Ginny Moon, by Benjamin Ludwig ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Autism, Dysfunctional Families

Thanks to NetGalley and Park Row Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

368 Pages

Synopsis: For the first time in her life, Ginny Moon has found her “forever home”–a place where she’ll be safe and protected, with a family that will love and nurture her. It’s exactly the kind of home that all foster kids are hoping for. So why is this 14-year-old so desperate to to get kidnapped by her abusive, drug-addict birth mother, Gloria, and return to a grim existence of hiding under the kitchen sink to avoid authorities and her mother’s violent boyfriends?

While Ginny is pretty much your average teenager–she plays flute in the band, has weekly basketball practice and studies Robert Frost poems for English class–she is autistic. And so what’s important to Ginny includes starting every day with exactly nine grapes for breakfast, Michael Jackson, bacon-pineapple pizza and, most of all, getting back to Gloria so she can take care of her baby doll.

Ginny Moon is a compulsively readable and touching novel about being an outsider trying to find a place to belong and making sense of a world that just doesn’t seem to add up.

Ginny Moon has been receiving a lot of rave reviews, and for the most part I completely concur. 

The story is told from Ginny’s first person POV, which sets a personal tone from the first page. It took me a few chapters to get used to her voice, as she is autistic. Benjamin Ludwig has experience working with special needs children and it’s obvious that he put a lot of additional research into this topic. I have to give him kudos, for being able to climb into the mind of a young teenage girl who’s autistic. This is no mean feat by any stretch of the imagination! Ginny’s voice is so authentic, honest, and raw, that well before the halfway point, I absolutely loved her. While there’s quite a bit of sadness in both her past and current situations, there’s also a fair bit of humor as well.

The main reason why this isn’t receiving 5 stars from me, is because of what has become one of my biggest pet peeves. Unlikable, one dimensional adult characters. I honestly couldn’t stand any of them, but thankfully Ginny is such a strong protagonist that she pretty much carries the entire story on her young shoulders. 

The only other issue I have is that I think the book could have used a little more editing. There were parts of the story that got repetitious at times, and this somewhat slowed down the pace. There were also certain aspects of the storyline that were a bit crazy and unbelievable.

Overall though, Ginny Moon is a suspenseful story featuring an unforgettable new literary heroine, and I was loathe to say goodbye. Ginny is someone I believe everyone should have in their life to remind them of what’s important. While this excellent debut is definitely a standalone, I can’t help hoping that Benjamin Ludwig revisits this amazing young girl! 

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Emma In the Night by Wendy Walker ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Child Abuse, Dysfunctional Families, Mystery, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Psychological Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

320 Pages

Synopsis: One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn’t add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister’s return might just be the beginning of the crime.

We believe what we want to believe. We believe what we need to believe. Maybe there’s no difference between wanting and needing. I don’t know. What I do know is that the truth can evade us, hiding behind our blind spots, our preconceptions, our hungry heart that long for quite. Still, it is always there if we open our eyes and try to see it. If we really try to see.

I knew as soon as I read these chilling opening lines, that I was going to enjoy Emma In the Night, and I wasn’t disappointed. I was completely mesmerized from beginning to end.

The book alternates between Cass and Dr. Abby Winters, the forensic psychiatrist who was originally assigned to the sisters case when they first disappeared three years previously. Starting with the return of Cass, the story brings the reader back to the girls’ childhood and what their lives were like growing up with their mother who has narcissistic personality disorder. From there, what happens slowly comes together, much like a puzzle. From the onset, Cass is an unreliable yet hypnotic narrator which adds to the mystery because you’re constantly wondering if she’s telling the truth. I was so sucked into Cass’s cringe-worthy story that when Abby’s chapters came, they were a little jarring, although necessary to the plot. 

The story itself is full of many twists and turns. There were quite a few times that I thought I’d figured everything out, only to be proven wrong. The only reason why I’m not giving this 5 stars is because I did think the story dragged just a bit at times, especially in the middle. But overall, I really enjoyed Emma In the Night and I highly recommend it to fans of psychological suspense and mysteries filled with sketchy characters.

 

 

 

 

The Goddesses by Swan Huntley ~ 1.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Alcoholism, Dysfunctional Families, Hawaii, LGBTQ

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

320 Pages

Synopsis: When Nancy and her family arrive in Kona, Hawaii, they are desperate for a fresh start. Nancy’s husband has cheated on her; they sleep in separate bedrooms and their twin sons have been acting out, setting off illegal fireworks. But Hawaii is a paradise: they plant an orange tree in the yard; they share a bed once again and Nancy resolves to make a happy life for herself. She starts taking a yoga class and there she meets Ana, the charismatic teacher. Ana has short, black hair, a warm smile, and a hard-won wisdom that resonates with Nancy. They are soon spending all of their time together, sharing dinners, relaxing in Ana’s hot tub, driving around Kona in the cute little car Ana helps Nancy buy. As Nancy grows closer and closer to Ana, skipping family dinners and leaving the twins to their own devices, she knows that she will do anything Ana asks of her.

Given the rating above, it probably will come as no great surprise that The Goddesses just was not my cup of tea. When I first saw the publisher’s blurb saying it was a cross between The Descendants and Single White Female, I was so excited. But it wound up not being anything like I expected.

I know I tend to go on and on about being able to connect to characters, but honestly, this is one of the first things I look for in a story. Here, I disliked everyone, with the exception of Nancy’s seventeen-year-old twin sons, Jed and Cam. While they were troublemakers, this was in response to their parents self-absorption and neglect. Most of the time I found them sweet and funny, and kept thinking that Nancy and Chuck didn’t deserve to have them as children. Actually, disliked might be too strong a word for my feelings toward everyone else. They were all just so boring, with little to no personality. Nancy and her adulterous husband Chuck, are cardboard cutouts of a married couple. Nancy especially drove me crazy with her judgmental attitude and neglect of her sons. She completely ignores her own shortcomings which made it absolutely impossible for me to emphasize with her. The only thing I can give them kudos for was the way they handled their son Cam’s coming out to them. And Ana, who I was expecting all sorts of exciting villainy from, was equally banal. When the book finally got around to revealing her motivations, it was completely predictable and left me thinking “That’s it? I stuck with this book for this?!”

As for the plot, instead of being an exciting thriller, it was more like wading through quicksand. I kept reading. I kept waiting. But nothing happened. Okay, there’s a little twist near the end, but it’s nothing inspiring, and even worse, there’s no real climax, and there’s no realistic resolution.

The only reason why I’m giving The Goddesses 1 1/2 stars is because I did love Jed and Cam, and I liked the setting of Kona, Hawaii, but even the beautiful setting was spoiled for me due to the utter lack of diversity. As always, I recommend that you check out other reviews before making up your mind if you want to try this. As for me, I don’t think I’ll be trying anything else by Swan Huntley.

Little Monsters, by Kara Thomas ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Dysfunctional Families, Mysteries, Teen relationships, Thrillers, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: June 25th, 2017

336 Pages

Synopsis: Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life.  A life with a stepbrother, stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.

Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls–she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.

Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.

But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all–especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when the you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.

Little Monsters has been one of the more hotly anticipated books of 2017, and I’m happy to say that it more than lives up to the hype. 

I love stories about the darker layers of the human psyche, especially in regards to teens. It would have been easy to turn this into a more horror/thrillerish ripoff of Mean Girls, but Kara Thomas has made her characters fascinating if not always likable. Kacey herself, is a sketchy character. There were times when I really liked her, especially during her interactions with her stepbrother and half sister, and other times, I had doubts in her innocence, even though she seemed determined to discover what happened to Bailey. The other characters are equally well written. I especially loved Bailey’s journal entries, which showed how much someone can change in a fairly short amount of time. Their inclusion gives the already suspenseful story an additional creepy and menacing layer. 

The story itself moves along at a steady pace and because I was so invested in the characters I finished it in two sittings. There are a lot of red herrings, so I didn’t really guess who was behind Bailey’s disappearance until right before the big reveal. The only reason why I didn’t give this a perfect 5 is because I thought the supernatural plot device of the “Red Lady” was interesting, but ultimately never went anywhere. 

In the end, I have to agree with the many other reviewers who have commented that Little Monsters is a perfect book for fans of Pretty Little Liars. It’s an enjoyable, twisty mystery and thriller that will keep you guessing right up until the end!

Don’t Close Your Eyes, by Holly Seddon ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Agoraphobia, Alcohol Abuse, Child Abuse, Dysfunctional Families, LGBT, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 4th, 2017

336 Pages

Synopsis: Twin sisters Robin and Sarah haven’t spoken in years.

Robin can’t leave her house. A complete shut-in, she spends her days spying on her neighbors, subtly meddling in their lives. But she can’t keep her demons out forever. Someone from her past has returned, and is desperate to get inside.

Sarah can’t go home. Her husband has kicked her out, forcibly denying her access to their toddler. Sarah will do anything to get their daughter back, but she’s unraveling under the mounting pressure of concealing the secrets of her past. And her lies are catching up to her.

The novel takes readers back in time to witness the complex family dynamics that formed Robin and Sarah into the emotionally damaged young women they’ve become. As the gripping and intricate layers of their shared past are slowly peeled away, the shocks and twists will keep readers breathless long after the final page.

Don’t Close Your Eyes is a slow burning suspense story, which takes a look at two dysfunctional families who start out as friends, but are torn apart by secrets and lies. It’s told in the alternating POVs of Robin and Sarah, and also flashes back and forth from the 1990s and the present day. Just as she did in her debut novel Try Not To Breathe, Holly Seddon is not afraid to tackle the more sinister aspects of family life. The beginning of the story is seemingly innocuous, but it’s not long before the first cracks appear, which ultimately send each character on their own self-destructive journey. Seddon is brutally honest regarding her flawed characters and they come off as being very realistic, if not completely likable. The pacing of the book stays steady until the last quarter, when everything I thought I understood was turned on its head, literally leaving me gasping in disbelief. The shocking ending tied everything up wonderfully which left me completely satisfied. I highly recommend Don’t Close Your Eyes to readers who enjoy a dark story exploring complex family relationships. 

 

Lockdown, by Laurie R. King ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Child Abuse, Diversity, Dysfunctional Families, Gang Violence, Mystery, School Shootings, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

336 Pages

Synopsis: Career Day at Guadalupe Middle School: a day given to innocent hopes and youthful dreams. A day no one in attendance will ever forget.

A year ago, Principal Linda McDonald arrived at Guadalupe determined to overturn the school’s reputation for truancy, gang violence, and neglect. One of her initiatives is Career Day–bringing together children, teachers, and community presenters in a celebration of the future. But there are some in attendance who reject McDonald’s bright vision. 

A principal with a secret. A husband with a murky past. A cop with too many questions. A kid under pressure to prove himself. A girl struggling to escape a mother’s history. A young basketball player with an affection for guns.

Even the school janitor has a story he dare not reveal.

But no one at the gathering anticipates the shocking turn of events that will transform a day of possibilities into an explosive confrontation.

Laurie R. King is best known for her Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series, of which I’m a devoted fan. She’s also written the contemporary mystery Kate Martinelli series, which I haven’t tried yet, but after reading Lockdown, I definitely will be. I thought going into this, that it would be a thriller about a school shooting, and I was eagerly anticipating how the author would handle this topic. While it started off a little slow and a bit chaotic, in the end I was completely captivated by the character-driven story. It took me a little while though to get used to the way the story unfolds. It’s told from several different viewpoints including: the Principal’s, her husband, a police officer, and a few students. It also jumps between different time periods and adds in the mysterious disappearance of a young student, and because of these things I felt as though I was getting whiplash at first. But the characters are so well written, that within the first fifty pages I settled in and couldn’t tear myself away. Their lives and backstories are integral to what unfolds on Career Day, and they add to the slow- building suspense. Because each of them has something going on that could result in the violent act that happens at this small California town’s middle school, I really had no idea who the shooter was going to be. When the story arrives at its climax, what happens makes sense and leads to a satisfying conclusion. Overall I found Lockdown to be a creative standalone from Laurie R. King that solidifies her respected reputation. I highly recommend it to fans of hers, as well as readers who enjoy a good character-driven mystery.

Ultimatum ~ By K.M. Walton – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Addiction, Dysfunctional Families, Sibling Relationships, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 7th, 2017

320 Pages

Synopsis: Oscar is misunderstood. Ever since his mother died, he’s been disrespected and bullied by his family, and he seeks refuge in his art. Vance is a popular athlete and wishes his brother would just loosen up and be cool. It was hard enough to deal with their mother’s death without Oscar getting all emotional. Vance just wants to throw himself into partying, to live.

But when their father’s alcoholism sends him into liver failure, the two boys must come face-to-face with their demons–and each other–if they are going to survive an uncertain future.

Ultimatum is a heartbreaking, thought-provoking look at a family torn apart by alcoholism and drug addiction. As the story opens, Oscar and Vance having already lost their mother in a car accident, are keeping watch in a hospice, over their father as he lays dying from kidney failure. Vance, the popular, extroverted lacrosse player, and Oscar, the sensitive, artistic introvert, despise each other. Oscar thinks Vance and his father have never tried to understand him or make him feel part of the family. Vance, views his younger brother as someone who would rather hole up in his room and mope, rather than enjoy life. The chapters alternate between the brothers as well as the the past and present which allows the reader to see how things developed to this point. I have to admit I thoroughly despised Vance at first. He seems to definitely take after his father in terms of arrogance, selfishness, and misogyny. He also shares his father’s addiction problems. He shows complete contempt for just about everyone, but saves the worst of his attitude toward Oscar. I honestly wanted to smack him at times. Oscar broke my heart with his grief and isolation from his brother and father. An artist and classical music fan, it seems in the beginning that there is no way for the two brothers to bridge the chasm that their family circumstances has made between them. But this story and Oscar and Vance have many layers. The amount of growth in their development is amazing. In the end Ultimatum is a journey of two brothers who each deal with their grief in different ways. It’s full of sadness, anger, and helplessness, yet ends on a note of hope. It’s a story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished, and it’s one that I highly recommend for teens and adult fans of YA fiction. 

Ill Will ~ By Dan Chaon – 2.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Drug addiction, Dysfunctional Families, Mental Illness, Mystery, Satanic Ritual Abuse, Serial Killers, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 7th, 2017

480 Pages

Synopsis: “We are always telling a story to ourselves, about ourselves,” Dustin Tillman likes to say. It’s one of the little mantras he shares with his patients, and it’s meant to be reassuring. But what if it’s a lie?

A psychologist in suburban Cleveland, Dustin is drifting through his forties when he hears the news: His adopted brother, Rusty, is being released from prison. Thirty years ago, Rusty received a life sentence for the massacre of Dustin’s parents, aunt, and uncle. The trial came to symbolize the 1980s hysteria over Satanic cults; despite the lack of physical evidence, the jury believed the outlandish accusations Dustin and his cousin made against Rusty. Now, after DNA analysis has overturned the conviction, Dustin braces for a reckoning.

Meanwhile, one of Dustin’s patients gets him deeply engaged in a string of drowning deaths involving drunk college boys. At first Dustin dismisses talk of a serial killer as paranoid thinking, but as he gets wrapped up in their amateur investigation, Dustin starts to believe that there’s more to the deaths than coincidence. Soon he becomes obsessed, crossing all professional boundaries–and putting his own family in harm’s way.

Ill Will is the first book I’ve read by bestselling author and National Book Award winner Dan Chaon, and I was so excited when I was approved for this on NetGalley, but after finishing it last night, I’m left with a feeling of overwhelming frustration. While there were some parts that were complete and total genius, there are just too many issues I had with this and the bad wound up outweighing the good. I’m trying to think where to even begin. The story’s timeline alternates between the early 1980s and 2012-2014. The past focuses on Dustin Tillman, his adopted brother Rusty, and his two cousins Katy and Wave. The central mystery is who massacred Dustin’s parents and aunt and uncle. It’s set against the 80s hysteria around satanic cults and repressed memories. This mystery was definitely my favorite part of the book. The author definitely did his research into the horrible witch hunts that destroyed so many lives. Dustin and Rusty’s relationship is complicated, and even though Rusty turns out to be innocent of the murders, as an adult, he himself admits to doing some pretty horrible things to Dustin. Because of this I didn’t feel as much sympathy for him as I ordinarily would have for an innocent person being railroaded by the legal system. Dustin as a child is an extremely complex character and enigmatic one. I felt so sorry for him, but as the story of his childhood unfolds it becomes apparent that there’s something not quite right about him. Whether this is related to his and Rusty’s relationship, or the murders, or something more sinister, is the big question. As an adult, he seems to have put everything behind him. He’s a successful psychologist, with a wonderful wife and two teenage sons. But when one of his patients who’s an ex-cop brings to his attention a series of mysterious drownings of young men, he immediately partners up with him in this crazy investigation that completely crosses the boundaries of professional patient/doctor relationships. Honestly, the whole thing made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. Adding to my confusion was Chaon’s writing style. There are sentences left uncompleted, chapters that are nothing but columns which was so bizarre, I wound up skimming the majority of them, and the choppy transition between the past and the present, as well as the different viewpoints of multiple characters. I was hoping at least the ending would answer my questions, but it didn’t. The identity of the serial killer was revealed, although I had already guessed who it was, but there were numerous plot holes that were never filled, and I was left unsure as to who really murdered Dustin’s family. Overall, this was just a convoluted mess from start to finish, and I confess I’m really annoyed because it could have been a fantastic mystery/suspense novel. However, it’s gotten some rave reviews on Goodreads, as well as from critics at the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and Entertainment Weekly,  which has left me second guessing myself and wondering what did I miss. 

Dreadnought (Nemesis #1) ~ By April Daniels – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Abuse, Diversity, Dysfunctional Families, LGBT, Prejudice, Urban Fantasy, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Diversion Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 24th, 2017

276 Pages

Synopsis: Danny Tozer has a problem: she just inherited the powers of the world’s greatest superhero. Until Dreadnought fell out of the sky and died right in front of her, she was trying to keep people from finding out she’s transgender. But then her second-hand superpowers transformed her body into what she’s always thought it should be. Now there’s no hiding she’s a girl.

It should be the happiest time of her life,  but between her father’s dangerous obsession with curing her girlhood, her best friend suddenly acting like he’s entitled to date her, and the classmate who is secretly a masked vigilante, Danny’s first weeks living in a body that fits her are more difficult and complicated than she could have imagined. 

She doesn’t have much time to adjust. Dreadnought’s murderer, a cyborg named Utopia, still haunts the streets of New Port City. If Danny can’t sort through the confusion of coming out, master her powers, and stop Utopia in time, humanity faces extinction.

I’m going to be upfront and say that while Dreadnought isn’t a perfect book, it’s an important one, especially given world events right now. As the story begins, 15-year-old Daniel is hiding the fact that she’s transgender from everyone. The problem is that this secret life is getting to her so much that she’s resorted to painting her toenails in an alley behind a store just so she can feel somewhat normal. And this is when the superhero known as Dreadnought falls out of the sky and as he lays dying, passes on his powers to her. What’s completely unexpected is in addition to the usual talents like super strength and flying, Danny has now physically become what she’s dreamed about her entire life–a girl. Yep! That’s right. Say hello to Danielle! The best part of this book is how Danny copes with not only her newfound powers, and bringing down the sinister Utopia, but also with literally having her dream come true, only to have it turn more into a nightmare. To say that Danny’s parents are less than thrilled at having a daughter instead of a son is a bit of an understatement. Danny’s father is particularly horrible and verbally abusive. But then he was even before Danny transitioned. Her mother is more an enabler than abusive, but they’re both extremely unlikable and one-dimensional. I have to give Danny a lot of credit because she stands up for herself and gives them multiple chances to come to terms with her being transgender. More than they deserve actually. Sadly, they’re not the only ones she faces prejudice from. One of the adult superheroes who’s supposed to be a mentor is also a self-righteous, bigoted piece of garbage. Ahem. Sorry. Obviously there were characters in this story that ticked me off. Anyway, I never felt like I really got to know the other superheroes and I wish they had been fleshed out more. Danny does wind up with a partner, a classmate who has her own secret identity and goes by the moniker of Calamity. I loved her because not only does she accept Danny, but she’s stubborn and loyal, and their relationship is the second best thing about the book. Calamity has her own issues, being Latina and having faced bigots of her own, she distrusts superheroes and law enforcement of any kind. By the end of the book it’s obvious that these two are meant to be together. Whether it’s as friends or something more will have to be determined in subsequent books. The world-building could definitely be improved upon. There’s quite a few info-dumps, and for the most part there’s more telling rather than showing. The pacing was a little uneven as well. The beginning started off with a bang, and then it slowed down midway through while Danny dealt with her parents and tried to decide if she even wants to accept the mantle of Dreadnought. The villain, Utopia, never even really comes into play until the latter part of the book. That said, there’s a neat little twist regarding her character and someone new in Danny’s life who she trusts, so that was enjoyable surprise. Overall, Dreadnought has some flaws, but it’s obvious that April Daniels is a talented writer, so I think these can easily be overcome in the second book. The main reason why I gave this 4 stars though is because of Danny. It’s her voice that rings loud and clear throughout the entire narrative. Yes at times she’s scared and unsure, but her determination to not let her fear control her is what makes her such an inspiring character. While the world-building and some of the secondary characters need some tweaking, the fact the MC is a trans-lesbian teen who comes out on top despite abuse and intolerance from people around her, makes this a worthwhile read for both older teens as well as adults. I will definitely be scooping up the sequel as soon as it’s released.

Until I Break ~ By Kara Bietz – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Dysfunctional Families, Friendship, Gun Violence, Mental Illness, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Albert Whitman & Company for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

256 Pages

Synopsis: Two boys: One is a star athlete and top student with a deep-seated need to prove himself. The other is a chip-on-his-shoulder quarterback who will never settle for second best. When gunshots echo through the halls of Broadmeadow High School, whose finger is on the trigger? A year before the shooting, Sam North has a bright future as well as a problem that no one seems to see, Ace Quinn, his neighbor and teammate. For years, Ace has been bullying and harassing Sam, yet he’s managed to deftly conceal his actions and threats from the rest of the world. As Ace’s secret rage intensifies, Sam becomes more desperate to stop him. But how far will he go? And what if Ace takes his threats even further?

Until I Break is a timely and unsettling book about a completely normal and nice kid, Sam, whose psyche, after years of what amounts to psychological torture at the hands of Ace, finally starts to disintegrate during their senior year, from the unimaginable stress. The story is told in alternating timelines from the present to back to the beginning of the school year. Although it’s not difficult to ascertain what’s going to happen, going back and looking at the events that lead up to the violent outcome, was a brilliant plot device by the author because it’s both incredibly intense but also insightful. I could literally feel Sam’s building anxiety and agony and seeing him unravel after years of psychological abuse at the hands of Ace was just heartbreaking. Sam’s not a loner. He has family. He has friends. He’s an athlete and is well liked, but no one seems to understand what Ace is doing to him, not even his best friend who thinks he just over reacts to Ace. Sam is already vulnerable because of the death of his father and his mother’s struggle with depression. Stepping in as a father figure, is his grandfather who loves him but bonds over football and taking Sam to the shooting range. He has the whole “Men stand on their own two feet!” mentality and doesn’t see what’s happening right under his nose. I have to say I grew quite frustrated at times during the book because no one noticed that Sam was deteriorating both mentally and physically. I think that perhaps the author put so much time and effort into making Sam a sympathetic and relatable character, that she skimped a little on others, especially the adults in his life. The story also features a somewhat twisted love triangle between Sam, Marnie and Ace. I’m just going to say flat out I absolutely DESPISED Marnie. She’s a shallow little flirt who delights in playing Sam and Ace against each other. Honestly, there’s not a single nice thing I can say about her except that she was supportive of Sam when his dad died. Beyond that, she’s an absolute horror show and I honestly couldn’t understand why Sam loves her so much. Ace is pretty much your stereotypical bully: an overachiever who never lives up to the expectations of his demanding father. I ordinarily would have a certain amount of sympathy for someone like Ace, but what he does to Sam is so heartless and cruel, well, I couldn’t summon up one iota of pity for him. I’m not a trained psychologist but if I had to guess, I’d say that at the very least, Ace has sociopathic tendencies. The way that he charms everyone while at the same time secretly torments Sam is truly frightening. The ending gives both Sam and the reader a sense of hope. With the help of a therapist/advocate, he’s given a second chance at turning his life around, which is as it should be. Although Until I Break has quite a few flaws, there are two reasons why I’m giving it a high rating. The first being Sam, who it’s obvious that the author poured her heart and soul into creating. Because of his situation and his wanting to please the people in his life, I think teens will completely relate to and become emotionally invested in him. I know other reviewers have criticized that his not reaching out more to adults isn’t believable, but I respectfully disagree. Growing up with an abusive mother, as well as being bullied in school at one point, I know all too well that feeling of being alone and trapped and not knowing who to trust—who to reach out to. And I think sadly, too many kids will get this also. The second reason I’m giving this 4 stars is because of the important messages this book imparts. Bullying doesn’t have to take on physical form to do the most damage. Those inner wounds left by verbal and psychological abuse can be even more damaging and lasting. Worse yet, someone can be surrounded by friends and family but still feel lost, afraid and alone. One very important part of friendship is listening to and looking out for one another, and I think even as adults we sometimes lose sight of this. I would definitely recommend this book for classroom reading and teen book discussion groups. It’s not an easy read, but I think it’s one that has merits in being shared.