What do you think?
Rate this book
A Flash of Blue
Amber is convinced that her brother's death is her fault. It happened on the day that she'd taken something of his, something precious, the very thing that gave him his luck.
Weighed down with grief, guilt and pressure to be the perfect daughter, Amber turns to the one boy who can make her feel better. But Tyler is in with the wrong crowd, and Amber finds herself in big trouble: trouble that would never usually happen to a girl like her.
Only with her life having crashed around her will Amber find a way to rebuild it, and to finally find out what part she really paid in her brother's death.
Weighed down with grief, guilt and pressure to be the perfect daughter, Amber turns to the one boy who can make her feel better. But Tyler is in with the wrong crowd, and Amber finds herself in big trouble: trouble that would never usually happen to a girl like her.
Only with her life having crashed around her will Amber find a way to rebuild it, and to finally find out what part she really paid in her brother's death.
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2015
7 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Maria Farrer
15 books7 followersMaria Farrer writes for children and young adults. She studied Speech and Language pathology at UCL and has a Masters in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa. She has spent much of her life working with children with language and literacy difficulties both in the UK and in New Zealand. She always likes to have a challenge on the horizon, preferably one involving mountains or large hills.
Her latest series of books involving a huge, hapless, but really rather helpful polar bear is undoubtedly her favourite.
Her latest series of books involving a huge, hapless, but really rather helpful polar bear is undoubtedly her favourite.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 13, 2021
Didn’t really expect that this book would have so many themes packed together in it. On the surface, A Flash of Blue seems like a typical tale of grief in a YA novel, but who would’ve thought that so much suspense and adrenaline rush were going to get involved. The writer writes particularly well in bringing out the emotions of the characters, and I hate to admit I did cry in some parts (Damnit grandma characters always make me cry).
Overall this novel has all the elements it takes to be a good YA fiction, and I applaud the writer’s ability in writing such an engaging story. It’s a page-turner packed with lessons which are not preachy, some characters you loathe but want to understand, and questions you’re dying to know the answers to. 4 stars for exceeding my expectations.
Overall this novel has all the elements it takes to be a good YA fiction, and I applaud the writer’s ability in writing such an engaging story. It’s a page-turner packed with lessons which are not preachy, some characters you loathe but want to understand, and questions you’re dying to know the answers to. 4 stars for exceeding my expectations.
January 14, 2016
This was a very interesting book.
I do have to say though that I thought it was going to be heartwarming book about getting over the death of a loved one but it was much darker then I expected it to be. There was a gang and some bad things happened and some people got hurt but it was still such an amazing book.
The plot twist at the end was also not expected but I thought it was well done looking back on the book after I read it.
A good read.
I do have to say though that I thought it was going to be heartwarming book about getting over the death of a loved one but it was much darker then I expected it to be. There was a gang and some bad things happened and some people got hurt but it was still such an amazing book.
The plot twist at the end was also not expected but I thought it was well done looking back on the book after I read it.
A good read.
October 3, 2015
This was such a beautiful story.
In this story we follow Amber, she loves her brother but they haven't been getting on lately then they decide they need to meet up and talk before they can she gets a call, her brother had died from a heart problem.
Fast-forward a year, she is still grieving about her brother, believing it was her fault since she took his lucky necklace. Her mother has turned to drinking and hardly leaves her room. Her father has started to train her in running like he did with her brother, he pushes her a lot and is always away on 'buisness' leaving her to deal with her mother.
Then we have Tyler, who was her brothers best friend who is also still grieving and can't get over his death. Her family don't care for Tyler as he comes from a bad family. But being friends with Tyler brings a whole lot of trouble that lead to really bad consequences.
I really enjoyed this story as it was very touching. It was beautifully written and had such a strong message behind it.
With what happens to Ambers brother and something that happens later on in the book that I will not go in to she talks about Organ donation and I thought that was such a great topic to have in the book, plus at the end there was a website where you, the reader, can go find out more information about Organ donation and sign up.
https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/
I cried at the end of this story as I was not expecting that ending and it just hit me and I loved every second of it.
I recommend this for everyone as I think everyone will enjoy this fantastic story.
In this story we follow Amber, she loves her brother but they haven't been getting on lately then they decide they need to meet up and talk before they can she gets a call, her brother had died from a heart problem.
Fast-forward a year, she is still grieving about her brother, believing it was her fault since she took his lucky necklace. Her mother has turned to drinking and hardly leaves her room. Her father has started to train her in running like he did with her brother, he pushes her a lot and is always away on 'buisness' leaving her to deal with her mother.
Then we have Tyler, who was her brothers best friend who is also still grieving and can't get over his death. Her family don't care for Tyler as he comes from a bad family. But being friends with Tyler brings a whole lot of trouble that lead to really bad consequences.
I really enjoyed this story as it was very touching. It was beautifully written and had such a strong message behind it.
With what happens to Ambers brother and something that happens later on in the book that I will not go in to she talks about Organ donation and I thought that was such a great topic to have in the book, plus at the end there was a website where you, the reader, can go find out more information about Organ donation and sign up.
https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/
I cried at the end of this story as I was not expecting that ending and it just hit me and I loved every second of it.
I recommend this for everyone as I think everyone will enjoy this fantastic story.
March 31, 2015
It sooooooooo gd i wish i wrote it
November 18, 2018
4.2 Stars
(Read 2 Times)
I did not expect myself to cry while reading this.
The 1st time I read it, this book was slightly disturbing and a big "meh" for me, but now that I've re-read it, I noticed details and major points that I didn't notice (for some weird reason) before, and I'm glad that I decided to read it again.
When I finished reading this book the 1st time, I hated Tyler for making Amber fall for him, and being selfish. But after re-reading the book, I realized that Tyler had his own reasons for doing it, and many of the bad things he caused were not for selfish reasons.
Maria Farrer did a brilliant job illustrating that people can do stupid things out of fear or desperation- which I'm sure many people can relate to, including me. She also did a magnificent job making the part on the "Organ Donation" fit in perfectly with the storyline.
This book is one of the very few books I've read with a gay relationship in it, and this book pointed it out. Tyler loving Liam, and Liam loving Tyler, surprised me when I 1st read this book- and was one of the **MANY** plot twists in the story.
Summary/ Storyline (Extremely confusing- Don't read if you don't like confusing text! :P)
It starts when Liam, Amber's (the main character) brother, dies from major heart failure- or otherwise known as: heart attack. Amber takes the blame for herself because on the day he died, Amber stole his "lucky stone" that Liam really believed would grant him good luck. On the day Liam died, he was going to tell Amber something. Then, the story is transported to a few months after the death. Amber still blames herself, in fact, she does every day. Amber wears Liam's "lucky stone", swearing to protect it. She hides it with a scarf to avoid attention and more blame. Her father trains Amber to run almost every morning, and for that reason, her father is very strict and cruel in a way. Amber hates her father for he never listens to her, only cares for himself, and never lets Amber do **anything** she wants. Amber's father also leaves home a lot, forcing Amber to take care of her mother. After Liam's death, Amber's mother started drinking alcohol (and I think she's considered an alcoholic in this book).
Amber runs a race, forced by her father. Amber tries to win for her desperate dad, but fails at gets 5th place. Her father is mad, and Amber keeps trying to apologize.
Amber feels like the only person who still supports her is her grandma, whom she calls "Gran". One day, Amber receives a text invitation to a party from Kelly, a friend that "abandoned" her almost one year ago. Amber is shocked, and her grandma convinces her to go out and live a little. The day of the party was Liam's anniversary, and Amber's parents' weren't home. Gran drives Amber to Kelly's house.
Amber feels out of place at the party, especially when she doesn't recognize anyone (except Kelly of course). Amber accidentally leaves her bag, phone, and money in the bathroom- and the girls refuse to give it back to her. Amber panics, and soon bumps into Tyler, Liam's best friend (Kelly's brother). Amber is relieved to find someone she knows, and tells Tyler about her bag missing. Tyler goes and gets it. Tyler then asks if Amber wanted to get out of the party, and Amber said "yes". The two went into Tyler's car. Amber is still confused. Tyler suddenly drives Amber to the cemetery, where Liam was buried. Amber starts to panic again, from she had never visited Liam's grave before. Tyler is surprised that this would be Amber's first time, and a bit angry.
They soon arrive at the cemetery, and they say a few words to Liam's grave. They notice there's a pot of flowers that look fresh and a note attached to it. "To our most Precious Child, Love, Mom and Dad". Amber cries because she realizes how much affection her parents gave Liam, and how little they gave to her. Amber and Tyler find themselves bursting into tears together.
They then head to Tyler's "home", a caravan. Tyler claims it's his Aunt's farm. Tyler sleeps on his bed, and Amber sleeps in a sleeping bag. Tyler notices that Amber is wearing Liam's lucky stone, and Tyler grabs it, almost clutching it. Amber is stunned, and then Tyler kisses her (for no reason .-.). This was the time when Amber started fancying him.
The Next Morning, Amber and Tyler oversleep. Amber realizes that she had told her grandma to pick her up at Kelly's house last night. Amber wakes up Tyler and makes him drive her to Kelly's house. Kelly's mother (Tyler's stepmother), Sonia, informs Amber that her grandma was searching for her last night.
Amber is transported to her grandma's house. Finding that she isn't there, a neighbor tells Amber that her grandma had fainted about an hour ago, and was sent to the hospital. Amber thinks it's all her fault, and Amber's "disappearance" from the party must have triggered her heart problem, leading up from stressors.
Because of it, Amber's father grounds her. Amber isn't allowed to visit her grandma at the hospital- from her parents' orders. Amber's dad tells Amber that Gran doesn't want to see her. Amber assumes that her grandma was angry at her. One day, Amber is working at the cafe (her job), when she meets Tyler outside. Tyler brings her along towards a group of "mates". Amber is introduced to Declan, Becky, and Joel.
Declan tells Amber to come with them (and Tyler) to his place. Amber tried to decline, saying that she's grounded, only receiving laughter. Amber is then forced to follow them. They arrive at Tyler's "farm" and they sit in the caravan. Becky signals Amber to follow her. Amber does. They walk around the farm. Amber asks Becky if she likes Joel or Declan. Becky shrugs and says that it's confusing. Amber has a bad feeling about Declan.
Amber heads back to the caravan. Declan officially becomes Amber's enemy. Amber says she wants to go home, and "begs" Tyler to drive her home. Declan offers Amber a ride home from him, but Amber refuses and asks for Tyler. Tyler goes into his car with Amber. Declan is furious.
A few days later, Amber is heading for a grocery store. She realizes Declan is following her. Scared, she turns around. Declan. Declan tells her that he wants to give her a ride home. Amber responds and says that she doesn't need one. Declan doesn't care and keeps asking. Amber is frightened, trying not to show it. Declan holds Amber's shoulder, and they gradually move towards a parking lot. To Amber's luck, a police she recognizes passes her. Declan walks away. The police and Amber talk for a bit before going their own separate ways.
At home, Amber realizes her brother's lucky stone is missing. She realizes the only place it could be was at Tyler's. Amber doesn't have Tyler's number or contact. She doesn't sleep that night. The next morning, she sneaks out the house to visit her grandma at the hospital. Amber is nervous, and when she arrives, she goes to her grandma's room. They talk for a bit, and Amber's grandma asks why she hadn't visited earlier. Confused, Amber replies, telling her what her dad said. Amber's grandma shakes her head and says, "I told him that I didn't want to see you, **like this**." Amber understands and they talk a bit.
The next day, Amber heads to her kitchen and in shock sees Declan, Tyler, and Joel standing there. They had broke in by crawling in through the opened window. Furious, Amber yells at them, but they aren't scared. Declan threatens Amber if she doesn't follow his orders. Refusing his offer yesterday didn't help. The boys claim that Becky is sick, so Amber must substitute for her. The boys bring Amber to a park. Amber isn't sure what she's supposed to do. Declan shows Amber that he has the lucky stone.
Declan gives Amber an order. She must walk to the house across the street, knock, and ask if Miranda Stockpoole lived there. Amber is again, very confused, but must follow the order, for she knew Declan had a knife somewhere in his pocket. Amber does what she's told. She doesn't receive an answer from the door. She retreats and sits under a tree, waiting. Suddenly, Tyler, Joel, and Declan run out of the house, carrying bags. A robbery.
Declan yells at Amber to run, and she does. Fear consumes her and she trips, the boys still running. She sees a policeman and passes out. She wakes up in a police car. The police tell her that she's under arrest for playing a part in a robbery. Amber is shocked and scared. She then arrives at a police department and is sent into an empty room to wait in. Soon, her father arrives and yells at her. He then leaves. Amber is sent to an interview room and is asked many questions. Amber finds no reason to lie, so she tells the truth in every question. The police then ask her who the other people playing a part in the robbery were. Amber keeps her mouth shut, knowing what Declan might do to her if she tells. Her father, sitting and watching, is frustrated. Amber is released and is told to have someone from the police squad visit her in less than a month to ask more questions.
Almost a month later, a young lady (Sian) comes to her door. She's from the Youth Offense Association, and she's come to ask Amber a few questions and talk. Amber answers them. Sian then brings up Liam's death. Amber struggles to talk. Sian, noticing her struggle, changes the topic. She tells Amber that she has to meet the victim of the robbery, to understand how it impacted him and his family, and that she can bring one person the meeting for support. Amber choses her grandma, who only recently got out the hospital. She also informs her by telling her that she isn't going to prison. Then, she leaves.
Soon, Amber is sent to the police department to talk with the victim. The victim is a man, Dr. Levine. Amber apologizes, deeply sincere. Dr. Levine understands and starts talking in his own point of view. He tells Amber that his son, Jeremy, who is 18 (the age when Liam died), is waiting for a heart transplant- which he may not get. Amber then tells him about Liam. It hurts Amber to talk about it, but Dr. Levine understands. The meeting is soon over.
The Next Day, Amber visits the hospital to meet Jeremy, Dr. Levine's son. Jeremy seems fragile and sick, but his smile and eyes are alive. They talk for a bit, and Amber decides to start an "Organ Donation" campaign. Amber asks his permission if she can do it, and Jeremy agrees and says "yes".
Later, she is offered a time to do a presentation for her running club. Nervous, she starts talking. First about how she got here, Liam, Jeremy, then about "Organ Donation". After telling her story, people congratulate her on her bravery and is interviewed by newspaper reporters. 365 people sign up for "Organ Donation". Amber notices Tyler in the crowd, and follows him out.
Amber notices the bruises on Tyler's face. Tyler lifted up his hoodie, showing the bruises on his chest as well. Tyler tells her that he had turned himself to the police, also telling them about Declan and Joel. Declan found out and gave him the bruises. Even cracked his rib cage. Sonia and Kelly took Tyler in, and they're currently looking after him. Simon, one of Amber's best friends who once had a crush on her, sees them and tells Amber to stay away from Tyler. Not from jealousy, but for protection. Tyler backs away, leaving a note in Amber's pocket. His phone number.
The Next Day, Amber realizes her parents changed. Her father became more understanding, and her mom stopped drinking and is going to have a mentor to help her drinking problem. Both parents were proud of Amber and her father apologizes for being a bad father, and so does her mother. They cry together.
A few days later, Tyler's car drives up by Amber's house. Amber goes in and Tyler hands her a paper. An Organ Donation sign-up sheet. Tyler asks her to fill the form in for him. Amber asks why and Tyler admits that he has a problem, where he cannot read or write.
Amber starts asking why Tyler would do all this stuff with the gang, stealing- doing bad stuff. Tyler confesses and says that he first thought Declan was good and nice, but he then got sucked in with all the bad stuff he was doing. He never meant to hurt anyone, or make Amber be involved. He did it out of desperation. Amber understands. (He also explains a lot of the gaps in the story).
Tyler confesses something else. The relationship between him and Amber was to have a spot in the group, and some money to live. The deal was that Tyler must have a girlfriend so that Declan could have her too. (It's REALLY CONFUSING). Tyler got back the "lucky stone" and gives it to Amber.
They drive to the cemetery, and make a small hole near Liam's grave, burying the stone. "He'll be happy now," Tyler says.
Tyler tells Amber that Liam wanted to tell her something on the day he died. Amber said she knew, but Liam never got the chance to tell her. Tyler tells her;
A softness comes over his face, a wisp of a smile. "Liam and me. We loved each other."
{EEEEEEEEEEEEEE PLOT TWISTTTTTTT}
Amber is shocked and ashamed for not finding out earlier.
The Next Year passes, and Amber is participating in a foot race. Her father tells her that she doesn't have to win, as long as she has fun. Amber comes in 4th place, and Tyler, now in the running club, gets 1st for the boy team. Jeremy, now alive and well, gives out the awards. Jeremy announces a new trophy, the Liam Neville trophy, and gives it to Amber. Amber is overjoyed and her parents are as well. The trophy is a small silver cup with a chain and a stone with a hole. Tyler smiles.
I'm sorry- the summary went totally CRAZY- and many parts of it don't make sense. Plus, there were a LOAD of mistakes- and I'm a bit too lazy to edit them. Hehe. Its best to just read the book, I found it very emotional, even though some parts were a little inappropriate.
I'm not gonna add any GIFs for this review...
(Read 2 Times)
I did not expect myself to cry while reading this.
The 1st time I read it, this book was slightly disturbing and a big "meh" for me, but now that I've re-read it, I noticed details and major points that I didn't notice (for some weird reason) before, and I'm glad that I decided to read it again.
When I finished reading this book the 1st time, I hated Tyler for making Amber fall for him, and being selfish. But after re-reading the book, I realized that Tyler had his own reasons for doing it, and many of the bad things he caused were not for selfish reasons.
Maria Farrer did a brilliant job illustrating that people can do stupid things out of fear or desperation- which I'm sure many people can relate to, including me. She also did a magnificent job making the part on the "Organ Donation" fit in perfectly with the storyline.
This book is one of the very few books I've read with a gay relationship in it, and this book pointed it out. Tyler loving Liam, and Liam loving Tyler, surprised me when I 1st read this book- and was one of the **MANY** plot twists in the story.
Summary/ Storyline (Extremely confusing- Don't read if you don't like confusing text! :P)
It starts when Liam, Amber's (the main character) brother, dies from major heart failure- or otherwise known as: heart attack. Amber takes the blame for herself because on the day he died, Amber stole his "lucky stone" that Liam really believed would grant him good luck. On the day Liam died, he was going to tell Amber something. Then, the story is transported to a few months after the death. Amber still blames herself, in fact, she does every day. Amber wears Liam's "lucky stone", swearing to protect it. She hides it with a scarf to avoid attention and more blame. Her father trains Amber to run almost every morning, and for that reason, her father is very strict and cruel in a way. Amber hates her father for he never listens to her, only cares for himself, and never lets Amber do **anything** she wants. Amber's father also leaves home a lot, forcing Amber to take care of her mother. After Liam's death, Amber's mother started drinking alcohol (and I think she's considered an alcoholic in this book).
Amber runs a race, forced by her father. Amber tries to win for her desperate dad, but fails at gets 5th place. Her father is mad, and Amber keeps trying to apologize.
Amber feels like the only person who still supports her is her grandma, whom she calls "Gran". One day, Amber receives a text invitation to a party from Kelly, a friend that "abandoned" her almost one year ago. Amber is shocked, and her grandma convinces her to go out and live a little. The day of the party was Liam's anniversary, and Amber's parents' weren't home. Gran drives Amber to Kelly's house.
Amber feels out of place at the party, especially when she doesn't recognize anyone (except Kelly of course). Amber accidentally leaves her bag, phone, and money in the bathroom- and the girls refuse to give it back to her. Amber panics, and soon bumps into Tyler, Liam's best friend (Kelly's brother). Amber is relieved to find someone she knows, and tells Tyler about her bag missing. Tyler goes and gets it. Tyler then asks if Amber wanted to get out of the party, and Amber said "yes". The two went into Tyler's car. Amber is still confused. Tyler suddenly drives Amber to the cemetery, where Liam was buried. Amber starts to panic again, from she had never visited Liam's grave before. Tyler is surprised that this would be Amber's first time, and a bit angry.
They soon arrive at the cemetery, and they say a few words to Liam's grave. They notice there's a pot of flowers that look fresh and a note attached to it. "To our most Precious Child, Love, Mom and Dad". Amber cries because she realizes how much affection her parents gave Liam, and how little they gave to her. Amber and Tyler find themselves bursting into tears together.
They then head to Tyler's "home", a caravan. Tyler claims it's his Aunt's farm. Tyler sleeps on his bed, and Amber sleeps in a sleeping bag. Tyler notices that Amber is wearing Liam's lucky stone, and Tyler grabs it, almost clutching it. Amber is stunned, and then Tyler kisses her (for no reason .-.). This was the time when Amber started fancying him.
The Next Morning, Amber and Tyler oversleep. Amber realizes that she had told her grandma to pick her up at Kelly's house last night. Amber wakes up Tyler and makes him drive her to Kelly's house. Kelly's mother (Tyler's stepmother), Sonia, informs Amber that her grandma was searching for her last night.
Amber is transported to her grandma's house. Finding that she isn't there, a neighbor tells Amber that her grandma had fainted about an hour ago, and was sent to the hospital. Amber thinks it's all her fault, and Amber's "disappearance" from the party must have triggered her heart problem, leading up from stressors.
Because of it, Amber's father grounds her. Amber isn't allowed to visit her grandma at the hospital- from her parents' orders. Amber's dad tells Amber that Gran doesn't want to see her. Amber assumes that her grandma was angry at her. One day, Amber is working at the cafe (her job), when she meets Tyler outside. Tyler brings her along towards a group of "mates". Amber is introduced to Declan, Becky, and Joel.
Declan tells Amber to come with them (and Tyler) to his place. Amber tried to decline, saying that she's grounded, only receiving laughter. Amber is then forced to follow them. They arrive at Tyler's "farm" and they sit in the caravan. Becky signals Amber to follow her. Amber does. They walk around the farm. Amber asks Becky if she likes Joel or Declan. Becky shrugs and says that it's confusing. Amber has a bad feeling about Declan.
Amber heads back to the caravan. Declan officially becomes Amber's enemy. Amber says she wants to go home, and "begs" Tyler to drive her home. Declan offers Amber a ride home from him, but Amber refuses and asks for Tyler. Tyler goes into his car with Amber. Declan is furious.
A few days later, Amber is heading for a grocery store. She realizes Declan is following her. Scared, she turns around. Declan. Declan tells her that he wants to give her a ride home. Amber responds and says that she doesn't need one. Declan doesn't care and keeps asking. Amber is frightened, trying not to show it. Declan holds Amber's shoulder, and they gradually move towards a parking lot. To Amber's luck, a police she recognizes passes her. Declan walks away. The police and Amber talk for a bit before going their own separate ways.
At home, Amber realizes her brother's lucky stone is missing. She realizes the only place it could be was at Tyler's. Amber doesn't have Tyler's number or contact. She doesn't sleep that night. The next morning, she sneaks out the house to visit her grandma at the hospital. Amber is nervous, and when she arrives, she goes to her grandma's room. They talk for a bit, and Amber's grandma asks why she hadn't visited earlier. Confused, Amber replies, telling her what her dad said. Amber's grandma shakes her head and says, "I told him that I didn't want to see you, **like this**." Amber understands and they talk a bit.
The next day, Amber heads to her kitchen and in shock sees Declan, Tyler, and Joel standing there. They had broke in by crawling in through the opened window. Furious, Amber yells at them, but they aren't scared. Declan threatens Amber if she doesn't follow his orders. Refusing his offer yesterday didn't help. The boys claim that Becky is sick, so Amber must substitute for her. The boys bring Amber to a park. Amber isn't sure what she's supposed to do. Declan shows Amber that he has the lucky stone.
Declan gives Amber an order. She must walk to the house across the street, knock, and ask if Miranda Stockpoole lived there. Amber is again, very confused, but must follow the order, for she knew Declan had a knife somewhere in his pocket. Amber does what she's told. She doesn't receive an answer from the door. She retreats and sits under a tree, waiting. Suddenly, Tyler, Joel, and Declan run out of the house, carrying bags. A robbery.
Declan yells at Amber to run, and she does. Fear consumes her and she trips, the boys still running. She sees a policeman and passes out. She wakes up in a police car. The police tell her that she's under arrest for playing a part in a robbery. Amber is shocked and scared. She then arrives at a police department and is sent into an empty room to wait in. Soon, her father arrives and yells at her. He then leaves. Amber is sent to an interview room and is asked many questions. Amber finds no reason to lie, so she tells the truth in every question. The police then ask her who the other people playing a part in the robbery were. Amber keeps her mouth shut, knowing what Declan might do to her if she tells. Her father, sitting and watching, is frustrated. Amber is released and is told to have someone from the police squad visit her in less than a month to ask more questions.
Almost a month later, a young lady (Sian) comes to her door. She's from the Youth Offense Association, and she's come to ask Amber a few questions and talk. Amber answers them. Sian then brings up Liam's death. Amber struggles to talk. Sian, noticing her struggle, changes the topic. She tells Amber that she has to meet the victim of the robbery, to understand how it impacted him and his family, and that she can bring one person the meeting for support. Amber choses her grandma, who only recently got out the hospital. She also informs her by telling her that she isn't going to prison. Then, she leaves.
Soon, Amber is sent to the police department to talk with the victim. The victim is a man, Dr. Levine. Amber apologizes, deeply sincere. Dr. Levine understands and starts talking in his own point of view. He tells Amber that his son, Jeremy, who is 18 (the age when Liam died), is waiting for a heart transplant- which he may not get. Amber then tells him about Liam. It hurts Amber to talk about it, but Dr. Levine understands. The meeting is soon over.
The Next Day, Amber visits the hospital to meet Jeremy, Dr. Levine's son. Jeremy seems fragile and sick, but his smile and eyes are alive. They talk for a bit, and Amber decides to start an "Organ Donation" campaign. Amber asks his permission if she can do it, and Jeremy agrees and says "yes".
Later, she is offered a time to do a presentation for her running club. Nervous, she starts talking. First about how she got here, Liam, Jeremy, then about "Organ Donation". After telling her story, people congratulate her on her bravery and is interviewed by newspaper reporters. 365 people sign up for "Organ Donation". Amber notices Tyler in the crowd, and follows him out.
Amber notices the bruises on Tyler's face. Tyler lifted up his hoodie, showing the bruises on his chest as well. Tyler tells her that he had turned himself to the police, also telling them about Declan and Joel. Declan found out and gave him the bruises. Even cracked his rib cage. Sonia and Kelly took Tyler in, and they're currently looking after him. Simon, one of Amber's best friends who once had a crush on her, sees them and tells Amber to stay away from Tyler. Not from jealousy, but for protection. Tyler backs away, leaving a note in Amber's pocket. His phone number.
The Next Day, Amber realizes her parents changed. Her father became more understanding, and her mom stopped drinking and is going to have a mentor to help her drinking problem. Both parents were proud of Amber and her father apologizes for being a bad father, and so does her mother. They cry together.
A few days later, Tyler's car drives up by Amber's house. Amber goes in and Tyler hands her a paper. An Organ Donation sign-up sheet. Tyler asks her to fill the form in for him. Amber asks why and Tyler admits that he has a problem, where he cannot read or write.
Amber starts asking why Tyler would do all this stuff with the gang, stealing- doing bad stuff. Tyler confesses and says that he first thought Declan was good and nice, but he then got sucked in with all the bad stuff he was doing. He never meant to hurt anyone, or make Amber be involved. He did it out of desperation. Amber understands. (He also explains a lot of the gaps in the story).
Tyler confesses something else. The relationship between him and Amber was to have a spot in the group, and some money to live. The deal was that Tyler must have a girlfriend so that Declan could have her too. (It's REALLY CONFUSING). Tyler got back the "lucky stone" and gives it to Amber.
They drive to the cemetery, and make a small hole near Liam's grave, burying the stone. "He'll be happy now," Tyler says.
Tyler tells Amber that Liam wanted to tell her something on the day he died. Amber said she knew, but Liam never got the chance to tell her. Tyler tells her;
A softness comes over his face, a wisp of a smile. "Liam and me. We loved each other."
{EEEEEEEEEEEEEE PLOT TWISTTTTTTT}
Amber is shocked and ashamed for not finding out earlier.
The Next Year passes, and Amber is participating in a foot race. Her father tells her that she doesn't have to win, as long as she has fun. Amber comes in 4th place, and Tyler, now in the running club, gets 1st for the boy team. Jeremy, now alive and well, gives out the awards. Jeremy announces a new trophy, the Liam Neville trophy, and gives it to Amber. Amber is overjoyed and her parents are as well. The trophy is a small silver cup with a chain and a stone with a hole. Tyler smiles.
I'm sorry- the summary went totally CRAZY- and many parts of it don't make sense. Plus, there were a LOAD of mistakes- and I'm a bit too lazy to edit them. Hehe. Its best to just read the book, I found it very emotional, even though some parts were a little inappropriate.
I'm not gonna add any GIFs for this review...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2019
A Flash of Blue is - in my opinion - a book which tries to be something it isn't. I rated it 3 stars, but 2,5 stars is probably closer to the truth. It is not that the book is bad - I read it in one sitting - and it is a cute and enjoyable read. I especially enjoyed the ending and would happily read more about what happen at the end of the book. Anyway I am gonna try to explain why the book "only" got 3 (2,5) stars.
*Be aware of spoilers ahead*
1. The characters and their relationships
The first thing I have to mention is Amber. For a girl who blames herself for the death of Liam, her brother, Amber (and her family for that matter) sure does show her grief in a strange way. For example, she hasn't visited his grave a single time since he died (a year ago) - and this is despite the fact that she often mention how close they were and how much he meant for her. It is first when she meets Tyler, Liams "best friend", that she more or less willing visits his grave. Which leads to the next thing I find hard to wrap my head around.
The relationship between Amber and Tyler. At the starts of the book I get the understanding that she and Tyler are not friends - even further that she doesn't like him very much. So when they run into each other at a party (the party in itself is a bit odd to me as well) and almost act like old friends, my head and mind have a hard time keeping up. I understand that Amber wanted to leave the party, but why does she say yes to staying with Tyler? Why didn't she just ask him to drive her home? And seriously, how old does one have to be to remember the phone numbers for your family members?
2. The plot
At the beginning the reader are told that Liam had something important to tell Amber, but throughout the story it isn't mentioned again. Until the very end where we finally finds out what it was. Liam and Tyler were together. Yet again I was left with a flat feeling - was that is? Was the relationship between Amber and Tyler really so unbalanced and full of lies just to turn out this way? Amber who almost adored Tyler and sacrificed so much for him, and Tyler who did nothing but to lie to her and bring her in danger. For me it fells like they were forced together just for the sake of them being together.
3. Things to say vs the length of the book
At last I think the book had way to many and big things to say. Topics like how to cope with death in a young age while fighting with problems at home, but also things like first love, severe illnesses, and organ donation are discussed. All of them are important things which should be talked about more, but here I fell like it was simply to much. I would much rather have read two different books which discussed one or two of these topics each.
*Be aware of spoilers ahead*
1. The characters and their relationships
The first thing I have to mention is Amber. For a girl who blames herself for the death of Liam, her brother, Amber (and her family for that matter) sure does show her grief in a strange way. For example, she hasn't visited his grave a single time since he died (a year ago) - and this is despite the fact that she often mention how close they were and how much he meant for her. It is first when she meets Tyler, Liams "best friend", that she more or less willing visits his grave. Which leads to the next thing I find hard to wrap my head around.
The relationship between Amber and Tyler. At the starts of the book I get the understanding that she and Tyler are not friends - even further that she doesn't like him very much. So when they run into each other at a party (the party in itself is a bit odd to me as well) and almost act like old friends, my head and mind have a hard time keeping up. I understand that Amber wanted to leave the party, but why does she say yes to staying with Tyler? Why didn't she just ask him to drive her home? And seriously, how old does one have to be to remember the phone numbers for your family members?
2. The plot
At the beginning the reader are told that Liam had something important to tell Amber, but throughout the story it isn't mentioned again. Until the very end where we finally finds out what it was. Liam and Tyler were together. Yet again I was left with a flat feeling - was that is? Was the relationship between Amber and Tyler really so unbalanced and full of lies just to turn out this way? Amber who almost adored Tyler and sacrificed so much for him, and Tyler who did nothing but to lie to her and bring her in danger. For me it fells like they were forced together just for the sake of them being together.
3. Things to say vs the length of the book
At last I think the book had way to many and big things to say. Topics like how to cope with death in a young age while fighting with problems at home, but also things like first love, severe illnesses, and organ donation are discussed. All of them are important things which should be talked about more, but here I fell like it was simply to much. I would much rather have read two different books which discussed one or two of these topics each.
August 28, 2021
This was to book that helped me transition from David Williams and dork diaries to a more appropriate age category for my age. Whilst reading this book made me feel tense, butterflies in the stomach and anger towards certain characters. Personally I loved how the story evolved and the huge twist at the end was really unexpected. Others might not like the ending but personally I loved how it ended even though it wasn't what I anticipated.
August 9, 2019
Well... i must say... this is a good story. This is a light reading for young adult. A bit boring in the first half, more intrigued after, and thats it.
But i'd rather to have some novels with more conflicts, more ups and downs.
Thats why i rated this novel with 3 stars.
But i'd rather to have some novels with more conflicts, more ups and downs.
Thats why i rated this novel with 3 stars.
May 3, 2021
this book was ass and it could have been could if the main character wasn't an accomplice in fucking burglary. the twists were the worst part, so fucking dumb. i knew when i first got this book it was going to be bad that's why i didn't even read it until now, and it turned out to be not so good.
May 18, 2018
This book was okay i like it at the beginning but the story changed multiple times and it got a bit boring and predictable. It wasn’t really my sort of book.
July 9, 2018
This book was sad, frustrating and beautiful all in one. I hardly ever cry at books but i almost spilled a few tears at various places. If you haven’t read it, i recommend it.
June 4, 2019
It is a really good book I enjoyed it.its hard to find good books nowadays and this is one of the very few.
April 10, 2023
Didn't know why I even bother to buy it
February 18, 2024
ive read wattpad books better than this
August 24, 2024
“We loved each other.”
I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. everything made perfect sense right after that revelation though. this book was good and i loved the way it presented the topic of grief and the different faces it makes when it touches different people.
I DID NOT EXPECT THAT. everything made perfect sense right after that revelation though. this book was good and i loved the way it presented the topic of grief and the different faces it makes when it touches different people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2021
I was really open minded when I began to read this book, but sadly, the more I read, the more disappointed I got. I kept fighting my way through every page, hoping it would get better, but it never really did.
***SPOILER ALERT***
First of all, I didn’t think the writing was the best. Apart from the Prologue, where Liam died, and the first couple of chapters, I didn’t really feel sympathy for Amber at all. I felt like she kept making bad choices, almost on purpose, and that really annoyed me, because she kept indirectly playing the victim.
Second of all, I found the story very predictable. Of course not all of it was predictable, but many of the things that played a big part towards the ending, I had already figured out at the beginning of the book. As soon as Tyler said that Amber looked so much like Liam, and then suddenly kissed her, I had a strong feeling that he and Liam had been romantically involved. To my disappointment, this was supposed to be a big reveal at the end of the book.
I also knew Tyler was trouble when he showed up out of nowhere, oh so conveniently, and I never really trusted him at any point in the book, which kind of ruined the romance for me. The fact that Amber didn’t catch on to this, or think twice about getting in a car with a boy she barely knows, also really annoyed me. It made me lose respect for her. It also made me see her as a little stupid, and that only got worse when she didn’t catch on before she did. And yeah I know she was in grief of her brother and a bit drunk, and your bound to be sad and lost and confused in her position, but any sensible person, especially a teenage girl, would think twice before getting in a car with some guy they barely know.
I the beginning of the book, Amber and Simon are best friends and supposably very close. Sadly, I didn’t feel like I got a feeling of their friendship or bond, before they suddenly weren’t friends anymore. Ambers indifference and lack of emotion towards their split, only caused me to feel more indifferent about Simon. It didn’t seem like Amber cared much about him. She may say that she cared about him and that they were close, but in this case, I think actions speak louder than words. For example, where was he in the middle of the book? He doesn’t play a big part In that! He almost disappears completely for big parts of the book at a time. Amber doesn’t even give a thought to him, all she thinks about is Tyler. She doesn’t seem very upset that they’re no longer friends, apart from when it has just happened, so it just doesn’t seem like she cares much.
I found that the story was a bit messy and all over the place. The parts that involved Tyler, revolved around Tyler, and that seemed to be the only important thing. But in other parts of the book, you barely heard anything about him. It felt like the book was trying to focusing on too many things at once, and that just made the story kind of unstructured and messy.
There were actually a few things I liked about the book, which is why I chose to give it two stars instead of one. I really liked gran. I liked her way of guiding Amber and always being there for her, since her parents were nowhere near supportive of her. That is what a good grandmother would do in that position, and I thought that that role suited her very well. I also really liked Jeremy, and I like that he inspired Amber to run her campaign. What I really didn’t like though, was how easily Amber forgot the purpose of her campaign at some points, yet at others she seemed very determined.
Lastly I thought the ending was very weird and very sudden. It left me feeling unsettled with a frown on my face.
The entire book was really serious and heavy, and I really missed some lightheartedness. I didn’t laugh once, not even sure I smiled, while reading the book. For me, the book was really hard to swallow. This was partly because I constantly had to read about all Ambers problems all the live long day.
I didn’t enjoy the book, I had to force myself to finish it, and found myself constantly checking if it was over soon. The only thing the book did for me, was put me in a bad mood. I would not recommend this book, I’m not even sure why I bothered to read the whole thing.
***SPOILER ALERT***
First of all, I didn’t think the writing was the best. Apart from the Prologue, where Liam died, and the first couple of chapters, I didn’t really feel sympathy for Amber at all. I felt like she kept making bad choices, almost on purpose, and that really annoyed me, because she kept indirectly playing the victim.
Second of all, I found the story very predictable. Of course not all of it was predictable, but many of the things that played a big part towards the ending, I had already figured out at the beginning of the book. As soon as Tyler said that Amber looked so much like Liam, and then suddenly kissed her, I had a strong feeling that he and Liam had been romantically involved. To my disappointment, this was supposed to be a big reveal at the end of the book.
I also knew Tyler was trouble when he showed up out of nowhere, oh so conveniently, and I never really trusted him at any point in the book, which kind of ruined the romance for me. The fact that Amber didn’t catch on to this, or think twice about getting in a car with a boy she barely knows, also really annoyed me. It made me lose respect for her. It also made me see her as a little stupid, and that only got worse when she didn’t catch on before she did. And yeah I know she was in grief of her brother and a bit drunk, and your bound to be sad and lost and confused in her position, but any sensible person, especially a teenage girl, would think twice before getting in a car with some guy they barely know.
I the beginning of the book, Amber and Simon are best friends and supposably very close. Sadly, I didn’t feel like I got a feeling of their friendship or bond, before they suddenly weren’t friends anymore. Ambers indifference and lack of emotion towards their split, only caused me to feel more indifferent about Simon. It didn’t seem like Amber cared much about him. She may say that she cared about him and that they were close, but in this case, I think actions speak louder than words. For example, where was he in the middle of the book? He doesn’t play a big part In that! He almost disappears completely for big parts of the book at a time. Amber doesn’t even give a thought to him, all she thinks about is Tyler. She doesn’t seem very upset that they’re no longer friends, apart from when it has just happened, so it just doesn’t seem like she cares much.
I found that the story was a bit messy and all over the place. The parts that involved Tyler, revolved around Tyler, and that seemed to be the only important thing. But in other parts of the book, you barely heard anything about him. It felt like the book was trying to focusing on too many things at once, and that just made the story kind of unstructured and messy.
There were actually a few things I liked about the book, which is why I chose to give it two stars instead of one. I really liked gran. I liked her way of guiding Amber and always being there for her, since her parents were nowhere near supportive of her. That is what a good grandmother would do in that position, and I thought that that role suited her very well. I also really liked Jeremy, and I like that he inspired Amber to run her campaign. What I really didn’t like though, was how easily Amber forgot the purpose of her campaign at some points, yet at others she seemed very determined.
Lastly I thought the ending was very weird and very sudden. It left me feeling unsettled with a frown on my face.
The entire book was really serious and heavy, and I really missed some lightheartedness. I didn’t laugh once, not even sure I smiled, while reading the book. For me, the book was really hard to swallow. This was partly because I constantly had to read about all Ambers problems all the live long day.
I didn’t enjoy the book, I had to force myself to finish it, and found myself constantly checking if it was over soon. The only thing the book did for me, was put me in a bad mood. I would not recommend this book, I’m not even sure why I bothered to read the whole thing.
June 26, 2016
I gave this book two stars. I liked the premise, I really did but the world building? the character arc? It was a let down and I'm sorry because I didn't want it to be. The only thing stopping me from giving this book zero stars is the fact that I loved the issues it raised. A Flash Of Blue dealt with teen crime and LGBTQ relationships wonderfully and maturely. Ultimately though, it felt too small for issues so big.
June 19, 2015
It was good, but the blurb made it seem it was more exciting than it was. it's not the kind of book I usually read, I don't really enjoy real life novels, I prefer mysteries or fantasy. it was a good book, just not very exciting and the 'secret' wasn't that big of a deal (in my opinion,I understand that it can be a big deal from some). it was alright.
July 3, 2016
This book was a good read. The book cover was very pretty and very eye catching. It was a bit slow to get into at the start but once I got into it I had to finish it. There was a big twist revealed at the end. It had a happy ending which I thought was rare for books of this genre. Worth a read.
April 5, 2015
It turned out to be so good! The story took such a turn I wasn't expecting which was great but it was heartwarming by the end.
July 31, 2015
A quick read especially because I was racing to turn the pages to see where the story was going to take me!! Great themes with an unexpected twist at the end and a good social message too.
March 7, 2016
Read this almost completely in one sitting...really gripping story!
February 6, 2016
It was a really good book that I really did enjoy.
July 3, 2016
This started okay, but once Tyler's 'friends' appeared on the scene the plot just went downhill and so, three quarters through, I gave up.
July 1, 2015
Heartwarming novel! 4 star read!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews