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heathercottledillon's review against another edition
4.0
This book is pretty intense and somewhat depressing, but I think it's well-done and I like that it shows a different side of the school shooting issue. Everything is complicated and nothing is black-and-white, which I think is realistic. The narrator feels guilty because she didn't realize what her boyfriend was going to do and she was part of the hate list in the first place, but she's also considered by some to be a hero because she took a bullet for another student and ended the shooting. She can't reconcile the sweet, fun boy she knew with the one who killed other students, a teacher, and himself. The author shows that all of the students involved (the bullies, the shooter, the narrator) share some of the blame, but they all have good in them as well--even the shooter. It all adds up to an interesting story that makes you think.
unipinkglitter's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
clearskyzs's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Was actually the first book to ever make me cry. I read it back during quarantine and was really moved by what the main character went through
theamytivillelibrary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
I went into this one thinking it was about a school shooting and it was, but it wasn’t really what the whole story was about.
In this story we follow Valerie who was the girlfriend of the perpetrator and kibdasortamaybe a co-conspirator in the crime as she was involved with the composing of the hate list. We follow her as she deals with the fallout of the incident and we hear from her POV the process of guilt and grief that she’s experiencing as she returns to the school to complete her senior year. We are also there as she spends time in therapy trying to come to terms with her role in the incident, her troubled family life and her grief over the loss of her boyfriend and fellow outcast, Nick.
I feel like this is a pretty accurate depiction of what a young person may go through in a situation such as this. Valerie isn’t always likable and at times her attitude is almost frustrating, but I found myself rooting for her. Her family life alone was a mess (her father was a real piece of work). What I found to be a bit far fetched was the unlikely and way too quick friendship between her and one of her classmates and her relationship with her therapist (don’t worry, it’s nothing inappropriate). I felt those things were possibly the most unbelievable things about the story.
This one is more of a character study that had me thinking about what I would do if I was in a similar situation as pretty much any of the characters and that added to my enjoyment of my time with this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Gun violence, Self harm, Bullying, Death, Grief, Violence, Blood, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Toxic relationship
thesimplereader's review against another edition
3.0
Wow. Okay, this book was okay and honestly not that great, but it was memorable and it makes you think twice about how you treat people.
marleythegirlpi_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting book. Still holds up in 2024. I had to remind myself that it was a YA book multiple times bc the main character got on my nerves, but maybe I just forgot what it was like being a teenager. The novella at the end, say something, added a rich interesting layer.
nikolinaza's review against another edition
3.0
Well... took me long enough to finish this. It got boring in the middle so I had to stop for a while, but eventually I made it to the end. And I had a little river in my eyes after reading this :')
I have nothing much to say about this book. It was a good read. But seriously, Val's father is the worst. I've been dying to meet him in person, smack his head so hard my hands hurt, and had him rolling down the cliff. And Val's mother is not much better, she is whiny and sooo annoying it hurts. Both of them kept on blaming Val for something she didn't do. (Well yes, I have my very own hate list too, but I never intended to shoot everyone on that list. And if I happen to discuss it with my boyfriend and he shoot everyone in that list, that doesn't mean I want that to be happen.) They just made Val's condition worse--I hope she moved with Dr. Hieler instead (but it's impossible, I know).
I have nothing much to say about this book. It was a good read. But seriously, Val's father is the worst. I've been dying to meet him in person, smack his head so hard my hands hurt, and had him rolling down the cliff. And Val's mother is not much better, she is whiny and sooo annoying it hurts. Both of them kept on blaming Val for something she didn't do. (Well yes, I have my very own hate list too, but I never intended to shoot everyone on that list. And if I happen to discuss it with my boyfriend and he shoot everyone in that list, that doesn't mean I want that to be happen.) They just made Val's condition worse--I hope she moved with Dr. Hieler instead (but it's impossible, I know).
jerrilea's review against another edition
5.0
As I teacher, I read books to recommend to students, and they often recommend books to me. I'm not exactly sure how I came across this book, but I am glad I did. It was a difficult read in the beginning as it hit too close to home. It was a book about school shootings. As you go further along, you realize it really isn't about the shooting as much as it is about survival, healing, and caring. It's about bullies and the bullied, about regret, and changing yourself to become a better person. Unfortunately, the length of this book will turn many of my students away from it. The number of flashbacks and changes in time will be too much for others, but for avid readers, this will be no problem. I'm excited to talk to my kids about this book when I get back to school after break.
tashaseegmiller's review against another edition
4.0
This is another YA book that is just powerful. Val is a powerful narrator with a heart-wrenching set of cards dealt to her, and I loved her every single second. Don't be afraid of this book because of the subject, it is really incredible.