Ten Books I'd Gladly Throw Into the Ocean

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Books I'd Gladly Throw Into the Ocean.

1. Mr. President by Katy Evans
2. Lies We Believe About God by William Paul Young
3. Stealing Parker (Hundred Oaks, # 2) by Miranda Kenneally
4. The Body Electric by Beth Revis
5. Left Drowning by Jessica Park
6. The White Coat Diaries by Madi Sinha
7. Revived by Cat Patrick
8. Things I Can't Forget (Hundred Oaks, # 3) by Miranda Kenneally
9. Song of the Fireflies by JA Redmerski
10. Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan

Which books would you like to throw into the ocean? Let me know!

Song of the Fireflies - Review

Song of the Fireflies

By: JA Redmerski

Published: February 4th 2014 by Forever

464 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate link. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--New York Times bestselling author J.A. Redmerski brings us a stunning and heart-wrenching new novel about a couple who find each other in their darkest moment.

Since they were kids, Elias Kline and Brayelle Bates have been inseparable. When Bray moves to South Carolina, separating the two for the first time, they both at last realize that their innocent childhood friendship has developed into something much more. So when Bray finally returns to Georgia—and to Elias—things between them couldn’t be more perfect…until one fateful night changes everything.

Desperate not to go to prison for a terrible accident, Elias and Bray decide to run. As they try to make the most of their freedom, the two find themselves relying on a rebellious group of people who tempt the duo into a wild and daring new life. But they can’t run from their troubles forever.

As the consequences of their past catch up to them, the couple must finally face reality. Even if they can make it through the unimaginable, Elias knows the truth about Bray’s painful history, and in the end he may not be able to save Bray from herself…

See...sometimes I make the mistake of not reading a book description before I pick up the book. I do this because sometimes the description gives too much away. I like to go into a book with as little information as possible so that my opinions of the book aren't influenced by a summary or snippet. That being said, I didn't read the description of Song of the Fireflies at all before I requested it from NetGalley. I just knew that I enjoyed The Edge of Never by JA Redmerski and here she was with a new book. SCORE. Sadly Song of the Fireflies might have been one that I skipped had I read the description.

I had several problems with Song of the Fireflies. I'll start with the writing style. I don't remember this being an issue with The Edge of Never, but JA Redmerski ends almost every chapter with some sort of statement meant to create intrigue about future events. Here's an example: "The highway became darker and less traveled as it got later. I started getting nervous, though I wasn't sure why." (the end of chapter eleven) or "And that was how we met Tate Roth, part savior, part...something else." (the end of chapter twelve). I just felt like she was almost trying to turn this book into a mystery. While some strategically placed comments like this aren't a bad thing, too much of a good thing tends to ruin that good thing, right? It seemed like almost every chapter was like this.

My next complaint was language and content. F-bombs abound. It's almost ridiculous how many are dropped in even a short passage. And this is graphically some of the worst I've read. I debated DNFing for this reason, but didn't because it was one I requested and I kept telling myself that maybe the worst was over.

However, probably my biggest complaint was Bray herself. Admittedly I struggle with people IRL and in fiction that don't make the same decisions that I would make a lot of times. I know that many struggle with bipolar disorder, and I feel sure this is probably a somewhat accurate depiction of a possible life of someone with this disorder. However, I felt so incredibly frustrated with Bray. Her fragile nature, her mood swings...all of it was frustrating. Bray hurt my head and frustrated me so much. I enjoy reading about strong characters who make smart decisions, and that's just not how I would describe Bray. It goes along with what I said earlier about having not read the description of Song of the Fireflies. Had I read that Bray and Elias would have gone on the run in order to avoid prison for an accident, then yeah, that would have been the part I probably would have jumped ship. When I came to this part in the book, I also debated DNFing it for this reason. Yet, I chose not to DNF for this reason because it was my fault for not reading the description.

While Elias was a more likable character than Bray, I still found myself detached from him emotionally.

Finally, Song of the Fireflies wrapped up a little too pretty for my taste considering the hot mess of these two main characters and their struggles, situations, and emotions. I hate to give a low rating for an author that I've enjoyed before, the truth is, I just didn't enjoy this one...at all. I'm giving Song of the Fireflies 2 Stars. Have you read Song of the Fireflies? What did you think? Let me know!

The Edge of Always - Review

The Edge of Always (The Edge of Never, # 2)

By: JA Redmerski

Expected Publication: November 5th 2013 by Forever Romance

432 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know.

Goodreads description--He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…

When everything falls apart, love remains . . .

THE EDGE OF ALWAYS

Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged—and a wedding isn’t the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can’t wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew – a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to—until tragedy blindsides them.

Andrew doesn’t understand how this could happen to them. He’s trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won’t do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride…

The Edge of Never had some pretty big happenings there at the end, and so I was really stoked about starting The Edge of Always and finding out what happens next. However, when I read the description for The Edge of Always, I felt like it gave too much away. Predicting what would happen in this book was a piece of cake after that. And I don’t think there was anything I ended up being wrong about while I was reading it. Despite that, I still enjoyed The Edge of Always. But I don’t want to ruin anything else with my review that you might not be able to discern from the description so I’ll try to be as vague as I can, which may also result from this review being pretty brief.

While the events of the story didn’t surprise me, the characters kind of did. Just looking back on The Edge of Never and where everything started, Andrew definitely feels like a different person than who Camryn met on that bus months ago. But he’s still the same guy. Andrew and Camryn’s need to not live repetitive, monotonous lives carries through from The Edge of Never to The Edge of Always. Events that happen early on in the book force Andrew and Camryn to need to reconnect, reaffirm, and reestablish all that was good about their relationship in the first book. And they do.

I thought that The Edge of Always was a really sweet book. There was no earth shatter literary genius here, but it was a fast and sweet read. I will say that I was at the 70% mark and I felt like I was at the end and things should be wrapping up. It didn’t necessarily feel drug out, but it also didn’t feel like the pacing was exactly right either.

The Edge of Always get 3.5 Stars from me. I can’t say there was anything wrong with it, but it didn’t blow me away either. Have you read The Edge of Always? What did you think? Let me know!

The Edge of Never - Review

The Edge of Never (The Edge of Never, # 1)

By: JA Redmerski

Published: November 2012 by Createspace

426 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, The Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Sometimes life takes you off course . . .

THE EDGE OF NEVER

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett thought she knew exactly where her life was going. But after a wild night at the hottest club in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, she shocks everyone-including herself-when she decides to leave the only life she's ever known and set out on her own. Grabbing her purse and her cell phone, Camryn boards a Greyhound bus ready to find herself. Instead, she finds Andrew Parrish.

Sexy and exciting, Andrew lives life like there is no tomorrow. He persuades Camryn to do things she never thought she would and shows her how to give in to her deepest, most forbidden desires. Soon he becomes the center of her daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But there is more to Andrew than Camryn realizes. Will his secret push them inseparably together-or destroy them forever?

Due to sexual content and language, this book is recommended for 17+ – Adult Contemporary Women’s – New Adult Fiction

The Edge of Never is one of those that I read the description over a year ago, added it to my TBR list, and then forgot about it. When I saw it available on NetGalley I jumped on it without even re-reading the description. So I'm not quite sure what I was expecting The Edge of Never to be about especially after the first couple of chapters, but I wasn't expecting a road trip. ROAD TRIP it was!

The description of the book, like many others, seems to me to be misleading anyway. The very beginning of the book only serves to set up the background for why Camryn feels like she needs this road trip so badly. She just needs to get away. She needs to do something that's not a repeat of the previous day. I totally get that. Where Camryn's traveling away from something, Andrew is traveling to something. His father is in the hospital and Andrew is trying to see him before he dies.

I really enjoyed the slow build of the attraction and relationship between Andrew and Camryn. The book is surprisingly told from dual POVs. I only say "surprisingly" because Andrew's first narration doesn't come until you're a decent way through the beginning portion of the book. I wasn't expecting him to narrate at all, but it was a nice surprise.

After their bus ride across the country, these two decide to embark on a slightly more personal road trip. All along the way, they talk, share stories and pieces of themselves with the other, and thus grow their relationship. Some of the topics of conversation were a bit much for me, but hey...whatever floats your boat right?

I was pretty sure I hated Camryn's best friend Natalie after the beginning of the book, but by the end Natalie had redeemed herself. The other secondary characters were just as strong. Even the ones that didn't make major appearances like Blake and Damon, Asher, Aiden, and Michelle. They each had a strong presence, and I hope we get more of the same in book 2.

The Edge of Never ended up having some plot twists that I wasn't expecting, though I did guess them before they were revealed. Despite not being overly original, The Edge of Never hooked me and had me not wanting to put it down. I can't quite tell you how I felt about the ending because I don't want to give it away. It wraps up literally in the last couple 2-4% of the book. I will say that I'm excited about reading book 2, The Edge of Always.

Fans of the New Adult trend will enjoy The Edge of Never. I'm giving it 3.5 stars. Have you read The Edge of Never? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on The Edge of Always

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I read The Edge of Never this past week, and so the obvious choice for my WOW post is book 2.

The Edge of Always (The Edge of Never, # 2)

By: JA Redmerski

Expected Publication: November 5th 2013 by Forever Romance

432 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know.

Goodreads description--He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…

Five months ago, Camryn and Andrew, both dealing with personal hardships, met on a Greyhound bus. They fell in love and proved that when two people are meant to be together, fate will find a way to make it happen.

Now, in the highly anticipated sequel to THE EDGE OF NEVER, Camryn and Andrew are pursuing their love for music and living life to the fullest as they always swore to do. But when tragedy befalls them, their relationship is put to the ultimate test. As Camryn tries to numb her pain, Andrew makes a bold decision: To get their life back on track, they’ll set out on another cross-country road trip. Together they find excitement, passion, adventure—and challenges they never could have anticipated.

Sexy. Daring. Dangerous. THE EDGE OF ALWAYS takes you on a ride you won’t forget .

So what are you waiting on this week? Let me know!