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The Worst of Me
A sharply insightful story about the sometimes painful process of growing up and thinking for yourself.Cassidy's old group of friends is breaking up and she feels unsettled and adrift. Things look up when she starts going out with an older boy called Jonah. She loves spending time with him and his friends, flattered to be included in their discussions. Jonah is sweet and sensitive and she's never felt so happy. But then Cassidy hears disturbing news about Jonah's crowd. When she reads their internet forum, she's shocked by their views. Can her perfect boyfriend really be so intolerant?
- GenresRomanceYoung Adult
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 16, 2010
The Worst of Me is a poignant story about love, perception and beliefs. The novel is narrated by Cassidy a sixteen year old girl who is coming to terms with the end of her relationship with long-term boyfriend Ian. She is also struggling to find a middle-ground with her mother's boyfriend. She feels isolated and she has lost her sense of identity. Her narrative is a fascinating insight into how we all paint an image of ourselves but actually what we show isn't what we truly feel.
One day after hearing her mum and Paul arguing about her, Cassidy goes out and finds herself hiding in the cinema. The anonymity and thrill of being alone sooth her frustrated mind and her absence form home gives her the chance to punish her mother for the hurtful things she has said. After the film, she sits in a cafe and this is where she meets Jonah and his friends. The four boys have recently transfered to the sixth form at Cassidy's school. In a way they give her the chance to reinvent herself and be someone knew. They know nothing about her or her break up with Ian and so she gets to portray a confident and slightly aloof image of herself.
Cassidy and Jonah have an instant connection and they soon begin to explore it. This is where the novel begins to make you ask questions. Cassidy pretends that she is more mature than her friends and in a way above them. She doesn't necessarily believe that she is but because she is feeling isolated from them she becomes more and more integrated and associated with Jonah's group. The trouble is that Jonah's friends are making a name for themselves at school and it isn't a positive one. In Cassidy's mind they think that religion is the greatest source of conflict in the world. In the eyes of others' their views are racist and bigoted. Cassidy doesn't know what to think and she lacks any true opinions of her own.
I was enthralled by Cassidy's dilemma. She had met this amazing guy who understood her and then she is told by her friends that he is a racist and a bigot. She wants to trust in Jonah but there are so many little doubts that invade her mind. This book certainly raised some interesting questions about our society and how people are just generally ignorant. I recently read an articlein New Scientist online by Bernard Beckett and so I had already been thinking about extreme atheism and this book furthered that thinking.
There are a couple of minor things that I felt could have been improved in this novel. When Cassidy talks to her friend Sam about the rumours concerning Jonah, the tone is a little too preachy and it really didn't need to be. The author could have let it play out differently and Sam could have been almost judgemental about Cassisy's questions. I hate to admit this but I know if she asked me some of those things, I would have got on my soap box. The other thing I felt was that perhaps Sam was the too obvious choice for advice. He is the marginalised gay character who deals with prejudice on a daily basis. It wasn't that it didn't work but when you're tackling such imporant topics I think you have to be really hard on yourself and think about how you're stereotyping people. I hate labels. I have a real thing about them. They make me shout at the television. A truly powerful novel is one that shows you the deep flaws of stereotyping or a similar issue without you ever realising it is doing it.
However, I have to say the climax scene of this book was such an amazing concept and I was rather in awe of it. Obviously, I can't tell you more because of spoilers but I would have read the book for that alone. It was so fresh and interesting. Overall, the dynamics between the characters were riveting and kept the plot unfolding at a quick pace. The questions raised by this novel are important, relevant and uncompromising. Definitely, worth reading if you enjoy contemporary teen fiction which pushes you to think about who you are, what you do and what you believe. I cannot wait to read more by Kate Le Vann.
One day after hearing her mum and Paul arguing about her, Cassidy goes out and finds herself hiding in the cinema. The anonymity and thrill of being alone sooth her frustrated mind and her absence form home gives her the chance to punish her mother for the hurtful things she has said. After the film, she sits in a cafe and this is where she meets Jonah and his friends. The four boys have recently transfered to the sixth form at Cassidy's school. In a way they give her the chance to reinvent herself and be someone knew. They know nothing about her or her break up with Ian and so she gets to portray a confident and slightly aloof image of herself.
Cassidy and Jonah have an instant connection and they soon begin to explore it. This is where the novel begins to make you ask questions. Cassidy pretends that she is more mature than her friends and in a way above them. She doesn't necessarily believe that she is but because she is feeling isolated from them she becomes more and more integrated and associated with Jonah's group. The trouble is that Jonah's friends are making a name for themselves at school and it isn't a positive one. In Cassidy's mind they think that religion is the greatest source of conflict in the world. In the eyes of others' their views are racist and bigoted. Cassidy doesn't know what to think and she lacks any true opinions of her own.
I was enthralled by Cassidy's dilemma. She had met this amazing guy who understood her and then she is told by her friends that he is a racist and a bigot. She wants to trust in Jonah but there are so many little doubts that invade her mind. This book certainly raised some interesting questions about our society and how people are just generally ignorant. I recently read an articlein New Scientist online by Bernard Beckett and so I had already been thinking about extreme atheism and this book furthered that thinking.
There are a couple of minor things that I felt could have been improved in this novel. When Cassidy talks to her friend Sam about the rumours concerning Jonah, the tone is a little too preachy and it really didn't need to be. The author could have let it play out differently and Sam could have been almost judgemental about Cassisy's questions. I hate to admit this but I know if she asked me some of those things, I would have got on my soap box. The other thing I felt was that perhaps Sam was the too obvious choice for advice. He is the marginalised gay character who deals with prejudice on a daily basis. It wasn't that it didn't work but when you're tackling such imporant topics I think you have to be really hard on yourself and think about how you're stereotyping people. I hate labels. I have a real thing about them. They make me shout at the television. A truly powerful novel is one that shows you the deep flaws of stereotyping or a similar issue without you ever realising it is doing it.
However, I have to say the climax scene of this book was such an amazing concept and I was rather in awe of it. Obviously, I can't tell you more because of spoilers but I would have read the book for that alone. It was so fresh and interesting. Overall, the dynamics between the characters were riveting and kept the plot unfolding at a quick pace. The questions raised by this novel are important, relevant and uncompromising. Definitely, worth reading if you enjoy contemporary teen fiction which pushes you to think about who you are, what you do and what you believe. I cannot wait to read more by Kate Le Vann.
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June 9, 2023I really liked how the writer portrayed the confusion the main female character went through. And how the struggle of principles and heart can clash. And how eventually the girl came to decision, and how she didn't defend wrongness even when it was hard. She tried to be diplomatic and in life thats necessary at certain times. But sometimes diplomacy doesn't work as we have seen with some major political disasters which have caused wars. So sometimes its necessary to agree to disagree and then but heads at a later date 😆.
April 9, 2020
CW: Racism
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2020
I read this ages ago when I was in secondary school but from what I remember it was a book supposedly about racism where the real issue felt more "should I date a racist". I do think the concept of failing in love with someone only to fine that they're racist could be an interesting topic (when done well and the book is at least twice the length of this) but this just isn't it. Having read all her Waterstones books, I think this one is the only one that stoods out as not so great. The others are easy Middle Grade books with a YA edge that makes you feel like your reading something a little more grown up whilst it still just being easy, fun and lighthearted. But racism is a serious topic and I just don't think this was the right format to talk about it (as in a short, vague book).
November 15, 2019
I loved the way this was written, it’s what made me continue but it’s the characters I hated. I feel like Cassidy never had a backbone- she never had her own opinion she never truly knew what love is. Though this is a romance, she was too underdeveloped to understand how she felt, I suppose that was on purpose. This book had a lot to offer but everything just came to a head so quick and it ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2021
this was a fast paced read, our main character Cassidy reminded me a lot of myself in high school. Completely unsure of what i was doing but faking it and making it all up as i went. Jonah really wasn’t that bad and his friends just seemed entitled. Plus Sam was my fav 💛 everyone needs a sam in their lives!!
August 16, 2020
This for me did nothing for me like it was okay, Jonah apparently was supposed to be trouble but he didn’t even seem that bad and she just was confused by him for some reason. Okay just okay.
October 7, 2022
This was a cute little read. It was about how listening to others an peer pressure can be a bad thing and ruin something good. It was also about needing to be true to yourself. ..
June 26, 2010
All I knew about The Worst of Me was that it was a story about love, but I was surprised to find that it was SO much more than that. It really made on impact on me, it was actually meaningful and deep. With romance, life, religion, and coming of age, The Worst of Me really stood out amongst the rest.
Cassidy isn't all that happy right now. Her dad left her and her mom for someone else, and now she's stuck with her mom's new boyfriend instead. Her ex dumped her for someone better than her and on top of all that she's confused about who she is. But when she meets Jonah, the older boy, and everything changes. She loves being in love and is sure about something for once. Jonah and his friends quickly move into Cassidy's life. When Cassidy discovers some disturbing things about her new friends, she has to decide how far she's willing to go for love...
Gosh there was so many things I loved about this book. It was set in England, which really added a lot to the book. It was nice to visit someplace else other than the U.S. The way the characters talked and did things was really interesting. The writing was a little bit different, but you definitely got used to it.
The characters were very well developed. Cassidy was a really relatable main character. Her thoughts and insecurities were real. Cassidy was intellectual, although she might not have known it. As for Jonah, I didn't love him so much. I could tell he was confused about who he was as in individual as opposed to his group of friends. Sam, Cassidy's gay friend, was one of my favorites! I just loved him, he was so sweet and funny. He always knew what to say. I would to have him as a friend :)
Aside from the romance and coming of age aspects, religion was sprinkled into the mix. Kate did a beautiful job in not disrespecting anyone and showing all the different perspectives. Islam was one of the main conflicts, and it was really interesting to see how it was viewed in another country other than America.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel...a lot. I'm glad I got a chance to read it. A huge thanks goes to Kate herself for sending me this one (she even signed it too). The card she sent along with it was so nice! I definitely recommend giving this one a try :)
Taken from my book review blog at Along For the Ride
Cassidy isn't all that happy right now. Her dad left her and her mom for someone else, and now she's stuck with her mom's new boyfriend instead. Her ex dumped her for someone better than her and on top of all that she's confused about who she is. But when she meets Jonah, the older boy, and everything changes. She loves being in love and is sure about something for once. Jonah and his friends quickly move into Cassidy's life. When Cassidy discovers some disturbing things about her new friends, she has to decide how far she's willing to go for love...
Gosh there was so many things I loved about this book. It was set in England, which really added a lot to the book. It was nice to visit someplace else other than the U.S. The way the characters talked and did things was really interesting. The writing was a little bit different, but you definitely got used to it.
The characters were very well developed. Cassidy was a really relatable main character. Her thoughts and insecurities were real. Cassidy was intellectual, although she might not have known it. As for Jonah, I didn't love him so much. I could tell he was confused about who he was as in individual as opposed to his group of friends. Sam, Cassidy's gay friend, was one of my favorites! I just loved him, he was so sweet and funny. He always knew what to say. I would to have him as a friend :)
Aside from the romance and coming of age aspects, religion was sprinkled into the mix. Kate did a beautiful job in not disrespecting anyone and showing all the different perspectives. Islam was one of the main conflicts, and it was really interesting to see how it was viewed in another country other than America.
Overall I really enjoyed this novel...a lot. I'm glad I got a chance to read it. A huge thanks goes to Kate herself for sending me this one (she even signed it too). The card she sent along with it was so nice! I definitely recommend giving this one a try :)
Taken from my book review blog at Along For the Ride
April 5, 2010
Sixteen-year-old Cassidy feels her life is anything but happy. It does not help that her father is no longer living with them and that her mother has found a new love in another man. Cassidy feels her mother does not understand her, and she has no feelings towards the new man in her mother's life except that she thinks he meddles too much of her life.
Things began to look up when she met a guy named Jonah, together with his three friends when they are transferred to her school. They may be a few years older than her, but Cassidy felt kind of flattered that they showed enough attention towards her. Cassidy enjoys being with Jonah, and she has more or less put her relationship with childhood friend and ex-lover behind her, until she discover something about Jonah that makes her question about their relationship.
I have to say I was totally taken aback after reading half of The Worst of Me. What I am saying is, though I was prepared to doubt Jonah (due to the blurb), what caught me completely off-guard is the issues surrounding this story, i.e. racism and religions, in which I have to confess I don't recall reading anything about the latter in which a character has strong feelings against it. That said, I want to clarify that the author has actually done a good job in telling this story in a matter-of-fact way; there is no disrespect towards anyone except to show the different side and thoughts of Jonah (as well as his friends).
The Worst of Me tells the dilemma and struggle Cassidy has to face between love and the respect one has to give towards other people, regardless of race or religion. As much as these issues are important, what's so sad about the thing is, they still exist since history, and is difficult to resolve even today.
Without a doubt, this is a great character-driven story and I think most girls will be able to connect with Cassidy as the author has a way of drawing the readers into Cassidy's mind, and for this reason I will definitely check out the other books by Kate Le Vann, due to the characterisations and the emotional-charged topics.
Things began to look up when she met a guy named Jonah, together with his three friends when they are transferred to her school. They may be a few years older than her, but Cassidy felt kind of flattered that they showed enough attention towards her. Cassidy enjoys being with Jonah, and she has more or less put her relationship with childhood friend and ex-lover behind her, until she discover something about Jonah that makes her question about their relationship.
I have to say I was totally taken aback after reading half of The Worst of Me. What I am saying is, though I was prepared to doubt Jonah (due to the blurb), what caught me completely off-guard is the issues surrounding this story, i.e. racism and religions, in which I have to confess I don't recall reading anything about the latter in which a character has strong feelings against it. That said, I want to clarify that the author has actually done a good job in telling this story in a matter-of-fact way; there is no disrespect towards anyone except to show the different side and thoughts of Jonah (as well as his friends).
The Worst of Me tells the dilemma and struggle Cassidy has to face between love and the respect one has to give towards other people, regardless of race or religion. As much as these issues are important, what's so sad about the thing is, they still exist since history, and is difficult to resolve even today.
Without a doubt, this is a great character-driven story and I think most girls will be able to connect with Cassidy as the author has a way of drawing the readers into Cassidy's mind, and for this reason I will definitely check out the other books by Kate Le Vann, due to the characterisations and the emotional-charged topics.
February 4, 2010
The Worst of Me is Kate le Vann’s fabulous fifth novel for teens.
My favourite aspect of The Worst of Me is Cass. I identified with her immediately and found her so easy to like. Lots of the things that Cass felt about her friends and how she acted around them gave me an instant insight into her mind and I recognised some of myself in her. Kate le Vann has a way of drawing you into the mind and life if her characters and she did it again with Cass, leading her and the reader to a place where she began to like and trust herself.
Now, if you read my reviews regularly you’ll know that I love a good male lead in the books I read, but I just couldn’t quite find any like for Jonah. I think this may have been down to the mention of him in the blurb of The Worst of Me which instantly put me on guard about him because he really was pretty likable for most of the book. It’s really beginning to annoy me how crucial elements of novels are given away in the summary. I believe that The Worst of Me would have made a much bigger impact if I hadn’t known what to expect.
Religion plays a huge part in The Worst of Me and I generally don’t enjoy reading about it as it makes me a little uncomfortable, but Kate le Vann succeeded in writing it into the novel without being patronising or casting judgement. I thought it was handled beautifully.
I loved The Worst of Me and I highly recommend it along with the rest of Kate le Vann’s books.
My favourite aspect of The Worst of Me is Cass. I identified with her immediately and found her so easy to like. Lots of the things that Cass felt about her friends and how she acted around them gave me an instant insight into her mind and I recognised some of myself in her. Kate le Vann has a way of drawing you into the mind and life if her characters and she did it again with Cass, leading her and the reader to a place where she began to like and trust herself.
Now, if you read my reviews regularly you’ll know that I love a good male lead in the books I read, but I just couldn’t quite find any like for Jonah. I think this may have been down to the mention of him in the blurb of The Worst of Me which instantly put me on guard about him because he really was pretty likable for most of the book. It’s really beginning to annoy me how crucial elements of novels are given away in the summary. I believe that The Worst of Me would have made a much bigger impact if I hadn’t known what to expect.
Religion plays a huge part in The Worst of Me and I generally don’t enjoy reading about it as it makes me a little uncomfortable, but Kate le Vann succeeded in writing it into the novel without being patronising or casting judgement. I thought it was handled beautifully.
I loved The Worst of Me and I highly recommend it along with the rest of Kate le Vann’s books.
October 18, 2011
I thought this was okay, but certainly nothing special. I think that le Vann does have a talent for writing and I would like to read more by her, but this one wasn't strong enough for me to really enjoy. At the start it was nice to be introdued to Cassidy, but I felt as though le Vann wasn't actually very sure of who she was writing about and didn't have a very clear view of her protaganist. Cassidy is meant to be a little unsure of herself and meant to be putting on a bit of a mature front to others, but I don't think it was developed as much as it should've been for it to be a real focus of the book. Cassidy's issue with her boyfriend, Jonah, and his friends being accused of racism could have been developed further too - I don't really think that Cassidy looked into Jonah's actions deep enough or really found out how he felt apart from looking at a few of his internet posts. The subject and dilemma could've been a lot more interesting - Although it was the main point of the plot, it felt as though it was skimmed over. I am interested in reading more of le Vann's books, but this one wasn't remarkable.
February 6, 2013
Cassidy is basically a moody teenager who desn't ge on with her friends,her mum or anyone. So she finally feels acceptted when best boy Jonah invites her to his inner circle. But soon finds a terrible truth about them.
I love this book for three reasons, one the main charcter was easily realatable, I kept stopping and shouting out OH MY GOD I DO THAT TOO. Second the issue of religion was easy to follow, I' penticostal christian and sometimes I would agree wih what Jonah'd friends say, but also got offended at the same time. Thirdly I love the ending, the epilogue was a bit disappointing but sweet.
This book id deffinetley educational, and eye opening not only a great way to learn new words to make you look clever.
I love this book for three reasons, one the main charcter was easily realatable, I kept stopping and shouting out OH MY GOD I DO THAT TOO. Second the issue of religion was easy to follow, I' penticostal christian and sometimes I would agree wih what Jonah'd friends say, but also got offended at the same time. Thirdly I love the ending, the epilogue was a bit disappointing but sweet.
This book id deffinetley educational, and eye opening not only a great way to learn new words to make you look clever.
April 3, 2012
I can sort of relate to this book in a few certain ways. Got it from the library and started reading it till the end. A really good book, full of all the teen stuff that is generally what happens in the teenage stage of life. At the end i wouldn't say that Jonah is has a dirty secret he is just maybe a bit anti-religious.
The way the book kicks off at the beginning will make you want to read on to find out how Cassidy's relationship grows with her new group of friends.
Not much to say really...just another typical teen story
The way the book kicks off at the beginning will make you want to read on to find out how Cassidy's relationship grows with her new group of friends.
Not much to say really...just another typical teen story
February 3, 2017
boring dnf
January 28, 2010
Its has a good story nothing much happens but it keeps u Hooked
September 13, 2014
This book was a really quick read, not that well written but still a lovely little story ❤️
April 4, 2012
Good, though a bit draggy on
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews