The Middle of Somewhere: the Secrets of a Lost Soul

Well, hello there! Long time no blogging!

It's not like I don't like telling you what I've been reading about, no; it's just that I haven't been opening many books in the past few months. Shame on me, yes! What am I thinking when this world is full of amazing stories waiting to be read, mysterious characters waiting to get into my head. I have missed reading. I crave it every now and then, so I decided to come up with a plan: in 2016 I will be reading at least 12 books in full (I have this habit of stopping midway). I think 12 is a good number for me - one for each month.
Well now, I've just added even more pressure to my plan because now you all  know about it, HA HA HA! How about we focus on the book I want to talk about today? The last book of 2015...

They all say this book is intense, but I don't completely agree with that. So here it goes.

The Middle of Somewhere, by Sonja Yoerg tells the story of Liz, a woman with a past and a lot of guilt, not revealed to her boyfriend, Dante. Perhaps in seek of redemption or at least some calm, she decides to hike the John Muir Trail. By herself. Well, that is until Dante decides to go too, as he doesn't want to be apart from her for so long. None of them are exactly the hiking type of people, as Liz is terrified of storms, and Dante is more of a fitness gym type of guy, but you'll know exactly who leads the way!

On the trail, they come across two brothers, Payton and Rodell Root. These mysterious men are not just some simple hikers in search of inner peace, and they make sure Liz knows that. They hike along with her, but they keep their distance, almost as if they weren't there. But you know they were...

However, these two are not Liz's only problem. Liz is a woman consumed by her past's mistakes, and this trip might be her chance to unleash even the darkest of secrets. But it is also an opportunity to be forgiven, to leave everything behind and to, maybe, be able to enjoy Dante's love. If he's still willing to offer it...

“Courage lays within easy reach of a child who knows nothing of how easily understanding can unravel, leaving a set of rules that apply to nothing, and an empty heart.” 

Coming back to this book being intense, let me tell you that it has its dose of unpredictability, and suspense, even painful sometimes, but I wouldn't call it intense!
I like Liz's character: strong, almost unafraid even when she does feel fear. She is a leader, and Dante knows it. She comes off as a tomboy or maybe an old soul - taking charge, making decisions, understanding the map and the wilderness, facing danger on her own. And also an introvert.  I believe she owes her personality to her childhood - barely present parents, each of them in their own worlds.
Dante, on the other hand, is the type who follows, he almost seems like he doesn't have a mind of his own. And he doesn't mind it, either. It's surprising when hit by secrets, how he can turn around and be his own man!

“Here, at the edge of this lake, on the broad flank of this mountain range, under the boundless sky in the middle of nowhere, she was small and bare and completely inconsequential…On this journey, she would travel deep into the indifferent wilderness to discover what was possible for her, and what could not be undone.” 

Sonja Yoerg www.sonjayoerg.com/

The story has its flow, and it seems to be going in a certain direction. And the more you read about Liz, the more she hides. But for some reason, I thought the ending would be more dramatic, more complicated and surreal. A type of ending you wouldn't think of. However, it was so common and ordinary. I say this because the story itself was flowing in a way that made you wonder "How is this going to end?".But maybe it's just me, as I'm a dreamer; one who believes in fairytales, and sees life like a Broadway play. Dramatic romances and story endings.

Overall, I liked this book. I felt drawn to it, and waited anxiously to have some free time to pick up where I left off. I would however, give it a different ending. If only the writer were me...

Secret: I picked this book off the shelf at the drug store. The title got me! Yeah, I am one of those...
Secret 2: I now want to hike the John Muir Trail.

Rating: 8/10