“Have you ever kissed someone and felt them slipping away from you even as you did it? Have you imagined the day when their lips are not yours to kiss anymore? Have you ever closed your eyes and tried desperately to hold on to that kiss, that moment in your mind and in your heart so you can remember it forever?”
There are so many books that I’ve read that lack substance, feeling, and character development. So many books that others loved and I find myself feeling “meh” about. Then a book comes along and changes everything. A book so stunning, realistic, amazing that you know in your heart of hearts that you will be changed forever! The First Last Kiss was that book for me. It was beautiful, emotional, and realistic. I know that I will never come across another story even close to this. As a result, The First Last Kiss has made it to the coveted Favorite Books of All Time shelf.
Molly is a strong, fiercely independent young woman. She has ambitions, aspirations and dreams that reach far beyond her hometown of Essex, England. Dreams and aspirations of becoming a nationally recognized photographer.
Molly has the image of what she thinks is “the perfect man”, her ideal but she is not ready for him yet. Traveling and experiencing everything London, New York and the world have to offer is at the top of her list. There is no time for love, no time to tie herself down to a relationship. But Ryan Cooper, her school girl crush, is the guy she just can’t seem to move past. He is everything that she is not looking for or maybe he is everything she is looking for but just hasn’t realized it yet…
“A big part of me wants to run as far away as I can because I’m not ready to find him. I’m only just beginning my life plan. But at the same time I’m utterly paralyzed by him. When I’m with him I can’t imagine wanting anything other than him, forever.”
Ryan Cooper is the epitome of fun. He makes everything fun, always has. He is stable, loving, carefree and never takes life too seriously. The simple things in life are what he cherishes. Family, friends, sports, and teaching are his passions. He wants a simple life in his beloved hometown of Essex but he also wants the complex, deep, passionate love of Molly Carter.
“He is bright, uncomplicated and extremely exposed. Whereas I am black and white, heavily laden with emotion and complex in composition”
Molly and Ryan may be opposites but when they come together they are completely and utterly magnetic. They are so deeply drawn to each other that you the reader can’t help but feel the profound love they have. The differences between them aren’t really differences. Their differences balance each other and you see and feel all the beauty and love they have for each other.
“I feel like the world has stopped turning and that it is we who are swirling around and around, totally at one with each other and the sea that encompasses us, I feel like I am drowning but I’m not scared.”
As beautiful as it all is, life can become complicated and challenging. Sometimes there are too many differences to overlook. Sometimes love isn’t enough and we waist precious moments, precious kisses as we live life unaware of what the future holds. Molly and Ryan’s relationship is tested in so many ways I can’t even begin to explain. Nor would I ever dream of spoiling this emotional, character driven story.
“Loving someone means having the confidence to know that you won’t be happy all the time, that they can’t make you happy all the time. It’s a totally unrealistic expectation.”
There were many tearful and gut wrenching sobbing moments. Moments where I became so overwhelmed with what was happening, I forgot I was reading a fictional story. Yes it was that good, that realistic. But for all the sad moments, Ryan and Molly’s happy moments outweighed them all. The ending was poetic in so many ways.
“Savor every single moment, every word, every kiss”
The writing was exquisite! I was hooked from the very first page. There were many flashbacks that were not in sequential order that some may have difficulty with, but I think it worked. Ali Harris kept me guessing with what was going to happen next. For those who get easily confused, I suggest taking notes. I didn’t feel the need to take notes and was able to keep track of the timeline with very little difficulty.
So, I’m giving The First Last Kiss 100+ stars for its exquisite characters, beautiful writing, and emotional depth that I rarely experience in books. It will hopefully become a classic, at least in my opinion it already is. A must read from this very picky book snob.
My favorite quote: “To be, not do”
************************* Buddy read with my girl and sis Bren!...more
God Shaped Hole isn't simply a romance story, although elements were present throughout. It was more than just a boy meeting a girl and falling in love. Love was a huge part of this book but it wasn't the whole story.
God Shaped Hole was about surviving and navigating through relationships with parents, siblings, and lovers. It explores loss, longing, love and pain from the past and its effect on us and our relationships. Even when you may regret things and are always thinking about "what if".
Trixie answers an add in the LA weekly personals section on a whim and meets Jacob Grace. Jacob is a deeply passionate, soul searching writer. He wants to experience life and feel everything. Jacob is the void in Trixie's god shaped hole. He is exactly what she is looking for.
So, I'm giving this 4 stars. I love the musical references to Miles Davis and Jeff Buckley. The humor and sarcasm were woven nicely into the story. There were several points where I laughed out loud at Trixie's inner thoughts and Jacob's comments. I also loved the intensity of Trixie's and Jacob's relationship. It wasn't a bang you on the head instant love, but it was intense and quick to build. Their relationship was a very realistic tale of finding your soulmate.
Although God Shaped Hole was well written, there were points where it did lag a bit. Overall, I thought the beginning and ending were perfect. The ending is foreshadowed early on but it will still throw you for a loop. I knew it was coming but I just didn't know how or why. When I finally got to the "eh hem" point, I still shed tears.. This very picky book snob does not cry that often! I would definitely recommend this to those who enjoyed How to Kill a Rock Star. ...more
Amazing! This was by far one of the best books I've read this year. It was a beautiful love story between two young adults who were far more mature thAmazing! This was by far one of the best books I've read this year. It was a beautiful love story between two young adults who were far more mature than their actual age. I laughed a lot and I cried a lot. The characters were incredibly unique and were well developed. The author did an amazing job in dealing with the difficult topics of life, love and loss. Start reading it now. You won't regret it....more
MK~ Picky Girl
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