Title: Song of the Fireflies
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Paperback Release Date: September 2, 2014
Brayelle Bates has always been a force of nature. Even as a child, Bray’s wild and carefree spirit intimidated everyone around her. The only person who’s ever truly understood her is her best friend, Elias Kline. Though every fiber of her being wants to stay with Elias forever, Bray can’t bear the thought of him discovering her agonizing history. She’s done everything she can to keep him at arm’s length, including moving away. But their undying bond was too strong a pull to deny, and Bray couldn’t survive without him. Now she’s back home with Elias, and things have never felt more right-until one night changes everything.
Elias vowed never to be separated from Bray again. So when she decides to flee in a desperate attempt to escape her fate, Elias knows he must go with her. As the two try to make the most of their circumstance, taking up with a reckless group of new friends, Elias soon realizes there’s a darkness driving Bray he can’t ignore. Now in order to save her, he’ll have to convince Bray to accept the consequences of their reality-even if it means losing her.
Want a little taste of Song of the Fireflies? You can read the first eight chapters here.
Bray and I spent the whole night in the field chasing the fireflies and laying on the grass, staring up at the stars. She told me all about her sister, Rian, and how she was a snob and was always mean to Bray. I told her about my parents, because I didn’t have any brothers or sisters. She said I was lucky. We talked forever, it seemed. We may have been young, but we connected deeply on that night. I knew we would be great friends, even better friends than Mitchell and I had been, and I had known him since first grade, when he had tried to con me out of my peach cup at lunch.
And before the night was over, we made a pact with each other that would later prove to see us through some very troubled times.
“Promise we’ll always be best friends,” Bray said, lying next to me. “No matter what. Even if you grow up ugly and I grow up mean.”
I laughed. “You’re already mean!”
She elbowed me.
“And you’re already ugly,” she said with a blush in her cheeks.
I gave in, though really I needed no convincing. “OK, I promise.”
We gazed back up at the stars; her fingers were interlaced and her hands rested on her belly.
I had no idea what I was getting into with Brayelle Bates. I didn’t know about such things when I was nine. I didn’t know. But I would never regret a moment with her. Never.
Bray and I were found early the following morning, fast asleep in the grass. We were awoken by three cops; Mr. Parson, who owned the land; and my frantic mother, who thought I had been kidnapped from my room, stuffed in a suitcase, and thrown on the side of a highway somewhere.
“Elias! Oh dear God, I thought you were gone!” She scooped me into her arms and squeezed me so tight I thought my eyeballs were going to burst out of the sockets. She pulled away, kissed me on the forehead, embarrassing the crap out of me, and then squeezed me again.
Bray’s mom and dad were there, too.
“Have you been out here all night with him?” Bray’s dad asked with a sharp edge in his voice.
My mom immediately went into defensive mode. She stood up the rest of the way with me and wrapped one arm around the front of me, pressing my head against her stomach.
“That daughter of yours,” my mom said, and already I was flinching before she finished, “she has a mouth on her. My son would never have snuck out unless he was influenced.”
Oh geez…
I sighed and threw my head back against her.
“Mom, I—”
“Are you blaming this on my daughter?” Bray’s mother said, stepping up front and center.
“As a matter of fact, I am,” my mom said boldly.
Bray started to shrink behind her dad and every second that passed I felt even worse about her being blamed.
Before this got too out of hand, I broke away from my mom’s arms. “Dammit, Mom—!” Her eyes grew wide and fierce, and I stopped midsentence.
“Watch your mouth, Elias!” Then she looked at Bray’s mom again and added,
“See, Elias never uses language like that.”
“Stop it! Please! I snuck out on my own, so leave Bray out of it!”
I hated shouting. I hated that I had to put my mom in her place like that, but I spoke what I felt in my heart, and that was something my mom always taught me to do. Take up for the bullied, Elias. Never stand back and watch someone take advantage of someone else, Elias. Always do and say what you know in your heart to be right, no matter what, Elias.
I hoped she would remember those things when we were back at home.
My mom sighed deeply and I watched the anger deflate with her breath. “I apologize,” she said to Bray’s parents. “Really, I am sorry. I was just so scared something had happened to him.”
Bray’s mom nodded, accepting my mom’s apology with sincerity. “I understand. I’m sorry, too. I’m just glad they’re safe.”
Bray’s dad said nothing. I got the feeling he wasn’t as forgiving as her mom had been.
I was grounded for the rest of the summer for that stunt I pulled. And yes, I met the fly swatter that day, after which I vowed never to sneak out of the house again. But whenever it came to Bray, from that time up until we graduated high school, I did sneak out. A lot. But I never got caught again after that first time.
I know you must be wondering why after so many years of being best friends, attending the same school, working together at the local Dairy Queen, even often sharing a bed, why we never became something more to each other.
Well, the truth is that we did.
Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*
4 “never leave” “love of my life” “new beginning” “Elijah” Kisses
So…when J.A. Redmerski writes a book, I sit up and take notice. I love her writing. Period. End of story. Song of the Fireflies is a spin off of two of the characters that we first meet in The Edge of Always…while it’s not crucial that The Edge of Always be read first, it would be helpful, IMO. (Plus I love The Edge of Never Series and highly recommend it anyways!) And as usual Miss. Redmerski proved why I will always read her books. Her writing blows me away, her characters are astounding and I’m so pulled in and intrigued that I cannot stop myself from turning the pages.
Elias Kline…oh my, Elias…he’s the kind of guy you want to bring home to your parents. It’s funny because, for me, Elias really cannot be put into a ‘book boyfriend category’…he’s like a Josh Bennett or a Will Cooper…he just kind of is this amazing combination of all these perfect qualities that you look for in a man. He’s not a saint, but he’s a genuinely good, nice, sweet, kind, caring guy. He’s honest and genuine…he’s friendly and reliable…he’s just awesome. I don’t know how else to describe him. But do not let all that goodness fool you – I already said he’s not a saint, he still has this underlying charisma and sexiness that pulled at me and made me drool. I think it was really Elias’s heart that got me though…his love and feelings for Bray…his devotion to her and the things he did for her really drove home everything I thought about him. To the core of Elias’s character one thing is true…he cares more for that girl than he does anything else in his life and I’m sorry…that just floors me…steals the breath from my lungs…makes my heart soar. It’s the kind of love we all dream of and it’s all directed at one tragically broken girl who needs his love more than anything in the world.
‘I had no idea what I was getting into with Brayelle Bates. I didn’t know about such things when I was nine. I didn’t know. But I would never regret a single moment with her. Never.’
Brayelle Bates…wow…two words for that girl – Hot. Mess. Like…I say that with all the love in my heart, because I do, in my own way, love Bray…but in the way that I want to rescue her like I would an abandoned puppy. Because she basically has been abandoned. I cannot imagine growing up in a house surrounded by people that should love you but never give you any love. Where you feel like a chore…like a burden…like you’re never good enough. She can’t help the way she is, how she thinks or feels and she is consistently punished for that. How does someone live that life and not come out a little fucked up? There is a darkness in Bray…a darkness that I think if it wasn’t for Elias would have taken over her poor fragile mind a long time ago. I wished and wanted so many things for Bray because it just felt like no matter how hard she tried, it was one step forward and twenty-two steps back. My heart broke for her because of her suffering and I was in pain for her because I wished she could get to the point in her life where she could be happy and I didn’t know if it was ever going to happen. Because she and Elias deserved to finally be happy.
“We’re not like everyone else. I’m not any of those guys. If anyone could hold a relationship together it’s you and me.”
“That’s just it!” She was almost crying. “You’re not like any of them! You’re the only guy in this world that I care about!”
Tears streamed down her soft cheeks.
It was in this moment that I finally knew the truth. Bray was afraid of losing me, and taking our relationship any further than it had been was a risk that she wasn’t willing to take.
“It’s my worst fear,” she confirmed it and her gaze dropped to the floor. “Things between us changing. I know, Elias…I feel it…if we change the way things are, the way they have been, nothing will ever be the same again. We’ll break up and grow apart and just thinking about not having you in my life hurts my heart.”
So…guess why I loved Elias and Bray so much??? History! Seriously…it’s like a shot to the heart with me…there is no beating that in my brain…it’s my kryptonite. She was 8 and he was 9 and she kicked him…bing-bang-boom, I was sold and completely in love with them. Their lives are so woven together and they’re so much a part of each other it’s hard to tell where one stops and the other begins. But saying Elias and Bray don’t have it easy might be one of the biggest understatements of all time. I guess that was one of the draw backs for me with their story was because I kept waiting for the ‘happy part’ of their relationship to start…and while we get glimpses here and there, there really is no true happiness until the end…at least not for me. It was easy to see and feel Elias and Bray’s love for each other. I loved their connection…I hated that it took them so long to figure it out…and I hated that Bray’s ‘demons’ kept her from living a life with Elias. I hurt for Elias because he wanted nothing more than to be with Bray and make her happy and I think he felt helpless.
“This isn’t your problem and I’m tired of making it yours.”
“It is my problem,” I said. “Whatever you go through I go through with you. I always will.”
The palms of her hands slapped against the floor on each side of her. “Dammit, Elias! Stop doing this! You deserve better than what I could ever give you, and I’m never going to be able to change. Ever. Stop being my safety net and just go. I want you to.”
“I don’t care if that’s what you want,” I said. “I’m not leaving you. I’m with you to the end, whether you want me there or not.”
This isn’t an easy plot to discuss without giving away spoilers…but from page one until I end I never saw a single thing coming. The book is told from both POV’s but mainly from Elias and I loved Elias’s POV (I could have lived in this boys brain!)…but there were some points that I wished we could get from Bray’s POV. I have to say, I was surprised…what happens with the characters is very unique and not like anything I have ever read…and while I may have had some eyebrow raising moments where I may not have been completely on board or understood what was going on…by the end everything was cleared up for me. I guess the easiest way for me to explain it is…had it been written any other way, had I not been so on board with the characters and had I not completely felt the emotions…I would have stopped reading…and I was glad I pushed through because by the end of the book I was totally sold, all my questions had been answered and I was a happy little camper.
‘“I love you, Bray,” I whispered as I lay with my face nuzzled against her breasts. I wanted to hear her heart beating. “I love you more than you will ever know.”
She wound her fingers gently through the top of my hair. “How is that?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“Because I would do anything for you,” I said. “You just don’t realize yet what ‘anything’ truly means.”
“Maybe I will someday,” she whispered, and I shut my eyes softly, holding in the tears. “I love you, too, Elias. More than you could possibly ever know.”
“How is that?” I asked.
I felt her lips against my hair. “Because I’d never ask you to prove your ‘anything.’”
We fell fast asleep, our bodies tangled, the sound of her heartbeat so soothing in my ear.’
I guess I need to discuss the last 30-40% of the book…(which, FYI is where we catch up to the prologue)…just wow. I was not prepared. I already said I was in love with the characters, my heart was practically dying for Bray and Elias to be together and finally be happy…but when I literally couldn’t control the tears streaming down my face and my brain was scrambling for WTF was going to happen to these two people that I love so much…I really didn’t know how to handle myself. J.A. Redmerski has brought me to my knees with this unexpected emotion two times…The Edge of Never and Song of the Fireflies…she completely catches me off guard every time. It’s like a curve ball out of left field – and then a tease…giving me false hope so then I stop crying thinking maybe I was wrong and then BOOM another curve ball, more tears – I probably cried 4-5 times! Like I said…not prepared! I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and by about 80ish% I had just about convinced myself this book was not going to end HEA. But…thank god I was wrong.
‘I miss the Georgia night sky and the warm summer breeze on my face. I miss running across the prickly grass with my bare feet. I miss the stars and the laughter and the heat. I miss our innocence. I miss the fireflies. I want things to end where they began, the two of us floating around in a jar together, lighting the way for each other through a confined space that could only feel infinite. Because nothing else mattered then. Nothing on the outside could ever touch us, hurt us, or threaten us. Because innocence is bliss. And I want mine back. I just want it back…’
I loved the ending…the ending was amazing. Bittersweet in some ways because they’re finally in a good place (a great place…AMAZING place…I really loved that place) but we have to skip time and I was sad that we didn’t see more of that. I said it with The Edge of Always and I’ll say it with Song of Fireflies…these books are complete. They’re logical and they may not always be want I want or expect…but that’s the beauty of them. Everything feels so real and unique and I love that I have come to expect that from J.A. We’re of course introduced to new characters…Tate and Jen, Tate’s brother Caleb and Grace who becomes really close with Bray…and a teeny tiny little part of me hopes we get more from those characters. Tate and Jen are…extremely unique – they have a very unusual relationship that strangely works for them and I’m so intrigued by it. I guess I can always hope. At the end of the day Elias and Bray truly touched my heart in an unforgettable way and I will never forget them or their journey.
J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children, two cats and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead. Check out J.A.’s Website for more info.
lovely but not my favorites
thank you for the giveaway.
Sounds like a very romantic story!
Love the title, but not really my type of read (at the moment)