Send by Patty Blount - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

Sep 04, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, contemporary

A surprisingly heartfelt and touching novel on the subject of bullying, Send is a story about a bully who is trying to forgive himself for going too far.

Dan is starting a new school with a new identity; he and his family are trying to move on from a past long wanting to be forgotten. Dan instantly appears as someone unstable, though not necessarily in a bad way. He's dealing with a lot of grief and guilt over what he has done in his past, not to mention his 13 year old self - Kenny - that he st...more A surprisingly heartfelt and touching novel on the subject of bullying, Send is a story about a bully who is trying to forgive himself for going too far.

Dan is starting a new school with a new identity; he and his family are trying to move on from a past long wanting to be forgotten. Dan instantly appears as someone unstable, though not necessarily in a bad way. He's dealing with a lot of grief and guilt over what he has done in his past, not to mention his 13 year old self - Kenny - that he still talks to on a daily basis. Yes, this does sound bizarre, and it is, I mean, his younger self is living in a room in his head, sometimes he sulks, sometimes he slams doors, it's all very… odd. But you know what? It fits. This imaginary alter ego used to be who he was… before. He hasn't forgiven him, he also doesn't want to forget him. I found this very enlightening; it's a great way to get to know Dan in a more personal manner. So, although it may be a bit… unorthodox, we get to experience his inner turmoil in a truly vivid and unique fashion. Kenny definitely plays an important role in this novel, proving himself a crucial character.

Alter ego aside, Dan is a broken individual who has been through extreme pain and fear throughout the years. Everyone makes mistakes, and sadly, Dan's has had grave consequences. I found myself drawn to his character very quickly. His emotions roll right off the pages. His character has a lot of depth; a lot of carving went into creating his layered personality, his damaged spirit, and his guilty conscience. I really enjoyed how largely character driven this novel was. Equally important were the side characters. We have a blooming friendship and a budding romance, both alternating from heartwarming to frustrating. Brandon, Julie, Jeff, Kenny - they all serve a purpose inside this new chapter in Dan's life.

The point of this story is about Dan figuring himself out; forgiving his 13 year old self for what he did. His past is given to us in increments, we don't learn right away exactly what happens. This way of telling grabs your attention, making you hypothesize, assume, or even deduce what happened before you learn the truth. It's not to create anticipation, but rather build our understanding of Daniel before we learn all about Kenny: his past. The plot itself tries, and fails, to hide what some may consider a twist. However, I think the predictability of it may not be completely unintentional. I'm sure that, like me, many readers will not be shocked by the developments that occur, and I'm also sure that just as many will not care. It's not about "aha" moments, but about Dan finally having the best reason to fight against his inner-self and learn to trust, to love, to hope, and to forgive.

A very emotional read that deals with a serious topic so often ignored, yet so affecting to those victimized - Send is a great novel that will be inspiring to both young and old, leaving a great message in its wake.

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An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Jul 15, 2012 Jeannie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review of ARC.

In her debut novel, Patty Blount leaves no doubt that she has an amazing mastery of the male voice and it's in the first few pages of SEND that we get a clear and chilling sense of our protagonist, Dan. Relocating to escape his past, Dan is still haunted by a cyberbullying incident that took place years before. The thing is, Dan wasn't the victim, he was the bully and he's trying to rebuild his young life after suffering the consequences of his actions.

SEND is a sometimes funny, so...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

I borrowed this book from my girlfriend, Jillyn, who recommended it to me.

Dan Ellison just wants to get through his senior year unnoticed, but all hopes of flying under the radar is dashed when he catches Jeff Dean bullying Brandon Dillerman in the student parking lot. Unable to stand by and allow it to happen, Dan swoops in to break it up much to the disappointment of Kenny; the voice in his head who takes the form of Dan as he was at thirteen, when his life changed forever. Enter Julie Murphy,...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Ann Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I was given a review copy of this book at BEA by a very enthusiastic representative of Sourcebooks (really hope she decides to go through with the idea of a book vlog, she'd be great at it).

Sometimes a book just rips your heart out with how raw and honest they are. Stories that lives with you, stories you're glad you got to read no matter how painful they are because they are so beautiful in their heartbreak. Send is a book like that.

I grew to love Dan and the other characters for their complexi...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Scott-robert Shenkman rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. ***This review is filled with spoilers of the very worst type, so if you’ve made it this far, this is your final warning. I even spoil another popular book. I just can’t talk about this book without talking about everything that happened.***

I went into this book with trepidation. I was Liam. I was bullied throughout my entire public school career, so badly that, one day, when I was 15, I took one of my father’s pocket knives and attempted to carve a vein out of my left arm. It’s a good thing I d...more ***This review is filled with spoilers of the very worst type, so if you’ve made it this far, this is your final warning. I even spoil another popular book. I just can’t talk about this book without talking about everything that happened.***

I went into this book with trepidation. I was Liam. I was bullied throughout my entire public school career, so badly that, one day, when I was 15, I took one of my father’s pocket knives and attempted to carve a vein out of my left arm. It’s a good thing I didn’t know that a cross cut is far less effective than a cut straight up the arm, or I wouldn’t be writing this. But that was 31 years ago, and now I have a scar that’s actually my badge of bravery, because I got out of high school alive and actually made a life for myself. I am also SO thankful that I went to school prior to the invention of the net, because then it would probably have been even worse, and the fact that you can google “how to successfully commit suicide” would not have been lost to a kid that excelled in research.

Instead, this book made me angry. Very angry.

I was angry at Julie, for obvious reasons, for a good part of the book. Of course I knew exactly who she was from the moment I met her (If you’ve read Ten Tiny Breaths you’ll know what I mean). I couldn’t be sure if she was plotting revenge or something else. So even though I felt for her, I never actually felt comfortable with her. I was angry at Pops. I’m sorry, but the way he turned his back on Ken was just wrong. No matter how angry he was over Ken’s “running”, the kid needed someone to love him, not a wall of silence. I was angry at the parents, because they just couldn’t accept the level of guilt Ken was experiencing. It was almost as if they wanted to say to him “snap out of it”. And of course I was angry at Mr. Murphy, not for the fact that he wanted revenge – I’m a father and I could get what he was feeling – but the fact that he pushed everyone else out of his life in order to get it. And he destroyed himself.

I was expecting to hate Dan. The fact is, he was the character I actually liked the most. I actually empathized with him. I felt his pain (I hope that doesn’t sound too Clintonian). I like that he “got” it, the he was mature enough and good enough of a person to feel the remorse he did. He was right to feel awful for what he did, but he wasn’t a murderer. I felt from him even though we at one point would have been on opposite sides of the fence. That is an achievement that the author can be proud of.

See, what I wish had been brought up more in the book, besides the fact that it was Liam’s choice not to talk to anyone about what was going on (the same choice I made), and the fact that it was Liam’s choice to commit suicide (again, the same choice I made), Ken’s posting of the picture was not actually the straw that broke the camel’s back – no, it was every kid that clicked on that picture and left a hatful comment behind. They share the same amount of guilt that Ken has, maybe more, because a picture is one thing, but words are so much more harmful. And I can guarantee you that no one punished them.

In the end, while the prose and dialogue was excellent, I felt that most of the characters were “off” in a way. I just didn’t “get” them. The only minor character that felt real to me was Jeff. He wasn’t a one dimensional bully, and there was a very good reason for why he was so hostile to Brandon. Misplaced reason, but understandable. And I also felt that a false sense of hope was written into the story. Not only would Ken not be going to that particular college, but there would be a hell of a lot more than the legal profession that would be closed to him (see below). Finally, the fact that he says to himself “nothing matters” a few pages before the end didn’t exactly end the book on the level of hope that I think the final email is supposed to inspire.

Kids can be rotten. A 13-year old doesn’t have the same conscience that a 21-year old does – in fact, the brain has to grow and evolve until it’s 21-22 years old. Kids can make terrible choices. They need to be taught. They need to be corrected. I felt that Ken’s punishment was excessive. I forgave the people who tortured me. I had no choice. If you carry that kind of poison around and don’t let it go, it is ultimately you who will be poisoned. A person needs to set themselves free the first chance they get. I hope Brandon and Jeff were able to work things out. I hope that Brandon was able to free himself. Hell, as the years went by, some of my tormenters became my friends. We grew up. They matured and found their consciences. I actually felt healed that some of these people were able to do a 180 and become my friends. It wasn’t just forgiveness, it let me embrace the past and actually fix it in a way. So I totally believe that Julie could love Ken and maybe they would have a future together.

This is one thing from reality that bothers me: Not everyone on the sex offenders list is a rapist or a pedophile. There are quite a few young teenagers out there who get put on this list for playing with internet porn. This is also becoming a bigger and bigger problem. And I think the punishment far outweighs the crime here. Once a person goes on that list, their life is essentially over. They probably won’t get accepted to college. Probably no one will hire them. Of course no one will marry them because of the fact that they’re “perverts”. And they should definitely not have children, because the state can snoop in at any time, for any reason it feels like (no suspicious act need to have occurred or be reported) and take the children permanently away. In our society’s zeal to keep sex offenders away from us – which is a very good thing – we have gone overboard in some cases and are ending lives before they ever begin. It reminds me of the lists that McCarthy kept. I worked as a paralegal for many years, and you can believe me when I tell you Ken would never have been accepted to a school like USC (or SUNY for NYS residents) and certainly will never be hired in a job that pays much more than minimum wage. A kid who posts naked pictures on the net should in no way be treated like a rapist or a pedophile. They’ve done wrong, but their lives should not be destroyed because of it. So, in the end, I felt that this story caused me to sympathize more with the bully than with the one who was bullied. And, again, I say this as one who was tortured through his school years and came very close to being Liam: Liam’s life ended quickly. Ken will not be so lucky. And I would never wish that kind of fate on any of the kids who tormented me. There is justice, there is punishment, and then there is just revenge. Revenge gets people nowhere, as Liam’s father demonstrated.
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Jan 29, 2013 Julia Driscoll rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: appropriate-for-high-school, appropriate-for-middle-school, bullying, death-grief, crime, everyone-should-read-at-least-once, families, illness-mental, realistic-fiction, romance-dating, self-discovery, teen-drama, violence

A really good tale about what comes after a tragedy/traumatic incident. Rarely do you see a bullying book from the perpatrators point of view. As a result of the trauma, Daniel (real name is Ken) has developed some form of mental illness that has manefested as the 13 year old version of himself (Kenny). It is both a visual and auditory halucination - but it has helped him survive.

The weakest part of the story to me was the romance with Julie. I got really tired of what seemed like her like you...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Maliha Khan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is an amazing book and I would recommend it to everyone if I could. Its about an ex-bully. Well, one seeking redemption, anyway.

Dan used to be one of those kids who bullied you, teased you and hurt you without thinking of the repurcussions or how the victim would feel. Until he got punished. He clicked 'Send', thinking it was funny and his friends would laugh with him. What he never expected was to cause that kid to suicide because he was already on the brink of desperation, to be branded a...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Ari J Bookzilla rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-absolute-favorites, clean-read

Wow. This was... Had I known this was so heavy maybe I wouldn't have read it.

Why I even expected something lighter after reading the blurb, I don't know. Believe me, it will make you feel everything along with Dan and the feelings are not at all pleasant. Regret. Guilt. Horrible self-loathing.

Dan is a good person, I can say that without doubt. The guilt he lives with was killing me. He was a thirteen year old boy - I don't think he was even capable of knowing the consequences of what he was abou...more Wow. This was... Had I known this was so heavy maybe I wouldn't have read it.

Why I even expected something lighter after reading the blurb, I don't know. Believe me, it will make you feel everything along with Dan and the feelings are not at all pleasant. Regret. Guilt. Horrible self-loathing.

Dan is a good person, I can say that without doubt. The guilt he lives with was killing me. He was a thirteen year old boy - I don't think he was even capable of knowing the consequences of what he was about to do before clicking "Send". When I look back at my thirteen year old self, I can definitely tell you that I wouldn't be able to separate right from wrong in a mature way.
He constantly tries to do something to redeem himself, all the while fighting with his inner demon that what he did is irredeemable. It's heartbreaking, every time things start to look up, he dreads that something will happen to bring him down, and even worse, he thinks he deserves it.

I think that we are always taught to sympathize with the victim. But clearly, nothing is black and white - the perpetrator does not always have to be a monster. I guess we all make mistakes. Dan never really justifies what he did, now a new adult, he knows what he did was wrong, but can you really blame a child for such a lapse in judgement? I don't think I can, at least not in the way I would a grown-up. Dan has a family that is so loving and supportive of him, and I can't imagine what this whole thing must have felt like for them. Did they fail him as parents? And that's the thing with this story, you are just left wondering. Is he really a bad person? Was the punishment too hard for what he did considering he was just a child? Am I a bad person for thinking they should have cut him some slack? I just don't know.

Julie... (view spoiler)

The ending is...realistic. You are left to your own imagination to see the story off. (view spoiler)
I think I may need a sequel for this, just to know he's okay. I feel oddly connected to this character.

Clearly, this book is thought-provoking. Sometimes it's worth hearing both sides of the story, even if your first instinct is to judge. I recommend this book, but be prepared because it's not a light, happy read.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Dorine White rated it 4 of 5 stars

SEND- It Only Takes One Click, is a contemporary YA novel by Patty Blount. Published by Sourcebooks, it hit shelves in August.

The Story- Five years ago Ken did a dumb thing, he clicked send, and the result caused a death and cost him a year in juvie. Now, with his named changed to Dan, he is completing his senior year of high school in a new town, where nobody knows his real story.

On the very first day of school Dan rescues a boy from a bully, making him a friend and an enemy in one shot. He als...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Moonlight Gleam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Bullying is one of society’s largest issues that affect the daily lives of many teenagers around the world. It’s not often that we hear the story from a bully’s perspective; however, such a story is presented within Patty Blount’s debut novel, SEND.

The story unveils the consequences Dan faces after instigating a tragic cyber-bullying incident that lead to a student claiming his own life. SEND also reveals how this incident that had occurred in the past has affected his life throughout the years,...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 3 of 5 stars

Bullying has taken on a life of its own in the past few years. Social media has made something that was heinous and difficult to begin with, a beast of a problem. Anyone who uses Twitter can see how quickly a threaded conversation can go viral and get nasty, and even after all these years of experience people still say and do things online, in the spur of the moment, that they quickly regret sharing.

Blount tackles this subject head on, and from an intriguingly unusual standpoint- the bullies. Wh...more Bullying has taken on a life of its own in the past few years. Social media has made something that was heinous and difficult to begin with, a beast of a problem. Anyone who uses Twitter can see how quickly a threaded conversation can go viral and get nasty, and even after all these years of experience people still say and do things online, in the spur of the moment, that they quickly regret sharing.

Blount tackles this subject head on, and from an intriguingly unusual standpoint- the bullies. What I loved about this was the questions it brings up about responsibility, crime and punishment and bullying as a community problem. Dan/Kenny was only 13 when he posted a photo of Liam online in his underwear. Not an age where kids are putting in a lot of hard thought into what they're doing and the repercussions, and in the age of the internet it only takes a moment to ruin someones life. The results are devastating to large number of people, Dan, his family, Liam, his family and all those around them. But five years later, with Dan actively trying to prevent a bullying situation from getting worse, it becomes apparent that the responsibility for Liam's death doesn't solely lie with his poor choices.

Although the drama was a bit over the top at times, Blount does a great job of exploring all sides of the subject matter. I can see where this book would make for excellent class discussions, not only about bullying, but also about the legal system. Was Dan punished fairly? Was Liam's father punished fairly? How about the Good Samaritan laws? Are they fair? In the end no simple solutions are laid out, and I appreciate that, as it's the truth. And it left the reader with plenty to think about.

What I loved best about Send was Dan/Kenny's family. Their unwavering support and heartfelt answers to Dan's problems were what I wish all children could have from their parents.

"Dad. I...God, I'm so sorry...I'm broken." I blurted and then braced for the argument. He'd probably deny it, try to explain it in some perfectly logical way.
"Then we'll fix you," he said simply.
I blinked. His arms came around me and held me.

A thought provoking story that looks at a difficult subject matter from a variety of angles. Blount doesn't have the answers, but her look at humanity in both its failings and its brighter moments will give you hope that the answers are there, as long as your willing to put yourself out there for them.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-slj

A bit heavy handed tale of the long-term effects of bullying. I guess what's a little more fresh is that our hero is the bully, not the victim. After tormenting a boy named Liam and ultimately sending out a picture of the immature kids in cartoon underwear, Kenny, who changes his name to Dan, is made an example of. Sent to juvie for nine months, the show is on the other foot when other inmates attck him mercilessly. He develops his ability to fight back and even to protect his mind--or so it wou...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

Patty Blount’s debut novel, Send, is an interesting story about one of society’s biggest problems: bullying. We are used to hearing the stories of victims to bullying, but Patty provides readers with a unique look into a bully and how he has faced the consequences that it entails. This coming of age story about Dan, who initiated a cyber-bullying incident, tells his journey from boy to man and how he has handled it. His perspective takes readers into a deep insight into his feelings of being rem...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-must-reads, aug-2012, blog-tour-review

Send is one of those gripping stories that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. Send is a story that can happen to anyone anywhere. Kids now a days have no idea what their words can do to others. They have no idea what their actions will cause others to do. In Send we get to see first hand what bullying can do to someone. It not only affects the bullied person and family but the bully and their family.

In Send we get to meet Kenny who is a 13 year old boy. He loves sports a...more Send is one of those gripping stories that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. Send is a story that can happen to anyone anywhere. Kids now a days have no idea what their words can do to others. They have no idea what their actions will cause others to do. In Send we get to see first hand what bullying can do to someone. It not only affects the bullied person and family but the bully and their family.

In Send we get to meet Kenny who is a 13 year old boy. He loves sports and school and he loves to pick on people. Kenny targets one of his classmates by posting something on the internet and his classmate kills himself. Kenny is punished by the law for what he did and when he reaches Juvenile Detention Kenny gets to meet some real bullies worse then him. Kenny does the time and comes home to his family. Which he is reminded of everyday that his classmate will never come home.

Upon being released Kenny and his family are harassed and his father decides it is best to move and change their name and start a new life. At First Kenny has nightmares and flash backs about what he did and he regrets it. But let's face it what is regret when you cause another person to kill themselves because of an action you took. Guilt is a mother $%^@! So Kenny moves to another place where no one knows him and changes his name to Daniel. Only the past never really leaves you and on the first day of class at the new school Daniel is faced with a bully bullying another kid and he defends the kid.

So not what Daniel had in mind. The funny thing is is that Daniel has Kenny in his mind and he wars with him about everything. See Kenny has never really left Daniel. He may have changed his name and his address but he will never be able to rid himself of the guilt he has over the death of his classmate that he caused. As the story goes along it shows Kenny that Daniel does want to change and he will do whatever it takes to move on from the past.

Then enters Julie she is there when Daniel saves the bullied kid and she acts weird to me. She is hot one minute and cold the next. Everyone has secrets but will Daniels secret keep Julie away? Julie is Daniels emotional roller coaster because he starts to like her and want to be with her but the guilt he has is eating him inside. What will Julie chose? Will she give him a chance? What is redemption worth? Can he have a relationship with someone at this point in time?

I won't give away the twist at the end but dang it it was EPIC! I am so glad I was able to be a part of this EPIC story by reading it and being a part of the blog tour called It Only Takes One Click. Thank you Patty for writing such a compelling story.(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dan is a complex character. He might not be the type of person that the readers could picture themselves liking, but I think the reader will make an exception for him. Having been through a lot, Dan is tough and hardened, but not so hardened that he won't help a fellow student from being bullied. Dan's stepping in may result in trouble for him, however. He knows he needs to protect his parents and grandfather from his past and he must keep a low profile. What did Dan do that was so horrible? Can...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Shandy Kurth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I read this in 1 sitting!! It has been a very long time since I've done that. I only put it down once to eat dinner! An intense story that everyone should read. Dan (Or Kenny!)is a huge advocate against bullying! He feels so strongly about it because he knows the repercussions of it from both sides. He use to be the bullier and he spent a year in juvie for it. Now with a new name and a new school hes thrown into a whirlwind of events that no one could have predicted. Dan is messed up in the...more

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Aug 10, 2012 ExLibris_Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

As the book begins, we find Dan doing something noble. He stops a bully and gets punched for his trouble. You soon realize that Dan feels an obligation to help and ten you learn that it's because he is a former bully. Slowly, though Dan's own inner voice, you learn his history and his struggles. More visible than he wants to be in a new school, his defense of Brandon, a social outcast, catches the attention of Julie and puts Dan in the position of witnessing first hand how being the victim can u...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Liza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classroom-library, young-adult-contemporary, young-adult, want-to-read-more-from-this-author

Dan did something truly terrible and was locked up in juvenile as a result. He thought it would be over once he got out, but things only became more complicated. He moved several times until he changed his name to Daniel. Now his guilt is so raw and present that he's even talking to himself, a la Fight Club. He calls his other self Kenny.

Dan wants a normal senior year. He doesn't want to be noticed, but unfortunately he stops a fight. Everyone notices him now. Everyone is impressed- except for J...more Dan did something truly terrible and was locked up in juvenile as a result. He thought it would be over once he got out, but things only became more complicated. He moved several times until he changed his name to Daniel. Now his guilt is so raw and present that he's even talking to himself, a la Fight Club. He calls his other self Kenny.

Dan wants a normal senior year. He doesn't want to be noticed, but unfortunately he stops a fight. Everyone notices him now. Everyone is impressed- except for Julie. Every time she looks at him, it's as if she knew he was lying.

And so the story begins for Dan whose tormented by a crime he committed. I'll admit the fact that he talked to himself was a bit strange to read. Sometimes the conversations between Dan and "Kenny" were hilarious. Other times you wondered if "Kenny" had a better sense of what Dan needed than he realized.

As the story continues Dan gets to know Julie better, while trying to befriend Brandon, the boy he helped on the first day of school. I always felt bad for Dan because anytime he tried to do something nice he always questions his intentions-a result of the crime and guilt he has carried from the time he was thirteen years old. His family has been shaken by the events and they want to help him, but some do a better job of it than others. You still appreciate his family considering all they've done for Dan, though some of their tactics and coping strategies are not necessarily the best.

I would say the climax could be considered a twist, foreshadowed, or quite obvious depending on your particular reading. The most important thing for Dan was to learn to trust again and to be open and honest with everyone including himself in order to heal. A lot of crazy things have to happen to him in order to facilitate his personal self discovery.

I felt a bit cheated by the ending, because you could clearly envision one of two endings and they are both so diametrically opposite of one another there's no way to know what really happens. You have to sort of guess, and after reading Send, I prefer thinking certain issues are resolved positively.

Emotional and powerful Send is the perfect novel if you are in the mood to read about the negative emotions that can drag you down and change you, and what it takes to overcome those negative feelings that are preventing you from finding happiness. (less)

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Oct 02, 2012 Sally Kruger added it

SEND by Patty Blount presents a hot topic in YA and teen lit -- bullying. Blount brings a slightly different perspective to the topic and presents it with characters that will definitely speak to teen audiences.

Dan has experienced bullying first hand. He has experienced it from both sides. He is guilty of being a bully and has also been a victim himself.

Readers are brought into the story knowing that Dan has committed a terrible act. He has served his time and will forever regret his actions. Th...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Lydia M rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked Send. The cover caught my eye and after reading the premise (bullying from an ex-bully?! Yes please!) I knew I had to read it. I was put off by Kenny, and by the way Dan had to deal with being crazy. I realized the necessity of Kenny, it was very easy to see that Dan held himself responsible for Liam, and I almost convinced myself that Kenny's role was vital but ... the ending did not agree with me. I usually love endings that can go both ways. I know I loved how Dan's background was sca...more

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Mar 08, 2013 David Nowlin rated it 2 of 5 stars

I thought there was a strong beginning and I had high hopes for this book, but it was ultimately disappointing. Most of the story has serious credibility problems. I felt like almost all of the characters, at almost every turning point, made decisions that didn't ring true. And on a more fundamental level the essential conflict itself didn't ring true.

I found myself waiting, page after page, chapter after chapter for the big reveal on what it was that Ken actually did to earn the title 'murderer...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

So this was definitely an interesting book, sort of what I thought it was going to be but then again not. Yes it's about bullying, but it's a lot about struggling with you and learning to forgive yourself and learning to move on. It's a complicated book but again interesting none the less.

We meet Dan and his alter ego Kenny (which is younger version of him); I'm thinking more like multiple personalities, due to trauma of being in the juvenile detention center. He walks into his first day at a ne...more So this was definitely an interesting book, sort of what I thought it was going to be but then again not. Yes it's about bullying, but it's a lot about struggling with you and learning to forgive yourself and learning to move on. It's a complicated book but again interesting none the less.

We meet Dan and his alter ego Kenny (which is younger version of him); I'm thinking more like multiple personalities, due to trauma of being in the juvenile detention center. He walks into his first day at a new school under a new identity to two kids, one is being bullied and he debates if he should stop it or not. Of course his conscious gets the better of him and he goes and stops it. This is his theme throughout the book.

He went to jail because he simply hit send. But the reaction to that was a constant bullying towards the person whose picture he posted which eventually leads to his suicide. Racked with guilt Dan is on a mission to make sure no one gets bullied and is out to save Brandon from following in the same footsteps. During this time he is also faced with Julie, who is against helping those who need it but she has her reasons why. She's very on and off again with Dan, she likes him one minute and runs away the next, it's sort of confusing throughout the book but by the end everything is all tired together.

You see the different dynamic from the person who is being bullied, to the one doing the bullying, the one which went to jail for something in regards to bullying and the relative of a victim. Many different points of view but the moral is to always do the right thing because if you don't the consequences and the guilt is not worth it in the end. I know there have been many books about bullying lately and I wholeheartedly believe they need to be read, understood and followed. Because bullying is wrong on so many levels and affects so many people, it's just unnecessary. I completely believe in the zero tolerance rules but let's get real, even though that rule is in effect it's not always followed. People need to stop turning a blind eye to situations and take action.

Overall the book was good; the cover was okay but would have been better if he was at a beach, which was the favorite spot in the book. Hope you all get a chance to read and enjoy it. (less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Justin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wasn't quite as impressed with Send as I thought I would have been. It's not that it's a bad book, it was just so difficult for me to get into. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for such a deep book. There was just nothing that stood out to me and really made me enjoy the book like I had hoped would happen.

Patty tackles a very prominent topic in today's society, especially among teenagers. But I think the entire message goes much deeper than that. It's pretty obvious what this story is about, ju...more I wasn't quite as impressed with Send as I thought I would have been. It's not that it's a bad book, it was just so difficult for me to get into. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for such a deep book. There was just nothing that stood out to me and really made me enjoy the book like I had hoped would happen.

Patty tackles a very prominent topic in today's society, especially among teenagers. But I think the entire message goes much deeper than that. It's pretty obvious what this story is about, just by the title. But it's the way it is handled by Patty that makes it into such an interesting way to get the attention of anyone that could be affected by something like this. Now, as I mentioned above. This book is in no way bad, the story is something I feel that should be read and discussed because things like this do happen. Not just in fictional worlds but in your local schools too. And I think having it looked at in a book format targeted towards teens is a great way of trying to break through it.

I feel like the characters could be relateable for some people, but I just wasn't able to. I know Dan was only 13 when he committed his offense but I just never really found myself being able to feel completely sorry for him. I do think he changed throughout the story, and he did go through so much. I did feel a little sorry for him at times, but then you're reminded of everything he has done in his past and the lines kind of blur. I also really disliked "Kenny" who is Daniels 13 year old self inside his head that makes a lot of "Comments" throughout the story.. I just found that aspect of the story to be more annoying than enjoyable.

I was just really hoping for more I guess. While I think people can enjoy this book and that it does have a strong message, it just didn't really impress me as much as I was hoping it would. I just can't see myself giving this book more than three stars.. I don't know what I would of changed, if anything. I know I didn't care for the whole inside voice thing, and I would of really liked the characters to have more of a lasting impression, even Daniel. But that just didn't happen for me.

Send does have a good message though, and I do think there are people out there that can enjoy this book. I guess it all depends on what you enjoy. I usually enjoy books like this, but there was just something missing for me. But for you, it might all be there whenever you read it. So this one is a toss up for me, if it sounds like something you would enjoy reading then by all means go for it. It's a tough subject matter and Patty doesn't cut any corners when discussing it through her story. Just wish some things were a little different, could of been a much more enjoyable book in my opinion without taking away from the seriousness of the topics.(less)

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Dec 29, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-teen-books

"Send" is a well written and timely story about cyber-bullying and learning to live with consequences of actions you can never undo. Five years ago, Ken posted pictures of a classmate in his underpants from the locker room. The classmate killed himself and Ken was convicted of distributing kiddie porn since cyber-bullying laws were not available. He spent a terrifying and painful year in juvie. His name is on the sex offenders list and his family has moved multiple times since his release to avo...more

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Aug 14, 2012 ɑƨħŵɑɡ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Perfect Chemistry

Shelves: own-ebook, 220-in-2012, 52books-in-52weeks-2012, ya

3.5

Themes: Bullying and Suicide

I can't talk about this without mentioning a sentence that was the reason I had to finish this book...

You think saving this one is gonna make up for the one you killed?

Yes! It's a story of redemption (& I love those).

At 13, Kenneth made a choice a lot of kids his age choose for the sole reason of fun. Now fun can be dangerous and Kenneth Mele's life changed because of that. A simple act of pressing a button can have the horrible impact on someone else's life....more

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Dec 04, 2012 Blethering Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

We are in a new age of bullying. No longer seen by teachers or parents. Technology has taken over our lives and this allows bullies to get to their victims any time via mobiles, internet, and gaming, thus increasing incidents of ‘gang bullying’ where attacks can come from many others – who previously would not say anything – publicly on social networking sites, for example. Many people can now comment, laugh and join in the taunting without necessarily feeling like the traditional bully. This no...more We are in a new age of bullying. No longer seen by teachers or parents. Technology has taken over our lives and this allows bullies to get to their victims any time via mobiles, internet, and gaming, thus increasing incidents of ‘gang bullying’ where attacks can come from many others – who previously would not say anything – publicly on social networking sites, for example. Many people can now comment, laugh and join in the taunting without necessarily feeling like the traditional bully. This novel tackles this new type of bulling and shows the true destruction it causes. It shows the destruction it can cause to both the victims, their families and the bully.

Our protagonist Dan has a dark secret that he tries to hide but is unable to stay out of trouble when he takes it upon himself to look out for Brandon. Brandon is bullied relentlessly and Dan cannot just watch. Not this time.

Patty Blount has taken an interesting take on this novel by casting Dan as the protagonist – compared to more traditional bullying books where the victim is the protagonist. This is a striking idea and helps show the pain Dan goes through knowing that his partaking in cyber bullying pushed one kid over the edge to kill himself. Dan suffered. Dan is still suffering. This is why he can’t watch Brandon continue to go through hell without at least one friend at his side.

Being British means I do not know much about American High Schools except from what I have learned from watching TV and previous books. This book will be easier to read for Americans but is still very relevant for others. A book that teachers and parents must read to understand how things have changed. One for teens to read to learn from, to relate too, and to understand. To understand that there is no easy answers but there are better options.

Send has discussion questions that would be perfect in the classroom. A novel we can all learn from, written at an accessible level with many issues built into one. It deals primarily with bullying but also deals with grief, loss, punishment, mental illness, growth, love and many more.

A novel capturing the truly destructive nature of humanity but the healing nature of time and hindsight.Yet without discounting the scars time cannot heal.(less)

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Sep 14, 2012 Danni Potter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

When I first read the blurb about this book I was thinking a typical high school teenagers in love story.
It was nothing like that.
This has to be one of the most beautiful and emotionally moving books I've read in a very long time.
although it does has some very witty points within the story.
Another fantastic aspect of this storyline is that Patty Blount managed to cover many different moral and social taboo's, and I strongly believe that she addressed them perfectly.
I feel so emotionally drained...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Eileen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, contemporary, arc, romance, owned, young-adult, tour-stop, netgalley

Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

Send is an emotional roller coaster. As soon as I read the synopsis I knewthat I was in for one heck of a ride. For one, Send deals with darker, grittier subjects than a fluffy romance. It's not the instance where a boy meets a girl and they fall in love and ride off into the sunset. It's a lot realerthan that. This stuff happens, and honestly, I think Patty captured the topics discussed in Send extremely well. She didn't glos...more Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

Send is an emotional roller coaster. As soon as I read the synopsis I knew that I was in for one heck of a ride. For one, Send deals with darker, grittier subjects than a fluffy romance. It's not the instance where a boy meets a girl and they fall in love and ride off into the sunset. It's a lot realer than that. This stuff happens, and honestly, I think Patty captured the topics discussed in Send extremely well. She didn't gloss over the subjects mentioned, and she really did write a beautiful coming-of-age-type novel.

Dan, who used to be your classic bully, was such a dynamic character. I really felt for him and all he went through. Throughout Send, Dan has a metaphorical "shadow." His 13-year-old self is in his head and talks to him. Kind of creepy right? Some people could find this really bothersome but it made Dan all the more real. You don't walk away from nine months of juvie without a few scars. I loved how five years later he was still dealing with the aftermath of having gone through that traumatic experience. What I loved most about Dan was that he was a really kind soul. He was loyal and compassionate and a genuinely nice guy. I loved how Dan appeared to have a rough exterior, but on the inside all he wanted to do was protect his family and try to make amends for what he did five years ago to a poor twelve-year-old.

The romance between Dan and Julie was electrifying. It wasn't insta-love, it wasn't forced, it wasn't cheesy at all. It was real, just like the rest of Send. Send took its sweet time getting into the romance which in the end drove me mad because I really wanted to see the chemistry between Dan and Julie spark something really real, but it didn't happen because Patty developed the romance to the stage where the wasn't a thin strand of thread holding them together, but it was a thick cord of nylon rope that was bonding them together, which made the romance when it came so much more cherish-able.

Furthermore, the romance didn't dominate the novel. A lot of Send was about Dan's healing process, which I really enjoyed, and the romance was on the side as sort of like a light salad that was a nice break in between a heavy platter of pasta with a fatty sauce. That's what made the plot appealing. The romance made my heart pound and Dan's journey made my heart ache for him. I felt like Dan was a whole new person than when we first met him at the conclusion of Send, and although I felt like the ending was a little too rushed for me to fully be able to savor it, I still thought it was a great way to end the novel.

Emotional, dark, and real, this contemporary will not disappoint, especially if you like stories told in male perspectives, and a gritty story.

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Aug 14, 2012 Heather from NightlyReading rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow! This book was actually pretty powerful! I really admire the author for writing such a powerful book about a touchy subject. Bullying!!!

Daniel is an 18 year old boy with a very troubled past. He has a hard time trying to find the strength to forgive himself for the wrong that he has done and actually considers himself an awful person. He had done something terrible as a joke and it backfired on him to become a terrible tragedy. He was tried and served his time in a juvenile detention center....more Wow! This book was actually pretty powerful! I really admire the author for writing such a powerful book about a touchy subject. Bullying!!!

Daniel is an 18 year old boy with a very troubled past. He has a hard time trying to find the strength to forgive himself for the wrong that he has done and actually considers himself an awful person. He had done something terrible as a joke and it backfired on him to become a terrible tragedy. He was tried and served his time in a juvenile detention center.

The book starts off with Daniel going to a different school and his first day there. Right from the beginning he starts off on the wrong foot by getting into an altercation with another student. That is when he meets Julie. He thinks Julie is stunning, but cannot stand the fact that she just sat there while another person was being bullied. This leads to many problems between the two.

Now, this review would not be complete if I did not mention Kenny. Kenny is like Daniel’s alter ego. He is kind of like the little devil on the shoulder. He is a version of Daniel’s own self suspended in time at age 13. He lives inside Daniel’s head and only he can see or speak to him. There were many times that Kenny made me laugh out loud and he brought just the right amount of humor to this book.

I really enjoyed this book and felt sorrow for both Daniel and Julie. They had both been affected by bullying in two different ways, but, by the end, they were willing to stand up for what they believed in. I wish that it would be books like this that are read throughout middle schools across the country for students to actually see how much harm can be done from being a bully. Also, for the kids being bullied to understand that they should stand up for themselves and not succumb to the darkness that can eat away at them.

In closing, I thought that I would leave all of you with a few statistics:

1 out of 4 teens are bullied.
As many as 160,000 students stay home on any given day because they’re afraid of being bullied.
1/3 of students surveyed said they heard another student threaten to kill someone.
2 out of 3 say they know how to make a bomb, or know where to get the information to do it.
Playground statistics – Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention -4% Peer intervention – 11%. No intervention – 85%.

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Jan 07, 2013 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angst-a-plenty, best-covers-ever, death, deep-stuff, families-and-family-issues, makes-you-think, not-what-i-expected, read-in-a-day, super-trippy, young-adult-reads

This book was about *GASP* bullying.

Now, typically, I run screaming for the hills when I find a book about *GASP* bullying, but the back of this particular book about *GASP* bullying made it sound much more mysterious and delicious.

And it was pretty good; I enjoyed it. I ... I don't know if "enjoyed" is the right word... I appreciated the idea of "Kenny" in Dan's mind. But really, how did he not figure it out? That *SPOILER ALERT* is was the same Murphy's?

And WHAT was up with the end? It was th...more

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