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I Will Save You

by Matt de la Pena (Goodreads Author)

4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 · rating details · 498 ratings · 138 reviews

Kidd is running from his past and his future. No mom, no dad, and there’s nothing for him at the group home but therapy. He doesn’t belong at the beach where he works either, unless he finds a reason to stay.

Olivia is blond hair, blue eyes, rich dad. The prettiest girl in Cardiff. She’s hiding something from Kidd—but could they ever be together anyway?

Devon is mean, myster...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published October 12th 2010 by Delacorte Press

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Apr 26, 2012 Angelica Perez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever been afraid of someone, tried to fight them off but they continue to come back, only to find out that it is yourself that you are trying to get away from?

Kidd is a young teen with a difficult past. He had an abusive father who's actions caused his mother to commit suicide right in front of him. Kidd was sent to Horizons a mental illness home for depression and post traumatic stress. During his stay at Horizons Kidd meets a man named Mr.Red who essentially became a father figure fo...more Have you ever been afraid of someone, tried to fight them off but they continue to come back, only to find out that it is yourself that you are trying to get away from?

Kidd is a young teen with a difficult past. He had an abusive father who's actions caused his mother to commit suicide right in front of him. Kidd was sent to Horizons a mental illness home for depression and post traumatic stress. During his stay at Horizons Kidd meets a man named Mr.Red who essentially became a father figure for Kidd. Mr.Red offered Kidd a summer job at a beach in Cardiff and Kidd decided to leave Horizons and take the job offer. When Kidd starts his job in Cardiff he meets a beautiful young woman named Olivia. Olivia becomes everything and the only thing that Kidd wants. She is his definition of love and her love is the only thing he wants. However a boy named Devon makes Kidd's task of winning Olivia more difficult. Devon is a boy who lives off of the thrill of danger and the rush of death, he is a rebel and loves to get into trouble, to him the best way to live is to live on the edge. Kidd is warned by his counselors at Horizons to stay away from Devon because he always gets them both in trouble and puts him in danger. Devon is consistent and will do anything to get Kidd to follow his ways. One day Kidd finds Devon talking to Olivia on a cliff by the beach, Devon smirks at Kidd and that's all it took. Kidd had to save Olivia from Devon so he attacked him and took them both crashing into the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Kidd wakes up and finds himself strapped up in confinement where he daydreams about Olivia and reflects on his past. This is when Kidd realizes who Devon really is and why it was so difficult to fight him off.

Kidd is a young man who had a difficult childhood. He was stuck with a crazy father and a mother who shot herself right in front of him. Kidd went years believing his mother did not love him because she shot herself. He was put in a center for his post traumatic stress and his depression. Kidd struggles making the right decisions, he has two sides one that wants him to do the right things and one that tells him to do the wrong things and that tells him his life is not worth living. He is a young man with a good heart he just needs help realizing it. He needs help fighting off his demands.

Matt de la Pena is a debut novelist. He is the author of "Mexican whiteboy" which is based off of his life as a Mexican American. Matt is from San Diego and studied at San Diego State University. He is a young author who writes for young audiences.

I absolutely loved this book. The creativity of the story line was both suspenseful and emotional. I enjoy books that allow for character analysis, and this book definitely forces an analysis of each character to grasp an understanding of what is going on. The book is really difficult to follow and it took me a while to understand the way that it is written but it was still a very good read because it made me think more than I normally would while reading. If you like books with mind blowing twist then this book you would definitely enjoy it, it really gives you a run for your money.

At one point in the book Devon takes Kidd to the beach with him to look for trouble. Devon goes up to a group of young teens and starts trouble with them. Kidd tries everything he can to stop Devon from fighting and arguing with these teens about the meaning of life and the fact that "poor" people are looked down upon, but no matter how hard he tries Devon continues with his rant. Eventually Devon pulls out a gun and points it at the teens, this is when Kidd starts to really get scared and starts yelling at Devon to put the gun down. Devon starts going crazy and then puts the gun to his own head he tells the teens to run so they left. Devon then starts laughing and Kidd looks at him confused. He points the gun at Kidd and pulls the trigger.. all that came out was water. Kidd is relieved but angry and Devon thinks its all just fun in games he gets a thrill out of all of it.

The theme of this book is understanding yourself and who you are. Kidd struggles with himself he is trapped in his own mind with demands that force him to believe in the wrong things and to do the wrong things. No matter how bad it gets its important that we never give up on fighting the worst in ourselves. Unfortunately Kidd fights but he doesn't fight hard enough and his other half gets the best of him, but sometimes that is what it takes. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to start fresh. Kidd hit rock bottom literally, and that's what it took for him to let go of his bad side. (less)

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Jun 06, 2013 Enrique Macias rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is about a kid that has been through a lot of bad stuff and want to go far away from everyone. This books starts in a way in the end but it goes like serious and talk about memories and dreams that he had . Kidd was abusive father then his mother murders his father and commits suicide. After that Kidd was send to a group called Horizon. Horizon is a program for kids that had no other place to go or they been abusive by other people. Kid only trust his best friend name Devon but they t...more This book is about a kid that has been through a lot of bad stuff and want to go far away from everyone. This books starts in a way in the end but it goes like serious and talk about memories and dreams that he had . Kidd was abusive father then his mother murders his father and commits suicide. After that Kidd was send to a group called Horizon. Horizon is a program for kids that had no other place to go or they been abusive by other people. Kid only trust his best friend name Devon but they told hum that he shouldn't trust him because he was a bad influence. Kidd runs away from Horizon and he goes to the beach and works on Cardiff for a man named Mr. Red. Mean while he thinks he doesn't belong in the beach with everyone and he doesn't find a reason to stay so his planning to go far away from everyone. He thinks that if he does leave no one it's going to notice that he left. One summer day at that beach he sees that most beautiful girl from the whole world. She is blond hair, blue eyes and she has a rich dad name Olivia. When he sees her he gets a feeling inside him telling him that he should stay no matter what.

In my personal opinion I don't really like romantic book , you can called this romantic in a way because he does anything to stay with Olivia no matter what. I think i kind of like this book it was worth it reading because I respect what Kidd did knowing that he doesn't have parents or no one he fights for what he loves and that all you need when you don't have no one by your side. I learn from this book that you shouldn't give up in life or for what you think its worth it fight because at that end your going to realize that it worth it of doing it. It doesn't really have to be about love to fight it could be a lot of things , it doesn't matter if you had the worst past ever or if you alone in this world if you fallow for what you believe you could do anything in life. If you don't let no one put you down you can establish in a lot of ways.

I recommend this book because you might been through what kidd did when he was a kid. If you been through a lot when you were little and you think that your life it's not worth it anymore because you don't have no one by your side anymore or you might think that you don't matter to no one. Well your wrong because kidd went through a lot of stuff and once he found something to life for he did't let no one bring him down because once you have the though in your mind it's stronger than anything in this world. You should read this book because it might open your eyes or help you in life. It might give you an experience from someone else that been through your steps and you might learn how not to give up in life cause life it's short and you only live once so if you were born it was made so you could not give up even if things go wrong at first. I don't want to really tell you a lot about this book cause then it wont be no point so if you want to see how kidd didn't give up and fought for what he love then you should read this book(less)

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Apr 25, 2013 Fred Merino added it

The book I Will Save You by Matt De La Pena is about a boy named Kidd. Kidd has had a bad past from an abusive father then his mother murders his father and commits suicide. After such extreme events Kidd was sent to Horizon. Horizon is a group home for kids with mental illness and who have post traumatic stress. While at Horizon he befriends a boy named Devon. Devon is the only person he trusts but his therapist said that Devon is only a bad influence and they should not be friends. Kidd ends u...more The book I Will Save You by Matt De La Pena is about a boy named Kidd. Kidd has had a bad past from an abusive father then his mother murders his father and commits suicide. After such extreme events Kidd was sent to Horizon. Horizon is a group home for kids with mental illness and who have post traumatic stress. While at Horizon he befriends a boy named Devon. Devon is the only person he trusts but his therapist said that Devon is only a bad influence and they should not be friends. Kidd ends up running away to start working at a beach campsite in Cardiff for a man named Mr. Red. Kidd likes Mr. Red a lot and looks up to him. He ends up meeting a girl named Olivia and he thinks she is so perfect and beautiful and he instantly falls in love with her. Towards the middle of the summer Kidd gets an surprised visit by Devon. He is very shocked to see him after years and they continue to be best friends like how they use to be. Devon tries to show Kidd that all rich people are bad but its up backfiring and Kidd doesn't want to see Devon anymore. Devon decides to go for what Kidd loves the most, Olivia.

I think this book was very good and I enjoyed reading it a lot. At first when I was reading it I thought it would be a boring book because it started off pretty slow and I was going to choose another book to read but it began to pick up. After a couple if chapters I could barely put the book down I didn't want to stop reading because I was so into it and wanted to know what was going to happen next. The author use very strong and vivid words in describing the story and I felt as if I was in the book with all the characters. In the book there was some confusing parts. Towards the end I was getting confused because I couldn't really follow what was going on. What I didn't understand was the beginning and the end it seem like the perspective changed from one character to a different one even though it was the same scene.

This is a good book to read if you like to read books with action but also some romantic parts. In the book there are a lot of scenes with some fighting and stealing but there are also scenes with the characters being romantic and all that type of stuff. This book is also just and overall great book to read no matter what kind of books you like because there is so much in it and it is very suspenseful that will keep you on the end of your seat wanting to read more and more.(less)

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Jan 05, 2013 Mrs. Featherbottom rated it 5 of 5 stars

I Will Save You is another really strong one by Matt de la Pena. The only weak part for me whatsoever is the title because it gives me Nicholas Sparks-ian vibes such that if I didn't already know and love the author's other work, I'd maybe dismiss this as some generic romance novel and never think to check it out. That said, I hope other people are more open-minded than me and give it a shot because it's genuinely great.

I figured out what was going on with the main character before the reveal bu...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Claudia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-book-challenge-160-books, ya-books

Every book de la Pena writes is stronger and more original and more amazing. Ryan, one of my students who's read every one of his books brought it back (finally) and wouldn't tell me the twist, just that there is a huge twist. He was so impressed.

So, I did what I do...I read the ending. It absolutely did NOT ruin the book for me. If anything, it allowed me to read for the clues, and they're there. De la Pena has a master's control over every facet of this story. It's told in flashback (we know f...more

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May 06, 2012 Cassie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I seriously loved this book! I cried at the end. The emotional and psychological aspects of it was chilling. I could also relate to it a lot. The story was so good, and I loved the twist at the end. I was absolutely shocked. I never expected the ending to be the way it did. Although I did know some of it already since I peeked at the end but that's just me. I found it so sweet that Kidd was trying to protect Olivia, their love was truly touching :) I think that the Devon side of him was basicall...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Anastasia (At Bookish) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Okay, so I had to read this book for a book group at my library. We only have to read fifty pages of a book if we don't like it, and I normally abide by that rule, because I don't really like a lot of books we read. Originally reading the summary for this, I was not too excited. Even reading it, I didn't really get to excited or caught up in it.

This book is very serious, and isn't for the type of people (mostly girls, I will admit) who like the nice, fluffy, cute stuff. Kidd has to deal with a...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Dana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-literature

"Everybody has a way they see the world" (21) - Mr. Red

"You should always tell the truth to people you care about, even if they won't like what they hear" (29). - Kidd

"...my skin felt warm and even though I hadn't eaten all day it felt like I'd never be hungry again" (53). - Kidd where upon seeing Olivia for the first time

"I thought how if two people see the same thing, at the exact same time, their minds probably store the same memory, even way into the future, and that's something in common" (...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Paula Griffith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guy-reads

Kidd has lived a traumatic life with a father who has beaten him and his mother. When his mother is driven to commit suicide, Kidd is placed at Horizons where he can get the counseling he needs for depression and post traumatic stress syndrome. It is at Horizons that he meets Red, the caretaker of a campground and former surfer. Kidd leaves Horizons to seek out Red and take him up on his offer of a summer job; however, Kidd is not able to leave his demons behind, and soon Devon finds him. The co...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

No one would wish for the life that Kidd Ellison has grown up with. His father was abusive, and his mother could not seem to find away to keep him safe. This ultimately led to him being in a group home called Horizons. It is there that he met Red, a former surfing star who would come to Horizons to help out a bit.

After some time, Red reaches a point where he wanted to offer to have Kidd come and join him in Cardiff, where he works as a campground maintenance man. The managers of Horizons did not...more No one would wish for the life that Kidd Ellison has grown up with. His father was abusive, and his mother could not seem to find away to keep him safe. This ultimately led to him being in a group home called Horizons. It is there that he met Red, a former surfing star who would come to Horizons to help out a bit.

After some time, Red reaches a point where he wanted to offer to have Kidd come and join him in Cardiff, where he works as a campground maintenance man. The managers of Horizons did not think that Kidd was ready to leave the facility. Some of that has to do with the company he keeps. His best friend Devon tends to get in a lot of trouble. This includes a number of suicide attempts.

Kidd finally reaches the point where he feels that he needs to runaway. He finds himself in Cardiff and starts to settle into a happy medium with work and friendship with Red. He also meets a girl named Olivia, and the two start to form a friendship that quickly develops into something more. She has her own secrets, which she hides under a ski cap.

All seems to be going well until Devon pops back into Kidd's life. Old problems, such as shoplifting and getting into fights, start happening once again. Kidd is not sure that he wants to return back to those old ways, though, because he has finally found happiness. Their friendship becomes even more of a problem when Devon starts threatening Olivia. What is Kidd going to have to do to get Devon out of his life so he can live up to the new dreams. He is coming right up to a precipice, and someone is going to have to go over.

I have quickly grown to like de la Pena and his books, which often do a wonderful job of exploring the dark underworld in which some teens find themselves. Right and wrong are not always clear, but getting a better understanding of the individual can help. From the beginning of the book, where we find Kidd stuck in solitary confinement after he has pushed Devon off a cliff, the reader is very much confused. That turns out to be most appropriate, as Kidd brings the reader through the events that led up to his current situation.

Kidd is a very sympathetic character. The reader truly wants to see him overcome his troubled life, which is fully explored and explained as he tells the tale. This is accomplished through simple narration that is periodically interrupted with entries from a journal he has kept to explain to himself the important things about his life. The story slowly builds and culminates in a big climax and an ending with a twist that is really a breakthrough for Kidd, though I am not sure that most readers will be surprised.

The title takes on complex multiple meanings when considering who the You and the I are as well as what it means to be truly saved. This would make a for a great discussion title, and it is also a great examination of mental illness and the effects of abuse in the home.(less)

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Jan 01, 2011 Diane Mankowski rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guy-reads, ya

The story begins with the end-of-summer specatular silver-shimmering California beach scene brought on by the grunnion fish riding the waves to shore. Moments after the beach turns silver, one boy shoves another off the cliff, to what surely must be his death.

Kidd tries desperately to escape his tragic past and genetic death drive, beginning with running away from Horizon-the place he's lived and received therapy since his mother killed his father and turned the gun on herself. Leaving Horizon,...more

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May 24, 2013 ʟʏʀıc =^-^= {buʟʟeт-pʀoof} rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourite

Can I explain my love for this book?

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Kidd is spending his summer at the beach. He'd do anything to get away from his group home and the dark memories there of his past.
He's working as a caretaker at the campsite, and he'd be blind if he didn't notice Olivia. Blond hair, blue eyes, rich dad. The prettiest girl in Cardiff. He might even have a chance with her, too. Until Devon appears.
Kidd's best friend followed him all the way to the beach. And he's not leaving until he teaches him a few...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

While at the library I judged this book totally by it's cover and am I glad it did! I'd never heard of Matt de la Pena or his work, but after reading this I would be honored to find more.

I Will Save You is about a confused 17 year old boy named Kidd that's dealt some hard knocks and who tries to make sense out of them while building a life for himself. On a journey to discover his self worth he develops a few life changing relationships.

The material is dark and real which I found attractive. To...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Ringo The Cat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction, young-adult, ya

Review published on http://ringothecat.wordpress.com/

Kidd Ellison has the worst of lives. Away from the mental facility Horizons where he ended up after his mother killed herself (after she killed her abusive husband), he now lives in a tent on the beach, employed by Mr Red. In I Will Save You Matt de la Peña plays with narrative timelines as the reader has to figure out the links between Kidd and Olivia, Kidd and Mr Red, and especially Kidd and Devon, a guy Kidd met at Horizons but who now also...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Alissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Painfully real, raw, emotional. Fight Club-esque, in a less mature way.

Kidd and Devon are both great, complex characters. They first come off as one-dimensional, but develop later on in the story. Another character, Mr. Red, is great. If anything, I'd say he develops most. At first you're not sure what his deal is, or why he's such a prevalent character, but by the end it all makes sense. He's one of the better adult characters in a YA book that I've come across. Unfortunately these positives d...more

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Nov 16, 2010 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

I so loved de la Pena's first book Ball Don't Lie that my goodwill has carried over, though his last three books have not been nearly as good. This one sounds like it should be all tense and dramatic. It opens with a murder, and focuses on Kidd, a deeply psychologically scarred teen who ends up in a group home after his mother's death. He runs away from the home and ends up working maintenance at a campsite on the California coast. There are lots of interesting elements here - the after effect...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Haylee rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like realistic fiction and creepy stories

Shelves: favorites

Man, I don't dare look at the other book reviews because I know I'll be pissed if I see anyone trash on this book. This was one of the most amazing books I've ever read. So amazing I can't really do a good review on it.

The writing style was so... weird, especially because it's from Kidd's perspective. I love how he's so non-judgmental. It made me really fall in love with his character. If I was a character in that book I'd definitely want to be his friend. <3

The reading was slow in some parts...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Evan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Matt de la Peña's I WILL SAVE YOU contains some precise and fantastic emotional moments, particularly between Kidd and his mother. A great cast of characters helps move this book along at a rapid pace, leading the reader through a journey of recovery that's also one of destruction.

I enjoyed Kidd's narrative voice, but the banter between he and Mr. Red made the strongest impact. In fact, I'd argue Mr. Red is the hidden gem of this book, (though perhaps I say that because I'm not a teen reader and...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Gail rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 25, 2012 laaaaames rated it 4 of 5 stars

HOLY EFFING CRAP, DE LA PENA.

So I know I'm not unusual--checking out other reviews here--for not loving this right away. It took me FOREVS to really get going. But once I did, I was sucked in, and I was racing to see just how bad things got.

BUT THEN THE ENDING BLEW MY EFFING MIND WHAT. WHAT!

I love the main characters in de la Pena's books. He is so great at piecing together vulnerability and anger and fear and hope. In this book there's so many heartbreaking moments--with the book's structure an...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Georgia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I bought I Will Save You on the recommendation of the amazing A.S. King. She told me it was one of the best books she had read all year so of course I had to get it. And I am so glad she mentioned it because this book was great. Truly.

In I Will Save You, It doesn’t take long to figure out that some SERIOUS stuff goes down. This book starts at the end, and then goes back to tell the story in a series of memories, and dreams. Within the first few pages I was completely hooked.

I quickly fell in lov...more I bought I Will Save You on the recommendation of the amazing A.S. King. She told me it was one of the best books she had read all year so of course I had to get it. And I am so glad she mentioned it because this book was great. Truly.

In I Will Save You, It doesn’t take long to figure out that some SERIOUS stuff goes down. This book starts at the end, and then goes back to tell the story in a series of memories, and dreams. Within the first few pages I was completely hooked.

I quickly fell in love with Kidd. He has had a very rough, very troubled life. And he has a sweetness about him that is almost palpable. He is easy to love. You want all the best for him because he has had such a rough go of it, and he is so likable you just want him to succeed. Kid has a simple wisdom, that at times is VERY profound. As I read further into the book I began to see that there is a darkness in his past. It hints at things I didn’t want to think about, and didn’t want to be true because like I said before Kidd deserves the best.

The friendship and growing relationship between Kidd and Olivia was a treat to read. A slow and realistic relationship between 2 people who are experiencing something for the first time. Olivia, who comes from a completely different background than Kidd but for the summer the lines between their differences are blurred.

Devon… As soon as he showed up I knew things are going to get bad. But I really had NO idea how bad. I just knew he was bad news. And boy was he!

Mr. Red. Lovable, kind, flawed, a little broken and rough around the edges. He is a bit of a player, but so good hearted I just adored him. The way he takes Kidd under his wings made me go all soft inside. The world needs more people with big hearts like Mr. Red.

I Will Save You had some MAJOR twists and turns. I promise you will be knocked down flat by the major twist at the end. At one point I thought I knew what was happening and even though I kinda figured out some things, I was still just shocked. In a good way. I won’t say much more about the book because really in order to fully appreciate it, I think its best to not get too many details and let it all unfold as you read. I will say one last thing though, well played Mr. de la Pena. Well played.
(less)

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Mar 15, 2011 Mady Andrews rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is a little hard to understand sometimes. Although, it's also a good book! It's about a misunderstood guy named Kidd that is very outspoken. He has family problems and has a good friend that is very mysterious. His friend, Devin, is outspoken as well but he's definitely a mystery to every one and can tend to be a bully. A lot of the book is about Kidd telling the story of his life and how he found Olivia. So it's partially a love story but it also has a lot of action packed parts. Also...more

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May 13, 2013 BSHS.book.Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

I wanted to give this book 4 stars, but I just couldn't because I am not the intended audience for this novel. This is a strong book by de la Pena. I found insightful quotes, edgy moments of realization for both the reader and the main character. The characters were endearing and far from cliche. The realism in the book makes it a perfect choice for many of my high school students, especially the male readers. (For me, the realism was a bit much... I guess I read to escape more, and this book co...more

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Jun 05, 2013 Lena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, young-adult

Holy crap. Where do I start?

First of all, it's almost midnight and I should be going to bed but I have been so moved by this book that I feel compelled to write a review right.now.

Without revealing anything, know that this book has a serious plot twist that isn't revealed until the end. This plot twist ties everything together and will leave you feeling relieved, and if you're like me at all, crying. This is the first book I have read in years that has left me tears. They weren't sad tears nece...more Holy crap. Where do I start?

First of all, it's almost midnight and I should be going to bed but I have been so moved by this book that I feel compelled to write a review right.now.

Without revealing anything, know that this book has a serious plot twist that isn't revealed until the end. This plot twist ties everything together and will leave you feeling relieved, and if you're like me at all, crying. This is the first book I have read in years that has left me tears. They weren't sad tears necessarily, just obligatory tears after having experienced an emotional journey. And that is exactly what this novel is.

This novel follows Kidd, a troubled teenager who is working maintaining beach campsites one summer. He meets and falls in love with Olivia, a beautiful and wealthy girl who stays at the campsites all summer with her family. Kidd's relationship with Olivia is the catalyst to his coming-of-age summer. She makes him question who is he and what he wants out of life. However, his experience is overshadowing by the unwelcome visit of his "friend" Devon.

The character of Devon made me so incredibly angry throughout this novel that I almost wanted to stop reading it. Devon claims he is Kidd's best friend, but does nothing but treat him horribly and try to get him into trouble. I found this to be a realistic relationship in that so many of us, especially as teenagers, have had friends who are bad influences on us. It's often these friendships that are the hardest to shake, and that is exactly what Kidd experiences.

This was an emotional read for me because it threw right back into what I felt like as a teenager: insecure, unwanted, and unsure about everything. I could relate to the character of Kidd in a variety of ways, so much so that it was almost difficult for me to continue reading.

Though this was an emotional, almost frustrating read for me, everything ties together in the end.

This is one of the better books I have read this year. I recommend this to anyone who is, or has been a teenager :)(less)

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Jan 29, 2012 Alyssa Wayt rated it 4 of 5 stars

SO THIS HAS SPOILERS, JUST SAYING!

What the hell, Matt de la Pena. What the hell? This book started off really slow, and it is worded all wack and organized weird and it was just kind of dragging on. This was this month's book club book, so I kind of had to read it. So for about 290 pages, you are just going, is this going somewhere or what? And then BAM the whole book changes and becomes intense and insane and everything makes sense and like, what the hell?

So right off the bat, you can tell Kidd...more

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Nov 27, 2010 Courtney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, racial-identity, rite-of-passage, suicide, suspense-thriller, young-adult-literature

Kidd knows tragedy. He has a father who loves drugs more than his family, and a mother who seeks solace in alcohol. As a result, he finds himself at Horizons, a group home, where he meets Devon, a boy with a volatile personality and a death wish.

Kidd decides to run away, ends up working maintainance on the beaches of Cardiff, CA, and falls in love with the most beautiful and mysterious girl he's ever known, Olivia. Things seem to be looking up for Kidd until Devon knocks on his door determined...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Angela Kidd Shinozaki rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book gets an A+ for experimental fiction. You can probably guess what's coming, but you'll still want to hurry through to the end to see if you are right. Kidd is a main character to root for, and I'm not just saying that because we share the same name. Give this to the teen boy who doesn't read and dare him to read it. The first person, journal entries, clipped sentences, and twisty plot can engage anyone. It bears a small resemblance to The Silver Linings Playbook.

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Sep 25, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100in2011

Wow! I am truly impressed. Kidd and Devon are two seriously raw characters that you'll be thinking about days later.

de la Pena follows the method of showing the climactic scene first and then going back to the events leading up to it. There's a crazy shocking ending that astute readers may pick up toward the end, but I'd bet adolescent readers would miss many of the clues and be completely floored when all is revealed.

A great read! I definitely recommend it.

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Apr 11, 2013 Star rated it 5 of 5 stars

KIDD IS DEON wow all along i thought that they were two diffarent people. I love this book when i saw it i could not put it down. Shame on me for not looking into more about Matt de la pena's books. I still have to read mexican white boy. talk about dealing with phycological problems and battleing your inner demons this books speaks volumes that most people would never be aware of. I really wish there was a sequal to this I have to read more.

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Sep 28, 2012 Irma Valenzuela rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have fallen in love with this book called-I will save you-By:Matt de la Pena. It is am amazing book the narrator is so honest with himself about everything. He is so charming with life then, he loses control over his temper and starts reacting in a way that isint himself because he lost someone really important in his life.
Why I also have fallen in love with this book is because I can connect to it because i lost someone very speacil to me

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About Matt de la Pena

Matt de la Peña’s debut novel, Ball Don’t Lie, was an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and an ALA-YALSA Quick Pick and is soon to be released as a motion picture starring Ludacris, Nick Cannon, Emelie de Ravin, Grayson Boucher, and Rosanna Arquette (based on the screenplay he co-wrote with director Brin Hill). de la Peña’s second novel, Mexican WhiteBoy, was an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Ad...more

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Books by Matt de la Pena

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Curse of the Ancients (Infinity Ring #4)

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Quotes from I Will Save You

“But mostly I remember every morning before school. How she'd say "Hey, honey!" just I was walking out the apartment door. And me stopping and turning around and saying "What?" And her saying "I love you." And me rolling my eyes like I just wanted to hurry up so I didn't miss the bus. I'd start going again and she'd say "Hey, honey!" and I'd pretend I was so annoyed 'cause she was wasting time and I had to go catch the bus. And how secretly it was my favorite part of every day.” — 1 person liked it

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