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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Child abuse, Homophobia, Violence
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent
5 amazing stars.
So this book is by far the best debut I have read. I loved the characters in the book and the writing was spectacular. I loved the way the plot was set up and how the author wove the narrative between what happened in the past and the deposition. The entire story was told with such grace and respect for the characters and what the author was portraying.
I love the bisexual representation in this book and that it was told with care and very unapologetically. Nathan and Cam are two of my favorite characters and they will stick with me for a long time. There were also great friendships represented in the book. The book is great and those last chapters from 72-80 were told with such fast pace and clarity. Just an overall great read and it is now on my top favorite books of all time. I will include one of my favorite quotes from the novel:
"I never hated myself for who I am. I never hated myself for being bi. I hated how my family made me feel about it. And then it hits me-maybe all at once, maybe a gradual build-that if you think you have to earn enough points on someone's rubric for them to accept you, then either you're wrong to assume they don't love you for who you are, or they never loved you in the first place."
So this book is by far the best debut I have read. I loved the characters in the book and the writing was spectacular. I loved the way the plot was set up and how the author wove the narrative between what happened in the past and the deposition. The entire story was told with such grace and respect for the characters and what the author was portraying.
I love the bisexual representation in this book and that it was told with care and very unapologetically. Nathan and Cam are two of my favorite characters and they will stick with me for a long time. There were also great friendships represented in the book. The book is great and those last chapters from 72-80 were told with such fast pace and clarity. Just an overall great read and it is now on my top favorite books of all time. I will include one of my favorite quotes from the novel:
"I never hated myself for who I am. I never hated myself for being bi. I hated how my family made me feel about it. And then it hits me-maybe all at once, maybe a gradual build-that if you think you have to earn enough points on someone's rubric for them to accept you, then either you're wrong to assume they don't love you for who you are, or they never loved you in the first place."
Nathan is being deposed because something happened to his friendship with Cam, something that left Nathan with a shard of ceramics in his stomach, bleeding heavily. Slowly we learn what happened before that moment, what Nathan's home life is like and how Cam disrupts and changes that life. There are hints about what really happened, but having it confirmed still left me feeling very sad for both boys.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book kept my on edge pretty much the entire time I was reading it, I knew I was missing so many pieces. I started it in the evening and I had work in the morning and about 40% of the way into the book I sat it down for bed, but THEN I couldn't sleep so I kept reading about 10% and pretending like I was going to fall asleep until about the 80% point when I just couldn't stop at all. I HAD TO KNOW EVERY DETAIL. Anyways, this was a fun read, it was interesting to see the character dynamics and how they changed.
I also really liked watching Nathan trying to come to terms with his sexuality and his religion something I have struggled with a lot myself. The feelings of confusion and anger, and praying and wishing you could change. Not many books broach the subject so head on so I was refreshing.
I also really liked how they wrapped the characters up in the end. The knew they were toxic for each other, even after everything was over and I'm glad the author had the characters take such a mature approach at the end, specifically Cam who had the courage to cut someone he knew was toxic and would always be toxic to him from his life, no matter how much it hurt and how much he loved him. They helped each other grow and become new people entirely.
Nathan's entire situation just made me chest ache so much, LORI made me so freaking angry. I was so ready to fight her and I saw the warning signs, I just wanted her to get caught so bad. Anyways, this was a nice quick read, glad I picked it up!
I also really liked watching Nathan trying to come to terms with his sexuality and his religion something I have struggled with a lot myself. The feelings of confusion and anger, and praying and wishing you could change. Not many books broach the subject so head on so I was refreshing.
I also really liked how they wrapped the characters up in the end. The knew they were toxic for each other, even after everything was over and I'm glad the author had the characters take such a mature approach at the end, specifically Cam who had the courage to cut someone he knew was toxic and would always be toxic to him from his life, no matter how much it hurt and how much he loved him. They helped each other grow and become new people entirely.
Nathan's entire situation just made me chest ache so much, LORI made me so freaking angry. I was so ready to fight her and I saw the warning signs, I just wanted her to get caught so bad. Anyways, this was a nice quick read, glad I picked it up!
4.5 stars.
i'm writing this through my tears but damn that was beautiful
i'm writing this through my tears but damn that was beautiful
I think this book is just mediocre at its best? But the ending did it for me. I'm glad the author actually addressed the issues that's been going on in this book. Nate's psycho aunt on her power trip and also the toxic friendship dynamics.
I've been screaming (internally) while reading this book. Wanting Nate and Cam to get their shit together. They're so toxic for each other and it's tiring to read them hitting each other and then sneaking out to make out just so they can hit each other again.
Sometimes I find the writing is overly dramatic. Like when they're arguing they cut each other's off so one of them can scream.
Here's what I mean.
“No one—” he starts.
“Cam, stop it.”
“No one—”
“We aren’t discussing this. I’m not discussing New Year’s.”
“No one—”
“I’ll tell them everything else, I swear,” I say.
“NO ONE—”
“I want to help you, Cam, but this is the best I can do!”
“—GIVES A SHIT THAT YOU’RE BISEXUAL!”
This book actually remind me why I refuse to date someone who's still figuring out their sexuality. Like no I'm not dealing with that shit.
I've been screaming (internally) while reading this book. Wanting Nate and Cam to get their shit together. They're so toxic for each other and it's tiring to read them hitting each other and then sneaking out to make out just so they can hit each other again.
Sometimes I find the writing is overly dramatic. Like when they're arguing they cut each other's off so one of them can scream.
Here's what I mean.
“No one—” he starts.
“Cam, stop it.”
“No one—”
“We aren’t discussing this. I’m not discussing New Year’s.”
“No one—”
“I’ll tell them everything else, I swear,” I say.
“NO ONE—”
“I want to help you, Cam, but this is the best I can do!”
“—GIVES A SHIT THAT YOU’RE BISEXUAL!”
This book actually remind me why I refuse to date someone who's still figuring out their sexuality. Like no I'm not dealing with that shit.
Well written, nice shift back and forth between the deposition POV and the flashback. An interesting story of a young man trying to accept coming to terms with not only that he is bi, but accepting the fact that he has been verbally & mentally abused by his aunt. How his best friend is the one who helps him comes to this realization while also letting him go. At first, I thought that Cam was a snarky jerk but as the story went on, I realized he was just trying to help Nate. Nate was different from other YA characters. To see his struggle with catholic guilt to accepting his true identity was refreshing.