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_alexareads_'s review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully told. This book actually made me cry! I felt so mad at Alex sometimes- like I wanted to help her snap out of it. Like saving her would help save all of us. And thank god for Georgia. Falling so far to just pick yourself up again. Beautiful story. This should be shared.
Spoiler alert!!! Do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens in the book from here on out...
I just wanted to say that I am so glad that Zack kicked the shit out of Cole!!!! That lowlife sleaze ball deserved it!
Spoiler alert!!! Do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens in the book from here on out...
I just wanted to say that I am so glad that Zack kicked the shit out of Cole!!!! That lowlife sleaze ball deserved it!
chwaters's review against another edition
4.0
Jennifer Brown nails it again. This woman has crazy-good insight into the teen mind. Her years studying psychology have definitely paid off, but she's written yet another amazing book that takes the idea of a "problem" novel and turns it into a multi-faceted exploration of some very difficult topics. This, her newest novel, is an anti-love story of sorts. Our protagonist, Alex, is a teen who has lost her mother and has been dealing with that for most of her young life. She's convinced that her mother was seeking something when she left the family and wound up in a fatal car accident. Her father is distant, but not unkind. Her sisters have moved on from the tragedy. Alex's friends, Bethany and Zach, are her primary support network. They've even been planning a trip to the mountains where Alex's mother was headed before she died to see what kind of closure they can find. And then a new kid, Cole, arrives at school. He's good looking and interested in Alex, which is new and exciting for her. They begin a relationship, which starts out well, but quickly distorts into something terrible.
Brown effectively gets into the mind of the victim of abuse. Alex knows there's something wrong with their relationship, but she's so caught up on not wanting to be seen as a victim that she finds herself rationalizing the patterns of abuse that occur and draw her deeper into Cole's demented world. Alienated from just about everyone, Alex is running out of people to turn to. And the reader can only pray that she is able to find a way out before it's too late.
Brown effectively gets into the mind of the victim of abuse. Alex knows there's something wrong with their relationship, but she's so caught up on not wanting to be seen as a victim that she finds herself rationalizing the patterns of abuse that occur and draw her deeper into Cole's demented world. Alienated from just about everyone, Alex is running out of people to turn to. And the reader can only pray that she is able to find a way out before it's too late.
creyno10's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book and could immediately relate to everything. I was in an emotionally abusive relationship for three years and went through a lot of the same things Alex did. If you want to read my blog post about this, see here: https://millymillyvanilly.squarespace.com/blog/2014/10/29/you-ruined-me
The reason this book only got three stars for me was because I found that it seemed rushed, like the author was eager to get to the abuse parts. We didn't really get to see the beginning of the relationship very much before the abuse started. I get it, that's the meat of the story, but I would have liked to see more.
As someone who has been in an abusive relationship, I have been dying to see more books about abuse so people realize they aren't alone. I just wish this book would have been as excellent as I hoped it would be. She nails the abuse parts, but I wanted to see more character and relationship development.
The reason this book only got three stars for me was because I found that it seemed rushed, like the author was eager to get to the abuse parts. We didn't really get to see the beginning of the relationship very much before the abuse started. I get it, that's the meat of the story, but I would have liked to see more.
As someone who has been in an abusive relationship, I have been dying to see more books about abuse so people realize they aren't alone. I just wish this book would have been as excellent as I hoped it would be. She nails the abuse parts, but I wanted to see more character and relationship development.
foreveryoungadult's review against another edition
Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: Giant Teen Faces
Drinking Buddy: Little Sister
Testosterone Level: Slow Burn
Talky Talk: A Cautionary Tale
Bonus Factors: Zany Male Bestie
Anti-Bonus Factors: "I'm So Sorry"; "It Won't Happen Again"; "Now Look What You Made Me Do."
Bromance Status: Life Goes On
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Giant Teen Faces
Drinking Buddy: Little Sister
Testosterone Level: Slow Burn
Talky Talk: A Cautionary Tale
Bonus Factors: Zany Male Bestie
Anti-Bonus Factors: "I'm So Sorry"; "It Won't Happen Again"; "Now Look What You Made Me Do."
Bromance Status: Life Goes On
Read the full book report here.
allison9519's review against another edition
4.0
Alex starts dating Cole who is very charming at first but starts to become more and more abusive. I liked it but her friends annoyed me some, instead of trying to help her they abandoned her.
andiabcs's review against another edition
5.0
Holy crap batman! That was one powerful book! The fact that the ratings are so low baffles me because it was pure brilliance. Just like I found in Hate List, Jennifer Brown has a way of tackling hard subjects with dignity while leaving you a hopeful emotional mess. I can honestly say that luckily enough I have never personally been through what Cole did to Alex, but I know there are many many people out there that have been. And much like Alex they have the same reaction thinking things will get better. What Brown shows us is it doesn't. It gets worse and the people on the outside are helpless. Alex was so desperate to be loved that she made what Cole was doing to her okay and it was anything but. She was lacking so much support at home that she almost felt like she deserved to be hurt by someone who claimed to love her and that is so far from the truth. No one deserves that and Brown showed that with grace and tact.
This book will stay with my for a long time. It made me cry and smile and my heartache and I feel better having have had the chance to read it.
This book will stay with my for a long time. It made me cry and smile and my heartache and I feel better having have had the chance to read it.
heo1000's review against another edition
So heartbreakingly well written. There were times where I shouted at Alex, but I really did love the story overall. Review to come
margenotbutter's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this was well written and I could see where Jennifer Brown was meant to be going with the plot, but what I couldn't get over was how it was handled. Alex would get beaten by Cole, then there would be a couple of pages telling us why it was bad and she was aware that it was bad, and some psychoanalysis about the situation (all from Alex's point of view). Then Cole would apologise and we would get some more psychoanalysis about why she shouldn't go back to him, and then she would say that everything was okay and they were in love. I understand that is how abusive relationships work, but Alex was just too self-aware and clued in to the fine details for it to work properly.
Have to say that I thought all the characters were excellent - I might be a little in love with Zach! - but I found their relationship disappointing because of how they were hurt that Alex didn't confide in them and it destroyed their friendship a bit. It didn't make sense to me, because such a big deal was made of about how great friends they all were and then suddenly her best friends were sulking because she was being beaten up and not telling them?!
Have to say that I thought all the characters were excellent - I might be a little in love with Zach! - but I found their relationship disappointing because of how they were hurt that Alex didn't confide in them and it destroyed their friendship a bit. It didn't make sense to me, because such a big deal was made of about how great friends they all were and then suddenly her best friends were sulking because she was being beaten up and not telling them?!
autumnchrunik's review against another edition
1.0
I thought it was boring. It was slowly paced, I get why but It was boring. Good story though to show the stages of what could happen during domestic abuse.