastor), and a couple mentions of unsure about believing in God. There were a couple kisses and some touching that enticed strong emotions.

Overall, I found this to be a sweet story that holds a lot of reminders for those struggling to face life each day.

Tessa Dickinson is a home-schooled, 16-yr old poetry blogger who lives with her grandparents. She has no friends, except for her blogging community friends who she group-chats with. When Tessa loses her eye-sight in an accident, she becomes miserable and angry and is no longer the same person she was before. In an attempt to cheer her up, her grandparents decide to run a advertisement looking for help - a typist - someone of Tessa's age to write in her blog while she dictates. Enter Weston Ludovico, son of the newspaper where the ad is about to be printed. He decides to help Tessa even though she refuses it and shuts the door in his face. He loves how he is poorly treated by Tessa not because he is some sick psycho but because he lost his legs three years ago and is tired of people treating him differently. The book describes 100 days of Tessa's life where she is temporarily blind and how her pessimistic self changes over the period.

When I first began with this book I thought why was Tessa's character written this way - so pessimistic, so cold and inconsiderate about actual visually impaired people who might be reading it. But let me tell you, this book has been written through the point of view of Tessa, who is recently blind, is unable to accept it and is rightfully angry about it. And there's a whole lot of sunshine and positive aspects that come up later in the book that makes the initial whining acceptable and realistic.

Weston's story was sooo good, so so good. I loved how the alternating POV's were used, from Weston's past and Tessa's present. I fell in love with how reckless he is initially showed and how he doesn't quit and grows through his pain and does not allow the amputation to stump his life. Instead of using all of it to Tessa and giving a TedX talk to her, he gradually shows her there's so much to life, so much more to experience and I totally loved how obnoxiously optimistic he is. And Weston's family ? God!! I loved every sibling of his and his mother, his best friend Rudy. They aren't just secondary characters and I loved how Abbie Emmons has given importance to every one of them.

This isn't your Insta-love story, because Tessa can't see and Weston isn't there to fall in love with her (initially..) but to help her cope up. This isn't about absent parents, prom dates, drugs or college applications. This is about finding light in the darkness and accepting yourself. This is a heartbreaking-uplifting kinda book that balances out romance, grief, friendship, family and happiness altogether.

"You're not your asthma," I continued "or your diabetes or you depression or your anorexia or your social anxiety. You see, most people would look at me and say that I have every right to be miserable. But I don't. I have no right. And neither do you."

Obviously, a 5 star read for me, considering it's a debut that is so beautifully written.

What an amazinggg story. I absolutely loved the premise of this plot and this feels like the cousin novel to Me Before You but unique in its own ways.

I have only recently gotten insight into the world of blindness by following Molly Burke’s story on youtube and if any of you want to learn more about blindness as a disability and the understand a little more of what blind people have to go through you should definitely check out her channel! Though Tessa is only temporarily blind, her journey is emotional and allows the reader to understand just a fraction of the frustration.

There is everything you need in contemporary: romance, interesting characters, a beautiful plot, and emotions galore. I can also picture how this book could be turned into a gorgeous movie as well! (So hurry up and pick up a copy so you can say you read it before it became famous!)

Oh what a light and unforgettable read this was! The story is unique with amazing characters which are developed beautifully. Readers of Eleanor & Park will enjoy this one.

If one word is used to describe this book, it has to be optimism. Home-schooled Tessa is temporarily blinded following a car accident. The church plays a big role in Tessa's life and is her main area of physical social interaction, but she's isolated herself and fallen into a depressive state.
Weston is hired to help her update her poetry blog and slowly uses his time to introduce her to everything that life still has to offer Tessa.
Tessa and Weston are complete opposites in lifestyle, family, attitude, outlook and behaviour, but somehow, they click.
Weston knows about despair and he has a strength of character that will leave you awestruck. I don't know if his background that helped him - he had to be strong for his brothers - or if it was just his wilful and upbeat nature. Perhaps it was a combination of the two, but it supported him through the most harrowing of times.
The story drip feeds Weston's history to give us a taste of the boy behind the philosophy. It grated at first as I wanted the book to be about Tessa. I thought it was going to be about Tessa. But actually, it was more about Weston and the influence of a positive attitude.
The romance is slow and sweet.

This book was fantastic. If you loved Five Feet Apart, you will also love this. Due to it being a YA book, it was a quick read. However, the depth of the characters and their relationships was astonishing. This book examined so many different facets of love. A parents’ love for their children, a grandparents ‘ love for their granddaughter, a love between friends, and a first love between two young people.

This was super cute! I went into this expecting a John Green-esque story, but what I got was even better! Tessa and Weston's unexpected friendship was refreshing, and Weston's life perspectives are beneficial to any reader. Highly recommend this!

100 DAYS OF SUNLIGHT is, by far, one of my favorite books of all time! Not only is it a real, bright, (at times brooding), emotional rollercoaster. But it is, for me, deeply relatable and personal. While there are books out there in the ether with themes of overcoming and bravery in the face of a daily challenge such as disability... I haven't felt quite like a story "gets me" as much as 1DOS. The author, Abbie Emmons, delves into the gritty emotions of struggling day to day when you think you'll never see or walk again. Her main characters, Tessa and Weston, help each other realize the potential that Life has all around them -- even when you're faced with the loss of one or more of your senses.

Tessa, blogger, neat-freak, and writer extraordinare, is blind -- injured in a car accident. Weston, daredevil, big brother, and all-around good guy, is an amputee -- injured in a moment of playful daring-do with his friends and brother. Together, they navigate the little triumphs and pitfalls of adapting to new life. What do you do when Life has beaten you down and you have no choice but to keep going? You adapt and keep going. I understand this all too well, met with challenges all my life. Though not an amputee, a condition called Cerebral Palsy has more or less broken the nerve signals between my brain and legs... Making it difficult and nigh impossible to walk. I am wheelchair bound after a lifetime of medical problems and personal choices... But I do not let it stop me. I live alone, pay my own bills, see my friends, graduated college, and even published my own Novel... All because I refuse to let one small lack in my Life define me. As Weston says, "You're not your asthma... or your diabetes or your depression or your anorexia or your social anxiety. You see, most people would look at me and say that I have every right to be miserable. But I don't. I have no right. And neither do you... You have a life."

I constantly have to remind myself to keep going, even when my own mind turns against me. I am a perpetual worrier and I overthink everything. I regularly get stiff legs and am in pain often. I have to crawl in my house sometimes to get from point A to point B. Then I'm in a wheelchair the rest of the time. Some days, the struggle to get up or get out is so tough I cry. I get scared when I wonder why my Life unfolded the way it has. I have anxiety, I have Cerebral Palsy, but I am not these diagnoses. And I Refuse, just like Weston and Tessa, to let them Define Me.

Anyway... If you want a cozy, happy, sad, fun, wild, relatable-as-fuck read... Look no further than 100 DAYS OF SUNLIGHT by Abbie Emmons.

The Quick Cut: A teen girl who blogs her poetry reluctantly allows a teen boy help her keep posting after an accident has left her temporarily blind. Drama ensues when emotions get real and secrets come out.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Abbie Emmons for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What would you do if you were left temporarily blind? Would you spend your days wallowing in the short term loss or doing your best to continue life as normal? Is loss, even when it's not permanent one, as painful as when there's no going back? These and more are the questions explored in the story of Tessa and Weston.

Tessa has spent her life being raised by her grandparents, barely knowing her mom and never knowing who her dad is. She was happy with the way things were until a drink driver hit her unique family and left her temporarily blind for 100 days. In order to help her cope, her Grandpa attempted to help by putting an ad out for a typist to continue her ability to post her on her poetry blog. However, when Tessa shuts it down and he calls to cancel the ad - Weston hears her story and fills the role... VERY MUCH to Tessa's displeasure at first. What she doesn't know though is that he knows where she's coming from because he's a double leg amputee (& he made her grandparents promise not to say a word).

This story has so much soul, I'm surprised it didn't sing all on its own. I could not put this one down from the moment I started to read and I'm happy I didn't! Tessa's pain over her blindness feels so raw and real, especially since on top of that - she continues to experience PTSD of the accident that caused her situation via nightmares. That along with the headaches, her symptoms and responses feel visceral in a way that makes it easy to put yourself in her shoes.

Weston is a double leg amputee who lost his legs due to a MRSA infection turned necrotic after a skateboarding accident. It meant that in order to save his life, his legs from below his knees had to be cut off for his own safety. Because we go back in time and see what happened to him, you understand how he can be so positive even after losing so much of himself.

Weston's role is perfect with how he desires to feel normal and be treated like anyone else. Tessa's situation is perfect for him and these two fill a hole each of them have in their lives. As a reader, you learn so much about being in their headspaces after losing pieces of themselves.

It's well written, heart thumping story that will make you want to come back for more.

My rating: 5 out of 5

*I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I read this book SO quickly. I was excited to read this, because I’m subscribed to Abbie on Youtube and she’s helped me with my writing. And listen, I haven’t read a book with a m/f couple in a while but 100 Days of Sunlight just changed it.

The story follows two main characters: Weston and Tessa. Weston has prosthetic legs and Tessa can’t see temporarily due a car crash. The book starts two weeks after Tessa’s accident and at first she’s obviously frustrated and wants to isolate herself, but when she meets Weston, even though she doesn’t know about him having no legs, she starts to appreciate what she has, instead of focusing on what she doesn’t.

While this book talks about disability, and that usually wouldn’t be my cup of tea, this book is a page turner and it was a really great read. The book is out August 7 and it’s available for preorder now.

I love reading a debut novel that makes me so excited for future works from the author! Tessa and Weston were surprisingly likable for me, and their little love & recovery story made me happy. The additions of poetry throughout the story were lovely, especially when one is put to song. I would LOVE to hear a rendition of that, anyone who has musical talent!!

What kept it from being higher rated was my difficulty in embracing the soul-deep "I love you"s from our 16-year-old main characters. The last few chapters fell into a bit of the usual trap, where one character pulls away because they fear they aren't good enough. I suppose I liked their chemistry building up to that more, and the exploration through the senses was awesome! I was so excited when I got to the first section and realized that's how it was going to be handled.

It's a good light read that you can get through in a day or two, and will make you smile and feel a bit more grateful for your own life. Find the sunlight in every day. :) Grab a copy on August 7, 2019!

Solid book. If you are looking for a good YA contemporary with sweet romance and strong family relationship, watch out for this.

I'm not a romance genre gal nor do I usually go for contemporary books but I loved this one and would certainly read more of Abbie Emmons books. 💜

Will come back to give a full review by pub date!!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I found Abbie by pure chance while looking for writing advice on the web, and I decided I would try and join her ARC team to show her my support. I don't think I'll ever regret it.

I should probably start by saying that 100 Days of Sunlight is quite far from what I would consider my genre and my niche—which is why I was surprised to enjoy it so much. But I guess the author is to thank for that: there is much of Abbie in her book, from coloured bookshelves to tasty waffles. Her spirit jumps all around the prose and breathes life into it. This leads to beautiful characters, such as Tessa and her grandparents, Weston and Rudy. It also leads to characters which feel human. And this is definitely the best aspect of 100 Days of Sunlight.

Abbie's book is about Tessa, a teenage girl who becomes temporarily blind due to a car accident. Following this event, Tessa will fall into her own abyss of darkness and self-loathing. Fortunate circumstances will make her cross paths with Weston, a reckless and stubborn boy who has lost his legs and is forced to walk on a pair of prosthesis. Weston will teach her love, beauty, and how to appreciate little things again, in a lovely scenario which sets the ground for an uplifting YA romance..

I loved 100 Days of Sunlight. It was a constant page-turner, thanks to Abbie's incredible storytelling skills. "Then why 4 stars?", you might ask. Because 100 Days of Sunlight, as heartwarming as it is, is far from flawless.

Abbie's style is so simple it helps the story stand out, but at the same time it might be off-putting for some readers, and it occasionally leads to redundant or repetitive statements in the prose. Her characters are all beautiful, but they somewhat lack their own, unique voice; and the structure focuses a lot—perhaps too much—on Weston and his past, at times diluting the plot and slowing the pace of the main story.

But there is ground for improvement. None of this is a major issue, at the end of the day. Despite these little, negligible flaws, Abbie’s book is still enjoyable, fun, entertaining and as heartbreaking as it can be. It made me shudder, sigh, shiver, hope, feel. Which is all a debut novel can really ask for.

In a nutshell, 100 Days of Sunlight is an uplifting journey about love, family, falling down below the ground and learning to rise again. It is all I was expecting from Abbie, and perhaps a little bit more. If you love YA and romance (and I definitely don't), you should give it a chance. And if you don't, do it anyway just as I did. Either way, it will be a journey worth embarking on.

This is just a glimpse of my opinion on the book, anyway—you can read my full review of Abbie's novel on my website! If you want to know more, check it out at http://anthonywolfwriter.com/100-days-of-sunlight-book-review/.