Out of Order

The Survivor's Club #1

by Casey Lawrence

Corinna “Corey” Nguyen’s life seems perfectly average for a closeted bisexual whiz kid with her eyes on college and a budding romance with her friend Kate. Sixteen and navigating senior year with her tight-knit group of best friends through crushes, breakups, and pregnancy scares, Corey mistakenly believes that running for valedictorian and choosing the right college are the worst of her worries. That is, until prom night, when she’s left alone and in shock, hiding inside a diner restroom, the only witness to a multiple homicide.

With graduation looming, the pressure is on for Corey to identify the killer and ensure that the crime that has changed her life forever will not go unpunished.

Genres: LGBT, Young Adult, Mystery, Romance, Queer, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 21, 2015

About the author

Casey Lawrence has a doctorate in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin, having completed her thesis on cross-dressing and gender inversion in the novels of James Joyce and his contemporaries. She is a queer activist, feminist, democratic socialist and writes queer contemporary and speculative fiction. Originally from St. Catharines, Ontario, Casey currently lives in Europe with her partner. She writes the books she wishes she’d been able to read growing up and is a staunch advocate for diversity and inclusion in publishing. You can follow her on Bluesky @myexplodingpen or like her on Facebook, @caseylawrenceauthor.

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harmony Ink Press and NetGalley.)

“BOOM!
I jumped in my own skin. Was that a gunshot?”

This was a YA contemporary story about a girl whose friends were killed in an attack in a diner.

Corey was an okay character, and I felt sorry for her losing her best friends the way she did, especially when she was the only one to have survived.

The storyline in this kept jumping back and forth between the past and the aftermath of the shooting, and I did wonder what the point of the flashbacks was as they didn’t seem to add all that much to the story. We got Corey giving her valedictorian speech, and a GLBT romance storyline, but I did find the book dragged a bit.

The ending to this was okay, and it seemed like the culprit had been found.



6 out of 10

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Even though the situation Corey finds herself in is terrible, the whole story is just awesome. Casey Lawrence manages to create a group of characters that are cute and lovable as they go through the typical situations teenagers experience on their way to adulthood.
Due to the structure alternating between past and present you find out so many things about Corey, the main character, and her closest friends, which add to complete the picture and make the group of friends appear even nicer. I’d say much of what happens to Corey and her friends is something you can easily relate to from your own teenager years, and if there hadn’t been the horrible tragedy as an integral part of the plot, this group of friends could have had a long literary life with ups and downs.
5 out of 5 stars.

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

I opened my eyes and realised Brandon was shaking. His hand felt sturdy in mine, but his body was rattling, shivering from the sternum outward.

Rep: Vietnamese-American bi mc

Out of Order follows the aftermath of a brutal attack at a restaurant, seen through the eyes of the sole survivor, Corinna Nguyen.

The story switches back and forth between the present day and events in the months before the attack, following four friends: Corinna, Ricky, Kate, and Jessa. Corinna is bisexual, and that word is in fact used about 4 or 5 times in the book (!!!). If I'm honest, that's the reason I decided to pick this book up.

Although the characters were good, the plot was a little disappointing. Following the murders, it stuck with flipping back and forth between present and past, and while the funerals got to me (I may have cried), the ending was a bit of an anticlimax, what with the murderer literally just showing up to the funerals and Corinna going that's him!!. To be honest, I kind of wanted more.

One last point, the writing is... not the best, but it's easy to read, and not bad in a way that actually detracts from the story.

[Efflorescence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Harmony Ink Press for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book.
At first, it was a bit complicated to get used to the different writing style. There was no steady timeline, but the days, weeks, and months kept jumping back and forth between the chapters.
While other readers found most of the flashbacks quite redundant, I really enjoyed getting to know more of the characters and their story. It also kept me reading, because I had the feeling that it is necessary to put all the puzzle pieces of the different days together to get a better understanding of the whole story.

Overall it was a cute, fun, and suspenseful read and I'm looking forward to the second part of it.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit...
I mean pardon my language but holy shit.
This was INSANELY GOOD. I was so wrapped up absorbed reading it I didn't realize the time, my growling stomach, nothing I was hooked. It's told in a jumping time frame so you get to know the characters before they were killed, and get to know Corey and the after effects of it. Most of the story I was like who did it?! The whole story you get zero hints, nothing to lead you on a few times I kinda thought it was this one guy or his friend but kinda just left those thoughts to manifest a bit in the back of my head mulling of the idea. The ending was tragic finding out the truth, what a rush. I'm about to dive into book two because I need to know what happens next. I definitely recommend this its a thriller, a story of friendship, and hardship, and sooo page turner good.

[William Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey Lawrence has crafted an intriguing story for her first foray as a published writer. Corey is a wonderful main character and she is surrounded by a diverse and compelling group of friends that don't come off as stereotypes or cliches.

Although the story is told "out of order," that doesn't distract the reader or diminish the impact of the events.

I walked away from the story feeling as if I had known this group of girls and wanted to spend more time with them. Perhaps if Casey Lawrence finishes her next book, we can spend more time with them, or at least Corey.

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)

This was an okay read, but the way the story was told wrecked it a bit for me. The whole thing just felt really jumpy because of it, so there were times where it was quite hard to follow.

There were one or two times where I felt a bit bored, but it was an okay read overall.

[sara ୨ৎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.7 for the lesbians

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is either a very clever or very frustrating murder mystery. We are given the murder in the first chapter, so it is not a surprise, and plunges you right into the action. From there, each chapter either goes forward or backward in time, to fill in the gaps about who these people are, what they mean to each other, and why they were together when they were murdered.

And like any good murder mystery, even though these sideways and backwards glances might seem trivial and unimportant, they are necessary in solving the mystery surrounding the murders.

I got annoyed because we kept going back in time, for a good three or four chapters, before we went forward again. Other than that, it was fast paced, once it picked up steam, and we got to know all the players better. I liked the diversity, that the protagonist is of Vietnamese decent, and a closeted bisexual and her friends consist of a strict Christian, a Latina and a promiscuous girl.

It is cute that the bathroom stall she hides to escape the killer is out of order, as is the progression of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were moments where I had to seriously put the book down and mentally regroup so I wouldn't start sobbing. The text is so incredibly raw and genuine. I felt as though I, along with the main character & survivor, corinna, had lost my 3 best friends. Aside from the devastating loss of friendship, we see that the main character & one of her best friends Kate, experiment with bisexuality. It was different from the teenage, hormonal, acting out- these two genuinely loved each other as people and privately dabbled the idea of a relationship sadly they were never able to give their relationship a go. The story truly tore at my heart strings, it did a fabulous job portraying emotion. The story was told "out of order" flipping from present events & nicely transitioning into a interrelated flashback.
The group of girls were also lovely and diverse. They each had their own nationalities and personalities (church goer, promiscuous, valedictorian, etc.)
* I received an ARC via NetGalley & Harmony Ink Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in two days, I might not have put it down but for the need to sleep. Having raised two teenage girls, the dialogue is spot on and the issues that they deal with are absolutely true.

I laughed at parts and cried at others, a very sad story about a group of girls pressing forward into adulthood. Some parts may seem shocking to adults (sex and drugs) but this book speaks to reality, and I would recommend it to all young adults.

If you like mysteries and don't mind a little blood on the floor, this is the book for you.

P.S. I wouldn't mind a sequel to catch up with the main character in the future.

[Alex McQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I managed to get through this in one go, but it took me all night. I had to know what happened. Basically, you get to see this gruesome murder right off the bat, but then the book goes back in time to before it happened and only gives glimpses of what happens after. It goes back and forth between before and after to build you up to like the characters (including the victims) but you know what their fate is going to be, so it's deeply emotional and sad. The conclusion was satisfying without being predictable, and if I read it again I know I'd find all sorts of hints I missed the first time around. A really good murder mystery and coming-out story. 5 stars.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

the ending felt not complete, but not worth an entire book for a sequel.

review: https://amberinoface.wordpress.com/20...

I received an ecopy in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley

[na · Rating 4 out of 5]

what if i was suicidal.
what if this was my last straw.

corinnakate happy together forever because i know it.

THIS IS SO—

sigh

ok real note— there’s some questionable moments in the beginning that had me cringing bc they’re just… it’s just telling of the year that this was released bc nobody would write anything like that now THANK GOD

it’s only in one of the first chapters so if u can get urself moving past that, everything is ok

the characters r so FUCKIGJFN LOVABLE
i love them
and i wanna keep them so safe

corey and kate are. so. everything. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

this is a short, very enjoyable, and emotionally damaging read.

i’ll be reading the second one but my hopes are not very high so i don’t think i’ll be disappointed

[c · Rating 5 out of 5]

no words. just tears.

[bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

corinnakate is sophieminas child

[madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sobbed

[ن · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 i thinkk

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

School Valedictorian, Corinna (Corey) Nguyen’s sobs drown out her speech in the crowded auditorium. It had been just three days since she’d shared a wonderful evening at prom with her three best friends, Ricky, Jessa and Kate. When prom had ended, the group of friends had taken their party to Sparky’s Diner nearby. After Corey had gone to the bathroom, a man with a shotgun had entered the diner, killing Corey’s friends and the wait staff in cold blood. Corey had been the only survivor; quick thinking had her hidden in an unattainable toilet cubicle with a sign on the door, saying it is out of order. The night of the shooting replays in Corey’s mind endlessly, as do flashbacks of happier times. Boyfriend troubles, pregnancy scares, sleepovers, sexual and drug experimentation fill her thoughts, trying to drown out the paramedics, doctors, nurses and police. She had seen the killer’s face. She knows that face, but every time she tries to place it, she draws a blank. The fourth of July fireworks trigger horrific memories of the gunshots. So much blood. Her best friends are dead and she is the only one who can be their voice ...if only she can remember the killer’s name.

This incredible tale of friendship, tragedy and sorrow had me in tears. Casey Lawrence’s story of a young girl who blames herself for the death of her closest friends, scrutinizing what she could have done to prevent it, is written with so much realism. From the moment of the shooting, I found myself looking for any clue possible in order to discover who could have done something so horrific. The memories which Corey, keep retreating into – all of the good times (and some bad) which bonded the four girls together so strongly over the years – are not unlike those of a typical teenage girl, and they give her the strength she needs to go on, determined to remember where she had seen the killer’s face before so that she might find some closure. Well written, descriptive and aptly titled, Out of Order not only refers to how Corey managed to survive, but also to Corey's scrambled mind, following the incomprehensible events of that night. I plan on adding Out of Order to my personal library at home, as I will be reading it again in the future. I recommend it to readers who enjoy hard-hitting action, drama and tragedy, entangled with true friendship and love, while leaving you on the edge of your seat, determined to see it all through to the end.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers’ Favorite

[Slavica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many books, with a variety of main characters and styles but I enjoyed this book for what it wasn't. A cliche. For one, the main character is not white, or straight and most books I have read, all characters were both white and straight. Then comes the style of writing. I have read stories where the book goes through two character perspectives or multiple but it was refreshing to read a story where it was based in the present and in the past.

The minute you enter the book, the main character and her friends are going home from Prom and than BANG, BANG, BANG, every character is dead except one. Corey has to deal with the loss of her 3 best friends while trying to function normally again. However, this story isn't just about a survivor trying to move on with her life, its about learning about each of the characters before they all became victims.

This books made me feel a bunch of emotions and I can say I cried a couple times, very awkward when your out in public and reading but I was so entrapped in her world that the real world didn't matter to me much. As I was reading it, I tried to figure out, "Who Dun It?" In the end I was surprised and isn't that what you want, for a story to keep making you guess and second guess yourself so many times you have no idea if your right but you keep reading to find the answers.

The content of the book spoke to me as my personal favorites are realistic stories about teenagers, about drugs and sex and violence and pain and the struggles of growing up and finding out who you are. Each character was more than just a victim, they became three dimensional characters, with varies flaws and quirks. By the end of it, I fell in love with all of them.

We need more stories were things don't end in cookie cutter fashion because life is not always a sparkling rainbow, sometimes it's pitch black.

I can't wait to read her next book!

[RaShae Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will start off by saying if you want to read a book with a bisexual woc, you should read this. There are no stereotypes. No guessing. She is bisexual and states it several times. I will also warn you of triggers: drugs, blood, death, gunshots. I will also warn you this is a sad book, worth the read.

This book was amazing and sad. I couldn't put it down. You go back and forth through her life. The books starts straight off with the tragedy. You see the present and the past switched up about every other chapter. You see parts of her senior year and her world torn apart afterwards. You feel her pain. Her grief. You cry with her. Your heart breaks with her.

The narrator, Corey, is nice and kind and loving and caring and smart and strong. She falls for her best friend, Kate- who is sweet and wild and nice and amazing-who also falls for her. She has 2 other best friends, Jessa- who is nice and caring and religious-and Ricky-who is sweet and kind and great. All of her friends are accepting. A friendship I would love to have one day. And she loses them in a senseless, horrific act of selfishness. Handles it with grace and dignity in a way I don't think I ever could.

I will recommend this book to as many people as I can.

[Inked Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

FiveStars
I don't think I've ever read a book so fast cover to cover in my life. I couldn't put this down. Everything, from the narrative structure to the scattered clues throughout, held my interest, page after page.

I loved the main character's voice. I often dislike the way adolescents are written as fairly self-absorbed and unsympathetic or else completely victims of their circumstances. Corinna (and her friends as well, but it's written first person) was neither of those. She was complex and interesting, probably one of the best young narrators I've read in a long time.

There isn't much I can say about the plot that wouldn't be spoilers. The timeline was interesting, with the whole story told in flashbacks. Each one provided one more piece to the puzzle. It was very well done, with enough clues to draw readers in but not so many as to give everything away too soon.

This is a fantastic book, and there is no doubt I will be sharing it with my kids when they're old enough to understand the complex themes and content.

I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.

Amy

[A.M. Leibowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book so fast cover to cover in my life. I couldn’t put this down. Everything, from the narrative structure to the scattered clues throughout, held my interest, page after page.

I loved the main character’s voice. I often dislike the way adolescents are written as fairly self-absorbed and unsympathetic or else completely victims of their circumstances. Corinna (and her friends as well, but it’s written first person) was neither of those. She was complex and interesting, probably one of the best young narrators I’ve read in a long time.

There isn’t much I can say about the plot that wouldn’t be spoilers. The timeline was interesting, with the whole story told in flashbacks. Each one provided one more piece to the puzzle. It was very well done, with enough clues to draw readers in but not so many as to give everything away too soon.

This is a fantastic book, and there is no doubt I will be sharing it with my kids when they’re old enough to understand the complex themes and content.

[nico ismoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Lawrence has created an emotional roller coaster of a novel that will have the reader laughing one moment, cringing for the characters' embarrassment the next, while still crying from cover to cover (of course I am far from claiming to be a heart of stone). Make sure you have some free time when you pick it up because you won't want to put it back down until you know all and, with the mix-matched loopty-loop timeline, the reader never knows where they are going next or what is about to hit them.

[Lara Kareem · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided a copy of this book by the author, in exchange for an honest review

It was a wonderful short read, which gives us insight into the lives of her dead friends, it was intriguing learning about their friendship and how special it was, but shrouded with sadness because you know already all but one are deceased. It also highlights the struggles about the lives of teenagers, reminding me to live my life to the fullest because it all can be gone within the blink of an eye.

[Amy Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the first in a long time that I didn't want to put down and it was the first ever book that made me cry. The main character took me through a range of emotions through her chaotic circumstances. The dialogue was realistic and the characters problems were varied. Corey made me remember what it was like to be young again.

[Dianna Gunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really different from what I normally read--for starters, it happens in a modern day small town and I usually read alternate world/history fantasy or scifi--but it was a lot of fun. I particularly enjoyed the way the main characters were fleshed out right down to tiny nervous ticks. Looking forward to the next one!

[Jenni Frencham]

Because of my work on the 2016 Stonewall Book Awards, I cannot publish my opinions on any children's or YA book with LGBTQ+ characters or themes. I may update these reviews after the announcement of the 2016 Stonewall Book Awards.

[Emma (EnglishBlonde) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and ended up finishing the entire book in 1 hour and 20 minutes at 1am, I was very tired afterwards. Full review coming soon.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I didn’t want to say what I was thinking: that being dead was preferable to being alive without them, that I should have been sitting at that table with them, that I should have run out the moment I heard the shot and tried to jump the man with the gun to save them."

This book is the story of Corinna, a girl who witnessed a multiple homocide where three of her best friends died. She survived only because she hid herself in a bathroom stall that was out of order.

The story is told in different time passages, most of them happening inside a bathroom. I loved how everything helped understand the characters better and it also gave a few tips on what had happened at the end. Be aware that these are not all nice characters. Some of them say some harmful stuff, but at least they are called out almost all of the times.

The writing here is just my kind of style. It doesn't try too much or hide anything that is important to the plot. The emotional part was well done and it brought me to tears more than one time. I kept thinking what I'd do or feel if it was me going through something like that; losing your best friends in such an awful way it's a painful tragedy. Being the only survivor makes it even harder.

“I need to call them, okay? They know me. They’d want to hear it from someone they—from someone who—my friends are not statistics!”

I'm intrigued to read book 2 in this series and find out what will happen with the protagonist next. If this is what Lawrence can do in her first book, I can't wait to read more of her work in the future.