What do you think?
Rate this book
Cut Me Free
An unspeakable loss. A relentless stalker. A desperate escape.
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte barely escaped from her abusive parents. Her little brother, Sam, wasn't as lucky. Now she's trying to begin the new life she always dreamed of for them, but never thought she'd have to experience alone. She's hired a techie-genius with a knack for forgery to remove the last ties to her old life. But while she can erase her former identity, she can't rid herself of the memories. And her troubled history won't let her ignore the little girl she sees one day in the park. The girl with the bruises and burn marks.
That's when Charlotte begins to receive the messages. Threatening notes left in her apartment―without a trace of entry. And they're addressed to Piper, her old name. As the messages grow in frequency, she doesn't just need to uncover who is leaving them; she needs to stop whoever it is before anyone else she loves ends up dead.
Cut Me Free , a chilling YA novel by J. R. Johansson, is a riveting read full of darkness and hope.
"Johansson, author of the paranormal Night Walkers series, which includes Paranoia , immerses readers in an urban landscape of sadistic violence against girls and women. . . . This chiller for older teens offers an exceptional, albeit highly disturbing, narration by a survivor of abuse." ― VOYA
“A superb blend of mystery and romance, it’s never what you expect. A masterpiece.” ―Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times –bestselling author of the Lux and Covenant series
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte barely escaped from her abusive parents. Her little brother, Sam, wasn't as lucky. Now she's trying to begin the new life she always dreamed of for them, but never thought she'd have to experience alone. She's hired a techie-genius with a knack for forgery to remove the last ties to her old life. But while she can erase her former identity, she can't rid herself of the memories. And her troubled history won't let her ignore the little girl she sees one day in the park. The girl with the bruises and burn marks.
That's when Charlotte begins to receive the messages. Threatening notes left in her apartment―without a trace of entry. And they're addressed to Piper, her old name. As the messages grow in frequency, she doesn't just need to uncover who is leaving them; she needs to stop whoever it is before anyone else she loves ends up dead.
Cut Me Free , a chilling YA novel by J. R. Johansson, is a riveting read full of darkness and hope.
"Johansson, author of the paranormal Night Walkers series, which includes Paranoia , immerses readers in an urban landscape of sadistic violence against girls and women. . . . This chiller for older teens offers an exceptional, albeit highly disturbing, narration by a survivor of abuse." ― VOYA
“A superb blend of mystery and romance, it’s never what you expect. A masterpiece.” ―Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times –bestselling author of the Lux and Covenant series
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2015
72 people are currently reading
4497 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Johansson
8 books496 followersJ.R. JOHANSSON is the author of the Night Walkers Series (INSOMNIA, PARANOIA and MANIA) as well as standalone novels, CUT ME FREE, THE ROW and TO THE BONE. Her books have been published in over a dozen languages and more than twenty countries worldwide. She has a B.S. degree in public relations and a background in marketing. She credits her abnormal psychology minor with inspiring many of her characters. She lives in a valley by the mountains where the sun shines 300+ days per year with a hot tub named Valentino.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
January 12, 2015
Cut me Free's plot involves lot of disturbing happenings and broken characters, so it's really unfortunate that it wasn't the emotional read I was expecting. I was really loving it at first, but at the end I felt kind of meh about the whole thing.
I think it will all depend what you expect from it. After I read the blurb that talks of abusive parents and death and memories, I though this would be an emotional wreck of a read; a psychologically dense story. Instead, it focuses mostly on the thriller aspect of the plot - the new psycho that seems to be stalking her - while grazing over the psychological aspects. I do like my thriller books, though, so this was still highly entertaining, I just found it could have been that and way more, you know. A lot of lost potential that could have turned this into a truly memorable read. Like, for instance, the main character's emotional state of mind is surprisingly stable for having been locked up since birth, abused and neglected for years and years. The story is not exactly realistic in that manner. There are mentions of her struggles with her brother's death and her paranoia and such, but this felt as if it was added as an afterthought. Like a "by the way, I AM a broken mess". The reader shouldn't have to be convinced, we should be able to see and feel this instability. Something! On top of that, she adapted to society way easily considering she'd never stepped foot inside her house before ever, which didn't help the lack of depth.
Plot-wise, it's your average YA thriller with a psycho on the loose. The book does do this part well with a constant eerie feeling in the air. You just know the MC is not safe no matter the precaution she takes - it's creepy! We're also introduced to a sweet side character who makes everything a bit more nerve-wracking. You can help but want her to finally be a worry-free happy kid! The plot doesn't come problem free, though. The main issue is a common one with YA thrillers: You have these teenagers who refuse to get help for any number of usually dumb reasons. Honestly I'm not even sure why she didn't want to go to the police from day 1 - and don't give me that "scared of foster care" crap. This lands her in some (predictable) sticky situations that could have been easily avoidable.
So anyways, this is a good read for some mindless entertainment, just don't expect anything especially potent or profound.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
I think it will all depend what you expect from it. After I read the blurb that talks of abusive parents and death and memories, I though this would be an emotional wreck of a read; a psychologically dense story. Instead, it focuses mostly on the thriller aspect of the plot - the new psycho that seems to be stalking her - while grazing over the psychological aspects. I do like my thriller books, though, so this was still highly entertaining, I just found it could have been that and way more, you know. A lot of lost potential that could have turned this into a truly memorable read. Like, for instance, the main character's emotional state of mind is surprisingly stable for having been locked up since birth, abused and neglected for years and years. The story is not exactly realistic in that manner. There are mentions of her struggles with her brother's death and her paranoia and such, but this felt as if it was added as an afterthought. Like a "by the way, I AM a broken mess". The reader shouldn't have to be convinced, we should be able to see and feel this instability. Something! On top of that, she adapted to society way easily considering she'd never stepped foot inside her house before ever, which didn't help the lack of depth.
Plot-wise, it's your average YA thriller with a psycho on the loose. The book does do this part well with a constant eerie feeling in the air. You just know the MC is not safe no matter the precaution she takes - it's creepy! We're also introduced to a sweet side character who makes everything a bit more nerve-wracking. You can help but want her to finally be a worry-free happy kid! The plot doesn't come problem free, though. The main issue is a common one with YA thrillers: You have these teenagers who refuse to get help for any number of usually dumb reasons. Honestly I'm not even sure why she didn't want to go to the police from day 1 - and don't give me that "scared of foster care" crap. This lands her in some (predictable) sticky situations that could have been easily avoidable.
So anyways, this is a good read for some mindless entertainment, just don't expect anything especially potent or profound.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
June 16, 2014
If you thought INSOMNIA was creepy, you ain't seen nothing yet.
CUT ME FREE is chilling--physically, emotionally. Emotionally times two. It will drag you in and tie you up in a tight knot of heart-racing creepiness, while resonating with real-world events that add a level of sinking breathlessness.
You want this book. But you want in a well-lit room with all the doors locked and windows shut tight.
CUT ME FREE is chilling--physically, emotionally. Emotionally times two. It will drag you in and tie you up in a tight knot of heart-racing creepiness, while resonating with real-world events that add a level of sinking breathlessness.
You want this book. But you want in a well-lit room with all the doors locked and windows shut tight.
December 16, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Cut Me Free by J.R. Johansson
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte barely escaped from her abusive parents. Her little brother, Sam, wasn't as lucky. Now she's trying to begin the new life she always dreamed of for them, but never thought she'd have to experience alone. She's hired a techie-genius with a knack for forgery to remove the last ties to her old life. But while she can erase her former identity, she can’t rid herself of the memories. And her troubled history won’t let her ignore the little girl she sees one day in the park. The girl with the bruises and burn marks.
That’s when Charlotte begins to receive the messages. Threatening notes left in her apartment--without a trace of entry. And they’re addressed to Piper, her old name. As the messages grow in frequency, she doesn’t just need to uncover who is leaving them; she needs to stop whoever it is before anyone else she loves ends up dead.
What I Liked:
This is my third (of three) Johansson novels - Insomnia and Paranoia are the first two books of her debut series. Personally, Insomnia is my favorite book of the three, but this one would be my second favorite. While the Night Walkers series is paranormal, this book is strictly contemporary - realistic fiction, with a heavy dose of tough issues and an interesting mystery to it. Johansson definitely knows her way around scary thrillers! This novel definitely had a scare/creep factor to it, which freaked me out but had me hooked.
In this novel, Piper is desperate to escape her old life. She becomes Charlotte with the help of a boy about her age, who draws up a fake ID and documentation for her (for a hefty price, of course). She rescues a girl just like her, one that was abused by her parents, and decides to help the girl (Sanda). But Piper/Charlotte cannot run from her past. Messages begin to appear, and there is no one to protect Piper and Sanda.
This book is relatively short - very easy to read. There is an extremely heartbreaking tone to this book. Piper was locked in an attic by her parents, given the name "Girl", and her younger brother as well - "Boy". Piper names herself Piper, and her brother, Sam. I've seen these stories of children locked in rooms, starving, abused, scared, helpless, cut off from the world, illiterate... but reading the story of Piper (and Sanda as well) is heartbreaking.
That being said, this isn't your typical tough-issue contemporary novel. This book isn't solely about Piper running from her past and healing from her wounds (physical, emotional, or otherwise). Piper is literally running, but she is also taking care of a nine-year-old girl. Piper is always on edge and panics a lot. She's always on the defensive, and doesn't like people touching her. I think Johansson brought out the authenticity of the situation in Piper, in her character. You can very easily tell that she had a traumatic childhood - which she did. And her inner demons are actually pretty scary, and serious.
I was okay with Piper. I couldn't necessarily relate but I could empathize. What she did for Sanda was extremely brave. Piper pushed away people just by her attitude, but she let Sanda in, a girl just like her.
The romance is probably one of my favorite aspects of the book. It's kind of obvious, because Cam is introduced within pages of the book beginning, but I liked Cam a lot, and I had a feeling that I would like Piper, so I thought they were good together - and they were. Cam is super sweet and attentive and protective and stubborn. Piper is also very stubborn and likes to push Cam away (she doesn't want to take anyone's help more than she has to), but that's one of the reasons why they work so well together.
The romance is structured in an interesting way. It seems like insta-love at first, because you can just TELL, but nothing happens in terms of feelings, until later in the book. And in terms of the physical sense, nothing happens until the end. I think this romance really worked in this book - the protagonist needed time to warm up to Cam, and the idea of someone caring about her.
The plot is pretty fast and definitely interesting. The mystery takes up most of the story - who is sending the messages to Piper? I definitely couldn't not finish this book, for fear of not knowing.
Overall, I liked this book. Johansson is very skilled at writing these creepy thriller stories. I'm not sure if they're for me, but I like her storytelling!
What I Did Not Like:
I already touched on my small issue with the romance - the thing is, I liked the romance, but I could see why someone might cry "insta-love". It seemed like Cam fell for Piper from the start, which is okay, but that seemed like insta-love. He falls in love with her pretty quickly. Piper, on the other hand, doesn't fall for him that quickly, which makes sense, given her past and her distrust of people.
I'm kind of meh about scary stories, honestly. I don't know if one would classify this one as "scary", but either way, they aren't really my thing. This one was interesting, but I guess I just didn't LOVE it. The mystery was interesting, but it was kind of cliche that the person was sending messages to Piper - it just seems like that's a "bad guy"'s preferred method of intimidation in fiction, kind of cliche. But what do I know.
I'm still a bit confused as to how the "villain" got into Piper's apartment.
Also, I thought the ending was a little too happy. I thought that at least one person on the "good side" should have died - one person in particular, for sure. You'll have to read the book to know what I mean. But the ending was too peachy.
Would I Recommend It:
If you already have a copy of this book, or you pre-ordered it or bought it or whatever, then I say give it a shot! I liked it when I was reading it, but I probably won't re-read it. If it were part of a series, I probably wouldn't continue the series, either. There would have to be a really awesome hook for me to want to read the remaining books. BUT, this book is a standalone.
Rating:
3 stars. Maybe 3.5 stars. But not 4 stars. I liked the book, but not that much. If horror/thriller/contemporary is your thing, then go for it! I'll continue to keep an eye out for this author's works.
Cut Me Free by J.R. Johansson
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Seventeen-year-old Charlotte barely escaped from her abusive parents. Her little brother, Sam, wasn't as lucky. Now she's trying to begin the new life she always dreamed of for them, but never thought she'd have to experience alone. She's hired a techie-genius with a knack for forgery to remove the last ties to her old life. But while she can erase her former identity, she can’t rid herself of the memories. And her troubled history won’t let her ignore the little girl she sees one day in the park. The girl with the bruises and burn marks.
That’s when Charlotte begins to receive the messages. Threatening notes left in her apartment--without a trace of entry. And they’re addressed to Piper, her old name. As the messages grow in frequency, she doesn’t just need to uncover who is leaving them; she needs to stop whoever it is before anyone else she loves ends up dead.
What I Liked:
This is my third (of three) Johansson novels - Insomnia and Paranoia are the first two books of her debut series. Personally, Insomnia is my favorite book of the three, but this one would be my second favorite. While the Night Walkers series is paranormal, this book is strictly contemporary - realistic fiction, with a heavy dose of tough issues and an interesting mystery to it. Johansson definitely knows her way around scary thrillers! This novel definitely had a scare/creep factor to it, which freaked me out but had me hooked.
In this novel, Piper is desperate to escape her old life. She becomes Charlotte with the help of a boy about her age, who draws up a fake ID and documentation for her (for a hefty price, of course). She rescues a girl just like her, one that was abused by her parents, and decides to help the girl (Sanda). But Piper/Charlotte cannot run from her past. Messages begin to appear, and there is no one to protect Piper and Sanda.
This book is relatively short - very easy to read. There is an extremely heartbreaking tone to this book. Piper was locked in an attic by her parents, given the name "Girl", and her younger brother as well - "Boy". Piper names herself Piper, and her brother, Sam. I've seen these stories of children locked in rooms, starving, abused, scared, helpless, cut off from the world, illiterate... but reading the story of Piper (and Sanda as well) is heartbreaking.
That being said, this isn't your typical tough-issue contemporary novel. This book isn't solely about Piper running from her past and healing from her wounds (physical, emotional, or otherwise). Piper is literally running, but she is also taking care of a nine-year-old girl. Piper is always on edge and panics a lot. She's always on the defensive, and doesn't like people touching her. I think Johansson brought out the authenticity of the situation in Piper, in her character. You can very easily tell that she had a traumatic childhood - which she did. And her inner demons are actually pretty scary, and serious.
I was okay with Piper. I couldn't necessarily relate but I could empathize. What she did for Sanda was extremely brave. Piper pushed away people just by her attitude, but she let Sanda in, a girl just like her.
The romance is probably one of my favorite aspects of the book. It's kind of obvious, because Cam is introduced within pages of the book beginning, but I liked Cam a lot, and I had a feeling that I would like Piper, so I thought they were good together - and they were. Cam is super sweet and attentive and protective and stubborn. Piper is also very stubborn and likes to push Cam away (she doesn't want to take anyone's help more than she has to), but that's one of the reasons why they work so well together.
The romance is structured in an interesting way. It seems like insta-love at first, because you can just TELL, but nothing happens in terms of feelings, until later in the book. And in terms of the physical sense, nothing happens until the end. I think this romance really worked in this book - the protagonist needed time to warm up to Cam, and the idea of someone caring about her.
The plot is pretty fast and definitely interesting. The mystery takes up most of the story - who is sending the messages to Piper? I definitely couldn't not finish this book, for fear of not knowing.
Overall, I liked this book. Johansson is very skilled at writing these creepy thriller stories. I'm not sure if they're for me, but I like her storytelling!
What I Did Not Like:
I already touched on my small issue with the romance - the thing is, I liked the romance, but I could see why someone might cry "insta-love". It seemed like Cam fell for Piper from the start, which is okay, but that seemed like insta-love. He falls in love with her pretty quickly. Piper, on the other hand, doesn't fall for him that quickly, which makes sense, given her past and her distrust of people.
I'm kind of meh about scary stories, honestly. I don't know if one would classify this one as "scary", but either way, they aren't really my thing. This one was interesting, but I guess I just didn't LOVE it. The mystery was interesting, but it was kind of cliche that the person was sending messages to Piper - it just seems like that's a "bad guy"'s preferred method of intimidation in fiction, kind of cliche. But what do I know.
I'm still a bit confused as to how the "villain" got into Piper's apartment.
Also, I thought the ending was a little too happy. I thought that at least one person on the "good side" should have died - one person in particular, for sure. You'll have to read the book to know what I mean. But the ending was too peachy.
Would I Recommend It:
If you already have a copy of this book, or you pre-ordered it or bought it or whatever, then I say give it a shot! I liked it when I was reading it, but I probably won't re-read it. If it were part of a series, I probably wouldn't continue the series, either. There would have to be a really awesome hook for me to want to read the remaining books. BUT, this book is a standalone.
Rating:
3 stars. Maybe 3.5 stars. But not 4 stars. I liked the book, but not that much. If horror/thriller/contemporary is your thing, then go for it! I'll continue to keep an eye out for this author's works.
January 25, 2015
***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato
ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK ON THE BLOG
Actual Rating 3.5
Cut Me Free was quite honestly not what I expected it to be. I went into the book looking for something more along the lines of mind fuck and got something different. But it was a good different. This book may not have been what I wanted it to be but what it was was something that was enjoyable. I do use that term loosely though because this is a book that deals with serious issues such as abuse and human trafficking.
When I first started this book, I felt as though some of the details were unrealistic but my discomfort with some of the descriptions were made up by the (mostly) great characters and Johansson’s story telling skills.
Piper is an amazing female lead. Considering everything she has gone through, it’s easy to sympathize with her but what more, the way she deals with everything, and the way she is characterized makes her come to life in a realistic way and you cannot help but admire her for still continuing to march on. One of my favorite things about her characterization is that she wasn’t a complete badass. She continues to be frightened and can be overly paranoid (although that definitely paid off). What I also liked was how she made smart decisions. She got new locks installed when she was worried, she took self-defence classes, she got a job. She didn’t wait around for someone to come around and help her, she helped herself. What made me really admire her though was that she was never submissive, she understood what had been done to her was wrong and she was angry. Her anger was real and profound to the point where she has to reassure herself she wasn’t ‘like them’, she wasn’t a despicable human being.
She was also compassionate and that was evident from her relationship with Sanda. She decided to save Sanda and one might say that was reckless of her but given the way that the authorities never helped her, it’s understandable why she went down that route, plus she thought about her consequences and attempted to form a well developed plan. Going back to their relationship though, both of them need someone who can understand them. Someone they don’t have to hide from, someone they don’t feel ashamed around. And watching Piper deal with Sanda, with so much care, is beautiful.
The character I had a problem with was Cam. He always seemed fishy to me. I hated how even though he must have had some sort of idea about what she had gone through, he didn’t give Piper the space she needed. He forced her to tell him about herself instead of letting her get to the point where she would be comfortable doing so (not that Piper seemed to mind after the initial push). On top of that, I never understood his infatuation with Piper. I felt like after everything she had been through, he would have given her some room to finally explore things but he seemed to cling on to her and I didn’t like that.
That obviously made the romance uncomfortable for me to read about but my problem also lay in the fact that their romance came out of nowhere. The transition between friendship and romance wasn’t clean enough for me to really believe in their romance. Their friendship actually worked for me. Despite me not really liking Cam, I was glad he worried about her and tried to help her out but considering how they never really got to know one another, I felt thrown off by the romance and the three magical words.
My uneasiness with the romance aside, this book keeps you on your toes. It might not have had the mind-fuck element I had expected but it definitely had a good mystery element that got me worked up and had me flipping through the pages. My only problem was that not everything that was mentioned was tied up.
This book is definitely worth giving a shot. It may have been a tad unrealistic at times but the mystery was good and the book evenly paced and lead by a great female lead.I’d recommend it to anyone who is looking for something a little serious but not something as long or as hard to get through.
ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK ON THE BLOG
Actual Rating 3.5
Cut Me Free was quite honestly not what I expected it to be. I went into the book looking for something more along the lines of mind fuck and got something different. But it was a good different. This book may not have been what I wanted it to be but what it was was something that was enjoyable. I do use that term loosely though because this is a book that deals with serious issues such as abuse and human trafficking.
When I first started this book, I felt as though some of the details were unrealistic but my discomfort with some of the descriptions were made up by the (mostly) great characters and Johansson’s story telling skills.
Piper is an amazing female lead. Considering everything she has gone through, it’s easy to sympathize with her but what more, the way she deals with everything, and the way she is characterized makes her come to life in a realistic way and you cannot help but admire her for still continuing to march on. One of my favorite things about her characterization is that she wasn’t a complete badass. She continues to be frightened and can be overly paranoid (although that definitely paid off). What I also liked was how she made smart decisions. She got new locks installed when she was worried, she took self-defence classes, she got a job. She didn’t wait around for someone to come around and help her, she helped herself. What made me really admire her though was that she was never submissive, she understood what had been done to her was wrong and she was angry. Her anger was real and profound to the point where she has to reassure herself she wasn’t ‘like them’, she wasn’t a despicable human being.
She was also compassionate and that was evident from her relationship with Sanda. She decided to save Sanda and one might say that was reckless of her but given the way that the authorities never helped her, it’s understandable why she went down that route, plus she thought about her consequences and attempted to form a well developed plan. Going back to their relationship though, both of them need someone who can understand them. Someone they don’t have to hide from, someone they don’t feel ashamed around. And watching Piper deal with Sanda, with so much care, is beautiful.
The character I had a problem with was Cam. He always seemed fishy to me. I hated how even though he must have had some sort of idea about what she had gone through, he didn’t give Piper the space she needed. He forced her to tell him about herself instead of letting her get to the point where she would be comfortable doing so (not that Piper seemed to mind after the initial push). On top of that, I never understood his infatuation with Piper. I felt like after everything she had been through, he would have given her some room to finally explore things but he seemed to cling on to her and I didn’t like that.
That obviously made the romance uncomfortable for me to read about but my problem also lay in the fact that their romance came out of nowhere. The transition between friendship and romance wasn’t clean enough for me to really believe in their romance. Their friendship actually worked for me. Despite me not really liking Cam, I was glad he worried about her and tried to help her out but considering how they never really got to know one another, I felt thrown off by the romance and the three magical words.
My uneasiness with the romance aside, this book keeps you on your toes. It might not have had the mind-fuck element I had expected but it definitely had a good mystery element that got me worked up and had me flipping through the pages. My only problem was that not everything that was mentioned was tied up.
This book is definitely worth giving a shot. It may have been a tad unrealistic at times but the mystery was good and the book evenly paced and lead by a great female lead.I’d recommend it to anyone who is looking for something a little serious but not something as long or as hard to get through.
January 20, 2015
Cut Me Free is a hard book to rate. It was an OK read, but parts irritated me. The main character Piper has been through hell. The Parents placed her and her brother Sam in the attic and they were subjected to all sorts of torture. Piper manages to escape and she finds Cam, who helps her change her identity and get a new place to live.
Piper becomes Charlotte and she learns to live on her own. Here's the thing - she never went to school and has never was properly socialized, yet she functions like a street smart runaway. This is what made the story a bit unbelievable to me. You would think that someone subjected to torture for most of their life would be withdrawn and skittish, afraid of their shadow. Piper/Charlotte isn't really. She's private, but a pretty tough cookie.
Then, Piper recognizes a little girl who seems to be just like her. She rescues Sanda from the very demented Brothers (note that adults are called Father, Mother, Parents, Brother) and brings her home. Now Sanda needs a new identity as well.
Of course, nothing goes according to plan and someone is after Piper. Piper pulls some TSTL (too stupid to live) moves and puts the people around her in danger. Then there's the romance aspect - quite mild, but there nonetheless.
I would have liked to have learned more about Piper/Charlotte's background. It's a long way between Wyoming and Philadelphia. Just how did she get away? Why weren't the authorities ever contacted? How did she know that Cam could prepare false documents, etc.
This is a dark read and is probably more suitable to older/more mature young adult readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar Strauss Giroux Books for Young Readers for a review copy of this book.
Piper becomes Charlotte and she learns to live on her own. Here's the thing - she never went to school and has never was properly socialized, yet she functions like a street smart runaway. This is what made the story a bit unbelievable to me. You would think that someone subjected to torture for most of their life would be withdrawn and skittish, afraid of their shadow. Piper/Charlotte isn't really. She's private, but a pretty tough cookie.
Then, Piper recognizes a little girl who seems to be just like her. She rescues Sanda from the very demented Brothers (note that adults are called Father, Mother, Parents, Brother) and brings her home. Now Sanda needs a new identity as well.
Of course, nothing goes according to plan and someone is after Piper. Piper pulls some TSTL (too stupid to live) moves and puts the people around her in danger. Then there's the romance aspect - quite mild, but there nonetheless.
I would have liked to have learned more about Piper/Charlotte's background. It's a long way between Wyoming and Philadelphia. Just how did she get away? Why weren't the authorities ever contacted? How did she know that Cam could prepare false documents, etc.
This is a dark read and is probably more suitable to older/more mature young adult readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar Strauss Giroux Books for Young Readers for a review copy of this book.
Read
February 27, 2015Really liked this book. I mean I hated that everything in it happened but it was so well written and compelling. Piper is such a strong character. I wanted to reach into the pages and pull her out and tell her everything is going to be okay. Just...wow.
February 23, 2015
Contemporary books, as of late, have taken on heavier and important topics that need to be addressed in our society. Cut Me Free is one of them and it discusses physical abuse. The main protagonist, Charlotte was physically abused since she was young by her so called mother, and then her step-father along with her mother. We're talking serious business here, as in her brother was born inside the house and was never registered.. so legally? he doesn't exist. This frightened me so much because this isn't just fiction… things like this happen in real life, where innocent kids open their eyes to this abuse and only know a life with it. My heart really ached for them all. Bottom line, I applaud Johansson for addressing this difficult yet important topic in the YA world.
I personally would have really preferred such a book to not include any romance but I think Johansson covered it well. It wasn't the sappy romance, but it was slow and Charlotte first had to be able to learn to trust people other than herself, which was no easy feat. Once Charlotte ran away, you would think this is it for her, new name, new identity, new life.. unfortunately people who have gone through a traumatic experience can't stay quiet or do nothing about someone they witness going through the same.. and I appreciated Johansson adding that to the plot. It really brought more depth and the relationship between Charlotte and the girl showed us how Charlotte was with her little brother. There was a ton of emotional scenes for me to digest while reading the book.
I liked the mystery but wished it was a bit more fleshed out. However I personally wasn't able to guess who the person was that kept sending her the threatening notes. I was impressed by the end and it was very realistic. Cut Me Free is a very quick read but it packs a punch. It is a book that holds an important message inside and I really wish more people would read it. It breaks my heart knowing that right now there are kids out there who are physically abused.. kids that can't seem to escape the dire situation they were forced into and I feel raising awareness and not turning a blind eye about a topic like this is important for the common population.
I personally would have really preferred such a book to not include any romance but I think Johansson covered it well. It wasn't the sappy romance, but it was slow and Charlotte first had to be able to learn to trust people other than herself, which was no easy feat. Once Charlotte ran away, you would think this is it for her, new name, new identity, new life.. unfortunately people who have gone through a traumatic experience can't stay quiet or do nothing about someone they witness going through the same.. and I appreciated Johansson adding that to the plot. It really brought more depth and the relationship between Charlotte and the girl showed us how Charlotte was with her little brother. There was a ton of emotional scenes for me to digest while reading the book.
I liked the mystery but wished it was a bit more fleshed out. However I personally wasn't able to guess who the person was that kept sending her the threatening notes. I was impressed by the end and it was very realistic. Cut Me Free is a very quick read but it packs a punch. It is a book that holds an important message inside and I really wish more people would read it. It breaks my heart knowing that right now there are kids out there who are physically abused.. kids that can't seem to escape the dire situation they were forced into and I feel raising awareness and not turning a blind eye about a topic like this is important for the common population.
lost-interest-did-not-finish
July 5, 2015DNF @ page 95.
Sadly, I have to set this one aside because the story isn't working for me. The first few pages did capture my interest - the main character has escaped from a terrifying home life, and for the past year she has been alone in the "real world" for the first time. She's had to learn how to survive on her own, trusting no one and always on the run. Yet, all too soon, Cut Me Free stopped holding my attention. We find out what Charlotte has had to experience, and it's absolutely terrible and sadly all too common in our world today, yet I wasn't invested in her present-day situation. Mostly, the fault lies with Charlotte's narration (and the writing style) - there's a strange disconnect between her emotional immaturity and how intelligent her voice sometimes comes across. The former makes sense, since she's been imprisoned in an attic most of her life, but for that very reason the latter doesn't. It's jarring. There's just something slightly off about how it's written. I also have trouble connecting with characters who are emotionally stunted. I know that's what the situation calls for, but it just means for me that I sympathized with Charlotte, but I didn't actually like her. The pending romance wasn't sitting right with me, either. Cam, the love interest, is the one who provides her with the identity of "Charlotte", and despite her reticence and odd behavior, he starts to pursue her. It falls completely flat and, what's worse, made me uncomfortable. I felt no interest in continuing further.
**Thanks to Macmillan for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Featured on my 2014 REC IT post.
Sadly, I have to set this one aside because the story isn't working for me. The first few pages did capture my interest - the main character has escaped from a terrifying home life, and for the past year she has been alone in the "real world" for the first time. She's had to learn how to survive on her own, trusting no one and always on the run. Yet, all too soon, Cut Me Free stopped holding my attention. We find out what Charlotte has had to experience, and it's absolutely terrible and sadly all too common in our world today, yet I wasn't invested in her present-day situation. Mostly, the fault lies with Charlotte's narration (and the writing style) - there's a strange disconnect between her emotional immaturity and how intelligent her voice sometimes comes across. The former makes sense, since she's been imprisoned in an attic most of her life, but for that very reason the latter doesn't. It's jarring. There's just something slightly off about how it's written. I also have trouble connecting with characters who are emotionally stunted. I know that's what the situation calls for, but it just means for me that I sympathized with Charlotte, but I didn't actually like her. The pending romance wasn't sitting right with me, either. Cam, the love interest, is the one who provides her with the identity of "Charlotte", and despite her reticence and odd behavior, he starts to pursue her. It falls completely flat and, what's worse, made me uncomfortable. I felt no interest in continuing further.
**Thanks to Macmillan for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Featured on my 2014 REC IT post.
March 19, 2017
3 stars. This is definitely a good book, but it really does not fit the blurb very well.
This book seems to be advertised as a book about abuse and its psychological repurcussions. It is not that. This book is a very well-written, high tension thriller. It's just missing the psychological aspects I was looking for. However, the potential is not realized. This could be so much more than a cheap thriller.
As a thriller, this book is not bad. There's nothing splitting it apart from other thrillers, though - no creative plotting and new ideas. The book does develop a good tense mood. This book ultimately succeeds as a thriller, which is why it deserves three stars.
The main character was well-developed. However, her character work was shoved to the side in favor of the typical YA thriller work. There's not much discussion of her past parental abuse– in fact, it feels as if the author uses her ptsd to drive the plot.
The romance was, as usual, not totally necessary. However, it was built realistically as the first relationship of an abuse victim. I did love that the author emphasized Charlotte's character development as revolving around not only her relationships with her love interest, but also Lily and Sanda and that mom (I'm blanking on her name). Lily's inclusion in the novel was a brilliant choice, and her character really adds suspense and emotion to the book.
I do recommend this for fans of suspense. But not for people who want good discussions of abuse and its aftermath.
This book seems to be advertised as a book about abuse and its psychological repurcussions. It is not that. This book is a very well-written, high tension thriller. It's just missing the psychological aspects I was looking for. However, the potential is not realized. This could be so much more than a cheap thriller.
As a thriller, this book is not bad. There's nothing splitting it apart from other thrillers, though - no creative plotting and new ideas. The book does develop a good tense mood. This book ultimately succeeds as a thriller, which is why it deserves three stars.
The main character was well-developed. However, her character work was shoved to the side in favor of the typical YA thriller work. There's not much discussion of her past parental abuse– in fact, it feels as if the author uses her ptsd to drive the plot.
The romance was, as usual, not totally necessary. However, it was built realistically as the first relationship of an abuse victim. I did love that the author emphasized Charlotte's character development as revolving around not only her relationships with her love interest, but also Lily and Sanda and that mom (I'm blanking on her name). Lily's inclusion in the novel was a brilliant choice, and her character really adds suspense and emotion to the book.
I do recommend this for fans of suspense. But not for people who want good discussions of abuse and its aftermath.
July 14, 2014
“Cut Me Fee” is dark, and it is the most beautiful novel I’ve ever read. Each emotion is real, true to the main character’s life and background, but even better is how raw they are. I didn’t just know what emotions Piper felt, I lived them. Jenn Johansson stunning words brought these lovable characters to life in a way that leaves me thinking about them long after I’ve closed the book.
Well-written, thrilling, and not a page without suspense (whether from danger or the heart-wrenching and subtle romance), “Cut Me Free” is a novel I’ll read time and time again.
Well-written, thrilling, and not a page without suspense (whether from danger or the heart-wrenching and subtle romance), “Cut Me Free” is a novel I’ll read time and time again.
January 5, 2015
This was absolutely captivating. It's a tough topic, but handled really well.
I loved Charlotte. She's such a fighter. Sanda is absolutely adorable and I don't have words for the awesomeness that is Cam.
The tension was delicious and the twists kept me guessing until the very end.
I loved Charlotte. She's such a fighter. Sanda is absolutely adorable and I don't have words for the awesomeness that is Cam.
The tension was delicious and the twists kept me guessing until the very end.
March 23, 2015
This is a very hard book to review, because it deals with some seriously gritty subject matter. Puppies and rainbows this is not. Charlotte has had basically the life from hell, and that is putting it mildly. I am hoping that none of us can comprehend the horror that she experienced, and somehow lived through at the hand of her "parents". Now, she is trying to navigate life on her own while trying to put the events from her past as far behind her as possible.
I found Charlotte incredibly hard to connect to, in part because that was likely the point. How could Charlotte be relatable when no one can relate to such horror? She'd lost her brother, the only person she truly loved, and now she was on her own, completely clueless to the world around her. This is when she comes into contact with Cameron, who has some underground way of forging new identities (for a price, which Charlotte is lucky enough to be able to pay). Cam is kind of instantly smitten. Charlotte doesn't know this, but the reader pretty much does. He takes such an interest in her in such a short amount of time that it's pretty clear that he has more than platonic feelings. At times, he uses his morals as a guise to spend more time with her and to ask her about her past (as in, he doesn't want to be an accomplice for some kind of criminal), and other times, he is simply there to help her out. She rejects even his attempts at friendship for most of the story, because she simply has learned never to trust anyone. While Cam was a good guy, he needed to back off a bit. You'd think that being in the fake identity business would have taught him a bit about people who've undergone trauma needing some space, no?
Very early in the story, Charlotte encounters Sanda. Sanda is loving in a volatile situation herself, and Charlotte's inner voice (which she imagines as that of her brother Sam) tells her that she must find out what is happening to Sanda. Sadly, Sanda has been kidnapped and is being abused, so Charlotte makes it her mission to rescue her. While I applauded Charlotte for rescuing Sanda, it was ridiculously convenient that she sees this girl walking by who she knows is being abused, is able to track her down, and free her. At any rate, I loved Sanda, so we can just ignore the convenience.
Now, Charlotte has to worry about Sanda's safety as well as her own, and she will do anything to protect this little girl. Soon, it becomes clear that someone is following Charlotte, and she must find out who. It was a very fast paced book, and I was unsure of how things would play out until the very end.
Cut Me Free was certainly a thrilling and quick book, but it left me wanting more of an emotional connection. With such traumatic circumstances, I was sure I'd be feeling a lot for these characters, but I really didn't. Charlotte really didn't even allow herself to be vulnerable even in the confines of her own mind, so it was hard to feel much for her.
Bottom Line: It was a good and entertaining story, but it did lack the emotional depth I was hoping for.
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
I found Charlotte incredibly hard to connect to, in part because that was likely the point. How could Charlotte be relatable when no one can relate to such horror? She'd lost her brother, the only person she truly loved, and now she was on her own, completely clueless to the world around her. This is when she comes into contact with Cameron, who has some underground way of forging new identities (for a price, which Charlotte is lucky enough to be able to pay). Cam is kind of instantly smitten. Charlotte doesn't know this, but the reader pretty much does. He takes such an interest in her in such a short amount of time that it's pretty clear that he has more than platonic feelings. At times, he uses his morals as a guise to spend more time with her and to ask her about her past (as in, he doesn't want to be an accomplice for some kind of criminal), and other times, he is simply there to help her out. She rejects even his attempts at friendship for most of the story, because she simply has learned never to trust anyone. While Cam was a good guy, he needed to back off a bit. You'd think that being in the fake identity business would have taught him a bit about people who've undergone trauma needing some space, no?
Very early in the story, Charlotte encounters Sanda. Sanda is loving in a volatile situation herself, and Charlotte's inner voice (which she imagines as that of her brother Sam) tells her that she must find out what is happening to Sanda. Sadly, Sanda has been kidnapped and is being abused, so Charlotte makes it her mission to rescue her. While I applauded Charlotte for rescuing Sanda, it was ridiculously convenient that she sees this girl walking by who she knows is being abused, is able to track her down, and free her. At any rate, I loved Sanda, so we can just ignore the convenience.
Now, Charlotte has to worry about Sanda's safety as well as her own, and she will do anything to protect this little girl. Soon, it becomes clear that someone is following Charlotte, and she must find out who. It was a very fast paced book, and I was unsure of how things would play out until the very end.
Cut Me Free was certainly a thrilling and quick book, but it left me wanting more of an emotional connection. With such traumatic circumstances, I was sure I'd be feeling a lot for these characters, but I really didn't. Charlotte really didn't even allow herself to be vulnerable even in the confines of her own mind, so it was hard to feel much for her.
Bottom Line: It was a good and entertaining story, but it did lack the emotional depth I was hoping for.
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
March 6, 2015
MY RATING: 4 OUT OF 5 STARS
**Thank you J.R. Johansson for your generous giveaway on Goodreads**
After reading the last of Harry Potter, I needed a book to read that would kick-start my inner bookworm from it's state of depression and inspire me to keep reading. I won CUT ME FREE from a giveaway on Goodreads and had been sitting on my shelf for about a week. Why not read it?
I am SO glad I chose this book for my kick-starter! I read it in a day and a half, unable to peel my eyes away from Charlotte's story. It was so intense and grabbing, thoughts of Harry Potter faded from my mind. It was exactly what I needed!
Only, there are some features I wasn't so fond of. I noticed that the romance, although cute/adorable, was insta-love right from the start. It took time for the main character to realize it ( which I was thankful for ) and it ended up being heart-warming, so I couldn't really complain. There were equal amounts of romance and plot, too. Normally, I read stories where the romance completely swallows the plot and CUT ME FREE was a relief from all that!
I also wasn't exactly too fond of the "villain of the story". His/her character started out amazing and chilling to the bone, but as the book flowed toward it's end, their character escalated. He/she wasn't as unique and disturbing as they appeared earlier on. Their dialogue and reactions felt more stereotypical of what one might think a villain in a fable would be. I was a little disappointed by the outcome of this, but I still enjoyed the villain up until the end.
THAT END. It nearly destroyed me. I demand a sequel! I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did and I'm dying to know what happens next to Charlotte! Her story is incredibly emotional ( one I've never experienced before ) and I really want to see how the rest turns out!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who is in need of a good book after a major book hangover! It certainly helped me and I think it would even help you too!
To see more reviews and other bookish stuff, check out my blog, Books of Fascination!
**Thank you J.R. Johansson for your generous giveaway on Goodreads**
After reading the last of Harry Potter, I needed a book to read that would kick-start my inner bookworm from it's state of depression and inspire me to keep reading. I won CUT ME FREE from a giveaway on Goodreads and had been sitting on my shelf for about a week. Why not read it?
I am SO glad I chose this book for my kick-starter! I read it in a day and a half, unable to peel my eyes away from Charlotte's story. It was so intense and grabbing, thoughts of Harry Potter faded from my mind. It was exactly what I needed!
Only, there are some features I wasn't so fond of. I noticed that the romance, although cute/adorable, was insta-love right from the start. It took time for the main character to realize it ( which I was thankful for ) and it ended up being heart-warming, so I couldn't really complain. There were equal amounts of romance and plot, too. Normally, I read stories where the romance completely swallows the plot and CUT ME FREE was a relief from all that!
I also wasn't exactly too fond of the "villain of the story". His/her character started out amazing and chilling to the bone, but as the book flowed toward it's end, their character escalated. He/she wasn't as unique and disturbing as they appeared earlier on. Their dialogue and reactions felt more stereotypical of what one might think a villain in a fable would be. I was a little disappointed by the outcome of this, but I still enjoyed the villain up until the end.
THAT END. It nearly destroyed me. I demand a sequel! I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did and I'm dying to know what happens next to Charlotte! Her story is incredibly emotional ( one I've never experienced before ) and I really want to see how the rest turns out!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who is in need of a good book after a major book hangover! It certainly helped me and I think it would even help you too!
To see more reviews and other bookish stuff, check out my blog, Books of Fascination!
December 31, 2014
CUT ME FREE was an excellent story that caught a grip on my heart and didn't let go until the last page was turned. Piper is on the run from her old life. She spent eleven years in the attic of the people she called The Parents being abused. For six of those years she had the company of her brother Sam. She did her best to protect him but, one day, the Father woke her up and told her to bury him. That was the last straw for Piper. She attacked both the Mother and the Father and believes that she killed them. Since they had helped her grandmother die and stolen her money from her, Piper does have a stake to help her make a new start.
When the story begins, she is in Philadelphia and contacting a person to buy a new identity. She doesn't expect Cam to be the person. He is a skilled hacker but he is also a guy about her own age who really wants to be her friend. Piper, now renamed Charlotte, doesn't want him in her life. She has never had anyone she could trust. Things escalate when she sees a young girl in the park who is showing all the same signs of abuse that Piper did. She manages to rescue Santa and thinks she has also killer Santa's abuser. But then the messages start arriving in Charlotte's apartment.
This was an excellent story about a young woman finding her strength and the strength to move on and let other people into her life. But first she has to deal with a really scary villain.
Piper was a character that every reader should get to meet. I can't wait to share this story with the students in my high school media center.
When the story begins, she is in Philadelphia and contacting a person to buy a new identity. She doesn't expect Cam to be the person. He is a skilled hacker but he is also a guy about her own age who really wants to be her friend. Piper, now renamed Charlotte, doesn't want him in her life. She has never had anyone she could trust. Things escalate when she sees a young girl in the park who is showing all the same signs of abuse that Piper did. She manages to rescue Santa and thinks she has also killer Santa's abuser. But then the messages start arriving in Charlotte's apartment.
This was an excellent story about a young woman finding her strength and the strength to move on and let other people into her life. But first she has to deal with a really scary villain.
Piper was a character that every reader should get to meet. I can't wait to share this story with the students in my high school media center.
January 28, 2015
Cut Me Free begins with a girl who you can tell right away has survived something traumatic. What you find as you read this book is that she is rebuilding her life after surviving horrible circumstances. The descriptions of abuse are pretty detailed, so they could be triggering for some readers. Charlotte’s character, despite being locked in an attic for most of her life, seems to be able to function at a pretty amazing level and is also savvy enough to know she needs an identity to navigate her new life. When she decides to rescue a girl that she knows is being abused, the story takes the tone of a thriller. The bad guy was pure evil, I must say, but the entire set-up for the story, and Charlotte’s reaction to the abuse she sees, just didn’t seem possible to me, even accounting for the fact that this is a work of fiction.
This book would have been great as an issue about a girl who survived horrific abuse and this book would have been great as a thriller, but not as both. It seemed to me that it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to tell me, the reader, about child slavery or if it wanted to scare the crap out of me with a thriller about a psycho on the loose. Unfortunately, the result was a jumbled, unfocused story with graphic descriptions of physical abuse with no real reason, other than to horrify me. In no way is this an issue book and to call it a well structured thriller would also be a stretch. There was a good story in there, somewhere, but it was quite unfortunately buried in poor character development and a jumbled execution.2.5 Stars
This book would have been great as an issue about a girl who survived horrific abuse and this book would have been great as a thriller, but not as both. It seemed to me that it couldn’t decide whether it wanted to tell me, the reader, about child slavery or if it wanted to scare the crap out of me with a thriller about a psycho on the loose. Unfortunately, the result was a jumbled, unfocused story with graphic descriptions of physical abuse with no real reason, other than to horrify me. In no way is this an issue book and to call it a well structured thriller would also be a stretch. There was a good story in there, somewhere, but it was quite unfortunately buried in poor character development and a jumbled execution.2.5 Stars
January 8, 2016
This is an excellent read. It is a psychological thriller wound around the realities of abuse, kidnapping and sociopathy in society. What struck me most about this book was the obvious understanding the author has of the underlying emotional and psychological struggle the central character is experiencing as she comes to terms with being 'free'. I struggled to put this book down.
It is true that there is a strong romance line running through the story, but this fits well with the narrative because it highlights the challenges a person with an abusive past faces when trying to learn to trust. Without this the book would have been far less effective and 'real'.
As a former 'Piper' myself, would recommend this book wholeheartedly.
It is true that there is a strong romance line running through the story, but this fits well with the narrative because it highlights the challenges a person with an abusive past faces when trying to learn to trust. Without this the book would have been far less effective and 'real'.
As a former 'Piper' myself, would recommend this book wholeheartedly.
October 11, 2015
Another fabulous story by author J.R. Johansson. The complex characters and emotionally moving story line made this book a great read. There is plenty of suspense and romance, along with the harsh reality of abuse that makes this a book you will not forget for a long time.
March 8, 2017
Las últimas 100 páginas están bárbaras!
No fue perfecto, pero me gustó mucho ^^
Pronto la reseña♥
No fue perfecto, pero me gustó mucho ^^
Pronto la reseña♥
December 20, 2014
Cut Me Free by J.R. Johansson was a book that pulled me into the story and made it really hard to put the book down. There is a definite darkness to this story and the main character has suffered through something that is unimaginable but she comes through it with a toughness that helps her survive when she is on her own.
Piper has escaped her abusive parents and now she is trying to live in a world outside of the attic she has lived in for her entire life. In order to do that, Piper needs a new life and she hires Cam to give her a new identity. Now she is Charlotte and she has an apartment and Cam helps her get a job. Just as she begins her new life, Charlotte is pulled back into a situation she thought she would never have to face again.
Something new for Charlotte is the fact that Cam wants to help and be her friend. This is not something she has ever had before and while she doesn’t necessarily trust anyone, she realizes he really is a good guy. I liked Cam and he was a good balance for Charlotte. She (with good reason) had to be very careful and I loved how he slowly broke down the walls she had put up.
As the story moves forward, we know what Charlotte has gone through and we also find out what she has recently done when she sees a girl in the park that has marks that are very similar to those she has suffered. Things start to get dangerous and weird for Charlotte when she starts receiving threatening messages. Now Charlotte has to figure out who is behind the messages and what she is going to do.
I loved the mystery aspect of this story and the way the story unraveled. There is no question, Charlotte is strong but she is stronger with Cam helping her out and when she finally realizes he isn’t really going anywhere, she actually begins to rely on him. In the end she does try to keep him out of the danger but that does backfire on her and Cam refuses to let her handle this problem alone.
I liked the overall story here. It isn’t necessarily a pretty story, but it is about survival and the suspense tied in is believable. As I mentioned, I found myself unable to put this book down because I needed to know what was going to happen next for these characters and who was behind everything. Plus, I was trying to figure how it was all going to come together.
If you like an emotion packed story with a mystery plus some solid characters, definitely check this one out. I was excited to get my hands on a copy and will definitely be checking out other books by Johansson as soon as I can.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.
Piper has escaped her abusive parents and now she is trying to live in a world outside of the attic she has lived in for her entire life. In order to do that, Piper needs a new life and she hires Cam to give her a new identity. Now she is Charlotte and she has an apartment and Cam helps her get a job. Just as she begins her new life, Charlotte is pulled back into a situation she thought she would never have to face again.
Something new for Charlotte is the fact that Cam wants to help and be her friend. This is not something she has ever had before and while she doesn’t necessarily trust anyone, she realizes he really is a good guy. I liked Cam and he was a good balance for Charlotte. She (with good reason) had to be very careful and I loved how he slowly broke down the walls she had put up.
As the story moves forward, we know what Charlotte has gone through and we also find out what she has recently done when she sees a girl in the park that has marks that are very similar to those she has suffered. Things start to get dangerous and weird for Charlotte when she starts receiving threatening messages. Now Charlotte has to figure out who is behind the messages and what she is going to do.
I loved the mystery aspect of this story and the way the story unraveled. There is no question, Charlotte is strong but she is stronger with Cam helping her out and when she finally realizes he isn’t really going anywhere, she actually begins to rely on him. In the end she does try to keep him out of the danger but that does backfire on her and Cam refuses to let her handle this problem alone.
I liked the overall story here. It isn’t necessarily a pretty story, but it is about survival and the suspense tied in is believable. As I mentioned, I found myself unable to put this book down because I needed to know what was going to happen next for these characters and who was behind everything. Plus, I was trying to figure how it was all going to come together.
If you like an emotion packed story with a mystery plus some solid characters, definitely check this one out. I was excited to get my hands on a copy and will definitely be checking out other books by Johansson as soon as I can.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.
April 21, 2015
I started this book at midnight and didn't put it down until I finished it at 5 am. It was fantastic. You could feel the emotions of each of the characters and you wanted so much for her to succeed. I thought the suspense and romance, and every other part of it was done wonderfully. It was good enough that my mind still continued to go back to the story throughout the next day and will probably stay with me for a long time. Well done!
January 22, 2015
How does one review a book that was brilliantly written but scared the bejesus out of them? I feel shaky and scared and angry that there are humans like those and worse in this world. This book is not for someone who cannot deal with really difficult scenarios. Many times I had to stop reading for a breather. (Many.) More to come in an official review on the blog.
February 7, 2016
Such an amazing novel. I felt myself bond with each of the characters. This was an extremely addicting and heartbreaking read. The end for me although was predictable but all in all, I would read this again.
February 12, 2015
Holy crapballs ....That was awesome!
February 8, 2019
I loved this book, she changes her identity to forget about her past, and there’s a specific guy who does this job, she ends up falling in love with him, but along the way she meets this little girl which reminds her of her brother but she’s been kidnapped, she rescues her and provides her with a new life, until she suddenly started receiving letters which included her old name
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2016
introduction
When I saw Cut Me Free on Netgalley, I was immediately intrigued because it looked like a pretty creepy book, with its black cover. I wasn't actually expecting to be accepted for the book (yes, sometimes I request books I know I won't get, just on the offchance the publisher will say yes and then I get irrationally angry when I'm declined - it's the Netgalley effect) but to my surprise, I was accepted and added it to my list of January releases, excited to see if the novel lived up to its premise.
Cut Me Free was the second 2015 release I've read to deal with children being put through the wringer in the most awful way possible. First was Little Peach which deals with child prostitution, and here we meet Charlotte, who is forced to change everything about her after a horrific start at the hands of her "parents" (and I use the quotation marks because anyone who does what Charlotte's "parents" do to her do not deserve the honour of being called parents.) It was despicable to read about, made even worse by the fact that when Charlotte rescuses another little girl suffering a similar fate, it brings Charlotte's new life into horrible danger.
what i loved
The pulse pounding pace of the novel is immediately what springs to mind when I think back on the book. There was never a dull moment in Cut Me Free - from Charlotte's inital forays into becoming Charlotte, and her interactions with Cam (oh, Cam, I loved Cam) and the way she so boldly went to save Sanda. It was like bang-bang-bang as each new scene played out, and as Charlotte dodged danger and became a hero.
Reading Cut Me Free made me so sad - for Charlotte, for Sanda, because it's like JR Johansson says in her acknowledgements - these stories aren't necessarily fiction. Yes, Charlotte and Sanda's tales are ficion, but this kinda thing happens around the globe all the time, even right now as I'm typing this review and you're reading it. But it also made me more aware of stuff like this. Because you don't imagine it, do you? Yet then you go read a book about it and it brings it all home that not everyone has the same advantages as you and it makes you more grateful for the life you do have.
What can I say about Charlotte - and Sanda - that can accurately described my love for them? I LOVE novels about survivors and they are both that. How a nine-year-old gilr like Sanda could have the sunny disposition she has is frankly amazing. I was in awe. If I had to go through what they go through, I would never been seen outside again, ever. I'd be too scared. But Charlotte and Sanda didn't let the fear win. Yes, they were still scared; yes, when the packages and letters start arriving Charlotte debates running again, but when it mattered, Charlotte buckled down and said no. She wasn't going to let this happen again, she wanted to stop running and she did her utmost to make that come true and I admired her for it.
And Cam! He stole my heart from the very first page. Who doesn't love the boy who will stop at nothing to save you? Even if you try to ditch him and do your best to keep him at arm's length? Ugh, he was just the dream guy. And I wasn't expecting a romance, because look at the kind of book it is, but it happens in such a slow, lovely way that it's kind of surprising, and though it never goes too far, it's nice to see that Charlotte could let herself trust someone and it was great that Cam didn't just give up and say goodbye!
verdict
Cut Me Free is one of the most amazing books I've read during 2014. I raced through it in one sitting, and I barely wanted it to end, although it did, with a bang! I was on the edge of my seat for the vast majority of the novel, because I felt as safe as Charlotte did, which was not very much at all. JR Johansson has written an amazing novel, with such compelling characaters and one of the most surprising storylines I've ever read. Despite knowing Charlotte's history, I still never felt anything other than admiration for her, because it takes guts to do what she did, and the way she rescued Sanda was the greatest and kindest thing anyone could ever do.
This is one 2015 release you must get your hands on, because it is simply that good. It's all I want in a novel - it's thrilling, the chemistry between Charlotte and Cam was aweeeeeeeeeeeeeesome, and I loved getting to know Charlotte, Cam and Sanda. It was simply amazing.
When I saw Cut Me Free on Netgalley, I was immediately intrigued because it looked like a pretty creepy book, with its black cover. I wasn't actually expecting to be accepted for the book (yes, sometimes I request books I know I won't get, just on the offchance the publisher will say yes and then I get irrationally angry when I'm declined - it's the Netgalley effect) but to my surprise, I was accepted and added it to my list of January releases, excited to see if the novel lived up to its premise.
Cut Me Free was the second 2015 release I've read to deal with children being put through the wringer in the most awful way possible. First was Little Peach which deals with child prostitution, and here we meet Charlotte, who is forced to change everything about her after a horrific start at the hands of her "parents" (and I use the quotation marks because anyone who does what Charlotte's "parents" do to her do not deserve the honour of being called parents.) It was despicable to read about, made even worse by the fact that when Charlotte rescuses another little girl suffering a similar fate, it brings Charlotte's new life into horrible danger.
what i loved
The pulse pounding pace of the novel is immediately what springs to mind when I think back on the book. There was never a dull moment in Cut Me Free - from Charlotte's inital forays into becoming Charlotte, and her interactions with Cam (oh, Cam, I loved Cam) and the way she so boldly went to save Sanda. It was like bang-bang-bang as each new scene played out, and as Charlotte dodged danger and became a hero.
Reading Cut Me Free made me so sad - for Charlotte, for Sanda, because it's like JR Johansson says in her acknowledgements - these stories aren't necessarily fiction. Yes, Charlotte and Sanda's tales are ficion, but this kinda thing happens around the globe all the time, even right now as I'm typing this review and you're reading it. But it also made me more aware of stuff like this. Because you don't imagine it, do you? Yet then you go read a book about it and it brings it all home that not everyone has the same advantages as you and it makes you more grateful for the life you do have.
What can I say about Charlotte - and Sanda - that can accurately described my love for them? I LOVE novels about survivors and they are both that. How a nine-year-old gilr like Sanda could have the sunny disposition she has is frankly amazing. I was in awe. If I had to go through what they go through, I would never been seen outside again, ever. I'd be too scared. But Charlotte and Sanda didn't let the fear win. Yes, they were still scared; yes, when the packages and letters start arriving Charlotte debates running again, but when it mattered, Charlotte buckled down and said no. She wasn't going to let this happen again, she wanted to stop running and she did her utmost to make that come true and I admired her for it.
And Cam! He stole my heart from the very first page. Who doesn't love the boy who will stop at nothing to save you? Even if you try to ditch him and do your best to keep him at arm's length? Ugh, he was just the dream guy. And I wasn't expecting a romance, because look at the kind of book it is, but it happens in such a slow, lovely way that it's kind of surprising, and though it never goes too far, it's nice to see that Charlotte could let herself trust someone and it was great that Cam didn't just give up and say goodbye!
verdict
Cut Me Free is one of the most amazing books I've read during 2014. I raced through it in one sitting, and I barely wanted it to end, although it did, with a bang! I was on the edge of my seat for the vast majority of the novel, because I felt as safe as Charlotte did, which was not very much at all. JR Johansson has written an amazing novel, with such compelling characaters and one of the most surprising storylines I've ever read. Despite knowing Charlotte's history, I still never felt anything other than admiration for her, because it takes guts to do what she did, and the way she rescued Sanda was the greatest and kindest thing anyone could ever do.
This is one 2015 release you must get your hands on, because it is simply that good. It's all I want in a novel - it's thrilling, the chemistry between Charlotte and Cam was aweeeeeeeeeeeeeesome, and I loved getting to know Charlotte, Cam and Sanda. It was simply amazing.
February 12, 2016
Personal Response
This book is absolutely incredible, I have not heard of J.R. Johansson. Now that I have I am definitely thinking about trying to find more books written by her. This book was definitely a page turner, and I wanted more after every page. I was disappointed when I finished such an outstanding book,also it gave me insight on what some kids and teenagers go through. She described the fear that was so far embedded into a person after being locked up and abused for years. The author also did a wonderful job at portraying the story, and how difficult it is to live with the guilt from the past. In addition the author may not have meant to choose a girl but I am very glad she did, it shows me that girls are just as capable of getting out of a bad situation. That girls do not always have to be the damsel in distress, it definitely shows a lot of empowerment towards girls and women in abusive situations.
Plot
The plot begins to unfold when Piper, escapes from the Parents. Piper never refers to them as her parents or calls them by their names, she never thought they were her parents. Finally after years of Piper being abused by the Parents, she escapes from the house located in Greenville, Wyoming at age 17. Piper then continues to keep running from different states and different cities until she found herself in New York City. Once Piper knows she needs to cover her tracks and become someone new. That is when she enlists Cam for help, he is able to make Piper turn into someone completely different, that is when she becomes Charolette Thompson. Cam also helps her with the corresponding paperwork and help her get an apartment.
Impacts of the setting
Although the author never takes me to the attic where Piper was locked up she writes how Piper had panic attacks and flashbacks about her past. The setting takes very little place in Wyoming, all of the story takes place in different parts of New York City. It takes us to the slumps, suburbs and into the high business area. The attic had a very big impact on Piper, she was “raised” there, that is all she really knew. She watched her little brother die and she blames herself for not being able to save him. This affects Piper by not being able to trust anyone beyond a business relationship. I am able to tell that this is in present day because they have phones, computers and modern day medicines.
Thematic connection
I truly believe that the thematic connection in this book is that although the past has been hard and not the best it does not mean that you can not make yourself into a better person. I think this because Piper always blamed herself for not being able to save her little brother but in the end she was able to save three people that were very close to her heart. That is why I think that is the thematic connection in this book.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to people that like a suspenseful book. Also whoever reads this has to be mature, this book covers very real and very sensitive topics. I would recommend this to any junior or senior high school student, also anyone who is older. I would also consider a woman empowerment book since it is a young lady in this situation and not a young male.
This book is absolutely incredible, I have not heard of J.R. Johansson. Now that I have I am definitely thinking about trying to find more books written by her. This book was definitely a page turner, and I wanted more after every page. I was disappointed when I finished such an outstanding book,also it gave me insight on what some kids and teenagers go through. She described the fear that was so far embedded into a person after being locked up and abused for years. The author also did a wonderful job at portraying the story, and how difficult it is to live with the guilt from the past. In addition the author may not have meant to choose a girl but I am very glad she did, it shows me that girls are just as capable of getting out of a bad situation. That girls do not always have to be the damsel in distress, it definitely shows a lot of empowerment towards girls and women in abusive situations.
Plot
The plot begins to unfold when Piper, escapes from the Parents. Piper never refers to them as her parents or calls them by their names, she never thought they were her parents. Finally after years of Piper being abused by the Parents, she escapes from the house located in Greenville, Wyoming at age 17. Piper then continues to keep running from different states and different cities until she found herself in New York City. Once Piper knows she needs to cover her tracks and become someone new. That is when she enlists Cam for help, he is able to make Piper turn into someone completely different, that is when she becomes Charolette Thompson. Cam also helps her with the corresponding paperwork and help her get an apartment.
Impacts of the setting
Although the author never takes me to the attic where Piper was locked up she writes how Piper had panic attacks and flashbacks about her past. The setting takes very little place in Wyoming, all of the story takes place in different parts of New York City. It takes us to the slumps, suburbs and into the high business area. The attic had a very big impact on Piper, she was “raised” there, that is all she really knew. She watched her little brother die and she blames herself for not being able to save him. This affects Piper by not being able to trust anyone beyond a business relationship. I am able to tell that this is in present day because they have phones, computers and modern day medicines.
Thematic connection
I truly believe that the thematic connection in this book is that although the past has been hard and not the best it does not mean that you can not make yourself into a better person. I think this because Piper always blamed herself for not being able to save her little brother but in the end she was able to save three people that were very close to her heart. That is why I think that is the thematic connection in this book.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to people that like a suspenseful book. Also whoever reads this has to be mature, this book covers very real and very sensitive topics. I would recommend this to any junior or senior high school student, also anyone who is older. I would also consider a woman empowerment book since it is a young lady in this situation and not a young male.
February 7, 2015
4.5/5
This book, y'all. It gave me so many feelings that I don't know where to start. I was really annoyed that real life things like "school" and "sleeping" had to get in my way of reading this book. I was hooked early on and remained fascinated until I was out of pages and unsure of what to do with my life from that point onward.
This book is written in such a manor that there is this really creepy undertone the entire time. Think of old horror movies where there's that weird blue lighting effect and randomly dripping water and that unsettling quiet music before the storm. Got it in mind? That's kind of how I felt while reading this book. There were so many ups and downs and my emotions were not ready for such twists. Most of them I saw coming, but one however I did not. This prompted me to shout profanely on Twitter, and thankfully the author sees it as a compliment (which is exactly how I meant it).
I grew surprisingly attached to these characters. I wasn't really all that "into" the relationship that forms between Charlotte and Cam, but at some point my dislike of the pair disappeared and I was hoping that they got the chance to try to make it work. Charlotte, quite understandably, is sometimes hard to read, harsh, blunt, and emotionally distant. Maybe it's because I'm not a stranger to abuse (though nowhere on this scale, thank you any god that will listen), but I found that really relatable. And then there's the children, Sam and Sanda, who add a whole different level of heartbreak and hope to the book. I wasn't sure what directions it was going to take in the beginning, but it was one helluva ride for everyone involved.
I feel weird saying I loved this book, because it very, very heavily focuses on extreme cases of abuse, murder, and child trafficking. So in lieu of that, I will say that Johansson successfully wrote about topics that are hard to address, hard to choke down, and hard to focus on (when there's so much good you can use to ignore the bad things) in a way that feels gritty, realistic, and honest. It feels educated, from the sociopathic behaviors from various characters to the defenses taken against them, it just felt so real. It was almost scary.
This book will appeal to those who enjoy dark young adult fiction, books dealing with abuse, murder, thrillers, mysteries and I'll throw in contemporaries for good measures. This isn't a book that I'm likely to forget in the near future, and served as a reminder that this shit doesn't just happen in books but every day here in the US and elsewhere. Be warned, as I mentioned before, that this book has a lot of gory physical and mental abuse and death, so do not go into this for a light fluffy read or if these are triggers for you Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for my copy in exchange for my honest review.
This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
This book, y'all. It gave me so many feelings that I don't know where to start. I was really annoyed that real life things like "school" and "sleeping" had to get in my way of reading this book. I was hooked early on and remained fascinated until I was out of pages and unsure of what to do with my life from that point onward.
This book is written in such a manor that there is this really creepy undertone the entire time. Think of old horror movies where there's that weird blue lighting effect and randomly dripping water and that unsettling quiet music before the storm. Got it in mind? That's kind of how I felt while reading this book. There were so many ups and downs and my emotions were not ready for such twists. Most of them I saw coming, but one however I did not. This prompted me to shout profanely on Twitter, and thankfully the author sees it as a compliment (which is exactly how I meant it).
I grew surprisingly attached to these characters. I wasn't really all that "into" the relationship that forms between Charlotte and Cam, but at some point my dislike of the pair disappeared and I was hoping that they got the chance to try to make it work. Charlotte, quite understandably, is sometimes hard to read, harsh, blunt, and emotionally distant. Maybe it's because I'm not a stranger to abuse (though nowhere on this scale, thank you any god that will listen), but I found that really relatable. And then there's the children, Sam and Sanda, who add a whole different level of heartbreak and hope to the book. I wasn't sure what directions it was going to take in the beginning, but it was one helluva ride for everyone involved.
I feel weird saying I loved this book, because it very, very heavily focuses on extreme cases of abuse, murder, and child trafficking. So in lieu of that, I will say that Johansson successfully wrote about topics that are hard to address, hard to choke down, and hard to focus on (when there's so much good you can use to ignore the bad things) in a way that feels gritty, realistic, and honest. It feels educated, from the sociopathic behaviors from various characters to the defenses taken against them, it just felt so real. It was almost scary.
This book will appeal to those who enjoy dark young adult fiction, books dealing with abuse, murder, thrillers, mysteries and I'll throw in contemporaries for good measures. This isn't a book that I'm likely to forget in the near future, and served as a reminder that this shit doesn't just happen in books but every day here in the US and elsewhere. Be warned, as I mentioned before, that this book has a lot of gory physical and mental abuse and death, so do not go into this for a light fluffy read or if these are triggers for you Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for my copy in exchange for my honest review.
This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
January 6, 2015
3.5 liked it a lot
I wanted to read Cut Me Free because abuse and then emotional healing are issues that I love to read about. The messages are important for everyone to read, and the emotion is what I seek when reading contemporaries.
I enjoyed getting to know Piper aka Charlotte. She had such a rough childhood but she managed to escape and she harbors a lot of guilt because her little brother Sam didn't make it, and she wishes that she could have done more for him. She was abused badly, leaving scars all over, and kept a secret, locked in the attic. Her Nana came to live there and she taught her so many things, but couldn't get the police to believe her because she had cancer and was on all sorts of meds.
She refers to her conscious or her racing thoughts as Sam, and its not in a crazy way. I think that is her way of keeping his memory alive and she will attribute her thoughts of danger or of suggestions of what to do next or in response to his voice.
She meets Cameron as she is trying to get a new identity in a new city, and you can tell right away that he is attracted to her but she is nowhere ready to be in a relationship, she can barely even stand to be touched because it causes flashback type things. She almost doesn't start working with him because he is so young and he asks a lot of questions, but he is the best.
Cameron helps her get settled, new id, an apartment and even a job. He keeps showing up and trying to help her, but Charlotte is one tough and stubborn gal. But she kinda is rightly so because of the way she grew up.
She sees a little girl that is being abused and she steps in and rescues her. She brings her home with her because she is illegal, and apparently a victim of sex trafficking. The poor girl has scars and fresh wounds and Charlotte can't just stand back and do nothing. But I will say while its brave and I can understand why she never wanted to get the cops involved, it is also sad for me that her parents might never know what happened to her, and if she needed adults in her life no matter how much Charlotte cares for her. But its just a story so I will try to suspend belief where that is concerned.
When Charlotte starts getting threats it goes more into mystery mode, and honestly I skimmed over a lot of that. I figured who it was pretty easily and I am not usually that person. But I didn't keep reading for the mystery, but for the character development of Charlotte, to see Sanda get to experience things like going to school, and laughing and being carefree, and to see if the romance with Cam and Charlotte would ever go anywhere.
It was a pretty quick read, and it wrapped up to my satisfaction, but not without testing and putting more on the character's shoulders. But I like the hope of the end, that things might just be okay for them and seeing them begin to get themselves together and figuring out how to heal and live the best life they can have.
Bottom Line: Unique twist on the escaped abused child.
June 30, 2015
This is a really hard book to rate or review because it deals with such heartbreaking subject matter - abuse, mostly, but the horrific kind that is hard to believe exists. It deals with it tactfully and emotionally, but still, it's hard to judge.
The good? My oh my, was it creepy and emotional. I mean, with this subject matter, it's pretty much a given that you'll have some pretty intense emotions wrung out of you, but this book took it to another level. It kept me turning pages and racing to the end, though it was a little slow in the middle.
The bad? I never really felt like I had a super great connection with Piper, probably because she was always so closed off and unemotional in order to deal with her issues. We see the impact, and her struggle, but she doesn't relinquish control or show emotion easily (that said, when she does, it packs an extra punch.) I was also a bit uncomfortable with the prominence the romantic arc took. It was great, and he never actually took over to be her literal knight in shining armor (she took care of that herself, hurrah,) but it was hard to believe he fell for her so completely when she gave him so little to go on. It was a bit insta-lovey, and therefore felt like it was thrown in for the sake of it rather than being a legit part of the story. It made sense from her side that there would be someone she would have to learn to trust and open up to and grow for, but from his side, it's like he just has a thing for damsels in distress.
Overall, pretty good, definitely creepy, and will be staying with me for a while.
The good? My oh my, was it creepy and emotional. I mean, with this subject matter, it's pretty much a given that you'll have some pretty intense emotions wrung out of you, but this book took it to another level. It kept me turning pages and racing to the end, though it was a little slow in the middle.
The bad? I never really felt like I had a super great connection with Piper, probably because she was always so closed off and unemotional in order to deal with her issues. We see the impact, and her struggle, but she doesn't relinquish control or show emotion easily (that said, when she does, it packs an extra punch.) I was also a bit uncomfortable with the prominence the romantic arc took. It was great, and he never actually took over to be her literal knight in shining armor (she took care of that herself, hurrah,) but it was hard to believe he fell for her so completely when she gave him so little to go on. It was a bit insta-lovey, and therefore felt like it was thrown in for the sake of it rather than being a legit part of the story. It made sense from her side that there would be someone she would have to learn to trust and open up to and grow for, but from his side, it's like he just has a thing for damsels in distress.
Overall, pretty good, definitely creepy, and will be staying with me for a while.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews