I kept hearing one thing after another about this book. Then, I realized it was a young adult book and I almost passed it by. THEN, I heard that it didn't matter that it was a young adult book, it was still a great read. I then decided to read it.
Well, this is one that I was glad I didn't buy (I got it from the library). I should have left it in the hands of the young adults.
The premise is this: High school student Ezra Faulkner had it all, good grades, good friends, a positive looking future in tennis, massive popularity in his school, when all of a sudden one day, it all came down around him. A victim of a hit and run car crash, he loses all possibility of college scholarships and loses his place as king of his circle of the popular friends. He also loses his girlfriend, Charlotte while recuperating over the summer from the accident.
Ezra fights to find his new place when he returns to school. He meets up with some old childhood friends that he left behind as his popularity soared and he begins sitting with them at lunch and starts building a new life in his senior year.
Enter Cassidy Thorpe, a girl who just transferred to Ezra's school. Ezra's friend, Toby, vaguely knows Cassidy from being on the debate team and having seen her at various multi school competitions. There's something about Cassidy that is somewhat mysterious and Toby tells Ezra to leave well enough alone. However, desperate for a new identity and new life, Ezra himself joins the debate team and develops a predictable relationship with Cassidy.
What ensues is a typical teenage love affair, and that is fine. That's what happens when you're a lucky teenager in love. I don't want to begrudge the author this part of the story.
However, Cassidy turns on Ezra on a dime. And the reader is left wondering why. Cassidy gives some lame excuse but the reader should know even with the excuse she gives that there is going to be more to the story. And there is: SPOILER ALERT!!!!
Cassidy's brother is dead. Okay, that is traumatic, I get it. BUT, there is another part that is too coincidental, in my opinion. The brother is the one who crashed into Ezra's car, causing the devastating injuries. Cassidy's brother doesn't die from the car crash, but for other health reasons.
I guess I can say that for all intents and purposes I guess the "twist" was original at the end, but I thought that "twist" was too unbelievable. But, then again, like I said, maybe I should have left this one to the young ones.
On to other books. I just started On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.
Happy reading, everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment