Monday, March 3, 2014

~My 10 Star Review of Surviving Raine by Shay Savage~An Amazingly Perfect & Absolute Favorite Read~

Well after losing part of my first review after I had typed it all out (so upset and frustrated) and editing the hell out of this one spending lots of time trying to find the right words for this awesome book here is my review.

Surviving Raine (Surviving Raine, #1)Surviving Raine by Shay Savage
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ten Beautiful Bastian Stars!!! Words?? I have to find the right words to describe this fantastic book!! How on God's green earth will I do this? I don't know, but I will try! It was phenomenal! One of the best books I have ever read!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Honestly, you don't need to read my review to decide on whether to read this book or not because, well, YOU.JUST.NEED TO/SHOULD.READ.IT ASAP! It is a story about survival, love, acceptance, pain, fear, forgiveness and ultimately love.

Bastian aka Sebastian Stark is a bold, arrogant, alcoholic, brute, at first. He is the captain of a Schooner, living life and touring the seas the way he likes it. He likes his alcohol, his women but not really people.

I didn't get involved in any of the tourist crap. I just owned the ship, sailed it during the day and spent my nights drinking, either on the ship or off. It didn't matter to me.

Then, when the unthinkable happens, and his schooner capsizes he is left with one of the passengers on a small life raft. Her name is Raine and what these two experience will have you completely focused and immersed in their story of survival and so much more, until the very end.

The two of them encounter so many emotions while trapped on the life boat together and in the beginning, as they start to communicate to try and learn about one another you can see how much of a smart ass he is.  I found myself laughing at him.  Some of the conversations they had went like this...

Raine~"Did it hurt?" Bastian~"No, I'm quite the masochist, so I fucking loved it. Are you for real?" Raine~"I meant the staples. Did it hurt when they took them out?" Bastian~"Of course it fucking hurt."


Raine, however young, petite and innocent, stands her ground against this ugly side of Bastian, especially when he starts to deal with the withdrawals of alcohol, which is not very pleasant by any means.  He is completely honest with her, however, about who he is and who he is, most certainly not.

"I don't recall telling you I was anything other than a lunatic."


The more time they spend together trying to survive, they experience dehydration, exhaustion, lack of food all while they are trying to survive being with each other.  Bastian has a terrible past and it is completely clear of what he lacked the most.  He starts to confide in Raine but the inner battles, nightmares and demons he has to deal with was heart wrenching.  Raine was so compassionate and nurturing though, wanting to learn more and just understand him.  It truly was beautiful watching their relationship change and grow in so many ways.

"I told you-I want to know you"

"Why?"

"Because I want to understand, "she said again.  "If I understand, maybe I can help you." 

Reminded me of myself as I have been in this very spot before.  I find myself speechless in trying to write this perfect review for such a perfect book.  I was telling my friend about it and found myself getting chills while describing it and in my opinion, this speaks volumes.  If you are an intense reader, you will totally get it.

The author did an amazing job describing each and every thing, all the details, keeping me engrossed in their story.  I was completely blown away.  I felt every emotion and the intensity of it all!!  See how easy it is for me to babble and babble about something I loved so much?  LOL

Moving on now.

These two, so obviously, emotionally and passionately, start to fall in love with each other but Bastian sadly believed, in his words that..

I was what I was-violent, crude, and utterly unlovable.

Boy was he ever so wrong, at least for me, because I fell in love with him from the very beginning. My heart hurt for him in so many ways.  For the little boy he was inside and the things he lacked growing up, for the person he thought he was and the traumatic past that he dealt with on a daily basis.

Lots of different things take place throughout their story, some of them very trying and some of them very beautiful.  The more and more they shared about each other would ultimately lead them to learn that that their pasts were connected.

Raine and Bastian grew to love and understand each other.  It was breathtakingly beautiful.  I  highlighted so many beautiful quotes in this book and I can't help but share some of them with you all.

Quotes from Bastian:

"I was in awe of her-her beauty, her strength, her courage, her...everything."

"There was no reason for my existence before you."

Quotes from Raine:

"I've got you now."

"I love you because you are worthy of my love."

No matter how hard Bastian pushed, Raine pushed back just as hard!!

The bottom line here is that this, Surviving Raine, is by far one of my all time favorite reads and it is an Amazingly, Beautiful, Fucking story!!

"You're my home," I said quietly

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