intense, heartfelt story
355367
Such a well written story about this young girl in Germany. Still hard to imagine in this day and age what happened in those years, yet this story managed to embrace the struggle and strife of these people.  The author captured my heart with all their stories.
274827
An overwhelmingly heartfelt story. The first chapter alone is an emotional rush that breaks your heart.  A heart wrenchingly, tragic accident has destroyed Kate Taylors life. Two years later, she finds herself alone and needing to find solace and a reason for living again. After many therapy sessions and realizing that living with her mother is not really helping her, she decides to go on a cross country road trip in order to find herself and see if she can move on with her life. Enter Ryan Grant, the son of her mothers friend, and whom her Mother has just dumped on her to give him a ride to Seattle, since he hates flying. Add in the fact that hes tall, dark and handsome and hes quite the perfect catch. At first he seemed a little crass, but as the story unfolds there are several sides to Ryan Grant, hes charming, kind, and knows what it means to experience loss. Throughout their cross country trip feelings emerge and love starts to seep in. J. Saman does a great job of describing all these wonderful places and lets the reader really feel the ambiance of the places they visit. I have to say I am not into tear jerkers, but I really liked this story. I loved the undeniable pull between Katie and Ryan, their sweet banter and realness, they are hot and magnetic.  I really appreciated how J.Saman leads you through the true emotional turmoil that it is to lose a child, as well as what it takes to really move on without the fear of forgetting the love of your life. Its a sweet romance about starting over and finding love in the most unexpected places. I really enjoyed this book, it made me cry, it made me laugh, and it made me feel the anguish and love that pass through these two people. Well done Miss Saman.
4570370
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is intense. The story is well written, and it is easy to find yourself drawn in and emotionally invested. This isn't a casual read, it demands your attention; and to be honest, it deserves it. I loved Naiva, and not just because her cautiousness speaks to my soul. She is lovely and strong and righteous. This truly was a fantastic book.
247674
Such a heart-wrenching story. A true story of the horrible tragedy a man lived through and the evidence that our loved ones who have passed are still watching over us. This will make you think hard about your own life and what's really important.
I love how it is written-very clearly real, in his own words showing the raw emotion and vulnaribility we all feel sometimes. Opening our eyes to what someone really goes through when faced with such devastating events as these. So maybe when something like this happens to someone we know, we are able to have more compassion and understanding. I absolutely loved this book!
4653297
From the very first page of the book, the reader is immersed into the chaotic world of Jessie Kasper. Fair warning, you will need a ton of tissues if you think you can handle reading this book. I cried my eyeballs out! One person can only handle so much pain before they collapse. This story follows a young high school kid named Jessie who suffers more heartache than most.

Jessie's life takes a turn for the worst when his mother, and brother suffer untimely death's due to cancer. Like any one who has lost someone they love, Jessie has no idea what he will do without them. His intense, sophistic fear of his loved ones leaving him to deal with the nature of the world forces him to lash out on his own body, thinking he is sick. Jessie reaches an extreme low in his life, and it's unclear that he will recover. If it were not for his friends, and family, Jessie would surely dwindle to nothingness.

When a girl named Kacey comes to town, she captivates Jessie, and the two fall in love. Their strong, and  promising relationship blossoms, and the pair are inseparable. We find that the characters have a good deal in common, and really seem to get each other. There are so many elements that bring this novel to be on my favorites list. My emotions were stirred by this unbelievably enticing, and addictive book. I'm sure I cried out enough tears to fill a bucket! 5 stars all around!
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4504878
This is such a powerful story full of so many emotions, but the overall message for me was that love can heal even the toughest wounds. As a debut novel, I have to say that ms Nahmani has a bright future in front of her.

They were thrown together their first time in a moment of need for Aria. They reconnect in a more pressing time of need for both of them. Dorian is a tortured soul who came home from war much less than the man he was when he left. While Aria is battling her stability as her dad fights cancer. This story is full of emotions and trauma, but the author does a great job of connecting the reader with the feelings...especially thru the songs she lists throughout the book.

There were many songs that meant something to me after listening, but Not Alone by Red was definitely the biggest impact - so much so that I shared it on Facebook as soon as hearing it. AND it was perfectly placed in the novel as well.

Dorian saves Aria from a life of seclusion - self-induced - by just being there for her. Aria saves Dorian from the fate he feels he deserves by giving him the gift of touch back. I can only hope that everyone will give this book a chance. Its a wonderful story that will surely pull your heartstrings.

** I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review **
4428061
Heartbeat is not an easy book to read. The situation it revolves around is unique  Emmas mother is brain dead, but her body is being kept alive because Emmas baby brother is growing inside of her. But a part from the dramatic conflict of the situation it revolves around, theres weightiness to every word of this story. Its nearly impossible to avoid feeling the full force impact of the emotions that plague Emma  a deep despair, a growing anger, festering resentment and an ache of emptiness that won't go away.

These emotions are harsh and negative, so its not unexpected that readers will find it difficult to like Emma at first. I struggled with understanding all the provocation, the bite to Emmas remarks, her lack of interest in her former passions and goals and the stone exterior to her emotions, especially with her stepfather. But if her situation is considered  shes young and just lost the one person in the world she loves most  it makes a whole lot more sense. Elizabeth Scott portrays Emmas grief and hurt in a way that was so real that I wanted to hug her a lot of the time!

As Heartbeat progresses, the truth behind Emmas feelings is revealed. I really liked that most of the revelation comes from witnessing Emma in a few key moments of vulnerability  with her mother, her stepfather, her best friend and even this boy Calvin. Her relationships with each one of them affect her journey with grief. With her mother, it keeps pulling her back into despair to be so close to her, but to know that shes no longer really here. With her stepfather, shes angry with him for putting her in this situation without consulting her first, thus breaking apart the close relationship they formerly had. Then theres Olivia, her best friend, who provides a sense of normalcy and comfort, and Calvin, who understands all of Emma, even the pieces that appear to be broken.

Heavy and thought-provoking, Heartbeat was interesting. Its an introspective sort of novel, so it takes things a little longer to progress. But it allows readers to really get to know Emma, and understanding how she feels and why is key to appreciating the story. Heartbeat also does an incredible job of showcasing Emmas various relationships, as well as inspiring the reader to try to put herself in Emmas shoes (or maybe those of other characters) and try to figure out what they would do in that situation. For that alone, Id say it was well worth my time to read.
288111
As sad and harrowing as this story was, I could not put it down. I, as the reader, really felt every emotion from every single point of view. I sympathized with Emily. She made me remember how important the smallest things were as a teenager, and how that no way out feeling leaves you desperate. I wanted to scoop Chris up in my arms and just save him. The story enthralled me and kept me so wrapped up. I felt in the story the entire time, like I was part of it. This story will take You in so many directions and will have you questioning how you would handle a situation such as this. Be prepared to cry. Jodi Picoult truly shows her talent with this story. A must-read!
862330
Once I began this book, I had trouble putting it down. Then when I put it down, I had a hard time getting it out of my mind. Cassiel and Alana will stay with you long after you finish, and you'll probably wish the author had included a epilogue so you can make sure things really did come out all right and they truly lived happily ever after.

This couple had enormous obstacles to overcome before they could be together, and toward the end, you don't see how they're ever going to make it. Stephanie Freeman provides an intense and emotional read that will engage your every sense. Enjoy!
3684885
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Oh my!  This book is packed full of so many emotions, it was overwhelming, but in a good way.  The plot was extremely well written, grabbing and maintaining my attention until the end.  It was hard to put down once I got started.  The story is extreme, but also very real.  The subject is not what we hear of very often, but I would imagine happens often enough.  Human trafficing will always be a concern in the world, and this touches on it and how it could easily happen to anyone, and the struggles a survivor has to regain their lives if they are lucky enough to escape.
The characters are real and make it easy to "get into their heads" and feel all they are experiencing as you read.
I won't get into the synopsis, as there are sufficient reviews that have already done so, but I do recommend you read this.  It is an extremely heart grabbing story that will tear your heart apart, then slowly put it back together, bigger and better.
2500712
Roman and Leo's story is, at times, heartrending to read, whether it be Roman's back story or how in love and hopeful they had been as teenagers only to have everything ripped apart. This book comes with trigger warning, specifically those having to do with homophobia and familial violence. Without giving too much away, one of the main characters suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and repressed emotions and memories. For a great deal of the book, the intensity is there but right beneath the surface, almost as if the reader is waiting for everything to come to a head. The author deserves kudos for taking this story in a direction that I wasn't expecting, and the resolution, while a long-time coming given it was all set into motion when Roman and Leo weren't even adults, played out in what I felt was the best possible and most realistic manner. This is a book that I won't soon forget and I hope you experience the same when you discover His Truth. Five-plus stars.
3602692
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was blown away by this story.  It is told from multiple perspectives, giving this reader a wide range of emotions and leaving my heart wide open for a conclusion that blasted right through me.  It was NOT a feel good novel, by any means.  Child abuse and neglect, substance abuse and recovery, the loss of a child, feelings of guilt and self doubt...  it is all laid bare.  The ending left me reeling, and teats were shed.  There were no good guys or bad guys, just...  a hard life all around.  Ms. Clayton nailed life.  Hard.  Kudos, ma'am. I was drawn in, and I could not stop reading until the tragic end, which left me sleepless and pondering on it all night.  It was a thoughtful novel, and it was a real novel.  It was LIFE.
3151877
Thought this wasn't going to be a good read, but lo and behold, it was a story you just couldn't put down.
Loved the characters, and their dependence on each other that come to you in a most heartfelt way.
4929825
Split is emotional, raw, and narrated by one of the more realistic voices I've come across lately.

Split is stunning. Each character, from our narrator Jace to his brother Christian, are all unique and realistic. Jace's voice is especially spot-on, and so real. He's charming, athletic, guilt-ridden and complicated. In comparison to Jace, the other characters don't shine quite as much. The abuse aspect of this story is very heartbreaking, because it's just so complex. It's bitter, honest, and extremely frightening. There's one scene in particular that had me cringing at the mere thought of it happening. It's difficult to read, to imagine, and it's scary because this does happen in life. But it's Jace's secrets that were some of the hardest to learn.

It's difficult to say much about this story (without giving anything away), except to say that you should read Split if you haven't already. Split will move you and give you something important to think about.

HIGHLIGHTS: Avasthi dives into a difficult story with ease. Her writing flows effortlessly, her narrator is realistic, and the story is impossible to pull away from. The first chapter, even the first line, hooked me. The bonds of family were interesting too, at just how much pain people can let others cause them because they love them. It's sad that the saying "you hurt the one's you love" is so very true.

LOWLIGHTS: I would have loved to see more of the side characters, like Mirriam and Dakota. Or at least a bit more depth to them.
1636340
Two Blue Lines was an emotionally moving story. Reading the description, you could picture what the focus would be, you'd be wrong. This story was about more than just a pregnancy and the changes it brings to those involved. There were many layers buried deep into the story and as you learned more and more about what was really going on, the story pulled you in deeper, and tugged at your heart strings.

Though, the initial focus is Melissa's pregnancy and both her and Reed's reactions to the news and how they handle it. Underlying this shocking news, are other revelations that effect Melissa deeply.

SC Montgomery has a winner in this emotionally charged story. The characters are great, the story is wow-ing, and feelings, oh the feelings you will go through. I enjoyed this debut very much.
3022849
I really didn't know what to expect when I started this book but wow, it was really intense, in a good way! The story itself is amazing but there were a few things, some may even be personal preference, that are bugging me and it's really hard to settle on a rating... there were times I felt like it was a 5, sometimes a 3 but I think most often it was a 4.

I'll admit, I felt confused quite often in the first 50-60% of the story because there are lots of names/aliases mentioned and at times it was a little tough to follow the present day story and keep it separate from the memories but after that, it all starts to fall into place and makes perfect sense.  Stick with it!  This is a hear-wrenching story that is full of twists!
1040646
My heart shattered into a million pieces when I finished this book. I am not sure which is worse, trying to come to terms emotionally with how this story ended, or the wait until the next book in the series comes out.  Seriously, sometimes I think books need to come with a warning if they are going to be part of a series!!

That said, this book was intense and made me feel so many different things. I initially bought the book because of my love of One Thousand and One Nights, this book was not so much what I thought it was going to be. It was more. And it was its own story. The world of this story is beautifully created and definitely adds to the story, I am hoping that the movie rights get snatched up if they haven't already.

I cared deeply for each of the characters and in the end found myself falling for a monster...