Jenni's Reviews > Gives Light
Gives Light (Gives Light, #1)
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Jenni's review
bookshelves: biob, high-school-college, makes-my-heart-flutter, more-please, series-love, sticky-sweet, thought-provoking, ya-na, comfort-food, cover-love
Jun 05, 2013
bookshelves: biob, high-school-college, makes-my-heart-flutter, more-please, series-love, sticky-sweet, thought-provoking, ya-na, comfort-food, cover-love
Maybe it’s a weird thing to say in a review about a book I chose to read, but here goes. I feel grateful for having experienced Gives Light. This book was one of the most unassuming, comforting novels I've read in quite a long time. It’s one of those books that sits quietly, patiently on your shelf, and once you've read the last page, you wonder how in the world you waited so long to start.
If you asked me to describe it in just one word, out of ALL the words, I could tell you instantly, and without hesitation. Reading Gives Light left me with an overwhelming sense of...quiet. It’s a story of both losing and finding yourself. It’s a story of forgiveness, redemption, family, heart, love.
It’s about talking without speaking—literally and figuratively. There’s mystery. There’s fight, there’s beauty. No words are wasted, every word paints a picture.
From Skylar’s father (and mother) to Granny to Annie, to Raf’s father and every single, solitary character in between, there’s magic.
I’m not going to pretend I’m something I’m not. I like heat and intimacy in my books. I don’t need it to be gratuitous, I just want it there. Of course in YA, and well, any other book, sometimes that magic happens off the page. Sometimes it works, a lot of times it doesn't. Not so with Gives Light. I felt so much intimacy between Sky and Raf. They’re clearly in love, they clearly enjoy giving and showing affection. And I felt it, in what wasn't there, and it was beautiful. It came through in the smallest of ways, and if you don’t pay attention, maybe you’ll miss out. When Raf gives Sky the plains flute, the way Raf knows what Sky is feeling and thinking. It's the things *not* done or said that bring so much feeling into the story. The intimacy...unf.
Listen, I could go on and on and on, or my review could be these four words alone: I loved this book. I’ll leave it at that for now.
If you haven’t already, you should read Gives Light. The sooner the better. As for me, I can’t wait to experience the rest of the series; I won’t wait long, that’s for sure.
I read Gives Light as part of a BioB team challenge. Check out our group review, plus enter to win all four books (LUCKY YOU!) in the series by clicking here.
If you asked me to describe it in just one word, out of ALL the words, I could tell you instantly, and without hesitation. Reading Gives Light left me with an overwhelming sense of...quiet. It’s a story of both losing and finding yourself. It’s a story of forgiveness, redemption, family, heart, love.
It’s about talking without speaking—literally and figuratively. There’s mystery. There’s fight, there’s beauty. No words are wasted, every word paints a picture.
From Skylar’s father (and mother) to Granny to Annie, to Raf’s father and every single, solitary character in between, there’s magic.
I’m not going to pretend I’m something I’m not. I like heat and intimacy in my books. I don’t need it to be gratuitous, I just want it there. Of course in YA, and well, any other book, sometimes that magic happens off the page. Sometimes it works, a lot of times it doesn't. Not so with Gives Light. I felt so much intimacy between Sky and Raf. They’re clearly in love, they clearly enjoy giving and showing affection. And I felt it, in what wasn't there, and it was beautiful. It came through in the smallest of ways, and if you don’t pay attention, maybe you’ll miss out. When Raf gives Sky the plains flute, the way Raf knows what Sky is feeling and thinking. It's the things *not* done or said that bring so much feeling into the story. The intimacy...unf.
Listen, I could go on and on and on, or my review could be these four words alone: I loved this book. I’ll leave it at that for now.
If you haven’t already, you should read Gives Light. The sooner the better. As for me, I can’t wait to experience the rest of the series; I won’t wait long, that’s for sure.
I read Gives Light as part of a BioB team challenge. Check out our group review, plus enter to win all four books (LUCKY YOU!) in the series by clicking here.

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Reading Progress
June 5, 2013
– Shelved
June 5, 2013
– Shelved as:
to-read
Started Reading
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
biob
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
high-school-college
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
makes-my-heart-flutter
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
more-please
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
series-love
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
sticky-sweet
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
thought-provoking
March 4, 2014
– Shelved as:
ya-na
March 4, 2014
–
Finished Reading
March 11, 2014
– Shelved as:
comfort-food
June 26, 2014
– Shelved as:
cover-love
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YES! The feels...GAH! I get zen even thinking about it!
Fuck. I'm being a sap again. I'll shut up now.