Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered.
The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner. He feels instantly connected and tries to show her that hope is worth fighting for. But is Ryan harboring his own demons? As walls slowly begin to chip away, the secrets that are held within start to become painful burdens.
At what point do secrets become lies?
(17+) This book contains mature subject matter that is not suitable for those under the age of 17.
Published June 19th 2013 by E K Blair LLC
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Fading was something I saw floating about the twitterverse recently and decided to check it out. I saw that the word 'intense' was often connected to it so I decided to give it a shot. I'm not sure what I expected but it drew me in at the prologue and I had a hard time putting it down.
Since I am the master procrastinator, we read it at different times...but the texts I was getting from Shelley definitely made me wish I could read even faster to get to it! I was not disappointed!
The prologue is the only time we get Ryan's perspective--I only mention this because I know that some people HATE 2 POV's and some people love it. I'm a go-with-the-flow kind of girl and as long as it isn't distracting, I don't really care how many POV's we have. I think it was a good choice to start with his viewpoint because it gives us some insight into things that happen later.
I agree. I thought that having this part of the book set the tone for the book...I knew who the key players were probably going to be...and it helped things not seem cliche later when all of the omissions come to light. I really like the two person POV set up, but I thought that it was unnecessary in this particular book because there was so much going on with Candace...and being in her head was the only place we needed to be, because every emotion we go through is hers.
The rest of the story is purely Candace's and what a story this girl has. She has Jase and Kimber and Mark and Roxy as her main support system because her parents are awful. AW-FUL. They are superficial jerks who are completely disdainful of all of the smart choices Candace has made...especially her choice to pursuit dancing as her career. So as we read further into her story it is no surprise that they add to the drama of her story, a story that starts out so fun and sweet and within chapters becomes nightmare-ish.
I really hate parents like hers. Or people like them in general...you know the type...they have a lot of money and care a lot about what other people think. I still can't believe the way they treated her, but such is life, I guess. Jase on the other hand. That boy is my hero. He was there for Candace every. single. step. of. the.way. You could not ask for a better friend, and the fact that he is a young guy, but still would drop everything to come to her if she needed him to was so wonderful.
The vast majority of this novel is dedicated to observing Candace struggle with coming to terms with the nightmare of her life and to try to figure out how to learn to allow people to love her and to love them in return. She clings to Jase and Mark and pushes everyone else away...until Ryan. Ryan slowly eases into her life in a way that surprises and scares her. Bravely, she takes hesitant steps to allow him into her incredibly small circle of friends. I think it's her journey of creating a relationship with Ryan that I found so compelling because I imagine that many young women in her situation have felt and reacted exactly as she has. It reminded me that not everyone deals with tragedy the same and that it's not for me to decide how someone else should handle things. This novel also gave me a little insight about how even months after an attack as horrific as hers that the public face of a victim may not be reflective of the private horror that he or she is constantly living in. I was happy that E.K. Blair included the use of therapy in this novel; Candace needed it and no amount of friendship was going to get her through the tough times ahead.
Beautifully said, Shel. I haven't ever suffered from a traumatic experience, but I really thought that this novel was a perfect representation of what someone goes through after. Like you said, everyone handles it differently. I was so mad that no charges were filed, but really...I'm not sure what that would have gained...other than more trauma and grief and struggle. I am so glad that their road to romance was not a quick one. No fast declarations of anything, and definitely no fast recovery through her PTSD. Still makes me teary thinking about it, but do not be scared of this book. It has a lot of great moments which Ryan and Jase bring us, in which to be happy and warm too.
The last 20-ish% of this novel was me texting Courtney saying: " I get it. I GET IT...but I don't like it. And I understand WHY each of them did what they did. I STILL don't like it." And that about sums it up until the very, very end when I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
VERY, VERY END is right...I don't think we could have gotten any closer to 100% to get resolution, and make my heart stop hurting..and asking WHYYY! Literally 99% people!
Oh and I have to say I LOVE THE COVER! That's all.
Shelley: 4 1/2 Stars
Courtney: 5 Stars
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