Rantings of Hear and Soul

I have been sitting trying to figure out what I want to say about this book. Love is not enough. If I could give it 10 stars would be better. This series has been breathtaking. I will say I am no writer so my thoughts are all jumbled but here it is.

The characters are so wonderful. They all seem to know exactly what I feel. It is not the blood in your veins but the beating of your heart that makes people your family. It is the people that make your heart beat even when your heart is breaking that count.

Hummmm. Still struggling with words to say how amazing this book series is. Let start with top 5 reasons.

1. Will, Layken, Kel, and Calder - These 4 character have been through hell. They have all lost both their parents and only have each other. The family unit that they create is amazing to feel. Will older brother of Calder but he is having to be brother and parent just like Layken now is to her brother Kel. They laugh when they see the comedy of their little brothers but have to also be the ones to say what is right and wrong. This is something I have also had an experience in personally so maybe that is why I found it profound.

2. Extended family... Eddie, Gavin, Kiersten, and Sherry... These are the people who are there when you need and don't need them. The ones that don't need to say anything but you still feel them lending you strength. The addition of Sherry as a mother figure was a great addition to the story. When she shows Will the video of her true love's proposal I felt as if I was there. It was described so brilliantly by the author. To find out what happened in the end was so moving if I had not already been teared up I would have been again.

3. Kiersten (yes, I know I mentioned her in top 2 already) this character needs her own reason. I love the girl. She is blunt, smart, sarcastic, warm, loving, just amazing. Hell I should do a top 5 reasons I love Kiersten. Instead I will give you a small taste of Kiersten...

“Your mother encourages you to cuss?” Gavin says.

Kiersten nods. “I don’t see it that way. It’s more like she’s encouraging us to undermine a system flawed through overuse of words that are made out to be harmful, when in fact they’re just letters, mixed together like every other word. That’s all they are, mixed up letters. Like, take the word ‘butterfly’ for example.

What if someone decided one day that butterfly is a cussword? People would eventually start using the word butterfly as an insult, and to emphasize things in a negative way. The actual word doesn’t mean anything. It’s the negative association people give these words that make them cusswords. So, if we all just decided to keep saying butterfly all the time, eventually people would stop caring. The shock value would subside…and it would become just another word again. Same with every other would become just another word again. Same with every other so-called bad word. If we would all just start saying them all the time, they wouldn’t be bad anymore. That’s what my mom says, anyway.”

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Kiersten to Gavin later in book

"Anyway, I think you should quit feeling sorry for yourself. You're acting like a little bitch. You aren't even the one pregnant, Gavin. How do you think Eddie feels? I'm sorry, but as much as the guy likes to think he's got an equal part in these kinds of situations, he's wrong. You screwed up when you got her knocked up in the first place. Now you need to shut your mouth and be there for her. For whatever she decides to do." She stands up and walks to the front door. "And Gavin? Sometimes things happen in life that you didn't plan for. All you can do now is suck it up and start mapping out a new plan."

4. All the complex issues in the book. The single parenting, education of all, young unexpected pregnancy, friendships and how they change and grow, old loves, sex, and the believing in the choices you make. Another thing that need a sentence of it's own is bullying. Bullying should in no way be condoned by schools or adults in authority at ALL. If there is any suspicion or actions to suggest bullying is going on there should be no can't prove it so ignore it happening anywhere.

The point of no matter what life throws your way all you can do is pick yourself up, dust off, put your best foot forward, and keep moving forward.

In the words of Julia Layken's mom...

"Love is the most beautiful thing in the world. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest things in the world to hold on to, and one of the easiest things to throw away.

5. 'Suck and Sweet'
   “Suck and sweet time?” Kiersten asks, confused. Kel fills her in. “It’s where you have to say your suck and your sweet of the day. The good and the bad. The high and the low. We do it every night at supper.”

What an amazing concept. We used to the talk about your day thing but this is so much better. I is like a gratitude journal and a way to vent to let go of bad. I almost wish my kids were young and home again so we could start this.

Stars of advice in a vase.

This is another amazing thing Julia did. To explain Julia was dying and knew she would never be there to give advise, words of wisdom, or a chance to make her child laugh when she needs it. So instead she made hundreds of small origami stars that when opened was written a quote, lyric, or parental advise on it. So whenever Will or Layken was having a bad day or just needed a little pick me up they were to reach into the vase and grab a star.

My favorite star - "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."~Mahatma Gandhi

So I should be done at this point right. No actually there is more to be mentioned. I had never heard of slam poetry but now I don't just know but am a fan. I am a great fan of music. I believe music is the best thing to mend a broken heart, celebrate a great day, calm your nerves, and make anger disappear. To think I have gone all this time with never hearing of The Avett Brothers makes me a bit sad. I have now changed that fact in my life also. They are true artist with words.

                                             "The Perfect Space"

I wanna have friends that I can trust,
that love me for the man I've become not the man I was.
I wanna have friends that will let me be
all alone when being alone is all that I need.

"All My Mistakes"

I made decisions some right and some wrong
And I let some love go I wish wasn't gone
These things and more I wish I had not done

But I can't go back
And I don't want to
'Cause all my mistakes
They brought me to you

If you make the best choice and read this series Slammed and Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover you will also learn two important things...

1. Learn that you can not carve pumpkins forever it can distract you for a while but in the end you need to get face, get over and move through the problems.

2. To tell all the bullies in the world ' Butterfly you!!!!'