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suze_1624's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed it.
Didn't mind the language issues others have raised - set the boys in their environment.
Wanted to hug the shit out of Cory.
Wanted to kill Stephen Pacey - not sure that that there wasn't a threat still lurking for them.
Feelings on Brett went up and down - liked him, loved him, wanted to slap him, didn't believe his 'older' attitude really, not certain that in the future he wouldn't be a bit smothering
A HFN ending, would like to know the next part of their story
21.9.16 reread : mmm, not so enamoured this time, found it more frustrating and perhaps a tad overlong.
I still enjoyed the overall story, the changing pov chapters are headed so with that and the distinct voice styles it is easy to keep track of who is talking.
Still feel annoyed by the attitude of all the adults in this story for either doing too little or by encouraging wrongness - Brett at least is doing something.
Didn't mind the language issues others have raised - set the boys in their environment.
Wanted to hug the shit out of Cory.
Wanted to kill Stephen Pacey - not sure that that there wasn't a threat still lurking for them.
Feelings on Brett went up and down - liked him, loved him, wanted to slap him, didn't believe his 'older' attitude really, not certain that in the future he wouldn't be a bit smothering
A HFN ending, would like to know the next part of their story
21.9.16 reread : mmm, not so enamoured this time, found it more frustrating and perhaps a tad overlong.
I still enjoyed the overall story, the changing pov chapters are headed so with that and the distinct voice styles it is easy to keep track of who is talking.
Still feel annoyed by the attitude of all the adults in this story for either doing too little or by encouraging wrongness - Brett at least is doing something.
shazov's review against another edition
4.0
This book took a little getting used to, mainly due to the phonetic language that was being used for one character. But once I got used to that, I actually started to appreciate it, as it got me into Brett's head.
Neither of the MC's life has been easy up to the point where they meet. They both have a lot of growing up to do, even though neither of them really had a childhood to begin with. And there are more trials and tribulations along the way for them both.
The story is told from alternate points of view. While I realise some people find this annoying, I actually enjoy knowing what is going on in both of the MC's heads. Especially with everything that was going on and all the history that still had an impact in the present.
So overall this was a great story that I truly enjoyed reading.
Neither of the MC's life has been easy up to the point where they meet. They both have a lot of growing up to do, even though neither of them really had a childhood to begin with. And there are more trials and tribulations along the way for them both.
The story is told from alternate points of view. While I realise some people find this annoying, I actually enjoy knowing what is going on in both of the MC's heads. Especially with everything that was going on and all the history that still had an impact in the present.
So overall this was a great story that I truly enjoyed reading.
kaje_harper's review against another edition
4.0
This book reminds me somewhat of a Young Adult [b:Zero at the Bone|6382879|Zero at the Bone (Zero at the Bone, #1)|Jane Seville|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1239008011s/6382879.jpg|6570901], not in plot, but in both the dialect and thought processes of one of the MCs and in the development of the relationship. That dialect was a little bit of a stumbling block at getting into the first chapter, and reminding myself how much I came to love D in Zero helped. Brett's voice is not as consistent and believable as D's, but it's well done.
I was pulling for these boys and their relationship. There is a moment of violence, and I thought the level of description was just about right for older YA, not too euphemistic nor too explicit. I would not recommend the book for under 16's unless they are comfortable with darker subject matter. I was okay with the way the consequences of that moment were handled... well, I didn't like them, because I think the adults involved all completely missed the boat, but I thought given everything that was going on it was realistic enough. There was a level of idealism and a lack of shades of grey in both the positive and negative components of the story that kept it from really connecting with me on a deep emotional level, because I found myself withholding belief at times. But it was gripping enough to keep me reading steadily and I did like the characters a lot and would even read a sequel if there were one. I'd like to see Cory stand on his own feet more, and Brett begin to see them both more as fallible humans with their own strengths and flaws, and less as icons. The process could be interesting...
I was pulling for these boys and their relationship. There is a moment of violence, and I thought the level of description was just about right for older YA, not too euphemistic nor too explicit. I would not recommend the book for under 16's unless they are comfortable with darker subject matter. I was okay with the way the consequences of that moment were handled... well, I didn't like them, because I think the adults involved all completely missed the boat, but I thought given everything that was going on it was realistic enough.
Spoiler
I did like the fact that it wasn't Brett who saved the day in the crisis. It made the plot less predictable.Spoiler
Brett never resents all the time he spends driving Cory around, for example. Never gets bored, or annoyed or whiny about how things are going.ktomp17's review against another edition
3.0
This book really didn't do it for me. I got put off in the beginning trying to figure out Brett's dialogue. Then I had trouble believing that Cory was a 15 (almost 16) year old Freshman who was smart enough to get college scholarships. Freshman tend to be younger than that. Other than that, it was sweet seeing the two boys become best of friends while fighting their attraction for each other.
lillian_francis's review
I'm not going to rate this. I was enjoying the slow burn of the relationship and the gentle pace of the story (I'd even got used to Brett's pattern of speech) until the last quarter of the story.
If you don't want to be spoiled don't read any further. I wished I'd been spoiled, though. At the last quarter mark Cory is sexually assaulted, some have called it near-rape, I would say it was rape. It was more graphic than I was comfortable reading. And after that point I struggled to enjoy the story. Had I known of that scene I doubt if I would have read the book at all. Some have said that they drove off into the sunset to get their HEA but I don't think it is possible for either of them without a huge dose of therapy. Plus there were hints that things weren't finished with regard to the rapist.
I will say that I loved the character of Brett even if he did make me scream at my Kindle at times.
If you don't want to be spoiled don't read any further. I wished I'd been spoiled, though. At the last quarter mark Cory is sexually assaulted, some have called it near-rape, I would say it was rape. It was more graphic than I was comfortable reading. And after that point I struggled to enjoy the story. Had I known of that scene I doubt if I would have read the book at all. Some have said that they drove off into the sunset to get their HEA but I don't think it is possible for either of them without a huge dose of therapy. Plus there were hints that things weren't finished with regard to the rapist.
I will say that I loved the character of Brett even if he did make me scream at my Kindle at times.
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