For Noah Sullivan being the best friend to a douchebag and player like Jake Nelson has never been easy. It's been a rocky road since kindergarten when Jake duct taped Noah to his chair before recess. With just six weeks to high school graduation, Jake accidentally blows his drunken ass up on his grandfather's tractor, and Noah finds himself immersed not only in a whirlwind of grief, but on a quest to find a mystery girl from Jake's past.
While cleaning out Jake's room, Noah and Jake's dad make a startling discovery. Instead of the obligatory porn collection or pot stash, they find a ring, but not just any ring. Its half a carat of commitment in a platinum setting-proving even man whores have taste. After Jake's mom pleads with Noah to find the girl who meant so much to Jake, Noah begins a modern day Grail quest to track the girl down. Since Jake was a notorious player with a legendary collection of trophy panties, Noah finds himself in over his head.
There are the usual suspects like Avery, the Ice Princess Jake dated for appearances, or Presley, the school mattress Jake dated for convenience. But the trail begins to point to the most unlikely of suspects: Maddie, the Valedictorian and choir girl who was trying to help the unmotivated jock graduate--the girl who also has surprisingly caught Noah's eye and meddled with his heart. Hanging out with Maddie shows Noah a different side of Jake--one that was deeply human and surprisingly douche-free. And the more he tries to solve the mystery of the ring and of Jake, the more Noah starts to discover about himself and of love.
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"People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad." ~Marcel Proust
Well, what can I say? Don't Hate The Player... Hate The Game is beautifully written. It was an amazing book. It had me crying from the start until the end. I was easily attached with the main character -Noah Sullivan, who lost his best friend, Jake from a tragic accident.
"Jake? Come on, Jake? Answer me you sorry ......! Tell me you being dead is just a joke you're pulling to keep from getting in trouble for skipping out today. Please Jake..."
I got emotional. Noah is in denial stage. How on earth could you overcome the grief and the pain that comes with it when there is so much to do and so much left unsaid? Jake's death was too sudden and too shocking. He left so soon. Noah and his friends shared the initial reaction of utter shock and disbelief. The hardest part is the realization that Jake would no longer be around for everything else.
"Don't be ashamed of your emotions, Noah. Experience them and embrace them. They're what makes us alive and strong"
This book has an emotional impact that once you got started, it’s hard to put it down. It’s an eye-opener. You could feel the sadness, heartache, drama, denial, hate, love, compassion, hope, acceptance and healing. Truly, losing the one you care so much your whole life in an instant is gut wrenching and heart breaking. You must grieve in your own way. If you want to cry, cry. If you need to talk, talk. There's nothing wrong in showing your emotions. It will help you to accept everything and you will be filled with sense of healing and desire to move on.
"This Bible will show you that no matter what happens with him, you're whole"
Reading this will remind you that when you're in your lowest point in life and you realized that the human solutions won't do, there is someone up there whom you could always turn to. Just believe, feel and see.
"It was true that time healed all wounds, but it didn’t quite mend a broken heart"
Eventually, everything will turn out well. Through that you'll be able to heal and truly accept everything that has happened. So never rush yourself into being "okay".
"You’ve been my beacon of light in my storm of grief, and I don’t know if I could live without you."
"You mean everything to me—you saved me from the darkness and brought me to the light. And I can’t imagine a future without you in it. I intend on spending the rest of my life with you."
If there is something that I've learned upon reading this book is that never ever waste a single moment telling and showing the ones you love how much you appreciate and love them. Life is too short. You'll never know what will happen next.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to have a good read. I'm sure; you'll love it as much as I do. I was completely drawn into it. Kudos to Katie Ashley who did a brilliant job in this gorgeous novel. I was smiling after I finished this knowing that I gained some valuable life lessons while reading it.
This book deserves a
☆☆☆☆☆
Katie Ashley is the New York Times Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Veronica Mars, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.
Katie Ashley is the New York Times Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Veronica Mars, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo.
With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she has spent the last eleven years teaching both middle and high school English. As of January 2013, she is a full-time writer. She also writes Young Adult under her real name, Krista Ashe.
You can stalk Katie Ashley here:
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