Review: Heart wrenching story about dealing with loss and the guilt that comes with it.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 27, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Heart wrenching story about dealing with loss and the guilt that comes with it. This was a difficult read but a good one.Opening Sentence: I wake up every morning feeling content that I’m drowning in darkness.The Review:Nova Reed has spent the last year recovering and becoming herself again after her tragic past. She finally feels like she is in a good place, but she can’t seem to forget the boy she left behind. Quinton made her feel things that she didn’t think was possible after Landon, but he has a dark past as well. One that he hasn’t been able to get over.Quinton’s life has slowly gone from bad to worse. His next fix is the only thing he cares about. It makes him feel nothing and takes away all the pain. He knows that he doesn’t deserve happiness and that Nova is way too good for him. But in the last year she has crossed his mind more then he wants to admit. Then she shows up on his doorstep wanting to talk to him. He knows she should stay away since his life is dangerous, but no matter what he does she always seems to keep coming back. His guard is slowly crumbling and he is tempted to finally let go of the past. But that’s the funny thing about demons you have to face them or they will never go away and Quinton doesn’t know if he is strong enough to face his.Nova has become a much more stable person in the last year. She was really able to deal with her heartbreaking past and even though she doesn’t understand why it all happened she has come to terms with it. I really respect the person she has become and the fact that she wants to help others is very admiring. She is a strong and loving person that finally sees the good in life. She was a lot easier for me to connect with in this book then the first and I can’t wait to finish her story.Quinton is very messed up. In Breaking Nova he had started going downhill, but now he has pretty much hit rock bottom. It was heartbreaking to watch him spiral so out of control and to see what he was going through.  He was so ridden with guilt that his only escape is drugs. He has gotten to the point in his life where he doesn’t really have anything worth living for, but he is to chicken to do anything about it. I really felt for Quinton and I hope that he will be able to find peace eventually.Saving Quinton is one of those books that are really hard to recommend to someone. It is so heart wrenching, yet so realistic that it’s hard not to respect the author taking on something so difficult. This story covers such hard tender issues in a very honest and heartfelt way. While I honestly can’t say I had an enjoyable time reading this book, I can say that it was an eye opening experience that I won’t soon forget. Obviously it was a sad read, but Sorensen does a wonderful job implementing hope into the story. Nova is never willing to give up on Quinton even though she knows there is a slim chance he will ever come back from the dark place he is in.  This story pulls at so many emotions and is written so well that even though it was a difficult read it was a good read. I am really glad that there is going to be another book because the ending of this was left really open and I hope that we will get more resolution in the final book. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a gut wrenching yet very realistic book full of hope and second chances.Notable Scene:My muscles ravel into even more knots as he opens the door, then my breath hitches in my throat at what’s on the other side of it. A room about the size of a closet with clothes and coins all over the linoleum floor, along with a mirror, razor, and small plastic bag. And just beside the doorway, there’s a lumpy mattress on the floor, and Quinton’s lying on it.Quinton.His arm hangs lifelessly over the side of the mat tress and his eyes are shut, his body motionless, and the leaky ceiling is dripping filthy water on him. And his face…the bruises…the swelling…the cuts…if I couldn’t see his scarred chest rising and falling, I’d think he was dead.“Oh my God.” I cover my mouth with my hand, tears stinging at my eyes, my gut twisting in knots.He looks dead. Just like Landon. Only there’s no rope, just bruises and cuts and a room full of the darkness that’s consumed his life.FTC Advisory: Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Saving Quinton. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.