Saving Ben Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway
Author: Ashley Farley
Release date: January 31st 2013
Publisher: Createspace
Series: N/A
Age Group: New Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository
Add to your library: Goodreads
Life is sweet for Katherine Langley. A freshman at the University of Virginia, she is free from the drama of her parents’ dysfunctional marriage and ready to focus on studying to become a nurse. Her brother, Ben, belongs to the hottest fraternity on campus, and her new roommate, Emma, is beautiful and charming, a party girl whose answer for a hangover is happy hour. She is also a psychopath.
When Katherine’s obsessive-compulsive
From the university campus to a cozy cottage on Carter’s Creek, Virginia, Saving Ben is a haunting tale of love and loyalty, anger management, substance abuse, and betrayal. (via Goodreads)
I was so hyped to start reading this book. Having the word psychopath in the blurb makes me want to finish it already.
I'd be honest first that, with that blurb, I thought this will all be mysterious and thrilling all throughout from the beginning till the end. I was a bit disappointed by that aspect because there was only a flashback explaining and leading to the start of the novel. The thrilling part was only at the latter of the book. But I didn't care because I really enjoyed it still. Having the flashback made me understand the present more. And for this book, I believe Ashley was able to pull off a nice flashback.
The flashback was pretty normal. Or should I say crazy because I want to slap Emma. No, seriously. She was such a bitch! Sorry for the term. But she really was. She kept doing things that were so not appropriate and since I know people like her exist, I actually pity her as the story went on. Her personality wasn't just a choice of her. It was really innate in her. And I do know that sometimes, we cannot really mess up with what's innate of us. While I was reading, I kept on waiting for her to do something so stupid that Ben will just actually leave her. But Ben was such a loving person. So he kept coming back to her despite of all the bad influences Emma had on him. Yet I was so glad when Ben came to his senses.
Katherine and Ben's relationship is one that I really admire and adore. They're such a great team. Not all siblings have that kind of bond and loyalty. Especially when Ben had his worst days, Katherine still fought for him till the end even if she became a victim. What Ben did to Katherine was such a great reflection of people who are so dependent on drugs. Sometimes, their minds get so clouded that they don't really have time to process whether what they're going to do is right or wrong, good or bad. Whatever it takes, they'll just do it. I'm not saying that what Ben did to his sister was fine. It wasn't. But given the circumstances of Ben's life that time, it was understandable in a way. It wasn't an excuse but it was enough to know that it wasn't done on purpose. And when you get to the part of how sorry he was, it was just so heartbreaking because really, you wouldn't want to do that to your sister or brother or to any of your loved ones for that matter.
Surprises, of course were present in here. Actually, A LOT. That's one of the things that made me enjoy this so much. And there's more to the story than that blurb. Can't even say how great the surprises were! But I gotta say that it involved not just Katherine, Emma and Ben. Since I was reading from Katherine's POV, I sort of became a spectator of someone else's life. It sort of shifted the attention to those characters. And it was such a nice feeling because the story wasn't really that centered on the MC even if Katherine was so much involved. Although Katherine did have issues, her issues weren't much of a great concern if you look at the story as a whole. Through her, I felt how it was to be that someone close to people who were so lost in their worlds. I do hope you get what I mean! Oh, and just so you know, this is such a tragedy.
Saving Ben is a great read for understanding how much drug abuse, alcohol dependency, betrayal and death can influence and affect people's lives. You'll see how others especially the ones you are close with can have a great impact on your life without you actually realizing it. Lastly, you'll realize that family is such a big part of your life, good or bad.
I'd be honest first that, with that blurb, I thought this will all be mysterious and thrilling all throughout from the beginning till the end. I was a bit disappointed by that aspect because there was only a flashback explaining and leading to the start of the novel. The thrilling part was only at the latter of the book. But I didn't care because I really enjoyed it still. Having the flashback made me understand the present more. And for this book, I believe Ashley was able to pull off a nice flashback.
The flashback was pretty normal. Or should I say crazy because I want to slap Emma. No, seriously. She was such a bitch! Sorry for the term. But she really was. She kept doing things that were so not appropriate and since I know people like her exist, I actually pity her as the story went on. Her personality wasn't just a choice of her. It was really innate in her. And I do know that sometimes, we cannot really mess up with what's innate of us. While I was reading, I kept on waiting for her to do something so stupid that Ben will just actually leave her. But Ben was such a loving person. So he kept coming back to her despite of all the bad influences Emma had on him. Yet I was so glad when Ben came to his senses.
Katherine and Ben's relationship is one that I really admire and adore. They're such a great team. Not all siblings have that kind of bond and loyalty. Especially when Ben had his worst days, Katherine still fought for him till the end even if she became a victim. What Ben did to Katherine was such a great reflection of people who are so dependent on drugs. Sometimes, their minds get so clouded that they don't really have time to process whether what they're going to do is right or wrong, good or bad. Whatever it takes, they'll just do it. I'm not saying that what Ben did to his sister was fine. It wasn't. But given the circumstances of Ben's life that time, it was understandable in a way. It wasn't an excuse but it was enough to know that it wasn't done on purpose. And when you get to the part of how sorry he was, it was just so heartbreaking because really, you wouldn't want to do that to your sister or brother or to any of your loved ones for that matter.
Surprises, of course were present in here. Actually, A LOT. That's one of the things that made me enjoy this so much. And there's more to the story than that blurb. Can't even say how great the surprises were! But I gotta say that it involved not just Katherine, Emma and Ben. Since I was reading from Katherine's POV, I sort of became a spectator of someone else's life. It sort of shifted the attention to those characters. And it was such a nice feeling because the story wasn't really that centered on the MC even if Katherine was so much involved. Although Katherine did have issues, her issues weren't much of a great concern if you look at the story as a whole. Through her, I felt how it was to be that someone close to people who were so lost in their worlds. I do hope you get what I mean! Oh, and just so you know, this is such a tragedy.
Saving Ben is a great read for understanding how much drug abuse, alcohol dependency, betrayal and death can influence and affect people's lives. You'll see how others especially the ones you are close with can have a great impact on your life without you actually realizing it. Lastly, you'll realize that family is such a big part of your life, good or bad.
About the Author
I wrote a novel, SAVING BEN, in honor of my brother, the boy I worshipped, the man I could not save. It’s not a memoir, but a story about the special bond between siblings.
I'm a wife and mother of two teenagers. I have lived in Richmond, Virginia, for seventeen years, a city I love for its history and traditions. Personal experience with my brother inspired me to become involved with the leadership symposium in my son’s school where I’ve helped bring in speakers to raise parents’ awareness of the alcohol and drug problems children face. When I’m not steering volunteer committees or working on my next novel, I can be found swimming laps or playing tennis.
2 comments
This books sounds right up my alley and I'd also noticed the work Psychopath that caught my interest! haha. Glad you liked it, Nina! Fab review! :)
REPLYIt was a really nice read, Giselle! Glad to be a part of the tour. ;)
REPLYHey, there! Thanks for stopping by my blog! Feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you! I'll reply as soon as I can! ;)