Sunday, January 27, 2013

Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia


Really, REALLY loved this book! I am having a very hard time not thinking about it. It’s all I can think about since I finished; I know this one is going to stick with me for a while. I got so many different feelings off of this book. I told Ashley it reminds me of How to Kill a Rock Star (minus the rock star, lol), Crow’s Row and one of the characters reminded me a lot of Xhex from Black Dagger Brotherhood. These are all some of my favorite books, so you know that means this is now one of my favorites!

There are many different characters in the book and we get to read about all of their stories and find out how they all kind of cross paths. I loved that about the story, just when I thought one character would be my favorite another would take the spot light. Each story is beautiful in itself. There are 3 couples in the book, but there are also other special characters on the side. Each person is what makes the book so breathtakingly beautiful. There is a lesson to learn from everyone. The reader gets a deep connection to almost every character. We get to look into their mind and memories. We following along with their personal struggles and with that I built a strong connection to every character.

This book is beautiful. It’s humorous. It’s touching and it’s heart breaking. There are some feelings that I got while reading Poughkeepsie that I can’t even describe. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

This is bound to be a long review. There is so much going on in the book and so many things I want to tell you, I will just have to do my best to reel it in, lol.

Livia takes the train everyday to her university. She always acknowledges everyone at the train station, even the young homeless guy that always sits alone in the same spot. Everyone else acts like he doesn’t exist, Livia treats him the same as she would treat everyone else.  

His green eyes seemed to wait for her without fail, but as soon as the smile reached her lips, his gaze scurried away like a frightened mouse. He hardly looked at anyone, and never asked for money.

Not everyone is as kind as Livia. Some people pick on Blake and Livia decides that she is going to take up for him. This is how Livia and Blake become acquainted. After meeting Blake and seeing how wonderful he really is, Livia starts coming to the station earlier and earlier everyday to see him.

As they spend more time together Livia starts to learn that some things are a little off about Blake.

I’m an idiot – of course he’s broken. He must be so very broken.

Livia looks past his issues. They are nothing that would cause harm to her. Blake is aware of his issues too, he doesn’t try to hide them from her.

 
“Livia, I have problems – things that make me undesirable, not viable, dangerous, unlovable.”

“Who told you those ugly words? I can’t… you can’t believe that.” She reached for his hand. Who would say those things to a child?

“If you hear it enough, and people’s actions support those words…” Blake shrugged.

Livia takes off from school one day to see what a day with Blake would be like. He takes her to meet his brothers. Blake met his brothers as a child while they were in foster care. They bonded and went through things a child should never have to endure. Blake’s brothers are not homeless, like him though. They each took different paths when they aged out of the system.

Beckett (my favorite brother) became a criminal. He aged out first and decided then that he would do whatever he had to do to make sure his brothers were safe and taken care of when they aged out. He is willing to do anything for his brothers, he just doesn’t always go about the right way doing it.

 
“Beckett’s probably the hardest man there is to love,” Blake said. “He does life wrong for all the right reasons.”

Cole found his place in the church. He lives there and is in training to be a priest one day. Cole was the hardest for me to like. I feel like he came on a bit strong to Livia. I know he is looking out for Blake, but my thing was he is trying to be a priest, he shouldn’t have been so quick to judge.

Cole looked at her with troubled brown eyes. “Livia, if I may be so bold, he’s going to take your kindness very seriously. If you’re playing a game, or trying to get even with a boyfriend by dating the worse thing you could find – ”
Livia held up one hand to stop him. “With all due respect, never, ever refer to Blake as ‘the worst thing’”

To Livia’s surprise, Cole almost smiled.

 
Beckett and Cole watch over Blake and always make sure he is safe. Blake will take nothing from anyone that he hasn’t earned, but they know how to make sure he always has what he needs.

Then there is Mouse, I can’t forget Mouse. I probably learned the most from him and his beautiful heart. He isn’t technically a brother, but he earns his role in the world of the brothers faithfully and by being dedicated. Mouse….it still hurts me to think about him….

There were times as I was reading that I was like let’s get back to Blake and Livia!!! But through the eyes of the others we learn so much about Blake and his past as well as his future and the man he is to become. The book would not have been the same without all of the other characters. I needed the other characters to be part of the story. I actually needed the other characters to have their own book, that’s how much I loved everyone…..guess what…. I’m getting my wish! I saw online today that the next book will be about Beckett!!! Bad news….we have to wait until 12/30/13!!!

If you haven’t read Poughkeepsie, skip this, lol

Return to Poughkeepsie- 12/30/13

Eve should be starting over. Cleansed free of her criminal activities, she should be getting married. Instead she works in a dive and craves Beckett like addictive poison.

The heart pounding continuation of Poughkeepsie centers around the two worst felons. Cracking their hard outer shell might just reveal that pain was the only thing that held them together in the first place.

Okay, so after this very long review (I swear, there is still so much more to know about the book than what I have written!) I hope you decide to read it. I am seriously addicted to it. I am craving to know more about the crew from Poughkeepsie. There is so much beauty hidden in the ugly of Poughkeepsie. PLEASE read it!

5 stars.

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