Review and Giveaway: Ruin by Rachel Van Dyken

I'm not your typical girl. I've been running away from the memories that haunt me for so long that depression has become my only comfort. I was content in the darkness...until Wes Michals offered to be my light.

I didn't know that time wasn't my ally -- that every second that ticked past was one step closer to the end of something that was beginning to mean the end of myself. He tried to warn me. He promised me all he was able to offer--each moment as it came--but it would never be enough.

Sometimes when you think it's the end, it's only the beginning. Wes thought he could save me, but in giving me everything, he ruined me. Because after one kiss, one touch, I couldn't--I wouldn't ever be the same.

And from that moment on, his heartbeat became my own.

4 Star Review by Jen Hagen

Kiersten is beginning her college experience and believes that if she plays it safe and protects herself that she will not be put in the place of danger and face the fact that death takes everybody.  Weston is a college senior who sees the face of death every day in the mirror. 

Kiersten’s parents died an accidental death doing something that they loved two years ago.  She is scared of taking a chance in life.  She is on anti-depressants and has night terrors.    She guards herself and has nobody to call a friend.  Kiersten runs smack into the heart throb of the football team on her first day of college.

Weston is the star quarterback of the football team and stars in every girl’s fantasy.  His family has seen enough death and his father is extremely protective of Weston.  Weston’s father believes that Weston’s priorities should be health, football, school and friends…in that order.  Weston wants to reach out to Kiersten to help her as he sees her as a lost lamb (very cute nickname he has for her, and she in turn has one for him).  Weston knows first hand what a lost soul is capable of doing and he refuses to see somebody else go down this path.  He makes it his mission to see Kiersten has a good time at college and to live her life without fear.   

Kiersten makes a list of things she wants to do in life and Weston is more than happy to help her cross those things off.  By spending so much time together, deeper feelings than friendship are bound to develop.  Weston has a secret that is holding back from Kiersten.  Weston knows he needs to tell her, but he just wants to embrace the here and now that he is experiencing.  Kiersten is starting to pick up on little things that makes her question him, but he promises that he will tell her by a certain date.  What happens when the secret is brought to light not by him telling her, but by her watching it unfold directly in front of her? 

“The ground fell out beneath me…I couldn’t breathe.  I couldn’t think.”

Who will be the strong person to hold her up now and make certain that she can face this?  Will the same person who knocked down her walls and made her face her fears continue to be there during a time of uncertainty?  Will he be there tomorrow?

 

“I.Love.You.”  I looked directly into her eyes.  “It’s not the end.”

You know the statement “you can’t judge a book by its cover?”  That certainly holds true for this book.  The guy on the cover made me think this was going to be your typical all-star male gets the girl book.  Nope…badly mistaken.  This was more…so much more… So much that I can’t even tell you because you need to experience this yourself.  I will tell you to keep a tissue at hand as my eyes seemed to cloud over more and more with every page turn. 

 Barnes and Noble


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