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Until I Break
Two boys: One, a star athlete and top student with a deep-seated need to prove himself. The other, a chip-on-his-shoulder quarterback who will never settle for second best. When gunshots echo through the halls of Broadmeadow High School, whose finger is on the trigger?
A year before the shooting, Sam North has a bright future as a well as a problem that nobody else seems to see—Ace Quinn, his neighbor and teammate. For years, Ace has been bullying and harassing Sam, yet he’s managed to deftly conceal his actions and threats from the rest of the world. As Ace’s secret rage intensifies, Sam becomes more desperate to stop him. But how far will he go? And what if Ace takes his threats even farther?
A year before the shooting, Sam North has a bright future as a well as a problem that nobody else seems to see—Ace Quinn, his neighbor and teammate. For years, Ace has been bullying and harassing Sam, yet he’s managed to deftly conceal his actions and threats from the rest of the world. As Ace’s secret rage intensifies, Sam becomes more desperate to stop him. But how far will he go? And what if Ace takes his threats even farther?
Unknown Binding
First published November 1, 2016
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About the author
Kara Bietz
6 books52 followersKara Bietz grew up in New England but now resides in north Georgia with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 13, 2016
Y'all, this book. SO powerful. The writing is so tight and tense. And yet I still got so emotionally involved with the characters. I don't want to give anything away but some parts of this story broke my cold, little heart into tiny shards of unexpected hurt. What I really loved about this story is that the teens are not the typical teens you think of or expect when it comes to the subject of bullying, bringing a fresh and new perspective to an age-old issue. Also, the author draws a picture of bullying so subtle, so underneath the noses of adults, it's very subtlety and invisibility wreaks havoc in unexpected ways. If teens don't find this book, my hope is that teachers, librarians, and counselors put it in their hands and use it to discuss some of the issues around bullying that don't often get explored. Also, while at times painful, it leaves the reader with a ray of hope--a REALISTIC one that is all too often missing in YA. Highly recommended!
August 8, 2016
I was given this book in order for a free review. My review is always honest.
As a middle school teacher, I could relate to this book. As a teacher who has had students involved in a school shooting, it brought it close to home. With four main characters whose lives are intertwined while growing up, the story focuses on one high school boy who struggles with a bully, a girlfriend, and a best friend that doesn't see him drowning. On top of that, he has lost his father and his mother isn't handling it well.
My favorite part was how the book was set up. It went back and forth in time, and you are constantly trying to guess what is going to happen. The book seemed truly realistic, and I would recommend it to anyone in high school and above.
As a middle school teacher, I could relate to this book. As a teacher who has had students involved in a school shooting, it brought it close to home. With four main characters whose lives are intertwined while growing up, the story focuses on one high school boy who struggles with a bully, a girlfriend, and a best friend that doesn't see him drowning. On top of that, he has lost his father and his mother isn't handling it well.
My favorite part was how the book was set up. It went back and forth in time, and you are constantly trying to guess what is going to happen. The book seemed truly realistic, and I would recommend it to anyone in high school and above.
February 22, 2020
See reviews first on my Blog
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
We have Sam whose home life is rather unstable due to his dad having died several years ago and his mother now having problems coping with life after her husband dying suddenly. Leaving Sam to not only make sure that she is okay, but to also keep up appearances. Sure grandpa is involved as well, but he's not exactly sure how best to handle this situation nor does he really like to talk about emotional things. Leaving Sam feeling more and more alone as time goes on.
Then we have Ace who has been taught from a very young age that he must always be the best, and he must do whatever it takes to be the best. His father has put an extreme amount of pressure on him to not only do well in sports, but in every other aspect of life as well. When Ace doesn't seem to live up to those standards he gets bullied by his father.
With Ace having relentlessly been bullying Sam through childhood (they live across the street from each other) and then they both end up liking the same girl. Things go from being a bad situation to a very awful one in the span of a senior year.
Sam starts becoming obsessive about things because Ace always acts like a bully when no one else is around. Making Sam look like the one causing all the problems. When in all actuality he's just been trying to avoid the guy.
This was a hard book to read. But one I am glad I did read. It showed what lead the even to happen and why it happened. It also showed how the shooter had to deal with things after and how everyone started to treat him after as well. While I don't think this book is for everyone, because it deals with such a tough subject with a school shooting. It is something that has been addressed in a very real way in this book. I found it interesting to see things from the shooters perspective instead of just from the victims perspective. Actually getting to know why he did it was interesting. I don't agree with him doing it, but you can see the logic behind it when you see how lacking his support system was.
This book will defiantly make me reevaluate me availability to others and making sure I'm giving them the opportunity to tell me if they need help with something or they feel themselves going down a bad path.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
We have Sam whose home life is rather unstable due to his dad having died several years ago and his mother now having problems coping with life after her husband dying suddenly. Leaving Sam to not only make sure that she is okay, but to also keep up appearances. Sure grandpa is involved as well, but he's not exactly sure how best to handle this situation nor does he really like to talk about emotional things. Leaving Sam feeling more and more alone as time goes on.
Then we have Ace who has been taught from a very young age that he must always be the best, and he must do whatever it takes to be the best. His father has put an extreme amount of pressure on him to not only do well in sports, but in every other aspect of life as well. When Ace doesn't seem to live up to those standards he gets bullied by his father.
With Ace having relentlessly been bullying Sam through childhood (they live across the street from each other) and then they both end up liking the same girl. Things go from being a bad situation to a very awful one in the span of a senior year.
Sam starts becoming obsessive about things because Ace always acts like a bully when no one else is around. Making Sam look like the one causing all the problems. When in all actuality he's just been trying to avoid the guy.
This was a hard book to read. But one I am glad I did read. It showed what lead the even to happen and why it happened. It also showed how the shooter had to deal with things after and how everyone started to treat him after as well. While I don't think this book is for everyone, because it deals with such a tough subject with a school shooting. It is something that has been addressed in a very real way in this book. I found it interesting to see things from the shooters perspective instead of just from the victims perspective. Actually getting to know why he did it was interesting. I don't agree with him doing it, but you can see the logic behind it when you see how lacking his support system was.
This book will defiantly make me reevaluate me availability to others and making sure I'm giving them the opportunity to tell me if they need help with something or they feel themselves going down a bad path.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 30, 2016
*I received this via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review*
Until I Break is a story about a boy called, Sams, mental distress and deterioration while at the hands of extreme bullying from a fellow team/school mate, Ace. When other people are around Ace is charming like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. However when Sam and Ace are alone, Ace turns into a brutal bully. Enter Marnie, a beautiful cheerleader who has caught the eye of both Sam and Ace. However Marnie could just be the person between the two lads who causes a potentially deadly end to the feud and hate between Sam and Ace.
This book is told in alternating timelines, going back and forth from when it happened, after it happened and when it happened. Bietz made a great decision by choosing to set the book out in this way. It was a way in which enabled the reader to constantly try and guess what will happen and how the story will end.
There was great character development within this book, however I am not going to go into details about the characters because I feel like it is something you should go into blindly when reading the book and see the development for yourselves. Although I will say that the journey that Sams character went was was well though out and he was very relateable and the conflicts between characters in this book was believable also.
This books included themes of: Family, death/bereavement, Mental illness, bullying, romance, violence, and friendship.
I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this book, and I would like to thank NetGalley and Albert Whitman for giving me an ARC to read and review.
Until I Break is a story about a boy called, Sams, mental distress and deterioration while at the hands of extreme bullying from a fellow team/school mate, Ace. When other people are around Ace is charming like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. However when Sam and Ace are alone, Ace turns into a brutal bully. Enter Marnie, a beautiful cheerleader who has caught the eye of both Sam and Ace. However Marnie could just be the person between the two lads who causes a potentially deadly end to the feud and hate between Sam and Ace.
This book is told in alternating timelines, going back and forth from when it happened, after it happened and when it happened. Bietz made a great decision by choosing to set the book out in this way. It was a way in which enabled the reader to constantly try and guess what will happen and how the story will end.
There was great character development within this book, however I am not going to go into details about the characters because I feel like it is something you should go into blindly when reading the book and see the development for yourselves. Although I will say that the journey that Sams character went was was well though out and he was very relateable and the conflicts between characters in this book was believable also.
This books included themes of: Family, death/bereavement, Mental illness, bullying, romance, violence, and friendship.
I thoroughly enjoyed and loved this book, and I would like to thank NetGalley and Albert Whitman for giving me an ARC to read and review.
July 28, 2016
I was given a free e-copy of UNTIL I BREAK from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
GRADE: C
The star quarterback and the second stringer. The bully and the victim. Sam has been the target of his next door neighbor Ace's bullying since they were preschoolers. Sam's crush, Marnie flirts with both, deepening the hatred between the high schoolers.
Kara Bietz took the bullying concept up a level by introducing gun shots. Ace's character felt like bullies I've read in other books, pushed around by his dad's high expectation and cruel consequences for "failure" Ace picks on the weaker Sam physically and emotionally. Sam takes the abuse, never telling. I never really understood his motivations for keeping silent. Sure, he didn't want to burden his mentally ill, widowed mother, but he had other adults to tell. Both boys felt flat.
I did enjoy Bietz's writing style, particularly how she depicted Sam's psychological decline. At times I had difficulty figuring out the reliability of Sam's narration, particularly as his concerns for Marnie escalated.
THEMES: family, friendship, bullying, romance, mental illness, violence
UNTIL I BREAK is an enjoyable, yet lackluster story about bullying, access to guns and mental illness.
GRADE: C
The star quarterback and the second stringer. The bully and the victim. Sam has been the target of his next door neighbor Ace's bullying since they were preschoolers. Sam's crush, Marnie flirts with both, deepening the hatred between the high schoolers.
Kara Bietz took the bullying concept up a level by introducing gun shots. Ace's character felt like bullies I've read in other books, pushed around by his dad's high expectation and cruel consequences for "failure" Ace picks on the weaker Sam physically and emotionally. Sam takes the abuse, never telling. I never really understood his motivations for keeping silent. Sure, he didn't want to burden his mentally ill, widowed mother, but he had other adults to tell. Both boys felt flat.
I did enjoy Bietz's writing style, particularly how she depicted Sam's psychological decline. At times I had difficulty figuring out the reliability of Sam's narration, particularly as his concerns for Marnie escalated.
THEMES: family, friendship, bullying, romance, mental illness, violence
UNTIL I BREAK is an enjoyable, yet lackluster story about bullying, access to guns and mental illness.
February 3, 2018
This book grabs you emotionally from the first sentence to the last. It is so incredibly well written and thought out. The 4 main characters come to life on the pages as you read about their current day to day life as high school seniors and how they grew up together. It is an absolutely gut wrenching story, of an unfortunately way to common problem in our schools today, told from an unexpected perspective. A+ for Kara Bietz for her writing and brining awareness to bullying and how to reach out for help.
May 22, 2017
Until I break is about two boys, Ace, who is the football star of the school and Sam, who's best at basketball and is also the brains of the school.
Sam and Ace live next door to each other and have had many "run ins" over the years.
They have a mutual female friend whom Sam has been in love with since grade school and finally in high school she starts showing interest. However, Ace will do everything he can to make sure to ruin Sam's chances.
This book is about bullying and the lengths some kids will go to make it stop.
Sam and Ace live next door to each other and have had many "run ins" over the years.
They have a mutual female friend whom Sam has been in love with since grade school and finally in high school she starts showing interest. However, Ace will do everything he can to make sure to ruin Sam's chances.
This book is about bullying and the lengths some kids will go to make it stop.
January 4, 2018
I really liked this book. I liked how the chapters went from past to present and that really made me anxious at points, waiting to see how it was all going to meet up. I would love to read more from this author!
July 21, 2017
Until I Break is a story about bullying, and a school shooting.
Sam has been bullied by his neighbor and classmate Ace for years. It is not apparent to anyone else that this is happening. They are both high performing high school athletes and there is an intense rivalry between them. There is also a love triangle with a girl that they both like, Marnie. At the end of the book is a school shooting. I won't go into a lot of detail because it's best going into this book not knowing how it ends.
What is interesting is how isolated the two boys are, and how no adult in this story intervenes even though there are warning signs. This book could open up a really good discussion about the need to get help and where to go for help, for a student who is experiencing bullying and trauma. I thought the character of Marnie was highly unlikeable and it was hard to know what motivated her.
Sam has been bullied by his neighbor and classmate Ace for years. It is not apparent to anyone else that this is happening. They are both high performing high school athletes and there is an intense rivalry between them. There is also a love triangle with a girl that they both like, Marnie. At the end of the book is a school shooting. I won't go into a lot of detail because it's best going into this book not knowing how it ends.
What is interesting is how isolated the two boys are, and how no adult in this story intervenes even though there are warning signs. This book could open up a really good discussion about the need to get help and where to go for help, for a student who is experiencing bullying and trauma. I thought the character of Marnie was highly unlikeable and it was hard to know what motivated her.
November 5, 2025
Damn what a story this was. I read Kara Bietz’s second novel, Sidelined, back in 2023. Not only did that book help me get back into a reading swing back then but it also rekindled my love (not that it ever really went away) for gay YA books. Until I Break was Kara’s debut novel and the way it dealt with an incredibly important subject matter for teens was really, really well done.
I’m not kidding when I say that Ace Quinn may be my most hated fictional character of all the books I’ve read this year. Most of what I read are mysteries with crime solving/police procedural aspects so there are typically a multitude of twisted antagonists that I read about who eventually meet their demise. They may kill or torture but it’s usually a story where I know the good guys will come out on top. In this case, the level at which Ace bullied the main character, Sam North, was atrocious enough that I hated, haaaaated this character. The way he’d turn on the charm when someone else got close enough to potentially see how he’s tormenting Sam. The way he’d call Sam slurs and physically hurt him all while towering over him and making Sam feel like he could pummel him into the ground if he wanted to or if instigated. Ace is a full blown psychopath who thrives off picking on and tormenting Sam and it made me want to jump into the pages with how he was pissing me off.
I experienced my own fair share of bullying back in middle school. Nothing quite like the degree of bullying Sam endured but that doesn’t erase the fact that it was bullying. Regardless of the form and degree it’s still something awful for a teenager or almost teenager (say twelve years old or younger) to go through. One could argue that it’s because the bully themselves has a rough home life. In this story that is the case and it’s sad to see but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he’s an awful person. His ease of employing behavioral and social manipulation define a monster. After Ace doesn’t win the Student Athlete of the Year award his father hounds him for not having won it and pushes him harder and harder to train and be the best version of himself. Sam ended up winning that award. Looking back twelve months in the story to the opening where Sam wins and then comparing it to the ending, it’s tragic. It goes to show how bullying doesn’t affect just one person. It’s a ripple effect. And if the person bullied is pushed to their limits and snaps then nothing will ever be the same again.
Kara Bietz laid out the timeline of this story brilliantly. I bought a used paperback edition (I wish it was still available to be purchased from the publisher, would’ve loved supporting this author!) and on the fore-edge (thanks Google) there are blackened sections at the top highlighting each chapter. The first three quarters of the book have spaced out sections. From looking at the fore-edge you can see that the last quarter of the book has quick alternating chapters. That’s when everything really ramps up and gets ten times more serious.
The story starts in the present with a short chapter. At first we have no clue what’s going on nor what happened. The barrel of a gun is pressed against someones temple. One of the characters is breathing erratically. Darkness takes over. Then we shift to twelve months ago to the night of the awards banquet where Sam and Quinn are in the running to win Student Athlete of the Year. The story moves up in the timeline month by month. Twelve months before, eleven months before, and so on. Occasionally we jump back to the present where hours have passed since the short opening chapter. That’s where we learn that Sam is in a room speaking with a man named Michael, who is trying to get to the bottom of what happened and why.
This book hooked me like a fish, especially once I hit the halfway point. I read until three in the morning because the tension of knowing what was going to happen was so intense. There I was thinking and hoping the outcome may be different but at the same time I could understand why Sam was planning to do what he was going to do. He was pushed and pushed and pushed and in so much misery and anguish that he couldn’t take it anymore.
I did have to remind myself that the characters were teens when I got to thinking about how they’re acting and behaving. As the story progressed Sam got to be so enthralled and obsessed with a girl named Marnie, someone he’d known since he was really young. He’s hoping to classify what they have as a relationship but Marnie never fully commits to calling it anything, she just sees it as them having fun. Sam’s best friend, JC, tries to get him to stop overthinking what he and Marnie have and to not focus so much on Ace, due to Marnie being all over Ace when Sam isn’t around since they’re friends, but it’s tough for Sam not to overthink it. Again, this is where I had to tell myself, they are teens! If it were me, I’d have dumped Marnie pretty freaking quick and recorded Ace saying the awful things he was spewing out as proof to show others that he isn’t really all smiles and charm.
Bullying never goes away once it starts. That is unfortunately the theme of bullying though isn’t it? Ace even drives that home to Sam multiple times, he isn’t going anywhere. Sam is never going to be rid of Ace. Not only do they go to the same high school but it later gets revealed that they’re going to the same college due to Ace not getting into the school his father wanted him to go to. Twelve months ago the fuse was lit. Really, the fuse of conflict was lit between these two characters when they were twelve years old. What started out as a great childhood friendship soured and turned dark. One of the last pieces of life advice Sam’s father gave him was to stand up for yourself. Weeks later he died, leaving Sam basically alone, as his mother is broken and not fully healed following their loss and his grandpa believes a man should always be able to stand on their own two feet. As the months pass the ground beneath Sam crumbles and he falls into a very dark place and it’s super sad to see.
Much like with Kara’s book Sidelined I’m shocked Until I Break doesn’t have more love, ratings and reviews here on Goodreads. It’s a book that should be in high schools, even middle schools, because it shines a light on what’s wrong with kids who think they’re invincible and on top of the world and better than others. They stomp, they take, they find enjoyment in causing others pain and mental suffering and if that person who is bullied is fed up enough you never know what may happen. Until I Break plays out that scenario with phenomenal writing. Kara Bietz, please keep writing! I’ll read whatever you publish next!!! Thank you!!!
I’m not kidding when I say that Ace Quinn may be my most hated fictional character of all the books I’ve read this year. Most of what I read are mysteries with crime solving/police procedural aspects so there are typically a multitude of twisted antagonists that I read about who eventually meet their demise. They may kill or torture but it’s usually a story where I know the good guys will come out on top. In this case, the level at which Ace bullied the main character, Sam North, was atrocious enough that I hated, haaaaated this character. The way he’d turn on the charm when someone else got close enough to potentially see how he’s tormenting Sam. The way he’d call Sam slurs and physically hurt him all while towering over him and making Sam feel like he could pummel him into the ground if he wanted to or if instigated. Ace is a full blown psychopath who thrives off picking on and tormenting Sam and it made me want to jump into the pages with how he was pissing me off.
I experienced my own fair share of bullying back in middle school. Nothing quite like the degree of bullying Sam endured but that doesn’t erase the fact that it was bullying. Regardless of the form and degree it’s still something awful for a teenager or almost teenager (say twelve years old or younger) to go through. One could argue that it’s because the bully themselves has a rough home life. In this story that is the case and it’s sad to see but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he’s an awful person. His ease of employing behavioral and social manipulation define a monster. After Ace doesn’t win the Student Athlete of the Year award his father hounds him for not having won it and pushes him harder and harder to train and be the best version of himself. Sam ended up winning that award. Looking back twelve months in the story to the opening where Sam wins and then comparing it to the ending, it’s tragic. It goes to show how bullying doesn’t affect just one person. It’s a ripple effect. And if the person bullied is pushed to their limits and snaps then nothing will ever be the same again.
Kara Bietz laid out the timeline of this story brilliantly. I bought a used paperback edition (I wish it was still available to be purchased from the publisher, would’ve loved supporting this author!) and on the fore-edge (thanks Google) there are blackened sections at the top highlighting each chapter. The first three quarters of the book have spaced out sections. From looking at the fore-edge you can see that the last quarter of the book has quick alternating chapters. That’s when everything really ramps up and gets ten times more serious.
The story starts in the present with a short chapter. At first we have no clue what’s going on nor what happened. The barrel of a gun is pressed against someones temple. One of the characters is breathing erratically. Darkness takes over. Then we shift to twelve months ago to the night of the awards banquet where Sam and Quinn are in the running to win Student Athlete of the Year. The story moves up in the timeline month by month. Twelve months before, eleven months before, and so on. Occasionally we jump back to the present where hours have passed since the short opening chapter. That’s where we learn that Sam is in a room speaking with a man named Michael, who is trying to get to the bottom of what happened and why.
This book hooked me like a fish, especially once I hit the halfway point. I read until three in the morning because the tension of knowing what was going to happen was so intense. There I was thinking and hoping the outcome may be different but at the same time I could understand why Sam was planning to do what he was going to do. He was pushed and pushed and pushed and in so much misery and anguish that he couldn’t take it anymore.
I did have to remind myself that the characters were teens when I got to thinking about how they’re acting and behaving. As the story progressed Sam got to be so enthralled and obsessed with a girl named Marnie, someone he’d known since he was really young. He’s hoping to classify what they have as a relationship but Marnie never fully commits to calling it anything, she just sees it as them having fun. Sam’s best friend, JC, tries to get him to stop overthinking what he and Marnie have and to not focus so much on Ace, due to Marnie being all over Ace when Sam isn’t around since they’re friends, but it’s tough for Sam not to overthink it. Again, this is where I had to tell myself, they are teens! If it were me, I’d have dumped Marnie pretty freaking quick and recorded Ace saying the awful things he was spewing out as proof to show others that he isn’t really all smiles and charm.
Bullying never goes away once it starts. That is unfortunately the theme of bullying though isn’t it? Ace even drives that home to Sam multiple times, he isn’t going anywhere. Sam is never going to be rid of Ace. Not only do they go to the same high school but it later gets revealed that they’re going to the same college due to Ace not getting into the school his father wanted him to go to. Twelve months ago the fuse was lit. Really, the fuse of conflict was lit between these two characters when they were twelve years old. What started out as a great childhood friendship soured and turned dark. One of the last pieces of life advice Sam’s father gave him was to stand up for yourself. Weeks later he died, leaving Sam basically alone, as his mother is broken and not fully healed following their loss and his grandpa believes a man should always be able to stand on their own two feet. As the months pass the ground beneath Sam crumbles and he falls into a very dark place and it’s super sad to see.
Much like with Kara’s book Sidelined I’m shocked Until I Break doesn’t have more love, ratings and reviews here on Goodreads. It’s a book that should be in high schools, even middle schools, because it shines a light on what’s wrong with kids who think they’re invincible and on top of the world and better than others. They stomp, they take, they find enjoyment in causing others pain and mental suffering and if that person who is bullied is fed up enough you never know what may happen. Until I Break plays out that scenario with phenomenal writing. Kara Bietz, please keep writing! I’ll read whatever you publish next!!! Thank you!!!
November 16, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. I had to put it down once in awhile because one of the characters really disgusted me, but that was a good thing; he was real in my mind. This was a great read on its own but would also serve as a good discussion tool about bullying and the non-stereotypical ways it can present itself. I recommend it to teens on up.
March 25, 2018
Honestly, this book is the best book I have ever read and I really don't like reading books that much. I am more of a movie guy but how I can relate to this as in this book being mostly about high school kids in sports trying to be the best. Plus the characters in this book were awesome but then the ending is what really made me like this book I just didn't expect it.
August 1, 2016
Until I Break tells the moving story of one boy's mental distress at the hands of a bully. Truly an original YA novel, I loved the character development. I struggled a bit at first with the changes in timeline, but adjusted. A great read!
I read an ARC from NetGalley.
I read an ARC from NetGalley.
August 16, 2016
Official Review to come.
November 2, 2016
I was given an ARC of Until I Break via NetGalley and Albert Whitman & Company. This is my honest opinion of the book.
12 months before, Samuel North was nominated for Student Athlete of the Year, due to his stellar grades and athletic abilities. Ace Quinn, next door neighbor who is also a nominee, has been bullying Sam for as long as he can remember. After Sam is honored, the uneasy feeling that he has around Ace intensifies. As Ace continues to disrupt the positive strides forward that Sam is trying to make with his life, how long will it be before drastic measures are taken?
The author uses constant time shifts to build suspense and tell the story of what happens when a bully pushes his victim too far. This realistic fiction describes a situation that is all too common among teenagers today. Bullying is an important social issue that should be addressed more often and a book like Until I Break is a good way for parents to open a dialogue with their teens. Some of the story was a little unrealistic, but the overall feeling of the book was intense and accurate. Readers will really be able to feel Sam's agony and anxiety, both because of the bullying and because of the drastic way that he chooses to deal with it. I recommend Until I Break and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
12 months before, Samuel North was nominated for Student Athlete of the Year, due to his stellar grades and athletic abilities. Ace Quinn, next door neighbor who is also a nominee, has been bullying Sam for as long as he can remember. After Sam is honored, the uneasy feeling that he has around Ace intensifies. As Ace continues to disrupt the positive strides forward that Sam is trying to make with his life, how long will it be before drastic measures are taken?
The author uses constant time shifts to build suspense and tell the story of what happens when a bully pushes his victim too far. This realistic fiction describes a situation that is all too common among teenagers today. Bullying is an important social issue that should be addressed more often and a book like Until I Break is a good way for parents to open a dialogue with their teens. Some of the story was a little unrealistic, but the overall feeling of the book was intense and accurate. Readers will really be able to feel Sam's agony and anxiety, both because of the bullying and because of the drastic way that he chooses to deal with it. I recommend Until I Break and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
October 5, 2019
The way that this book was marketed with the blurb on the back of the book did not connect well with my actual reading of the book. The back made it seem like it would be a mystery of whether it was Ace or Sam who became the one to shoot the other, but about a third of the way into the book, it was very obvious which one would become the shooter. This is not a problem I have with the book itself, more that it was not what I had expected. To me, it was less of a mystery and more of a psychological analysis of a twisted teen dynamic becoming toxic to the point of gun violence.
September 17, 2017
Ominous. Explosive. Emotionally realistic.
Kara Bietz weaves a tale of male vulnerability, white knight syndrome, introversion and sensitivity's dark side with such force and honesty that it didn't take long to read until there was a conclusion.
This novel shows, rather than tells, the importance of support and safety within institutions, relationships, and family. The writing also reveals the grace in second chances as many times the caring people make mistakes, but there is always apologies, forgiveness, and love to go back to. While also acknowledging actions have consequences and some things will be changed forever, the characters in this debut ya novel are most relevant for 21st century American teens and their guardians.
I most appreciated the resource in the back pages for readers who are experiencing bullying.
Kara Bietz weaves a tale of male vulnerability, white knight syndrome, introversion and sensitivity's dark side with such force and honesty that it didn't take long to read until there was a conclusion.
This novel shows, rather than tells, the importance of support and safety within institutions, relationships, and family. The writing also reveals the grace in second chances as many times the caring people make mistakes, but there is always apologies, forgiveness, and love to go back to. While also acknowledging actions have consequences and some things will be changed forever, the characters in this debut ya novel are most relevant for 21st century American teens and their guardians.
I most appreciated the resource in the back pages for readers who are experiencing bullying.
June 25, 2017
Imagine being constantly bullied by your neighbor and classmate, yet no one believes you. It happens every day, and the violence connected with the bullying is escalating in a frightening way. Sam lives in constant dread of encounters with Ace. He can't confide in his mother because she is fighting her own mental health demons. His friends have never seen the bullying and assume it is just good natured teasing and joking. As the story unwinds, so does Sam's ability to cope. He tries reaching out, but he can't seem to make himself be heard. This is a tough story about an even tougher topic. There will be many teen readers that can relate to the teen roles in this story.
December 8, 2022
I choose this book because I personally met the author and got it signed by her. It seemed very interesting after. reading the back of the book teaser it really caught my attention. During my reading These two main characters called Ace and Sam were arch rivals, always trying to beat the other in whatever it was. As time went on you can see the story climax at Sam's breaking point of doing the worst thing(trying not to spoil the book) and then falling with what the outcome was. my favorite part by far was the ending of how old things can lead to new beginnings. I would totally recommend this book to anyone that's willing to read it!
January 1, 2020
Well written book, however, my expectations were too high.The summary sells this as a novel about a school shooting, when it's not. It's about how Sam is bullied constantly & his relationship with Marnie. The point of action is very brief & disappointing. The ending was very unrealistic & rushed. I enjoyed seeing how being bullied can push someone psychologically to a horrible extent. Not boring. Recommend it to youngsters & victims of bullying.
August 28, 2023
Holy shit this book was a mindfuck. As someone who is/was bullied, this book does a fantastic job portraying the inner monologue of a victim. The way this was written reminded me of the movie Memento (2000). I can't believe how underrated this book was. it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and this is not something I would normally read.
I loved this book. But! Please look up TW's before reading
I loved this book. But! Please look up TW's before reading
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2019
This book was really good. It got me interested because I heard a family member say they really like it and it kept me reading it for a long time. Towards the end is where it really made me want to finish the book and see the outcome. Because the book is set in high school I thought this book was very relatable
December 1, 2016
This book examines the insidious nature of bullying and the lengths bullies go to in order to have power over their victims. Gut-wrenching
February 9, 2019
3.5 stars
May 23, 2020
Tense and gripping! The only issue I had with this book was the "girlfriend" character--there was no explanation or motivation for her unpredictable, often cruel, behavior.
Read
December 11, 2020A great YA book about the negative results of bullying.
Read
December 16, 2020Great book!
June 18, 2023
The climax/ending really made me cry. The emotions were really powerful and none of the characters were just in black and white. I couldn’t put it down.
March 6, 2017
Wow -- this book is incredibly powerful. The focus of the book is an intense pattern of bullying between two boys: Ace, the high school quarterback who refuses to come in second to anyone, and Sam, the target of Ace's harassment, a fellow athlete who's hopeful about his future and is trying to survive his senior year. For years, Sam has tolerated Ace's simmering resentment of him, but the summer before senior year, the truce between the boys begins to erode, and things quickly go downhill. Sam narrates the story, which brings in subplots of grief and mental health. A theme of toxic masculinity is woven throughout the book, particularly in how Sam tries to find an outlet for his frustration about Ace, and is met with wall after wall -- in his family, in his friend circle, and at school. As you might expect, tensions explode between the boys, but the book effectively conceals who instigates the final confrontation.
Kara Bietz's prose is sharp and straightforward, and the pacing is top-notch. It's a quick, unputdownable read, and I'd recommend it for both middle schoolers and high schoolers, as well as their parents and teachers.
Kara Bietz's prose is sharp and straightforward, and the pacing is top-notch. It's a quick, unputdownable read, and I'd recommend it for both middle schoolers and high schoolers, as well as their parents and teachers.
July 29, 2016
2/5
Thanks to NetGalley for giving a free arc to review.
‘Until I Break’ is a story, following two high-school graduating boys. One of them – Sam, a star athlete and straight A’s student, and the other one – Ace, his next-door neighbor and teammate, who has been bullying and harassing him for years. The two boys have been in love with the same girl since they were little, which only adds to the tension between them. The plot develops and unfolds around a shouting involving them all and we have to figure out who’s behind the trigger as we read along.
One thing I quite enjoyed in here was the writing style. It wasn’t anything phenomenal, but it reminded me of the writing styles of one of my favorite authors – John Corey Whaley, as well as other well-known authors like Jasmine Warga and David Levithan.
I mainly picked this book because of the description. Since both stories involve school shootings, it reminded me of ‘Hate List’ by Jennifer Brown, which is one of my favorite books of all time, but the two are, of course, completely different. I really enjoyed the way it was formatted – going back and forth between the present and the past (after and before the shooting).
And honestly, I don’t think I’ve got anything else nice to say about it. I found a lot of things I didn’t like, from the characters to the way the plot evolved and the story was concluded. I didn’t connect with any of the characters; I found them extremely unlikable and annoying at times. The way Ace was bullying Sam, basically telling him he’s a girl, using words like ‘pussy’ is something I couldn’t get over and I rolled my eyes every time I read a scene with both of them in it. I really didn’t like the way Sam’s character developed (or degraded), I felt like that happened out of nowhere, but maybe it was because every chapter tells only a few things that happened every month and I couldn’t follow what was happening inside his head.
I was very excited when I picked up ‘Until I Break’ but unfortunately, was very disappointed by it. I enjoyed the writing style of the author enough and I think I’ll definitely be giving Kara Bietz another chance, but this book just wasn’t for me. To readers interested in this story, I’d still recommend picking it up, because this is just my opinion and if you discover it on your own, who knows, ‘Until I Break’ may become one of your favorite books.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving a free arc to review.
‘Until I Break’ is a story, following two high-school graduating boys. One of them – Sam, a star athlete and straight A’s student, and the other one – Ace, his next-door neighbor and teammate, who has been bullying and harassing him for years. The two boys have been in love with the same girl since they were little, which only adds to the tension between them. The plot develops and unfolds around a shouting involving them all and we have to figure out who’s behind the trigger as we read along.
One thing I quite enjoyed in here was the writing style. It wasn’t anything phenomenal, but it reminded me of the writing styles of one of my favorite authors – John Corey Whaley, as well as other well-known authors like Jasmine Warga and David Levithan.
I mainly picked this book because of the description. Since both stories involve school shootings, it reminded me of ‘Hate List’ by Jennifer Brown, which is one of my favorite books of all time, but the two are, of course, completely different. I really enjoyed the way it was formatted – going back and forth between the present and the past (after and before the shooting).
And honestly, I don’t think I’ve got anything else nice to say about it. I found a lot of things I didn’t like, from the characters to the way the plot evolved and the story was concluded. I didn’t connect with any of the characters; I found them extremely unlikable and annoying at times. The way Ace was bullying Sam, basically telling him he’s a girl, using words like ‘pussy’ is something I couldn’t get over and I rolled my eyes every time I read a scene with both of them in it. I really didn’t like the way Sam’s character developed (or degraded), I felt like that happened out of nowhere, but maybe it was because every chapter tells only a few things that happened every month and I couldn’t follow what was happening inside his head.
I was very excited when I picked up ‘Until I Break’ but unfortunately, was very disappointed by it. I enjoyed the writing style of the author enough and I think I’ll definitely be giving Kara Bietz another chance, but this book just wasn’t for me. To readers interested in this story, I’d still recommend picking it up, because this is just my opinion and if you discover it on your own, who knows, ‘Until I Break’ may become one of your favorite books.
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