Review: All of this in one neat, little package?!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 17, 2013
I purchased these books individually and I would buy them as a set all over again if I could.  These are some of my favorite books ever.  Charles is an absolutely amazing storyteller and you will not be disappointed in these books.  While this is a trilogy, you definitely do not need to read them in any certain order.  To me, that is the sign of a good series.  You are just taken by the story that is being told and the way the characters are all entertwined.  Family story-telling at its best.A Song For Julia:Oh Crank. Sweet, sweet Crank. Julia is everything Crank is not. An ambassador's daughter who has spent her whole life in the mold that her parents want for her, she is the typical "rich girl," or so everyone thinks. Julia's scars are deeper than anyone can ever imagine. Crank is your typical punk rocker, or so everyone thinks....you see where i'm going with this? yes, there is a love story going on here, but it is so much more than a love story. Julia's relationship with Crank's brother...Julia's relationship with Crank's whole family to be honest....everything about the character development in this book grabbed me. the intricate substories, the character development, the way the characters fixed themselves while still never losing what they felt for the others was just amazing. the range of emotions in this book and the way anyone can identify with at least ONE character in this book...well, charles' writing is just brilliant. the end.Just Remember To Breathe:I had this book on my "to read" list for a long time and i was a bit hesitant. a story about a wounded war vet....i REALLY didn't think i would be down for that. Well, butter my biscuits. I am SO angry that i didn't read this sooner. Dylan is what you would expect him to be, but so much more. He's young. Too young to have been through all that he's been through and Alex is your 'typical' rich girl. Any seasoned reader knows, there's always a back story, and both Alex and Dylan have their back story. I LOVE that Alex wasn't your typical female MC. She took her heart and her thoughts into her own hands and she was in charge even though her heart was telling her otherwise. I want my own Dylan. Yes, he is wounded. Yes, he is flawed....but damn it....his confession to Alex at the end....i was in tears. ugly, sobbing tears. I love that there was an ending, but it wasn't a finite ending.I only wish i had gotten past my judgmental issues and read it sooner. *sigh*The Last Hour:I just have to say, Charles Sheehan-Miles is going to be a famous author. Really famous.From the moment I read Just Remember To Breathe, I was intrigued by Carrie and Ray. When I heard that there was going to be a book about their story, to say I was excited would be a slight understatement.Carrie and Ray are intense. From the moment they meet it is quite apparent that things will be to the nth degree...From the moment the book begins your emotions are thrown for a heart stopping loop. There is an accident. A very serious accident."I'm waiting for you, soldier."Carrie and Ray have only been together for less than a year, but when you know something is right, you go with it. The relationships in this book, the turmoils that the characters all go through, the way a family pulls together, the realizations that are made...this is the stuff that REAL life is made of."It isn't going to be easy. It isn't going to be perfect. Life isn't that way"Carrie and Ray are faced with so many things that are being thrown at them, yet through it all they perservere and do what is right for them, although it may not be so apparent at the time.***"Sometimes you have to make choices, and they're imperfect, but they're the only choices you can make and live with yourself"***To say that this book is 5 stars isn't doing it justice. I had to take a break mid-read because Charles has a way of making you feel that these characters are part of your own family and friends. If you read one "heavy" read this year, I suggest it is The Last Hour.