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The Saving Bailey Trilogy #1
The Bullet List
Miemah, Cecil, Nessa. I write in fancy cursive writing like that you would find on a tombstone, because to me this is their first official gravestone. This one piece of crumpled paper is more terrifying than a knife or gun. It is as if by writing their names down, I have already taken their lives.
I feel more normal and clear-headed than ever when I read over my Bullet List. I have used nothing but logic to create it, and what is more logical than abolishing the things that hurt you the most?
***
Bailey Sykes a fifteen year old high school sophomore is the prettiest girl at her school, but she soon discovers that looks aren’t everything. Backed into a corner by a school of teachers, and students turned against her, she finds herself desperately looking for a way out. Miemah Valdez a popular and vicious bully at surfside High, has tormented Bailey since elementary school, and will stop at nothing to destroy her. With no one to turn to but an abusive, alcoholic mother, Bailey is pushed to the edge. What will it take to pull Bailey out of the darkness she has spiraled into, and the torment she is combating with at school and at home? She figures that the only way to fight fire is with bullets.
However, Bailey is left second guessing her plan of action when two people who will do anything to save her step into the picture, an old friend, and a new love interest. Both see something inside of Bailey that no one else can, a spirit that is crying out to be saved from the dark abyss it has been trapped in, the only problem is, both love her but only one can have her heart.
***
If you like suspense, romance, and action The Bullet List is the book for you.
I feel more normal and clear-headed than ever when I read over my Bullet List. I have used nothing but logic to create it, and what is more logical than abolishing the things that hurt you the most?
***
Bailey Sykes a fifteen year old high school sophomore is the prettiest girl at her school, but she soon discovers that looks aren’t everything. Backed into a corner by a school of teachers, and students turned against her, she finds herself desperately looking for a way out. Miemah Valdez a popular and vicious bully at surfside High, has tormented Bailey since elementary school, and will stop at nothing to destroy her. With no one to turn to but an abusive, alcoholic mother, Bailey is pushed to the edge. What will it take to pull Bailey out of the darkness she has spiraled into, and the torment she is combating with at school and at home? She figures that the only way to fight fire is with bullets.
However, Bailey is left second guessing her plan of action when two people who will do anything to save her step into the picture, an old friend, and a new love interest. Both see something inside of Bailey that no one else can, a spirit that is crying out to be saved from the dark abyss it has been trapped in, the only problem is, both love her but only one can have her heart.
***
If you like suspense, romance, and action The Bullet List is the book for you.
- GenresYoung Adult
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2013
15 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 8, 2013
The Bullet List by Nikki Roman, is one of the most powerful pieces of YA literature I have ever read.
Yes, this book is about a highschool shooting - a controversial topic at this point in society's progression. But that is not what it is really about, at least not to me. The school shooting is like the spine of the book, the characters are the bones and their interactions and motivations are the flesh, which make this book a real, multidimensional account of something quite horrific. Yes, there is mindless violence. Yes, there is abuse. But is it necessary? Yes.
But you get it.
I'm not ashamed of the fact I was a bullied child; not - thank god - to the extent that the protagonist in this novel suffers bullying, but all the same I empathised with her. I understood her motivations and I commended her for being the 'better woman', despite only being sixteen years old. At times I forgot she was so young, at others I marvelled that she was so old. Bailey is an exceptionally complex character, and I enjoyed her for it.
THIS BOOK is why society needs to change; people who stand up and speak out need to be believed, not punished. People who treat people badly - whether it's calling them names or violence to the extent we witness in this book - needs to be accounted for. I've read reviews that slam this book for being unrealistic - that's not the point. It is the most realistic book I have read on this subject so far. Yes, some of the scenes are extreme and push reality's boundaries a little, but the truth of the matter is that people turn a blind eye. People pretend things aren't happening, right in front of their noses. People can only take torture for so long before they snap, even if it is all subjective.
I can't wait to see what happens next in this trilogy; I can't commend the author highly enough on her debut novel.
Yes, this book is about a highschool shooting - a controversial topic at this point in society's progression. But that is not what it is really about, at least not to me. The school shooting is like the spine of the book, the characters are the bones and their interactions and motivations are the flesh, which make this book a real, multidimensional account of something quite horrific. Yes, there is mindless violence. Yes, there is abuse. But is it necessary? Yes.
But you get it.
I'm not ashamed of the fact I was a bullied child; not - thank god - to the extent that the protagonist in this novel suffers bullying, but all the same I empathised with her. I understood her motivations and I commended her for being the 'better woman', despite only being sixteen years old. At times I forgot she was so young, at others I marvelled that she was so old. Bailey is an exceptionally complex character, and I enjoyed her for it.
THIS BOOK is why society needs to change; people who stand up and speak out need to be believed, not punished. People who treat people badly - whether it's calling them names or violence to the extent we witness in this book - needs to be accounted for. I've read reviews that slam this book for being unrealistic - that's not the point. It is the most realistic book I have read on this subject so far. Yes, some of the scenes are extreme and push reality's boundaries a little, but the truth of the matter is that people turn a blind eye. People pretend things aren't happening, right in front of their noses. People can only take torture for so long before they snap, even if it is all subjective.
I can't wait to see what happens next in this trilogy; I can't commend the author highly enough on her debut novel.
February 2, 2020
OMG! The best book
OMG!!? Didn't want to put it down. I don't know what to say as it is truly something great. Awesome
OMG!!? Didn't want to put it down. I don't know what to say as it is truly something great. Awesome
June 24, 2013
Honestly, at some points in the book I would have given it a three heart for the simple purpose of how can this author keep having Bailey continue to be abused by so many people and NO ONE did anything about it. The police wasn't called, the school appeared to have only a handful of staff members yet NO ONE saw anything. She was able to be so beaten that she had to spend days in the hospital and yet NO ONE reported it to the staff or police. I was getting so furious because she was telling her story to people, she was trying to let them know that she had no place that was she safe and NO ONE did anything to stop this abuse. Needless to say I was so furious at that point I was about to throw the kindle across the room, but I love my kindle too much.
Then I found myself slowly getting it, why no one reported it. Why she was always the victim and there were a couple of times I gasped out loud and had my family looking at me like I had inhaled a fly or something. If you can get through the part when everyone turned their heads and wait for the pieces to all fall in place you will see why I am giving this book a four heart. I will insert here that the only reason I am not giving it a five heart rating is I think the victim role was carried to far and I really hope all readers will finish the book to understand why it was done like this.
Now the ending. If you hate cliff hangers you will want to wait till the whole trilogy is out because this was the mother of all cliff hangers. I finished the last page and sat there staring at it like the next page would magically appear. I can tell you, if you are loving books that tug at every emotion you have then this is the one for you. I really admire that she took such a topic as bullying and school shootings and gave us a glimpse into the mind of the victim of bullying. I don't agree with any sort of violence, I will stand against any form of bullying, but I don't think society can risk in this day and age, to continue to hide from that fact that abuse and bullying push kids to do the unimaginable things. Does this make the shooters bad kids? I would have said yes two days ago, now I have to stop and re-evaluate that decision.
Then I found myself slowly getting it, why no one reported it. Why she was always the victim and there were a couple of times I gasped out loud and had my family looking at me like I had inhaled a fly or something. If you can get through the part when everyone turned their heads and wait for the pieces to all fall in place you will see why I am giving this book a four heart. I will insert here that the only reason I am not giving it a five heart rating is I think the victim role was carried to far and I really hope all readers will finish the book to understand why it was done like this.
Now the ending. If you hate cliff hangers you will want to wait till the whole trilogy is out because this was the mother of all cliff hangers. I finished the last page and sat there staring at it like the next page would magically appear. I can tell you, if you are loving books that tug at every emotion you have then this is the one for you. I really admire that she took such a topic as bullying and school shootings and gave us a glimpse into the mind of the victim of bullying. I don't agree with any sort of violence, I will stand against any form of bullying, but I don't think society can risk in this day and age, to continue to hide from that fact that abuse and bullying push kids to do the unimaginable things. Does this make the shooters bad kids? I would have said yes two days ago, now I have to stop and re-evaluate that decision.
September 16, 2015
If you are looking for a light-hearted, humorous and happy story then this book is not for you.
This was an absolutely fantastic read that has left me feeling emotionally raw. It is truly an emotional roller coaster of a ride and different characters and events stimulated every feeling imaginable. Bailey's alcoholic and abusive mother triggered distrust and hate in me; Miemah's horrific and brutal attacks stimulated pure hatred and revenge for her while the school's teachers caused me to feel anger and rage at their willingness to turn a blind eye to the pain and suffering that Bailey endured. There were moments of peace and bliss with characters such as Clad, Spencer and his family, who provide Bailey with hope and reasons to carry on. However, it is often the negative that outweighs the positive, no matter how small the bad is.
Despite feeling these negative emotions, it is the reason why I loved this book; a writer is supposed to inspire feelings within readers and that is exactly what Nikki Roman has done with me. The Bullet List is a very heavy book, not in terms of its length but simply because of the volatility my emotions underwent while reading it. I will without doubt be reading the rest of this trilogy.
This was an absolutely fantastic read that has left me feeling emotionally raw. It is truly an emotional roller coaster of a ride and different characters and events stimulated every feeling imaginable. Bailey's alcoholic and abusive mother triggered distrust and hate in me; Miemah's horrific and brutal attacks stimulated pure hatred and revenge for her while the school's teachers caused me to feel anger and rage at their willingness to turn a blind eye to the pain and suffering that Bailey endured. There were moments of peace and bliss with characters such as Clad, Spencer and his family, who provide Bailey with hope and reasons to carry on. However, it is often the negative that outweighs the positive, no matter how small the bad is.
Despite feeling these negative emotions, it is the reason why I loved this book; a writer is supposed to inspire feelings within readers and that is exactly what Nikki Roman has done with me. The Bullet List is a very heavy book, not in terms of its length but simply because of the volatility my emotions underwent while reading it. I will without doubt be reading the rest of this trilogy.
January 29, 2014
When I first started reading this book I didn't think I was going to like it because it just didn't sound like something I would read. After a few chapters though I found myself hooked on the story and really wanted to find out what happens next. My only problem with this book was that I didn't really like the main character and there were some errors in the writing that I looked past because even the best of us make typing mistakes. All in all though I was very happy with how the story ended and for a first book Nikki did a great job!!!
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FOR FULL REVIEW PLEASE VISIT MY BLOG!
http://callievamp.blogspot.com/
February 12, 2013
This book had me crying!!!
July 14, 2013
I never trusted Trenton anyways :\
December 27, 2014
This is one of the most powerful books I have ever encountered and I absolutely adored it.
August 2, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews