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6 Seconds of Life by Tonya Fitzharris
Genre: New Adult Contemporary – Release Date: Sept. 1, 2012
Maura has just jumped.
Now she has precisely six seconds until she hits the water below her–just six more seconds until she is finally freed from her mundane and aimless existence. Freed of all of the regrets and disappointments that have haunted her throughout her nineteen years.
She just needs to be free.
But as she falls, the most pivotal points of her life start to replay like a movie in her head: her family falling apart, her first love, her first heartbreak, and her first betrayal. As she remembers these moments that brought her to this point, will she feel a sense of peace? Or will her death be her greatest regret?
“6 Seconds of Life” is a new adult novel that not only explores the ups and downs of college life, but the ups and downs of life as we know it.
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~ Excerpt ~
I think deep down, I’ve always known it was going to end this way. I was never meant to live a long life. I accepted this fate a long time ago. I was just waiting for the right moment.
I wanted to fall in love first.
I wanted to experience what it was like to have a real family first.
I wanted to know what it was like to be sincerely happy, even if it was short-lived.
I got all of those firsts.
And now I’m ready to move forward.
I inch my feet closer to the open sky. And closer. Until my naked toes are peeking over the edge. The water cracks violently below me, begging for me to join in on all of the fun.
Just a few more seconds before it’s all over.
Until I’m free.
I’m totally relaxed. This moment, it’s all mine. No one can take it away from me.
I close my eyes. The sounds of high heels clicking on the walkway and cameras snapping and preserving memories and street musicians begging for spare change surround me. I breathe in their music and let it be the soundtrack to the closing credits of my life.
I raise my arms up to my side, reaching for the skies that surround me.
And I step into the air.
I’m flying now.
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My Thoughts:
From the moment I read the blurb for 6 Seconds of Life, I just knew I had to read it. I had to find out what would cause a girl to try to take her own life by jumping off a bridge. I have to say this is one of those stories that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
I felt so bad for Maura in this story. She did not have an easy go with life, she had so many things working against her. It has been awhile since I’ve really connected with a character like I did with Maura. I have felt some of the things she was feeling before, so I completely understand her reactions to certain situations. At times I wished I was right there beside her, so I could stand up for her. Maura really needed a good friend, someone she could count on to be there for her.
Overall, I thought this was an engrossing read and I would definitely recommend reading it. There is some language in this book and it deals with some serious issues, so it might not be suitable for younger readers though.
My Rating:
5/5 Stars
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About The Author:
Tonya Fitzharris is a writer, reader, blogger, mediocre cook, photographer, runner, Florida native, and cat lover. She used to be a Middle School English Teacher, but now she’s trying out the whole novel writing thing. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and her Belgian cat named Waffles.
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~ Giveaway ~
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