Tuesday 2 September 2014

Review ~ Bright Side by Kim Holden

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 breath-taking stars!!!

“Today, my life is awesome.”
 

This book is up there on my favourite reads of 2014, hell even up there on my favourite reads of ALL TIME! Yes it is seriously that good. This is a book that I couldn’t put down, not for one measly second. Once I started I couldn’t stop and once I had finished I was completely and utterly devastated. I was not ready for this book to end, I just wanted more.

The writing style is fluid, beautiful, emotional, captivating, gut wrenching, all encompassing, this book takes you over, heart, mind, body and soul. The heroines motto in this book is “DO EPIC” and Kim Holden has “DONE EPIC.” This book is EPIC, do not be dissuaded by an innocuous cover, in fact this is a prime example of “never judge a book by it’s cover,” what is inside this cover is exquisite and deserves to be read, to be devoured and to be inhaled. This book is like an emotional vortex, it sucks you in, drowns you in emotions and feels and doesn’t let you free until the end. Have I said that this book is EPIC!! One more point on the cover though, once you have read the book you will appreciate it’s symbolism, I can see why the author did it and I can appreciate it whole heartedly. Just please, if you have a few spare dollars/pounds, pick up this book, you will not regret it.

This is one emotional book, it is devastating but it is devastatingly perfect, but and this is a big but it is perfectly balanced with humour, wit an addictive storyline and some amazing characters. Not one character is superfluous to the story, they all have their part in bringing this story together.

 
Kate aka as Bright Side lives up to her nick name, she always looks on the bright side of life (cue Monty Python music). She has had a really crap upbringing but she has never let it get to her. She has made the most of the crap that life has dealt her and is one of these people that puts everybody first. She is intelligent and super talented but all her aspirations were put on hold when life dealt her a hand that forced her to put those dreams aside for the time being. Kate was a beautiful character inside and out, she was adorable, selfless, giving, trusting, infectious, you couldn’t help but smile and be happy in her company. She had the knack of bringing the shyest person to life, her personality shone like the sun, everyone she touched felt her, she radiated, she really was Bright Side. Her saving grace in life has been her best friend and neighbour Gus.

 
“I can’t let the bad consume me or it would eat me whole. The bad stays in the bad corner of my mind, I don’t let it through the door to mingle with good, because the bad is a goddamn party pooper.”

Gus was adorable, he was the epitome of the perfect best friend. These two loved each other unconditionally, the lines of friendship having been blurred once these two were firmly putting their best friends label first even though at times you knew, ideally in another world, another scenario that these two were meant to be together. They were more than best friends. Gus was a guitarist and singer in a band, Kate was his muse, they batted off each other, her being musically oriented as well meant that these two made beautiful music together. Kate was shy so she just remained in the back ground, but all she wanted in life was for Gus to succeed and she would push him all the way. Gus needed his best friend, he needed the push and she was always there for him, just like he was for her.

The story starts with Kate tackling one of her bucket list items, she always wanted to go to University, finally life had changed enough to make this possible and we see her start University life with a flourish. She picks her friends wisely, brings life, love and laughter to all she meets. This is where she meets Keller.

Keller was another lost soul, his own history already leaving its mark. Having never opened his heart up it is unsurprising that Kate manages to break down his walls and defences. Kate is reticent to jump into a relationship, preferring to keep to just friends but there is something about Keller, he makes her feel, he makes her want to push her reservations aside, he makes her take the leap. These two were truly beautiful together and Keller embraced her friendship with Gus…eventually.

 
“I didn’t do anything. It was there all along, you just had to find it.”

And that is all I can say about this book…if I say anymore it will give too much away and that would be a travesty. All I can say is please, please read this book, give this newbie author a chance. Let the emotion and feels take you away for those few hours, learn some life lessons, be inspired, you will laugh, you will cry, you will swoon, but most of all you will feel. This is one book that has left its indelible mark on my heart, a book that I will champion from now on. Only a few books have made that impact and I am glad to add another to that list.
 

“I don’t know if the speed limit in California is 95 miles an hour, because I realize you guys probably do things a little different there, but it’s only 65 here, which is about how fast you take f**king corners.”
 
Kim Holden, all I can say is you are EPIC, this book is something that you should be truly proud of. I totally and utterly loved it and will now be eagerly anticipating your next book.

Go and 1click peeps, you will not be disappointed.

 
Buy Links:
 

No comments:

Post a Comment