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Nobody But Us

Kristin Halbrook (Goodreads Author)

3.46 · Rating details · 1,856 ratings · 347 reviews

When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can't run fast enough.

Will

Maybe I'm too late. Maybe Zoe's dad stole all her fifteen years and taught her to be scared. I'll undo it. Help her learn to be strong again, and brave. Not that I'm any kind of example, but we can learn together.

Zoe

Maybe it'll take Will years to come to terms with being abandoned. May ...more

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Paperback, 272 pages

Published January 29th 2013 by HarperTeen (first published January 1st 2013)

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Jun 14, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it did not like it

Shelves: arc, yabc-reviews

To be entirely fair, I was not sure if this book would be my thing. The teens on the run aspect didn't really appeal to me, but Nobody But Us was blurbed by two of my favorite authors (Courtney Summers and Kody Keplinger), as well as being compared to If I Stay by Gayle Forman, which I loved. I thought perhaps instead of being melodramatic, Nobody But Us might have the contemplative, deep, emotionally fraught style of If I Stay. Well, I've been wrong before. I really need to stop buying into thi To be entirely fair, I was not sure if this book would be my thing. The teens on the run aspect didn't really appeal to me, but Nobody But Us was blurbed by two of my favorite authors (Courtney Summers and Kody Keplinger), as well as being compared to If I Stay by Gayle Forman, which I loved. I thought perhaps instead of being melodramatic, Nobody But Us might have the contemplative, deep, emotionally fraught style of If I Stay. Well, I've been wrong before. I really need to stop buying into this marketing that sells you one book by comparing it to another.

Starting with the good, Halbrook writes well, creating two different voices for Zoe and Will. They think differently and have wholly different vocabulary. Multiple points of view in first person are tricky, so I applaud her for doing that this well. The writing's a bit simpler than I personally tend to prefer, and includes the occasional odd word choice, like "vessel" to refer to a car, though that seems like something that my be caught before publication.

I would like to propose changing the tagline to "They're young. They're stupid. They're on the run." That pretty much sums up this book for me. Will, eighteen and finally free of the system where he's bounced from home to home and school to school, decides to take his girlfriend Zoe with him away from their shit-hole hometown and her abusive father. Fifteen-year-old Zoe needs a change, no doubt about that. Her father is a drunken monster, and should be in jail, but that does not mean that running away with Will is an awesome plan. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite of an awesome plan.

Still, teens don't necessarily have much wisdom about the way of the world and everything can seem very immediate. They're young and this seems like the best road open to them, so that's what they do. Fine. I will accept that. However, what I have trouble handling is how incredibly stupid they are about everything once they're on the road. How can neither of them ever have seen a crime drama, which would have kept them from doing a lot of the idiotic things they do?

Zoe's choices can be put down to a youthful naivete, I suppose, and a weakness of character that causes her to cling to the first person to offer to take care of her. Will, however, has a better idea of the law, having come up against it before. He knows enough to get her a fake ID that lists her age as eighteen, though they never actually use this once, and to expect that the cops will be looking for them. Yet, somehow, he expects that they will simply be able to disappear in Las Vegas with just her fake ID, where she can enroll in school and they can live together. Really? You KNOW they'll be looking for you, Will, but it doesn't occur to you that you would need a fake identity too? Or that an IDENTITY is more than a doctored license? How are you going to enroll her in school or do anything without records? What about your social security numbers? Birth certificates? Disappearing is not so easy in the modern age, especially when people know your car.

"Christina, stop being so judgmental of them for not knowing all of this stuff; I mean, they're just teens!" Maybe so, imaginary devil's advocate. Some teens might not know those things, so let's give them a pass on that, okay? Shouldn't they at least be bright enough not to draw attention to themselves as they make their escape? Will, especially, since Zoe seems to have no clue what's going on? Yet, every time they stop, they do something incredibly, mind-blowingly stupid. Being a teenager does not necessitate a complete lack of survival skills or self-awareness.

Here are some examples of how Zoe and Will continually do precisely the worst possible thing in every situation:
(view spoiler)

Will and Zoe's relationship also made me seriously uncomfortable. Yet again, we have a girl in love with a guy she's afraid of a good deal of the time, and we're meant to see them as tragic, romantic figures. No, I don't think so. Zoe, physically abused by her father, is terrified every time Will gets into a fight on her behalf. The formula repeated over and over in this book: someone threatens or hits on Zoe, he punches the person, Zoe cries and shrinks away from him, he promises he'll never hurt her and that he'll keep his rage checked, repeat.

Worse, I have no doubt that, given time, he would end up hitting Zoe. Their interactions had warning bells chiming in my head all the way through. He thinks constantly about how much he wants to make her happy, but snaps at her any time she annoys him. He swears at her, even though he knows how much that upsets her. After some guys hit on her, he accuses her of flirting with them, blaming her, though she was only a victim of their rude behavior. When he does things like this, she accuses herself for his unhappiness, for their bad situation, even though she's clearly not at fault for any of it. Their relationship is incredibly unhealthy and I don't feel like Halbrook made her stance on that as a bad thing clear at all.

What I wanted and expected was an emotionally hard-hitting novel about the horrors of abuse, but instead I found a melodramatic mess that romanticizes what I see as an abusive relationship. The whole thing read like a Lifetime original movie. I imagine many people will enjoy this, given how popular books with similar themes have been recently, but I did not. ...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Kody Keplinger rated it it was amazing

The only book to ever make me cry! AND THAT'S A GOOD THING!!! You guys, this book is amazing. I hope you all read and love it when it comes out! ...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Kaitlin Ward added it

Gorgeous, amazing, heartwrenching in the best way.

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Nov 16, 2012 Joy (joyous reads) rated it really liked it

Shelves: own

Do two broken people make a whole?
Like two shattered pieces of one ceramic bowl?
Two hearts that beat out of fear
running faster, in sync - their paths unclear.

Young love so fierce that it seemed timeless
from the beginning, so wrong - regardless.
One was running from perpetual purple
the other was running like a crazed criminal.

Bruises that showed from inside and out
cuts so deep, they bleed like a spout.
Together they want to save what's left of the other
before light disappears and day changes colour ...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Kirsten Hubbard added it

Shelves: ya-highway

a road story, a love story, a beautiful heartbreaker of a book. don't miss this one. ...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Arlene rated it it was ok

Recommended to Arlene by: Blog Tour

Shelves: read-2013, young-adult, ya-contemporary

Before I even start, let me get something out of the way - a mix between If I Stay meets Bonnie and Clyde this book is NOT . That was grossly misleading in my opinion. As a matter of fact, that blurb was one of the main reasons I was really excited to get my hands on Nobody But Us. After finishing this story, I honestly feel that was highly misrepresentative seeing as I’m a fan of both references. I could not find one element in this story that paralleled If I Stay in the slightest, and compa Before I even start, let me get something out of the way - a mix between If I Stay meets Bonnie and Clyde this book is NOT . That was grossly misleading in my opinion. As a matter of fact, that blurb was one of the main reasons I was really excited to get my hands on Nobody But Us. After finishing this story, I honestly feel that was highly misrepresentative seeing as I’m a fan of both references. I could not find one element in this story that paralleled If I Stay in the slightest, and comparing Zoe and Will to Bonnie and Clyde is highly exaggerated to say the least. Overall, I really wanted to fall head over heels for this book, but in the end it just fell flat in more ways than one.

Nobody But Us shares the story of fifteen year old Zoe and eighteen year old Will who run away from their hometown in North Dakota in search of a better life in Nevada. They both come from very broken family situations and as these two head off on their adventure, they come across constant obstacles during their escape. Zoe is extremely book smart and could have a bright future, but coming from an abusive family leaves her no choice than to save herself by picking up and leaving with her boyfriend. Will takes advantage of the first opportunity to head off on his own after being raised in foster care. Both teenagers care for each other deeply, but that’s not quite enough to get them to their happily-ever-after.

Zoe and Will definitely love each other and each of their baggage is pretty harsh to learn about, but I had a hard time connecting with these two characters on so many levels because they seemed extremely childish and not in a negative way, more of in a very naïve sense. It was completely obvious they were just looking only 100 feet ahead and didn’t plan out their runaway plan in the slightest. As soon as their ages were revealed, it was hard to ignore how criminal their situation was. Kidnapping a minor, anyone? Throw in false identifications, stolen money, accidental homicide and their story screams hot mess.

Zoe is a difficult character to connect with, and it wasn’t for lack of trying. I didn’t dislike her in any form or fashion, but rather she was just too young mentally and psychologically for my taste. I expended a lot of patience for this character and if the story was a bit longer, I probably would have ended up writing her off. Will is unique in his own way and a lot of that comes out through his narrative. He’s not very smart and in the end that seems to be his demise. Overall, it would have been nice to see the romance between these two either build or strengthen in some way, rather than just taking it at face value that they love each other.

The ending was filled with bad choices and rushed action leaving me not only glad I was done, but baffled how I even finished their story. If I was suppose to cry during one of the final scenes, I sort of missed that boat by a mile. Overall, my adventures with Zoe and Will was highly disappointing and not even my signature favorite of a road trip was able to salvage this story for me. Oh well… ...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Jasprit rated it it was ok

Shelves: out-2013, read-in-2012, arc-galley

Nobody But us led me to believe it had everything I love about a contemporary romance book; two teens in love knowing they’re meant to be together. Despite all the hurdles thrown at them, show they’re stronger and over the course of time, their love for each other really comes through their relationship. What can I say I’m a sucker for a sweet romance, but unfortunately despite starting off great, the story kind of just went downhill.

Zoe finally found her perfect partner in Will, her life had be Nobody But us led me to believe it had everything I love about a contemporary romance book; two teens in love knowing they’re meant to be together. Despite all the hurdles thrown at them, show they’re stronger and over the course of time, their love for each other really comes through their relationship. What can I say I’m a sucker for a sweet romance, but unfortunately despite starting off great, the story kind of just went downhill.

Zoe finally found her perfect partner in Will, her life had been chaotic before she met him, she lived with an abusive father and her mother died when she was only 6 years old. She had a great friend in Lindsey, but no-one really saw her for the real her, underneath the bruises and make-up. Not until Will turned up at her school. Despite seeing her bruises, he made the extra effort to get to know her, also not having the best life growing up either, you can say Will and Zoe were the perfect match. But with Zoe’s dad, Zoe had to keep her relationship under wraps. But Will knew Zoe deserved so much more, and he wanted to be that guy who could give it to her. So they decided the only way that would happen was by going on the run.

Straight away I was rooting for Zoe and Will, they only really had each other and so if the only way they could be together was by running off then I was all for it. But I soon came to realise they really hadn’t thought things through, what initially led me to believe this was right I soon discovered was the spur of the moment decision. First of all Zoe was only 15 years old, so under the legal age of leaving her parent and going on the run, so they knew the police would be on their trail, then the way they left of course would make the police even more anxious to get their hands on Will. As the book progressed, Zoe and Will’s relationship came across as two young confused people in love who had no clue what they were doing. “The constant I love you’s” between them and jumping head into things through really began to grate on me. I think the extreme lengths they went to and the ending was the final straw for me. It’s like Zoe and Will were just a couple of teenagers who just wanted to be together, sadly they were turned into hardened criminals who didn’t think twice about hurting anyone who got in their way.

I’m sorry to say Nobody But us just wasn’t for me, over the last couple of months I’ve lost the patience for characters who dilly dally about Zoe and Will were two characters I had a hard time connecting to. Despite my disappointing review, I’m sure there are other readers who would find this a lot more of a touching read than I did.
...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Katy Upperman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, young-adult

This book yanked me out of my reading funk in a major way. I loved it SO MUCH. I smiled, I swooned, I cringed, I *almost* cried. I just wanted to hug Zoe and Will so much, and the final pages... CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM. This debut is heart-wrenching in the very best way. Highly recommend!

Edited to add a more comprehensive review:

If any book deserves early buzz, it’s this one. Kristin Halbrook’s beautiful, heartbreaking, fearless tale of two damaged teens on the run is the best contempora This book yanked me out of my reading funk in a major way. I loved it SO MUCH. I smiled, I swooned, I cringed, I *almost* cried. I just wanted to hug Zoe and Will so much, and the final pages... CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM. This debut is heart-wrenching in the very best way. Highly recommend!

Edited to add a more comprehensive review:

If any book deserves early buzz, it’s this one. Kristin Halbrook’s beautiful, heartbreaking, fearless tale of two damaged teens on the run is the best contemporary I’ve read in a long time. And I read a lot of contemporary…

I’ll admit, when I saw mention of Bonnie and Clyde on the ARC cover, I was skeptical. This is YA and Bonnie and Clyde were legitimate . How much trouble can Will and Zoe possibly get into? Uh, a lot, it turns out. Nobody But Us is intense, and Kristin Halbrook holds nothing back. Will’s backstory is one of the saddest I’ve read, and poor Zoe doesn’t know love until she meets this boy who wants nothing more in the world than to rescue her. They literally are on the run–from her father, from their pasts, and from the law–and they make some pretty terrible choices along the way. The crazy thing is this: I was rooting for them. Even in the midst of a multiple-state spree, I wanted Will and Zoe to persevere. Kristin Halbrook, through flawless character development and stark, elegant prose, made me believe that Zoe and Will deserved a happily ever after.

Nobody But Us is a roller coaster of emotions. Zoe and Will are both adorable, and both so very broken. But together they are whole, taking on the world that’s wronged them. Their devotion, while young and sometimes misguided, is palpable. They love each other deeply, sweetly, tragically, and the ferocity of their relationship had me at times laughing, cringing, and nearly in tears. I was both charmed and appalled by the sacrifices they were willing to make for each other, and even when they did horrible, deplorable things in the name of love, I got it, because their motivations were so strong, and their bond so unbreakable.

I’ll say one more thing about Nobody But Us: The ending… shocked me. It was courageous and heart-wrenching and unlike most YA endings. Yet, it was perfect for the tone of the novel. I’m STILL thinking about it. ...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Shirley rated it did not like it

Nobody But Us, from start to finish, was unfortunately a huge disappointment. Based on the blurbs and praises, I expected a debut that could rival the brilliance of Gayle Forman’s ‘If I Stay’, but what I received was possibly one of the most disappointing and tedious YA contemporaries I’ve had the misfortune to read.

The characters, while each possessing their own backstory and inner sufferings still lacked depth for me to relate to or admire. Zoe, a 15 year old who is constantly physically abuse Nobody But Us, from start to finish, was unfortunately a huge disappointment. Based on the blurbs and praises, I expected a debut that could rival the brilliance of Gayle Forman’s ‘If I Stay’, but what I received was possibly one of the most disappointing and tedious YA contemporaries I’ve had the misfortune to read.

The characters, while each possessing their own backstory and inner sufferings still lacked depth for me to relate to or admire. Zoe, a 15 year old who is constantly physically abused by her drunk father is so, so weak. Having witnessed her mother be the victim of her father’s daily physically violence, then die at the hands of her father, and now become the sole receive of her father’s violence, I suppose it isn’t strange that she’s always felt submissive and powerless. However, I did expect some inner strength of her; some dignity or resistance to exist within her. I didn’t expect her to simply submit to her father’s abuse and just…let it go all the time. It’s like she’s accepted that being punched, shoved, tortured will always be her life and she doesn’t plan to do anything about it. She just wasn’t a strong enough heroine for my to admire, and even worse, one that didn’t show character growth. (Although I’ll admit that towards the end, she did come to her senses, but by then I didn’t care about her anymore.)

Then there’s 18 year old Will, abandoned at a young age and has jumped from one foster family to another throughout his life. I suppose he should be congratulated for wanting to do the right thing; wanting to protect the girl he loves. But at the end of the day, his actions felt immature and lacked common sense. It was difficult for me to really like Will, because half the time, I was expecting him to hit Zoe or something. I was constantly on edge, and no matter how many times he promised Zoe he would never hurt her, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that he’ll explode and unleash all his bottled up anger on her. He’s violent and I’m sorry to say, a little unstable. Plus, I'm not sure if it's just me, but their relationship screamed 'UNHEALTHY' based on their actions, thoughts and declarations of love every 2 seconds (which was driving me insane! I couldn't tolerate it one second longer!)

There’s also an it’s-me-not-you type of problem – the slang/dialect. I’m usually fine with slang/dialect in novels, but in this case I couldn’t, for the life of me, imagine Will speaking like that. It sort of…ruined the overall story for me.

As for the ending, well…had this been a poignant, touching read, I would have bawled my eyes out towards the end. But in this case? I felt nothing. I simply ceased to care about anything else that happened in the story. I was like ‘right, so that’s it.’ *shrugs*

I suppose the only redeeming quality about this book is that it was short (only 200+ pages on my copy from Edelweiss). I planned to abandon it after 10% but then decided to finish it. A fast reader can probably finish the entire book within an hour. Overall, I believe Nobody But Us had potential – lots of potential in fact. It just failed to deliver. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I couldn't tolerate another second of Zoe’s tendency to blush at every.single.freaking.thing.Will.says.or.does. Give me a break!
...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Gisbelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, romance, tearjerkers, young-adult, all-time-favorite, stand-alone, young-adult-contemporary, beautiful-cover, highly-recommended

It has been months since I read a book that moved me like Nobody But Us. It was just amazingly, brilliantly, beautifully, breathtakingly well-written. I fell so deeply and desperately in love with both Zoe and Will. For a fifteen-year-old girl, Zoe was so strong and mature. As for Will, even at times he was a hotheaded teenager who loved to solve every problem with his fists, was one of the sweetest fictional guys ever. I felt how seriously in love they both were and understood their decisions. It has been months since I read a book that moved me like Nobody But Us. It was just amazingly, brilliantly, beautifully, breathtakingly well-written. I fell so deeply and desperately in love with both Zoe and Will. For a fifteen-year-old girl, Zoe was so strong and mature. As for Will, even at times he was a hotheaded teenager who loved to solve every problem with his fists, was one of the sweetest fictional guys ever. I felt how seriously in love they both were and understood their decisions. I do not care what other people think about this book. Personally, it is by far one of the best books I have read this year.

I first picked up the book because of its absolutely beautiful cover. Then I was amazed how well written this book actually was. It might not be the first book about teenagers trying to escape cruel reality they were in. There are a lot more books written on this topic, yet this book was so much better in so many ways. For one thing, how author intensified the situation both Will and Zoe were in made me unable to put the book down. It started out so simple and carefree. I was happy for them both when they talked about their plan once they arrived Vegas. Then everything just went wrong. They committed crimes and seemed unable to untangle themselves from this mess. My heart ached for them and I could guess how the book might end, but I still hoped for the best.

Speaking for ending, this book ended with a BAM! I loved it despise how hard it had made me cry. I did not think there could be any other way to end the book. It was just perfect. It tore me apart, but it was realistic. It revealed the dark part of the world where people would do anything to survive. Everyone makes mistakes, the most important point is to take responsibilities for the mistakes you have made.

In short, I was mess after reading this book. Just like real world, it was not always roses and rainbows. If you don't think you can handle all the emotions, you should not read this book. It is best for those who enjoy being on the emotional roller roaster ride!

Originally Posted: Gisbelle's YA Obsession ...more

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Oct 06, 2013 Kathy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: abuse, books_that_made_me_cry, realistic-fiction, favorites, young-adult-romance

“He wanted to keep things in, and all I wanted to do was get out.” - Zoe

What happens when someone can't overcome being abused as a child? What happens when a person doesn't learn how to control their emotions? Growing up with hate and anger, fear and resentment for themselves.

That's what Zoe and Will had to put up with growing up. A rough childhood where no one showed them love or taught them how to deal with their feelings. No one taught them the right way to deal with anything!

They had t ...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Sarah rated it really liked it

This review was originally published on Clear Eyes, Full Shelves.

We gotta be hidden here in this new world we made. Just silence keeping all the shit of the real world away.

I rarely reflect on authorial intent when reading. I figure, once a book's in the wild, it's meaning is up to each reader's interpretation.

However, Kristin Halbrook's debut is one of those rare books in which I actively sought out information about the author's vision for her book. Is Nobody But Us a cautionary tale? A star- ...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Hannah McBride rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya-contemporary, favorite-ya

It’s always hard starting a book that you know will smash your heart, and that’s exactly what happened when I started reading Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook. It’s one of those books that you just know can’t end well, but it’s written in such a clear, poetic way, that you can’t stop reading for anything.

Will and Zoe are broken people. There’s just no other word for it. Will has been failed by nearly every adult in his life. He’s been bounced from home to home, a product of just how all-too-fre It’s always hard starting a book that you know will smash your heart, and that’s exactly what happened when I started reading Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook. It’s one of those books that you just know can’t end well, but it’s written in such a clear, poetic way, that you can’t stop reading for anything.

Will and Zoe are broken people. There’s just no other word for it. Will has been failed by nearly every adult in his life. He’s been bounced from home to home, a product of just how all-too-frequently our society fails older kids in the foster system. He is volatile and unpredictable, but he has this love of Zoe that is overwhelming. The sheer sensitivity of Will astounded me, especially when it came to Zoe.

Zoe, who has been beaten down and abused for most of her life by her only living parent. I desperately wanted Zoe away from her dad—possibly as badly as Will did. The man was a monster, and I cheered when they ran away together … Until I realized Zoe is 15 and Will is 18 and their being together is a crime. But that is just the first in a long series of decisions and obstacles that threatened to undo them.

This book really raises the question: Can you love someone too much? Will and Zoe clung to each other and understood one another in a way few people ever do, but it was to the point of destruction. There were so many points in the journey where things could have gone a little different and ended beautifully, but bad luck and desperation-fueled choices put them on a collision course with reality.

I finished reading Nobody But Us yesterday on the bus coming home from NYC with friends. I still had another 2 hours to kill before we got home, but I couldn’t bring myself to start a new book. This book haunted me much more than I ever imagined. No, I did not get the ending I so desperately wanted, but I think that’s the point. This book made me think and feel long after I stopped reading. I selfishly wanted to hurl this book (well, metaphorically speaking as it was on my Nook and I didn’t feel like going through the financial hassle of replacing that) and pout that I didn’t get my fairy tale ending.

But this isn’t that book.

If you want a happily ever after, then sadly you probably will not enjoy this. However, I think you do yourself a huge disservice by not reading Nobody But Us. Holbrook created this masterpiece of a novel that left me wondering and troubled long after it was over. And really, can you ask for anything more spectacular in a novel?
...more

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Sep 12, 2012 I Eat Words added it

You know how sometimes you see a news story that has to do with teenagers committing crimes and society has taught us to label them and their actions as "messed up"? I felt like this was a look into their side of things, that all kids don't come from the best homes and that sometimes it leads people to not think through their actions. I was rooting for these two the entire time. This was a beautifully written, heart-wrenching story. I fell in love with both of these broken yet wonderful characte ...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed-by-michelle

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A heartbreaking story about a couple who find love despite their broken pasts.

Opening Sentence: He comes down the road in his Camaro sliding left to right on the freshly oiled gravel and skidding to a stop in front of my house.

The Review:

Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook stands out from a lot of contemporary fiction for young adults. Sometimes a book will talk about a realistic scenario and I wouldn’t be able to connect to it. Or that the main ...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Emily Crowe rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-or-middle-reader

The first half of this book was hard to get through, but the second half found its stride and improved considerably--hence the 3 stars overall. Beware: ahead there be spoilers.

If ever there were a book that demonstrates how the part of the teenage brain that oversees risk tasking and evaluating consequences isn't fully developed until the mid-twenties, this is it. We all know that teenagers do stupid things. We know this by observation, and we know this because we all did stupid things as teens The first half of this book was hard to get through, but the second half found its stride and improved considerably--hence the 3 stars overall. Beware: ahead there be spoilers.

If ever there were a book that demonstrates how the part of the teenage brain that oversees risk tasking and evaluating consequences isn't fully developed until the mid-twenties, this is it. We all know that teenagers do stupid things. We know this by observation, and we know this because we all did stupid things as teens that we would not dream of doing in our adult lives.

It's absurd that Zoe and Will run away together after they've only known each other two months. Zoe is a quiet survivor who endures her father's verbal and physical abuse on a daily basis, while Will harbors a troubled past and a violent rap that has landed him in various foster homes, never staying in one for very long. Once he turns eighteen, he convinces Zoe to run away with him. She's smart and fearful from living with her dad, yet oddly innocent; he's hardened but with a real soft spot for Zoe. All he wants to do is protect her; all she wants to do is feel safe with somebody for once in her life. So they take off from North Dakota in a beat-up Camaro and a thousand dollars of stolen money and head to Vegas to make a new life for themselves.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking: how can *that* possibly go wrong?

Before they cross their first state line, Will has beaten up her father. He swears up and down that he would never hurt Zoe, but what he doesn't realize is there is more than one way to hurt a person.

Before they cross their second state line, Zoe has been caught shoplifting tampons because she's too embarrassed to ask Will for the money to pay for them and Will breaks a bottle of wine over the gas station proprietor's head. They dash out the door, leaving him for dead.

Yeah. How can any plan that these two kids concoct possibly go wrong?

So basically their story doesn't end well. I had imagined a Thelma & Louise scenario, but instead it involved a standoff with the police and the FBI

I had a lot of trouble buying into the premise of the first half of the book: that Zoe, the quintessential good girl who keeps her head down, would run off with Will in the first place. That Zoe's friends, neighbors, and teachers would all turn a blind eye to her father's abuse. She had visible bruises, apparently. The reader can't possibly believe that North Dakotans value children less than other people, and we can't write it off as being secret, or that it happened in a time when things like this weren't talked about (there's no date given, but they have cell phones with cameras, so it's 21st century).

But once I hit the 150 page mark, and once the first bad decisions were made, it was easy to fall into the second half and believe where the consequences of those initial bad decisions would take them. The second half felt intense without being melodramatic, and the closer the ending gets, the more inexorable it feels. God, I wouldn't be a teenager again, in love and with no way out, for anything.

...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Aman rated it liked it

Rating: 3.5 stars

Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

THAT ending! GOD! SO. NOT. EXPECTED.

You know those TV shows nowadays where the people do stupid stuff, and you still watch it knowing that there is no lesson at the end of it, like Silent Library or Worlds Dumbest. They are pure entertainment, and no matter how dumb they are, you still enjoy them. That is exactly what this book feels to me. From the beginning, I knew what the characters were doing was wrong & illegal and it was never going to end well, Rating: 3.5 stars

Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

THAT ending! GOD! SO. NOT. EXPECTED.

You know those TV shows nowadays where the people do stupid stuff, and you still watch it knowing that there is no lesson at the end of it, like Silent Library or Worlds Dumbest. They are pure entertainment, and no matter how dumb they are, you still enjoy them. That is exactly what this book feels to me. From the beginning, I knew what the characters were doing was wrong & illegal and it was never going to end well, but I had so much fun reading about their crazy journey.

They’re young. They’re in love. They’re on the run. is indeed the perfect tagline for this book, if you add They are a little dumb at the end. I'm not making fun of it, I liked Nobody But Us, it was a funny book initially and got really really intense at the end which was completely unexpected. Zoe and Will come from a bad background, and on Will's 18th birthday, they plan on running away together. Zoe is the only child of an abusive father, and Will is a foster kid, and now both of them want a better life for themselves. I would have done the same thing in their place, but Zoe is not legal yet, and in todays world people take law very seriously. I knew that Will would be behind bars when the police finds him, and I was dreading waiting for that part because it was going to happen. I knew it was.

Will had a hot & cold personality, sometimes I loved him so much that even I'd run off with him, and sometimes I just wanted his face to be a punching back. He has such a pure heart, but then he has to say some crap and mess it all up; in a way, he reminded me of Jude (Crash trilogy by Nicole Williams) a lot, and I ended up loving Jude, but I had so-so feelings for Will. He made bad choices and I absolutely hated the consequences he had to pay. I never in a million years expected the ending to be so horrible & sad. I didn't like it.

Still, I don't feel bad for Zoe. That girl is the epitome of pushovers, I don't like girls like her. They take everything in, all the abusive, the bad mouthing, and never complain. She was sweet & loving, but she has to learn to fight back, and I didn't believe she was stronger at the end, I felt she was more miserable. After finishing the book, I don't think the whole journey was worth the ending the couple had. They had a messy life before, and they had even a messier one afterward.

I do have to commend on one thing, which is Kristin Halbrook's writing. It was phenomenal for a debut author; she made it so easy to differentiate between Will & Zoe voices. Nobody But Us is a fun entertaining book about two crazy people in love. I enjoyed reading it, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, adventurous read.

A Copy was provided by the Publisher and Edelweiss for an honest review. (Thank You!)
...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Katie_la_geek rated it did not like it

For this review and more visit my blog

I hate posting reviews like this. I hate it because I am scared I will offend someone, I hate it because sometimes I feel they make me look uptight and over sensitive and I hate it because they always seem to be about books that everybody else seems to love, and make no mistake people will love Nobody But Us, but I had some serious issues with it.

Firstly I would like to say that this has nothing to do with Halbrook’s writing which I found to be rich and en For this review and more visit my blog

I hate posting reviews like this. I hate it because I am scared I will offend someone, I hate it because sometimes I feel they make me look uptight and over sensitive and I hate it because they always seem to be about books that everybody else seems to love, and make no mistake people will love Nobody But Us, but I had some serious issues with it.

Firstly I would like to say that this has nothing to do with Halbrook’s writing which I found to be rich and engaging, she knows how to tell a story and I will read more of what she writes in the future.

My big problem was the romance and the way I perceived it. I am not going to lie there were parts that enraged me. The relationship between Zoe and Will is uncomfortable and in my opinion not very romantic at all. I admire that Will wants to save Zoe but the question is who is going to save her from him? He is a violent guy, never towards her but his violent reaction to others frightens her quite a lot. He is super possessive and gets angry at her if other boys look at her, or flirt with her, or pay her any attention. His accusations and threatening nature makes her feel bad about herself and somehow she is always apologising. Will may not hit Zoe but the warning signs are all there. I just do not think relationships like this should be romanticised in any way.

Another, and less serious, issue I had was unrealistic-ness. Will and Zoe’s reaction to just about everything just didn’t ring true to me. I understand why they run away but do not understand a majority of the choices they made from that point. They seem to do everything possible to make people aware of whom they are and constantly do silly things that could get them caught, like enrolling Zoe in high school which I am pretty sure would be impossible given the circumstances.

What was the final nail in the coffin was the over-the-top drama. It reminded me of Pushing the Limits (a book I didn’t like) for its use of drama. The story lines are different but the way they are told is similar. Piling drama on top of drama is not for me.

Really, Nobody But Us does not deserve the one star rating I have given it. Kristin Halbrook is a talented author and this review is not meant personally, I truly admire what she attempted with this story. But I feel like I have to give this a one star rating because for me the dynamics of the romance were unhealthy and the romanticising of this type of relationship is wrong.

The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for and honest review ...more

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Jan 19, 2013 ExLibris_Kate rated it liked it

Will and Zoe are two very messed-up kids, each with their own baggage and tragic story. To escape her abusive father, they run away, but things quickly get out of hand. It was interesting to read the way that the tables slowly turn as the story progresses. Will is determined to take care of Zoe and shield her from all reality, but that never works and soon Zoe starts to gain some insight and becomes more of a voice of reason. In between these turning points, however, is some monumentally poor de ...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Yana rated it did not like it

This is the first time I'm writing a book review here in Goodreads and it's because this book was so frustrating I just had to write about it.

The book started out pretty well, Kristin Halbrook really pulled off the dual narratives. I liked the tragic backstories of both characters. I admired that they had the guts to finally take their future in their own hands. I didn't find them cowardly for running away. To me, it was a very brave thing to do-- taking a step into the unknown future in store f ...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Adam Silvera rated it it was amazing

Shelves: luckily-read-in-2013, shelf-awareness-reviews

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SHELF AWARENESS

In this emotional debut novel, a young couple hits the road in order to put their pasts in the rearview mirror.

Eighteen-year-old Will rescues his 15-year-old girlfriend, Zoe, in his Camaro from her often-drunk and abusive father. Will has to fight off her intoxicated father before they can flee North Dakota for Las Vegas. The kidnapping and assault charges are the first of many they face, which cast an unwanted spotlight on the couple while they're on the ...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Audra rated it really liked it

Originally posted to The Society's Bookshelf

Heart wrenching indeed. Not the ending I expected, but an ending I love. This story is sure to stick with me.

Nobody But Us is the first contemporary book I've read that I've hands down, quite simply, fallen in love with. Will and Zoe are such complex, carefully crafted characters that can't help but be fallen in love with. This is a tragic story. Both characters have their own crappy mess to deal with in their home situations, leading them to flee awa ...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Julie Cross rated it it was amazing

Shelves: true-to-life-teens, ya-contemporary

Beautiful, real, raw, edgy, and just that little of fantasy, of epic intense love with all the weight of real-world problems. Loved the voice, the style, the story under the surface and the excitement/tension of the plot. To write two characters both with deep-rooted good in them and skillfully disguised pure hearts, but go about each one in completely different ways is brilliant writing and characterization, imo.

More like this please.

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Dec 24, 2016 -S♡ rated it it was amazing

5+ - Stay with me for ever! - STARS!
They're young.
They're in love.
They're on the run.
Like Kody Kiplinger said, "Beautiful, Heartbreaking, and exhilarating- NOBODY BUT US will have you holding your breath until the very last page."

I cried, laughed, screamed, smiled, and sobbed. This book was one of the best books I've read all 2016.

Thank you Kristin Halbrook! ...more

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Jul 14, 2020 Arlene rated it liked it

I think the premise of this has been done a lot before and I’m having a small issue with the age difference at the same time, I don’t know how I feel. I think the end was unnecessary and felt rushed. All that being said, this author is an amazing writer, she’s so good with her words and articulates really well. I recommend this book if you want to cry a bit and for a quick read, some entertainment. Don’t expect too much out of it.

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Jul 07, 2017 Kay Camden rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favs, favorite-love-stories, i-love-anti-heroes

OH MY GOD. I hate this book. I love this book. Five screaming stars. Thank you to the author for having the courage to do that. Poignant, explosive, so brutally romantic.

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Sep 29, 2017 Kelsey rated it did not like it

yikes

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Sep 12, 2012 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2013, edelweiss, tough-subject, contemporary

So, last year I discovered that I liked contemporary YA novels. This year, I decided to see if I like grittier contemporary novels. If this book is any indication, the answer to that question is a resounding no. But I'm not going to give up on them. I did like Send Me a Sign last year, and it was full of the sads. So maybe it was just this book and I that didn't mesh well, not just the fact that it was dark.

The fact is, these two kids have had really effed up, crazy lives, and them taking o So, last year I discovered that I liked contemporary YA novels. This year, I decided to see if I like grittier contemporary novels. If this book is any indication, the answer to that question is a resounding no. But I'm not going to give up on them. I did like Send Me a Sign last year, and it was full of the sads. So maybe it was just this book and I that didn't mesh well, not just the fact that it was dark.

The fact is, these two kids have had really effed up, crazy lives, and them taking off on their own isn't going to change that. But I know from experience that sometimes it does help to put distance between you and your problems, if only to gain some clarity. Though, that isn't what happens in this story. My heart hurts for these characters and everything they've been through -- and are still going through -- even though I never developed an emotional connection to them. Which is really sad because I really wanted to love them, to love this book.

This book was all gogogo and I was all, Hey, wait a minute...we're moving on from this already? The brief glimpses of Will and Zoe's lives prior to their, well, for lack of a better word, escape, are fleeting and pretty much serve to garner more sympathy for the characters. But while that tactic is successful, for the most part, it also made me question why they were being so impulsive and not facing their fears head-on. Zoe seemed to have a relatively good head on her shoulders, so why was she running? At times, she would second-guess their decision to hit the road, but then she'd think about Will and his love for her, and she would settle back into her resolve to start a life with him.

Will. This guy is one I would never give a second thought to, except to remind myself to stay away from him. Not because he's a shelter kid but because of his freakishly scary mood swings and easily provoked anger management issues. Honestly, he reminds me of someone I know, which freaks me the eff out because guys like that really do exist and they end up just like the man Zoe is so desperate to flee. But Will and Zoe both believe that they're saving her. Will who is 18 and Zoe who is a mere 15. Will knows how much trouble he could get into for high-tailing it with a minor across state lines, but the wacko already thought of this and got her a fake ID stating she was of age, prior to their road trip from hell.

This story is just one bad decision after another, and it doesn't end well for either of the characters. All I felt throughout the book was a penetrating melancholy, and I kind of wish I'd never read this. I know this story isn't completely fiction. That things can go terribly, terribly wrong in a matter of moments, based on few bad decisions and that a story like this is the result. But I read to escape, to feel good, and this book achieved the exact opposite. It was like watching a bad car chase, and it ends about the same as one, too. It wasn't terribly written, but it also wasn't the book for me.

Thanks to HarperTeen & Edelweiss for providing a copy for review.

This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue. ...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Sapir rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, tearjerker, beautiful-covers, 2013, romance, realistic-fiction, what-an-ending, books-i-loved, blog-reviewed, exceeded-expactations

For this review and more, visit Diary of a Wimpy Teen Girl

This book was absolutely amazing. When I first picked it up, I wasn't expecting such a heart-breaking, emotional and beautifully told story.

Zoe and Will are both broken teens. Their lives weren't easy. Since Will's mother has abandoned him when he was a baby, he's been moving from one foster-home to another, never finding his place. He never felt loved or cared for. All he wanted to do when he turned 18 was to run far, find himself a bett For this review and more, visit Diary of a Wimpy Teen Girl

This book was absolutely amazing. When I first picked it up, I wasn't expecting such a heart-breaking, emotional and beautifully told story.

Zoe and Will are both broken teens. Their lives weren't easy. Since Will's mother has abandoned him when he was a baby, he's been moving from one foster-home to another, never finding his place. He never felt loved or cared for. All he wanted to do when he turned 18 was to run far, find himself a better future and never come back.
15-year-old Zoe has always lived in fear because she could never know what will irritate her abusive father and cause him to hit her. She always walked around with bruises on her face and just tried to ignore them and continue her life.
Will and Zoe decide to leave their state - North Dakota, and make all the long way to Vegas to start a new life together there. This book describes their trip, a trip that will change everything. Can they run away from their pasts?

The relationship between Will and Zoe was very unusual - it was like nothing I've ever seen before in a YA book. The two of them were very different from each other and it looked like they can't make a good match. Despite that, they became a very strong couple, and I think it was because each one has managed to fill the needs of the other.
Zoe was sensitive and couldn't stand up for herself. All she needed was someone to love her and to protect her like the father she never had. I could see how Will became like a father to a her - he did anything a could to keep her safe and always thought about her first.
Will, from the other side, needed someone to keep him steady. He had a tendency to outburst and to go into violent fights without thinking. Zoe, who was more careful, balanced him.
Overall, their relationship was very sweet and positive. But there were some times when I felt like something is off about the way they treat each other, and especially Will. He was a little possessive and over-protective, and sometimes his influence on Zoe wasn't good. [(view spoiler)]
I loved reading about their complicated relationship and it was my favorite part of the book.

This book was very well written - it was fluent and easy-to-read. The story was told from two POVs - Zoe's and Will's. The switch between the narrators was done very well, and it made me like the book even more. It was very interesting to read how both the main characters felt and how they reacted differently to situations.

When the book started, I had no idea in which direction the plot would go. There were many problems mixed together, and I thought that the author is going to choose one of them to focus on. But somehow, the author took the story to somewhere else entirely and made the plot very creative and original.
The end was stunning! It broke my heart!! I really can't believe the author could think of such an ending to this book. I can't say much because I don't want to spoil the book for you, but be sure it turned this book into an absolute tearjerker.

This book was excellent and I highly recommend it to people who are looking for a deep, emotional read. ...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Erika rated it it was ok

Shelves: giveaway-wins, arc, stand-alone, two-stars, read-in-2013, print-arc, bad-romance, realistic-fiction, 2013-releases, reviewed

This review is also on Living for the Books

When I saw this book being compared to If I Stay I thought I would really like it since I loved If I Stay. This book was nothing like If I Stay. I'm not sure why it's being compared to it. I guess it's kind of like Bonnie and Clyde but a more toned down version.

I was very close to giving this book one star and I think two stars is a little generous but I think that the writing deserves some points. Alternating point of views are sometimes really confusi ...more

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Book Review #2 Nobody but us	1	1	Jan 14, 2020 09:53AM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Young adult. A couple (guy just became an adult, girl is underage) is running away from their families and home town in his car, he's stolen money from them without telling her. She tries to steal tampons from a gas station. Spoiler ahead. [s]	6	73	Feb 04, 2018 01:55AM
Crazy for Young A...: Nobody but Us by Kristin Halbrook → Start Date: April 5, 2014	107	62	Apr 22, 2014 10:54AM
Books, Blogs, Aut...: [Ends Oct 4th] Win the first ever annotated (and signed) copy of Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook! (US)	1	3	Sep 23, 2013 04:35PM
Free Book Giveaway: NOBODY BUT US Swag Pack (US and CANADA only)	1	9	Jan 27, 2013 09:08PM

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About Kristin Halbrook

Kristin Halbrook

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When Kristin was little, she wanted to be a writer, the President of the USA or the first female NFL quarterback. Despite being able to throw a wicked spiral, she didn't really grow to the size needed for the NFL. Then, as Kristin got older and studied more, she came to realize there were better ways to effect positive change than becoming president. The first one, however, stuck, and now she's a ...more