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lemonsyellow's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Virginia is seventeen. Just typing that out made me do a double take because she lived a hard life in those 17 years. Alena Bruzas takes delicate subject matter, the story of Virginia’s life, to new heights in Ever Since. Virginia has given herself the label of “that girl”. We all know one. The promiscuous girl, the party girl, the girl who cheats with her friend’s boyfriend. Virginia only does those things because she doesn’t realize she can say no. She wishes she could. She’s used to being used. She just plays along like she always has. Ever since.
It could go on like this forever but Virginia befriends the sister of her friend’s boyfriend, Lyra. Lyra is 11. Lyra loves soccer, is being tutored by Virginia and, unfortunately, is also being groomed for abuse. Virginia notices the signs immediately. She knows she should tell but she really doesn’t want to get involved. However, as she starts to care for Lyra she realizes she needs to get involved and that means facing her own harsh reality.
This story is a book for survivors, a book for their supporters, a book for friends. A book for people who haven’t lived it but could use an insider’s view. It shines light on the reality of life after abuse and how it stays with you for a long time.
Cannot recommend it enough, get your hands on this one!
It could go on like this forever but Virginia befriends the sister of her friend’s boyfriend, Lyra. Lyra is 11. Lyra loves soccer, is being tutored by Virginia and, unfortunately, is also being groomed for abuse. Virginia notices the signs immediately. She knows she should tell but she really doesn’t want to get involved. However, as she starts to care for Lyra she realizes she needs to get involved and that means facing her own harsh reality.
This story is a book for survivors, a book for their supporters, a book for friends. A book for people who haven’t lived it but could use an insider’s view. It shines light on the reality of life after abuse and how it stays with you for a long time.
Cannot recommend it enough, get your hands on this one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Gaslighting
abbyreads2's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Majority of the book was me yelling at the main character, I mean I understand why she acted the way she did but it was still a hard read and seeing her make bad decisions after another, risking her relationships with her friends. One thing that bothered me though was that we never got to see if he did the same to his own daughter, one of her friends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Addiction and Abortion
cowboylikemeagan's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I saw someone describe Ever Since as "a gut punch of a book" and it really is the perfect description. In the wake of finishing it, I'm struggling to put into words how important this book feels and how much it impacted me. It is an astounding debut, and it handles the difficult topic of sexual trauma in a way that is both delicate and real. The inclusion of myth and the theme of the power of storytelling was well woven throughout the book. I loved the characters, flawed as they were.
This is by no means an easy read though. I cried a lot. I thought a lot. But this is easily the best book I've read this year so far (I know, it's only two months) but I think it will be hard to top. Regardless, Alena Bruzas has earned a fan for life in me and I can't wait for her next release (which happens to be later this year!).
This is by no means an easy read though. I cried a lot. I thought a lot. But this is easily the best book I've read this year so far (I know, it's only two months) but I think it will be hard to top. Regardless, Alena Bruzas has earned a fan for life in me and I can't wait for her next release (which happens to be later this year!).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcoholism and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Transphobia and Abortion
daniellereadslikealot_'s review
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
What an absolutely beautiful gut punch of a book. It was so easy to fall deeply into this story, as hard as its subject material was to read. The way sexual assault and consent are portrayed in this book are so unbelievably well done. Virginia was a magnificent character. She will stay with me for a very long time. I loved the little vignettes of mythology, especially Medea’s story. It really emphasized how society loves to change women’s stories to fit their narrative or to elevate the male gaze and perspective. I really loved Ro and Lyra so much as secondary characters. As much as I wish books like these weren’t necessary, I’m so glad this one exists in the world. I cried several times and I cannot wait to read what Bruzas writes next. Also, don’t miss the author’s note and please make sure you’re in the best mental health space to read this book. It does not pull punches and rightfully so.
CW: rape, sexual assault, grooming, drug use, underage drinking, infidelity, transphobia, slut shaming, child neglect, pedophilia, homophobia, violence, alcoholism, suicidal ideation
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, and Death of parent
cmnielsen89's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
hobbithopeful's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This isn't a book that everyone should read, but a book that everyone *needs* to read.
Ever Since is a powerful and moving book dealing with topics of grooming, and CSA.
I honestly would not have picked up this book because the topics hit so close to home for me, but it was the book of the month for the local book club I frequent, and I am glad I read it.
I typically do not enjoy books told in the first person, but Bruzas writes so well I knew I was going to love the book after reading the first page. There are times that Virginia has panic attacks, and the sentence structures reflect that and makes you read faster and faster. It was overwhelming, and the most realistic book about CSA that I have read. It also has the best "teenager" depiction, and the way the friend group speaks and acts is very on par.
Books like this are extremely important, for many reasons. A lot of time we have this idea of what a "perfect" victim looks like in our head. Isolated, innocent, we forget that when people endure trauma and abuse they will all react and respond differently. There is no such thing as a perfect victim, people are incredibly complex and abuse and grooming can happen to anyone. When such behaviors aren't "caught" in childhood, people forget that the trauma and abuse doesn't just magically go away when you grow up. Virgina has been so unbearably hurt and abused that she is just trying to survive and cope.
The romance with Rumi hurt so bad, but was so necessary. I think we all have gone through that phase of hoping that someone will come rescue us, or thinking that once we find a certain person everything is going to be okay and we are going to be safe. At the end of the day it is also important to remember that the bar is so low for men, just because they don't abuse you doesn't make them perfect. (Looking back on the book, he was honestly quite a red flag.) That one scene where he just stood there made me so angry and upset. They are all teenagers in this book, and teenagers are messy.
I liked the ending, it is left a bit ambiguous. Different characters are at different places in healing, some not even have come to terms with what happened. I am so glad they all came back together to support each other.
This book hit very close to home for me, and I had to eat a lot of candy to recover.
Be kind to yourself, there are a lot of heavy topics and triggers in this. It is very graphic and extremely hard to read at times. VERY. GRAPHIC. (No seriously, just about every trigger you could think of is in here!)
I will definitely read anything else that Alena Bruzas writes.
Hands down one of the best debut novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
Read this book!
Also l love the cover, there is so much great symbolism there with the overlay showing how she is really feeling. I only wish the font choice for the title is different, it looks like every wedding invitation I've ever seen.
Ever Since is a powerful and moving book dealing with topics of grooming, and CSA.
I honestly would not have picked up this book because the topics hit so close to home for me, but it was the book of the month for the local book club I frequent, and I am glad I read it.
I typically do not enjoy books told in the first person, but Bruzas writes so well I knew I was going to love the book after reading the first page. There are times that Virginia has panic attacks, and the sentence structures reflect that and makes you read faster and faster. It was overwhelming, and the most realistic book about CSA that I have read. It also has the best "teenager" depiction, and the way the friend group speaks and acts is very on par.
Books like this are extremely important, for many reasons. A lot of time we have this idea of what a "perfect" victim looks like in our head. Isolated, innocent, we forget that when people endure trauma and abuse they will all react and respond differently. There is no such thing as a perfect victim, people are incredibly complex and abuse and grooming can happen to anyone. When such behaviors aren't "caught" in childhood, people forget that the trauma and abuse doesn't just magically go away when you grow up. Virgina has been so unbearably hurt and abused that she is just trying to survive and cope.
The romance with Rumi hurt so bad, but was so necessary. I think we all have gone through that phase of hoping that someone will come rescue us, or thinking that once we find a certain person everything is going to be okay and we are going to be safe. At the end of the day it is also important to remember that the bar is so low for men, just because they don't abuse you doesn't make them perfect. (Looking back on the book, he was honestly quite a red flag.) That one scene where he just stood there made me so angry and upset. They are all teenagers in this book, and teenagers are messy.
I liked the ending, it is left a bit ambiguous. Different characters are at different places in healing, some not even have come to terms with what happened. I am so glad they all came back together to support each other.
This book hit very close to home for me, and I had to eat a lot of candy to recover.
Be kind to yourself, there are a lot of heavy topics and triggers in this. It is very graphic and extremely hard to read at times. VERY. GRAPHIC. (No seriously, just about every trigger you could think of is in here!)
I will definitely read anything else that Alena Bruzas writes.
Hands down one of the best debut novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
Read this book!
Also l love the cover, there is so much great symbolism there with the overlay showing how she is really feeling. I only wish the font choice for the title is different, it looks like every wedding invitation I've ever seen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Transphobia
amejia's review
challenging
dark
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual assault
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Vomit
karly_ackley's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Abortion
alindeman's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Absolutely devastating, heartbreaking book about trauma, friendship, and resilience. Very diverse, realistic characters. Covers the complicated, messy side of recovering from trauma that people don’t want to acknowledge. I think this is a very important book and could give a lot of hope to many girls and women out there.
TW // CSA, grooming
TW // CSA, grooming
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Addiction and Rape
Minor: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Abortion
thewordsdevourer's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC
Ever Since is a tough but ultimately rewarding read about realistic, messy characters that takes place over the course of their last summer in high school, a story of abuse and finding one's voice that is needed but will no doubt be challenging a read to many.
The novel, above all else, illustrates the impact of abuse and trauma, the endless cycle or harm and revictimization, and poses the question of how said cycle could ever be broken, when the victim is also so broken. It also effectively depicts the power of safe space: how the existence of one is akin to a lifesaving anchor, and the contrary perpetuates harm. We always hear about how important it is especially for young people to have a safe roof over their heads, and never have I seen this shown so well in a novel as Bruzas does in her book here.
The majority of characters are multidimensional and messy, especially the main character Virginia, but understandably so, particulatly when their circumstances are shed light on towards the end of the story. Nevertheless, understanding the root of Virginia's destructive actions - both unto herself and her supposed dear ones - does not make it any easier to read. On the contrary, I am personally frustrated by the 'hurt people hurt people' adage so encapsulated in the book, knowing it hurts Virginia more than anyone to do what she does, but seemingly impossible to stop doing so.
Which leads to one of my caveats with the novel: it is never explained - at least clearly or in detail - why many of Virginia's harmful actions are done towards the proclaimed important people in her life. Being abused and traumatized make it understandable but not wholly innocent. In my opinion, Virginia should have taken more accountability about the things she did that hurt her friends, because it seems like she gets off scot-free; being a victim does not make her actions absolvable in themselves.
I also think the change in Virginia's psyche and her sense of self-worth is too sudden, finding her voice in one chapter then suddenly feeling invincible the next, when her growth could be a little more scattered throughout. As for the writing, there are definitely powerful moments that are searing and visceral - especially towards the end - but for the most part the short, choppy sentences and frequent breaks in paragraphs read a little juvenile and affect the pacing, though this could have been done to show Virginia's inner psyche.
All in all, Ever Since is a well-intentioned and compelling book whose story may prove challenging to many. The novel is ultimately rewarding, but it is a tough road getting there, especially with some uneven execution.
Ever Since is a tough but ultimately rewarding read about realistic, messy characters that takes place over the course of their last summer in high school, a story of abuse and finding one's voice that is needed but will no doubt be challenging a read to many.
The novel, above all else, illustrates the impact of abuse and trauma, the endless cycle or harm and revictimization, and poses the question of how said cycle could ever be broken, when the victim is also so broken. It also effectively depicts the power of safe space: how the existence of one is akin to a lifesaving anchor, and the contrary perpetuates harm. We always hear about how important it is especially for young people to have a safe roof over their heads, and never have I seen this shown so well in a novel as Bruzas does in her book here.
The majority of characters are multidimensional and messy, especially the main character Virginia, but understandably so, particulatly when their circumstances are shed light on towards the end of the story. Nevertheless, understanding the root of Virginia's destructive actions - both unto herself and her supposed dear ones - does not make it any easier to read. On the contrary, I am personally frustrated by the 'hurt people hurt people' adage so encapsulated in the book, knowing it hurts Virginia more than anyone to do what she does, but seemingly impossible to stop doing so.
Which leads to one of my caveats with the novel: it is never explained - at least clearly or in detail - why many of Virginia's harmful actions are done towards the proclaimed important people in her life. Being abused and traumatized make it understandable but not wholly innocent. In my opinion, Virginia should have taken more accountability about the things she did that hurt her friends, because it seems like she gets off scot-free; being a victim does not make her actions absolvable in themselves.
I also think the change in Virginia's psyche and her sense of self-worth is too sudden, finding her voice in one chapter then suddenly feeling invincible the next, when her growth could be a little more scattered throughout. As for the writing, there are definitely powerful moments that are searing and visceral - especially towards the end - but for the most part the short, choppy sentences and frequent breaks in paragraphs read a little juvenile and affect the pacing, though this could have been done to show Virginia's inner psyche.
All in all, Ever Since is a well-intentioned and compelling book whose story may prove challenging to many. The novel is ultimately rewarding, but it is a tough road getting there, especially with some uneven execution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Transphobia and Abortion