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Lighthouse Nights (Blank Canvas Series #2)

by Jake Vander Ark (Goodreads Author)

4.5 of 5 stars 4.50 · rating details · 48 ratings · 15 reviews

Jules and Trevor take advantage of potential suicide victims by encouraging them and profiting off their deaths. When Jules falls in love with their seventh target, she’s forced to make a series of life-or-death decisions and a single, impossible change.

Lighthouse Nights is a frightening novel about haunting regret, maniacal hatred, the longing to create, and ultimate rede...more

Paperback, Second Edition, 171 pages

Published August 20th 2012 by Lulu.com (first published June 8th 2011)

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Sep 06, 2012 Dayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: suicide, awesome-ya, beautiful-writing, contemporary, death, drugs, emotional-rape, favourite-authors, favourites, fucking-amazing, heartwrenching, indie-author, insanely-good, now-that-s-what-i-m-talking-about, romance, tough-chicks, young-adult

Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received this novel from the author for review.

Dark and seductive, Lighthouse Nights by Jake Vander Ark is a gripping story of two teenagers who cross paths under one of the worst possible circumstances. Vander Ark displays his gift for the written word yet again, if not more precisely, in this novel about suicide, love, and the decisions we make.

What caught my eye right away was the writing style. Vander Ark disregards capitalization, save fo...more Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received this novel from the author for review.

Dark and seductive, Lighthouse Nights by Jake Vander Ark is a gripping story of two teenagers who cross paths under one of the worst possible circumstances. Vander Ark displays his gift for the written word yet again, if not more precisely, in this novel about suicide, love, and the decisions we make.

What caught my eye right away was the writing style. Vander Ark disregards capitalization, save for moments where a character is emphasizing something being said, and manages to add even more darkness to his story. The lack of capitalization wreaks havoc on the most organized mind, causing momentary confusion and effectively draws the reader into the mindset of the characters. By not having the story written in the exact format that we, as readers, are accustomed to, Ark is challenging us to think beyond what we know and explore the troubles that teens facing depression may experience--all of this by simply alienating us from are previous conceptions of literature.

Of course, the characters, Jules, Trevor, and Gabriel, to name the important few, are all evidence of the darkness within these pages. Lighthouse Nights is a beautiful portrayal of how life can go very wrong and how decisions can affect us long after it is too late.

The format of the novel makes it a quick read--it is only 171 pages! And the style that Vander Ark portrays the different characters' narrative is fluid and easy to follow. Despite the dark concept, there are moments where the reader feels connected to the characters, even when they are angry, sad, or happy. That's the beauty of Vander Ark's writing: he has a wonderful way of making you a part of the story, despite the tone and context. Also, Vander Ark's poetic prose is hard to resist, making him a must-read.

Since this story is on the dark side, I would recommend it to those with a stronger stomach, simply because of how blatant it is about suicide. On the other hand, this novel, though knee-deep in gloominess, is a message of hope: you are not alone, there is someone waiting for you--you just have to search: sometimes s/he is right in front of you.

Read Lighthouse Nights and feel your heart swell and slowly break with the unexpected twist when the conclusion falls upon you.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Tess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very dark, but very good.
Voice is very clear even though it's in the third person. Each character has a purpose, and a motive. Even in their darkest moments, you could see the reason behind their actions, no matter who it was. You feel just as connected to characters who have been there the entire book (Jules, Gabe, and Trevor)as ones that where for only one scene. But most of all it shows realistic reactions to hard topics, such as lying, depression, and suicide. These things are not easily fo...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Gina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites, 20-books-2012, ebooks, books-i-own

Read this book in about a day, and I really enjoyed it. This book is just fresh, and really good. It's thrilling and sexy, and all around beautiful. This is a great read.

1 like · like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Kenzie rated it 5 of 5 stars

***I received this novel as a request from the author for an honest review.
( And boy am I ever honoured and glad to do so! :3 )

.....I honestly was wondering where my heart went at the end of this one. :c

Like again...WHAT. THE. FUDGING. HELL. DID. I. JUST. READ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

My response as I was reading along was mainly like this: Okay no capitals, okay, that's fine, hmmm oh Jules WHY Trev is a CREEPO ... Oh Gabe, Gabe, Gabe....oh BLOODY HELL NO JOHN .... Emma Emma Emma don't do that .......more

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Dec 22, 2012 Tori rated it 4 of 5 stars

I discovered this book about a year ago, and I am so happy I read it. At first, I won't lie, I was apprehensive about reading it. It was a different style then most books, but the idea fascinated me. The story of Jules, Gabe, and Trevor is one that will stay with me forever. After reading this book, I just sat in front of my computer in shock and awe. I thought something of this caliber should be on every YA bookshelf in bookstores across the country. It is a story that makes you cry, laugh, and...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Alli rated it 5 of 5 stars

"lighthouse nights" is a thrilling, fast-paced page-turner that's the perfect mix of drama, violence, adventure, love, deception and redemption. It's beautifully dark and tragically touching. The author uses a unique writing style that's original and intriguing, stealing the reader's attention from page one. This book is an eye-opening piece of truth wrapped up in a sexy, entertaining work of fiction. In the world of literature today; one that's been flooded with sad clichés, poor writing and ba...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Katie Kenig rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

This book was really a bright spot.

I'd gotten to the point where I was reading many books that were slow-moving and just not all that compelling, and then I picked up this slim little volume and all that changed.

Jules and her boyfriend Trevor help people die. Only people that really want to die; they troll a suicide chat room looking for the lost and downtrodden, make a "pact" to die with them, then rob the corpses blind once the other party has departed. It's a good living, and after all, they...more This book was really a bright spot.

I'd gotten to the point where I was reading many books that were slow-moving and just not all that compelling, and then I picked up this slim little volume and all that changed.

Jules and her boyfriend Trevor help people die. Only people that really want to die; they troll a suicide chat room looking for the lost and downtrodden, make a "pact" to die with them, then rob the corpses blind once the other party has departed. It's a good living, and after all, they have their own American dream to pursue. All of it seems pretty easy to deal with, until Jules comes across one guy who doesn't want a suicide pact; instead he wants to convince her to live.

The lack of capitalization in this book is an interesting choice. I suspect that the author was inspired by ee cummings, since the poet is mentioned in the work. If you're a reader of authors like Cormac McCarthy, or spend a lot of time on the internet (hah!) you won't notice after a while. It gives the novel a very casual feel, just like the chatrooms the characters spend so much time in.

I found this book to be a fascinating little slice of work and look forward to reading more by the same author. It's very intersting; he went to college down the street from where I went - him at the Art Institute of Chicago, on whose steps I often ate my lunch while attending Columbia College. And his writing, which is brash and unashamed, sometimes vulgar and sometimes in-your-face and full of the truth of life is unlike much that I've read since my student days in the creative writing program there. There must be something about that city, those schools, that inspires such work :) It reminded me very much of student readings, but only of the very best of those. You know, the guy in your class that you're always jealous of, because you know he has "it" and his work shows it. That's Jake Vander Ark, and his work shows it, too.

*This book was received at no cost through the GoodReads First Reads program.(less)

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Oct 04, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book gets a 5 because yet again, Jake Vander Ark has managed to leave me speechless.

When I read the synopsis for this book, I thought to myself,"There is no possible way he can swing this story and not have it turn out badly! The subject is so taboo, that everyone avoids it or slams it. People will never be receptive to this type of thing." I thought that surely I was going to have a hard time swallowing this book, and admittedly, it was a rather hard read for me at first. For as long as I...more This book gets a 5 because yet again, Jake Vander Ark has managed to leave me speechless.

When I read the synopsis for this book, I thought to myself,"There is no possible way he can swing this story and not have it turn out badly! The subject is so taboo, that everyone avoids it or slams it. People will never be receptive to this type of thing." I thought that surely I was going to have a hard time swallowing this book, and admittedly, it was a rather hard read for me at first. For as long as I can remember, Suicide has been a dirty word, and I'm sure it always will be. It happens all the time but we try to rationalize it away because it makes us uncomfortable and we want to forget. It has personally touched me in many a different way and I was afraid that my personal views were going to prejudice my opinion of the book. Turns out that it didn't.

This book didn't glorify suicide, it just made you look at it in a different light. A realistic light. One that doesn't try to sway you. It just is what it is.

I commend JVA for taking on something so touchy. He walked us through quite a few different perspectives in the course of this book and they all were relatively spot on. For instance, I had to choke down the douchebaggery that was Trevor, the psychopath, and remind myself that he was fictitious. He seriously needed to see the inside of a gas chamber. Just sayin'!

Jules - that poor girl - was horribly broken and insecure. She was the typical battered woman who hung on to a dream that was never going to come true. Trevor preyed on her just like all the others he victimized. Constantly kept her down and doubting herself and he used her love for him as a bargaining tool. It was disgusting and so realistic. I didn't really like Jules till the middle of the book. She was an enabler and had little to no respect for human life. She was self destructive until she met Gabe. Gabe was her respite. A place for her to be free of all the stress and death in her life - a place to blossom. I'd venture to say he was the only good thing in her life, ever. Gabe saved her and she destroyed him. She did redeem herself later on however and I just fell in love with her.

Gabe was probably my favorite character in the book. Even when he face dove into prickville, I still loved him. I don't think that he could have been a greater character, honestly. :)

As for the book as a whole, I LOVED every single minute of it! So dark and sinister and just twisted - it was almost like an adult Alice in Wonderland but instead of chasing the white rabbit, they were chasing the lives of others. It makes me shiver just thinking about it!
I strongly encourage EVERYONE to pick up this book and be open to not only the story, but to the people within it. You just may know an Emma or John or Blake and this book could be the reason you listen, when you might otherwise have not. Just think about that!(less)

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Mar 20, 2013 Courtney rated it 5 of 5 stars

lighthouse nights is gritty poetry. It is both intensely disturbing and exhilarating, a suicide-themed love story that should not work but does. Vander Ark creates a fast-paced story with beautiful attention to detail, a rare and wonderful achievement few writers can manage. Ultimately, lighthouse nights is a story of redemption, of striving to become a better person after spending too much time wandering through a personal hell. It grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go until well aft...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not a person that typically reads dark stories, but I loved Vander Ark's first book so much that I decided to give this one a chance. I'm extremely glad I did. His writing once again drew me in and kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning. There were multiple points where I was yelling at my computer screen or hugging my knees to my chest because there was just so much going on. I really felt for all the characters, even the ones I didn't really like. It was an incredibly dark, twi...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Julianna H rated it 5 of 5 stars

Godly! Superb! "lighthouse nights" is thrilling, heart-stopping novel filled with twists and turns that leave you breathless. It's the perfect recipe of drama, violence, love, and the struggle of twenty-first century life. This novel will definitely leave you gripping the edge of your seat into the dark hours of the night.

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Jul 16, 2012 Nagasakigirl rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Older people who can handle violence

Recommended to Nagasakigirl by: The author!

This book is very gripping and the style that the author created was just so amazing! Oh my god I love every second of this book! I haven't finished but I am going to and on the site it is posted on I comment on every chapter because I can only gush over how remarkable this author is and how amazing this book it! XD

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Jul 29, 2012 Evie B rated it 5 of 5 stars

'Lighthouse Nights' by Jake Vander Ark is a thrilling and heart racing novel. This book is filled with twists and suprises that makes you want to keep on reading. Vander Ark uses a unique writing style that makes the novel even better. I would recommend this novel to everyone! A truly great book.

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Sep 05, 2012 Emmy C rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gripping and wonderful tale with a dark twist. Enjoyed it from beginning to end! :)

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Jun 01, 2012 Amy Nicole marked it as to-read

Shelves: e-books, readingplan

http://www.wattpad.com/4305703-lighth...

This is where I'll be reading from.

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About Jake Vander Ark

“What I really want to do is direct.”

Yeah, I was that kid.

I spent my high-school career as the ghost of the art room, passionately constructing a portfolio that would provide the first step toward a creative occupation. Luckily, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago didn’t consider GPA when selecting applicants, so I was immediately accepted into one of the most prestigious art programs in th...more

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“sometimes life isn’t worth the pain. i’m going for a swim. goodbye, my love.” — 12 people liked it

“it was unmatched life experience that bestowed in her eyes the sultry gleam that separates women from girls. although she viewed her “life experience” like bruises on a peach, men of all ages still found ways to see past the indications of damaged goods long enough to offer her a drink. hell, it was less than an hour ago that one such man called her “gothic perfection” and cried on her shoulder. her boyfriend agreed that a crazy life can “grow a girl up quick”; it was only last november that she turned seventeen.” — 4 people liked it

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Lighthouse Nights (Blank Canvas Series #2)

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