I am not sure how I feel about this book yet – I guess I’m still trying to absorb how the author chose to end it. Some would say that it has a hopeful ending for our main character Tyler, whose last year in high school was marred by the suicide of his mother, for which he blames himself. Everything in between was just a cacophony of hurt, betrayal, discovery, recovery, and most importantly, love. I loved the fact that despite the heavy plotlines in the story and the too angsty plight of Tyler – new author Michelle Levy could relay the book into something that is not overly dramatic with an overabundance of purple prose. Thank the gods she didn’t because some authors tend to do with such a theme.
If you are up for something that will leave you just so sad, like someone just ate your puppy or be depressed like shit, this book is enough to leave you in such a state. Written entirely from Tyler’s point of view, it let us see how barely legal Tyler picked up his life after the heartbreaking loss of his mother and how he tried to go with the flow. Readers will feel that grief (I know I did – gaah, I told myself before that I’m going to try to stop reading such books because they destroy the hell out of me – emotionally, but gahh – this book! *sigh*) and all that hurt Tyler is keeping for himself. And if I can just sucker-punch his dad, I know I’d do it. At first, I didn’t see the need to keep himself from punching his asshole of a dad. I was like, cmon’ man – just one punch pppllleaseee… but no. Did not happen. Tyler’s a tough kid. Blame game. It’s a blame game all over again.
I loved how Jordyn and her family came into the picture. It’s just one of the bright spots in Tyler’s shadowed moment in his young life. It’s almost heartbreaking how they cared so much for him. The subtle blossoming in their relationship was fun to watch because you know that there’s genuine caring in there and there’s understanding. Most of the time, it’s true – all you need is love.
The conclusion of the book was rather heartbreaking. It’s hopeful, yeah, but I find it sad. There. At the end of writing this review, I finally decided to describe what I feel about it. It’s pretty believable. If I were in Tyler’s shoes, I don’t think I could come back. I don’t see myself coming back to that place in time. Just like Tyler, he will move one and will never, or perhaps it’d be a long time before he’d find himself looking back. Not after everything…
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Published August 4th, 2015 by Dial
About The Author
Michelle Levy was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado, where she memorized books before she was able to read, tricking her parents into thinking she was a genius. At eighteen she moved to Los Angeles, to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Michelle always secretly harbored a desire to write. She spent many insomnia-filled nights dreaming up stories that she never thought to write down. When she finally set out to get something on the page, the words flew out of her until she had her first completed manuscript, and she never looked back.
When Michelle isn’t writing she is most likely working at her other job as a casting director, where in her many years of casting she has been privileged to work on projects such as Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Bruce Almighty, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters, and many more.
She still lives in Los Angeles but desperately misses thunderstorms and clouds and, well, weather really (even the occasional snowstorm), so she visits Colorado quite often.
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