Kevin Brooks is at the top of his YA game in this "provocative, suspenseful" (Booklist) novel. Now in a dynamic new Kevin Brooks repackaging!When J...
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Apr 30, 2011
jzhunagev
rated it: 
Love’s Another Drug
(A Book Review of Kevin Brooks’s Candy)
It’s hard to imagine life without Candy.
Addiction is a word most of us are familiar with and all of us have his/her vices, fixes we hanker for from time to time. But how powerful can an addiction be and how far can we go to satisfy this burning need?
Joe Beck is your average fifteen-year-old teen living a comfortable life in the suburbs of London; he gets by in his school studies and cares pretty m More...
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May 21, 2010
Kristina
rated it: 
Candy, LOVE is Dangerous.
Brooks, Kevin
PUSH, 2007
This gripping and provocative love novel basically falls under the genre of teen fiction. With unstoppable and naive romance, Kevin Brooks (author) portrays your typical boy-girl scenario attracting the attention of adolescent readers/audiences.
"I just cant see myself without her. About the best I can manage is the last half hour before we met, when I was just still a boy. I was innocent then." Joe Beck More...
Brooks, Kevin
PUSH, 2007
This gripping and provocative love novel basically falls under the genre of teen fiction. With unstoppable and naive romance, Kevin Brooks (author) portrays your typical boy-girl scenario attracting the attention of adolescent readers/audiences.
"I just cant see myself without her. About the best I can manage is the last half hour before we met, when I was just still a boy. I was innocent then." Joe Beck More...
25 comments
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Jan 12, 2009
Jaemi
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jan 23, 2011
Phillip
rated it:
Have you ever wonder what life was if it was filled with drugs and a combination of a deadly love? If you did, then this book is right for you. In this book, the main character Joe falls in love with a prostitute named Candy and his whole life is flipped upside down. This book is filled with a lot of detailed plot and brings you into a mystery world of drug lords and prostitutes.
Joe struggles with life after he met Candy and seems to fall deeply for her doing things he would never do b More...
Joe struggles with life after he met Candy and seems to fall deeply for her doing things he would never do b More...
Aug 02, 2010
Ev
rated it:
Kevin Brooks is a great writer who captures the reality of life in his books. Candy is a perfect example of that. In today’s society many teenagers end up at the bottom of existence, whether it was their choice or not. This is very provocative and suspenseful story about two teenagers that simply feel in love.
However, nothing is simple about their love. Candy’s troubled life brings down completely Joe’s simple yet empty life. When the reader follows the story of those two teens, he c More...
However, nothing is simple about their love. Candy’s troubled life brings down completely Joe’s simple yet empty life. When the reader follows the story of those two teens, he c More...
Jun 02, 2010
Crystal
rated it:
Crystal sosa
805
June 2nd 2010
Ms.Galang
Candy by Kevin Brooks was a book that made you want to read more. It took two characters that live two completely different lives from one another and intertwined them into one story. A story filled with a passionate love. Although they may be different in the ways of living they do share one thing in common there affection for one another. Candy is a prostitute who is addicted to heroine and is involved with violence; on the other ha More...
805
June 2nd 2010
Ms.Galang
Candy by Kevin Brooks was a book that made you want to read more. It took two characters that live two completely different lives from one another and intertwined them into one story. A story filled with a passionate love. Although they may be different in the ways of living they do share one thing in common there affection for one another. Candy is a prostitute who is addicted to heroine and is involved with violence; on the other ha More...
May 16, 2010
ØrionSof2014
rated it:
I thought this book was very powerful and well written. This book is about a teenage boy named Joe who meets a heroin addicted girl named Candy. Candy likes Joe but Joe is attached to her. Joe will do anything for Candy even if it means risking his own life. Joe wants to protect Candy from all the bad things in the world, there are to many things for Joe to try to stop. He try's to get Candy to stop using Heroin and he try's to stop Candy from having a pimp.
I can make a text to world conne More...
I can make a text to world conne More...
Apr 30, 2010
Jessica
rated it:
Candy by Kevin Brooks is about a young man in Liverpool, England who one day meets this girl who seems to actually be a hooker. She works for her pimp to get heroin, an addictive drug that many people would die for. As sweet as she is, she is on a tight leach with her pimp. After this young man falls in love with this girl named Candy, he gets involved with her life a little bit too much, and feels that he can save her. He has to try to get her away from her pimp. He has to try to make her stop
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Apr 09, 2010
Summary
Joe, a white, upper-middle class, suburban Englander, and Candy, a young, white, teen prostitute meet briefly in the London Underground and share a quick meal at McDonalds, until it is interrupted by Candy’s angry pimp, Iggy. Joe, whose own life is run of the mill and uneventful, can’t stop thinking about Candy, and her exciting life and mesmerizing aura, for weeks. Joe writes a song about her and performs it, and tells his sister and her boyfriend all about her. Joe goes to g More...
Joe, a white, upper-middle class, suburban Englander, and Candy, a young, white, teen prostitute meet briefly in the London Underground and share a quick meal at McDonalds, until it is interrupted by Candy’s angry pimp, Iggy. Joe, whose own life is run of the mill and uneventful, can’t stop thinking about Candy, and her exciting life and mesmerizing aura, for weeks. Joe writes a song about her and performs it, and tells his sister and her boyfriend all about her. Joe goes to g More...
Apr 06, 2010
Christine
rated it:
Candy is about a teenager named Joe Beck who was raised in a single-parent family. He met a girl named Candy at a train station in London, and became in love with her, but then he soon figured that Candy was not just a ordinary girl. She had a dark life full of violence, sex, and drugs. Because of how deeply Joe was in love with her, he is willing to save Candy from her dark life and her pimp"Iggy" before any other conflict starts to happen.
Candy would not be the only girl More...
Candy would not be the only girl More...
May 27, 2009
Book Review
This book is basically about a boy named Joe who lets us follow his journey as he tries to get the girl he has fallen for named Candy. Joe saw a pretty girl and that she was perfect but came to realize that there was to Candy then he thought; she was a prostitute who had a drug problem and was controlled by a terrifying pimp. Even though Joe knew that Candy was not what he expected he still really liked her and was intrigued by her. I really understood what the author Kevin B More...
This book is basically about a boy named Joe who lets us follow his journey as he tries to get the girl he has fallen for named Candy. Joe saw a pretty girl and that she was perfect but came to realize that there was to Candy then he thought; she was a prostitute who had a drug problem and was controlled by a terrifying pimp. Even though Joe knew that Candy was not what he expected he still really liked her and was intrigued by her. I really understood what the author Kevin B More...
Dec 15, 2011
Haleyehs
rated it:
"Candy" Book Review
Have you felt a “connection” with someone and don’t know how to deal with it? Well if you do, you are in the same position as Joe. He has no idea what to say to Candy when he first meets her. She is so beautiful and he thought of himself as dorky and awkward.
The book “Candy” is about a young boy, Joe who’s very quiet and polite. And then there’s Candy, who is very loud but polite as well. When they met, Joe was didn’t know what to say to her and was outsp More...
Have you felt a “connection” with someone and don’t know how to deal with it? Well if you do, you are in the same position as Joe. He has no idea what to say to Candy when he first meets her. She is so beautiful and he thought of himself as dorky and awkward.
The book “Candy” is about a young boy, Joe who’s very quiet and polite. And then there’s Candy, who is very loud but polite as well. When they met, Joe was didn’t know what to say to her and was outsp More...
Oct 02, 2010
Erin
rated it:
Um, I don't really know what to say about this book. I have mixed feelings about whether I liked it or not. Okay, I did like it , but at the same time I thought it was kind of pointless and pretty predictable. The main thing I hated about the book was its ending - one that didn't really resolve anything, which probably would've changed this entire review.
But let's get down into the basics: This book was a quick-paced read and the beginning towards the middle cut were pretty BORING an More...
But let's get down into the basics: This book was a quick-paced read and the beginning towards the middle cut were pretty BORING an More...
Jan 11, 2012
Michelle
rated it:
Candy was compelling, in more ways than one. The dark details of a girl that had once been wealthy & happy, now dragged into the underworld - it was unlike any story I have ever come across before. Kevin Brooks did a fine job on writing the vivid affection that Joe felt for Candy; and though the chapters were simple, each word struck tight of emotion and meaning.
As Candy's story and true nature was unfolded through Joe's point of view, it drew my interest in finding out who Candy rea More...
As Candy's story and true nature was unfolded through Joe's point of view, it drew my interest in finding out who Candy rea More...
Apr 08, 2010
cheyenne
rated it:
the plot in this book was a boy name Joe. Meet's a girl and falls for her. And her name is Candy. And every since he saw her his life has been changing like crazy. He gets grounded and sneak's out of the house. And has his sister call the school and say he's sick so he can meet up with Candy. At the zoo and they hang out there all day long. he risk's his life for Candy.
I can connect to this book becuase when he first met Candy. He was confused on where to go. And Candy asked him if he ne More...
I can connect to this book becuase when he first met Candy. He was confused on where to go. And Candy asked him if he ne More...
Oct 04, 2010
Laura-Blaise
rated it:
I read this book when I was thirteen, again when I was sixteen and the third time just a little while ago, after I turned eighteen, and somehow, still, it sinks into my veins and leaves me wanting more, leaves me breathless as if for the first time. The epitome of the 'coming of age/first love' theme, it encapulates the poignant feelings and the rabid passion of experiencing danger, love, loss and lonliness for the first time. Joe Beck, the main protaginist, is, unusually I find, though not for
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Oct 26, 2010
Stevecrandell
rated it:
Candy is not a horror story, but it’s not sugar sweet either. This book is scary on many levels. There were scenes when I couldn’t help but peek a page forward – just a glance – to get some hint of who might get hurt and how.
It was scary to read how messed up Candy was. And for me, as a parent of teenagers, it was very scary to see how a normal high schooler like Joe could get swept up into such danger. He never gives up his place as wholesome innocent victim. And he’s definitely ou More...
It was scary to read how messed up Candy was. And for me, as a parent of teenagers, it was very scary to see how a normal high schooler like Joe could get swept up into such danger. He never gives up his place as wholesome innocent victim. And he’s definitely ou More...
Nov 09, 2011
Rachel
rated it: 
meh...it took me an extremely long time to get through this (*gasp* I had to return it LATE to the library, astonishing I know) and that's coming from the girl who reads novels like it's an Olympic sport. Part of the reason is because of how Kevin Brooks writes, I swear if I read the words 'it was...I don't know, so much.' I WILL scream. You are a WRITER, for the book's sake get some dang adjectives! Plus, personally I don't like books where nothing really happens, and I mean things happen but n
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Sep 12, 2010
Oscar
rated it:
I LOVED this book it has to have had one of the biggest impact on my life out of all the books I ever read! When I first saw this book laying around my house I though eh probably some predictable boring teenage girl book I am happy to say that I was proven very wrong. This book starts of with a boy ignorant to the world in fact I am able to relate to him alot he reminds me of how I was as a freshman in high school. Then he meets a girl not just any girl though, but candy. She turns his world ARO
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Jun 05, 2011
Juliajulciap
rated it: 
It was good, till the ending. In my opinion it ended so randomly, it went down hill at the part when Candy is going through withdrawal. I enjoyed the aspect of Joe's odd obsession for Candy, and I believed that the book would develop into something really awesome. I wish I did not even finish the book because the last little bit was just aweful ruined the whole thing for me, and it seemed as though the authour just wanted to wrap it up. The ending just did not make sense and left me completely u
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Dec 03, 2008
Ying
rated it:
Candy is a good book that takes you into the dark underground world of London where prostitutes, pimps, and drug lords live. Enter Joe Beck, a young boy with a lump on his arm and a black hat on his head who considers him normal and pretty much a loser. Until he meets Candy. Candy is the opposite of what he's used to. Beautiful, purposeful, and fascinating, she becomes Joe's obsession and the love of his life. But there are so many things Joe doesn't know about Candy that he starts to piece toge
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Jan 21, 2008
Bowtee
rated it:
Everyone's always ranting about how this book is so great. It let me down SO much. Kevin Brooks does this thing where he leads to a conclusion in the end but doesn't explain it because the character never seems to care. It works in some of his books like Being or The road of the dead, but i honestly didn't like this one.
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(2 people liked it)
Mar 08, 2011
Angelica
rated it:
Candy was just a simple book i got of the self. Turned out to be an amazing book! Started with Joe being at the train station when he first meets a bueatiful girl named Candy.She was just standing staring at him.Joe feel deep for this girl, he ditched school just to be with her.HE helped candy stop her addictions with drugs.Her prostitustion and working with Iggy which was her pimp.Even though Joe helped her it didnt turn out to be how he wanted it.
As i read the book i could picture it al More...
As i read the book i could picture it al More...
Sep 18, 2010
Eileen
rated it:
Three words: drug-addicted prostitute. Need I say more?
Poor Joe never suspects that a simple doctor's visit will end up being a turning point in his life. Joe, a nice boy from a nice family, suddenly finds himself plunged into a world of drugs, crime, and prostitution when he gets involved with Candy. Meeting Candy as she hangs out in the train station, Joe falls for her right away. He's absolutely crazy about her. Does it make sense? Of course not, but those things never do. Soon Ca More...
Poor Joe never suspects that a simple doctor's visit will end up being a turning point in his life. Joe, a nice boy from a nice family, suddenly finds himself plunged into a world of drugs, crime, and prostitution when he gets involved with Candy. Meeting Candy as she hangs out in the train station, Joe falls for her right away. He's absolutely crazy about her. Does it make sense? Of course not, but those things never do. Soon Ca More...
Jan 06, 2011
Jordyn
rated it:
This book was very good. Every time I had to put it down, it kept me thinking what was going to happen next. Joe and Candy, the main characters, meet each other at a station in London. Joe falls inlove with this beautiful girl, but later on finds out that she is a prostitute and her pimp is big and scary. They go on a date or two and begin to really like eachother. One night, when Joe's band, The Katies, performs Candy goes to his show. Later that night, Candy goes missing from the stage. Her pi
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Jun 10, 2010
Adzua
rated it:
The book Candy is about a boy named Joe. When JOe first meets Candy he falls hard for her. Until he finds about her secret life. NOw Joe is desperatley trying to save her and help her escape. Now Joe is intwined in Candy's life going through all sorts off lengths to save her from her dark and cruel world. But does she want to be saved?
I can connect this book to the real world.This is because everyone always has a dirty secret,with someone is always trying to help. They just want to s More...
I can connect this book to the real world.This is because everyone always has a dirty secret,with someone is always trying to help. They just want to s More...
Dec 21, 2011
Donut
rated it:
This was a very intense story about an average Joe (literally his name was Joe) who got himself into a very complicated situation because of an addiction. He wasn't addicted to drugs per se, but he was addicted to fiendish and feisty girl named Candy, who also had traditional middle-class roots. Unfortunately, she was swept into a life chock full of drugs and prostitution. Joe wanted a better life for her and was convinced he could find a way to make that possible. He does have an immense effect
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Dec 05, 2011
Hannah
rated it:
When I first started reading I was a little confused about what was happening, a little like Joe I guess, because neither of us realised for a while that Candy was actually a prostitute. (I don't often read the synopsis, so please forgive me!) I think for both of us it helped us see Candy first as a real person, and not as the label 'prostitute'. To some degree I guess it also made me see why Joe might have fallen for Candy despite her situation.
The middle of the story slowed down fo More...
The middle of the story slowed down fo More...
Nov 14, 2011
Nicole
rated it:
Candy is a young adult novel about a young boy named Joe from the English suburbs who on a trip to London meets a girl named Candy. Joe soon learns Candy is not all that she seems to be, but is in reality a heroin-addict prostitute. As a result Joe does all he can to help her, at the risk of infuriating her pimp Iggy.
I was given this by a friend one afternoon when I had no book with me for the train ride home and for a young adult novel, it deals with some pretty complex issues, drug a More...
I was given this by a friend one afternoon when I had no book with me for the train ride home and for a young adult novel, it deals with some pretty complex issues, drug a More...
