Two people couldn't be more opposite...
Kellen Peterson, the gorgeous star quarterback of the Griffin High football team, seems to have it all. Until the night of the Homecoming game, when Kellen gets tackled and suffers a traumatic brain injury - an injury that changes his life - including his ability to walk, talk and throw a football.
Ivy Ly is a senior and counting down the days until she can escape to college. Though her parents have big plans for her to be a doctor, Ivy is afraid to tell them she'd rather pursue music as a career.
Ivy's best friend, Mira, is obsessed with Kellen. When Ivy is asked to tutor the injured football player upon his return to school, she thinks it's the perfect opportunity for Mira to get to know him better - but sparks fly - in more ways than one...
Release Date: February 14, 2013
Published By: Fair Wind Books
Review Copy: Paperback, 268 pages
*from Author for tour & honest review
Review
I am not like the many people out there that have read something by Kiki Hamilton before but that is not saying that I haven't seriously wanted to. When the sign ups for this tour came up in my mailbox I could not have been more excited. The chance to read a contemporary novel from an author I have heard amazing things about was extremely exciting and I have to tell you that I'm glad I made it here and have a chance to finally be one of the ones that get to spread the love for this author. Not to mention the book is a YA contemporary, something that I am hooked on at the moment!
When it comes to reading something that is written in multiple points of view it has to be done right and I love getting the glimpse into more than one characters head. The Last Dance was a great example of how it should be done because Ivy and Kellen made a wonderful dual view team. They came from such opposite worlds with such different opinions and mindsets that when they converged it created the wit, emotion and feel that I enjoy in a contemporary read. There is some predictability but at the same time you are often left wondering how everything went so wrong. Personally I enjoyed the atmosphere and the circumstances that were created in order to bring these two polar opposites together and the struggles they had to go through to get what they wanted.
Ivy was very driven to succeed, the thing was that I was never sure if it was for her or her parents. Regardless there was no doubt in my mind that this girl was brilliant but kind of faded into the background. Despite all that she was comfortable with how her life was for the most part, the only thing she wanted was to go to school for music but knew it was something that her parents would never allow. The other thing that shocked me was that she wasn't really boy crazy or that interested because most girls in their senior year hope for at least something with a boy but not Ivy. Things change for her though and she starts to hope for things that may never be possible.
Kellen aka "Q" was really something and I think I enjoyed his character most of all. The biggest lessons learned came from him as he had his dream taken away. He was cocky, moody and under it all sweet. He had to work hard to recover but it was far from rainbows and butterflies, no it was a long hard crappy road. The girl he thought liked him for him...didn't and for a bit people he thought were his friends treated him differently, which I can't imagine being easy. I would be lying if I told you he didn't pity himself and the situation for awhile but who wouldn't? In the end though I love the growth and change that Kellen went through and honestly he was a better person in the end for it.
I really did enjoy The Last Dance. Kiki Hamilton really wrote a story that had true emotions and a bigger picture that is easy to get into. A tale of two teens that couldn't be any more different outwardly but have felt the same pressure on the inside but find a common ground when they least expect it. Pick this up as a lazy summer day read, kick back and enjoy. However it would work anytime of year but seeing it summer now, now is the perfect time to pick it up!
Quotes
Apparently, the tackle where I'd gotten sacked-gotten my 'bell rung' as Ollie had put it-had injured my brain and two arteries had started to bleed. They call it a closed head injury. That's why I had suck a killer headache at the dance. My brain was bleeding. -Kellen
Mira knew I was not a fan of football. In my opinion it was a stupid game where the main goal seemed to be to try and hurt the other player. I knew about Q's condition because that was all Mira and anybody else had talked about for days after the game. -Ivy
I glanced at Ivy out of the corners of my eyes again. She didn't look any happier about the situation then I did. Basically, she was there to wipe my butt because I was too messed up to do it myself. I got the feeling shed summed me up and filed me away before I'd even had a chance to open my mouth and slur my words.God-what did I do to deserve this? -Kellen
"Did I say that?" I asked, all innocent-like. I tilted my head to match his, bravely staring him down, even though I could feel my cheeks radiating heat. I do think, however, the 'prove it' part was convincingly implied. His barely-veiled disbelief melted into something else: surprise. -Ivy
About the Author
Kiki Hamilton is the author of THE FAERIE RING fantasy series and the YA contemporary novel, THE LAST DANCE. She believes in magic and the idea of hidden worlds co-existing with our own. Kiki lives near Seattle, though she dreams of living in London one day. Visit her website at: www.kikihamilton.com
Find Kiki:
GoodReads~Facebook~Twitter
Giveaway
This is a tour wide giveaway and thanks go to Book Nerd Tours
& Kiki Hamilton for providing it!!
Giveaway
This is a tour wide giveaway and thanks go to Book Nerd Tours
& Kiki Hamilton for providing it!!
Thanks for participating in the BookNerd tour! I appreciate your support!
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