My very first review, among other things.

I am a reader. It's just who I am. I'm not very fast, but I get the job done comprehensively. I like to take every beautifully woven phrase the author pain-stakingly hand picked and savor them like they were meant to, not gobble it all up in one bite, thank-you-very-much. I guess that's why my reviews won't come as often as someone who can take in a book in one sitting. But I do have a whole shelf of books I read and vividly remember to work on from here on out. I'm relatively new to this, so bear with me.

The book in question: Breathe My Name by R.A. Nelson.
Frances has a past like no other. Born first out of four girls, at age seventeen, she's the only one still alive. She doesn't live with the people she called Mama and Daddy for the first six years of her life. In fact, she doesn't even keep in contact with them. And for good reason. At a very young age, Frances had been in the house when her three innocent, younger sisters were smothered to death with a pillow by one of the only people a child can fully rely on: her mother. Eighteen years later, Frances has tried to repress those memories. She's got a good home, a great family, and a wonderful best friend. It's not until she receives a letter delivered by her birth mother's attorney that Frances begins to questions everything she knows. She has to see her mother. Even though she could never forgive her.

Frances is a great, fully developed character, especially after going through what she did. There were times in this book where I didn't always agree with her choices, but I did enjoy the outcome that followed. Nix is original, more original than anyone I think I actually know. He never ceased to amaze me. There were times where I wanted to start sobbing because I felt what they felt. In fact, I was reading in the room with my mom, but actually had to leave because I knew something was about to happen, and I'd have some sort of crazy reaction that I didn't want to be questioned on. I'm still not quite sure where the title fit into the contents of this book however, and that just leaves me questioning and thinking. And in my opinion, I think that's the point.

I haven't read a novel like this before. It's chick-lit that makes you question everything good, really makes you wonder about the life you live. After finishing this book, I began to think about why things happen. But then the answer is almost clear: to shape who you are.

With so many aspect of chick-lit, it's almost undeniably places in that category. The title and cover, sparks of romance throughout the book. But think again. This book isn't just for the hopeless romantic. It's for the justice seeker, the one who's stuck inside simple monotony and looking for a way out, anyone who read and who can feel and who has a heart.

This book gives so many clear, descriptive sensory images, the last few pages might want you leaving more.