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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Angsty as all get out, I had my heart strung reading this book. It dealt with depression, a subject I know about up close and I had total sympathy for the feelings it evokes.
Landon and Shay have been hating each other for a long time during their high school years. Landon hated Shay because he saw her as perfect and happy, a good student, lots of friends who liked her, a laughing girl who was friends with everybody in school and everyone liked her. She was sunshine where he was darkness.
“Not only was she beautiful, she was smart, too. She was the top of the junior class. Brains and beauty—though I’d never tell her so.”
“His eyes were heavy and miserable, filled with a story he was too terrified to tell. He kept something to himself. His hurts? His pain, maybe? His truths? I wanted to know more about those parts of him. I wanted to study the angles he kept hidden from the world. I wanted to know about the boy I hated and why he hated himself even more. “
I recognized Landon’s symptoms from the start. He was affected by his uncle’s death, and his death’s anniversary was coming up, making things harder. He was alone, abandoned by both his parents. His father is a criminal lawyer and totally absent from home. He came by seldom and always to criticize his son. His mother had a new job that took her away and although she was sure to call Landon every day, morning and night, the fact was, she wasn’t there for her son. With depression, the feelings of loneliness are increased and devastating.
A bet came up during a party in Landon’s house: that they could make one fall in love with the other. At the time the bet happened, it felt like a contrived move in the book. It didn’t make sense because Shay and Landon hated each other and it seemed out of the realm of possibility. Even so, it was the beginning of their story and it was a good one.
Shay gave Landon the biggest truth he ever received to his face: he’s fake. This woke up his desire to show her who he was, and in doing so, it was his redemption. He used to behave like a a-hole with her and had this hateful smirk on his face, like he was superior to her and others. Looking for weaknesses in Shay’s armor, he joined her drama class and got chosen to play Romeo & Juliet against her. This scheme turned into a lot of revelations. It brought out to light Landon’s incredible talent for acting and showed him Shay’s darkest corners.
This was a riveting and wonderful book about redemption, about light in the darkness, facing your demons and doing something about them, about loneliness and having someone in your corner.
“I was thankful to have someone to sit with in silence. Sometimes sitting in silence with someone who is willing to stay with you helps a heart heal more than talking about one’s hurts.”
We are never surprised to see Shay’s many moments of kindness. She went to Landon every time he needed her. In the midst of their enmity, when she and her mother went to his uncle’s wake, she found him crying and went to hold him in her arms while he shattered in despair. Later on, she was there for him in all his darkest moments. He was spiraling, even though he had his girl. Most everyone he encountered, save for his best friends, told him he was no good, he was destructive, and he didn’t deserve a girl as good as Shay in his life. Notwithstanding that Shay, his friends and his mother told him otherwise, his depression told him tenfold that it was true. It was sad to see his fight with his mind, his feelings and his demons, and I loved how he sought the light, not the darkness.
The book ends in a soft cliffhanger, full of hope and possibilities. I loved reading this book, I felt it depicted depression so well, the feelings of inadequacy, of isolation, not wanting to get out of bed, the exhaustion about dealing with life on a daily basis. I also liked that it depicted the inner strength of a boy determined not to let it finish him, and feeling enough desire for life as to seek help.
“We were just two kids who made a stupid bet a few months ago. Two kids who pushed one another. Two kids who pissed each other off, who made rude remarks, who battled each other tooth and nail, and then somewhere in the midst of our hate, we accidentally fell in love.”
Landon and Shay have been hating each other for a long time during their high school years. Landon hated Shay because he saw her as perfect and happy, a good student, lots of friends who liked her, a laughing girl who was friends with everybody in school and everyone liked her. She was sunshine where he was darkness.
“Not only was she beautiful, she was smart, too. She was the top of the junior class. Brains and beauty—though I’d never tell her so.”
“His eyes were heavy and miserable, filled with a story he was too terrified to tell. He kept something to himself. His hurts? His pain, maybe? His truths? I wanted to know more about those parts of him. I wanted to study the angles he kept hidden from the world. I wanted to know about the boy I hated and why he hated himself even more. “
I recognized Landon’s symptoms from the start. He was affected by his uncle’s death, and his death’s anniversary was coming up, making things harder. He was alone, abandoned by both his parents. His father is a criminal lawyer and totally absent from home. He came by seldom and always to criticize his son. His mother had a new job that took her away and although she was sure to call Landon every day, morning and night, the fact was, she wasn’t there for her son. With depression, the feelings of loneliness are increased and devastating.
A bet came up during a party in Landon’s house: that they could make one fall in love with the other. At the time the bet happened, it felt like a contrived move in the book. It didn’t make sense because Shay and Landon hated each other and it seemed out of the realm of possibility. Even so, it was the beginning of their story and it was a good one.
Shay gave Landon the biggest truth he ever received to his face: he’s fake. This woke up his desire to show her who he was, and in doing so, it was his redemption. He used to behave like a a-hole with her and had this hateful smirk on his face, like he was superior to her and others. Looking for weaknesses in Shay’s armor, he joined her drama class and got chosen to play Romeo & Juliet against her. This scheme turned into a lot of revelations. It brought out to light Landon’s incredible talent for acting and showed him Shay’s darkest corners.
This was a riveting and wonderful book about redemption, about light in the darkness, facing your demons and doing something about them, about loneliness and having someone in your corner.
“I was thankful to have someone to sit with in silence. Sometimes sitting in silence with someone who is willing to stay with you helps a heart heal more than talking about one’s hurts.”
We are never surprised to see Shay’s many moments of kindness. She went to Landon every time he needed her. In the midst of their enmity, when she and her mother went to his uncle’s wake, she found him crying and went to hold him in her arms while he shattered in despair. Later on, she was there for him in all his darkest moments. He was spiraling, even though he had his girl. Most everyone he encountered, save for his best friends, told him he was no good, he was destructive, and he didn’t deserve a girl as good as Shay in his life. Notwithstanding that Shay, his friends and his mother told him otherwise, his depression told him tenfold that it was true. It was sad to see his fight with his mind, his feelings and his demons, and I loved how he sought the light, not the darkness.
The book ends in a soft cliffhanger, full of hope and possibilities. I loved reading this book, I felt it depicted depression so well, the feelings of inadequacy, of isolation, not wanting to get out of bed, the exhaustion about dealing with life on a daily basis. I also liked that it depicted the inner strength of a boy determined not to let it finish him, and feeling enough desire for life as to seek help.
“We were just two kids who made a stupid bet a few months ago. Two kids who pushed one another. Two kids who pissed each other off, who made rude remarks, who battled each other tooth and nail, and then somewhere in the midst of our hate, we accidentally fell in love.”
slow-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
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
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Note: An ARC was provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR.
Le sigh, but how I fell for Landon and Shay and their story. This takes place in 2003 when they were both going to the same high school--Landon being a senior, and Shay a junior--but while these two may be teenagers, they face struggles that could bring those much older than them to their knees. Brittainy C. Cherry has penned a story that doesn't make you pity either of the main characters, but it does make you empathize with them and admire the courage that they cultivate within themselves once they're in each other's lives. Landon's struggles with his depression in particular are noteworthy, and Cherry doesn't sugarcoat when she describes the darkness that lingers within him. While Shay has a sunnier personality, she has her own issues that are quietly eating at her, too.
With this being a spin-off of Eleanor & Grey--Eleanor Gable is Shay's cousin and Greyson East is Landon's best friend--I loved getting glimpses of those two previous main characters. Having said that, however, let me reiterate that Landon and Shay's story stands alone and does so impeccably well, which surprisingly enough, isn't an easy feat. Landon & Shay: Part One ends with somewhat of a cliffhanger, and while my heart ached over the the necessary choices that both main characters had to make, there's an inkling of hope because of the author's emphasis on healing. I so adored this book, and it's a five-plus-starred must-read! Part two releases on December 4th, so that's a bit of a wait, but I wouldn't be a tad surprised if--when!--Brittainy Cherry makes it worth our while. ♥
Le sigh, but how I fell for Landon and Shay and their story. This takes place in 2003 when they were both going to the same high school--Landon being a senior, and Shay a junior--but while these two may be teenagers, they face struggles that could bring those much older than them to their knees. Brittainy C. Cherry has penned a story that doesn't make you pity either of the main characters, but it does make you empathize with them and admire the courage that they cultivate within themselves once they're in each other's lives. Landon's struggles with his depression in particular are noteworthy, and Cherry doesn't sugarcoat when she describes the darkness that lingers within him. While Shay has a sunnier personality, she has her own issues that are quietly eating at her, too.
With this being a spin-off of Eleanor & Grey--Eleanor Gable is Shay's cousin and Greyson East is Landon's best friend--I loved getting glimpses of those two previous main characters. Having said that, however, let me reiterate that Landon and Shay's story stands alone and does so impeccably well, which surprisingly enough, isn't an easy feat. Landon & Shay: Part One ends with somewhat of a cliffhanger, and while my heart ached over the the necessary choices that both main characters had to make, there's an inkling of hope because of the author's emphasis on healing. I so adored this book, and it's a five-plus-starred must-read! Part two releases on December 4th, so that's a bit of a wait, but I wouldn't be a tad surprised if--when!--Brittainy Cherry makes it worth our while. ♥
as a biggest fan of cliches i have to say this book is mostly cringe and void of emotions. very repetitive, and a lot of misogynistic lines lmao