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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
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:
Complicated
I love everything that Barbara writes and this was no exception. Although there was the background of zeph not knowing what Jack was/is everything otherwise is in the open. No secrets or dramas, just a story that has a beginning middle and end. Brilliant.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another fabulous read by Barbara Elsborg, she is firmly in my favourite author category.
In Everything That Kills Me, I was taken on an emotional journey that covered around a decade of Jack and Zeph's lives and their hard-won relationship.
My heart broke for both of these young men throughout this story, but I never gave up hoping they would get their happy ever after despite the barriers that kept them apart.
I'm glad I got the backstory of each of the MCs, as upsetting as some of it was, it was essential to understanding the journey their lives took.
Starting at age 16, seeing the way Zeph was treated by his family and by the kids at school made my heart ache for him, and I felt anger and dislike for his family; no family should treat their children or siblings the way they did. Meeting Jack at school and their short but deep connection is the catalyst for change he needs, even though it brings heartbreak on more than one occasion over the subsequent years.
My heart also went out to Jack, who at 6 was saved from a house fire and taken in by Thomas and trained to be an assassin, something he didn't fully understand when he was given the choice at such a young age and something he eventually takes for granted as his future, until he meets Zeph and his view of the world, his life and his future are changed.
An emotional read full of ups and downs and doubts, and hopes, it doesn't shy away from some of the darker aspects of life.
In Everything That Kills Me, I was taken on an emotional journey that covered around a decade of Jack and Zeph's lives and their hard-won relationship.
My heart broke for both of these young men throughout this story, but I never gave up hoping they would get their happy ever after despite the barriers that kept them apart.
I'm glad I got the backstory of each of the MCs, as upsetting as some of it was, it was essential to understanding the journey their lives took.
Starting at age 16, seeing the way Zeph was treated by his family and by the kids at school made my heart ache for him, and I felt anger and dislike for his family; no family should treat their children or siblings the way they did. Meeting Jack at school and their short but deep connection is the catalyst for change he needs, even though it brings heartbreak on more than one occasion over the subsequent years.
My heart also went out to Jack, who at 6 was saved from a house fire and taken in by Thomas and trained to be an assassin, something he didn't fully understand when he was given the choice at such a young age and something he eventually takes for granted as his future, until he meets Zeph and his view of the world, his life and his future are changed.
An emotional read full of ups and downs and doubts, and hopes, it doesn't shy away from some of the darker aspects of life.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
First, this was an amazingly well-written story with a genius plot, and super duber intriguing.
Second, it will be difficult, but I’ll try to give a short impression!
Jack was saved from a deadly fire by a man when he was only six. Thomas (not his real name) took him in, learned him everything he wanted him to know. Especially to be an assassin. Throughout this story, we get to know what this exactly involves! Be amazed!!
After being trained for years, Jack excels on all fronts!! Think about something and he has the skills.
Jack is also fluent in six languages: English, Russian, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Farsi.
Ten years after his rescue, Thomas wants Jack to attend an ordinary school. Become an ordinary student, at the Fishbourne Academy, it’s all part of a bigger plan.
Zeph is a survivor, he has his late mom’s delicate features, he’s a math genius, and he’s quiet and lonely.
His bullies always seem to have a reason to bully him at the Fishbourne Academy.
School is not the only place where he got bullied
Let’s just keep it at Zeph has a hard time with his homophobic father, stepmother, and stepsisters, an unfair very hard and mean time.
Zeph and Jack became friends, secretly, they are attracted to each other, and even fell hopelessly in love! Jack knows it all has an expiration date!!
This is as much as I can give you. It’s just a tiny tiny piece of the whole story!
With both the lives they live in mind, will they be each other’s downfall, or maybe each other’s strength?
The story will tell. I can spoil there’s a lot to overcome.
It covers quite some years, the story bursts with events, so fasten your seatbelts and get wrecked, intrigued, fascinated, and emotional, but above all enjoy this masterpiece!!
This author is on my top favorite list! Every story she writes is a deeply moving, layered, finely designed gem!!
Review also on Love Bytes LGBTQ blog
Second, it will be difficult, but I’ll try to give a short impression!
Jack was saved from a deadly fire by a man when he was only six. Thomas (not his real name) took him in, learned him everything he wanted him to know. Especially to be an assassin. Throughout this story, we get to know what this exactly involves! Be amazed!!
After being trained for years, Jack excels on all fronts!! Think about something and he has the skills.
Jack is also fluent in six languages: English, Russian, Arabic, French, Spanish, and Farsi.
Ten years after his rescue, Thomas wants Jack to attend an ordinary school. Become an ordinary student, at the Fishbourne Academy, it’s all part of a bigger plan.
Zeph is a survivor, he has his late mom’s delicate features, he’s a math genius, and he’s quiet and lonely.
His bullies always seem to have a reason to bully him at the Fishbourne Academy.
School is not the only place where he got bullied
Let’s just keep it at Zeph has a hard time with his homophobic father, stepmother, and stepsisters, an unfair very hard and mean time.
Zeph and Jack became friends, secretly, they are attracted to each other, and even fell hopelessly in love! Jack knows it all has an expiration date!!
This is as much as I can give you. It’s just a tiny tiny piece of the whole story!
With both the lives they live in mind, will they be each other’s downfall, or maybe each other’s strength?
The story will tell. I can spoil there’s a lot to overcome.
It covers quite some years, the story bursts with events, so fasten your seatbelts and get wrecked, intrigued, fascinated, and emotional, but above all enjoy this masterpiece!!
This author is on my top favorite list! Every story she writes is a deeply moving, layered, finely designed gem!!
Review also on Love Bytes LGBTQ blog
emotional
mysterious
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:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a ride for Jack and Zeph.
Once again this author has shown her superb story telling ability via Jack and Zeph’s amazing book. Circumstances have these two wonderful characters come together as teens and then spend years spinning in and out of each other’s orbit until everything finally falls into place for them. It’s at times a rough ride for them interspersed with some beautiful memory making moments. Neither Jack or Zeph have had it easy growing up with many challenges faced and overcome by both. Their first meeting as seniors at school does not leave a good impression but a connection is soon established between them. A connection that never wavers even when there’s years between them seeing each other.
Be prepared for some angst both internal and external of the relationship, steamy times when Jack and Zeph get together, some action and drama and a hard fought for and well deserved HEA. I had some feels towards both Jack and Zeph along the way but knew that this author would bring it all together and leave me so happy at the end.