Review: Gritty!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 16, 2014
Read this and other reviews at [...].Breaking Nova. I turned the page (swiped, whatever) and it was over. I sat, staring at my iPad for at least 3 minutes wondering if the next book was going to show up. Then I read a teaser she included, and stared again. Because seriously. Trying to kill me? This book, though … It was exactly what I needed to read. It hooked me from the first chapter, broke my heart, made me feel depressed, but then hopeful, and then broken again. The entire book went this way.There were definitely some heavy themes in this book, and Jessica portrayed them beautifully. From reading her other books, I know this is definitely one of Jessica’s strong points. She can take some super serious material and connect readers who might not have an inkling of those problems, lifestyles, experiences. Somehow, you just get her characters. You feel for them … you feel like you are them. You want to fix them, hug them, shake them. This was no different with Nova and Quinton."But as I all too painfully know, you can’t force someone to be happy, no matter how much you wish you could."The book is told from both POVs and as it begins, we are in the past. With both intros, I get a sense of some serious foreboding. I know what’s going to happen is going to shatter me. I was right. Flash to 15 months later, and we see how Nova and Quinton are dealing (or not) with what has become of their lives. When they meet each other, there’s this strange, instant connection. Neither wants it, but for whatever reason, they’re drawn to one another. Even though they barely ever divulge enough information about themselves, they somehow find a way to start to heal. A little. Each lives their life with a sense of numbness. The people they were before no longer exist, and both Nova and Quinton struggle with the new versions of themselves.“People say that time heals all wounds, and maybe they’re right.” I keep my eyes on the computer screen, watching my lips move. “But what if the wounds don’t heal correctly, like when cuts leave behind nasty scars, or when broken bones mend together, but aren’t as smooth anymore?”I loved the flashback moments. This helped connect the major points of the story and I felt it so much more than I would’ve had I just been told by the characters. Through those moments, I was actually in them. Living them along with Nova or Quinton. Oftentimes, I found myself holding my breath and rushing through the passage just to get to the other side of the nightmare.I appreciate Jessica’s ability to write such emotion and angst, but also there’s such a reality and honesty to her stories. As much as I wanted Nova to save Quinton or vice versa, I understood the way they did save one another. While not through conventional methods, and often I found myself cringing, stressed, and questioning what the hell was wrong with them … they did change."The feeling of it calms me down, because it reminds me that there’s life in the world, and that hearts do keep beating even after they break."I think they both still have a long way to go. And after what they’ve been through, that makes sense. I don’t think she could’ve kept the integrity of the story if it would’ve gone any other way. I was able to connect with Nova and Quinton on such a basic level, and my heart broke for them. I can’t imagine having gone through what they did, and while I want them to be okay, I get where they’re going, and why they’re not.There were some great supporting characters, too. They all did their fair share of pissing me off. Delilah–my heart hurts for her. She’s so damaged, and watching her fall deeper over the course of this book killed me. I wanted to make her okay. Dylan–not sure about this dude. Such a scummer and definitely something off about how he treats Delilah. Tristan–that boy just needs a hug. I really loved him. So completely messed up. But I would hope a hug would fix it. ;)I look forward to seeing where everyone’s story goes next, and based on the teaser at the end of Breaking Nova, I’m sure it’ll be chock full of the angst that Jessica writes so so well. I’ve not found out any details on the sequel, but I need it…approximately yesterday when I finished this book."Stuff happens. We get lost. We try to control what will happen. We give up. We do things that don’t make sense. We search for things in the wrongest of ways. We lose our way, but sometimes, if we’re really, really strong, we manage to find our way back."