Review: Beth Flynn's "Nine Minutes."

Review: Beth Flynn's "Nine Minutes."

Amazon UK:    http://amzn.to/1zQeIfq

Amazon.com:   http://amzn.to/1zjTtUv

Synopsis:

On May 15, 1975, fifteen-year-old Ginny Lemon is abducted from a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale by a member of one of the most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs in South Florida. 

From that moment on, her life is forever changed. She gets a new name, a new identity and a new life in the midst of the gang’s base on the edge of the Florida Everglades—a frightening, rough and violent world much like the swamps themselves, where everyone has an alias and loyalty is tantamount to survival. 

And at the center of it all is the gang’s leader, Grizz: massive, ruggedly handsome, terrifying and somehow, when it comes to Ginny, tender. She becomes his obsession and the one true love of his life. 

So begins a tale of emotional obsession and manipulation, of a young woman ripped from everything she knows and forced to lean on the one person who provides attention, affection and care: her captor. Precocious and intelligent, but still very much a teenager, Ginny struggles to adapt to her existence, initially fighting and then coming to terms with her captivity. 

Will she be rescued? Will she escape? Will she get out alive—or get out at all? Part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel, filled with mystery, romance and unexpected turns, Nine Minutes takes readers into the world of one motorcycle gang and inside the heart of a young girl, whose abduction brought about its fall.

Review: Surj

This book has a support group and there's a reason why... because once you've turned the last page, you will want to kick, scream, punch and scratch (metaphorically of course) and you'll want to talk... boy will you want to talk. But before you do all of that, you'll go back and re-read certain parts... why? Because you'll think you've missed something... something major. There will also be questions... so many questions and you'll go hunting for the answers. You'll scour the pages, searching like a woman possessed but you won't find anything... not a bean... nada.. zilch. That's the way it was meant to be and once you discover that, you'll want to stalk the author in the hope that she'll give you some clue as to where this story is going to go. If for one second you think I'm being over the top, exaggerating the effect this book will have on you, trust me I'm not. Be prepared folks, be prepared because "Nine Minutes" is a story that will stay with you for a very long time and it's a story that will  continue to keep you on your toes and  keep you guessing long after you've finished it. 

It took nine minutes. It sounds quick. Less than ten minutes. 

But for me, it was an eternity.

"Nine Minutes" told the story of Ginny and Grizz.. captive and captor. With the synopsis giving you the general gist of the story line, I for one will not go into any more detail in fear of spoiling it for you. What I will say is, this book is in a league of its own... from the plot to the characters to the writing... everything screamed originality and in the best possible way. It was a breath of fresh air in the literary world and I'm so glad the author (a debut author at that) took a risk... a massive risk by defying convention and writing a story that would make her readers feel (and not always in a good way). "Nine Minutes" challenged me with the turn of every page and suddenly I was questioning my morals, questioning the rights and wrongs of certain situations and ultimately questioning everything I ever believed. Yes, yes I know what you're thinking... it's just fiction but honestly, it was difficult not to be affected by what I was reading because it was told in such a way that the events that unfolded felt real. 

"... A story about a man who has loved me from the very beginning, 

from the first glance. The man who always was and still is my soul mate.” 

I loved how "Nine minutes" was narrated. Told from Ginny Love lemon's POV and told retrospectively, it was as if this woman was telling me her story. Her account of the events that changed the course of her life forever was very open, honest and frank and not once did it appear that she was after pity from her readers. There was never any bitterness, regret, hate or blame (as one might expect) and instead I found that it was almost as if she had made peace with the whole situation. It had happened. There were parts that were good. There were parts that were awful but they had happened and nothing she said or did would change that. So I listened as she spoke to me, taking in every little detail of her life at the mercy of Grizz and the Satan's Army MC.

‘I was no victim. Never had been. Never would be.’

I loved Ginny's character from the young, innocent but very brave teenager she was to the strong, resilient and selfless woman she became. And Grizz... my emotions are all over the place when it comes to this brute of a man. In one breath he was ruthless, unforgiving and committed some of the most heinous acts known to man. But then the love and devotion he showed this woman... the fact that he would walk to the ends of the earth for her left me sooooo conflicted. I would never love him that much I knew but when I finished reading the book and went back and re-read the prologue, I cried.... big heart breaking sobs escaping which completely surprised me. It was a reaction I honestly never expected because I'd already read the prologue once so I knew what happened. Go figure huh. 

I kept forgetting that he didn’t get to be the leader of this 

gang by being soft. He was hard. He was cold-blooded. 

He was ruthless in his pursuit of what he wanted. 

"Nine Minutes" introduced me to so many characters, each with their own soul destroying story to tell, each playing their part in how Ginny's fate would unravel. Every single one of them brought something to the table and each one of them will be remembered by me. 

I know I've been vague but I truly want each and every one of you who reads this review to pick up this book and read it. I didn't read it, I inhaled it. I got high from the story that unfolded and I very quickly became addicted to the words that had been written. And when it was all over, like the true addict I had become, I craved more and I can guarantee that you will too. "Nine Minutes" was a raw, gritty, brutal and at times horrifying coming of age/ love story that truly was a work of pure brilliance. be prepared to be brought to your knees peeps. 

I couldn't rate this anything less than ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️