Review: Why must I relate to Redmerski's books so much?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 4, 2014
Brayelle Bates and Elias Kline have known known each other since they were children. Elias knew from the moment he saw Bray that he loved her, even if it was just a child's love. As they grew their relationship evolved with them. First and foremost they were best friends, doing everything together, but they came together to practice kissing or have certain firsts with each other.Four months after finally giving in to each other, to start a romantic relationship, Bray gives up and moves to South Carolina. She always knew being with Elias would be too much, that it would forever define their relationship, and if it ever ended, it would break them both. But she came back to Georgia and not only wanted to be with Elias again, but she needed to be with him. They both knew they would never be happy if they weren't together.Living in new relationship bliss they felt like nothing could come between them. But when a horrible accident occurs and they both flee, their relationship is forever changed. Elias learns far more about Brayelle than he ever knew, the darkness that has always been there right under the surface. They learned just how far they would go for each other...Song of The Fireflies is one book I could not put down. I was instantly drawn in by Elias and how much he loved Bray. It was tremendously cute how they became friends and then when their relationship continued to evolve I just fell more in love.J. A. Redmerski has a way of making me love her books and I don't really get it. It could be because the stories and good or that it's so easy for me to relate to her characters. Fireflies was definitely the latter. I was able to relate to Bray more than I would have liked, to have that deep depression, to not have anyone around that really supports you or even seems to love you. My heart broke for Bray over and over again.I really loved how most of the book was from Elias' POV. I love when books are from the POV of the hero and while this is still dual POV, the majority of it was Elias. I feel like it gave it something more because overall I feel like this is more Elias' story than Brayelle's.I did feel like the relationship between the two leads was a bit obsessive. I understand loving someone, and having loved them for years, but there can be something unhealthy about it. The way the two obsessed over their love, and each other did rub me a little the wrong way. But in a way, I got it. It fit well with Bray's illness."It's too much when a person's life revolves around another person."Lastly, what is is about J.A. Redmerski that makes her write about sensitive topics? Fireflies is no different, obviously. Bray's illness can be crippling and it was written beautifully. There was nothing about it that put her, or the illness down. There was nothing that made light of it either. That's something that I really hate about books that include a mental illness, most of the time it's so far from the truth that I just cannot get into it. But this one? Absolutely perfect with it's realism."Because I loved her for the way she was. I never pushed her away. I accepted her and everything about her, and the only way I saw her differently from anyone else was that I loved her, unlike anyone else."