Review: BREAKING NOVA touches on the heart and squeezes the most powerful of emotions
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 10, 2013
~Reviewed by ANN & posted at Under the Covers Book BlogBREAKING NOVA touches on the heart and squeezes the most powerful of emotions from your body. I don't think I was prepared by how much angst and darkness was in this book. I was terrified that the characters would lose themselves in the course of the story because both Nova and Quinton are taking the wrong paths and can't seem to find their way back.If you are a fan of dark New Adult and have loved Sorensen's books in the past, I have no doubt at all that you will absolutely adore this book. It's by far the darkest of all her Contemporaries so far. But it holds so much heart as well, that you can't help but forged a connection with the characters from the short prologue.The prologue sets the story in motion. Nova's best friend and boyfriend has committed suicide and Quinton's girlfriend, Lexi and his cousin, Ryder are killed in a car accident where he was the driver. Quinton barely survived himself, but despite living, he is dead inside. Drugs are his only outlet and way to survive. You can just  imagine the amount of self hatred and guilt he harbors inside. A dark haze that fills this entire book. It's dark, scary and a bit reckless, but there are also areas of hope that I tried to latch onto when they were given.I cried. Hard. BREAKING NOVA is one of those books that push you to the limits and makes you feel things you never thought you would feel for characters. I love that despite the sex and drugs, there is also this innocence about it. How Quinton and Nova fall in love with one another is no different or less magical than what you find in sweeter contemporary romances. Sorensen manages to strike a balance that I think is the money shot for her books. Not a lot of people can achieve it and that's what makes her books so special.As I type this review, I'm once again flooded by the overwhelming emotions about this book. It's an all consuming read that I read in one go simply because I found it hard to think of anything else after. It haunts you and though you feel like you are being ripped in two as you read about Nova and Quinton's struggles, you also form a connection to them. I cannot wait for book two in this series. I need a happy ending for these two!This was just an afterthought that I figured I should add to the end of this review: BREAKING NOVA reminded me a little of this other book I read a long time ago called Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie Kuehnert. It's another fabulously written story that I think deals with a lot of the same issues that Nova and Quinton suffer from, dealings with drug abuse and also grief. I think it's worth checking out as you wait for book two in this series. You can check out my review for it