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Pretty Lights #1
Please Pretty Lights
It’s September when good girl Via Sorenson stumbles into a Seattle strip club, drunk and alone on her twenty-first birthday. Matt and Nick—best friends, bandmates, and bouncers—do their best to shield her from their sadistic cocaine-trafficking boss, Carlos. They don’t realize her daddy issues come with a forty-million-dollar trust fund and a legacy she would do anything to escape.
She is actually Violetta Rabbotino, who had been all over the news ten years earlier when her father, an acclaimed abstract artist, came home in a rage, murdered her mother, then turned the gun on himself. Young Violetta was spared, hidden behind the family Christmas tree, veiled by the mysticism of its pretty lights whose unadulterated love captivated and calmed her.
Now, desperate to shed her role as orphaned victim, Via stage dives into a one-hundred-day adventure with Matt and Nick, the bassist and drummer of popular nineties cover band Obliviot. The rock-and-roll lifestyle is the perfect distraction—until she is rattled by true love. As Christmas looms closer, her notorious past becomes undeniable. How will she ever untangle herself from her twisted string of pretty lights?
She is actually Violetta Rabbotino, who had been all over the news ten years earlier when her father, an acclaimed abstract artist, came home in a rage, murdered her mother, then turned the gun on himself. Young Violetta was spared, hidden behind the family Christmas tree, veiled by the mysticism of its pretty lights whose unadulterated love captivated and calmed her.
Now, desperate to shed her role as orphaned victim, Via stage dives into a one-hundred-day adventure with Matt and Nick, the bassist and drummer of popular nineties cover band Obliviot. The rock-and-roll lifestyle is the perfect distraction—until she is rattled by true love. As Christmas looms closer, her notorious past becomes undeniable. How will she ever untangle herself from her twisted string of pretty lights?
315 pages, Unknown Binding
First published July 16, 2014
8 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Ina Zajac
1 book16 followersMy debut novel Please, Pretty Lights was released in July 2014 by Booktrope Editions. I am now working on a sequel to be released in 2015. After working for several years as a feature writer, I changed over to fiction writing in 2012. I love getting reader feedback, so please write and share your thoughts and ideas.
I live in Seattle and am fascinated with music, art and human nature. I love writing about quirky, irreverent characters.
Writing about provocative topics such as religion, sex, addiction and violence can be intimidating, but I still go there; I don't hold back. I also explore uplifting topics related to the mystical and metaphysical. I'm a big fan of Abraham Hicks, Alan Watts, and Wayne Dyer. The theme of Please, Pretty Lights -- "Remember who you are" -- comes from this universal perspective.
I have a B.A. in journalism from Western Washington University and a M.A. in mass communication, with a emphasis in women's studies, from Arizona State University.
I live in Seattle and am fascinated with music, art and human nature. I love writing about quirky, irreverent characters.
Writing about provocative topics such as religion, sex, addiction and violence can be intimidating, but I still go there; I don't hold back. I also explore uplifting topics related to the mystical and metaphysical. I'm a big fan of Abraham Hicks, Alan Watts, and Wayne Dyer. The theme of Please, Pretty Lights -- "Remember who you are" -- comes from this universal perspective.
I have a B.A. in journalism from Western Washington University and a M.A. in mass communication, with a emphasis in women's studies, from Arizona State University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 31, 2014
I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
What initially drew me to Please, Pretty Lights was the music scene. I love most of the bands from the 90's mentioned in this story - they make up the soundtrack of my high school years, getting me through the teenage angst and making me feel as though I was invincible. Against the backdrop of the Seattle music scene, Via's story came to life.
In the beginning of Please, Pretty Lights, when Via meets with her uncle, I couldn't help thinking how lifeless this character seemed as though someone had sucked all the joy from her life. Just in this short scene, I learned much about her. I knew she was an interesting character with a lot going on internally and was protecting herself from outward scrutiny of the trauma she suffered early in life. She was going through the motions without really and truly living. But most of all she was on the precipice of self-destruction, hanging by a thread.
I could identify with Via's yearning to escape her past and find a new way to live that might make her feel alive and happy. Her internal debate with what she wanted to do versus what she thought she should do was so realistic it was almost painful. Although I definitely didn't agree with some of the choices she made, especially those that put her in danger (I was scared for her at times), I didn't want her to remain imprisoned by her childhood trauma either. The choices she ended up making landed her in a downward spiral of self-destruction - easy to fall into but so hard to leave.
I definitely don't mean to romanticize this story. It's dark and gritty with a glimpse into the world of drugs and stripping. Reading Via's story was at times downright heartbreaking, but I couldn't look away. I didn't even think about looking away. She was already closer to spiraling out of control than I think even she knew. That thread she had been hanging from didn't take much to snap.
Please, Pretty Lights is about much more than sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll. It's a story about reinventing yourself. It's about running from your past even knowing it'll eventually catch up with you. It's about living life freely without being chained down by the expectations of others. And most of all, it's about a broken young woman named Via who's only trying to find her way in this world. In the end I think you can agree with me that's what we're all trying to do, and there's a little bit of each of us in these characters and this story.
What initially drew me to Please, Pretty Lights was the music scene. I love most of the bands from the 90's mentioned in this story - they make up the soundtrack of my high school years, getting me through the teenage angst and making me feel as though I was invincible. Against the backdrop of the Seattle music scene, Via's story came to life.
In the beginning of Please, Pretty Lights, when Via meets with her uncle, I couldn't help thinking how lifeless this character seemed as though someone had sucked all the joy from her life. Just in this short scene, I learned much about her. I knew she was an interesting character with a lot going on internally and was protecting herself from outward scrutiny of the trauma she suffered early in life. She was going through the motions without really and truly living. But most of all she was on the precipice of self-destruction, hanging by a thread.
I could identify with Via's yearning to escape her past and find a new way to live that might make her feel alive and happy. Her internal debate with what she wanted to do versus what she thought she should do was so realistic it was almost painful. Although I definitely didn't agree with some of the choices she made, especially those that put her in danger (I was scared for her at times), I didn't want her to remain imprisoned by her childhood trauma either. The choices she ended up making landed her in a downward spiral of self-destruction - easy to fall into but so hard to leave.
I definitely don't mean to romanticize this story. It's dark and gritty with a glimpse into the world of drugs and stripping. Reading Via's story was at times downright heartbreaking, but I couldn't look away. I didn't even think about looking away. She was already closer to spiraling out of control than I think even she knew. That thread she had been hanging from didn't take much to snap.
Please, Pretty Lights is about much more than sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll. It's a story about reinventing yourself. It's about running from your past even knowing it'll eventually catch up with you. It's about living life freely without being chained down by the expectations of others. And most of all, it's about a broken young woman named Via who's only trying to find her way in this world. In the end I think you can agree with me that's what we're all trying to do, and there's a little bit of each of us in these characters and this story.
June 12, 2014
Dark, gritty, and intoxicating...exactly how I like it. Please, Pretty Lights, a poignant portrait of music, drugs and relationships, is harrowing at times and masterly written. It's easily one of my favorite books of the year.
Read
September 6, 2017DNF...
You ever have that, where you start reading a book and it's going okay-ish for the first couple of chapters. Then, poof, just like that...it's like the author stopped editing after that point and the whole story just falls apart...that's what this book did. The whole damn book just fell apart for me. I had to stop.
No Rating...I only read about 20%.
You ever have that, where you start reading a book and it's going okay-ish for the first couple of chapters. Then, poof, just like that...it's like the author stopped editing after that point and the whole story just falls apart...that's what this book did. The whole damn book just fell apart for me. I had to stop.
No Rating...I only read about 20%.
August 19, 2014
4.5 Stars
Please, Pretty Lights is full of raw, grimy, damaged characters. The best kind, in my opinion.
Via witnesses the most horrific thing a child can see, at the age of 11. Her life changes that day and her world ends up revolving around that event. A decade later, on her twenty first birthday reality takes on her fragile shell of a life and dumps it in the gutter.
Drunk and looking for something, a release or a feeling of anything but numbness, she stumbles into amateur night at a local strip club. One night, changes her life for both better and worse.
Worse in that it opens her humble church mouse existence into drugs, sex and general debauchery. But better because it brings real people into her life. People that see her for who she is and not what she should or could be.
Via took some time to grow on me. At first, like any human with a heart, I felt for the little girl Via was. But it was harder to feel bad for the young woman who was constantly making really bad decisions. She grows on you though and as the layers fall away you gain such an understanding of why she is who she is. You begin to root for her, even after she lets you down time and time again.
Two characters that did not have to grow on me are Matt and Nick. They were adorably quirky from the jump. It was like insta-love for me. I am crushing on them both hard. They are far from perfect, they are perfectly flawed.
As the lives of these three intertwine and become dependent on each other, the darker the story gets. It’s a story of broken girl becoming a broken young woman and love saving her but only after it destroys her first.
It’s not the easiest book to read. It’s tragic, sad, gritty, dark and at times violent. The first, perhaps, fifty percent is quite slow but then you connect and so much happens – making it really hard to set aside.
I will say that I had some issue with the writing style. There were times were it felt frenetic. I had moments were I wondered why thoughts were thrown in where they were. Maybe it was to add to the frantic characters mindsets. I’m not sure, but there moments when I was a bit thrown.
Ultimately, my thoughts brought me to the belief that this is really a great debut. It won’t resonate with all readers. If you don’t like raw stories or you like graphic sexual experiences, this isn’t your book. If you like messed up characters, fighting to find a place in the world – then give this one a shot.
Please, Pretty Lights is full of raw, grimy, damaged characters. The best kind, in my opinion.
Via witnesses the most horrific thing a child can see, at the age of 11. Her life changes that day and her world ends up revolving around that event. A decade later, on her twenty first birthday reality takes on her fragile shell of a life and dumps it in the gutter.
Drunk and looking for something, a release or a feeling of anything but numbness, she stumbles into amateur night at a local strip club. One night, changes her life for both better and worse.
Worse in that it opens her humble church mouse existence into drugs, sex and general debauchery. But better because it brings real people into her life. People that see her for who she is and not what she should or could be.
"I want to wash your hair." "My hair?" "It will feel better to you than anything I could ever do with my dick," he said.
Via took some time to grow on me. At first, like any human with a heart, I felt for the little girl Via was. But it was harder to feel bad for the young woman who was constantly making really bad decisions. She grows on you though and as the layers fall away you gain such an understanding of why she is who she is. You begin to root for her, even after she lets you down time and time again.
Two characters that did not have to grow on me are Matt and Nick. They were adorably quirky from the jump. It was like insta-love for me. I am crushing on them both hard. They are far from perfect, they are perfectly flawed.
As the lives of these three intertwine and become dependent on each other, the darker the story gets. It’s a story of broken girl becoming a broken young woman and love saving her but only after it destroys her first.
It’s not the easiest book to read. It’s tragic, sad, gritty, dark and at times violent. The first, perhaps, fifty percent is quite slow but then you connect and so much happens – making it really hard to set aside.
I will say that I had some issue with the writing style. There were times were it felt frenetic. I had moments were I wondered why thoughts were thrown in where they were. Maybe it was to add to the frantic characters mindsets. I’m not sure, but there moments when I was a bit thrown.
Ultimately, my thoughts brought me to the belief that this is really a great debut. It won’t resonate with all readers. If you don’t like raw stories or you like graphic sexual experiences, this isn’t your book. If you like messed up characters, fighting to find a place in the world – then give this one a shot.
September 5, 2014
I generously received a copy of this story from the author.
Ultimately this story was a series of characters journey to self discovery. It is a real in depth look at a variety of issues including mental illness, drug use and self acceptance. It was dark, gritty and heart wrenching. I don't want to give too much away as that will take from the overall feel of this novel.
To be honest, when I first started this I had a hard time connecting with the characters. They were broken, bruised and battered souls all in their own ways. However, this didn't last for long. My heart became one with each one of them, going through this journey with them. I cried with them, I loved with them and I grew with them. By the end, I felt as though I had learned something from each and every one.
Violetta aka Via, is a troubled young girl. This comes about after witnessing a very traumatic act of violence in her youth. Unfortunately even ten years later, she still has not dealt with the issues surrounding these events, and in an attempt to silence and dull the pain in her heart she goes on a bender that involves drugs, sex and crime. Through all this, she meets Matt and Nick as well as an array of other characters who help show her who she truly is and give her the tools in order to come to accept her past and find true love.
Matt is a young musician who suffers from OCD. He is quirky and involved in a life that isn't always gallant. However, it is through Via that he learns to cope with his obstacles and obsessions. It is not an easy road for either of them, but through a long stint with narcotics, alcohol and ultimately true bonding, they find each other in the end. They were what each other needed in order to move forward in their lives and be who they truly were on the inside.
This book is not an easy read, however it is brilliantly written and the characters are honestly depicted. It is not always pretty, it isn't a story that makes you swoon in an overly dramatized way, but it is real. And that is what makes this book one of my favorites of the year. I have never read anything like this before, I don't think I ever will again.
Five stars.
Ultimately this story was a series of characters journey to self discovery. It is a real in depth look at a variety of issues including mental illness, drug use and self acceptance. It was dark, gritty and heart wrenching. I don't want to give too much away as that will take from the overall feel of this novel.
To be honest, when I first started this I had a hard time connecting with the characters. They were broken, bruised and battered souls all in their own ways. However, this didn't last for long. My heart became one with each one of them, going through this journey with them. I cried with them, I loved with them and I grew with them. By the end, I felt as though I had learned something from each and every one.
Violetta aka Via, is a troubled young girl. This comes about after witnessing a very traumatic act of violence in her youth. Unfortunately even ten years later, she still has not dealt with the issues surrounding these events, and in an attempt to silence and dull the pain in her heart she goes on a bender that involves drugs, sex and crime. Through all this, she meets Matt and Nick as well as an array of other characters who help show her who she truly is and give her the tools in order to come to accept her past and find true love.
Matt is a young musician who suffers from OCD. He is quirky and involved in a life that isn't always gallant. However, it is through Via that he learns to cope with his obstacles and obsessions. It is not an easy road for either of them, but through a long stint with narcotics, alcohol and ultimately true bonding, they find each other in the end. They were what each other needed in order to move forward in their lives and be who they truly were on the inside.
This book is not an easy read, however it is brilliantly written and the characters are honestly depicted. It is not always pretty, it isn't a story that makes you swoon in an overly dramatized way, but it is real. And that is what makes this book one of my favorites of the year. I have never read anything like this before, I don't think I ever will again.
Five stars.
July 28, 2014
Please Pretty Lights drew me in quickly and kept me turning the pages. I devoured this book. A young woman running from her past by falling into drugs and the life of a stripper? I'm in! There were times I was angry with the main character and there times my heart broke for her. I actually teared up two or three times. For a book to inspire that much of an emotional response, the author is doing something right. Despite the drug usage and Via's low self worth, there are some very positive messages about facing the past and accepting help. Normally I cannot stand cheaters, but the author was very smart about it. Somehow it was more tolerable that this wounded girl go flailing into a crisis while her fiance was several countries away.
This is not a happy book that looks at life through rose tinted glasses, although the images are beautiful and there is humor. This is about a woman in a self destructive spiral crashing towards rock bottom. Bad choices are made. These are the things that make books real to me. I like darkness to balance out the beauty.
There were a few small issues. At times, descriptors like “sad eyes” were used or an emotion was stated instead of described. I also grew tired of Via telling us she needed attention. She's spending time on a stripper stage basking in the lights and eating up the attention of the patrons. Trust the reader – we get it. Other than these moments, I found the story engaging and the characters interesting. I would recommend this book.
This is not a happy book that looks at life through rose tinted glasses, although the images are beautiful and there is humor. This is about a woman in a self destructive spiral crashing towards rock bottom. Bad choices are made. These are the things that make books real to me. I like darkness to balance out the beauty.
There were a few small issues. At times, descriptors like “sad eyes” were used or an emotion was stated instead of described. I also grew tired of Via telling us she needed attention. She's spending time on a stripper stage basking in the lights and eating up the attention of the patrons. Trust the reader – we get it. Other than these moments, I found the story engaging and the characters interesting. I would recommend this book.
August 8, 2014
EiR received a nomination for Please, Pretty Lights via an email from a local Washington author who suggested that this WA state independent press gem would fit our standards fully. We would like to tip our hats to that recommendation because we could not put Please, Pretty Lights by Ina Zajac down.
Firstly, this is just a unique book. The main character, Via, suffers from depression, post traumatic stress and addiction. She finds herself in a crazy world of drugs, strip clubs and music. But she also finally, truly, finds herself and has some very hard decisions to make.
We won't get into the details of the book, but we will say that the dialogue was believable. The characters, even in their strange quirks and crazy situations were relateable. The characters were flawed and real, but also really stand out, each of them individuals with real life struggles.
The plot was paced perfectly and held just enough love, lust, action, danger, suspense, thoughtful depth and romance to keep EiR reading way too late into the night.
Thank you, Ina, for this gem. And, for goodness sake, keep writing because we will read it! This is an Elite Indie Read for sure, folks. Read this wonderful book.
Caution: mature situations, language, etc. (but very well crafted mature situations, so we loved it)
Firstly, this is just a unique book. The main character, Via, suffers from depression, post traumatic stress and addiction. She finds herself in a crazy world of drugs, strip clubs and music. But she also finally, truly, finds herself and has some very hard decisions to make.
We won't get into the details of the book, but we will say that the dialogue was believable. The characters, even in their strange quirks and crazy situations were relateable. The characters were flawed and real, but also really stand out, each of them individuals with real life struggles.
The plot was paced perfectly and held just enough love, lust, action, danger, suspense, thoughtful depth and romance to keep EiR reading way too late into the night.
Thank you, Ina, for this gem. And, for goodness sake, keep writing because we will read it! This is an Elite Indie Read for sure, folks. Read this wonderful book.
Caution: mature situations, language, etc. (but very well crafted mature situations, so we loved it)
March 7, 2015
This is one of the most compelling books I've read in long time. The story has so many elements that come together seamlessly. Ina Zajac clearly understands music and the Seattle music scene, and her musician characters are so realistic--so lovable but also flawed--that I wonder if they're based on real people. The same goes for all the minor characters, all of whom are three-dimensional and human. And Via, the troubled protagonist, is so perfectly drawn that I've been unable to stop thinking about her since completing the book. I think any person who's ever felt lost in life, or struggling with their identity--especially if that struggle involved making some dangerous decisions--will relate to Via. Zajac is an extremely gifted writer and I look forward to reading more of her work.
July 14, 2014
In Please, Pretty Lights, Ina Zajac weaves a compelling story of the painful long-term effects of childhood trauma and the downward spiral into addiction that demonstrates the maxim that we can't love another until we love ourselves. Via has a childhood of secrets she cannot face. When her attempts to escape her past through a life of narrow-minded Christianity doesn't work, she swings in the extreme opposite direction walking through the doors of a downtown strip club on her 21st birthday. Still, neither drugs nor the love of a decent man can save her until she is forced to face the demons of the past. Please, Pretty Lights is a multi-layered story of self-redemption.
October 6, 2015
To say this book took me by surprise is a gross understatement. Please Pretty Lights was one of those reads that left me squirming and yet gleeful that I finally had finally taken the time to read it. I was so uncomfortable while reading it and I stayed in a highly alert state in anticipation of what “could” be coming. The story of Via ( Violatti) Sorenson is at times hard to digest. Via spends 10 years burying the memory of the night she lost her parents, and in less than 4 months she manages to complete a 180-degree turn in the path of her life, in the face of what appears to be to the people who thought they knew her. She changes course so radically it’s hard to know if you should root for her break-away or wish she would have stayed on Vashon Island.
Via is living a religious based lifestyle, sans her fiancé who is off on a missionary type of trip, when she goes off the deep end. As she’s making her mistakes, I found myself cringing and pacing and hoping she wouldn’t take it too far, take it one step beyond, and it seems she always does. If it could go bad for Via, it did.
The story keeps a steady pace as we watch Via transform from seemingly good girl to one intent on self-destruction. The story starts in September with Via cognizant of the countdown to the December anniversary of her parents death. As we watch her transform, we are also given glances of what she experienced as a child that gives us context to her mental and emotional state. The story is told through not only Via’s POV, but from also those of Matt and Nick, two young men she bonds with as part of her September birthday bender. As Via’s life and those of Nick and especially Matts’ further entwine, Via’s develops self-destructive habits that have horrific consequences. Not all is bad as during this time, Via is also falling in love and finding herself, but it’s an odd transformation. I was happy to see her get out from under the thumb of her fiancé’s life, his choices, but Via remains utterly confused in what she is doing. The four months between her birthday and her “d-day” are fogged over with Via’s denial is a reflection of the endorphins she’s experiencing by falling in love, or by the shame she feels at living 2 opposing lives , or by her newly formed drug habit. Via was a surprise to me. At times, I thought she was smart and strong and had a path for independence well plotted, but the author uses Via to show us just how horribly wrong everything goes when drug addiction is in the mix.
Matt and Nick, our main secondary characters and the other point of views used to tell the story, are pretty straightforward, they are who we think they are and all actions are true to character. One inspiring character is that of Nicks grandmother, Grandma Daney. She serves to offer up great advice to Via, words that I found utterly grounding:
“This life isn’t everything, you know. Don’t take it all so seriously. Have fun.’
‘This life?’
“Yes, we are all spiritual beings, having human experiences. Remember,
you are eternal. This is just the life you are having.’ “
In contrast, we also are introduced to one of the Carlos is one of the most deplorable characters that I’ve read, and a major player in Via’s downfall. Carlos is truly despicable and I found that all scenes including him gave me anxiety. He is evil incarnate and yet Via someone ignores all the warnings. Nevertheless, the story was so engrossing I had to keep going. Beware, its violent and ugly and desperately sad, portraying yet another change in direction in Via’s life.
The author does an amazing job depicting the seedy underworld based in a Strip club in Seattle. Via finds herself caught up in two worlds, one she is pulling away from and one that seems more true to her inherent love of the creative. She’s been sheltered by her fiancé and his family, and has been living life as others tell her. However, her departure to the gritty underworld is just an extension of this. What she craves is independence but the entire time she is developing darker dependencies. When the inevitable occurs, when Via allows it to go too far it is utterly heart wrenching.
Please Pretty Lights is plotted to perfection, I’m in awe of the author’s technique, storytelling, including dialogue that is seemingly realistic, and everything I would expect to come from the lifestyle being written about. This was one of those reads where all interruptions are ignored and only bio breaks were tolerated. What makes this a 5 star book is the way this story is executed and how it made me feel, uncomfortable and unhappy, and yet hopeful. This looks to be the first published by Ina Zajac, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for future stories and Ms. Zajac has gained a fan. I highly recommend this book to all.
Via is living a religious based lifestyle, sans her fiancé who is off on a missionary type of trip, when she goes off the deep end. As she’s making her mistakes, I found myself cringing and pacing and hoping she wouldn’t take it too far, take it one step beyond, and it seems she always does. If it could go bad for Via, it did.
The story keeps a steady pace as we watch Via transform from seemingly good girl to one intent on self-destruction. The story starts in September with Via cognizant of the countdown to the December anniversary of her parents death. As we watch her transform, we are also given glances of what she experienced as a child that gives us context to her mental and emotional state. The story is told through not only Via’s POV, but from also those of Matt and Nick, two young men she bonds with as part of her September birthday bender. As Via’s life and those of Nick and especially Matts’ further entwine, Via’s develops self-destructive habits that have horrific consequences. Not all is bad as during this time, Via is also falling in love and finding herself, but it’s an odd transformation. I was happy to see her get out from under the thumb of her fiancé’s life, his choices, but Via remains utterly confused in what she is doing. The four months between her birthday and her “d-day” are fogged over with Via’s denial is a reflection of the endorphins she’s experiencing by falling in love, or by the shame she feels at living 2 opposing lives , or by her newly formed drug habit. Via was a surprise to me. At times, I thought she was smart and strong and had a path for independence well plotted, but the author uses Via to show us just how horribly wrong everything goes when drug addiction is in the mix.
Matt and Nick, our main secondary characters and the other point of views used to tell the story, are pretty straightforward, they are who we think they are and all actions are true to character. One inspiring character is that of Nicks grandmother, Grandma Daney. She serves to offer up great advice to Via, words that I found utterly grounding:
“This life isn’t everything, you know. Don’t take it all so seriously. Have fun.’
‘This life?’
“Yes, we are all spiritual beings, having human experiences. Remember,
you are eternal. This is just the life you are having.’ “
In contrast, we also are introduced to one of the Carlos is one of the most deplorable characters that I’ve read, and a major player in Via’s downfall. Carlos is truly despicable and I found that all scenes including him gave me anxiety. He is evil incarnate and yet Via someone ignores all the warnings. Nevertheless, the story was so engrossing I had to keep going. Beware, its violent and ugly and desperately sad, portraying yet another change in direction in Via’s life.
The author does an amazing job depicting the seedy underworld based in a Strip club in Seattle. Via finds herself caught up in two worlds, one she is pulling away from and one that seems more true to her inherent love of the creative. She’s been sheltered by her fiancé and his family, and has been living life as others tell her. However, her departure to the gritty underworld is just an extension of this. What she craves is independence but the entire time she is developing darker dependencies. When the inevitable occurs, when Via allows it to go too far it is utterly heart wrenching.
Please Pretty Lights is plotted to perfection, I’m in awe of the author’s technique, storytelling, including dialogue that is seemingly realistic, and everything I would expect to come from the lifestyle being written about. This was one of those reads where all interruptions are ignored and only bio breaks were tolerated. What makes this a 5 star book is the way this story is executed and how it made me feel, uncomfortable and unhappy, and yet hopeful. This looks to be the first published by Ina Zajac, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for future stories and Ms. Zajac has gained a fan. I highly recommend this book to all.
May 26, 2016
Please, Pretty Lights had got to be one of the grittiest books I have ever read. It's packed full of so many tough topics including drug use and domestic violence. It is most definitely for mature readers only as it is an explicit read at times. But I was easily hooked right into Via's story and couldn't put this book down.
I'm not sure how realistic Via's story actually is as I've never been part of the drug using, strip club scene. But, to my knowledge, it did feel very realistic. I felt the setting related well to the characters as it is clear how each of them ended up in their current situation. The characters were really enjoyable too, though some of their decisions were questionable. They all brought something different to the story.
Via is a character that I really grew to love, despite her horrifyingly bad decisions. I really wanted to give her a shake at times. She has been through far more than most can even dream of so it's no wonder she goes off the rails a bit. Anyone would. Not only that but she also has so much pressure to live up to her father's name and also to integrate nicely into her fiancé’s church. Via is one of those characters that you can't help but get extremely invested in.
I loved Matt and Nick, but especially Matt. They're far perfect. I mean they are one of the key factors in Via's spiral downwards. But they also work to the bone to get her (and themselves) out again. They are extremely loyal to each other and those they care about.
Please, Pretty Lights is told from multiple points of view, including Via, Matt, Nick, and Carlos. I actually didn't mind this. Each change in perspective was clearly stated so I found it quite easy to switch between them. I didn't find the story predictable at all either. There was no telling what any of the characters would do, especially when drugs were involved. I thought this made the story even more realistic. The ending is also very climatic and I couldn't help but keep turning pages (even though I know I had places to be). I just had to find out what would happen to Via. And I'm very happy with the way her story ended even though there were still a few unanswered questions.
Please, Pretty Lights is far from an easy read. It's a gritty and graphic read at times, but you can't help but get completely invested in the story. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of mature contemporary new adult.
I received a copy of Please, Pretty Lights via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review and many more can be found at My Expanding Bookshelf.
I'm not sure how realistic Via's story actually is as I've never been part of the drug using, strip club scene. But, to my knowledge, it did feel very realistic. I felt the setting related well to the characters as it is clear how each of them ended up in their current situation. The characters were really enjoyable too, though some of their decisions were questionable. They all brought something different to the story.
Via is a character that I really grew to love, despite her horrifyingly bad decisions. I really wanted to give her a shake at times. She has been through far more than most can even dream of so it's no wonder she goes off the rails a bit. Anyone would. Not only that but she also has so much pressure to live up to her father's name and also to integrate nicely into her fiancé’s church. Via is one of those characters that you can't help but get extremely invested in.
I loved Matt and Nick, but especially Matt. They're far perfect. I mean they are one of the key factors in Via's spiral downwards. But they also work to the bone to get her (and themselves) out again. They are extremely loyal to each other and those they care about.
Please, Pretty Lights is told from multiple points of view, including Via, Matt, Nick, and Carlos. I actually didn't mind this. Each change in perspective was clearly stated so I found it quite easy to switch between them. I didn't find the story predictable at all either. There was no telling what any of the characters would do, especially when drugs were involved. I thought this made the story even more realistic. The ending is also very climatic and I couldn't help but keep turning pages (even though I know I had places to be). I just had to find out what would happen to Via. And I'm very happy with the way her story ended even though there were still a few unanswered questions.
Please, Pretty Lights is far from an easy read. It's a gritty and graphic read at times, but you can't help but get completely invested in the story. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of mature contemporary new adult.
I received a copy of Please, Pretty Lights via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review and many more can be found at My Expanding Bookshelf.
March 18, 2021
I've never read anything like it. And I doubt I'll ever find any other book that compares.
There's just so many emotions and hardships that I've never even considered. But it still has many relatable moments that really pulled me in.
From their first moments I felt like I knew the characters and was a part of them. Which made what they go through so much more.
So much more that I'm not even sure if there's just one word to describe it.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
There's just so many emotions and hardships that I've never even considered. But it still has many relatable moments that really pulled me in.
From their first moments I felt like I knew the characters and was a part of them. Which made what they go through so much more.
So much more that I'm not even sure if there's just one word to describe it.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2014
From the very first page I was captivated by this story, and found it very difficult to put the book down. In fact I found myself reading and walking with it just so I could read a page or two more. The characters were amazing - each and everyone of them. They were so complex but yet so relatable at the same time. The conversations were so realistic. But my favorite part was how the author weaved Via's childhood and her suppressed memories in. It was amazing. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series!
November 2, 2014
Zajac had me hook, line and sinker from the opening passages. I cared deeply about the girl huddled behind the Christmas tree and had to know what became of her. Though written with unapologetic rawness, the darker side of life Zajac's protagonist dwells in are written with heart and make the story valid and her journey sincere. I refuse to be a spoiler in my review, but wow. What a ride.
This does not read as a first novel and I'm eagerly anticipating the next book.
This does not read as a first novel and I'm eagerly anticipating the next book.
October 13, 2014
I reviewed this at MustReadBooksOrDie with my friend Shelley!
Shel: This looked a little different than our norm and so we thought we'd give it a try. Court: Yep! The cover was so interesting. I immediately thought: Band! and wanted to read it.
Shel: It is a little different. First thing you will notice is that all of the major players in this novel have chapters devoted to telling their story. Via, Nick, Matt, and Carlos each pop in to further the plot and get us in their heads a little. And while I found it a little confusing and sometimes disorienting, it was definitely something I hadn't experienced in my reading in a while. We learn about their idiosyncrasies and quirks and why they are the way that they are. It helps explain their actions and behaviors (or lack of behaviors), often after the fact. Things that I found curious or interesting were often explained and I found that satisfying.
Court: Simple characters, these were not. I think that it was a little jarring at first with the point of view changes because we weren't sure where things were headed. I know I had an idea of what might be going on with Via, but I wondered would the ending be what I hoped it would be? Do I want to take the journey with these people? Yes, in the long run I did. It was wild the way things blended together though...and then, I kind of loved them in my own way, and maybe even understand them now. I love that feeling, no matter how I got there.
Shel: Even with all of the characters having a chance to tell their story, the story really begins and ends with Via. Her story really is tragic--but what is interesting are the choices she makes to try to free herself from the things binding her to her past, feeling guilt and obligation because of it, and her journey with her new friends (and Carlos) to try to figure out how to navigate her present and future.
Court: Via is mega complicated. And I realize the things that happen here are definitely the extreme parts of a coming of age story, it is indeed just that. She just turns 21 at the beginning of our story and chooses the most out of this world fashion to bring it in with a bang and shed her good girl image. She goes to a strip club and signs up for this insane dancing contest that has her letting a strange, albeit cute, boy paint her boobs. Hhhmmm, I thought, and then it was on. I wanted to know where they would go from there.
Shel: I think this novel had a ton of potential. The premise suggested a gritty, raw story and it definitely had those elements; it just didn't quite come together for me the way I wanted it to. Perhaps it was the multiple POVs or the editing that wasn't quite working for me? I don't know. Court: And I think that I owe Shel big time for preparing me for that. It wasn't as jarring for me simply because she told me what to expect. So, bloggy partner, I heart you...but am bummed that you didn't have that.
Shel: I wanted to like it and I'm glad I gave it a chance, it just didn't quite draw me in, in the beginning and I found my interest waning the further I read. Court: I wanted to know if the payout would be worth it. And that might make me sound like a pretentious ass, but we do spend a lot of time with these books, so I can't apologize for that. I honestly think it was. The more I read, the harder it got. There is a lot of depth there in Via, but the choices she makes...make her hard to root for as a heroine. She is definitely an anti-heroine, and I think that made me connect with her in the end. We don't see that enough. G-Daney (my favorite character of all) helped her own it. And that made it complete for me.
Shel: Many people enjoyed it and it may just be the perfect thing for you. So, if you try it out, let us know what you think. Court: Indeed. Bookish discussion are our favorite!
Shel: This looked a little different than our norm and so we thought we'd give it a try. Court: Yep! The cover was so interesting. I immediately thought: Band! and wanted to read it.
Shel: It is a little different. First thing you will notice is that all of the major players in this novel have chapters devoted to telling their story. Via, Nick, Matt, and Carlos each pop in to further the plot and get us in their heads a little. And while I found it a little confusing and sometimes disorienting, it was definitely something I hadn't experienced in my reading in a while. We learn about their idiosyncrasies and quirks and why they are the way that they are. It helps explain their actions and behaviors (or lack of behaviors), often after the fact. Things that I found curious or interesting were often explained and I found that satisfying.
Court: Simple characters, these were not. I think that it was a little jarring at first with the point of view changes because we weren't sure where things were headed. I know I had an idea of what might be going on with Via, but I wondered would the ending be what I hoped it would be? Do I want to take the journey with these people? Yes, in the long run I did. It was wild the way things blended together though...and then, I kind of loved them in my own way, and maybe even understand them now. I love that feeling, no matter how I got there.
Shel: Even with all of the characters having a chance to tell their story, the story really begins and ends with Via. Her story really is tragic--but what is interesting are the choices she makes to try to free herself from the things binding her to her past, feeling guilt and obligation because of it, and her journey with her new friends (and Carlos) to try to figure out how to navigate her present and future.
Court: Via is mega complicated. And I realize the things that happen here are definitely the extreme parts of a coming of age story, it is indeed just that. She just turns 21 at the beginning of our story and chooses the most out of this world fashion to bring it in with a bang and shed her good girl image. She goes to a strip club and signs up for this insane dancing contest that has her letting a strange, albeit cute, boy paint her boobs. Hhhmmm, I thought, and then it was on. I wanted to know where they would go from there.
Shel: I think this novel had a ton of potential. The premise suggested a gritty, raw story and it definitely had those elements; it just didn't quite come together for me the way I wanted it to. Perhaps it was the multiple POVs or the editing that wasn't quite working for me? I don't know. Court: And I think that I owe Shel big time for preparing me for that. It wasn't as jarring for me simply because she told me what to expect. So, bloggy partner, I heart you...but am bummed that you didn't have that.
Shel: I wanted to like it and I'm glad I gave it a chance, it just didn't quite draw me in, in the beginning and I found my interest waning the further I read. Court: I wanted to know if the payout would be worth it. And that might make me sound like a pretentious ass, but we do spend a lot of time with these books, so I can't apologize for that. I honestly think it was. The more I read, the harder it got. There is a lot of depth there in Via, but the choices she makes...make her hard to root for as a heroine. She is definitely an anti-heroine, and I think that made me connect with her in the end. We don't see that enough. G-Daney (my favorite character of all) helped her own it. And that made it complete for me.
Shel: Many people enjoyed it and it may just be the perfect thing for you. So, if you try it out, let us know what you think. Court: Indeed. Bookish discussion are our favorite!
September 13, 2014
4.5 stars, full review here => http://afterdarkbooklovers.com/2014/0...
This book was so unexpected. Situated in a world between church youth groups, the Seattle music scene and strip clubs. Weird, right? Beginning on our heroine’s birthday, Violetta (Via) Rabboino begins a 100 day countdown until the anniversary of her parents death. And with each passing day, her life spirals more out of control. I found this story to be emotionally gripping as you watch that spiral down, knowing at some point, it will hit rock bottom. And as sad as that is, you can’t help but watch it all fall apart.
Via is not a strong heroine in any way. She craves attention, and makes some questionable moves in order to escape the memories that haunt her. On the first night of her countdown, she meets Nick and Matt – musicians with some sketchy side jobs. Despite being engaged, she makes an immediate connection to Matt.
Chatting with our reviewer Michelle, she had trouble connecting with the characters. I think part of this might be because this is told in the third person. Also, as mentioned previously, Via is hard to cheer for – not only because she doesn’t seem to fight for herself, but because she does cheat. Personally, while I couldn’t relate to the characters and the mistakes they make along the way, the author unfolded the story in a way that it felt real and easy to understand. This is the forth romance book that had a strip club as part of the story, and this seemed like one of the more realistic accounts.
Who I loved in this story:
Matt - He’s a bit OCD, but I loved how he treated Via. He’s not perfect, as he played a role in her turn to drugs, but he and Nick, see when its gone to far and try to get her and themselves out of the toxic world. And who can’t love how he always tells her “you’re pretty,” even leaving her name at clubs under the name Via Yorpretty. Too cute!
Nick – You have to love this guy’s loyalty. He only wants to do right by his friend and his Grandma. His relationship with her is adorable.
Whitney – She saves Via from her self-destruction and slowly brings her back. She may have taken a wrong turn in her career, but she has strong goals to get her on the right path. And she’s a great Mom to Bella.
Grandma Daney – Everyone deserves a Grandma like this one. She’s not judgmental in any way and has a very easy going view on life that is hard not to appreciate.
Who I didn’t love/hated in this story:
Carlos, aka The Skeeze – With a nickname like that, do I need to say more? Ok, he is creepy, delusional, sad, scary, and ultimately the man behind Via hitting rock bottom.
Kaytlyn aka Kandy – Like a lot of strippers, this woman obviously has some low self-esteem issues, even though she is described as being Barbie perfect. But her esteem issues lead to jealously and she plays a role in some heartache. I feel bad at how things turned out for her, but I didn’t like her in any way during the book.
Via (at times) – There were so many ways I wish she would have done things differently, but she was so lost and scared, she decided to take the easy way out. That route nearly cost her everything.
BUT, I really liked how came out of her rock bottom state. She didn’t rush things. She didn’t take the easy way out. She finally did the right things and it helped her and those around her. While in the beginning, Via survived a tragedy through the comfort of some Christmas lights, her imaginary spirit angels of sorts, she finally finds comfort in a stronger spirit to help her move on past the tragedy. And that’s an ending I can cheer for.
Being in his arms reminded her of the pretty lights. Why had she never realized that before?
*An ARC was received for an honest review.
This book was so unexpected. Situated in a world between church youth groups, the Seattle music scene and strip clubs. Weird, right? Beginning on our heroine’s birthday, Violetta (Via) Rabboino begins a 100 day countdown until the anniversary of her parents death. And with each passing day, her life spirals more out of control. I found this story to be emotionally gripping as you watch that spiral down, knowing at some point, it will hit rock bottom. And as sad as that is, you can’t help but watch it all fall apart.
Via is not a strong heroine in any way. She craves attention, and makes some questionable moves in order to escape the memories that haunt her. On the first night of her countdown, she meets Nick and Matt – musicians with some sketchy side jobs. Despite being engaged, she makes an immediate connection to Matt.
Chatting with our reviewer Michelle, she had trouble connecting with the characters. I think part of this might be because this is told in the third person. Also, as mentioned previously, Via is hard to cheer for – not only because she doesn’t seem to fight for herself, but because she does cheat. Personally, while I couldn’t relate to the characters and the mistakes they make along the way, the author unfolded the story in a way that it felt real and easy to understand. This is the forth romance book that had a strip club as part of the story, and this seemed like one of the more realistic accounts.
Who I loved in this story:
Matt - He’s a bit OCD, but I loved how he treated Via. He’s not perfect, as he played a role in her turn to drugs, but he and Nick, see when its gone to far and try to get her and themselves out of the toxic world. And who can’t love how he always tells her “you’re pretty,” even leaving her name at clubs under the name Via Yorpretty. Too cute!
Nick – You have to love this guy’s loyalty. He only wants to do right by his friend and his Grandma. His relationship with her is adorable.
Whitney – She saves Via from her self-destruction and slowly brings her back. She may have taken a wrong turn in her career, but she has strong goals to get her on the right path. And she’s a great Mom to Bella.
Grandma Daney – Everyone deserves a Grandma like this one. She’s not judgmental in any way and has a very easy going view on life that is hard not to appreciate.
Who I didn’t love/hated in this story:
Carlos, aka The Skeeze – With a nickname like that, do I need to say more? Ok, he is creepy, delusional, sad, scary, and ultimately the man behind Via hitting rock bottom.
Kaytlyn aka Kandy – Like a lot of strippers, this woman obviously has some low self-esteem issues, even though she is described as being Barbie perfect. But her esteem issues lead to jealously and she plays a role in some heartache. I feel bad at how things turned out for her, but I didn’t like her in any way during the book.
Via (at times) – There were so many ways I wish she would have done things differently, but she was so lost and scared, she decided to take the easy way out. That route nearly cost her everything.
BUT, I really liked how came out of her rock bottom state. She didn’t rush things. She didn’t take the easy way out. She finally did the right things and it helped her and those around her. While in the beginning, Via survived a tragedy through the comfort of some Christmas lights, her imaginary spirit angels of sorts, she finally finds comfort in a stronger spirit to help her move on past the tragedy. And that’s an ending I can cheer for.
Being in his arms reminded her of the pretty lights. Why had she never realized that before?
*An ARC was received for an honest review.
October 9, 2014
Please pretty lights. 5.5 'You're pretty' stars.
Wow! So much about this book appealed to me, it hit me at a deeper level than I usually prefer, and due to the content it was almost, almost uncomfortable, but damn if it wasn't good.
I don't quite know where to start with this review; it's raw, it's real, it's dark, and gritty. It's a story about a girl trying to escape her reality by drowning in a world of drugs, love, music, addiction and stripper poles. There's stoned raccoons, there's hash brownies, bongs and lines of coke being snorted - frequently. It's a beautifully written story about love, and ultimately healing. It'll captivate you, shock you, and touch you simultaneously.
This book is not for everyone, but everyone should read it!! The subject matter might make some people squirm. There are certain scenes that are hard to read, but it's because it's written so beautifully, so realistically that it'll deposit you inside the pages and have you experiencing their highs, their lows and everything in between right along with them.
Some of the best parts were reading their drug induced inner monologues and conversations. It was both painful and poignant. The author really did hit the nail on the head. Now I can't say I've done half the stuff I read in this book, but one I'll admit to having had is ketamine. No I'm not that much of a rebel!! I was given it during a c-section when my spinal had worn off. Wow! I couldn't have written the experience any better myself. Every word had me back there, experiencing that feeling of disconnect from your body all over again. It was brilliant in that it truly was realistic. A testament to this authors writing.
This book has a few main characters, but what I loved was the music factor, it was almost as if the music was a character in itself. If you are an eighties baby, like myself, you'll appreciate the music; names such as Nirvana, Blink182, Radiohead and Sublime to name only a few. It was a trip down memory lane. I loved it!
The drug lifestyle was complemented, and this almost seems weird to say, but by the religious scenes. It was a perfect contradiction. From snorting lines, to bible studies with 'Jesus kids'' It emphasised the true torment this girl (Via) was actually experiencing internally. On one hand, trying to forget, be someone else, live and love on a high - figuratively and literally, while having another life only a ferry ride away; one that forces her to question her actions, that brings her down but ultimately is the only thing keeping her standing at that point. I think she would have fallen deeper, faster had she not had cupcakes to bake for her bible kids and classes to attend.
It is pain and forgetting at its best, or worst - however you chose to interpret it.
Matt, I fell in love with his adorable, eccentric personality instantly. There was something so completely genuine about his character that just drew you to him.
How could anyone not love him.
'He looked quite serious. “This is a holdup,” he announced so loudly that an old guy walking by did a double take. “I’m here to steal your heart.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss.'
I could ramble on about Matt all day, but I won't, because you can read all about him yourself!
G-Dane... Just awesome. Pure awesome! Everyone needs a G-Dane.
This is a book that will stay with me, and I have no doubt I will read again. It truly was a wicked ride.
Just amazing!! Huge props to the author, I could only imagine what it would take to write something as raw as this.
Thank you so much for the copy to review! Brilliant is what you are.
5.5 'You're pretty' stars
Wow! So much about this book appealed to me, it hit me at a deeper level than I usually prefer, and due to the content it was almost, almost uncomfortable, but damn if it wasn't good.
I don't quite know where to start with this review; it's raw, it's real, it's dark, and gritty. It's a story about a girl trying to escape her reality by drowning in a world of drugs, love, music, addiction and stripper poles. There's stoned raccoons, there's hash brownies, bongs and lines of coke being snorted - frequently. It's a beautifully written story about love, and ultimately healing. It'll captivate you, shock you, and touch you simultaneously.
This book is not for everyone, but everyone should read it!! The subject matter might make some people squirm. There are certain scenes that are hard to read, but it's because it's written so beautifully, so realistically that it'll deposit you inside the pages and have you experiencing their highs, their lows and everything in between right along with them.
Some of the best parts were reading their drug induced inner monologues and conversations. It was both painful and poignant. The author really did hit the nail on the head. Now I can't say I've done half the stuff I read in this book, but one I'll admit to having had is ketamine. No I'm not that much of a rebel!! I was given it during a c-section when my spinal had worn off. Wow! I couldn't have written the experience any better myself. Every word had me back there, experiencing that feeling of disconnect from your body all over again. It was brilliant in that it truly was realistic. A testament to this authors writing.
This book has a few main characters, but what I loved was the music factor, it was almost as if the music was a character in itself. If you are an eighties baby, like myself, you'll appreciate the music; names such as Nirvana, Blink182, Radiohead and Sublime to name only a few. It was a trip down memory lane. I loved it!
The drug lifestyle was complemented, and this almost seems weird to say, but by the religious scenes. It was a perfect contradiction. From snorting lines, to bible studies with 'Jesus kids'' It emphasised the true torment this girl (Via) was actually experiencing internally. On one hand, trying to forget, be someone else, live and love on a high - figuratively and literally, while having another life only a ferry ride away; one that forces her to question her actions, that brings her down but ultimately is the only thing keeping her standing at that point. I think she would have fallen deeper, faster had she not had cupcakes to bake for her bible kids and classes to attend.
It is pain and forgetting at its best, or worst - however you chose to interpret it.
Matt, I fell in love with his adorable, eccentric personality instantly. There was something so completely genuine about his character that just drew you to him.
How could anyone not love him.
'He looked quite serious. “This is a holdup,” he announced so loudly that an old guy walking by did a double take. “I’m here to steal your heart.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss.'
I could ramble on about Matt all day, but I won't, because you can read all about him yourself!
G-Dane... Just awesome. Pure awesome! Everyone needs a G-Dane.
This is a book that will stay with me, and I have no doubt I will read again. It truly was a wicked ride.
Just amazing!! Huge props to the author, I could only imagine what it would take to write something as raw as this.
Thank you so much for the copy to review! Brilliant is what you are.
5.5 'You're pretty' stars
September 19, 2014
4 Stars
Amazon|Goodreads
Meg's Review:
Please, Pretty Lights is a great read. I jumped into it judging by the cover only. I signed on to review it going in blind. It is way for me to mix things up. I am very glad I did so with this book. I had my thoughts about it from the start, but it surprised me.
This was a dark and drugging read. I don't typically like books that stray toward this, but this novel stands not its own and pulls you in. Broken and raw, the characters in this novel are as real as you would find someone you met on the street. They grab you and drag you into their dark world as you go on an adventure you didn't see coming.
Via is lifeless. She is just existing in her life to exist. With a past as dark as hers that wasn't felt with in ANY way, I get it. I saw her getting ready to spiral and I know that she was going to take us on a ride.
Matt and Nick warmed me heart. I adored them. Even with their terrible habits and lives that needed some direction. They were so different, yet still so perfect as best friends. I wanted toe exist in their world. Even with it being toxic, they have this draw to them that I loved. Throw via into their drug, music, and vice filled life, and we have a novel I could wait to read. I stayed up all night to finish this novel, not because I was so invested that it compelled me, but because I had no clue where the author was taking it.
A solid 4 star read. This novel is exceptionally written and engages the eager on every page. You can't decide at some points to cringe at decisions or just join in on the party. I vote that is the best kind of novel out there. This is a very dark read though. It has it's light parts, but for the majority it is a dark and gritty novel.
Synopsis:
'It’s September when good girl Via Sorenson stumbles into a Seattle strip club, drunk and alone on her twenty-first birthday. Matt and Nick—best friends, bandmates, and bouncers—do their best to shield her from their sadistic cocaine-trafficking boss, Carlos. They don’t realize her daddy issues come with a forty-million-dollar trust fund and a legacy she would do anything to escape.
She is actually Violetta Rabbotino, who had been all over the news ten years earlier when her father, an acclaimed abstract artist, came home in a rage, murdered her mother, then turned the gun on himself. Young Violetta was spared, hidden behind the family Christmas tree, veiled by the mysticism of its pretty lights whose unadulterated love captivated and calmed her.
Now, desperate to shed her role as orphaned victim, Via stage dives into a one-hundred-day adventure with Matt and Nick, the bassist and drummer of popular nineties cover band Obliviot. The rock-and-roll lifestyle is the perfect distraction—until she is rattled by true love. As Christmas looms closer, her notorious past becomes undeniable. How will she ever untangle herself from her twisted string of pretty lights?
April 1, 2015
I received a free copy in exchange for a review.
Via counts the days starting from her birthday to the anniversary of her mother's murder and her father's suicide. She has no other family except for her fiance who is traveling to build homes in Africa and her uncle who takes her out to celebrate her 21st birthday but she's in no mood to celebrate because that's when her countdown begins. With dinner finished, she decides to have a party of 1 by dancing away her thoughts and emotions. However the club she goes in happens to be a strip club where she gets spray painted by a guy named Matt who can't stop staring at her and the only thing that comes out of his mouth was "you're pretty". From then on, Via is thrusted into world of drugs when she meets the owner of the club and the guys who work for him. Since her fiance is out of town and her countdown has started back up, she gets hooked on this new world that is the polar opposite of what her life will be once she is married. Being with Matt, she's learning to let go and speak out about her past.
In the beginning, Via was depicted as a broken girl with daddy issues who uses drugs and sex to cope with her emotions. Luckily, she found love when she was trying to find an outlet from her parents' death and the church life that was suffocating her. There was so much cocaine in the story, I was wondering if Via was able to come out of it alive because she's been so broken for so long. Luckily she has Matt, Nick and Whitney by her side. I like that even in the oddest places, you can find people you can trust and friend the most in a strip club. Without them, she would of ended up with Carlos for sure.
I like how Carlos and her father were the same because it's like she was brought back to the past to see that even though her father killed her mother, she knew he really did love her. It showed in her painting and she used that faith to bide some time when Carlos was holding her captive. Carlos was a skeeze but he was broken too, so as much as I want to hate him, he had a rough life so it is no wonder he became the way he is.
Overall, I admit it was difficult to read in the beginning but around the part when things got difficult for Via and she started wanting to live because she found Matt, it got better. However when she was still in her coke binge, that's when she realized she needed to be better and that the "lights" or her mom can't always be there for her. She has to start thinking for herself and live her life.
Via counts the days starting from her birthday to the anniversary of her mother's murder and her father's suicide. She has no other family except for her fiance who is traveling to build homes in Africa and her uncle who takes her out to celebrate her 21st birthday but she's in no mood to celebrate because that's when her countdown begins. With dinner finished, she decides to have a party of 1 by dancing away her thoughts and emotions. However the club she goes in happens to be a strip club where she gets spray painted by a guy named Matt who can't stop staring at her and the only thing that comes out of his mouth was "you're pretty". From then on, Via is thrusted into world of drugs when she meets the owner of the club and the guys who work for him. Since her fiance is out of town and her countdown has started back up, she gets hooked on this new world that is the polar opposite of what her life will be once she is married. Being with Matt, she's learning to let go and speak out about her past.
In the beginning, Via was depicted as a broken girl with daddy issues who uses drugs and sex to cope with her emotions. Luckily, she found love when she was trying to find an outlet from her parents' death and the church life that was suffocating her. There was so much cocaine in the story, I was wondering if Via was able to come out of it alive because she's been so broken for so long. Luckily she has Matt, Nick and Whitney by her side. I like that even in the oddest places, you can find people you can trust and friend the most in a strip club. Without them, she would of ended up with Carlos for sure.
I like how Carlos and her father were the same because it's like she was brought back to the past to see that even though her father killed her mother, she knew he really did love her. It showed in her painting and she used that faith to bide some time when Carlos was holding her captive. Carlos was a skeeze but he was broken too, so as much as I want to hate him, he had a rough life so it is no wonder he became the way he is.
Overall, I admit it was difficult to read in the beginning but around the part when things got difficult for Via and she started wanting to live because she found Matt, it got better. However when she was still in her coke binge, that's when she realized she needed to be better and that the "lights" or her mom can't always be there for her. She has to start thinking for herself and live her life.
April 27, 2016
I'm surprised by my own four star rating for Please, Pretty Lights. There was a point about halfway through where I predicted two stars, or even the dreaded one. Not because of the writing--no, Ms. Zajac wields her pen masterfully. This book is much darker and grittier than I expected, even considering the description above, and there was a point when I just wasn't enjoying it. As you can guess, though, the way the book concluded changed my mind.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. For starters, the pacing is excellent. I'm in the middle of a stressful, busy week and still managed to read this in one day. As I've already mentioned, the prose is exquisite. Zajac's descriptions are so effective that I, someone who has never even so much as smoked a regular cigarette, managed to feel like I was intimately familiar with what doing lines of cocaine felt like. As far as characters go, Matt and Nick were both entirely loveable, despite their shady occupations. I cared about them both almost instantly. I also love how mental illness is portrayed in this book, particularly the idea of a character with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. "OCD" is so often thrown around casually, but rarely considered as a legitimate illness. It's definitely time for us to explore it more often, and more seriously.
It was harder for me to connect with Via. Even though I accepted the reasons for her descent into chaos, as it were, I found it very difficult to believe she changed so quickly. Perhaps a longer look at pre-Hotties Via would have helped me understand her a little better.
Please, Pretty Lights is well-written, gritty, and incredibly poignant. However, if you're squeamish when it comes to drug use, sex work, and other touchy subjects, it might be best for you to pass this one by.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. For starters, the pacing is excellent. I'm in the middle of a stressful, busy week and still managed to read this in one day. As I've already mentioned, the prose is exquisite. Zajac's descriptions are so effective that I, someone who has never even so much as smoked a regular cigarette, managed to feel like I was intimately familiar with what doing lines of cocaine felt like. As far as characters go, Matt and Nick were both entirely loveable, despite their shady occupations. I cared about them both almost instantly. I also love how mental illness is portrayed in this book, particularly the idea of a character with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. "OCD" is so often thrown around casually, but rarely considered as a legitimate illness. It's definitely time for us to explore it more often, and more seriously.
It was harder for me to connect with Via. Even though I accepted the reasons for her descent into chaos, as it were, I found it very difficult to believe she changed so quickly. Perhaps a longer look at pre-Hotties Via would have helped me understand her a little better.
Please, Pretty Lights is well-written, gritty, and incredibly poignant. However, if you're squeamish when it comes to drug use, sex work, and other touchy subjects, it might be best for you to pass this one by.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2015
3.5 stars, rounded up.
I was provided with a free copy the ebook in exchange for my honest opinion of the book, so here it is.
Let me preface with saying that after reading it, I do not feel I am the target audience for this book. It's more of a new adult novel, and therefore geared toward a younger audience than me.
I'll start with the bad. I really had a hard time with the beginning of the book. First off, the central character, Via, suffered a major tragedy ten years earlier at the age of 11. As the story opens, she is celebrating her 21st birthday. She is presented as being reasonably well-adjusted considering what she had been through, and I had difficulty buying into her actions immediately after her birthday dinner, which set in motion the downward spiral as she counted down the 100 days from her birthday to the 10th anniversary of the tragedy.
My other problem with the story was when Via was presented with the opportunity of snorting coke. It was indicated she had tried it in college and didn't hate it. If she really was that maladjusted that she flew off the rails so easily, I don't think she would have remained just a casual user. It might have worked better if she'd never used, but then it would have required more of a buildup to lead to her first time (which probably would have worked better in illustrating her downward spiral).
However, once I got past what I felt was an awkward beginning, the rest of the story was fairly captivating. Despite being marketed as a dark, gritty story, it felt more like a romance with dark undertones, until about 2/3 of the way in when it really did get dark, and I felt the happy ending I was expecting start to slip away. I had planned on taking my time with this story, but as I got close to the end, I just couldn't put it down.
The story takes place in Seattle, and a couple of other major characters play in a 90s cover band. I absolutely LOVED all the musical references (Foo Fighters, Green Day, Bob Marley, and even Sheryl Crow). It always adds to my enjoyment of a story when an author creates a soundtrack for the story out of music I already like.
I was provided with a free copy the ebook in exchange for my honest opinion of the book, so here it is.
Let me preface with saying that after reading it, I do not feel I am the target audience for this book. It's more of a new adult novel, and therefore geared toward a younger audience than me.
I'll start with the bad. I really had a hard time with the beginning of the book. First off, the central character, Via, suffered a major tragedy ten years earlier at the age of 11. As the story opens, she is celebrating her 21st birthday. She is presented as being reasonably well-adjusted considering what she had been through, and I had difficulty buying into her actions immediately after her birthday dinner, which set in motion the downward spiral as she counted down the 100 days from her birthday to the 10th anniversary of the tragedy.
My other problem with the story was when Via was presented with the opportunity of snorting coke. It was indicated she had tried it in college and didn't hate it. If she really was that maladjusted that she flew off the rails so easily, I don't think she would have remained just a casual user. It might have worked better if she'd never used, but then it would have required more of a buildup to lead to her first time (which probably would have worked better in illustrating her downward spiral).
However, once I got past what I felt was an awkward beginning, the rest of the story was fairly captivating. Despite being marketed as a dark, gritty story, it felt more like a romance with dark undertones, until about 2/3 of the way in when it really did get dark, and I felt the happy ending I was expecting start to slip away. I had planned on taking my time with this story, but as I got close to the end, I just couldn't put it down.
The story takes place in Seattle, and a couple of other major characters play in a 90s cover band. I absolutely LOVED all the musical references (Foo Fighters, Green Day, Bob Marley, and even Sheryl Crow). It always adds to my enjoyment of a story when an author creates a soundtrack for the story out of music I already like.
August 26, 2014
Please, Pretty Lights is a compelling dark story about a young woman who tries to escape from her traumatic childhood past, only to drastically swing the pendulum to the other side down a dangerous path of self-destruction into the life of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll.
Author Ina Zajac weaves a realistic and gritty tale of tragedy and self-destruction that easily captivates the reader's attention and sends them on an emotional roller coaster ride as the harsh reality of twenty-one year old Via Sorenson's tragic life story unfolds.
The author has created a cast of realistic, flawed, and believable characters who draw the reader into their complex world with intensity, drama, and even a touch of humor. Set in the Seattle music scene, the author masterfully interweaves Via's present life with flashbacks to her traumatic childhood past. It is a riveting, gritty, multi-layered yet poignant story that will simply take your breath away. As I delved into Via's life story, I found myself experiencing the full gamut of emotions, for someone so young, she has lived a truly hard life filled with tragedy and bad decisions, yet the author has portrayed Via's life in a beautifully tragic way that is simply stunning.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the author's awesome backdrop of the Seattle music scene and the references to the music groups and the style of music that so vividly describes the sounds of the city.
Please, Pretty Lights is an amazing story of tragedy and redemption. It is a story that will resonate with you long after the last words have been read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Author Ina Zajac weaves a realistic and gritty tale of tragedy and self-destruction that easily captivates the reader's attention and sends them on an emotional roller coaster ride as the harsh reality of twenty-one year old Via Sorenson's tragic life story unfolds.
The author has created a cast of realistic, flawed, and believable characters who draw the reader into their complex world with intensity, drama, and even a touch of humor. Set in the Seattle music scene, the author masterfully interweaves Via's present life with flashbacks to her traumatic childhood past. It is a riveting, gritty, multi-layered yet poignant story that will simply take your breath away. As I delved into Via's life story, I found myself experiencing the full gamut of emotions, for someone so young, she has lived a truly hard life filled with tragedy and bad decisions, yet the author has portrayed Via's life in a beautifully tragic way that is simply stunning.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the author's awesome backdrop of the Seattle music scene and the references to the music groups and the style of music that so vividly describes the sounds of the city.
Please, Pretty Lights is an amazing story of tragedy and redemption. It is a story that will resonate with you long after the last words have been read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
July 29, 2014
Please, Pretty Lights by Ina Zajac is the story of Violetta Rabbotino, now called Via Sorenson, a 21 year old girl with a dark past dogging her every step. Via has a heavy secret past hanging around her neck like chains and, trying to escape her own personal hell, she walks into a strip club on her birthday and is thrown down into a tailspin of strippers and drug circles. This is my kind of story.
I love the gritty, realistic novels that don't beat around the bush and try to paint a pretty picture of ugly truths--I like real. I like when a book makes you sick, I like when the harsh realities of the world crash in on our protagonist and make them face their problems without completely relying on a man to explain just why the sky is blue. Zajac nails all my desires with her story, here, and I loved every minute of it.
Yes, there were times I wanted to jump in the book and punch Via in the face, BUT, for the author to have gotten that much of me invested in this novel is a feat in and of itself. I have gotten to the point where if the main character bugs me, I usually end up groaning and/or falling asleep...especially when there is more than one man involved with our main character. I don't like triangles, and triangles + the main character and I not seeing eye-to-eye on some things usually means I am not going to like a book--not the case here. Even though Via and I would have handled certain things very differently, I still wanted to hug her and try to help her through her hellish existence.
This book is awesome. It tells an amazing story of self-destruction and trauma and it's done in a beautiful way. I loved every minute of it and I definitely recommend it to fans of Ellen Hopkins and Laurie Halse Anderson. Fantastic debut!
I love the gritty, realistic novels that don't beat around the bush and try to paint a pretty picture of ugly truths--I like real. I like when a book makes you sick, I like when the harsh realities of the world crash in on our protagonist and make them face their problems without completely relying on a man to explain just why the sky is blue. Zajac nails all my desires with her story, here, and I loved every minute of it.
Yes, there were times I wanted to jump in the book and punch Via in the face, BUT, for the author to have gotten that much of me invested in this novel is a feat in and of itself. I have gotten to the point where if the main character bugs me, I usually end up groaning and/or falling asleep...especially when there is more than one man involved with our main character. I don't like triangles, and triangles + the main character and I not seeing eye-to-eye on some things usually means I am not going to like a book--not the case here. Even though Via and I would have handled certain things very differently, I still wanted to hug her and try to help her through her hellish existence.
This book is awesome. It tells an amazing story of self-destruction and trauma and it's done in a beautiful way. I loved every minute of it and I definitely recommend it to fans of Ellen Hopkins and Laurie Halse Anderson. Fantastic debut!
September 22, 2014
I read this book in one sitting because it sucked me in and left me wanting for more at the end. It really is an amazing book and I truly recommend it. I will warn you, this book isn't for everyone. If you love gritty, consuming, and emotional books, then this book is for you!!
Please Pretty Lights owned me from the first page to the last. It had my emotions all over the place–from frustration to pure elation. Most of my jumbled emotions were due to the heroine, Via, and her understandable yet disturbing behavior. My heart truly ached for all that had happened to her at the young age of eleven. A decade later on her twenty-first birthday everything changes for her.
After that night, she becomes the exact opposite from the girl that teaches Bible classes at her church to the girl that gets into sex and drugs, and becomes a stripper. From the night, two very special are brought her into her life, Matt and Nick. As the book goes on, the lives of the three weave together perfectly and they start to dependent on each other. The story gets very dark by the end of the book. I don't want to say much more about the story without spoiling it, so you need to read it! I highly suggest it.
The characters, the story, the setting, the plot...everything worked for me. I was totally absorbed and did not want it to end! The story is told in 3rd person (not my favorite, but it worked), I enjoyed the perspective of three of the main characters, and all their emotions. This is a must read. I have to warn you this isn’t a feel good romance. This book touches on some very serious issues.
A gifted copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review by Jodie Rae.
Please Pretty Lights owned me from the first page to the last. It had my emotions all over the place–from frustration to pure elation. Most of my jumbled emotions were due to the heroine, Via, and her understandable yet disturbing behavior. My heart truly ached for all that had happened to her at the young age of eleven. A decade later on her twenty-first birthday everything changes for her.
After that night, she becomes the exact opposite from the girl that teaches Bible classes at her church to the girl that gets into sex and drugs, and becomes a stripper. From the night, two very special are brought her into her life, Matt and Nick. As the book goes on, the lives of the three weave together perfectly and they start to dependent on each other. The story gets very dark by the end of the book. I don't want to say much more about the story without spoiling it, so you need to read it! I highly suggest it.
The characters, the story, the setting, the plot...everything worked for me. I was totally absorbed and did not want it to end! The story is told in 3rd person (not my favorite, but it worked), I enjoyed the perspective of three of the main characters, and all their emotions. This is a must read. I have to warn you this isn’t a feel good romance. This book touches on some very serious issues.
A gifted copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review by Jodie Rae.
October 5, 2014
First of all, I want to preface this review by saying this is a well written, highly emotional and gripping book. We are given an intimate view of a young woman who has grown up under the stigma that her father lost his mind and killed her mother and himself in a rage of jealousy. The impact on our character's psyche was so intense, she is still grappling with the guilt and remorse from that fated day. She was a witness in hiding to this violence. Nothing she has done since then has allowed her to bury her past and build a strong future.
Now I can say that for the first half of this book, I was a reluctant reader. Why reluctant? Because the pain of reading what her young life has become is so visceral I wanted to shut the book and find some happily ever after story to lift my spirit. This is as honest as I can be. Something happened to me while continuing to read this story. I could not put it down and forget about it. The rawness of the writing kept calling me back to read this story to its logical conclusion. I am glad I listened and finished the book.
This is a story of survival and awakening your mind and spirit to realization. The moment when you finally understand what you want your future to be, you realize you want to live, and you are ready to sacrifice to achieve this goal. We have drugs, sex, rape, and death to contend with. In all, this plotline was additive (no pun intended). Somehow, I just needed to know how all the characters were going to extrude themselves from this mire and find their purpose.
Now I can say that for the first half of this book, I was a reluctant reader. Why reluctant? Because the pain of reading what her young life has become is so visceral I wanted to shut the book and find some happily ever after story to lift my spirit. This is as honest as I can be. Something happened to me while continuing to read this story. I could not put it down and forget about it. The rawness of the writing kept calling me back to read this story to its logical conclusion. I am glad I listened and finished the book.
This is a story of survival and awakening your mind and spirit to realization. The moment when you finally understand what you want your future to be, you realize you want to live, and you are ready to sacrifice to achieve this goal. We have drugs, sex, rape, and death to contend with. In all, this plotline was additive (no pun intended). Somehow, I just needed to know how all the characters were going to extrude themselves from this mire and find their purpose.
September 28, 2014
Please, Pretty Lights is the story of Violetta (Via). When she was a child, she witnessed the deaths of her parents: her father kills her mother and then commits suicide. Via sees it all behind the pretty lights of the Christmas tree. After getting a glimpse of these traumatic events through Via's eyes, the reader is transported years later. It's Via's 21th birthday, she teaches the Bible to youth groups, she's engaged to Dan and she'll soon take control of a multi-million inheritance (her father was a famous painter). Via seems to be a retiring person, with a predictable life, but somehow she feels that this life is not hers. So she wanders and goes to a strip club. That night she'll debut as a stripper and illegal drugs enter her life. She also meets Carlos (the club owner) and rock musicians Nick and Matt. Here starts Via's journey: drugs, music, violence and love will define the following weeks.
Please, Pretty Lights is full of nineties rock music, damaged and confused characters, tragedy and violence. But it's also a tale of self-discovery, of the quest for a way to live, to be really alive, to fight destiny.
The 3rd person narration follows the different viewpoints of the main characters. I find this is a very good way to convey the diferent emotions and feelings which are so important to the story. The style and the setting are realistic and compelling. If you like to read about raw emotions, hard lives and difficult love, this book is for you.
Please, Pretty Lights is full of nineties rock music, damaged and confused characters, tragedy and violence. But it's also a tale of self-discovery, of the quest for a way to live, to be really alive, to fight destiny.
The 3rd person narration follows the different viewpoints of the main characters. I find this is a very good way to convey the diferent emotions and feelings which are so important to the story. The style and the setting are realistic and compelling. If you like to read about raw emotions, hard lives and difficult love, this book is for you.
February 28, 2015
*I received this book in exchange for a honest review.*
3.5 stars
I almost put this book in the DNF category a couple of times. I thought there was no way that any of these characters could redeem themselves. Then I went through and read all these 4 and 5 star ratings and battled through. The other readers had to have found something awesome in these crazy messed up characters. At around 34% I saw some hope in Via and Matt.
Via is traumatized from her childhood. She never accepted or came to terms with what happened to her parents. So the story starts at her 21st birthday - when she decides that she just wants to forget it all. In trying to forget it all she figures out who she is and she sees the positive in the absolutely traumatic event that still follows her and she discovers what she wants out of life.
Matt and Nick are fun characters. Nick is a drummer and Matt's best friend. Matt is quirky and has a hard time with some things due to his OCD and being a germaphobe. They have a language all their own and know exactly what to say to each other.
Matt and Via develop a relationship that is both unhealthy and helpful. Matt starts to not obsess over germs all the time and focuses on Via. Via learns what love is.
These characters are completely messed up in the beginning but if you can push past all the drugs and stupid mistakes that these characters make then you can learn to love them or at least really like them.
3.5 stars
I almost put this book in the DNF category a couple of times. I thought there was no way that any of these characters could redeem themselves. Then I went through and read all these 4 and 5 star ratings and battled through. The other readers had to have found something awesome in these crazy messed up characters. At around 34% I saw some hope in Via and Matt.
Via is traumatized from her childhood. She never accepted or came to terms with what happened to her parents. So the story starts at her 21st birthday - when she decides that she just wants to forget it all. In trying to forget it all she figures out who she is and she sees the positive in the absolutely traumatic event that still follows her and she discovers what she wants out of life.
Matt and Nick are fun characters. Nick is a drummer and Matt's best friend. Matt is quirky and has a hard time with some things due to his OCD and being a germaphobe. They have a language all their own and know exactly what to say to each other.
Matt and Via develop a relationship that is both unhealthy and helpful. Matt starts to not obsess over germs all the time and focuses on Via. Via learns what love is.
These characters are completely messed up in the beginning but if you can push past all the drugs and stupid mistakes that these characters make then you can learn to love them or at least really like them.
October 8, 2014
3.5 stars
This book was an enlightening look into how one might handle a traumatic event in their lives and learning to live again in the present.
Violetta Rabbotino as she was once known is now Violetta Sorenson just turned 21. She has her whole life ahead of her. But the events from her past 10 years ago seem to keep holding her back. She needs to just let go and live. She stumbles upon 2 unlikely friends, Matt and Nick. Both members of a band. Both work part time at a strip club where she meets them.
As their friends grows so does her ability to try new things. Throw in the spotlight of stripping in the club, a few drugs and the chance at real love and you have exactly what Via needs to move on.
With Christmas just around the corner and the 10 year anniversary of her parents’ death, she starts to spiral out of control. The drugs have such a hold on her but they help her forget. In the end, they are what help her see the light and learn to fight to become whole again along with the help of Matt.
This was a challenge story to say the least. The events seem to bring Via into a better light with the turn of the page. She was a lost little girl that had to experience life and learn to truly love herself first. But in the end, the pretty lights were just that pretty. And having someone that love you for you is the greatest gift of all.
October 9, 2014
3.5 stars
This book was an enlightening look into how one might handle a traumatic event in their lives and learning to live again in the present.
Violetta Rabbotino as she was once known is now Violetta Sorenson just turned 21. She has her whole life ahead of her. But the events from her past 10 years ago seem to keep holding her back. She needs to just let go and live. She stumbles upon 2 unlikely friends, Matt and Nick. Both members of a band. Both work part time at a strip club where she meets them.
As their friends grows so does her ability to try new things. Throw in the spotlight of stripping in the club, a few drugs and the chance at real love and you have exactly what Via needs to move on.
With Christmas just around the corner and the 10 year anniversary of her parents’ death, she starts to spiral out of control. The drugs have such a hold on her but they help her forget. In the end, they are what help her see the light and learn to fight to become whole again along with the help of Matt.
This was a challenge story to say the least. The events seem to bring Via into a better light with the turn of the page. She was a lost little girl that had to experience life and learn to truly love herself first. But in the end, the pretty lights were just that pretty. And having someone that love you for you is the greatest gift of all.
This book was an enlightening look into how one might handle a traumatic event in their lives and learning to live again in the present.
Violetta Rabbotino as she was once known is now Violetta Sorenson just turned 21. She has her whole life ahead of her. But the events from her past 10 years ago seem to keep holding her back. She needs to just let go and live. She stumbles upon 2 unlikely friends, Matt and Nick. Both members of a band. Both work part time at a strip club where she meets them.
As their friends grows so does her ability to try new things. Throw in the spotlight of stripping in the club, a few drugs and the chance at real love and you have exactly what Via needs to move on.
With Christmas just around the corner and the 10 year anniversary of her parents’ death, she starts to spiral out of control. The drugs have such a hold on her but they help her forget. In the end, they are what help her see the light and learn to fight to become whole again along with the help of Matt.
This was a challenge story to say the least. The events seem to bring Via into a better light with the turn of the page. She was a lost little girl that had to experience life and learn to truly love herself first. But in the end, the pretty lights were just that pretty. And having someone that love you for you is the greatest gift of all.
December 30, 2014
Received from the author for a honest review. 3 1/2 stars with a 4 star conclusion. Via is 21 years old but her birthday is the start of the count down. The 100 day countdown to the anniversary of her parents death. She needs a change. She needs not to feel. After dinner with her ever-absent uncle/ guardian, Via decides to do something to help her forget the countdown. Hotties is just the place. After a few shots, a couple of lines, Via is Vixon.
Matt & Nick are in a band, running drugs and just living life day to day. Matt sees something different in Via and hopes she can see it too.
please Pretty Lights is a sad story about depression, drugs and abuse. It's about finding the well to live and about finding your path not the one everyone thinks it right for you. The story has it slow parts but I'm not sure if it was the time frame that I read it or just the story, but the last half of the book comes together nicely.
Matt & Nick are in a band, running drugs and just living life day to day. Matt sees something different in Via and hopes she can see it too.
please Pretty Lights is a sad story about depression, drugs and abuse. It's about finding the well to live and about finding your path not the one everyone thinks it right for you. The story has it slow parts but I'm not sure if it was the time frame that I read it or just the story, but the last half of the book comes together nicely.
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