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Stealing Kevin's Heart
Their small town saw Alex Anderson and Kevin Rubenstein as the most unlikely of best friends, but that is just what the handsome athlete and the artistic Jewish brainiac inseparable buddies since childhood. Then Kevin dies in a motorcycle accident, and his parents blame Alex. And Alex blames himself. His grieving derails both his studies and his football, and he is sent away to a camp for troubled youths in the wilds of southeastern Oklahoma. Borderline suicidal, Alex finds his way back to sanity among the pine trees and clear lake waters thanks to a girl with a secret, a group of misfits, and the most unselfish gift a person can give another.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 3, 2012
WONDERFUL!!
Alex vio morir a su mejor amigo, Kevin. Se siente culpable por lo sucedido, sin importar que Kev fuera atropellado por un conductor en estado de ebriedad. Desde ese momento, su vida se vuelve un caos. De ser un jugador de americano, pasa a ser expulsado de la escuela por su comportamiento violento. Sus padres no saben qué hacer con él, cómo ayudarle. Finalmente, deciden actuar antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
Ir a un campamento de verano, con chicos que tienen diversos tipos de problemas, no es lo mejor que podría haberle pasado. Extraña a Kevin. Se sigue sintiendo responsable de su muerte. Pero entonces, conoce a otros chicos en el campamento y su vida comienza de pronto a recuperar sentido.
Cuando empecé este libro, supe que sería magnífico. Me gustó la manera en que se desarrolla la novela, abarcando varios temas delicados como el bullying, donación de órganos, violencia en el noviazgo, intentos de violación... y aunque parece demasiado para una simple novela, los sucesos se han entrelazado de forma tan buena, que no nos sentimos sobrellevados por exceso de información.
Me gustó mucho la manera en que nuestro protagonista logró reencontrarse. Hacer nuevos amigos. El amor, tocando a su puerta fue la salvación final para él.
Hubieron momentos muy tristes, muy tiernos y otros muy divertidos. Quise llorar en mas de una ocasión por la mezcla de sentimientos que Alex experimentaba. Y aunque ha pasado tiempo ya desde que leí este libro, me sigue gustando y lo recuerdo como si hubiese sido ayer que lo leí. Recomendado.
Alex vio morir a su mejor amigo, Kevin. Se siente culpable por lo sucedido, sin importar que Kev fuera atropellado por un conductor en estado de ebriedad. Desde ese momento, su vida se vuelve un caos. De ser un jugador de americano, pasa a ser expulsado de la escuela por su comportamiento violento. Sus padres no saben qué hacer con él, cómo ayudarle. Finalmente, deciden actuar antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
Ir a un campamento de verano, con chicos que tienen diversos tipos de problemas, no es lo mejor que podría haberle pasado. Extraña a Kevin. Se sigue sintiendo responsable de su muerte. Pero entonces, conoce a otros chicos en el campamento y su vida comienza de pronto a recuperar sentido.
Cuando empecé este libro, supe que sería magnífico. Me gustó la manera en que se desarrolla la novela, abarcando varios temas delicados como el bullying, donación de órganos, violencia en el noviazgo, intentos de violación... y aunque parece demasiado para una simple novela, los sucesos se han entrelazado de forma tan buena, que no nos sentimos sobrellevados por exceso de información.
Me gustó mucho la manera en que nuestro protagonista logró reencontrarse. Hacer nuevos amigos. El amor, tocando a su puerta fue la salvación final para él.
Hubieron momentos muy tristes, muy tiernos y otros muy divertidos. Quise llorar en mas de una ocasión por la mezcla de sentimientos que Alex experimentaba. Y aunque ha pasado tiempo ya desde que leí este libro, me sigue gustando y lo recuerdo como si hubiese sido ayer que lo leí. Recomendado.
January 26, 2013
This is a book I received from a Goodreads giveaway. I should make it clear to any who read my reviews that I don't rate books highly just because I received them for free. I do my best to review them honestly in hopes of providing some useful feedback to the author and also to those who may read the book in the future.
Stealing Kevin's Heart was an enjoyable book. It is a YA book, which I typically don't get drawn to, but I'm glad to have read it. It's a simple enough read (meaning that it doesn't require a lot of thought or pondering as you read) that goes pretty quickly but the messages in the book come through strong and clear. The heartache and loss that both of the main characters have endured has indelibly marked them in ways that are believable and real to the reader. Alex's character is thought through well by the author--his reaction and response to his friend's death are well within what any of us might go through with a similar experience. So, too, are his parents' reactions and the resulting chasm of distance that quickly builds between them.
M. Scott Carter has written a book that flows naturally as written from the perspective of a young man experiencing his first major loss in his life. The reader is able to relate to the depth of his grief and also his feeling that he was responsible for the event that happened to his friend (although as an older reader it was difficult to read his self-blame, knowing that his friend's death was not at all his fault). The sadness of the story is balanced by Alex's developing feelings for Rachel, his first serious relationship with a girl. Again, the author has done a fine job of building the relationship and describing Alex's feelings in a way that is believable to the reader. Mr. Carter has managed to intertwine the themes of loss and of first love in a way that many of his readers will be able to relate to because of their own experiences of love and loss.
Although YA books are not my usual cup of tea I recommend this book to anyone interested in the YA genre or interested in books that are just generally well-written. Mr. Carter has done an excellent job with presenting difficult themes in a way that is gentle and thoughtful; his book can be enjoyed by many and will likely be useful to some readers as they navigate their own feelings of loss and love as they reach adulthood.
Stealing Kevin's Heart was an enjoyable book. It is a YA book, which I typically don't get drawn to, but I'm glad to have read it. It's a simple enough read (meaning that it doesn't require a lot of thought or pondering as you read) that goes pretty quickly but the messages in the book come through strong and clear. The heartache and loss that both of the main characters have endured has indelibly marked them in ways that are believable and real to the reader. Alex's character is thought through well by the author--his reaction and response to his friend's death are well within what any of us might go through with a similar experience. So, too, are his parents' reactions and the resulting chasm of distance that quickly builds between them.
M. Scott Carter has written a book that flows naturally as written from the perspective of a young man experiencing his first major loss in his life. The reader is able to relate to the depth of his grief and also his feeling that he was responsible for the event that happened to his friend (although as an older reader it was difficult to read his self-blame, knowing that his friend's death was not at all his fault). The sadness of the story is balanced by Alex's developing feelings for Rachel, his first serious relationship with a girl. Again, the author has done a fine job of building the relationship and describing Alex's feelings in a way that is believable to the reader. Mr. Carter has managed to intertwine the themes of loss and of first love in a way that many of his readers will be able to relate to because of their own experiences of love and loss.
Although YA books are not my usual cup of tea I recommend this book to anyone interested in the YA genre or interested in books that are just generally well-written. Mr. Carter has done an excellent job with presenting difficult themes in a way that is gentle and thoughtful; his book can be enjoyed by many and will likely be useful to some readers as they navigate their own feelings of loss and love as they reach adulthood.
June 12, 2012
(3 1/2 stars)
Political reporter M. Scott Carter's debut young adult novel is the story of Alex Anderson, who saw his best friend Kevin Rubenstein die in a drunk driving accident. Feeling guilty and adrift, Alex falls into a suicidal depression. His parents decide to send him to a counseling camp, where he meets Rachel, a Texas girl escaping her ex and recovering from heart surgery.
STEALING KEVIN'S HEART is definitely an issue novel. Issues addressed range from depression to bullying to rape to organ donation. It's a lot to pack into a novel that also has a prominent romance. It's tough for an experienced author to give so many weighty issues their due in a single book, and STEALING KEVIN'S HEART does show a lack of polish. Many problems are solved quickly, often with a single enlightening speech.
There are moments of powerful emotion. The flashback to Kev's death and the aftermath choked me up. The scene where Danny first beats Rachel is genuinely shocking. But Alex's story often feels like an excuse for after school set pieces than a meaty exploration of his psyche. The narration between scenes is clumsy, with frequent unsubtle foreshadowing like ". . . so everything was just about perfect. Of course, it couldn't stay that way (201)."
I am willing to be lenient with STEALING KEVIN'S HEART since it is a debut novel. And, honestly, I admire ambition and STEALING KEVIN'S HEART has that in spades. If you're interested in organ donation or enjoy books that tackle tough topics, go ahead and give STEALING KEVIN'S HEART a chance. It wasn't visceral enough for me, but I think Carter could write a story to pierce my hard heart.
Political reporter M. Scott Carter's debut young adult novel is the story of Alex Anderson, who saw his best friend Kevin Rubenstein die in a drunk driving accident. Feeling guilty and adrift, Alex falls into a suicidal depression. His parents decide to send him to a counseling camp, where he meets Rachel, a Texas girl escaping her ex and recovering from heart surgery.
STEALING KEVIN'S HEART is definitely an issue novel. Issues addressed range from depression to bullying to rape to organ donation. It's a lot to pack into a novel that also has a prominent romance. It's tough for an experienced author to give so many weighty issues their due in a single book, and STEALING KEVIN'S HEART does show a lack of polish. Many problems are solved quickly, often with a single enlightening speech.
There are moments of powerful emotion. The flashback to Kev's death and the aftermath choked me up. The scene where Danny first beats Rachel is genuinely shocking. But Alex's story often feels like an excuse for after school set pieces than a meaty exploration of his psyche. The narration between scenes is clumsy, with frequent unsubtle foreshadowing like ". . . so everything was just about perfect. Of course, it couldn't stay that way (201)."
I am willing to be lenient with STEALING KEVIN'S HEART since it is a debut novel. And, honestly, I admire ambition and STEALING KEVIN'S HEART has that in spades. If you're interested in organ donation or enjoy books that tackle tough topics, go ahead and give STEALING KEVIN'S HEART a chance. It wasn't visceral enough for me, but I think Carter could write a story to pierce my hard heart.
December 12, 2019
It was a good story, but the writing was pretty bad. The story felt very jumpy, the dialogue wasn't believable, there were too many chapters that ended with something along the lines of 'but of course that couldn't last.' It was just kind of 'I'm leading you with this sentence to what is coming'. I wanted more "Show Me, Don't Tell Me". I cared enough to finish and see what happened, I liked the main characters, but yah, I knew what the plot twist was in the first 20 pages or so. Actually, I think I knew it when I read the back of the book...
September 22, 2012
This book is Return to Me in young adult book format. Loved the movie and this book was okay but it's a story that doesn't work after you figure out the ending (which, if you have seen Return to Me, you will know as soon as the scar is revealed.)
May 24, 2017
Alex and Kevin were the unlikeliest of best friends, one nerdy, artistic and Jewish, the other burly and a jock. They bonded when Kevin’s family moved into the house next to where Alex lived, sharing chicken pox, teen insecurity and jokes as they grew older. A year ago, they got motorcycles. One fateful day, Kevin talked Alex into skipping and going biking. Alex watched as a drunk driver hit Kevin’s bike and he died.
The guilt and grief of losing his best friend overwhelmed Alex, so much so that he cut himself off from the world, gave up on school and scared his family. Scared them so much, they forced him to go from his home in Stillwater to a wilderness camp for troubled teens in southwestern Oklahoma.
The last thing Alex expects to meet is someone like Rachel. She’s sweet and insightful, doesn’t seem depressed and won’t let him blow her off. The more he’s around her, the harder it is for him to stay angry and sad. When her evil ex-boyfriend, Danny, attacks her, Alex discovers them and fights Danny off. It’s a turning point in his painful journey back to life.
Readers will figure out early on what the unspoken connection between Kevin, Alex and Rachel is, but that hardly matters. Watching the two teens connect and figure out what they mean to each other is the important part. Teens who have suffered a devastating loss, like a really nice romance or who like stories with strong emotional components are going to like this one a lot.
The guilt and grief of losing his best friend overwhelmed Alex, so much so that he cut himself off from the world, gave up on school and scared his family. Scared them so much, they forced him to go from his home in Stillwater to a wilderness camp for troubled teens in southwestern Oklahoma.
The last thing Alex expects to meet is someone like Rachel. She’s sweet and insightful, doesn’t seem depressed and won’t let him blow her off. The more he’s around her, the harder it is for him to stay angry and sad. When her evil ex-boyfriend, Danny, attacks her, Alex discovers them and fights Danny off. It’s a turning point in his painful journey back to life.
Readers will figure out early on what the unspoken connection between Kevin, Alex and Rachel is, but that hardly matters. Watching the two teens connect and figure out what they mean to each other is the important part. Teens who have suffered a devastating loss, like a really nice romance or who like stories with strong emotional components are going to like this one a lot.
December 18, 2020
Not the best thing I've ever read... the prose was pretty stilted, the way the kids spoke was out of touch with how teens actually talk to one another... some of the scenes were pretty cringy... but for some reason it kept me reading to the end even though I figured out about 3 chapters in where we were going with the story. This should really almost be filed under Christian Fiction as well since there was a lot of 'come to Jesus/ God is listening' moments.
Carter's descriptions of PTSD were alright, along with his descriptions of the physical sensations of anxiety disorders, so he had that going for him, but he definitely could have done more research in this department since PTSD certainly doesn't resolve after a couple of weeks at a treatment center.
Meh, overall.
Carter's descriptions of PTSD were alright, along with his descriptions of the physical sensations of anxiety disorders, so he had that going for him, but he definitely could have done more research in this department since PTSD certainly doesn't resolve after a couple of weeks at a treatment center.
Meh, overall.
November 8, 2021
This was a heartwarming story. I actually really liked how the relationship with the parents developed. There was a line early on that gave away the plot line but it was still a nice read. I’m a sucker for summer type romance stories and this read similar to one.
May 7, 2022
Such a beautiful story. It gave me fear, joy, and love; and did it well. An added bonus is that it is set in Oklahoma, where I live, and mentioned the town I live in. One of my favorite books of this year.
June 22, 2023
read this during my childhood, i'll never forget this book 😭
July 11, 2012
First of all, the publisher provided this book so that I could review it.
Since I am a transplant recipient myself, I had no choice but to read this anyway, even though it is a YA book and I am in my, shall we say, 'mid-life'. It starts off G-R-E-A-T. This author obviously remembers what it was like to be a teenage boy. This is all before the first chapter.
As the book progressed and I flew through it I had to remind myself 1) that teenagers sometimes say stupid things (ie; it wasn't the author writing poorly!), 2) that the story is fictional (ie; my factual transplant experience is not the same as in the book), and 3) that the three times of tears filling my eyes may be due to the very personal note this has taken for me, despite the different circumstances and organ.
It is no wonder that this was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award! I definitely recommend this book. It is not 'preachy' or pushy. It is simply a great work of fiction that happens to include another segment of real life that rarely gets gets talked about. I love the fact that it has been included, and it comes across pretty naturally, which can be difficult to do. The story captures your attention and the end ... let's just say the journey you walk with the main character is tough and well worth it.
Since I am a transplant recipient myself, I had no choice but to read this anyway, even though it is a YA book and I am in my, shall we say, 'mid-life'. It starts off G-R-E-A-T. This author obviously remembers what it was like to be a teenage boy. This is all before the first chapter.
As the book progressed and I flew through it I had to remind myself 1) that teenagers sometimes say stupid things (ie; it wasn't the author writing poorly!), 2) that the story is fictional (ie; my factual transplant experience is not the same as in the book), and 3) that the three times of tears filling my eyes may be due to the very personal note this has taken for me, despite the different circumstances and organ.
It is no wonder that this was a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Award! I definitely recommend this book. It is not 'preachy' or pushy. It is simply a great work of fiction that happens to include another segment of real life that rarely gets gets talked about. I love the fact that it has been included, and it comes across pretty naturally, which can be difficult to do. The story captures your attention and the end ... let's just say the journey you walk with the main character is tough and well worth it.
August 12, 2016
I honestly didn't do enough reading on the back of this book. I thought it was going to be about a young man, named Kevin, who falls in love with a girl; a kind of boy meets girl love story. Well, it is that, but not at the same time.
It is about a young man, Alex, whose friend Kevin is killed. Alex blames himself and in his turmoil, takes the slope of depression and suicidal thoughts. After his parent's discover a gun, Alex is sent away to a camp where he meets Rachel. Here is where the love story begins. But this novel is much more than that. It is about a young man coping with the loss of a friend, dealing with guilt and anger, how people help eachother and the love and friendship people build. It is about overcoming grief, accepting the tragedy and pain from the past, getting hope back, and love. Love for family, friends, significant others, and most of all, ourselves.
I teared up so much with this 235 paged book. I think both males and females can appreciate this novel. It really deals with some heavy stuff and with love. Who doesn't love love? Eventhough I totally saw what the end was going to be when I found out who Kevin and Rachel were, it was still a surprise of emotions and a great ending.I'm glad Goodreads recommended this for me. A great choice!
It is about a young man, Alex, whose friend Kevin is killed. Alex blames himself and in his turmoil, takes the slope of depression and suicidal thoughts. After his parent's discover a gun, Alex is sent away to a camp where he meets Rachel. Here is where the love story begins. But this novel is much more than that. It is about a young man coping with the loss of a friend, dealing with guilt and anger, how people help eachother and the love and friendship people build. It is about overcoming grief, accepting the tragedy and pain from the past, getting hope back, and love. Love for family, friends, significant others, and most of all, ourselves.
I teared up so much with this 235 paged book. I think both males and females can appreciate this novel. It really deals with some heavy stuff and with love. Who doesn't love love? Eventhough I totally saw what the end was going to be when I found out who Kevin and Rachel were, it was still a surprise of emotions and a great ending.I'm glad Goodreads recommended this for me. A great choice!
April 3, 2012
It's not often that you read a book and have your high school mentioned...even in passing. Norman North Academic Team is defeated by one of the characters in this book, and the connection made me smile.
Alex and Kevin have been best friends forever...as close as the brother neither ever had, and when Kevin is killed in a stupid motorcycle accident, and Alex watches, more than just Kevin's life is ended. The relationships of the two families, Alex's sense of himself...everything is destroyed.
After a year of acting out and getting more and more depressed, Alex forces the issue by taking his father's gun and contemplating suicide. An intervention and a trip to a 'rehab' summer camp in SE Oklahoma introduces a new cast of characters, including Rachel, a mysterious girl with her own secrets.
The instant attraction between Alex and Rachel promises to be much richer and deeper than they thought.
Carter lives in OKC; this is his first YA novel. I'll read more. I like the idea that my students will relate to the settings...Stillwater, Norman, OKC...they're all there.
Even tho I knew the twist, it still made me cry as I saw Alex regain his confidence and his life.
Alex and Kevin have been best friends forever...as close as the brother neither ever had, and when Kevin is killed in a stupid motorcycle accident, and Alex watches, more than just Kevin's life is ended. The relationships of the two families, Alex's sense of himself...everything is destroyed.
After a year of acting out and getting more and more depressed, Alex forces the issue by taking his father's gun and contemplating suicide. An intervention and a trip to a 'rehab' summer camp in SE Oklahoma introduces a new cast of characters, including Rachel, a mysterious girl with her own secrets.
The instant attraction between Alex and Rachel promises to be much richer and deeper than they thought.
Carter lives in OKC; this is his first YA novel. I'll read more. I like the idea that my students will relate to the settings...Stillwater, Norman, OKC...they're all there.
Even tho I knew the twist, it still made me cry as I saw Alex regain his confidence and his life.
Read
January 27, 2013Copy received thanks to Goodreads!
Against the odds, Alex and Kevin became childhood friends. Alex was the athlete and Kevin was the smart kid everyone else picked on. Their friendship became one of those that was bound to last a lifetime, only that lifetime was cut short when Kevin was killed by a drunk driver.
Alex witnessed the horrible accident and was crippled by guilt. After Kevin's death, Alex's life became very dark. His parents and teachers were worried about him as his grades dropped, he withdrew and even contemplated suicide.
When therapy doesn't help, his parents decide to send him to a summer camp for troubled teens.
Sure that the camp idea will be a complete waste of time, Alex is surprised when the clear lake, tall trees, and some great new friends combine to help him find a reason to keep living. Alex meets Rachel, a girl at the camp for mysterious reasons, and the relationship that results promises to change Alex's life forever.
Author M. Scott Carter explores love and loss and the pain associated with both. This powerful story will stay with readers long after the final page.
Against the odds, Alex and Kevin became childhood friends. Alex was the athlete and Kevin was the smart kid everyone else picked on. Their friendship became one of those that was bound to last a lifetime, only that lifetime was cut short when Kevin was killed by a drunk driver.
Alex witnessed the horrible accident and was crippled by guilt. After Kevin's death, Alex's life became very dark. His parents and teachers were worried about him as his grades dropped, he withdrew and even contemplated suicide.
When therapy doesn't help, his parents decide to send him to a summer camp for troubled teens.
Sure that the camp idea will be a complete waste of time, Alex is surprised when the clear lake, tall trees, and some great new friends combine to help him find a reason to keep living. Alex meets Rachel, a girl at the camp for mysterious reasons, and the relationship that results promises to change Alex's life forever.
Author M. Scott Carter explores love and loss and the pain associated with both. This powerful story will stay with readers long after the final page.
August 7, 2015
I had never heard of this book or the author but a friend gave it to me as a gift. The spooky thing was the two main charecters of Kevin and Alex sounded a lot like a story I have been writing for a while so it was spooky to start reading it. I thought "Is this going to be like my story?" But it wasn't. I enjoyed Mr. Carter's book so much though! It had tragedy, deep saddness, desperation, to hope, salvation and finally peace. This is a book I would TOTALLY recommend! It is also a great book for advocay for the organ donor program. I really liked his writing style (Probably because it reminds me of my own way of telling stories). I love how it ended as well and it even made me tear up at the very end. All and All a great book and one I will be sharing with other people in the future. The only thing that threw me off was what was the deal with the silver charm bracelet on the grave at the end?!
January 25, 2013
I won this book. I have read dozens of YA books. This was not one of my favorites. I was very excited when I started the book, because I lived in Stillwater for 7 years and still visit a few times a year. I was quickly irritated, though, that so much detail was put into street names that were familiar, but many of the "intersections" listed actually run parallel to each other. I love to read a book and be surprised by what happens next. This was NOT hard to guess where the story was going. I kept hoping something shocking would be thrown in, but it just dragged. The big reveal wasn't even exciting, and it took forever to get there. I didn't feel much for the relationships built in the book. They were glossed over and weak. The best part of YA books is being able to feel their excitement and anticipation for all experiences. I just didn't feel that in this book.
February 5, 2013
I read this book in about 4 hours. I really liked that it was such a quick and easy read. Because of the clues I knew how it was going to end, so there were no surprises. The false arrest situation was hard to believe for me. It seemed forced, like the author was trying too hard to make something happen just so, instead of letting the situation flow as it would in reality. We never found out exactly why Rachel allowed herself to be talked into going anywhere with Danny alone after he was violent with her in the first place. That part made no sense at all. But there were many touching moments. I was made to understand exactly how the main character felt and thought. There was a lot of heartache in the story also and I found myself teary (I'm a sucker, what can I say?) through a lot of it. I did like it and I'm not sorry I read it in any way.
August 6, 2013
After seeing his best friend killed in an accident Alex is sent away to a cap for troubled teens. He's so depressed he is suicidal. His parents are hoping camp can help him with his depression. Alex is not helped by the fact that there are those around him who blame him and make it known. Grief is not something you just automatically know how to go through. It is an uphill battle. At camp Kevin finds others who have problems as big or bigger than his. Is it possible that this camp is the one place that can help him? This is one of those books that touch your heart and brings out the emotions. Be sure to read it with tissues in reach.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2012
This is the author's debut young adult novel, and we can only hope there are many more to come. I don't read a lot of YA, but regardless of age, this is a timeless story that should resonate with anyone. (I've already started pushing it on my 14-year-old.)
The emotions are real, the Oklahoma settings lend a fine sense of place, and the story is beautifully paced. The pain of the lead character, 16-year-old Alex, is so real that I found myself in tears many times. This book touched me in many places, and I recommend it highly.
The emotions are real, the Oklahoma settings lend a fine sense of place, and the story is beautifully paced. The pain of the lead character, 16-year-old Alex, is so real that I found myself in tears many times. This book touched me in many places, and I recommend it highly.
November 17, 2013
I stayed up until the early hours of the morning to finish reading the book because I was that engrossed in the plot. I've heard of organ recipients having trace connections with the donors personalities so it was interesting to see the way that this connection was interpreted in the book. I thoroughly appreciated reading this book and I hope that it encourages young readers to have the organ donor discussion with their friends and families. I checked off the box prior to reading this book and I hope many others do after reading Stealing Kevin's Heart.
November 29, 2014
I picked this book out not too long ago in my high school's library just by looking at its cover. It looked really cool. I fell in love with it on page 1. The story is sad, but it has a wonderful ending. I read it in about a week, and I cried when it ended because I honestly did not want this book to end. It was freaking awesome! Alex is such a realistic character, and the scene where he takes his shirt off made me melt because Alex reminded me of my boyfriend, due to the detail of his appearance. Overall, I loved the book, and I would most certainly read this again in college! ^_^ <3
January 22, 2013
Nice, easy read, but I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. I would have liked to see some of the characters fleshed out better. Also, there was a lot of telling instead of showing. It was clear that the author is a journalist. With all of the issues presented, this should have been a longer book. At least 100 pages longer.
Two other peeves about the book: the incessant use of, "I could care less" and that the plot twist was pretty apparent early on.
Two other peeves about the book: the incessant use of, "I could care less" and that the plot twist was pretty apparent early on.
March 10, 2012
I read this because it's billed as fiction about organ donation. It's by a journalist,his first novel for young adults. The personal agenda glaring through the mesh of this story detracts from the narrative, and the plot is rather hackneyed but it's readable enough and I liked the attempt to write the whole thing through the eyes of a troubled teenager.
January 18, 2013
This was a Good Reads win. It may have been my first YA novel., and about teenagers. Like the TV shows I enjoy watching that are about the young I loved the book. It's a wonderful story and I think the author did a great job. I was moved to tears which to me is the working of a fine author. Thanks for writing this.
December 22, 2015
I picked up this book hoping for a semi-decent read to keep myself occupied. What followed was a heart-wrenching book that kept me up half the night, and when I finally managed to stop, I couldn't fall asleep because it was so intense.
This book is an emotional roller coaster, with realistic characters and intense situations that made me cry, over and over again.
This book is an emotional roller coaster, with realistic characters and intense situations that made me cry, over and over again.
January 22, 2013
Great young adult book! The story grabbed me from page 1. I won this book and had never heard of the author and I was very surprised at how well I enjoyed it. I highly recommend it! M. Scott Carter is a fantastic writer!
September 3, 2012
wonderful <3
February 23, 2013
This is a well written book full of a bittersweet joy. I enjoyed reading it and it is a great book for teens.
October 2, 2016
I wish all my middle school students would read this book.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews