Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark - The Magnolia Parks Universe by Jessa Hastings Paperback

Jessa poured her entire mind and heart into this book and the direction she took is unlike anything I’ve read before. She jumped into the darkest corner of Magnolia’s grief and exposed the chambers of her heart one final time. She so seamlessly depicts the graphic inevitabilities of new and lifelong trauma, of every kind, while simultaneously cradling that trauma in her arms because she handles them with the delicacy and care they deserve. It’s dark and haunting. It lingers with pain in every corner. It’s tender and gentle in a way you don’t see very often. It’s a book that sometimes reaches its hand out to grab hold of yours, laces its fingers with yours. And other times, it lets go of your hand and pushes you so hard you fall head first. I’ve worn Magnolia and Beej on me, over the last three years, how you wear your favorite sweater. A sweater that is soft, comforting, and warm. One that you can wear throughout all four seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. A sweater that developed frayed edges and loose threads over time but now those frayed edges have been cut off and the loose threads have been sown together by hand. It has been such a treasure rooting for these two, individually and together, since page one of their story.