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Before I Break #1
Before I Break
When religiously raised Cyril Hayes begins his junior year at East Hill High School, every choice he makes suffers a greater consequence, and while facing challenges of friends, family, and love, learns that hate and intolerance are also a very large part of our world today.
Cyril Hayes is seemingly just like any other male his age. He has the perfect girlfriend, Melissa Summers, his best friend, Jake Rivers, and a lawyer father who brings home enough money to support his family and then some. When Cyril begins his junior year, he doesn't expect his life to spiral out of control when he meets Avery Branson, the new kid in school who has a big secret: he's gay. At first, Cyril doesn't handle this truth well, due to the way he was raised, but as the story progresses, he ventures deep into the reality of homosexuality and begins to accept Avery for who he is.
Not everyone is happy with Cyril's new friend, including Jake, who believes that homosexuality is a sin and is refusing to budge his beliefs. But Avery isn't the only one at East Hill with secrets, and soon a tragedy will strike, knocking Cyril's world completely off balance and leaving a scar on his heart that will change his view of humanity all together.
Cyril Hayes is seemingly just like any other male his age. He has the perfect girlfriend, Melissa Summers, his best friend, Jake Rivers, and a lawyer father who brings home enough money to support his family and then some. When Cyril begins his junior year, he doesn't expect his life to spiral out of control when he meets Avery Branson, the new kid in school who has a big secret: he's gay. At first, Cyril doesn't handle this truth well, due to the way he was raised, but as the story progresses, he ventures deep into the reality of homosexuality and begins to accept Avery for who he is.
Not everyone is happy with Cyril's new friend, including Jake, who believes that homosexuality is a sin and is refusing to budge his beliefs. But Avery isn't the only one at East Hill with secrets, and soon a tragedy will strike, knocking Cyril's world completely off balance and leaving a scar on his heart that will change his view of humanity all together.
306 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Alec John Belle
49 books71 followersAlec John Belle resides in Carson City, NV, where he is currently attending high school for his senior year. At the age of 16 he wrote his first novel, Before I Break. His hobbies include reading, writing, and obsessing over Pretty Little Liars. He writes about tough topics that many are too afraid to talk about like suicide, homosexuality, self harm, bullying, mental illness, among other teenage issues, and he often blends these ideas with the paranormal. Despite writing such topics, he is a very cheerful person who enjoys looking for the best in life, while trying to help others do the same.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 11, 2015
I may be a little biased, but you know... ;)
February 3, 2015
From such a young author, this book is a glimpse of incredibly promising things to come! I was extremely impressed with several aspects of this read; the pace, the characters and their dialogue, and the subject matter itself. This is in short, a terrific read for all ages, but teenagers going dealing with issues such as self-harm and suicidal thoughts, peer pressure, and questions about their sexuality will undoubtedly gain a lot from this book. The story is written from the point of view of high school student Cyril. Cyril has been raised by his parents and by his Church to think that homosexuality is a sin. His is forced to question this belief when he befriends Avery, the new boy in town. Avery is gay, and at first Cyril reacts badly to this, as does the pastor in church, his father, and his best friend Jake. Cyril's girlfriend Melissa is more open minded however, and one of my favourite parts of the book is where she stands up and confronts the pastor and the congregation with her own evidence contradicting their belief that the Bible thinks being gay is a sin. Stirring stuff. And from then on things get deeper, darker, and faster paced. Cyril has so much to deal with; his fragmenting relationship with Melissa, his loyalty to Jake who seems to be going off the rails, and his confusing new friendship with Avery, who appears to be self-harming. This book reminded me of John Green in style and tone. You feel like you are right there with the characters, holding your breath as they make wrong decisions, eager to read on to find out how it all works out. I won't spoil the ending, but the author is excellent at dealing out the right quantities of humour, thrills and poignancy to keep you hooked. A brilliant read and I will certainly be reading mroe from this author.
September 22, 2015
let me start by saying this:
for a teenage author, BEFORE I BREAK is remarkable. it's a cohesive, well-paced breath of fresh air when juxtaposed with hastily-written creative writing assignments and bare-bones essays.
however, on a larger scale, in the competitive world of publishing, the book needs work. quite a bit of work, if I'm being honest.
Alec Belle is a friend of mine, and I've been meaning to read his debut for a long time. I'll definitely be keeping up with him in the future, because more than anything, this book shows promise, the potential Belle has in future books.
while I really hate to be that person, the main problem with BEFORE I BREAK is Alec's age.
it certainly isn't impossible for a teenager to write a book, let alone a *good* book. but there's a reason there aren't seventeen-year-olds all over the country with book deals: they haven't lived enough. they haven't had the experience, haven't acquired the knowledge of people in their forties.
(I normally roll my eyes at people who say things like this. but i find it to be true.)
all the errors that present themselves here will surely be resolved as Belle ages and learns more about the world. in moments, the story seems to delve into dreamlike fantasy, as some events are sudden and unrealistic. some character reactions and decisions are unrealistic, inhuman. it's not Belle's fault, per se—the reality of humans is a difficult subject, something learned over years and years of living.
(also, in no way am I claiming to have a perfect grasp of humanity. if that were the case, I'd be a billionaire. I am just able to realize inaccuracies.)
in addition, and maybe it's because I've been reading Megan Abbott (a.k.a. Queen of Stringing Beautiful Words Together) for a while, but the writing felt very lackluster. Belle's descriptions were very plain-English, surface-level explanations—a lot of concrete detail was missing.
there were lots of errors, too, incorrect words and simple typos and missing words and the like. the book needs a solid copyeditor. during my read, I noticed at least twenty errors.
overall, BEFORE I BREAK is a solid effort from Belle, and I recognize the infinite potential that lays before him, but it had shortcomings that held it back from being truly great.
3/5 stars
for a teenage author, BEFORE I BREAK is remarkable. it's a cohesive, well-paced breath of fresh air when juxtaposed with hastily-written creative writing assignments and bare-bones essays.
however, on a larger scale, in the competitive world of publishing, the book needs work. quite a bit of work, if I'm being honest.
Alec Belle is a friend of mine, and I've been meaning to read his debut for a long time. I'll definitely be keeping up with him in the future, because more than anything, this book shows promise, the potential Belle has in future books.
while I really hate to be that person, the main problem with BEFORE I BREAK is Alec's age.
it certainly isn't impossible for a teenager to write a book, let alone a *good* book. but there's a reason there aren't seventeen-year-olds all over the country with book deals: they haven't lived enough. they haven't had the experience, haven't acquired the knowledge of people in their forties.
(I normally roll my eyes at people who say things like this. but i find it to be true.)
all the errors that present themselves here will surely be resolved as Belle ages and learns more about the world. in moments, the story seems to delve into dreamlike fantasy, as some events are sudden and unrealistic. some character reactions and decisions are unrealistic, inhuman. it's not Belle's fault, per se—the reality of humans is a difficult subject, something learned over years and years of living.
(also, in no way am I claiming to have a perfect grasp of humanity. if that were the case, I'd be a billionaire. I am just able to realize inaccuracies.)
in addition, and maybe it's because I've been reading Megan Abbott (a.k.a. Queen of Stringing Beautiful Words Together) for a while, but the writing felt very lackluster. Belle's descriptions were very plain-English, surface-level explanations—a lot of concrete detail was missing.
there were lots of errors, too, incorrect words and simple typos and missing words and the like. the book needs a solid copyeditor. during my read, I noticed at least twenty errors.
overall, BEFORE I BREAK is a solid effort from Belle, and I recognize the infinite potential that lays before him, but it had shortcomings that held it back from being truly great.
3/5 stars
October 7, 2014
When i first realized that a guy my age wrote a book and published it, i automatically wanted to read it. Once i finally got it, honestly, i was expecting much. I started to read, and it felt as if i could not put the book down. It always kept me interested and even when the chapter ended i could hardly put it down. He really made it to where you got to know each one of the characters, and could feel how they were feeling. Great descriptions, it was perfectly described to where i knew exactly what was going on. He did a great job in writing the book, and I was insanely surprised and very happy. He did a wonderful job and i look forward to reading more of his work :)
February 7, 2015
FourandHalfStars
This is a wonderful story because it shows that no matter what you are told in your church regarding gays it only takes meeting one to change your mind. This is what happens to Cyril. It begins with Cyril Hayes, his girlfriend, Melissa Summers and Jake Rivers, his best friend on the first day of school. Cyril is very excited about starting his junior year. A new student, Avery Branson, enters Cyril’s class and he feels the need to be Avery’s first friend. Avery is apprehensive and wants nothing to do with Cyril.
Upon reading this and knowing how high school is, I thought maybe Avery is aloof. He may think he is too good for the students in the school. However, when I read Avery’s poem that is between chapters you know right away that Avery is not aloof at all, he is this way so he doesn’t suffer any more pain. You can feel the pain he suffers by reading the numerous poems throughout the book. I thought it was an excellent way of knowing how Avery was feeling without telling. They serve as flashbacks as well.
The friendship between Avery and Cyril is up and down. Cyril has been taught by his church that God hates gays that it has been drilled into his brain for so many years that he believes it. Cyril does not know that Avery is gay at first. I cringed when Avery does tell Cyril, because I knew how he would react. He freaks out, screaming, stating he felt used. He does apologize and Avery does eventually forgive him.
There is a running story line though out about Jake realizing that Cyril is spending more time with Avery. Jake can’t understand why he wants to spend more time with a gay guy. It could be because they went to the same church. Cyril realizes he has more in common with Avery than Jake.
The ending of the book moved me to tears. Jake is mentally unstable and does something unthinkable because of the church’s teachings. Jake has to suffer the consequences of his actions as well.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Angela
This is a wonderful story because it shows that no matter what you are told in your church regarding gays it only takes meeting one to change your mind. This is what happens to Cyril. It begins with Cyril Hayes, his girlfriend, Melissa Summers and Jake Rivers, his best friend on the first day of school. Cyril is very excited about starting his junior year. A new student, Avery Branson, enters Cyril’s class and he feels the need to be Avery’s first friend. Avery is apprehensive and wants nothing to do with Cyril.
Upon reading this and knowing how high school is, I thought maybe Avery is aloof. He may think he is too good for the students in the school. However, when I read Avery’s poem that is between chapters you know right away that Avery is not aloof at all, he is this way so he doesn’t suffer any more pain. You can feel the pain he suffers by reading the numerous poems throughout the book. I thought it was an excellent way of knowing how Avery was feeling without telling. They serve as flashbacks as well.
The friendship between Avery and Cyril is up and down. Cyril has been taught by his church that God hates gays that it has been drilled into his brain for so many years that he believes it. Cyril does not know that Avery is gay at first. I cringed when Avery does tell Cyril, because I knew how he would react. He freaks out, screaming, stating he felt used. He does apologize and Avery does eventually forgive him.
There is a running story line though out about Jake realizing that Cyril is spending more time with Avery. Jake can’t understand why he wants to spend more time with a gay guy. It could be because they went to the same church. Cyril realizes he has more in common with Avery than Jake.
The ending of the book moved me to tears. Jake is mentally unstable and does something unthinkable because of the church’s teachings. Jake has to suffer the consequences of his actions as well.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Angela
December 17, 2015
Original review
First of all I want to say that this novel is written by someone who's is around my age and I think that's awesome. I wish I could finish one of my stories, just like him. He's at the moment a hero. Not everyone can finish a novel when you're young?!
And second, here's the actual review:
The story goes about a guy named Cyril, he has everything a guy could ever wish for: the perfect girl, good grades and a dad with a lot of cash. Everything is fine until the new guy showed up at school, Avery...
A lot happened throughout the book. There were a lot of ups and downs and tons of emotions. There were a lot of unexpected things and sometimes I wish I could talk some sense into some characters.
When I started reading the preface it immediately got me hooked. I like the way it was written. And the story is fast paced and there were no troubles reading it.
The characters are also interesting and you get to know some things about them.
I love by the way that Melissa must talk perfect English and not some slang language.
I like the way Cyril thinks about Avery the moment he enters the classroom and when Avery doesn't look at him when he's talking to him.
And I hated the fact that everyone was against homosexuality, because it's actually not a problem, it's just two people loving each other. And that's why I liked this book so much. Cyril did accept homosexuality and even made friends with those who are gay.
I think this is one of the concepts everyone should read about because not everyone knows how hard it is for people to be bullied because they're gay.
So in short: I loved it, I recommand it and I can't wait to read more!
-I want to thank Alec John Belle for the beta copy!
First of all I want to say that this novel is written by someone who's is around my age and I think that's awesome. I wish I could finish one of my stories, just like him. He's at the moment a hero. Not everyone can finish a novel when you're young?!
And second, here's the actual review:
The story goes about a guy named Cyril, he has everything a guy could ever wish for: the perfect girl, good grades and a dad with a lot of cash. Everything is fine until the new guy showed up at school, Avery...
A lot happened throughout the book. There were a lot of ups and downs and tons of emotions. There were a lot of unexpected things and sometimes I wish I could talk some sense into some characters.
When I started reading the preface it immediately got me hooked. I like the way it was written. And the story is fast paced and there were no troubles reading it.
The characters are also interesting and you get to know some things about them.
I love by the way that Melissa must talk perfect English and not some slang language.
I like the way Cyril thinks about Avery the moment he enters the classroom and when Avery doesn't look at him when he's talking to him.
And I hated the fact that everyone was against homosexuality, because it's actually not a problem, it's just two people loving each other. And that's why I liked this book so much. Cyril did accept homosexuality and even made friends with those who are gay.
I think this is one of the concepts everyone should read about because not everyone knows how hard it is for people to be bullied because they're gay.
So in short: I loved it, I recommand it and I can't wait to read more!
-I want to thank Alec John Belle for the beta copy!
October 18, 2014
This book deserves all the stars. It's incredibly unique in plot and in format. I loved the poem interludes and the topics that were discussed. Also the development of characters was wonderful, especially Cyril.
Now the plot in one word...awesome. Also you get all the feels or at least I did. The characters and topics where what stood out the most. Cyril is a homophobic character that experiences a insane amount of change. He grows and develops in some strange ways. Also you cannot help hating him at first, but his development is what makes you want to know more about him and his journey. Avery was also amazing and one of my favorite characters. He has to deal with so many hardships and with those hardships you have to deal with certain topics that are not discussed enough in my option. Melissa, can I just say she will be my women crush of the week. She is so strong and stands up for what she believes in and that is amazing. These happen to be some of favorite my characters...
So for my final words, I'll leave you with this. You should read this book, not just because I thought it was great but because it will bring up topics that need to be discussed. So by reading this book, you can discuss these topics with others, who will then continue the conversation. Also I want to shout out to Alec for his success in getting his first book out and I cannot wait to read his novella, The Winter of Harms, and his paranormal series, The Forbidden Darkness Chronicles!
Now the plot in one word...awesome. Also you get all the feels or at least I did. The characters and topics where what stood out the most. Cyril is a homophobic character that experiences a insane amount of change. He grows and develops in some strange ways. Also you cannot help hating him at first, but his development is what makes you want to know more about him and his journey. Avery was also amazing and one of my favorite characters. He has to deal with so many hardships and with those hardships you have to deal with certain topics that are not discussed enough in my option. Melissa, can I just say she will be my women crush of the week. She is so strong and stands up for what she believes in and that is amazing. These happen to be some of favorite my characters...
So for my final words, I'll leave you with this. You should read this book, not just because I thought it was great but because it will bring up topics that need to be discussed. So by reading this book, you can discuss these topics with others, who will then continue the conversation. Also I want to shout out to Alec for his success in getting his first book out and I cannot wait to read his novella, The Winter of Harms, and his paranormal series, The Forbidden Darkness Chronicles!
August 7, 2015
No Other Word Will Do but AWESOME!
When I heard that this book was coming out from such a young author I was immediately Intrigued, especially after reading the blurb. The writing is really fantastic and is heads above many writers more than twice his age. It's hard to remember while reading the book that this is done by a young man, but a very brilliant young man. Not that his age should be a factor, but it just shows a brilliance that I feel will be giving us awesome works like this for years to come. Now the story. Wow! There is just so much going on in the story and it drew me in right away and I kept reading until the very end. The plot and characters are so very well developed, and deals with some really hard and very real issues in a great way. It shows that although we have made great strides with acceptance and understanding, we still have a long way to go. There are so many emotions that I went through while reading this book, I laughed and really cried especially (removed because of spoilers), and I was carried back to my own school days when these prejudices were I feel were even more prominent. Not saying how long ago that was. :p My teen daughter read this book right after me and she was blown away by it, and is now getting her friends to buy it. Kudos Alec, I am very eager to see what you have in store for us next. I was generously offered a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
When I heard that this book was coming out from such a young author I was immediately Intrigued, especially after reading the blurb. The writing is really fantastic and is heads above many writers more than twice his age. It's hard to remember while reading the book that this is done by a young man, but a very brilliant young man. Not that his age should be a factor, but it just shows a brilliance that I feel will be giving us awesome works like this for years to come. Now the story. Wow! There is just so much going on in the story and it drew me in right away and I kept reading until the very end. The plot and characters are so very well developed, and deals with some really hard and very real issues in a great way. It shows that although we have made great strides with acceptance and understanding, we still have a long way to go. There are so many emotions that I went through while reading this book, I laughed and really cried especially (removed because of spoilers), and I was carried back to my own school days when these prejudices were I feel were even more prominent. Not saying how long ago that was. :p My teen daughter read this book right after me and she was blown away by it, and is now getting her friends to buy it. Kudos Alec, I am very eager to see what you have in store for us next. I was generously offered a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
September 5, 2016
I am impressed that someone so young has written a novel and seen it through the publishing process.
The characters said and did things which didn't always make sense. For instance Avery kept beings friends with Cyril when Cyril called him faggot, then begged to be friends then called him faggot again and so on. Cyril would be apologetic and willing to stand up for his friends, until he insulted them and left them hanging. Maybe that is realistic for the character. And I know people like that who are much older than Cyril.
A couple of times, Cyril writes "if I knew then what I know now", or something similar. Because this was presented as Cyril's recollections, it is expected that he knows how things turn out. And there are things I would do differently now, if I knew how they would turn out.
As noted in other reviews, this could use editing to fix grammar, punctuation, and some word choices.
I Look forward to reading another Alec John Belle book.
The characters said and did things which didn't always make sense. For instance Avery kept beings friends with Cyril when Cyril called him faggot, then begged to be friends then called him faggot again and so on. Cyril would be apologetic and willing to stand up for his friends, until he insulted them and left them hanging. Maybe that is realistic for the character. And I know people like that who are much older than Cyril.
A couple of times, Cyril writes "if I knew then what I know now", or something similar. Because this was presented as Cyril's recollections, it is expected that he knows how things turn out. And there are things I would do differently now, if I knew how they would turn out.
As noted in other reviews, this could use editing to fix grammar, punctuation, and some word choices.
I Look forward to reading another Alec John Belle book.
February 8, 2016
This is the debut novel of a new to me author. I have to say I had no idea what to expect, the genre is slightly different than what I normally read, but I will say do not let the age of this author put you off.
This book is full of the feels people.
Cyril is a very conflicted and confused young man, and he takes you on quite the journey of his ups and downs and struggles. What these kids go through in their junior year of high school will have you reeling. I think it's a story everyone needs to read, and know in their hearts that it's happening everyday. This is not your lovey dovey HEA story, but one that will have your emotions running at full force none the less. I cannot wait to see what comes from the rest of the gang and I really hope he we get a few glances into Cyril's future. He's worked hard to get his happy and I hope he eventually gets there.
This book is full of the feels people.
Cyril is a very conflicted and confused young man, and he takes you on quite the journey of his ups and downs and struggles. What these kids go through in their junior year of high school will have you reeling. I think it's a story everyone needs to read, and know in their hearts that it's happening everyday. This is not your lovey dovey HEA story, but one that will have your emotions running at full force none the less. I cannot wait to see what comes from the rest of the gang and I really hope he we get a few glances into Cyril's future. He's worked hard to get his happy and I hope he eventually gets there.
February 12, 2015
I was advised by a friend I would love this book... She wasn't wrong! It is so many things in a perfectly formed little package. It is fast paced, with characters that are very successfully portrayed. The story is at times harrowing, it makes you gasp, smile and more than anything you always need more. The difficult themes are tackled expertly; whilst we are all aware of the prejudices that still do exist in this world, reading this book gave me a different slant on things.
If I hadn't known, I am not sure I would have realised this was written by such a young author! Alec you get an easy 5 stars, and I can't wait to see what else you have brewing...!
If I hadn't known, I am not sure I would have realised this was written by such a young author! Alec you get an easy 5 stars, and I can't wait to see what else you have brewing...!
May 10, 2015
Wow wow wow. This book was absolutely amazing. The author is such a talented young man. Before I Break brought up some really deep issues within our society. There are times when you think we have evolved so much as a society and then tales like this remind me we have a long way to go. This story flowed so easily I couldn't put it down. The characters were deep and easy to relate to. I loved Avery. I thought he was a strong character. His storyline made me cry so hard. I have never had such deep emotions after reading something. I am so thrilled I found this young author so early in his career because I am really going to enjoy reading all of his work for years to come.
June 25, 2014
Before I Break is a great book that keeps you on your toes! It involves some very sensitive topics, and brings you back to your teenager days, where fitting in and love seemed to be a that matters. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. There are parts that you certainly don't expect! There are ups and downs and all arounds. Absolutely fell in love with this book and it's characters!!
May 9, 2015
This is definitely a remarkable book, when you consider that it is a debut novel written by a 16 year old author, but when I compare it with books from authors with more life and writing experience, I cannot give it more than 3.25 stars. I would definitely give this author another try if he keeps on writing. I guess we'll be able to read some really great stuff from him in a few years.
October 5, 2015
Powerful and meaningful message
I love the characters and how the author brought the story to life. It was an emotional rollercoaster. A very powerful message to accept people for who they are. Even Jesus preached to love everyone. And to treat people how you want to be treated. Live and let live!
I love the characters and how the author brought the story to life. It was an emotional rollercoaster. A very powerful message to accept people for who they are. Even Jesus preached to love everyone. And to treat people how you want to be treated. Live and let live!
August 17, 2015
4.5 *
August 23, 2015
Glad I read this book...it's heartbreaking, but I also laughed. A good book w/ a message.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews