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ghostlyrivendell's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
wusswoo's review
4.0
I devoured this book on a sunny saturday. I loved everything about it, the flawed characters, the teenageriness (look ma I made up a word) of them all was spot on. It was an emotional rollercoaster ride and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
smallintrovert's review
4.0
It bothered me how the book jumped from everything being shitty to everyone living perfect lives 10 years later. The epilogue felt rushed; are we supposed to accept that Nate never tried to contact Luke and decided to worry for a decade instead? And the reconciliation between Adam and Nate in Adam's dorm was not as detailed as the rest of the book had been.
Nate came off as very impulsive and jealous.
Adam needed to be a better communicator.
Luke was clingy as hell.
Danial was the friend everyone wished they had.
Nate came off as very impulsive and jealous.
Adam needed to be a better communicator.
Luke was clingy as hell.
Danial was the friend everyone wished they had.
emareadsmore's review
3.0
I liked this book - it was different in many good ways. The new ideas - however big or small - really strengthened my appreciation for the book. Of course, there were also some old, unoriginal ideas used, which kinda detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The character development was very well done - being in Nate's head was very interesting, especially at the end. 3.5 stars
blueloris's review
3.0
This book is very readable and engaging - I finished it in two days, something that rarely happens these days. I was interested in the main character's recovery from a trauma that occurs before the beginning of the book and how he and his boyfriend work out their long-distance relationship. Unfortunately, the book never really delivers on either.
Certainly, given that this is a YA book, it's understandable that the author doesn't delve into the graphic details of what happened to Nate, but she also largely skips over the aftermath and Nate's recovery. Pretty much any reference to what happened is relegated to periodic flashback scenes. In the present, which is less than a year later, it's barely mentioned.
Instead, Nate's emotional distress and subsequent questionable behavior are centered on his boyfriend Adam going to NYC for a few months and his jealousy over Adam's new friends. Nate just ends up seeming extremely clingy and immature.
When he isn't worrying about what Adam's up to, Nate's getting in trouble at school for flaunting his gay - so to speak - and running a blog about being a queer teen. Except his "activism" at school never progresses beyond wearing statement t-shirts and dancing with his straight best friend, and his blog entries are trite, cliched, and few. These plot points are non-starters and seem to only exist to introduce Nate to a younger boy who develops a huge crush on him and adds to his relationship woes.
This has become extremely long-winded and to avoid being too spoilery, I'll just say that Nate's a mess and things get worse for him and Adam, but then the author cops out on a resolution for what's happened by tacking on a silly "10 years later" chapter that fixes everything without having to work for it.
Certainly, given that this is a YA book, it's understandable that the author doesn't delve into the graphic details of what happened to Nate, but she also largely skips over the aftermath and Nate's recovery. Pretty much any reference to what happened is relegated to periodic flashback scenes. In the present, which is less than a year later, it's barely mentioned.
Instead, Nate's emotional distress and subsequent questionable behavior are centered on his boyfriend Adam going to NYC for a few months and his jealousy over Adam's new friends. Nate just ends up seeming extremely clingy and immature.
When he isn't worrying about what Adam's up to, Nate's getting in trouble at school for flaunting his gay - so to speak - and running a blog about being a queer teen. Except his "activism" at school never progresses beyond wearing statement t-shirts and dancing with his straight best friend, and his blog entries are trite, cliched, and few. These plot points are non-starters and seem to only exist to introduce Nate to a younger boy who develops a huge crush on him and adds to his relationship woes.
This has become extremely long-winded and to avoid being too spoilery, I'll just say that Nate's a mess and things get worse for him and Adam, but then the author cops out on a resolution for what's happened by tacking on a silly "10 years later" chapter that fixes everything without having to work for it.
hexijosh's review
4.0
I honestly can't remember where I heard the early buzz for this book. All I do remember is putting it on my wishlist and checking the release date every Tuesday for at least a month before I was finally able to download it to my nook. I gotta say, it was well worth the wait.
Don't Let Me Go is told from the point of view of Nate, a gay high school senior recounting his relationship with Adam, his first and only boyfriend, and the many events that bind them together. When Adam leaves Texas to work off off-Broadway for a few months, things threaten to fall apart and their love is put through some heavy trials.
Let me just say, I had some worries early on, thinking that this could turn out to be some shallow romance story of young gay love (*cough* [b:Boy Meets Boy|23228|Boy Meets Boy|David Levithan|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320558155s/23228.jpg|1118789] *cough*), but the more I read, the more I was hooked. There were more than a few nights that I didn't get in bed until 3AM because I didn't want to stop reading. I was just that involved in the story, which is a rarity for me as most books have to fight for my attention. I don't take the world of fiction very lightly, boys and girls.
What J.H. Trumble managed to do here was capture that teenage passion and emotion so accurately, it was almost unnerving. Multiple times in the book I would catch something all too similar to my own experiences 10 years ago (sometimes less, but let's not go there), whether it be fights with boyfriends, that dramatically unyielding desire to be with someone or simple interactions between former friends. I could see pieces of myself in Nate, Adam and Luke (a closeted gay boy in Nate's school) to the point where I actually felt embarrassed realizing my own past actions were mirrored on the page. I know so, so many readers, gay or straight, will see themselves there too and it's one of the things that make this book such a valuable read regardless of age, gender or orientation.
These characters are so honest and real that their actions can make you sting or your heart melt. I liked these people and enjoyed learning their ins, outs, desires and motivations. Hell, I, the self-professed anti-romance cynic (newly appointed as of Summer 2011) even got misty eyed over moments between Nate and Adam. Granted it didn't make me want to run out and start dating again, but it did remind me of what it felt like to throw yourself into someone heart and soul (read the book, you'll get it), regardless of consequence.
If Goodreads allowed half stars, this would be a 4.5, missing the 5 star mark only because I'm stingy with the stars and I have some minor issues with the last 2 chapters. But hey, that's only due to the fact that I'm a cynical bastard with just a few blocks' walk to Thirtiesville.
But don't let my curmudgeony attitude deter you. READ THIS! I absolutely loved it and will be pushing it on my friends startinnnnng...now.
Don't Let Me Go is told from the point of view of Nate, a gay high school senior recounting his relationship with Adam, his first and only boyfriend, and the many events that bind them together. When Adam leaves Texas to work off off-Broadway for a few months, things threaten to fall apart and their love is put through some heavy trials.
Let me just say, I had some worries early on, thinking that this could turn out to be some shallow romance story of young gay love (*cough* [b:Boy Meets Boy|23228|Boy Meets Boy|David Levithan|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320558155s/23228.jpg|1118789] *cough*), but the more I read, the more I was hooked. There were more than a few nights that I didn't get in bed until 3AM because I didn't want to stop reading. I was just that involved in the story, which is a rarity for me as most books have to fight for my attention. I don't take the world of fiction very lightly, boys and girls.
What J.H. Trumble managed to do here was capture that teenage passion and emotion so accurately, it was almost unnerving. Multiple times in the book I would catch something all too similar to my own experiences 10 years ago (sometimes less, but let's not go there), whether it be fights with boyfriends, that dramatically unyielding desire to be with someone or simple interactions between former friends. I could see pieces of myself in Nate, Adam and Luke (a closeted gay boy in Nate's school) to the point where I actually felt embarrassed realizing my own past actions were mirrored on the page. I know so, so many readers, gay or straight, will see themselves there too and it's one of the things that make this book such a valuable read regardless of age, gender or orientation.
These characters are so honest and real that their actions can make you sting or your heart melt. I liked these people and enjoyed learning their ins, outs, desires and motivations. Hell, I, the self-professed anti-romance cynic (newly appointed as of Summer 2011) even got misty eyed over moments between Nate and Adam. Granted it didn't make me want to run out and start dating again, but it did remind me of what it felt like to throw yourself into someone heart and soul (read the book, you'll get it), regardless of consequence.
If Goodreads allowed half stars, this would be a 4.5, missing the 5 star mark only because I'm stingy with the stars and I have some minor issues with the last 2 chapters. But hey, that's only due to the fact that I'm a cynical bastard with just a few blocks' walk to Thirtiesville.
But don't let my curmudgeony attitude deter you. READ THIS! I absolutely loved it and will be pushing it on my friends startinnnnng...now.
msouders's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In all honesty, this is probably about a 3.5 star book. However, without getting too sappy now, it was the first time I ever read a book that had main characters who thought things that I did and who I could see myself as. And that meant a lot to a younger teen me. So for that reason it’ll always be a 5 star book to me. Representation matters.
jugglingpup's review
4.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
This book kept me riveted all day. I slipped it in at work and even stayed up most of the night just to finish it. I was amazed at how well the author portrayed teens and the psychology of the characters. I highly suggest this to people, but I do have some warnings for those wishing to read it. It is not the feel good YA romance it appears to be. It is instead a harder look at what happens when two boys fall in love and terrible things happen. Some of the terrible things are very triggering and I was surprised they were even in a YA book (though Alex Sanchez did write Bait). If I had a warning about the harder subject matter I would have enjoyed the book more as I would have been able to prepare to face it. It did give it more of an emotional punch, but if I had read this a few years ago when I had faced a similar event it would have ruined the entire book and been too much for me to read. I am glad that there is not much detail in the experience which made it easier to handle. I am glad that the character actually suffered and had issues after the event instead of moving on easily. It was a book I needed to read.
I am a sucker for a good, angsty romance. This book delivered. However it also delivered cheating, rape (mentioned briefly here and there, but never graphically described in the moment), physical abuse, and emotional abuse. None of the couples that existed in the novel (except for one near the very end of the book between two band directors) should be together as they are all terrible and abusive. It was portrayed as normal for the two main boys to hit, shove, and punch each other out of anger. This is a dangerous message to send children and teens who already have an issue emulating the emotionally abusive relationships of Twilight. So I would only suggest that older teens who can see this is wrong read this book instead of a younger teen who may start to see this abuse as normal.
I liked the style it was written in. It wasn’t linear, instead it started when the boys were already together and their back story was explained in bits and pieces as the novel progressed to show why Nate misses Adam as much as he does and why Nate relies on Adam as much as he does. This codependency is much more real than other YA novels have allowed it to be. This book shows that traumatic events can hurt a person long after the event has happened in many different ways.
It also shows that long distance relationships can be hard, but they can also be meaningful. This is a subject that many teens have to face in their last year of high school if they are dating someone older than them. It also prepares them for the awkward territory of dating in college where you partner may not live in the same state as you for half the year. Plus it shows that people can do ridiculous things when they aren’t feeling valued. Overall this book was a wonderful example of how to write fully thought out characters that acted and reacted in a way that was human and fit with a basic understanding of psychology. This awareness of how people actually work and how teens actually think seems to be very rare in YA novels.
This book kept me riveted all day. I slipped it in at work and even stayed up most of the night just to finish it. I was amazed at how well the author portrayed teens and the psychology of the characters. I highly suggest this to people, but I do have some warnings for those wishing to read it. It is not the feel good YA romance it appears to be. It is instead a harder look at what happens when two boys fall in love and terrible things happen. Some of the terrible things are very triggering and I was surprised they were even in a YA book (though Alex Sanchez did write Bait). If I had a warning about the harder subject matter I would have enjoyed the book more as I would have been able to prepare to face it. It did give it more of an emotional punch, but if I had read this a few years ago when I had faced a similar event it would have ruined the entire book and been too much for me to read. I am glad that there is not much detail in the experience which made it easier to handle. I am glad that the character actually suffered and had issues after the event instead of moving on easily. It was a book I needed to read.
I am a sucker for a good, angsty romance. This book delivered. However it also delivered cheating, rape (mentioned briefly here and there, but never graphically described in the moment), physical abuse, and emotional abuse. None of the couples that existed in the novel (except for one near the very end of the book between two band directors) should be together as they are all terrible and abusive. It was portrayed as normal for the two main boys to hit, shove, and punch each other out of anger. This is a dangerous message to send children and teens who already have an issue emulating the emotionally abusive relationships of Twilight. So I would only suggest that older teens who can see this is wrong read this book instead of a younger teen who may start to see this abuse as normal.
I liked the style it was written in. It wasn’t linear, instead it started when the boys were already together and their back story was explained in bits and pieces as the novel progressed to show why Nate misses Adam as much as he does and why Nate relies on Adam as much as he does. This codependency is much more real than other YA novels have allowed it to be. This book shows that traumatic events can hurt a person long after the event has happened in many different ways.
It also shows that long distance relationships can be hard, but they can also be meaningful. This is a subject that many teens have to face in their last year of high school if they are dating someone older than them. It also prepares them for the awkward territory of dating in college where you partner may not live in the same state as you for half the year. Plus it shows that people can do ridiculous things when they aren’t feeling valued. Overall this book was a wonderful example of how to write fully thought out characters that acted and reacted in a way that was human and fit with a basic understanding of psychology. This awareness of how people actually work and how teens actually think seems to be very rare in YA novels.
obscuredbyclouds's review
2.0
This book came highly recommended when I went looking for lgbt books to get from my library.
For the first part of this novel, I thought this was the second part in a series and I'd missed it, but it's a stand alone - it's just written with a lot of flashbacks and a lot of the story in the past is just alluded to and reads like you're supposed to already know that. While I enjoyed that it jumped right into the story, I didn't care for the flashbacks at all and found they slowed the book down.
As for the story... This seemed like your standard gay "Will they stay together or not?" story from the start, but it got a little more interesting through the side stories and the other characters. The writing style however was sloppy and amateurish. I didn't mind reading this, I was entertained, but it's not a good book.
For the first part of this novel, I thought this was the second part in a series and I'd missed it, but it's a stand alone - it's just written with a lot of flashbacks and a lot of the story in the past is just alluded to and reads like you're supposed to already know that. While I enjoyed that it jumped right into the story, I didn't care for the flashbacks at all and found they slowed the book down.
As for the story... This seemed like your standard gay "Will they stay together or not?" story from the start, but it got a little more interesting through the side stories and the other characters. The writing style however was sloppy and amateurish. I didn't mind reading this, I was entertained, but it's not a good book.