Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye Blog Tour Stop

Hi everyone!  Today I am super excited to be posting for the Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye Blog Tour, hosted by CBB Book Promotions.  Today I will be posting a review, excerpt, and giveaway, so let's get started!

Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye
by Shari A. Brady
Pages: 260
Release Date: June 11, 2012
by CreateSpace

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Before my older sister Francesca died, I worked at the bakery and wrote songs, but now I write lists. Lists like ten reasons why it's my fault Francesca's dead, or five reasons why I should try and win Howie back, or one reason why I need to stop lying to everyone, including myself.
Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is an extraordinary novel about one family's struggle to make sense of their world after losing a family member to addiction. Through sixteen-year-old Carmella's eyes, we witness the courage and strength it takes to overcome the consequences of grief, guilt and co-dependency. With conviction and determination, Carmella shows us what can happen when we're open to love, feel the pain of our loss, and find the courage to accept the truth of our lives.

~Excerpt~

People come from suburbs all around the Chicago area just so Mrs. Sparacini can make them one of her cakes. This is a quiet time of day for the bakery so she likes me to take care of customers so she can catch up on paperwork. When there aren’t any customers in the bakery, I put stuff away in the back. I’d love to learn how to decorate cakes like Mrs. Sparacini, but I’ve never told her. I’m sure if I did, she wouldn’t take me seriously, so what’s the point?I push the swinging door open and Anna turns around as the two cutest guys in the entire world walk in. Tying my apron, I walk towards the counter. Anna’s eyes fall out of her skull. “Can I help you?” I wipe my face, imagining I’ve got MY SISTER IS DEAD written all over it. “We’re looking for Mrs. Sparacini,” the tall dimpled guy says. His hair is cut just above his eyebrows, his jaw squared-off like he’s some model or something. I wonder how God doles out dimples. “Oh, sure. One second. You decide what you want yet?” I ask Anna. She glances over at them, then back at me. “Hmm. Can’t decide. The more time I spend in this place, the better things get.” Anna puffs her chest out and smiles. I’m sure my face turned a bright shade of purple, blue or pink. Or maybe chalk-white like all the blood has rushed out of my body. Anna’s fearless flirting catches me off guard. I spin around, my head down. “I’ll go get Mrs. Sparacini.” I walk into her office. “There are a couple of guys out front to see you.” Mrs. Sparacini peers over her half-glasses, her old chair squeaks. “What guys?” She stretches her neck squinting at the calendar on the wall. “Oh, right, completely forgot.” She holds her hand up to her forehead, smashing down her salt and pepper hair. “They’re here to order a birthday cake for a little boy. I guess he’s pretty sick. Tell them I’ll be right out.” I nod. I hear Anna flirting as I approach the door. This can only mean one thing: She’s struck up a conversation and I’ll be forced to actually speak to them. I push the door open to the front, and rush straight for the cash register. They all turn towards me. “She’ll be right out.” I think I’m smiling. Can’t tell what I’m doing from the shock of communicating with boys who don’t totally gross me out. “Thanks,” cute short-haired guy says. “Carmella. I’d like you to meet Jeremy and Howie.” Anna holds her hands out like she’s serving them up on platter. I nod. “Grace to neat you. I mean, nice to meet you.” Ugh

~Giveaway~

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