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Wildflower
Faith desperately tries to hold on and fit into the mold of the "typical" college student, but her life quickly spirals out of control when visions of a dark past consume her. When these repressed memories begin to resurface, she relives the devastation of dealing with abandonment, death and betrayal. Faith soon realizes she never did escape the dangers of the past, her battles are real and present. With a sadistic stalker lurking around campus while she painfully struggles to hold onto her newfound romance, Faith finds herself fighting to survive all over again.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2014
About the author
Janine Carbone
2 books111 followersJanine Carbone, a Philadelphia native, put her BA in psychology to good use with the creation of her first New Adult novel, Wildflower. Carbone mixed elements of mystery, romance, and suspense, to create an edgy and intense debut novel peering into the darker side of mental health.
Carbone grew up in a world full of books and knew she wanted to be a writer since an early age. She spends most nights dreaming up new plots, while mornings you can find her with a pen and pad in hand, twisting and weaving words to inspire surprise and delight in her readers.
With a love of cooking and traveling overseas, she can be found in the kitchen experimenting with unusual ingredients, or trekking across grounds unknown. However, she does enjoy spending every moment she can with her family.
She can be followed on twitter at https://twitter.com/JP_Carbone, or found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanine... and catch up with her on her website www.authorjaninecarbone.com.
Carbone grew up in a world full of books and knew she wanted to be a writer since an early age. She spends most nights dreaming up new plots, while mornings you can find her with a pen and pad in hand, twisting and weaving words to inspire surprise and delight in her readers.
With a love of cooking and traveling overseas, she can be found in the kitchen experimenting with unusual ingredients, or trekking across grounds unknown. However, she does enjoy spending every moment she can with her family.
She can be followed on twitter at https://twitter.com/JP_Carbone, or found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanine... and catch up with her on her website www.authorjaninecarbone.com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 8, 2015
Ever felt Disconnected from the World?
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Ends March 10, 2015 - YA - U.S. Only -Please
What makes Faith so different? Why is she on auto-disconnect whenever someone tries to get too close? She has shrouded her heartbreaking past behind a wall of repression, but the wall is slowly crumbling, as black memories strip her desperate hold on normalcy bare. Will the strength of one man help her through? Will she learn to accept love without fear of losing it or being abandoned? Evil is lurking in the shadows, once again, and it has set its sights on Faith.
Wildflower by Janine Carbone is an edgy and intense look at life for one young woman who hasn’t been gifted with the strength to move forward and grab life by the horns, hanging on for what could be the ride of a lifetime. Faith knows she has feelings for Jason, but keeps her emotional distance from a man who wears his heart on his sleeve for her. By the time she dares to venture into a real relationship, once again, her world is shattered by a deranged rapist/killer who knows far too much about her past to have picked her at random. Will she find the strength to fight back? Just when she finds the joy and love that life brings, she may lose everything, including her life.
They say there is power in words, and Janine Carbone packs a punch that will leave you breathless, on the edge of seat as you follow Faith’s dark journey. Carefully setting her world in place, filling it with atmosphere and well-developed characters, Ms. Carbone leads us down a dark and uneven trail that will end in a burst of energy and conflict that left me floored. To say I did NOT see that superb ending coming and piercing my brain with tension, would be an understatement. Looking for some jagged edges in your reading, want to skip the fluff and feel the story? Try Wildflower and be amazed how that that slow pull in becomes completely magnetic.
I received a review copy from Janine Carbone in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: January 1, 2015
Publisher: Kismet Books
ISBN-13: 9780986293610
Genre: NA Mystery/Thriller/Romance
Print Length: 290 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Click on Banner to Enter for a chance to win Beautiful Prizes
Ends March 10, 2015 - YA - U.S. Only -Please
What makes Faith so different? Why is she on auto-disconnect whenever someone tries to get too close? She has shrouded her heartbreaking past behind a wall of repression, but the wall is slowly crumbling, as black memories strip her desperate hold on normalcy bare. Will the strength of one man help her through? Will she learn to accept love without fear of losing it or being abandoned? Evil is lurking in the shadows, once again, and it has set its sights on Faith.
Wildflower by Janine Carbone is an edgy and intense look at life for one young woman who hasn’t been gifted with the strength to move forward and grab life by the horns, hanging on for what could be the ride of a lifetime. Faith knows she has feelings for Jason, but keeps her emotional distance from a man who wears his heart on his sleeve for her. By the time she dares to venture into a real relationship, once again, her world is shattered by a deranged rapist/killer who knows far too much about her past to have picked her at random. Will she find the strength to fight back? Just when she finds the joy and love that life brings, she may lose everything, including her life.
They say there is power in words, and Janine Carbone packs a punch that will leave you breathless, on the edge of seat as you follow Faith’s dark journey. Carefully setting her world in place, filling it with atmosphere and well-developed characters, Ms. Carbone leads us down a dark and uneven trail that will end in a burst of energy and conflict that left me floored. To say I did NOT see that superb ending coming and piercing my brain with tension, would be an understatement. Looking for some jagged edges in your reading, want to skip the fluff and feel the story? Try Wildflower and be amazed how that that slow pull in becomes completely magnetic.
I received a review copy from Janine Carbone in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: January 1, 2015
Publisher: Kismet Books
ISBN-13: 9780986293610
Genre: NA Mystery/Thriller/Romance
Print Length: 290 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
February 25, 2015
I was approached by the author with this book and I decided to read it in exchange for an honest review. I wanted a break from all the YA I had read this month and this seemed like the right book to choose. I found this to be a simple book, easy to follow and understand and engaging all at the same time. I was hoping for it to be a little more complex than it was, but it was still wrote pretty well. It is said to be a psychological thriller, but I felt it was too simple for that genre. It felt to me to be more of a story about mental health and even though I found it to be simple it still told a pretty profound story. So with that aspect of things it was good.
In this book we have Faith who suffers from several mental health issues, with flashbacks of her life with a mother who was not much of a mother at all and has now passed away. Faith seals her memories and emotions off to most people, she would rather live a life of solitude. She does meet some people she cares a lot about, her best friend Casey and her boyfriend Jason. Through their strength and strength of her own she begins to be able to overcome some of her issues, but when she comes face to face with evil she feels herself plunging back into the spiral of terror, depression and anxiety.
I found that the plot line of this book held several triggers, especially through the flashbacks she was suffering in lieu of her childhood. There is some mystery and some thriller, but I found it mostly focused on mental health. As I said this story is not all that complex but still tells a pretty profound story. I found the plot relatable to my own life and some parts were difficult to read for me. But these types of stories are important so people can see that metal health issues are very real and a prominent part of our society today.
I liked Faith's character, I found her real and very believable. Again I found that I could related to Faith and what she was going through. I feel that the Author wrote her character well and she touched on those very important issues of what it is like to suffer from anxiety and other issues that go with that. I feel like Faith started to grow well by the end of the story and she showed those strengths that are important and needed to allow her to heal from her past.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested a books/stories that touch on real life issues in our society today, such as mental health issues. I am giving this book a 3.5 star rating, and I look forward to more from this author in the future.
In this book we have Faith who suffers from several mental health issues, with flashbacks of her life with a mother who was not much of a mother at all and has now passed away. Faith seals her memories and emotions off to most people, she would rather live a life of solitude. She does meet some people she cares a lot about, her best friend Casey and her boyfriend Jason. Through their strength and strength of her own she begins to be able to overcome some of her issues, but when she comes face to face with evil she feels herself plunging back into the spiral of terror, depression and anxiety.
I found that the plot line of this book held several triggers, especially through the flashbacks she was suffering in lieu of her childhood. There is some mystery and some thriller, but I found it mostly focused on mental health. As I said this story is not all that complex but still tells a pretty profound story. I found the plot relatable to my own life and some parts were difficult to read for me. But these types of stories are important so people can see that metal health issues are very real and a prominent part of our society today.
I liked Faith's character, I found her real and very believable. Again I found that I could related to Faith and what she was going through. I feel that the Author wrote her character well and she touched on those very important issues of what it is like to suffer from anxiety and other issues that go with that. I feel like Faith started to grow well by the end of the story and she showed those strengths that are important and needed to allow her to heal from her past.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested a books/stories that touch on real life issues in our society today, such as mental health issues. I am giving this book a 3.5 star rating, and I look forward to more from this author in the future.
November 18, 2014
Reviewed by Michelle Randall for Reader's Favorite.
Faith is determined to make it through college without getting close to anyone, and so far she has made it to her junior year with only her freshman dorm mate, Casey. This year is going to be different, Jason is determined to get to know the beautiful girl running on the track. Faith has had a rough upbringing and Jason will have to break through her walls. Professor Jillian has been there all through the years to encourage and help Faith try to take a few steps out into the world and out from behind her walls, and as her relationship with Jason blossoms, she will encourage her even more. At the same time, repressed memories of her childhood will start to haunt Faith. Janine Carbone does a wonderful job of mixing a number of ideas and storylines into one larger story. Wildflower will get darker yet before it gets brighter with the addition of a serial rapist on campus.
Janine Carbone has mixed a coming of age story, with a mystery story and a romance story to come up with a wonderful story that blends the elements and makes the whole story greater than the sum of the parts. Wildflower is prefect name for the book, but you will need to read until the very end to understand the meaning of the name. This book is definitely a young adult book, but adults and even younger readers will get something from the story. Aside from the mention of the rapist, there is no other sexual situations in the book, which is nice for a book these days.
Faith is determined to make it through college without getting close to anyone, and so far she has made it to her junior year with only her freshman dorm mate, Casey. This year is going to be different, Jason is determined to get to know the beautiful girl running on the track. Faith has had a rough upbringing and Jason will have to break through her walls. Professor Jillian has been there all through the years to encourage and help Faith try to take a few steps out into the world and out from behind her walls, and as her relationship with Jason blossoms, she will encourage her even more. At the same time, repressed memories of her childhood will start to haunt Faith. Janine Carbone does a wonderful job of mixing a number of ideas and storylines into one larger story. Wildflower will get darker yet before it gets brighter with the addition of a serial rapist on campus.
Janine Carbone has mixed a coming of age story, with a mystery story and a romance story to come up with a wonderful story that blends the elements and makes the whole story greater than the sum of the parts. Wildflower is prefect name for the book, but you will need to read until the very end to understand the meaning of the name. This book is definitely a young adult book, but adults and even younger readers will get something from the story. Aside from the mention of the rapist, there is no other sexual situations in the book, which is nice for a book these days.
September 3, 2017
At first there was so much going on with the plot of this book, I thought the story might not work since it felt like it was going in many different directions. However, I started to enjoy the different points the story was switching between. There is the rocky love story between Faith and Jason, a potential love triangle, Faith's dark past, and the danger from a stalker on a crime spree to keep the reader engaged. The pacing is a bit slow to be considered a full-fledged thriller, but I liked how everything is laid out without feeling rushed or out of place. And being an introvert, I could really relate to Faith and her struggles to break out of her shell in order to let more people into her life and bring down her fortified walls of emotional defense.
Sadly, I was a little disappointed to find a big editing error as I was reading the book. I first noticed the page numbers had reset themselves back to page 124, but then a few pages later the entire chapter had been replaced with pages from the previous chapter. I had to skip ahead to find where the story was supposed to start up again. For a book with no errors up to that point and even after, this was of course disappointing. It does not diminish my enjoyment of the story, but it takes away from the finished feel that a book should have.
Aside from the editing error in my book, this is a good story. There is so much to be discovered about Faith's life in the span of this book, that the reader will not be able to put this quick read down. If you like romance with a slight thriller edge, this book could be a great choice.
*I received a free copy of this book for this review from the author.
Sadly, I was a little disappointed to find a big editing error as I was reading the book. I first noticed the page numbers had reset themselves back to page 124, but then a few pages later the entire chapter had been replaced with pages from the previous chapter. I had to skip ahead to find where the story was supposed to start up again. For a book with no errors up to that point and even after, this was of course disappointing. It does not diminish my enjoyment of the story, but it takes away from the finished feel that a book should have.
Aside from the editing error in my book, this is a good story. There is so much to be discovered about Faith's life in the span of this book, that the reader will not be able to put this quick read down. If you like romance with a slight thriller edge, this book could be a great choice.
*I received a free copy of this book for this review from the author.
March 7, 2015
First off, allow me to say that I read everything and anything, as long as it is well-written, interesting and not predictable. Most importantly, for me anyway, the book must have an ending that resolves the story.
Wildflower is such a book that does that, for me anyway. I’m not into New Adult books, as a whole, but as I said, I will read anything. I was given an ARC copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. That being said, I enjoyed this book. I felt for and enjoyed the protagonist Faith. The book is believable and works. The book starts out strong and makes you want to read more, not just to see what happens next, but to enjoy spending time with Faith. I do agree with another reviewer that in the first fifty pages or so, there is more telling than showing, but fortunately it works. One can’t say that about many stories. The story makes it do that. There is also in that same span a bit too much description that could have been left out without any detriment to the story. All in all, Ms. Carbone did a worthwhile effort with her debut novel and I look forward to her next book. If you’re looking for a New Adult story that will draw you in, you have to consider Wildflower. Why this book was entitled Wildflower is a good question? I guess you’ll just have to read the book to see why.
Wildflower is such a book that does that, for me anyway. I’m not into New Adult books, as a whole, but as I said, I will read anything. I was given an ARC copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. That being said, I enjoyed this book. I felt for and enjoyed the protagonist Faith. The book is believable and works. The book starts out strong and makes you want to read more, not just to see what happens next, but to enjoy spending time with Faith. I do agree with another reviewer that in the first fifty pages or so, there is more telling than showing, but fortunately it works. One can’t say that about many stories. The story makes it do that. There is also in that same span a bit too much description that could have been left out without any detriment to the story. All in all, Ms. Carbone did a worthwhile effort with her debut novel and I look forward to her next book. If you’re looking for a New Adult story that will draw you in, you have to consider Wildflower. Why this book was entitled Wildflower is a good question? I guess you’ll just have to read the book to see why.
February 8, 2015
Wildflower is a new adult psychological thriller that truly kept me guessing right up to the end. The mystery started with the prologue and continued as snippets of Faith’s past were revealed, not only to the reader, but to Faith herself. I enjoyed watching her work through her issues and grow as a person, and I kept pulling for the guys in her life. It was a hard book to put down, because I had so many questions and had to find out how it all came together. In the end Carbone didn’t disappoint. I was surprised and it all made sense. I found the story believable and the characters likeable.
February 6, 2015
I reread this book and the second time around I enjoyed the complexity of the character, Faith. I also loved the setting of the book described by the author. It really took me back to my college days.
February 20, 2015
Great characters and intriguing plot, want to read more from this author. I would recommend to all.
February 6, 2015
Janine has created a wonderfully gripping story. Great read.
August 19, 2015
edit 8-18-2015: I decided to lower my rating on Wildflower to 4.5/10. I think that the fact that I received a free ARC subconsciously influenced my rating. I agree with most of what I said, especially the criticism. I felt like the book was pretty disjointed and I simply didn't enjoy it very much. The writing was good, and the psychological thriller aspect was decent, but nothing really stuck with me at all.
*I received a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
7/10 (3.5/5)
Wildflower was a very thrilling, fast-paced read. I flew through it and ended up finishing it within a couple hours in a single sitting. I found it both enjoyable and deep and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller.
I only had a couple complaints, so I'll talk about all of the positives before touching on those. First off, I really enjoyed the way that the flashbacks were mixed in with the main plot. I thought that it was really intriguing and it kept me guessing as to what had happened in Faith's past. I also really enjoyed Faith as a character. As a college student who spends most of my time in my apartment, there were several aspects of her personality that I really connected with.
I thought that the second half of the book was especially thrilling. I was constantly wondering what was about to happen or when something big would happen, and when crazy stuff did start happening, I couldn't put the book down. In fact, I found myself accidentally skipping entire lines because I was trying to read faster than my brain could actually comprehend, because I was just so curious about what was going to happen.
That being said, however, I did think that there were a few predictable aspects. I figured out that significantly before it was revealed, and also figured out that before it was revealed. However, I do tend to figure things out really quickly, so that may not be a problem for you.
The only real problems that I had happened within the first 50 pages. I felt like there was a little too much telling vs. showing when it came to describing things. This ended up creating the only other real issue that I had with the book: the beginning of the romance.
I thought that the beginning stages of the romance were very rushed. We see the very beginning and then jump forward in time twice in very quick succession. For me, this made the relationship seem slightly hard to believe at the beginning. Although it's made very clear that we have jumped forward a significant amount of time, it's hard to think of it as a serious relationship when they met ~20 pages earlier. I really wish that this portion of the romance was fleshed out a little bit more, because I think it would have added a little bit more to the book. I understand why this was a little rushed through, because all of the important events occur after this, but I think it could have been a little more fleshed out without ruining the pacing.
Overall, I thought that this was a really exciting, fast-paced read. If you're looking for a quick and exciting psychological thriller that's deeper than average, I would definitely recommend Wildflower!
*I received a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
7/10 (3.5/5)
Wildflower was a very thrilling, fast-paced read. I flew through it and ended up finishing it within a couple hours in a single sitting. I found it both enjoyable and deep and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller.
I only had a couple complaints, so I'll talk about all of the positives before touching on those. First off, I really enjoyed the way that the flashbacks were mixed in with the main plot. I thought that it was really intriguing and it kept me guessing as to what had happened in Faith's past. I also really enjoyed Faith as a character. As a college student who spends most of my time in my apartment, there were several aspects of her personality that I really connected with.
I thought that the second half of the book was especially thrilling. I was constantly wondering what was about to happen or when something big would happen, and when crazy stuff did start happening, I couldn't put the book down. In fact, I found myself accidentally skipping entire lines because I was trying to read faster than my brain could actually comprehend, because I was just so curious about what was going to happen.
That being said, however, I did think that there were a few predictable aspects. I figured out that significantly before it was revealed, and also figured out that before it was revealed. However, I do tend to figure things out really quickly, so that may not be a problem for you.
The only real problems that I had happened within the first 50 pages. I felt like there was a little too much telling vs. showing when it came to describing things. This ended up creating the only other real issue that I had with the book: the beginning of the romance.
I thought that the beginning stages of the romance were very rushed. We see the very beginning and then jump forward in time twice in very quick succession. For me, this made the relationship seem slightly hard to believe at the beginning. Although it's made very clear that we have jumped forward a significant amount of time, it's hard to think of it as a serious relationship when they met ~20 pages earlier. I really wish that this portion of the romance was fleshed out a little bit more, because I think it would have added a little bit more to the book. I understand why this was a little rushed through, because all of the important events occur after this, but I think it could have been a little more fleshed out without ruining the pacing.
Overall, I thought that this was a really exciting, fast-paced read. If you're looking for a quick and exciting psychological thriller that's deeper than average, I would definitely recommend Wildflower!
September 7, 2015
Janine Carbone’s new Adult novel, Wildflower, tells the story of one very tortured soul named Faith. She’s a college student who’s just trying to make it through school after surviving a rough childhood. She doesn’t like to get close to people nor does she let them in past her carefully constructed walls. She shuts herself away from her memories and her emotions, but why? Now in her Junior year of college she has her best friend and roommate, Casey, whom she cares deeply about and she’s begun the possibility of opening herself up to a sweet and sensitive guy named Jason. It’s the strength of these two people that really help Faith begin to overcome some of her issues. Soon, repressed memories and flashbacks from her childhood start to creep up and when she finds out there’s a killer on the loose who knows way too much about her past it threatens to push her beyond her breaking point.
Wildflower is another one of those books that I found really hard to rate and review. There were many things that I liked about it; the mystery was great and the ending had a fantastic twist that I didn’t see coming! Janine Carbone is a fantastic writer, there’s an ease in the way she sets up her story and characters that allows you to be sucked right into their dark world and keeps you wanting to read more. I think my issue is that I really don’t like thrillers that fall in that less than 250 page range; it rarely ever works for me. When it does work it’s because the story is so focused on just the characters and the mystery that it feels fully fleshed out. As beautiful and haunting as Carbone’s story is, she adds in too many elements to a book that is only 200 pages and some parts end up feeling rushed and skimmed over.
Wildflower is a blend of mystery, psychological thriller, coming of age story, romance, mental illness, and even abuse and stalkers. I would have loved it if Carbone expanded on all of these plot points and underlying themes, it would have only added to the story by making it feel richer and more complex. I know this is meant to be a YA novel but it still felt rather easy to read, even under that genre. Don’t get me wrong though, I did really enjoy this book; I guess it’s not too bad when your only complaint is that the story wasn’t long enough ;) I know there are many readers who really enjoy this style of mystery, where you can sit down in one afternoon and read from start to finish. For fans who enjoy this style, Wildflower is a perfect fit and I would definitely recommend it!
Many thanks to author, Janine Carbone and to Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Wildflower is another one of those books that I found really hard to rate and review. There were many things that I liked about it; the mystery was great and the ending had a fantastic twist that I didn’t see coming! Janine Carbone is a fantastic writer, there’s an ease in the way she sets up her story and characters that allows you to be sucked right into their dark world and keeps you wanting to read more. I think my issue is that I really don’t like thrillers that fall in that less than 250 page range; it rarely ever works for me. When it does work it’s because the story is so focused on just the characters and the mystery that it feels fully fleshed out. As beautiful and haunting as Carbone’s story is, she adds in too many elements to a book that is only 200 pages and some parts end up feeling rushed and skimmed over.
Wildflower is a blend of mystery, psychological thriller, coming of age story, romance, mental illness, and even abuse and stalkers. I would have loved it if Carbone expanded on all of these plot points and underlying themes, it would have only added to the story by making it feel richer and more complex. I know this is meant to be a YA novel but it still felt rather easy to read, even under that genre. Don’t get me wrong though, I did really enjoy this book; I guess it’s not too bad when your only complaint is that the story wasn’t long enough ;) I know there are many readers who really enjoy this style of mystery, where you can sit down in one afternoon and read from start to finish. For fans who enjoy this style, Wildflower is a perfect fit and I would definitely recommend it!
Many thanks to author, Janine Carbone and to Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
April 7, 2015
Wildflower was a book I pulled up on my eReader as I headed on a long trip across the country. As the passenger, I thought I'd simply pick up the book every now and then and finish it by the end of the thirteen hour trip.
I finished it before we reached our halfway rest stop.
I'll be honest; When I read the prologue of this novel, I wasn't sure I really understood what I was in for. I'd read an excerpt prior to settling in, and I wasn't sure how it was all going to tie in.
Then I was introduced to Faith, and what a whirlwind I embarked on. with a past so heartbreaking you'll want to reach in and hug her, she is forever the unsuspecting optimist.
Read my full review here: http://gcmacquarie.weebly.com/reviews...
I finished it before we reached our halfway rest stop.
I'll be honest; When I read the prologue of this novel, I wasn't sure I really understood what I was in for. I'd read an excerpt prior to settling in, and I wasn't sure how it was all going to tie in.
Then I was introduced to Faith, and what a whirlwind I embarked on. with a past so heartbreaking you'll want to reach in and hug her, she is forever the unsuspecting optimist.
Read my full review here: http://gcmacquarie.weebly.com/reviews...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews