Review: Fading

Fading by E.K. Blair

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Sultry Scale: 1 of 5 flames

Can a guilty conscience keep wounds from healing?

Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered.

The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner. He feels instantly connected and tries to show her that hope is worth fighting for. But is Ryan harboring his own demons? As walls slowly begin to chip away, the secrets that are held within start to become painful burdens.

At what point do secrets become lies?

This book is not what I was expecting. The story is about a young woman learning to live again after a brutal sexual assault. Candace, our female lead, is a ballerina in her senior year of college when she is attacked. The story is emotional, evocative and haunting. I never connected with Candace as a character, and I think that is because I did not like the way she handled things following the attack. That makes me feel like a huge judgy bitch because everyone would deal with this situation differently. But that is just my reading style. I tend to always envision myself as the lead character so, when I cannot connect, it detracts from the story for me. I find these books somewhat depressing, so I don't think I can continue on with the series right away. But I will probably pick the next one up when I am ready to read something emotional again.

On a side note, I love books that introduce me to new music. Early in this book, we learn that Candace will need to choreograph a solo to a piece of classical music: Lux Aeterna by Clint Mansell. Once the piece was mentioned, I went to youtube and pulled it up and let it play as I kept reading. It is a dark and haunting melody - and perfectly matches this story. I don't know what the full length of the composition is, but the copy I listened to was just over six minutes. It was as I was listening to this piece that Candace was sexually assaulted. And let me tell you - reading what happened in conjunction with the music was fah-reaky! It made the event all the more real, even though I disconnected with Candace after the attack. So if you haven't read the book yet, I encourage you to play the melody once it is mentioned in the book.



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