You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
WOW OH WOW....The perfect book. Emotion to the fullest. Angst overflowing. Tears falling. Heart breaking.
The struggles that Blythe and Chris both have suffered, through the years, was overwhelming to read. I was pulled in and felt like I was drowning also. I can't imagine the pain they experienced.
Their love story was filled with struggles and torment. At one point I found myself yelling at Chris. Then I wanted to run up and hug him. He was just a complex creature. I was rooting for him to find his way home.
The siblings brought the comedic touch that this emotional story needed. I loved to see how they supported each other and how close they were.
This was an emotional roller coaster that left me spinning. Perfect!!
I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
The struggles that Blythe and Chris both have suffered, through the years, was overwhelming to read. I was pulled in and felt like I was drowning also. I can't imagine the pain they experienced.
Their love story was filled with struggles and torment. At one point I found myself yelling at Chris. Then I wanted to run up and hug him. He was just a complex creature. I was rooting for him to find his way home.
The siblings brought the comedic touch that this emotional story needed. I loved to see how they supported each other and how close they were.
This was an emotional roller coaster that left me spinning. Perfect!!
I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.
This book is actually relatively decent given I must have gotten it for free from Amazon at some point. However, given that I have just read two *awesome* books, which this book doesn't measure up to, it's hard to really be fair when trying to give a rating as it does pale in comparison to those.
The writing is good throughout, no spelling errors or disjointed sentences as if often the case with the free Amazon books. The characters all feel very real and well-rounded - which is what you'd expect given the topics and things that they all go through. The plot is where I struggle most I think.
So for the most part I think the plot is good - however there are just too many co-incidences for me. Not only does Blythe happen to bump into Sabin and Chris on the same day, but she's also in the same class as the other brother? She just happens to have a double room for the sister?Chris happened to be the boy with the buckets, and his father her saviour ? It just feels... too easy (and in some cases really really obvious...). I know some campuses are small enough to make some of this feasible but not all of it! I went to a smaller universtity so I know just how many students there can be and how unlikely it is for *all* of these events to happen.
I also thought that the sex scenes were rather unnecessary. I understand that sexual connection can be key after a trauma but I found the ... volume, experience and speed of these encounters to be unrealistic.
According to Goodreads this book apparently has a sequel which... I feel that this book is complete enough not to need that - so congrats to the author for not ending this on a cliff-hanger or leaving too many open ended questions forcing you to read the sequel.I would certainly read other books by this author, so I hope I come across some of her work in the future.
The writing is good throughout, no spelling errors or disjointed sentences as if often the case with the free Amazon books. The characters all feel very real and well-rounded - which is what you'd expect given the topics and things that they all go through. The plot is where I struggle most I think.
So for the most part I think the plot is good - however there are just too many co-incidences for me. Not only does Blythe happen to bump into Sabin and Chris on the same day, but she's also in the same class as the other brother? She just happens to have a double room for the sister?
I also thought that the sex scenes were rather unnecessary. I understand that sexual connection can be key after a trauma but I found the ... volume, experience and speed of these encounters to be unrealistic.
According to Goodreads this book apparently has a sequel which... I feel that this book is complete enough not to need that - so congrats to the author for not ending this on a cliff-hanger or leaving too many open ended questions forcing you to read the sequel.I would certainly read other books by this author, so I hope I come across some of her work in the future.
I have to admit, I was scared to read this one. As you may recall, Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park is my favorite book. Nothing can come close to giving me the feels that book did. What if I read this one and it sucked? How would I review it? How could I ever face Jessica again? Well, I needn’t have worried. While very different from FOL, Left Drowning is a work of art.
Blythe is still reeling from the fire that left her parents dead. She and her brother aren’t really getting along, so she feels very alone in the world. She only wants to finish college so she can move away and start over someplace new. Then the Shepherds basically ingratiate themselves in her life and she finds herself drawn to the oldest brother, Chris. Of course, the Shepherds may not be the perfect family they seem to be; they have secrets of their own.
The characters… oh the characters. If there was ever a group of people more flawed than this one, I’ve yet to see it.
Blythe carried immense guilt for her parents’ death, and the injuries her brother still suffered from. She was afraid to let anyone near her and was just fine spending all of her non-class time holed up in her dorm room. She was the definition of antisocial.
The Shepherds all suffered from their own demons, though we didn’t find out the (awful) details until later. Chris, the level-headed older brother, was the one who finally got through Blythe’s tough exterior and helped her on the road to healing. Once she was on her way, she was able to see the Shepherd family for what they really were – broken. Sabin (who stole every scene he was in), Estelle and Eric all dealt with their issues in various (unhealthy) ways.
Okay, now I need to talk about the sex. I’m all for sexy times in a story. I love the build-up, especially the slow burn kind (and this was all about the slow burn. The scene in the hallway gave me tingles, because I knew what was about to happen), I love the teasing and tension and the seduction. But there is such a thing as too much. Once Blythe and Chris finally did the deed, they did it a lot. And we read all about it. They went at it in several different places and positions, and we got the naughty details of every single bit of it.
I’m of the opinion that once you’ve done one or two thorough sex scenes, it’s okay to say something like “We did it again, except this time…” Instead of describing the entire act over and over again. I didn’t dislike the amount or kind of sex the characters were having, but the amount I had to read about. Maybe if the scenes had been more spread out over a period of time, it wouldn’t have bothered me quite as much. By the way, the sex scenes were fantastic. Steamy, gritty and real.
I loved the relationship between Chris and Blythe, how there was no instalove. It was slow and steady and they really got to know each other and care for each other, it wasn’t just about the sex. I loved the closeness between the Shepherds; the way they looked out for and took care of each other was awesome. The interaction between the characters was really one of the best parts of the book for me. Sabin and Blythe, Blythe and Estelle, Eric and Zach, Sabin and Chris, Blythe and Zach; they all melded together to form a large family unit. Their dialogue and behaviors were honest, believable and at times heartbreaking. I cried more than once.
There were a lot of “issues” in the novel and it was not a light story in the least. It was sad and dark and not easy to read at times. There was talk of religion (or lack thereof), drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse, lies, guilt, fault, family relationships, friendships, self-destruction and more. Believe me when I say this book was full of issues. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, there was also forgiveness, love and hope.
The sum up: Jessica Park creates real characters that you can relate to. They are flawed and wonderful and I want to hug them all. This book is deep, dark and amazing. Do yourself a favor and read it.
Blythe is still reeling from the fire that left her parents dead. She and her brother aren’t really getting along, so she feels very alone in the world. She only wants to finish college so she can move away and start over someplace new. Then the Shepherds basically ingratiate themselves in her life and she finds herself drawn to the oldest brother, Chris. Of course, the Shepherds may not be the perfect family they seem to be; they have secrets of their own.
The characters… oh the characters. If there was ever a group of people more flawed than this one, I’ve yet to see it.
Blythe carried immense guilt for her parents’ death, and the injuries her brother still suffered from. She was afraid to let anyone near her and was just fine spending all of her non-class time holed up in her dorm room. She was the definition of antisocial.
The Shepherds all suffered from their own demons, though we didn’t find out the (awful) details until later. Chris, the level-headed older brother, was the one who finally got through Blythe’s tough exterior and helped her on the road to healing. Once she was on her way, she was able to see the Shepherd family for what they really were – broken. Sabin (who stole every scene he was in), Estelle and Eric all dealt with their issues in various (unhealthy) ways.
Okay, now I need to talk about the sex. I’m all for sexy times in a story. I love the build-up, especially the slow burn kind (and this was all about the slow burn. The scene in the hallway gave me tingles, because I knew what was about to happen), I love the teasing and tension and the seduction. But there is such a thing as too much. Once Blythe and Chris finally did the deed, they did it a lot. And we read all about it. They went at it in several different places and positions, and we got the naughty details of every single bit of it.
I’m of the opinion that once you’ve done one or two thorough sex scenes, it’s okay to say something like “We did it again, except this time…” Instead of describing the entire act over and over again. I didn’t dislike the amount or kind of sex the characters were having, but the amount I had to read about. Maybe if the scenes had been more spread out over a period of time, it wouldn’t have bothered me quite as much. By the way, the sex scenes were fantastic. Steamy, gritty and real.
I loved the relationship between Chris and Blythe, how there was no instalove. It was slow and steady and they really got to know each other and care for each other, it wasn’t just about the sex. I loved the closeness between the Shepherds; the way they looked out for and took care of each other was awesome. The interaction between the characters was really one of the best parts of the book for me. Sabin and Blythe, Blythe and Estelle, Eric and Zach, Sabin and Chris, Blythe and Zach; they all melded together to form a large family unit. Their dialogue and behaviors were honest, believable and at times heartbreaking. I cried more than once.
There were a lot of “issues” in the novel and it was not a light story in the least. It was sad and dark and not easy to read at times. There was talk of religion (or lack thereof), drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse, lies, guilt, fault, family relationships, friendships, self-destruction and more. Believe me when I say this book was full of issues. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, there was also forgiveness, love and hope.
The sum up: Jessica Park creates real characters that you can relate to. They are flawed and wonderful and I want to hug them all. This book is deep, dark and amazing. Do yourself a favor and read it.
**2020 Re-read**
Original review from 2015 is the same; I still love this book with every fiber of my being.
**2015**
I loved this book so much I feel like I can't even express it. The writing and the story are both so beautiful and drew me in from the very beginning. I just could not stop reading. I got so attached to these characters so quickly, from the moment they were all introduced I knew I was going to love them and feel for them through the whole story. This book left such a mark on me I can't even explain it. I could read it over and over and never get tired of it. Outstanding.
Original review from 2015 is the same; I still love this book with every fiber of my being.
**2015**
I loved this book so much I feel like I can't even express it. The writing and the story are both so beautiful and drew me in from the very beginning. I just could not stop reading. I got so attached to these characters so quickly, from the moment they were all introduced I knew I was going to love them and feel for them through the whole story. This book left such a mark on me I can't even explain it. I could read it over and over and never get tired of it. Outstanding.
This was horrendous. Not even the big plot twist could improve its rating. I loved Flat Out Love and Flat Out Matt is pretty decent. I don't know how this book is so bad. It's just so forced and dramatic, and not in a good way. Glad the torture is over.
Book: Left Drowning
Genre: YA
Type: Audiobook.
Book rating: ☆☆•5
Narration rating: ☆☆☆
Review
I was so excited to listen to this as I loved Flat Out Love, I was so SO disappointed! !
Blythe McGuire is treading water, going through the motions of college and normal every day mundane things.
The depression of losing her parents in a tragic accident 4 years ago is still too much for her, but she is trying to force herself to live a "normal" life.
In her senior year she meets Chris Shepard and there she finds a "connection", she is able to come to terms with her parents death and share a mutual bond as he has also lost a parent.
Now up to this point the book had potential, however it just started to go downhill from there really. Blythe didn't want a relationship with Chris......then she did........then they had sex .......then they broke up........then she felt the connection........had sex........broke up blah blah blah.
All the way through she seemed to say one thing and then do the complete opposite, I didn't understand her reasoning!
Chris was at first a lovely boy/man who had his own daemons to face but ignorned them to help Blythe with hers, but then all of a sudden he was this 21 year old sex god with better moves than a pornstar.
Chris's siblings were lovely and they took Blythe under their wing and made her part of their family, but at the same time, I felt like she strung Sabin along, as reading between the lines, I think that he was in love with her ( although it was never mentioned) and she leaned too heavily on him.
The whole family was f'd up and needed some serious therapy which again is never mentioned.
A disappointing 2•5☆
Genre: YA
Type: Audiobook.
Book rating: ☆☆•5
Narration rating: ☆☆☆
Review
I was so excited to listen to this as I loved Flat Out Love, I was so SO disappointed! !
Blythe McGuire is treading water, going through the motions of college and normal every day mundane things.
The depression of losing her parents in a tragic accident 4 years ago is still too much for her, but she is trying to force herself to live a "normal" life.
In her senior year she meets Chris Shepard and there she finds a "connection", she is able to come to terms with her parents death and share a mutual bond as he has also lost a parent.
Now up to this point the book had potential, however it just started to go downhill from there really. Blythe didn't want a relationship with Chris......then she did........then they had sex .......then they broke up........then she felt the connection........had sex........broke up blah blah blah.
All the way through she seemed to say one thing and then do the complete opposite, I didn't understand her reasoning!
Chris was at first a lovely boy/man who had his own daemons to face but ignorned them to help Blythe with hers, but then all of a sudden he was this 21 year old sex god with better moves than a pornstar.
Chris's siblings were lovely and they took Blythe under their wing and made her part of their family, but at the same time, I felt like she strung Sabin along, as reading between the lines, I think that he was in love with her ( although it was never mentioned) and she leaned too heavily on him.
The whole family was f'd up and needed some serious therapy which again is never mentioned.
A disappointing 2•5☆
I was really excited to read this book because it seemed like my kind of book. And the blurb sounded like it would be a great book.
Unfortunately this feels like a recipe where baking powder was used instead of baking soda, lacking the oomph that makes me fall for a book. And rare occasion, where I don't feel the appeal of the romance at all??
It was quite disappointing in that aspect but the side characters were wonderful and I loved every kid in Chris's family, except Chris haha.
Unfortunately this feels like a recipe where baking powder was used instead of baking soda, lacking the oomph that makes me fall for a book. And rare occasion, where I don't feel the appeal of the romance at all??
It was quite disappointing in that aspect but the side characters were wonderful and I loved every kid in Chris's family, except Chris haha.
This book was amazing!!!!! I've had it sitting on my Kindle for so long, after buying it for 99p and I can't believe it took me so long to read it, because it was amazing. Yes, some of it was typical New Adult but I loved that when Chris decided he couldn't do it, Blythe took it in her stride. She didn't fall apart or anything, she just knew that they'd eventually get back to where they were, and if they didn't so be it, it wasn't the end of her.
And I absolutely adored the Shephard clan. Chris, Estelle, Eric, Sabin. I love close knit families and they were the closest and I loved that they all stuck together and were quite happy to allow Blythe and Zach into their family unit, it was adorable. I am absolutely rooting for books about the other siblings because there's so much history to the family, so much to be explored, so many stories to tell. Sabin definitely needs his own book, for sure. He was one of a kind.
I loved this book from start to finish. I started it before work, and finished it after work all on the same day. It was just so addictive and the chemistry between Blythe and Chris was unreal. It was simply amazing. Their back stories were so sad, but the way they seemed inexorably linked was something truly special. I can't wait to read more of Jessica Park's books, she's a very, very talented writer.
And I absolutely adored the Shephard clan. Chris, Estelle, Eric, Sabin. I love close knit families and they were the closest and I loved that they all stuck together and were quite happy to allow Blythe and Zach into their family unit, it was adorable. I am absolutely rooting for books about the other siblings because there's so much history to the family, so much to be explored, so many stories to tell. Sabin definitely needs his own book, for sure. He was one of a kind.
I loved this book from start to finish. I started it before work, and finished it after work all on the same day. It was just so addictive and the chemistry between Blythe and Chris was unreal. It was simply amazing. Their back stories were so sad, but the way they seemed inexorably linked was something truly special. I can't wait to read more of Jessica Park's books, she's a very, very talented writer.
Blythe y Chris son una de las PEORES parejas dentro del género NA que he leído. Chris es un idiota y Blythe me estresaba cada vez más a medida que avanzaba la historia. Ambos tenían sus pasados trágicos, pero es que dios, me sentía dentro de una mala telenovela con cada "plot twist". Toda la familia de Chris está loca. Entiendo el pasado oscuro que tuvieron, pero me daba más risa que otra cosa, no entiendo si quiera como logré terminar el libro. Si no le puse una estrella, fue porque la relación que tenían los protagonistas, me gustó en ciertas partes, (muy pocas partes) pero hasta ahí.
Btw, qué onda con lo de las cicatrices que ambos tenían y que al final descubren que se pueden..conectar(?), i was like... really?...REALLY? R U FUCKING KIDDING ME?
Toda la historia es tan innecesariamente dramática, que me la pasé así como qué...
Toda la historia es tan innecesariamente dramática, que me la pasé así como qué...