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The Faderville Novels #3
Say Something
Love -- especially a dog's love -- can change a person.Not yet sixteen, Bellamy Larson — or Beam, as she’d rather be called — remembers everything. Truthfully, there’s a lot she’d just rather forget. Beam never knew her father and doesn’t ever want to. Her little brother died while saving her. And her mother self-medicates, leaving Beam to fend for herself.Desperate for a normal life, Beam carjacks a rusty pickup and drives south to live with her grandparents in Faderville, Kentucky. Unfortunately, as Beam soon figures out, ‘normal’ doesn’t exist. She could use a friend, but friends are hard to come by when you’re an outsider.Buzz Donovan knows what it’s like to live on the outside. Luckily for him, he has a friend — a dog named Hush. It’s because of Hush, though, that Buzz is homeless. But that’s his choice, because if it weren’t for Hush, his seizure-alert dog, he’d be dead.When Beam runs into Buzz, her world is turned upside down. She doesn’t trust dogs, and for good reason — she’s been mauled by one. Say Something is a story about learning to forgive when you can't forget.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 28, 2016
396 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
N. Gemini Sasson
20 books175 followersFormer teacher and track coach. Runner, gardener, dog lover and sometimes farmer. Author of medieval historical fiction: The Crown in the Heather (The Bruce Trilogy: Book I), Worth Dying For (The Bruce Trilogy: Book II) and Isabeau, A Novel of Queen Isabella and Sir Roger Mortimer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 13, 2017
Exceptionally good book
This is a well written page Turner. I don't give many five stars. The characters are very engaging and I didn't want to leave them. I've read a lot of books on my tablet, but very few with this much heart. I will read more by this author.
This is a well written page Turner. I don't give many five stars. The characters are very engaging and I didn't want to leave them. I've read a lot of books on my tablet, but very few with this much heart. I will read more by this author.
October 23, 2023
so good
Beam is miserable living with her alcoholic mother, so she gets her neighbor to fix up an old rusted pickup truck in the backyard and she takes off for Kentucky to her grandmother’s house, with only an address on an old Christmas card to guide her. But when she slides off an icy road and hits her head she meets someone who will influence the rest of her life, a man who calls himself Buzz Donovan. The only problem is that Buzz has a dog, and Beam is terrified of dogs. But Buzz’s dog is a seizure alert dog, and he’s injured. Hunter, the vet, arrives, and they end up at Beam’s grandmother’s house, but she’s not exactly welcoming. However, things settle down and people settle in. Buzz eventually reveals that he has a brain tumor. Beam begins to lose her fear of dogs. Noreen, Beam’s grandmother, warms up. Everyone’s life changes.
Beam is miserable living with her alcoholic mother, so she gets her neighbor to fix up an old rusted pickup truck in the backyard and she takes off for Kentucky to her grandmother’s house, with only an address on an old Christmas card to guide her. But when she slides off an icy road and hits her head she meets someone who will influence the rest of her life, a man who calls himself Buzz Donovan. The only problem is that Buzz has a dog, and Beam is terrified of dogs. But Buzz’s dog is a seizure alert dog, and he’s injured. Hunter, the vet, arrives, and they end up at Beam’s grandmother’s house, but she’s not exactly welcoming. However, things settle down and people settle in. Buzz eventually reveals that he has a brain tumor. Beam begins to lose her fear of dogs. Noreen, Beam’s grandmother, warms up. Everyone’s life changes.
August 20, 2017
The ending is the best!
Everything happens for a reason… I truly believe this… And this author does too… What a great story… What a great storyteller! Although I tend to speed read through a lot of detailed descriptions I didn't miss anything and would love to see Faderville Tennessee.... The chances of the events in this book actually happening are not remote to me... One of the dogs I have in my life right now; who's been with me for 10 years came into my life because of a series of events that unfolded that I can't explain and don't try to any more... I believe it was supposed to happen ... like the events in this story ...
Everything happens for a reason… I truly believe this… And this author does too… What a great story… What a great storyteller! Although I tend to speed read through a lot of detailed descriptions I didn't miss anything and would love to see Faderville Tennessee.... The chances of the events in this book actually happening are not remote to me... One of the dogs I have in my life right now; who's been with me for 10 years came into my life because of a series of events that unfolded that I can't explain and don't try to any more... I believe it was supposed to happen ... like the events in this story ...
June 25, 2018
I can't
I can't review any of this lady's books. I'm too busy laughing and crying and re - reading in wonder. I've read all the Faderville novels and am just amazed at the fact that she knows dogs from their tricky - to - clip toenails to their propeller tales (or hula butts).
I LOVE dogs. I've had close to fifty in my lifetime; from 8lbs to 150lb wolf-dogs. All of them rescued; a few coming back to me in a new body for another round My last one will be my little guardian, Max. Well, I think he's a dog. Mostly anyway. LOL! Adopting him is a very special story.
I want *all* the author's books
I can't review any of this lady's books. I'm too busy laughing and crying and re - reading in wonder. I've read all the Faderville novels and am just amazed at the fact that she knows dogs from their tricky - to - clip toenails to their propeller tales (or hula butts).
I LOVE dogs. I've had close to fifty in my lifetime; from 8lbs to 150lb wolf-dogs. All of them rescued; a few coming back to me in a new body for another round My last one will be my little guardian, Max. Well, I think he's a dog. Mostly anyway. LOL! Adopting him is a very special story.
I want *all* the author's books
May 2, 2019
Hush the Aussie and Buzz, his homeless buddy are walking cross country when fate intervenes and the make an unexpected stop in Faderville. There the meet Beam, ‘a runaway’ and Noreen, her grandmother. This was an ok read but not as good as the first two in the series where the story came from the dog’s perspective.
March 28, 2025
This is a story of abandonment, betrayal, and death, yet, in the midst of that, how steadfast love can heal even the most broken. I appreciated the growth in the characters, the unfolding of their stories. And I loved the role of the dog!
A seemingly homeless man serves as the voice of wisdom, often giving the reader pause to consider the depth of his counsel. Here is one of his pearls: “Truth didn’t disappear just because you refused to look at it. Better to confront it, acknowledge its presence. Otherwise it was like a bogeyman riding on your back, breathing fear down your neck.”
Throughout the story death stalked in many forms. The author’s reflections about it were troubling to me. On the one hand, a person who died and came back reported seeing great light, a place of beauty and wonder, observed as a conscious soul. On the other hand, we are advised that our loved ones live on as energy dispersed throughout the land (like in the soil, the wind, the water)—definitely not conscious entities at all. (They are still with us? Is that supposed to be comforting?)
Such confusion of ideology wavered on the absurd. I know of people who have died and returned who share similar beautiful visions, indicating that there is an afterlife and a place one may go to. They also indicate that we are accountable to the One who created this universe and the next! While the author openly judged those who avoided being accountable for their dastardly choices in the story, she avoided the possibility of our very real accountability to Someone beyond our own reckoning. It was confusing. I couldn’t quite determine what her standard of goodness was, where it came from, why she embraced certain values.
The one message I got was you gotta love a dog. At least dogs are loyal, trustworthy and loving.
It was a disconcerting message. Thus the 3 star rating.
A seemingly homeless man serves as the voice of wisdom, often giving the reader pause to consider the depth of his counsel. Here is one of his pearls: “Truth didn’t disappear just because you refused to look at it. Better to confront it, acknowledge its presence. Otherwise it was like a bogeyman riding on your back, breathing fear down your neck.”
Throughout the story death stalked in many forms. The author’s reflections about it were troubling to me. On the one hand, a person who died and came back reported seeing great light, a place of beauty and wonder, observed as a conscious soul. On the other hand, we are advised that our loved ones live on as energy dispersed throughout the land (like in the soil, the wind, the water)—definitely not conscious entities at all. (They are still with us? Is that supposed to be comforting?)
Such confusion of ideology wavered on the absurd. I know of people who have died and returned who share similar beautiful visions, indicating that there is an afterlife and a place one may go to. They also indicate that we are accountable to the One who created this universe and the next! While the author openly judged those who avoided being accountable for their dastardly choices in the story, she avoided the possibility of our very real accountability to Someone beyond our own reckoning. It was confusing. I couldn’t quite determine what her standard of goodness was, where it came from, why she embraced certain values.
The one message I got was you gotta love a dog. At least dogs are loyal, trustworthy and loving.
It was a disconcerting message. Thus the 3 star rating.
July 11, 2024
I didn't think I was going to like this book as much as the other Faderville stories. A character that insists others call her "Beam" made me think she'd be a sulky, snotty, teenager. Good thing I chose to read the book anyway. I would've missed out otherwise. While I can enjoy a silly, fun, rom-com with a happy ending, books like those read more like fairytales. In this series and this book particularly, the characters aren't perfect, nor are there lives. It's book like these that touch my heart that I could easily read more of daily.
This book may just be my favorite in the series so far!
I won't say anything about the storyline as there are enough blurbs, hints and synopses available out there. Instead I'll simply say that this book is worth the read. The characters and events will draw you in if you give them the chance. ♥ ♥
This book may just be my favorite in the series so far!
I won't say anything about the storyline as there are enough blurbs, hints and synopses available out there. Instead I'll simply say that this book is worth the read. The characters and events will draw you in if you give them the chance. ♥ ♥
March 4, 2024
Bellamy runs away from home, not that her drunk mother would notice, and heads to her grandmothers last known address. She crosses paths with Buzz and his dog Hush. Problem is Bellamy is terrified of dogs after having been bitten as a child. And when she meets her grandmother, the woman's gruff iciness makes her question her choices of coming there. Buzz has a brain tumor that gives him seizures. Slowly the three become a family of sorts, in spite of tragedy just around the bend. Bellamy grows and learns to trust dogs, thanks to Hush. Great book. Had me in tears. This author really knows how to bring you into a story!
January 28, 2023
I can relate--touching story
This is a story about a girl who runs away from home to her Faderville grandmother that she has never met before, and almost literally runs into a homeless man with a brain tumor and his seizure-alert dog. I miss the fact that, in this one, we don't get the thoughts and impressions from the dog's perspective, but it's still a wonderful story. As an epileptic who had a seizure-alert dog, I could relate to so much. This book teaches the reader a lot about being Zen and accepting people as they are. Good read. 😊
This is a story about a girl who runs away from home to her Faderville grandmother that she has never met before, and almost literally runs into a homeless man with a brain tumor and his seizure-alert dog. I miss the fact that, in this one, we don't get the thoughts and impressions from the dog's perspective, but it's still a wonderful story. As an epileptic who had a seizure-alert dog, I could relate to so much. This book teaches the reader a lot about being Zen and accepting people as they are. Good read. 😊
March 2, 2018
Wonderful read!
This book captured my heart in so many ways. The characters were complex and fascinating.. And
of course the dog in the story reminded me of the devotion of my own pets,who understand and love me more than I know. This book is so heartfully written. You'll be sad when it ends.
This book captured my heart in so many ways. The characters were complex and fascinating.. And
of course the dog in the story reminded me of the devotion of my own pets,who understand and love me more than I know. This book is so heartfully written. You'll be sad when it ends.
April 6, 2018
Good dog lovers book
This book is a stand-alone continuation of the Faderville series. The characters are relatable and distinct. There's a mix of encounters showing the best and worst of people. The plot is interesting, fast moving and plausible. Luck does happen; people do change. The love and constancy of a dog does make a difference. A thoroughly enjoyable book.
This book is a stand-alone continuation of the Faderville series. The characters are relatable and distinct. There's a mix of encounters showing the best and worst of people. The plot is interesting, fast moving and plausible. Luck does happen; people do change. The love and constancy of a dog does make a difference. A thoroughly enjoyable book.
December 3, 2022
Journey for a lifetime
I wasn't sure about this book. It started off so differently then the previous 2. I was well rewarded for continuing to read. The life lessons woven into the story are both obvious and hidden. I felt joy with Beam and Buzz and strain with Noreen. All characters were testament that you are not defined by your circumstances . Great read!
I wasn't sure about this book. It started off so differently then the previous 2. I was well rewarded for continuing to read. The life lessons woven into the story are both obvious and hidden. I felt joy with Beam and Buzz and strain with Noreen. All characters were testament that you are not defined by your circumstances . Great read!
December 28, 2022
Beyond good...
Once again I am floored over how good this author's books are. She has a way of pulling the reader in with phrases in regional dialect, color and scene description and absolute joy of chapters, you forget the world for a bit!! She is so far beyond" good" it' almost scary!! So worth every minute you have to read!!!
Once again I am floored over how good this author's books are. She has a way of pulling the reader in with phrases in regional dialect, color and scene description and absolute joy of chapters, you forget the world for a bit!! She is so far beyond" good" it' almost scary!! So worth every minute you have to read!!!
January 30, 2023
Indescribable!
Each Faderville book exceeds the previous! Ms Sasson has brought something to my life that I can't even explain. With such a precise understanding of character (human and canine), she gives me a glimpse into situations and reactions that I would have never understood before reading her books. DO read the Faderville series in order.
Each Faderville book exceeds the previous! Ms Sasson has brought something to my life that I can't even explain. With such a precise understanding of character (human and canine), she gives me a glimpse into situations and reactions that I would have never understood before reading her books. DO read the Faderville series in order.
March 30, 2023
The dog doesn’t die….
…but your heart will still get a workout. The characters are so relatable and the whole story is just flat out GOOD. I read a lot of stories about dogs and cats (had both, currently have 9 outside that adopted me, one inside and had a dog who I lost about 9 months ago that I still pine for), and this one had a lot going on. I recommend it highly.
…but your heart will still get a workout. The characters are so relatable and the whole story is just flat out GOOD. I read a lot of stories about dogs and cats (had both, currently have 9 outside that adopted me, one inside and had a dog who I lost about 9 months ago that I still pine for), and this one had a lot going on. I recommend it highly.
October 3, 2023
Say Something
I truly enjoy everything I have read by N. Gemini Sassoon. Each story in the Faderville Novels is different even they have been a continuation of a story. I want to read many more of these books. I recommend them to everyone who loves dogs, cats and just animals in general.
I truly enjoy everything I have read by N. Gemini Sassoon. Each story in the Faderville Novels is different even they have been a continuation of a story. I want to read many more of these books. I recommend them to everyone who loves dogs, cats and just animals in general.
January 18, 2024
another three-hankie installment
The McHughs are important, yet peripheral to the story.
A neglected, sorrowing teenager absconds in a derelict vehicle, seeking a chance, a choice, a new life, while an older man, vagrant by choice and accompanied by a faithful canine companion, seeks to fulfill a closely-held very private mission.
The McHughs are important, yet peripheral to the story.
A neglected, sorrowing teenager absconds in a derelict vehicle, seeking a chance, a choice, a new life, while an older man, vagrant by choice and accompanied by a faithful canine companion, seeks to fulfill a closely-held very private mission.
July 30, 2024
Family is not always about blood relations.
I enjoyed this book, it showed how people came from traumatic past but found love and trust in their present situations. The love and loyalty of a dog like Hush, is forever. In the end , he knew the Professor had Buzzes heart. There were many touching situations, I would recommend this book to any animal lover.
I enjoyed this book, it showed how people came from traumatic past but found love and trust in their present situations. The love and loyalty of a dog like Hush, is forever. In the end , he knew the Professor had Buzzes heart. There were many touching situations, I would recommend this book to any animal lover.
February 10, 2017
Loved this book
this story pulled at my heartstrings. At times I found the emotions the story evoked almost more than I wanted to deal with but I could not stop reading. This is a story I will remember for a very long time because it engaged me so completely.it
this story pulled at my heartstrings. At times I found the emotions the story evoked almost more than I wanted to deal with but I could not stop reading. This is a story I will remember for a very long time because it engaged me so completely.it
February 3, 2018
Just a nice feel good story
I've always felt that hardship makes you stronger and usually/hopefully for the better. This book epitomizes that. Buzz is so wise, Beam so smart, and Hush so much like you'd want a dog to be. I liked the book a lot.
I've always felt that hardship makes you stronger and usually/hopefully for the better. This book epitomizes that. Buzz is so wise, Beam so smart, and Hush so much like you'd want a dog to be. I liked the book a lot.
May 11, 2019
Feel good heart
Sometimes, I just need to read a story that is every day life. This one shares the good side, the worthy of redemption and possibility of change for the better. Hope is a worthy goal and the end was a smile.
Sometimes, I just need to read a story that is every day life. This one shares the good side, the worthy of redemption and possibility of change for the better. Hope is a worthy goal and the end was a smile.
June 25, 2019
Something
I haven't cried for happy in a long time, but I sure did this time. I couldn't believe how emotional that book was. It was awesome if not a little tender hearted. It was good and I can't wait to read the next one!
I haven't cried for happy in a long time, but I sure did this time. I couldn't believe how emotional that book was. It was awesome if not a little tender hearted. It was good and I can't wait to read the next one!
August 13, 2019
Beam and Buzz
This one isn't told from the dog's perspective, but of course Hush is a main character. Hunter and his family from the first two books are background characters, and this story doesn't rely on the precursors.
Feel good with a great ending.
This one isn't told from the dog's perspective, but of course Hush is a main character. Hunter and his family from the first two books are background characters, and this story doesn't rely on the precursors.
Feel good with a great ending.
April 3, 2023
Say Something
Book three of the Faderville novels starts as a mystery but ends with love and acceptance. There is a lot of anger and sadness involved. The ending is unexpected and fulfilling. A book worth reading.
Book three of the Faderville novels starts as a mystery but ends with love and acceptance. There is a lot of anger and sadness involved. The ending is unexpected and fulfilling. A book worth reading.
April 25, 2023
Wonderful!
Again, A great story. This series keeps getting better and better. I love dogs and reading about them always makes me smile. Many Thanks to the author for this entertainment.
Again, A great story. This series keeps getting better and better. I love dogs and reading about them always makes me smile. Many Thanks to the author for this entertainment.
September 18, 2023
Hush
This was a remarkable story. I smiled, a lot, laughed a few times, and even cried some.
It was an uplifting and hopeful story of the love and devotion of a girl, a homeless man and a dog.
This was a remarkable story. I smiled, a lot, laughed a few times, and even cried some.
It was an uplifting and hopeful story of the love and devotion of a girl, a homeless man and a dog.
August 11, 2024
Another great book involving the paths of two individuals that experienced a very hard life and a dog named Hush! Loved the fact how life can bring so many different people together and the bond that Hush had with Buzz and Beam! Very inspiring and uplifting especially the outcome at the end and how dogs always know things that humans don’t!
March 22, 2025
Such a heartwarming story!
Another wonderful story that warms the heart and shows that extraordinary relationship between people and their best friends. Best friends being the faithful companions our dogs become when we invite them into our lives.
Another wonderful story that warms the heart and shows that extraordinary relationship between people and their best friends. Best friends being the faithful companions our dogs become when we invite them into our lives.
September 24, 2025
An unlikely introduction …
… and a lifelong friendship!
The story is written from the perspective of both Beam and Buzz, and chronicles their friendship from start to end, along with Buzz’s dog, Hush.
Be ready for some teary moments.
… and a lifelong friendship!
The story is written from the perspective of both Beam and Buzz, and chronicles their friendship from start to end, along with Buzz’s dog, Hush.
Be ready for some teary moments.
July 16, 2017
As the proud owner of an Australian Shepherd I particularly loved the focus on Hush and his Aussie quirks. If you like books by Catherine Ryan Hyde you will likely enjoy Say Something.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews