The Paper Swan

I finished reading 53 Letters For My Lover 2 days ago. Leylah Attar gently destroyed me and pieced me back together with her brilliant and eloquent prose. She is a true wordsmith. After finishing 53 Letters For My Lover (followed by From His Lips), I knew I needed to immediately dive head first into The Paper Swan. Sometimes, I find authors write very similar stories which is fine, but predictable. The Paper Swan is an absolutely beautiful tale about love, loss, vengeance, redemption, and peace. Her stories are unpredictable, beautifully written, and leave me feeling like an addict needing a word fix. More, please!

Sweet baby Jesus this book was fantastic. Like, there were times I was so sick to my stomach I almost couldn't finish the bowl of popcorn I was eating (that's a lie, I always finish my popcorn) but there were also times my tummy was a flutter with love-happy butterflies.

It's a really messed up story about second-chance love.

Kinda.

Sorta, not really...

BUT IT IS!

Gah...so good.

OH MY.....yes another Amazing book by Ms. Attar. This powerful love story will blow your mind. It takes you from when from when both Skye and Damian are children up to when they are young adults. This book will make you cry, laugh and leave you with your mouth open saying..."What!" Again, Ms. Attar has a way of placing you right in the story. Oh such an amazing read!!

WOW!!!!

There are no words to describe how EPICALLY AMAZING this book is!!! Leylah pulls you in and make you FEEL EVERYTHING!!

Going into this book I thought I had it all figured out and everything was going to end up that way. However, by the end, I was gripping my kindle against my chest smiling and praying there was more! This book is an experience and MUST be FELT!!!

I want to scream from the rooftops how much I LOVE this book, but I don't want to give anything away. Just know that YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!

What a beautiful story of true love overcoming betrayal. To be honest, I found myself figuring out the suspenseful parts and anticipating them before they happened. What I didn't expect was the pure sweet romance of true love, and the need to be together. The words of love shared between Damian and Skye are what made this book for me. So sweet, romantic, and full of hope. If you need a love story, this is lovely.

Leylah Attar has woven together a beautiful novel of love, redemption, anger, beauty, and revenge. This novel had me cringing, crying, and laughing as it turned from mystery and rage to love, romance, and saucy seduction. Although it did have a bit of erotica woven into it, the characters took their time to get there much like a normal relationship should. The conclusion of the novel was well-developed and left me crying with the characters. I honestly went through every emotion possible while reading this gem and would highly recommend it. Some books are a struggle to read. The Paper Swan was a JOY to hold in my hands!

This book came highly recommended. I was a few days behind everyone else in reading it, but everyone in my online book club was raving about it so I had high expectations. It started off very intense. LOVED Part One. Then after that, it kinda fell short for me. It wasn't as dark as everyone was saying (for me, the most intense part of the book was the beginning). After that, I pretty much figured out what would happen next. Still well written and I will definitely read more by this author.

Paper Swan by Leylah Attar completely and I mean completely off guard.
You are immediately hit with an onslaught of emotions that grip you and pull you under. Paper Swan is on one of those books that consume you, hold you captive and release you on the other side...changed.
You will be taken out of your comfort zone, challenged and left guessing and staggering at every revelation, every plot twist.
A definite must read and easily makes it in my top 5 of the year.

This book came highly recommended. I purchased it in audio and ebook forms. I started listening to it in the car and was immediately shocked. I was like, "What the hell is happening to this person!??!!" I promise you, for anyone who wants to read a great story -- this is a book for you. It gets so great and it comes full circle. It's definitely worth the read. The story is absolutely fabulous. You will love it. Stick with it. :-)

Wow, just wow. This is an absolutely amazing book, that I couldn't put down. The author writes with such grace, that her word's have a little magic in them. You never know where their taking you, until you're there and your jaw has hit the ground. This book is full of surprises that you won't see coming. I'm sad it's over, but I guess that is what great book's do to you. Definitely recommend.

Skye and Esteban don't have a a simple relationship, so this book was filled with layers of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. But, mostly it was filled with layers of love. This story is what happens when our love for others is tested, strained, and misunderstood. I enjoyed each moment; at times gripping my seat in anticipation, and relished in the happiness that was brought with watching love grow and mature through it all. Love Don't Die.

"You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.”

I'm not going to say much about the plot of this book because I went into it blind. I knew that many people had declared it their favorite book of the year. I knew that it had a beautiful cover. But that's about it.

This book slowly builds. It weaves an amazing story. An adventure. It's the kind of book you cherish and stay up late reading.

There's just something about the way Ms. Attar writes that's magical. It's like she spun the story out of thin air, creating a tapestry that was so full of emotions I could just cry. Esteban's story was heart wrenching. Damien and Skye were mesmerizing. Life isn't always pretty and Ms. Attar shows it through her characters. Such a wonderful story and poetically written. A must read.

Absolutely loved this book! From start to finish, I didn't want to put to it down, but pesky work and sleep got in the way of that. Beautifully descriptively written. I couldn't wait to see how it ended, but I didn't want it to end. First read by this author and it wont be my last. So glad I clicked this book after reading a blurb from Aestas! The only negative, now I suffer from a huge book-hangover.

I just loved this story. The writing was beautiful and the characters, though flawed, were very likable. There were so many twists and turns I really wasn't sure how this was all going to play out. Since I so enjoyed Ms. Attar's writing, just picked up another of her books. She will be on my list of authors to follow. I am so glad that we were told that this story was not about a love triangle but something much more complex. It was a real page turner.

Wow just wowwwwwwww, lovelovelove it! I don't rate many books 10 stars only the realllllly good ones, this is one of them and the other one is Under the Influence by LB Simmons. One of my top favorite books ever! Beautifully,flawlessly written, gripping,addictive,intense,funny, couldn't- put- my- kindle- down book,heartbreaking. I cried,laughed,cried,cried.....love seeing the love blooms between Damian,Skye and Sierra. I have no more words for you only READ,READ it!

I just devoured this book in one sitting. This book just grabs your attention from the first sentence and sucks you right in. I found it impossible to put it down! The way the story is told plays with your emotions and just makes you feel so much. The plot twists are amazing, and when you think you have it all figured out, you get rug pulled from under you yet again. Simply brilliant!!!!

"The truth doesn’t always set you free. The truth can kill you, slice open your innards and turn everything inside out."

Leylah Attar's The Paper Swan just blew my mind. Truly. This author took everything I've come to expect of romance, of suspense, of the captor/captive dynamic, and turned it completely upside down. This story is so refreshingly original and so superbly executed, it's absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year... one of my favorite reads EVER! I tried to read it slowly, to savor it, but that was near impossible because I simultaneously wanted to devour it without taking a single breath. It's frightening and intriguing, jaw-dropping and heart-stopping, intense and somewhat dark. It's sexy and sultry and as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. I can't recall the last time I was made to feel so many different emotions within the span of one book. From beginning to end, the reader is taken on an unpredictable ride that had me scared to death at times, furious the next, leaving tears in my eyes on one page, and smiling from ear to ear the next. Joyful and painful flashbacks and the terror and brutality of the present day juxtapose with a fierce, terrifying attraction to make for a story that is impossible to predict. I was all over the place with my emotions, hating and loving and grieving and dreading and hoping and longing. I felt everything in this book, from the first page to the very last.

"I knew better than to romanticize my captor, but there it was—sick and twisted and disgusting as it was."

The heart-stopping course of events that drives The Paper Swan is like nothing I've ever read. It's an intense, passionate, gripping story of vengeance and love, self-discovery and redemption that transcends time and circumstance. Every word, every page brings the reader to another unexpected twist on this thrilling, dark journey. My heart broke for these characters, feared them and feared for them, rooted for them, all the while both craving and dreading what would come next.

"We are sand and rock and water and sky, anchors on ships and sails in the wind."

The writing in this book is absolutely stunning. Poetic, lyrical prose and authentic, fluid dialogue illustrate an unforgettable storyline that wove it's way so deeply under my skin, I'm still reeling. I highlighted line after glorious line, not only because each and every word spoke to me in a profound way, but because Attar's sentences are as exquisite as her story is spellbinding. This book is perfection in every way a story can be. I was skeptical that 53 Letters for My Lover could be topped. Having loved that book as completely as I did, I was convinced this author came out at the top of her game. But with The Paper Swan comes my certainty that this author will only keep upping the ante with each new story. This book is so much more passionate, more vivid, more gritty and intense than I ever anticipated. What Leylah Attar has done with The Paper Swan is origami at its finest, taking pages and intricately crafting them into a stunning work of art. It's a must-read epic love story, but that's really just the tip of the iceberg. It's so much more. This story is everything.

The Paper Swan
By Leylah Attar

5+ stars!

There are a few authors/writers that I will one-click automatically and reactively…without so much as a glance as to the title, teaser or review. That number just increased by one—Leylah Attar. Book Blogger reviews often paint a rosier picture of the writing than I have found to be true which is why I rarely read reviews anymore (except my own naturally). HOWSOMEVER, something made me attend to the number of rave reviews The Paper Swan was (and is) getting; so I one-clicked. And Oh Sweet Baby Jesus in the Manger, am I glad I did. This is one of those books that will pierce your heart, swallow your soul, embed in your gut and meld with your spirit.

Those of you who DO read my reviews know that I rarely supply quotes and snippets to lure; and I do that for a reason. First, I am not a professional reviewer and do not have the patience or writing skills to put together a long, detailed review, rife with significant and powerful quotes. Second, I also do not have the skills to put together a review that offers insight into the book without spoilers. So, what remains is the viscera…the gut reaction and emotional response to the story, the characters, the voice of the writer and the way that writer uses her/his voice to tell the tale..literally how the words are put down and what words are used. This wonderful book, The Paper Swan, spotlights Ms Attar’s talent for all of that.

Here we have a love story…big woo. YET, here we have a love story that plumbs the depths of rationality as things are much different than they appear and that very premise sets the stage for the evolution of the book. And what an evolution it is. The span of time that it takes for the two primary characters to ‘be’, ‘un-be’, 'not-be',‘re-be’ and ‘we-be’ is over the course of years. There is a dance and journey between these two that takes them from childhood through adulthood with a myriad of twists, turns, upheavals, violence, sensualness, despair, loathing, realization, and ultimately liberation. Set in the beautifully dangerous Mexican world of the cartel, those who are snared by its power, and those able to rise against and above it, The Paper Swan offers us a glimpse into a struggle about which we truly know little. It’s a perfect setting as it is a parallel world to that of our leads. (The reason I do not name the leads is that there is even a small spoiler in that).

For this 69 year old romantic-to-infinity, the crux of the book is Chapter 34. It is the singularly most beautiful chapter of a singularly beautiful book. It captures all the chaos, pathos, epiphany, abiding love and ultimate redemption that this book winds its way toward. I am one voice among many who are telling you to GET THIS BOOK and live (not a typo) it. My heart didn’t stand a chance and I am darn glad of it.

Absolutely fantastic. It's heartbreaking and full of tension, yet overwhelmingly beautiful. The writing is outstanding, and I discovered several amazing quotes that I found myself rereading and highlighting. It's a book that I cherished and one I won't soon forget. I can't recommend it enough. I am so glad I purchased this book. What a beautiful story.

This book was not your average love story. It also wasn't as predictable as other love stories. It kept you guessing and as the story continued, the reader is able to get emotionally involved in the characters. Sometimes you'll want to dislike the them, but just can't help cheering for them.
I gave it 4 stars because although I really liked it, it's not the kind of story that I want to rave about with all of my friends.

What a wonderful, wonderful book. There is much emotion in this book. This was my first book by this author. I will read more books by her. Take the time to read this book and find out what true love is.

The Paper Swan was a heartwarming story. It traversed through time fluidly and took you languidly to its destination. It was nothing for the book to wait 5, 7, 10 years to get to a point. The wait was part of the journey. Damian and Skye were ready for that journey. And yeah a lot of messed up things happened along the way but it always came back to the two children Damian and Skye playing in the yard, in love and happy.

So in love with this book. The first Leylah Attar book and it is by far one of the best I have read all year.

If you haven't pick this one up yet your missing out.

What happens when you're held hostage on a boat with your kidnapper?

Where will he take you and what does he want?

This will keep you on the edge of your seat and you won't be able to put it down till it's over

This book is perfect and everything on it its carefully written every detail every word every scene is exactly a it should be.it was one of the most beautiful stories that I have ever read..it will be stuck with me forever.

This book has managed to wrap around my heart and touch my soul. It will be with me for years to come as one of my all time favorite reads.

Leylah Attar is a poet, a philosopher, a romantic, a risk taker, and an undeniably talented artist.
Some people write books, but a true artisan pulls you so completely into another world that words become a canvas for your mind. Leylah Attar is a true artisan in the crafting of her worlds.

heard many positive things about this book. thought it started out strong, kept me engaged, but i felt the 2nd half dragged on to the point of losing my interest. the ending was dissapointing for me as well. curious as to the rave reviews i read. definitely different from many books in its genre but average at best.

I bought The Paper Swan because it was highly suggested in a few of the blogs I follow. I am so glad I bought it! I loved the story, the cover, the setting, the characters...everything!
Damien and Skye's relationship is a love story that spans time, crosses countries, sails oceans, and plays on beaches.
Fantastic book! I will definitely be checking out more of Leylah Attar's work.

What a beautifully crafted story--filled with all too real horrors that make the sweetest moments even more beautiful. You can't have a "real" love story and it be filled with only the perfect moments. There is no such thing. And how would we know beauty without ugliness and pain. These two (or three) absolutely deserved their happy ending. Thank you for the journey, Leylah Attar!

This novel had a great premise and had much promise. However some parts were overly dragged out; and the ending seemed too hurried. . Much of the story was predictable but there were also many twists and turns. The explicit sexual scenes were unnecessary and added nothing to the story. It spoiled an otherwise prettygood book for me. However I was satisfied overall. Just not a 5 star for me.

You remember those times trying to decide how many stars to give a book? This was not one of those times. Never, did I ever, not know this is a 5 star book. Never. Not when I felt hate, despair, pity, anxious or love. I intensely felt this amazing story. Reminding me as a mom, that childhood events and emotions don't just stay within childhood, but follow throughout life.

What a brilliant book!!! Fantastic intro. Intriguing development. Unbelievable twist. Thorough background and character development. Fascinating details that wrap back around to meaningful stuff. Dark and horrific moments in some chapters while Others are warm and intimate. I looooooved this book. Absolutely adored everything written between the covers.

I may have made a mistake reading this book right after Ms. Attar's first two books, because it's difficult not to make comparisons. Although The Paper Swan is well written, it lacks the poetry that seemed to flow so effortlessly in From His Lips and in 53 Letters For My Lover. I have no issue with a darker read; however, I never felt a connection with any of the characters, and for me, that was the biggest problem. I understand that the circumstances and the disparate journeys of these two people dramatically altered them. But in the end, I simply couldn't connect on an emotional level with either of them. I also didn't feel there were any real surprises. I guessed who Damian was from the beginning and figured his story would be a tragic one. I skimmed parts of the story where I felt it was taking too long, or was becoming repetitive. Unfortunately, The Paper Swan missed the mark for me. But I still think Ms. Attar is a wonderful writer, and based on her first two books, I am looking forward to what she publishes next.

Leylah Attar has crafted a gripping love story that will drag you to the lowest of the lows and lift you to the highest of the highs. It grabbed me by the throat from page one and did not let go until the very last word on the page. I absolutely LOVED IT! I laughed, I cried, I railed at the injustice of two innocent children paying the price for choices that were not their own.

Skye (the boss’s daughter) and Esteban (the housekeeper’s son) grow up together. He’s the ying to her yang. Though the class distinctions are clear, these children share a strong emotional bond. Soon they are torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. The wheels of revenge are now set in motion. We meet Skye again as an adult on the night of big birthday party. Unfortunately, for her, at the time she’s on her knees with a ruthless killer holding a gun to her head.

You may think you have a good idea about what's going on here and that this is going to go the way it usually goes in these kind of stories. Well, I have news for you - you are wrong. Very wrong. The characters are complex, the story layered and the ending is masterful. I don’t want to give too much away because I think it’s best to go into this blind. The Paper Swan has a strangle hold on my emotions even days after finishing it.

Here is one of the many lines that I love from this book - “You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.” As you get into The Paper Swan you will feel the full import of those words.

I am obsessed with this author. I am in awe of her skill. Her timing is flawless and her pacing takes us along for a hell of a ride. I will not soon forget the story of Skye and Damian. Trust ME you won't either.

Lies, tragedy, betrayal, misunderstanding, and mainly love and the circumstances of all of the above is what pretty much sum up this book. Lives intertwined pulled apart, hatred for the things that happen and aren't fully understood and how it affects the mind and there future and there pasts.

This is a book about many things love, social status, injustice, revenge, betrayal, honor and a love that was found, lost then found again. It's about letting go of the hate that consumes so you can finally let the beauty in. Esteban/Damian and Skye love story is not a simple story but one of so many lessons and so many feels you'll never let go!

I may have made a mistake reading this book right after Ms. Attar's first two books, because it's difficult not to make comparisons. Although The Paper Swan is well written, it lacks the poetry that seemed to flow so effortlessly in From His Lips and in 53 Letters For My Lover. I have no issue with a darker read; however, I never felt a connection with any of the characters, and for me, that was the biggest problem. I understand that the circumstances and the disparate journeys of these two people dramatically altered them. But in the end, I simply couldn't connect on an emotional level with either of them. I also didn't feel there were any real surprises. I guessed who Damian was from the beginning and figured his story would be a tragic one. I skimmed parts of the story where I felt it was taking too long, or was becoming repetitive. Unfortunately, The Paper Swan missed the mark for me. But I still think Ms. Attar is a wonderful writer, and based on her first two books, I am looking forward to what she publishes next.

I let go......of my tears , unabashedly and found this beautiful treasure of a book. The story touches your heart from page 1 to the last word. Ms.Attar is an accomplished writer, her story has hundreds of threads Of emotions and sentiments woven intricately into a beautiful tapestry which spans months , years and lives. There are 8 main characters in all, but all are there for a reason. Their lives intertwined, their actions affecting others lives and their emotions either reciprocated or crushed by the others.
Esteban and skye are two innocent kids growing up together in Casa Paloma. Her nanny , his mom , MaMaLu is a mother to both of them. Her presence moulds Skye's childhood, she's a beutiful child , innocent, beautiful, pampered and totally guileless. Esteban falls in love with her and all his childhood is spent in the shadow of Sedgewicks. He's a wronged child, full of love for Skye and MaMaLu but very frustrated with his standing in life.
Tragic events tear apart his life , scattering his loved ones, his life into the wind and he's left standing defenseless, in hostile territory, alone and full of vengeance.
This story is a roller coaster ride of events and emotions is putting ut mildly. Every scene is linked together to another. No single word is said or written which isn't chain linked to an event later in life. Attar narrates it beautifully. I cried during most of the book, Skye and Estebandido and MaMaLu just walked right into my heart and pulled at my heartstrings. I will NEVER forget them......ever! Beautiful doesn't even begin to cover it. It's poignant, heartwarming, gutwrenching, heartbreaking tale
"Sometimes everything gets dismantled so something better can be pieced together.”
Attar made me a believer ...*sniff**sob*?

Leylah Attar has crafted a gripping love story that will drag you to the lowest of the lows and lift you to the highest of the highs. It grabbed me by the throat from page one and did not let go until the very last word on the page. I absolutely LOVED IT! I laughed, I cried, I railed at the injustice of two innocent children paying the price for choices that were not their own.

Skye (the boss’s daughter) and Esteban (the housekeeper’s son) grow up together. He’s the ying to her yang. Though the class distinctions are clear, these children share a strong emotional bond. Soon they are torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. The wheels of revenge are now set in motion. We meet Skye again as an adult on the night of big birthday party. Unfortunately, for her, at the time she’s on her knees with a ruthless killer holding a gun to her head.

You may think you have a good idea about what's going on here and that this is going to go the way it usually goes in these kind of stories. Well, I have news for you - you are wrong. Very wrong. The characters are complex, the story layered and the ending is masterful. I don’t want to give too much away because I think it’s best to go into this blind. The Paper Swan has a strangle hold on my emotions even days after finishing it.

Here is one of the many lines that I love from this book - “You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.” As you get into The Paper Swan you will feel the full import of those words.

I am obsessed with this author. I am in awe of her skill. Her timing is flawless and her pacing takes us along for a hell of a ride. I will not soon forget the story of Skye and Damian. Trust ME you won't either.

Lies, tragedy, betrayal, misunderstanding, and mainly love and the circumstances of all of the above is what pretty much sum up this book. Lives intertwined pulled apart, hatred for the things that happen and aren't fully understood and how it affects the mind and there future and there pasts.

This is a book about many things love, social status, injustice, revenge, betrayal, honor and a love that was found, lost then found again. It's about letting go of the hate that consumes so you can finally let the beauty in. Esteban/Damian and Skye love story is not a simple story but one of so many lessons and so many feels you'll never let go!

Loved. Loved this book, it had my heart melting, eyes teary and all. I felt all kinds of goose bumps with this one. This author has a special way with her words, expressing love, describing romantic scenes and physical chemistry (the sizzle.) I couldn't put the book down! Holy-guacamole. This book was just that good.

Amazing! All consuming tale. This author is a true story teller. One of the few books you'll always remember. I'm so glad I read this novel. It starts from page 1 and you go through this journey with these characters. It had it all drama, action, lo e that spanned a lifetime and of course redemption. Truly moving tale. Bravo to this author

This book was absolutely amazing!! It was a very emotional roller coaster for me. I cried, and smiles and had ever emotion you can think of. It was so hard for me to put the book down. I just had to keep finding out what happen after each chapter. I highly recommend this book, and can't wait for a few of my friends to read it so we can talk about !. Very sad I have finished it. I didn't want their story to end, but very happy with how it ended!!

WONDERFUL READ...... finished it in two days.... that says plenty I work very very full time and have two toddlers!!!!! didn't sleep much but reading is my escape and this was a wonderful read. I truly enjoyed it. I got angry, happy, cried, I was pleasantly surprised... I don't over react but I loved the story line.

The only way a future reader will understand my initial comment is by reading this extraordinary book. When I commenced reading, there was no way in hell I could have predicted the entire plot line. Looks can be deceiving, to be sure, but the reader is rewarded 100-fold. Buy the book; you will not regret it.