I Will Save You

by Matt de la Peña

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, mysterious, and driven by a death wish. A best friend and worst enemy. He followed Kidd all the way to the beach and he’s not leaving until he teaches him a few lessons about life. And Olivia.

An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Mental Health, Mental Illness

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 12, 2010

About the author

Matt de la Peña is the New York Times best-selling, Newbery-medal-winning author of six young adult novels and four picture books. Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of the Pacific, where he attended school on a full athletic scholarship for basketball. de la Peña currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. He teaches creative writing and visits high schools and colleges throughout the country.

Visit Matt at: mattdelapena.com

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"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" (63). - Kidd

"A guy can buy a lot of stuff, Kidd, but he can't buy back all the hours he's spent doing a job he hates" (145). - Mr. Red

"I think there's something wrong with each and every one of us...Because when you break it all down we're all just human beings and human beings are flawed" (169). - Olivia to Kidd

"And some people are so smart they don't even think of their scars as flaws. They think of them as character" (170). - Olivia

"Were people who they were 'cause of their genes, or was it more to do with where they were born , and who their parents were, and what they saw growing up?" (223). - Kidd

"My stain will never get fixed 'cause it's on the inside. And lasers can't reach there" (237). - Kidd

"We only reveal what we want other people to know, right? It's like we create fictional characters for the public. And inside we're somebody totally different" (267). - Olivia

[laaaaames · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 and chronology it's impossible to enjoy even the good moments. But, still, the good moments are so beautiful and innocent regardless. There's so much humanity here.

(read: 29)

[Angelica Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Jakin Mashburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across this book that I had read in the 7th grade for summer reading and decided to reread it because the ending had stuck with me all this time.
It was fantastic!
I’m not sure how much of my love for this book is rooted in nostalgia, but it was a great book regardless. The ending had my jaw on the floor, and I’ve read it before.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Michay · Rating 5 out of 5]

sml for this book. so dark yet beautiful <3

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!
I Will Save You The Book That’s Not What It Seems
Runaway Kidd is escaping from his past, Olivia is hiding a personal secret under her hat, and a death driven boy named Devon is daring the world. These three characters are connected through close friendship and growing romance. Dark Devon risks their security through his reckless actions. Kidd and Olivia begin as friends and become close. I Will Save You takes a close look at the real problems teenagers face in the world. The book is compelling because of its true – to – life characters, thrilling scenes, and emotional ending.
The characters in the novel are very realistic. The main character Kidd is shy but still has close relationships Because Kidd is running from a bad past, he seeks a purpose. Mr. Red becomes a father figure and he helps Kidd as a mentor. Mr. Red had lost a child, so he treats Kidd like a son. Kidd and Mr. Red reunite as father and son, and they both benefit. Through the relationship, Kidd receives love that he did not get in the past, because Mr. Red lost his son he gets to be a father to Kidd. This relationship is relatable because there are adults who help kids who are in trouble. The relationship between Kidd and Mr. Red is true to life and believable
Kidd, who is very shy, has a close relationships with the other characters in the book especially Mr. Red. He is kind of like Kidd’s mentor throughout the book, and he was the person who encouraged Kidd to move to the beach, where everything takes place, where Kidd meets Olivia and where he gets his first job. Mr. Red becomes like a father figure to Kidd. They met because they both went to a counseling home. The character of Mr. Red is true to life because of the things he goes through like losing his son. The home is also where kid met Devon.
This book has many thrilling scenes. There is one sence where when Devon points a gun at these drunk collage guys who threatened Olivia and Kidd, and he takes out a knife and also stabs himself. This is the part of the book where Devon gets more and more and more aggressive. A few days after that him and Kidd go swimming in high tides and Devon starts insulting Kidd and then tries to drown him. After a few days of ignoring Devon, Kidd decides to follow Devon and finds out that he is homeless. Then Devon finds he’s been followed and beats Kidd up. That is the thrilling seen until the ending. The scene is thrilling because of the intensity action between characters.
Throughout the book kid has “Dreams from solitary confinement” but at the end you find out that he wasn’t in jail he was in the hospital. In the beginning of the book the other gives a snippet of the end where Kidd pushes Devon off the cliff for trying to get with Olivia but and the end of the book “Devon” pushes Kidd. After Kidd wakes up from the hospital Olivia is crying and worried because Kidd jumped off the cliff saying he was fighting with a guy named Devon. Then we find out that Kidd and Devon are the same people, Kidd has multiple personality disorder. Which, after reading the book, makes sense because the book leaves little clues throughout the book.
The true – to – life characters, thrilling scenes, and emotional ending make the book thrilling. Altogether the book is a thriller, dramatic, suspenseful and romantic story. All these things make this a great book that the reader can’t stop reading. Not just the characters and whole book including the scenes and ending are so true to life real and relatable. The thrilling story makes it so hard not to read and sad to stop reading.

[Lauren Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt de la Pena’s I Will Save You is a young adult novel focusing on the life of a troubled teen who goes by the name of Kidd. Trying to put his past behind him, Kidd has been spending the summer at a beachside campsite doing maintenance work under the supervision of his friend—and the closest thing he has to a father figure—Mr. Red. There he meets Olivia, who he promptly falls in love with. To his surprise, she might even be interested in him too. Things seem to be looking up. Running from one’s past, however, is never as easy as it seems—a fact that proves itself especially true when Devon reappears in Kidd’s life. Devon is dangerous. Or is he? Kidd isn’t quite sure anymore. But when Kidd did what he did, it was for a reason.

This book was not the type of book that I would qualify as an instant page-turner. Like the one other book I have read by this author, I found the book a bit difficult to get into at first, but I did ultimately end up enjoying it. What made it so difficult at first—which actually did end up becoming one of my favorite things about the book—was the fact that so little backstory is presented within the first few pages that the events that occur don’t make a lot of sense. The reader witnesses Kidd pull a shocking move with little idea as to why, and suspected insanity is a valid first impression of the character. However, throughout the story, new information about Kidd’s past is slowly presented. As childhood events and former friendships are gradually explained, the reader’s understanding of the events at the beginning of the book increases steadily. Kidd’s character begins to make more and more sense.

The story was not told chronologically, and though the organization of different sections of plot did seem a bit jumpy at times, it did all come together and make sense in the end. I enjoyed the way that the characters were developed; their abundance of flaws made them more interesting and believable. The story as a whole, though it was interesting, did not capture my attention as well as certain books I have read in the past. Regardless, I would say that I Will Save You is worth the read.

[Sophia Stanton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I explain my love for this book?

-------

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 lessons about life. And Olivia.

------

Kidd is a poor Mexican boy from a poor family. With an abusive father that tore their family apart, he gets sent to a summer at a beach. There, he meets Mr. Red, the flirty, occupied retired surfer. Then there's Olivia. Hiding behind her ski cap, Kidd hasn't seen anyone so beautiful. Kidd is instantly in love, and will do anything to save her.

Devon. The death-driven, equal rights, hoodlum from his memories follows him to the beach. Determined to make Kidd believe what he sees, that poor people are nothing; driven out and stepped on by the easy rich people. He'll stop at nothing to get Kidd on his side.

------

I will never forget this book. I will recommend it to anyone.

[Diane Mankowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

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, also meant leaving Devon, a friend who his therapist recommended he detach from. He seeks out Red, a retired surfer and campsite manager who provides him with a job and a campsite of his own. Days later, Devon finds him and Kidd is scared for himself, but also for the blonde girl, Olivia, that caught his eye.

Kidd had to push Devon off the cliff. He had to save Olivia. Kidd, an unreliable narrator, tells us the story by taking readers to the beginning of the summer, before Olivia wrote a song, before Kidd learned to surf and before Kidd followed Devon to his make-shift home.

Kidd, Devon, Red and Olivia are characters that stay with you long after finishing the final page.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

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 effects of violence on young people, class tension, young love, self-esteem, and the aftermath of loss. But overall the book drags and Kidd is a bit too passive to provoke too much empathy. But I was cruising along okay until the ending, which is just mother-f*in ridiculous. Some teens might like the overblown melodrama but it pissed me off to no end. Oh, Matt de la Pena, what were you thinking?

[Cinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of Matt De La Pena's books that I've read; very strong character voice and a twist ending that sneaks up on you.

[tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Will Save You is a stunning adventure into the mind of mental illness, love, and hate.

In this story, Kidd Ellison, who recently escaped out of a mental rehabilitation facility, tries to learn how to live normally again, while dealing with his psychotic friend Devon and campsite love interest Olivia.

This novel’s main character is hard not to love. At a young age, both his parents passed away; he spent several years at Horizons, a mental illness home; and he struggles with depression, anxiety, and insurmountable self-doubt. Even through all this, as the story progresses, he still finds the time to be loyal, protective, and kind to the people and animals around him. On page 152, his camp mentor, Mr. Red, tells a friend that Kidd “turned that old dog’s life around. It’s amazing.” talking about a stray dog who lives on the campgrounds. In addition, Kidd shows that he cares for others by protecting them while they’re in danger. On page 128, Kidd gets in a fight with two college students after they heckled his “friend” Olivia, and “ran all the way back to the campsite” after beating both of them up. This all proves that Kidd is a deeply caring individual, who is willing to give up anything for the safety of those around him.

In conclusion, I Will Save You is a sometimes joyous, sometimes heart-wrenching tale with a mind-blowing, life-changing ending. I recommend this for anybody who loves realistic fiction with insanely viceral, detailed writing.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I write this, de la Pena is receiving accolades for another picture book. Perhaps that's his true calling. I've read a couple of his YA novels and they are...fine? When I saw him speak, I genuinely enjoyed his perspective. This book lacked the warmth of his personal stories.

I really wanted to love Kidd, wanted this to be a story with wide appeal. The plot hinges on a Fight Club / Supermarket twist that I spotted early on but may impress some readers. The pace alternated between confusing flashbacks and slow present-tense. This might work in a book circle with Challenger Deep, but will confuse many independent readers.

[Jayden Carrington-Ssemanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book at first, then when i got to the end and figured out that kidd and Devon where the same person I freaked out. How could he see him under the bridge, how could he have seen him steal the clothes how did he find him with Olivia on top of the hill?! there was a weird mix of emotions that this book evokes, but i wouldn't call it depressing. Odd yes, and i is sad at some points but i personally dont find it depressing at all. But the great thing about this book is how any two people could feel about the book even if they read it at the same time.

[Jesten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book that really pulled at my heart strings. There were big moments, emotional moments, that really made it seem all the more realistic. Matt de la Peña really has a gift with his ability to breathe life into characters. I loved everything about this book, especially the ending.

[Jdawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't see that ending coming.......this book will stick with me for a longtime.

[Alicia Army · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very creative and detailed.

[Geraldine (geraldinereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard for me to find YA books I love, but I've loved all of Matt de la Peña's books so far including this one! Once again loved his writing in this book and how relatable the characters can be even if you're an adult.

[Elena (Taylor's version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me a while to read and grasp the concept, I almost gave up 25% of the way through. But do I regret finishing reading it, no... It was a concept that I hadn't until this point read a lot about. It opened up a whole new world of book choices that I never considered for myself.

The book seemed to drag on until suddenly out of nowhere the ending of the book was here and it kind of threw me off. Like the ending was quick after what felt like a long book and I was confused because the ending was not at all what I expected. I am not entirely sure how to describe it.

[Jacob Mattmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Will Save You by Matt De La Pena is about a kid named Kidd, his love interest Olivia, and his ex-best friend Devon. Kidd grew up in a foster home type place call Horizons because of difficulties with his parents; that is where Devon and Kidd first met and became friends. Devon is a daring risky kid that has anger problems and mental problems. Kidd is shy and also suffers from mental problems. Kidd escapes Horizons because he does not really like it there and goes to a summer camp in a town called Cardiff; that is where he meets Olivia, the prettiest girl he has ever seen. Kidd was definitely my favorite character because a lot of what he did I related to. His and Olivia's relationship does not really pick up too much until about half way through the book, and the Pena way wrote their relationship and wrote how it progressed was perfect. It seemed extremely real. The book starts off telling the end, and Kidd tells all about what happened before, so there are all these questions that you have and the way they are answered is brilliant. Pena leaves small little foreshadowing details throughout the whole book starting on the third page. My favorite part of the book was the parts near the end because when I was reading, I got a feeling of nervousness and anxiety about what was going to happen, and by the end of it, I was very perplexed on what ended up happening and got very emotional. One thing that was kind of upsetting but also understandable was, Pena never really explains how everything happened the way it did, it's left up to you to put the pieces together which I like and respect but it is kind of confusing. The beginning of the book and how the book is organized was confusing at first too but I got used to it after reading it more. I would recommend this book to people who like in depth puzzling stories that make you think a little. I Will Save You is by far the best book I have ever read and I really want to read it again just to see how much small little detail Pena sprinkled throughout the book.

I give I Will Save You a 5/5!

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 from the very beginning that Kidd pushes his friend off a sea-side cliff), in the form of a journal Kidd writes in second person, and in real time, with Kidd in what he calls 'solitary'. The reader has to watch and read carefully to bring these threads together, but they braid perfectly.

Kidd is a child of trauma and violence. He's escaped the group home he's lived in and is spending an idyllic summer at the beach, working for a washed-up surfer, adopting a mangy, ugly dog, and falling in love. But one day, a fellow inmate from his group home finds him and begins to draw him back into questioning himself, doubting himself.

I surprised 5th hour by crying at the end...even when I knew the ending beforehand.

I'm such a teacher-nerd that I read acknowledgements, and this one also made me cry. I know de la Pena's story of how he discovered literature and writing...I do believe he may have discovered the 'next' Matt de la Pena.

Eager to share this one!

[katarzyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 but I think you're probably supposed to since it didn't retract from the emotional resonance at all. I'm always impressed by how well-written de la Pena's main characters are and think he could probably make me feel like I somehow relate to and sympathize with just about any character he came up with. The storyline is quite sad and heavy and thus sort of difficult to swallow but definitely worth reading. I think anything that manages to make you really feel something and feel more connected to people that are going through very different struggles than you are is worth reading, and this book definitely did that for me.

[K.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book inspired me. To be a better writer, to jump out of my wheelhouse and try something new. This book touched me, heart and mind. And if you're a mind and heart book lover and needer/must-have-both-to-be-engaged'er like me, read this and fall in love as I did with the characters, story, and words.

It had everything: intelligence, plot, flawed heartfelt characters, a great twist, and Murakami references (a brilliant, philosophical, metaphysical, realist poet (one rare combination) and a favorite of mine). It even had an imperfect but lovable dog like my fat Weimaraner, Chester=Best Dog in the Universe. :)

In short, this book is a gem and recommended to all. Matt De La Pena, you've made a fan of me (not easy, because see above). Thank you!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first began to read this book, I was a bit confused.
I asked myself, "why did the author put the dramatic climax at the very beginning of the book?"

As I kept reading, bits and pieces came together. However there were little twists throughout the book. But nothing, and I mean NOTHING prepared me for literally the biggest freaking plot twist, mind boggling, turn of events, that it had.

Personally, I did cry while reading this. It hit me in so many ways, Kidd went through a lot and in a way he feels a lot too. I see where Kidd is coming from and through his point of view, you also start to feel what he feels and thinks.

Overall, I would recommend this book. It's a bit dark, but in my opinion... it's sort of beautiful.

[Runa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nah. Automatic one star for books that take the easy way out and give the main character DID. Like, no thank you, I am not here for books that tell me the only way people can deal with trauma is by splitting off and creating another persona for themselves, give us some credit here, okay? We are more complex than that. This isn't a realistic portrayal of DID -OR- trauma, and I don't have time for that. So many authors have done this story to death, and at this point, I can see it coming from miles away. Ho-hum.

[Mary Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Matt de la Pena--and it will not be my last. Amazing writing. As soon as I finished the book, I went right back and started reading it over again. I rarely do that, but the structure of this book is unique. A little off-putting in the beginning, hard to follow the main character's story and very frustrating they way he's acting. But the book is well worth the read...even a second read.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book but I would have enjoyed it more if I had not figured out twist from the very beginning of the book. I really enjoyed the fact that this had a love story told from the male character. I would be happy if more males felt "ok" about reading books that have a romantic storyline and one that is well played out without abuse/drugs/drinking being invloved. This was also a very good book about accepting yourself and becoming more self confident.

[Ryley (Ryley Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished it last night, it was just a short read, and while I enjoyed it, I am conflicted.

I think it is another one of those contemporaries where it is best to go in blind.

For me, it felt like a mix of We Were Liars meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think I am giving it 4 stars because it is quite unique and unlike anything I've read.

I'm still thinking about it the next day and piecing everything together.

Overall I think some would enjoy this and others would not.

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

My apologies to this book, but I really couldn't get into it. The premise was interesting enough, but the way it was written was just... not something I had the patience for.

The ending was certainly surprising, and I did appreciate that little twist, but in the end, it was not enough to redeem the book overall.