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catn_001's review against another edition
It just wasn’t that good. I don’t remember much, but the writing was kinda stiff and the story wasn’t interesting. I expected something different. Stopped reading awhile ago.
yazaleea's review against another edition
4.0
After spending days reading trash romance, this was a great read. The blurb doesn't lie, this book deals with pretty serious topics as the story revolves around a school shooting and surviving the violence, how to deal with the fear and move on.
Brian is a closeted jock, and Landon is one of the few out kids in their high school. Their paths has no reason to cross, until two men show up with guns and shoot up the school. Brian is shot and bleeding out, when Landon finds him and helps him. A connection creates between them, and when Brian wakes up to the news that his best friend was shot dead he knows he might never feel safe again. His parents don't talk about it, and his dad's pro-guns conservatism gets worse. Brian doesn't feel right at home, but the idea of leaving it, and going back to school, terrifies him. At his best friend's funerals, he runs into Landon, and realises that he feels a bit safer with him. Landon understands him, something very few people do.
Landon might not have been shot, but he witnessed the two shooters open fire into the crowded cafeteria and kill two dozen kids. He saw the bodies, and the blood and the horror. He was there to hold Brian's guts inside his body while waiting for help. And when Brian wants to spend time with him and feels safer around him, Landon has to tell himself not to see more into it. Brian is straight, and he just really need a friend.
Landon helps Brian go back to school, stays with him and they get really close. Brian spends a lot of time at Landon's place, Landon's parents having welcomed him. Eventually, Brian comes out to Landon and they start dating. Brian knows he can't be out yet, because his dad is not only a pro-gun asshole, he is also a homophobic asshole. The whole damn package.
After the shooting, Landon has started getting into activism and has been actively participating in gun-control marches and events. I didn't mind the politics of it, I think that if you're going to write a romance centred around the aftermaths of a school shooting, the least one can do is have a broader message. Though, I did find it very unsubtle here, but hey, better unsubtle than nothing at all (or worse, pro-gun propaganda lol, but maybe that's just my European ass talking).
I liked the contrast between Landon and Brian's ways to cope. Landon is angry and wants to avoid more shootings, and he is not scared to stand up for it. Brian's the opposite: he lives his life terrified of everything. The shooting has messed up with him so badly, he has to close the blinds and he barely sleeps. My boy is nottt doing ok. And I thought the contrast made their whole connection stronger. They always have the other's best interests at heart, even if they don't really know how to express it the best.
I really liked the book up until the last part: it was soo confusing, I don't know if I liked Brian acting like a detective and actually uncovering the identity of the shooters on his own, that felt so random especially since it went so fast?? He anguishes over it during the while book, doesn't feel safe since the perpetrators are still out there, but the resolution felt so nonsensical. Also, I didn't understand the motivations of the shooters? It felt so weird? And
So yeah, not a fan of the ending, but overall I really liked the book and the relationship between Landon and Brian. Some people wished for more angst and ??? these boys survived a SCHOOL SHOOTING why do you want them to suffer more??? They deserved a sweet romance, and they were perfect for each other!
Brian is a closeted jock, and Landon is one of the few out kids in their high school. Their paths has no reason to cross, until two men show up with guns and shoot up the school. Brian is shot and bleeding out, when Landon finds him and helps him. A connection creates between them, and when Brian wakes up to the news that his best friend was shot dead he knows he might never feel safe again. His parents don't talk about it, and his dad's pro-guns conservatism gets worse. Brian doesn't feel right at home, but the idea of leaving it, and going back to school, terrifies him. At his best friend's funerals, he runs into Landon, and realises that he feels a bit safer with him. Landon understands him, something very few people do.
Landon might not have been shot, but he witnessed the two shooters open fire into the crowded cafeteria and kill two dozen kids. He saw the bodies, and the blood and the horror. He was there to hold Brian's guts inside his body while waiting for help. And when Brian wants to spend time with him and feels safer around him, Landon has to tell himself not to see more into it. Brian is straight, and he just really need a friend.
Landon helps Brian go back to school, stays with him and they get really close. Brian spends a lot of time at Landon's place, Landon's parents having welcomed him. Eventually, Brian comes out to Landon and they start dating. Brian knows he can't be out yet, because his dad is not only a pro-gun asshole, he is also a homophobic asshole. The whole damn package.
After the shooting, Landon has started getting into activism and has been actively participating in gun-control marches and events. I didn't mind the politics of it, I think that if you're going to write a romance centred around the aftermaths of a school shooting, the least one can do is have a broader message. Though, I did find it very unsubtle here, but hey, better unsubtle than nothing at all (or worse, pro-gun propaganda lol, but maybe that's just my European ass talking).
I liked the contrast between Landon and Brian's ways to cope. Landon is angry and wants to avoid more shootings, and he is not scared to stand up for it. Brian's the opposite: he lives his life terrified of everything. The shooting has messed up with him so badly, he has to close the blinds and he barely sleeps. My boy is nottt doing ok. And I thought the contrast made their whole connection stronger. They always have the other's best interests at heart, even if they don't really know how to express it the best.
I really liked the book up until the last part: it was soo confusing, I don't know if I liked Brian acting like a detective and actually uncovering the identity of the shooters on his own, that felt so random especially since it went so fast?? He anguishes over it during the while book, doesn't feel safe since the perpetrators are still out there, but the resolution felt so nonsensical. Also, I didn't understand the motivations of the shooters? It felt so weird? And
Spoiler
the shooters were one student and one professor... I don't understand their relationship: of course the student is entirely at fault but was he manipulated? was he assaulted by the prof? i don't know I was curious about the motivations that led them to kill 40+ people in their school.So yeah, not a fan of the ending, but overall I really liked the book and the relationship between Landon and Brian. Some people wished for more angst and ??? these boys survived a SCHOOL SHOOTING why do you want them to suffer more??? They deserved a sweet romance, and they were perfect for each other!
aframel2335's review against another edition
5.0
Eli Easton did an amazing job with this book. This book is an emotional rollercoaster ride.
nick_name_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
pb06's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bookpimpfairy's review against another edition
5.0
All I can say is that you feel the emotions of this book and it breaks you. Brian and Landon find their silver lining in each other and I pray for those who have experienced this find their silver lining as well. A truly emotional read that I wont soon forget.
thomasmbs's review against another edition
4.0
No conecté demasiado con la temática del libro ya que no es una realidad de mi país, aún así creo que está muy bien desarrollada la trama, los personajes son agradables y la pareja principal muy tierna, sin embargo, no fue un libro memorable a mi gusto.
purple676's review against another edition
3.0
this was a really hard read at times but i still enjoyed reading about the friendship and relationship between the main characters. The writing was the weakest point in my opinion.
aframel24's review against another edition
5.0
Eli Easton did an amazing job with this book. This book is an emotional rollercoaster ride.
jambrea's review against another edition
5.0
Powerful. Heartwrenching. Full of Hope.
For those worried about the violence in the story, it isn't graphic and only a small portion of the story. The base of this story is how Brian and Landon deal with the aftermath of the shooting. They take different paths to help them cope with what happened that day.
I literally couldn't put my kindle down. I started the story in the morning and stayed up until 1:00am to finish it. Eli Easton is a brilliant storyteller. I was worried about how the shooting would be handled. I had goosebumps. It hurt my heart to think that this had happened to so many others, but the take away is the growth and the hope I had reading about Brian and Landon and how they each handled the aftermath.
The romance part of the story was brilliant. Watching the two of them find each other and hang on when the tragedy could have torn them apart was heartwarming. But I'm not surprised, because, as I said, Eli is a brilliant storyteller and I'm happy she told the story of Brian and Landon.
For those worried about the violence in the story, it isn't graphic and only a small portion of the story. The base of this story is how Brian and Landon deal with the aftermath of the shooting. They take different paths to help them cope with what happened that day.
I literally couldn't put my kindle down. I started the story in the morning and stayed up until 1:00am to finish it. Eli Easton is a brilliant storyteller. I was worried about how the shooting would be handled. I had goosebumps. It hurt my heart to think that this had happened to so many others, but the take away is the growth and the hope I had reading about Brian and Landon and how they each handled the aftermath.
The romance part of the story was brilliant. Watching the two of them find each other and hang on when the tragedy could have torn them apart was heartwarming. But I'm not surprised, because, as I said, Eli is a brilliant storyteller and I'm happy she told the story of Brian and Landon.