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Dakota Son
Sean Foster has lived with cystic fibrosis his entire life. He falls in love with Jen, a girl with a dark, emotionally painful past. Living with chronic illness, Sean knows a little something about overcoming pain. But when he meets her family, his courage will be put to the test.
Jens father, Diego, is a disabled military veteran. He is being mentally and physically abused by his wife, due to his role in the death of Jens brother.
Sean must find a way to save Diego, to help him see that there are people who truly care. From Seans sister Sara, who views Diego as a heroic father figure. To Remy, Seans holistic nurse with a talent for healing wounded souls.
Accompanied by a mysterious, supernatural, presence, it will fall to Sean to play the hero. All while navigating a life with chronic illness, and chasing his dreams in California.
Jens father, Diego, is a disabled military veteran. He is being mentally and physically abused by his wife, due to his role in the death of Jens brother.
Sean must find a way to save Diego, to help him see that there are people who truly care. From Seans sister Sara, who views Diego as a heroic father figure. To Remy, Seans holistic nurse with a talent for healing wounded souls.
Accompanied by a mysterious, supernatural, presence, it will fall to Sean to play the hero. All while navigating a life with chronic illness, and chasing his dreams in California.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2018
1249 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 30, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very different book to anything I've ever read before and it was definitely a good one.
The characters were superb making them highly believable and credible making you picture something that could happen in reality. The main characters are relatable to the point you can build a connection with them and feel like you're there with them, which helps you immerse into the story really well.
Importantly it covers a lot of important topics such as being LGBT+, chronic illness and raising awareness of family problems writing about them incredibly well. This makes this a very important book that can successfully not only appeal to the YA audience but to the adult audience as well.
I didn't have any problem with the actual writing at all, it is descriptive but engaging which was good. What did bother me a bit was the length of the chapters being fairly long so you can't really have a break between the heavy moments which would've been useful.
Yeah this was a good read, I highly recommend it.
This was a very different book to anything I've ever read before and it was definitely a good one.
The characters were superb making them highly believable and credible making you picture something that could happen in reality. The main characters are relatable to the point you can build a connection with them and feel like you're there with them, which helps you immerse into the story really well.
Importantly it covers a lot of important topics such as being LGBT+, chronic illness and raising awareness of family problems writing about them incredibly well. This makes this a very important book that can successfully not only appeal to the YA audience but to the adult audience as well.
I didn't have any problem with the actual writing at all, it is descriptive but engaging which was good. What did bother me a bit was the length of the chapters being fairly long so you can't really have a break between the heavy moments which would've been useful.
Yeah this was a good read, I highly recommend it.
October 30, 2018
Dakota son is a romantic fiction established in Dakota. It featured a romantic relationship between Sean who suffered from cystic fibrosis and a Jane. Dakota son highlights symptoms of cystic fibrosis the way the author described the struggle of the patient symptoms was amazing and informative. I liked the romantic relationship between Sean and Jean, and it enriched the plot and the novel in so many ways. The Dakota son wrote by Mary Ramsey, an American author from California. Dakota son was her first novel, and she did very well crafting it.
I like the dialogue it was realistic and reasonable, easy to believe and suck you inside the story it was used much time to unveil much info indirectly. The show do not tell evident and richly used during the story, the way she described the environment with each scene and styles was beautiful also.
The way she described the struggle was realistic and the symptoms of the cystic fibrosis were portrayed well; it shows the author made proper research while writing the Dakota son, which give it enormous credibility, reality and make it more emotional. I liked it and touched my feelings from the first page. The amount of detail the author mentioned the procedures of treating cystic fibrosis was impressive too. And the way she described the struggle of the patient himself with each step was phenomenal.
The style and language of the Dakota son were simple and almost with no grammar and spelling errors free. The plot structure was solid and smooth, with no plot holes in general. The plot was fast paced which make the Dakota son a page-turner despite lengthy chapters; I did not like the chapter length. However, it has many dialogues and scenes I found them the lengthy some time, and I wished many chapters were shorter or at least divided.
I like the dialogue it was realistic and reasonable, easy to believe and suck you inside the story it was used much time to unveil much info indirectly. The show do not tell evident and richly used during the story, the way she described the environment with each scene and styles was beautiful also.
The way she described the struggle was realistic and the symptoms of the cystic fibrosis were portrayed well; it shows the author made proper research while writing the Dakota son, which give it enormous credibility, reality and make it more emotional. I liked it and touched my feelings from the first page. The amount of detail the author mentioned the procedures of treating cystic fibrosis was impressive too. And the way she described the struggle of the patient himself with each step was phenomenal.
The style and language of the Dakota son were simple and almost with no grammar and spelling errors free. The plot structure was solid and smooth, with no plot holes in general. The plot was fast paced which make the Dakota son a page-turner despite lengthy chapters; I did not like the chapter length. However, it has many dialogues and scenes I found them the lengthy some time, and I wished many chapters were shorter or at least divided.
December 24, 2018
‘Who am I kidding? I’m going to die alone in a hospital bed.’
California author Mary Ramsey served in the United States Air Force and has a BA degree in Cinema and now is a blogger, artist, and writer. Her characters are grounded in her fondness for unique superheroes—underrepresented minorities, LGBTQ, abuse victims, and so on. Mary lives in San Francisco.
Mary is one sensitive author - and person – and she shares that treasured trait with her readers in this deeply touching novel. She understands the implications of serious chronic illness and how life under constant stress affects not only the victim but also those surrounding the victim. She also champions the endurance and strength of the human spirit and how that factor can draw out the best in others as well as provide faith in the victim.
The primary character, Dakota son, is Sean Foster, a North Dakota teenager who lives with cystic fibrosis, a disease that permanently damages the lungs. He copes with his illness and constant hospital visits with the help of his sister, Sara, and his girlfriend, Jen. While Sean battles with cystic fibrosis and is a heroic figure, he is also very flawed and fights against the self-pity that consumes him as he copes with his illness and the aftermath of being bullied at school. Sean is devastated when his true love, Jen, and her disabled military veteran father, Diego, who is abused by his wife, move to California. Sean decides to defy his mother and follow Jen to California, which changes Sean’s life in ways he couldn’t imagine. Add the character of Remy, Sean’s holistic nurse with a talent for healing wounded souls, and the story takes on a spiritual, near supernatural twist.
An example of Mary’s writing follows – ‘It was a beautiful day in North Dakota. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I had just puked all over myself. Again. You’d think that after fifteen years of living with chronic illness, I’d be used to my body. But no, cystic fibrosis has a mind of its own. The worst thing? As I lay in bed, my stupid bag IV bag was blocking the view of my gymnastics medals and trophies. Not that I stood any shot of making the team this year. Freshman year I was considered a protégée; this year I’m the freak who fell asleep in the locker room. That’s CF—one minute I feel superhuman (or at least human), but the next minute I feel so tired I can barely run through my routines. Then we have today. I’m fairly certain I’m not going to survive long enough to compete for a spot on the competition roster. My head pounded as the sunlight hit my eyes. “Sara, I need you!” Like magic, Sara was already pulling the blankets off my body.
Written in eloquent prose, DAKOTA SON is a superb novel by a fresh and very gifted writer. Highly Recommended.
California author Mary Ramsey served in the United States Air Force and has a BA degree in Cinema and now is a blogger, artist, and writer. Her characters are grounded in her fondness for unique superheroes—underrepresented minorities, LGBTQ, abuse victims, and so on. Mary lives in San Francisco.
Mary is one sensitive author - and person – and she shares that treasured trait with her readers in this deeply touching novel. She understands the implications of serious chronic illness and how life under constant stress affects not only the victim but also those surrounding the victim. She also champions the endurance and strength of the human spirit and how that factor can draw out the best in others as well as provide faith in the victim.
The primary character, Dakota son, is Sean Foster, a North Dakota teenager who lives with cystic fibrosis, a disease that permanently damages the lungs. He copes with his illness and constant hospital visits with the help of his sister, Sara, and his girlfriend, Jen. While Sean battles with cystic fibrosis and is a heroic figure, he is also very flawed and fights against the self-pity that consumes him as he copes with his illness and the aftermath of being bullied at school. Sean is devastated when his true love, Jen, and her disabled military veteran father, Diego, who is abused by his wife, move to California. Sean decides to defy his mother and follow Jen to California, which changes Sean’s life in ways he couldn’t imagine. Add the character of Remy, Sean’s holistic nurse with a talent for healing wounded souls, and the story takes on a spiritual, near supernatural twist.
An example of Mary’s writing follows – ‘It was a beautiful day in North Dakota. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I had just puked all over myself. Again. You’d think that after fifteen years of living with chronic illness, I’d be used to my body. But no, cystic fibrosis has a mind of its own. The worst thing? As I lay in bed, my stupid bag IV bag was blocking the view of my gymnastics medals and trophies. Not that I stood any shot of making the team this year. Freshman year I was considered a protégée; this year I’m the freak who fell asleep in the locker room. That’s CF—one minute I feel superhuman (or at least human), but the next minute I feel so tired I can barely run through my routines. Then we have today. I’m fairly certain I’m not going to survive long enough to compete for a spot on the competition roster. My head pounded as the sunlight hit my eyes. “Sara, I need you!” Like magic, Sara was already pulling the blankets off my body.
Written in eloquent prose, DAKOTA SON is a superb novel by a fresh and very gifted writer. Highly Recommended.
August 19, 2018
Dakota Son is the story of Sean Foster, an adopted son living with cystic fibrosis. A former high school gymnastics star who dreams of competing in the Paralympics, he and his girlfriend Jen are survivors of sexual assault. Their similar backgrounds and individual tragedies bond them; they fall in love and eventually marry. Sean’s sister Sara is UCLA-bound, thanks largely to the tutelage she receives from Jen’s father, Diego Quinto, a disabled, decorated war veteran. After Sean recovers from a serious car accident that left him in a coma for two months, Sara leaves North Dakota to attend UCLA, and Sean accompanies her. While living in California, Sean eventually meets the reality star and supermodel London Sharp, under whom his agent obtains work for him as a model. Sean achieves a level of fame while news about Diego Quinto suddenly reaches him—the war veteran is being physically abused by his wife, who is slowly trying to murder him because she blames him for the death of Cam, their young son.
With a dose of magical realism threaded throughout the story, Ramsey’s ambitious novel tackles quite a bit of thematic material. However, the episodic nature of the plot comes at a price, as the story often seems to lack a main narrative thrust, to the detriment of the overall novel. The social issues raised (LGBTQ identity, PTSD, sexual assault, spousal abuse, and violence inflicted upon the disabled) do not seem organic to the story; rather, they seem too-deliberately placed. As a result, these issues do not receive the in-depth focus or treatment they deserve, and the situations sometimes fail to convince, especially in the novel’s second half. However, Ramsey creates an engaging and memorable character with Sean, in whose welfare readers become easily invested throughout.
Copyright 2018 by the US Review of Books
With a dose of magical realism threaded throughout the story, Ramsey’s ambitious novel tackles quite a bit of thematic material. However, the episodic nature of the plot comes at a price, as the story often seems to lack a main narrative thrust, to the detriment of the overall novel. The social issues raised (LGBTQ identity, PTSD, sexual assault, spousal abuse, and violence inflicted upon the disabled) do not seem organic to the story; rather, they seem too-deliberately placed. As a result, these issues do not receive the in-depth focus or treatment they deserve, and the situations sometimes fail to convince, especially in the novel’s second half. However, Ramsey creates an engaging and memorable character with Sean, in whose welfare readers become easily invested throughout.
Copyright 2018 by the US Review of Books
July 1, 2021
I am always very excited and curious to read what Author Mary has written. She writes such a plot that it always calls her name when it comes to the best author.
Sean Foster has lived with cystic fibrosis his entire life. He falls in love with Jen, a girl with a dark, emotionally painful past. Living with chronic illness, Sean knows a little something about overcoming pain. But when he meets her family, his courage will be put to the test. Jens's father, Diego, is a disabled military veteran. He is being mentally and physically abused by his wife, due to his role in the death of Jens brother. Sean must find a way to save Diego, to help him see that there are people who truly care. From Seans sister Sara, who views Diego as a heroic father figure. To Remy, Seans holistic nurse with a talent for healing wounded souls. Accompanied by a mysterious, supernatural, presence, it will fall to Sean to play the hero. All while navigating a life with chronic illness, and chasing his dreams in California.
This is a wonderful story of love, care, and respect. My favourite romantic story now. This is an awesome story. Sean’s hero is incredible, every girl will want her dream boy to be somewhat like Sean. Characterisation is beautiful, every character has been given attention accordingly. I loved reading this book. Truly, a masterpiece.
Go and read this beautiful novel of love !
Link in author’s bio. Grab your copies now.
Sean Foster has lived with cystic fibrosis his entire life. He falls in love with Jen, a girl with a dark, emotionally painful past. Living with chronic illness, Sean knows a little something about overcoming pain. But when he meets her family, his courage will be put to the test. Jens's father, Diego, is a disabled military veteran. He is being mentally and physically abused by his wife, due to his role in the death of Jens brother. Sean must find a way to save Diego, to help him see that there are people who truly care. From Seans sister Sara, who views Diego as a heroic father figure. To Remy, Seans holistic nurse with a talent for healing wounded souls. Accompanied by a mysterious, supernatural, presence, it will fall to Sean to play the hero. All while navigating a life with chronic illness, and chasing his dreams in California.
This is a wonderful story of love, care, and respect. My favourite romantic story now. This is an awesome story. Sean’s hero is incredible, every girl will want her dream boy to be somewhat like Sean. Characterisation is beautiful, every character has been given attention accordingly. I loved reading this book. Truly, a masterpiece.
Go and read this beautiful novel of love !
Link in author’s bio. Grab your copies now.
January 16, 2019
Dakota Son by Mary Ramsey covers a lot of ground and a lot of different topics. Chronic disease, LGBTQ issues, ghosts, and a host of other issues and difficult familial situations. All of these things are rolled into an interesting tale that follows Sean Foster who has cystic fibrosis. Living with a chronic illness all his life, you may think that Sean doesn't have an exciting life, but that certainly changes in this book when he meets and falls in love with Jen. Jen has a complicated family history, one which Sean can't help but get involved in. From there the story expands to include overcoming all kinds of adversity, not only from a horrible disease, but also in Sean helping out a desperate situation in Jen's family. This is a well written, emotionally thoughtful book that will appeal to YA audiences, along with science fiction fans, paranormal fans, and LGBTQ. The author has done a great job of creating memorable and realistic characters, along with a plot that moves solidly along. Highly recommend.
February 6, 2019
I found this book very interesting considering that my daughter and son in law both carry the cystic fibrosis gene and my grandchildren could have very well had the disease. The story is interesting and provides the reader with look at how Sean suffering from chronic illness, self-pity at times, learns to deal with his illness, and his struggles of living with cystic fibrosis and eventual death. The story highlights the character journey and how he live his life. The reader learns that as bad as his life is other may have it worse. The story provides the reader with a look at how the Sean his sister, and Jenn try to discover a way to make sure his short life is filled with everything that can enhance his life and we see the people that helped along the way. The story reveals Sean’s struggles with his mother over going to California and how he deals with life, bullying and love. I found the structure of the story solid and smooth. The story was well paced which make the Dakota son a page turner in spite of lengthy chapters.
October 18, 2021
🍷Mary is a gifted writer, no seriously trust me when I say this because it's been long I'm reading her books and he never leaves a chance to blow me up. This is such a heart touching and a moving YA which follows up a story of teen going through Cystic fibrosis and battling towards life along with battling with all the hurdles that coming his way and going after what he love is quite difficult to cope but I like his attitude towards everyone and everything.
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Once you start understanding the characters, the book is such a snack, you'd read and read and read until it's done, it's the amazing and appealing writing style and smooth narration, heartfelt characters and twists keep the readers intrigued till the end. I was deeply touched while reading it and I must say that's the beauty of her writing.
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I did feel bad for the characters at times but this wonderful book also teaches me to be strong. I will definitely recommend it to everyone, go give it a shot.
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Rating: 4.5⭐️
October 27, 2018
An emotional rollercoaster of a story, about characters defying adversity and surviving in ways most people would not be able to.
YA with Hispanic and LGBTQ characters but also aspects of sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal.
YA with Hispanic and LGBTQ characters but also aspects of sci-fi, fantasy, and paranormal.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews