What do you think?
Rate this book
Stealing Candy
Candy hates boarding school. As a junior, graduation is still eons away, and making films is the only way to survive the boredom. Until she is kidnapped.
Candy panics. Along Came a Spider, Ransom, Taken, Cellular… Candy knows how these movies end. The only reason anyone would abduct her is to get a payout from her rock star father. Except Candy and her father are estranged. There’s no way he’s going to pay.
But with every hour that passes, Candy’s fear slowly recedes. Being on the road is freeing, not to mention great material for a new documentary. And the more time she spends with her handsome captor Levon, the more she learns the whole scheme is not just about ransom. It’s about revenge. What began as a kidnapping is spiraling into a crazy road trip adventure as Candy and Levon find a lot of wrong ways to do the right thing.
Candy panics. Along Came a Spider, Ransom, Taken, Cellular… Candy knows how these movies end. The only reason anyone would abduct her is to get a payout from her rock star father. Except Candy and her father are estranged. There’s no way he’s going to pay.
But with every hour that passes, Candy’s fear slowly recedes. Being on the road is freeing, not to mention great material for a new documentary. And the more time she spends with her handsome captor Levon, the more she learns the whole scheme is not just about ransom. It’s about revenge. What began as a kidnapping is spiraling into a crazy road trip adventure as Candy and Levon find a lot of wrong ways to do the right thing.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2017
4 people are currently reading
1216 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Read
August 28, 2017DNF @ 19%
I CAN'T DO IT. IM SORRY
The writing is exceptionally juvenile, the main character annoying as hell and the story overall unbelievable. I'm not attached to anyone enough to care even remotely.
The MC gives everyone's elaborate nicknames that she thinks are quirky... but it's really just annoying? And she's actually kidnapped and doesn't seem to care?
She thinks someone is special for having seen the Godfather and quoting one of the most popular lines??
Everyone is "a-hole" or "Cancer-Stick" or "wise guy" and I just can't with these nicknames.
I just absolutely do not care at all and the writing style is very simplistic with an excessive amount of juvenile phrasing.
I received a copy of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Sourcebooks for the opportunity.
I CAN'T DO IT. IM SORRY
The writing is exceptionally juvenile, the main character annoying as hell and the story overall unbelievable. I'm not attached to anyone enough to care even remotely.
The MC gives everyone's elaborate nicknames that she thinks are quirky... but it's really just annoying? And she's actually kidnapped and doesn't seem to care?
She thinks someone is special for having seen the Godfather and quoting one of the most popular lines??
Everyone is "a-hole" or "Cancer-Stick" or "wise guy" and I just can't with these nicknames.
I just absolutely do not care at all and the writing style is very simplistic with an excessive amount of juvenile phrasing.
I received a copy of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Sourcebooks for the opportunity.
July 1, 2017
“…the road really is a chance. A chance for what? I don’t know. But something is better than nothing, and the fact that tomorrow is a blank canvas on which could be painted is both scary and thrilling.”
You just want to go home to find some peace and space by yourself, and unexpectedly some people abducted you, what will you do?
Candy was living a normal life, going to school, editing her videos, went home to her grandmother and so on. Candy hates her father, who was a lead vocalist of Black Angels band. Until her mother died, her father decided to leave Candy at her grandmother at a young age. Candy grew up without a mother and a father besides her. At her school, she felt like she was invisible, except to her friend who was a janitor. Until one day, Candy was kidnapped by unknown persons.
Stealing Candy by Stewart Lewis was a good read. Well, it started as ‘getting to know the character first’, who is she and her background. Candy grew up without parents that became the reason that she grew up independently. But sometimes, she wishes that she was gone. And unexpectedly, wishes do come true.
Yeah, that’s what the title was all about, ‘Stealing Candy’. Do you want to know the reasons? Hmm. Read it.
Until now, I still didn’t know what to feel about the first few pages of this story. It’s not that it has a remarkable introduction or what, but honestly, I really forget what happened in the 15% of this book. What I’m saying is, some stories will capture you from the beginning that you will find yourself really enjoying the book until the end. Well, Stealing Candy doesn’t have it.
But during 50-60% of the story, it started to mold into a good and meaningful story that I am longing for. And that’s the enjoyment and twist became to happen. As for the twist, don’t expect it to have some big explosion, I bet you will able to know what it is when you read it.
For the characters; especially Candy, I didn’t find any annoyance towards her. But as for the story, she was not the character to remember for.
Overall, it still a good book to read. It may not have an astonishing twist, but I’m sure that you will still enjoy this one.
Date finished: June 12, 2017
Wordpress┃Instagram ┃ Twitter ┃ Tumblr┃Facebook ┃ Youtube
August 28, 2019
There are many things I want to say about this book. The first: what the fuck.
80% of this book was some of the creepiest shit I've ever read. Essentially: two guys kidnap rich and ~not like other girls~ Candy from her elite boarding school. Which she hates. So she's grateful to be kidnapped! Awesome.
While she's kidnapped, she's abused by the one she refers to as Cancer Stick. We'll talk about the racist development of this later. So while that's going on, she's floored and falling for the ever so attractive other kidnapper, Levon.
"We stare at each other as he attempts to rip the duct tape off my wrist. It's not coming off, so he bites it with his teeth. The tiny hairs on my arms bristle, and I take an involuntary sharp intake of breath".
He's biting off the duct tape used to restrain her against her will and all she can think about is how attractive he is. He's later referred to as "strangely elegant" and waxes poetic about how his features look like a beautiful accident. Awesome. While she's in the back of this vehicle, fully able to escape, she's either a) thinking about how attractive Levon is, or b) dreading going back to her elite boarding school. Even though "Cancer Stick" has beaten her, and is an obvious threat upon her life, she feels "a twisted freedom".
As the plot continues, she is continuing to not think about her own survival, but about Levon. Levon, Levon, Levon. This time around she wonders "what type would he be into?". She doesn't like the thought of him being friends with "Cancer Stick" and is just, y'know neglecting the fact that he is an accomplice and totally chill with kidnapping her. While she watches the TV broadcast her kidnapping, she doesn't seem concerned with her escape. Instead her thoughts are focused on "if the Borings are watching this" and "the zit that's on my forehead [in the news photo]" which results in her being "grateful Levon isn't watching". She focuses about his goddamned eight pack and worries about him seeing her zits.
Then in this span of maybe a week, she's not only entirely submissive to the fact that she's been kidnapped but is enjoying it. She enjoys it so much that she ~falls in love~ with Levon, has sex with him, and even thinks about them "staying [in Cape Fear] and starting a life". Genuinely, what the fuck.
So overall: she displays the most extreme case of Stockholm Syndrome that I've ever witnessed (who cares if it's a noble cause, he still kidnapped you), and is the most "I'm not like other girls" character. She constantly reiterates how she doesn't have anything in common with The Borings at her school, how her only friend is a janitor, and how she would rather ditch school to become a filmmaker.
Now! Let's talk about the incredibly racist narrative within this. Intentional or not, I don't know, but it sure as hell feels it. After our lovely young and beautiful white girl narrator is kidnapped, it's established that our awful awful and scary kidnapper "Cancer Stick" is black. This is also established incredibly poorly: "'Cancer Stick over here... Six feet... African American the correct term? Someone told me we could just say black now'". Okay what the fuck. His notable moments include punching her, choking her, and saying lovely things like "'Open the fucking door, or I'll kill you". Now known as Jamal, he kidnaps Candy after she's taken away from him by Levon. Levon saves her. He is established as white and "his skin is creamy and smooth". After Levon saves Candy, he says "'Jamal. He mentioned something he would do to you. Something I think is more horrible than even killing someone'".
Let's break that down again: our narrator is a pretty and innocent and vulnerable white girl, at a tender age of sixteen. Levon is white and beautiful with an eight pack and a tendency to sweep in and save her from the Big Bad. Our Big Bad, of course, would be Jamal. Let me reiterate: the only man that is 100% established as black is the one that is evil, abusive, and wanting to rape the pretty and innocent main character. Good job Stewart for making your book worse.
All in all: please don't read this. Please don't spend approximately $10.99 on this garbage.
80% of this book was some of the creepiest shit I've ever read. Essentially: two guys kidnap rich and ~not like other girls~ Candy from her elite boarding school. Which she hates. So she's grateful to be kidnapped! Awesome.
While she's kidnapped, she's abused by the one she refers to as Cancer Stick. We'll talk about the racist development of this later. So while that's going on, she's floored and falling for the ever so attractive other kidnapper, Levon.
"We stare at each other as he attempts to rip the duct tape off my wrist. It's not coming off, so he bites it with his teeth. The tiny hairs on my arms bristle, and I take an involuntary sharp intake of breath".
He's biting off the duct tape used to restrain her against her will and all she can think about is how attractive he is. He's later referred to as "strangely elegant" and waxes poetic about how his features look like a beautiful accident. Awesome. While she's in the back of this vehicle, fully able to escape, she's either a) thinking about how attractive Levon is, or b) dreading going back to her elite boarding school. Even though "Cancer Stick" has beaten her, and is an obvious threat upon her life, she feels "a twisted freedom".
As the plot continues, she is continuing to not think about her own survival, but about Levon. Levon, Levon, Levon. This time around she wonders "what type would he be into?". She doesn't like the thought of him being friends with "Cancer Stick" and is just, y'know neglecting the fact that he is an accomplice and totally chill with kidnapping her. While she watches the TV broadcast her kidnapping, she doesn't seem concerned with her escape. Instead her thoughts are focused on "if the Borings are watching this" and "the zit that's on my forehead [in the news photo]" which results in her being "grateful Levon isn't watching". She focuses about his goddamned eight pack and worries about him seeing her zits.
Then in this span of maybe a week, she's not only entirely submissive to the fact that she's been kidnapped but is enjoying it. She enjoys it so much that she ~falls in love~ with Levon, has sex with him, and even thinks about them "staying [in Cape Fear] and starting a life". Genuinely, what the fuck.
So overall: she displays the most extreme case of Stockholm Syndrome that I've ever witnessed (who cares if it's a noble cause, he still kidnapped you), and is the most "I'm not like other girls" character. She constantly reiterates how she doesn't have anything in common with The Borings at her school, how her only friend is a janitor, and how she would rather ditch school to become a filmmaker.
Now! Let's talk about the incredibly racist narrative within this. Intentional or not, I don't know, but it sure as hell feels it. After our lovely young and beautiful white girl narrator is kidnapped, it's established that our awful awful and scary kidnapper "Cancer Stick" is black. This is also established incredibly poorly: "'Cancer Stick over here... Six feet... African American the correct term? Someone told me we could just say black now'". Okay what the fuck. His notable moments include punching her, choking her, and saying lovely things like "'Open the fucking door, or I'll kill you". Now known as Jamal, he kidnaps Candy after she's taken away from him by Levon. Levon saves her. He is established as white and "his skin is creamy and smooth". After Levon saves Candy, he says "'Jamal. He mentioned something he would do to you. Something I think is more horrible than even killing someone'".
Let's break that down again: our narrator is a pretty and innocent and vulnerable white girl, at a tender age of sixteen. Levon is white and beautiful with an eight pack and a tendency to sweep in and save her from the Big Bad. Our Big Bad, of course, would be Jamal. Let me reiterate: the only man that is 100% established as black is the one that is evil, abusive, and wanting to rape the pretty and innocent main character. Good job Stewart for making your book worse.
All in all: please don't read this. Please don't spend approximately $10.99 on this garbage.
April 23, 2017
Received an ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Fire via Netgalley for a fair review.
I should be freaking out. Crying or shaking like before, or screaming for help. I’m being kidnapped. The wild thing is, my heart is not only pounding with fear, but also with a twisted freedom.
To say this book was awful would be an overstatement. To say it was good would, again, be an overstatement. As a YA contemporary with coming of age & romantic themes it falls into the I can read this easily in a day or two category. Unfortunately, the actual content seemed absurd to subject to a YA audience. This book paints a romance and justification through Stockholm Syndrome.
Stealing Candy is about a rock star’s daughter, Candy, being kidnapped outside of her school. Right away she notices that only one of her captors is a psychotic druggie (she calls him “Cancer Stick”) while the other is an attractive young man who doesn’t tend to be as violent (she calls him “Half Smile”). In the duration of her kidnapping Candy learns about the reasons behind her kidnapping and starts to just go along with it.
So many nopes.
I should be freaking out. Crying or shaking like before, or screaming for help. I’m being kidnapped. The wild thing is, my heart is not only pounding with fear, but also with a twisted freedom.
To say this book was awful would be an overstatement. To say it was good would, again, be an overstatement. As a YA contemporary with coming of age & romantic themes it falls into the I can read this easily in a day or two category. Unfortunately, the actual content seemed absurd to subject to a YA audience. This book paints a romance and justification through Stockholm Syndrome.
Stealing Candy is about a rock star’s daughter, Candy, being kidnapped outside of her school. Right away she notices that only one of her captors is a psychotic druggie (she calls him “Cancer Stick”) while the other is an attractive young man who doesn’t tend to be as violent (she calls him “Half Smile”). In the duration of her kidnapping Candy learns about the reasons behind her kidnapping and starts to just go along with it.
So many nopes.
April 24, 2017
**I was provided with an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!**
When I first read the blurb, I was quite excited about the sound of Stealing Candy but unfortunately it didn’t hold up to my expectations. Candy is quite the self-centered person. From the first page on, I got a vibe from her like she thought she was better than everyone else and also that she didn’t appreciate what and who she had in her life. All she wanted was to get away from everything, but when her wish comes true, it’s not at all what she wanted … or is it?
To be kidnapped is, I imagine, a very terrifying thing to experience. Candy was scared all of two seconds, but then she was sort of happy? That’s just something that did not go into my head. She had absolutely no feeling for how much danger she was truly in and she basically regarded the whole situation as a fun adventure. All I wanted to know then was “How?!”. In addition to that, she got a closer look at one of her abductors and decided he is hot? I understand how you might hold on to the person that is treating you well in a traumatic situation like this, instead of the other guy, who beat and threatened her. Nonetheless, I would have expected her trust in him to grow over time and not for her to ponder how dreamy he looks and just be okay with how they met and his intentions for their journey. There was just no build up of them getting closer, but rather this immediate attraction, which I found odd considering the circumstances.
There were some interesting elements to this, such as the reason why Levon kidnapped her and how Candy’s famous dad played into all of it. It added mystery to it somehow. The pacing was alright too, albeit a little repetitive in terms of how they progressed on the road.
At the end, there is a change in Candy’s attitude. She opens up to people and accepts them just like she wants to be accepted, but the change was too sudden for me. I couldn’t comprehend where it was coming from exactly, it felt more like she just had to do that to come across as a better person in the end. Speaking of the end, I didn’t mind that it was quite open in terms of the romance. It seemed to be more about where Candy was in life than where she was with her relationship with Levon and I appreciated that.
Fazit: 2.5/5 stars! A difficult protagonist made it hard to relate to what was going on and why she was feeling certain ways.
When I first read the blurb, I was quite excited about the sound of Stealing Candy but unfortunately it didn’t hold up to my expectations. Candy is quite the self-centered person. From the first page on, I got a vibe from her like she thought she was better than everyone else and also that she didn’t appreciate what and who she had in her life. All she wanted was to get away from everything, but when her wish comes true, it’s not at all what she wanted … or is it?
To be kidnapped is, I imagine, a very terrifying thing to experience. Candy was scared all of two seconds, but then she was sort of happy? That’s just something that did not go into my head. She had absolutely no feeling for how much danger she was truly in and she basically regarded the whole situation as a fun adventure. All I wanted to know then was “How?!”. In addition to that, she got a closer look at one of her abductors and decided he is hot? I understand how you might hold on to the person that is treating you well in a traumatic situation like this, instead of the other guy, who beat and threatened her. Nonetheless, I would have expected her trust in him to grow over time and not for her to ponder how dreamy he looks and just be okay with how they met and his intentions for their journey. There was just no build up of them getting closer, but rather this immediate attraction, which I found odd considering the circumstances.
There were some interesting elements to this, such as the reason why Levon kidnapped her and how Candy’s famous dad played into all of it. It added mystery to it somehow. The pacing was alright too, albeit a little repetitive in terms of how they progressed on the road.
At the end, there is a change in Candy’s attitude. She opens up to people and accepts them just like she wants to be accepted, but the change was too sudden for me. I couldn’t comprehend where it was coming from exactly, it felt more like she just had to do that to come across as a better person in the end. Speaking of the end, I didn’t mind that it was quite open in terms of the romance. It seemed to be more about where Candy was in life than where she was with her relationship with Levon and I appreciated that.
Fazit: 2.5/5 stars! A difficult protagonist made it hard to relate to what was going on and why she was feeling certain ways.
April 26, 2017
This book seemed like it was going to be a lot of fun to read, so I am really bummed that I didn't like it.
The plot of this story seemed like a fun and crazy adventure, but it sort of came off as just completely unbelievable. What was so unbelievable was how okay Candy was with getting kidnapped. She seemed to accept it and be totally fine so quickly! I expected more fear, anxiety, and danger. I couldn't believe how chill Candy was about the situation. The first half of the book was very frustrating for me, mainly because of that fact. However, I did think the second half of the book was better paced and more enjoyable.
The main character, Candy, was such a hard character to root for. She was just plain annoying. One of the things that bothered me the post about Candy was how she came up with nicknames for everyone. They all just felt very immature. I hated how she labeled everyone and judged people without ever getting to know them. I thought she was also extremely self-absorbed, whiny, and extremely judgemental. I will say that was extremely free spirited, which was fun to read about, but I couldn't get past her other characteristics.
Maybe I am just getting too old to connect with teenagers, I'm not sure! I will say that she goes through some changes and realizes how poorly she was behaving, which I was very happy about, but it felt very rushed and not well developed to me. If there will be a sequel to this book, I hope the author works on making Candy a more kind hearted and relatable character. I can tell the author has the potential to make Candy a character I can actually like and connect with, so I hope that is what the future has in store!
Overall, this book just wasn't for me.
2 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
Facebook
Twitter
The plot of this story seemed like a fun and crazy adventure, but it sort of came off as just completely unbelievable. What was so unbelievable was how okay Candy was with getting kidnapped. She seemed to accept it and be totally fine so quickly! I expected more fear, anxiety, and danger. I couldn't believe how chill Candy was about the situation. The first half of the book was very frustrating for me, mainly because of that fact. However, I did think the second half of the book was better paced and more enjoyable.
The main character, Candy, was such a hard character to root for. She was just plain annoying. One of the things that bothered me the post about Candy was how she came up with nicknames for everyone. They all just felt very immature. I hated how she labeled everyone and judged people without ever getting to know them. I thought she was also extremely self-absorbed, whiny, and extremely judgemental. I will say that was extremely free spirited, which was fun to read about, but I couldn't get past her other characteristics.
Maybe I am just getting too old to connect with teenagers, I'm not sure! I will say that she goes through some changes and realizes how poorly she was behaving, which I was very happy about, but it felt very rushed and not well developed to me. If there will be a sequel to this book, I hope the author works on making Candy a more kind hearted and relatable character. I can tell the author has the potential to make Candy a character I can actually like and connect with, so I hope that is what the future has in store!
Overall, this book just wasn't for me.
2 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
July 30, 2017
Rating of 5/5 ONLY because this book has an INSANE amount of Goodread Trolls that hate on anything for no reason at all. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE IDIOTIC TROLL REVIEWS, this book was amazing, it turns a kidnapping story around in a similar fashion to like Girl,Stolen where it has a "what if" scenario of falling in love with your kidnapper of the same age. I loved it and would read more of her style books if its similar to that. The Goodread trolls just need to go away and leave Goodreads to serious readers >_<
February 12, 2017
DNF
I barely made it through a couple chapters of this. It honestly reads like a bad fanfiction. The dialogue is a joke. The MC literally calls people Max the Goth or the Borings. I just can't deal with that level of "I'm not like the other girls."
I barely made it through a couple chapters of this. It honestly reads like a bad fanfiction. The dialogue is a joke. The MC literally calls people Max the Goth or the Borings. I just can't deal with that level of "I'm not like the other girls."
May 2, 2017
3.5 Stars
Stealing Candy is in many ways right up my alley. There is a road trip involved after all....
Lewis has written a witty and interesting book. I love his sense of humor and like his writing style. Stealing Candy is the first of his novels I have read, I plan to read more.
The story line unfolds beautifully, the pacing is done extremely well. I got a couple of issues with the plot: The first is that the kidnapping is a wee bit too much played down-( Hello Stockholm syndrome!)
The second the end... well, let me warn you, it's a rather open ending.
But at the same time, I really love the end! I also hope this means that maybe there will be a follow up book?
The character building is interesting. While I found Candy really opinionated and bitter in the beginning, I quickly warmed up to her, not her opinions mind you. I love her brand of sarcastic humor. More importantly Candy does change, she sees other viewpoints and her growth is staggering. It's my favorite part of the book. How the outward journey transforms Candy and how she discovers a whole lot. I think this speaks to my nomad heart, I like to believe that each trip and journey I took has changed me in at least some small amount. I am however sure, that each trip broadens one's view of the world and with that we become less judgmental and more accepting.
While I kinda adore Levon, I also find he wasn't quite tangible. He stayed a huge enigma and kinda felt not quite real at times.
The rest of the support cast do a fantastic job at supporting the MCs to show their states and make them shine. They transform from a tad typecast figures to interesting characters in most cases. Yet another thing I like. This was entirely written from Candy's POV so I think the fact that we get to know the support cast slowly through Candy's discoveries is proof of Lewis mastering his craft.
A heartwarming interesting story that left me with hope!
Stealing Candy is in many ways right up my alley. There is a road trip involved after all....
Lewis has written a witty and interesting book. I love his sense of humor and like his writing style. Stealing Candy is the first of his novels I have read, I plan to read more.
The story line unfolds beautifully, the pacing is done extremely well. I got a couple of issues with the plot: The first is that the kidnapping is a wee bit too much played down-( Hello Stockholm syndrome!)
The second the end... well, let me warn you, it's a rather open ending.
But at the same time, I really love the end! I also hope this means that maybe there will be a follow up book?
The character building is interesting. While I found Candy really opinionated and bitter in the beginning, I quickly warmed up to her, not her opinions mind you. I love her brand of sarcastic humor. More importantly Candy does change, she sees other viewpoints and her growth is staggering. It's my favorite part of the book. How the outward journey transforms Candy and how she discovers a whole lot. I think this speaks to my nomad heart, I like to believe that each trip and journey I took has changed me in at least some small amount. I am however sure, that each trip broadens one's view of the world and with that we become less judgmental and more accepting.
While I kinda adore Levon, I also find he wasn't quite tangible. He stayed a huge enigma and kinda felt not quite real at times.
The rest of the support cast do a fantastic job at supporting the MCs to show their states and make them shine. They transform from a tad typecast figures to interesting characters in most cases. Yet another thing I like. This was entirely written from Candy's POV so I think the fact that we get to know the support cast slowly through Candy's discoveries is proof of Lewis mastering his craft.
A heartwarming interesting story that left me with hope!
did-not-finish
August 19, 2017DNF at 6%
This book is just not for me. I feel like it is trying to do a fun road trip story, but the setup is more along the lines of the movie Taken. It is a weird combination that was not helped by Candy being not very likable. I think it is better for me to not read this book instead of forcing myself to read it and possibly give it a low rating.
I received this book from Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is just not for me. I feel like it is trying to do a fun road trip story, but the setup is more along the lines of the movie Taken. It is a weird combination that was not helped by Candy being not very likable. I think it is better for me to not read this book instead of forcing myself to read it and possibly give it a low rating.
I received this book from Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2018
If this hadn’t been a remarkably quick and easy read I’d have DNFd it, to be honest. There’s no complexity to it, and candy is an idiot - there’s not really a time when she’s properly scared and she’s only scared of the “bad” kidnapper when it wasn’t even his plan! Argh.
I do get some of the motivations of it all but it’s just so poorly done - none of the people she sees or talks to react appropriately!
1.5 stars.
I do get some of the motivations of it all but it’s just so poorly done - none of the people she sees or talks to react appropriately!
1.5 stars.
April 27, 2018
*Review copy received from publisher
With an exceptionally self-centred narrator and a truckload of angst I didn't like the story. I think a duel POV would have worked better.
The ending, however, was well done!
With an exceptionally self-centred narrator and a truckload of angst I didn't like the story. I think a duel POV would have worked better.
The ending, however, was well done!
June 12, 2017
This review was originally posted on my new blog, Sav Scribbles.
*I recieved a copy of STEALING CANDY from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
Immediate reaction upon finishing this book: what the HECK did I just read.
Like, really. This book.... oh boy. I can't. I just can't. So, let's get into it!
C H A R A C T E R S
Candy. Oh dear. Let me start out by saying that I have never really disliked the protagonist of a book before, but there's a first time for everything! She is DEFINITELY one to say "I'm not like the other girls". GIVE ME A BREAK. What the author intended to be witty (Max the Goth, Cancer Stick, Half Smile, The Borings) came off as annoying and rude. Candy would judge a person at the drop of a hat without a second thought or any remorse because of it. She's also all poor me, I go to an expensive boarding school where there are great opportunities for education but I don't take advantage of them because no one understaaaaands me. Uuuuugh.
Levon. Hello, extremely typical YA love interest. How convenient that your reasons for kidnapping Candy are fine by her standards, and kidnapping Candy is also okay because you're hot! I cannot stand this dude. Seriously. Uuuuuuuuuuuugh.
Rena. Honestly, Rena is the only okay character in this book. I want to learn more about her, and only her. Even though the author made her out to be the mean grandmother from Russia (along with other stereotypes), she still intrigues me.
P L O T
Okay, I was basically setting myself to not like this book. The premise didn't even really sound interesting to me, but it was short and it had an okay cover, and I thought I could be convinced to like it- maybe it would be like Stolen by Lucy Christopher, yknow?
That's not what ended up happening.
DISCLAIMER: I think this story idea would have translated better onto film. I just can't understand some of the characters' decisions, and maybe I could have if I saw their faces and them thinking through it.
So.
Let's start off by talking about Candy and Levon. I don't think Stockholm Syndrome is what Candy went through; I think it is Candy's idiotic judgement. Being kidnapped is suddenly okay because she's finally free of that totally horrible boarding school- oh and, omg, her kidnapper is, like, so totally hot. Before even knowing his motives (which still don't make it okay), she's fine because he's cute. NO. What kind of idiocy?!
Not only is Candy making very quick judgements- and horrible ones at that- she falls in love in a week. A week. Insta-lovey, much? (They didn't even have a connection, either- he just laughed sometimes when she said "witty" things.)
Can we also talk about what this book is about? Because yeah, I don't know either. Is it a road trip? Is it about Candy's "development" (in question marks because she doesn't develop)? How about just being kidnapped and the events surrounding that? STEALING CANDY just couldn't decide what to focus on. (That's code word for weak plot.)
Also, I wondered after I ended it if that was really it. That was such a horrible ending.
I could go on and on, but I'll stop there for now.
I could probably rant for a million more years about this book, but we're not gonna do that. I just want to advise you to keep away from this book.
*I recieved a copy of STEALING CANDY from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
Immediate reaction upon finishing this book: what the HECK did I just read.
Like, really. This book.... oh boy. I can't. I just can't. So, let's get into it!
C H A R A C T E R S
Candy. Oh dear. Let me start out by saying that I have never really disliked the protagonist of a book before, but there's a first time for everything! She is DEFINITELY one to say "I'm not like the other girls". GIVE ME A BREAK. What the author intended to be witty (Max the Goth, Cancer Stick, Half Smile, The Borings) came off as annoying and rude. Candy would judge a person at the drop of a hat without a second thought or any remorse because of it. She's also all poor me, I go to an expensive boarding school where there are great opportunities for education but I don't take advantage of them because no one understaaaaands me. Uuuuugh.
Levon. Hello, extremely typical YA love interest. How convenient that your reasons for kidnapping Candy are fine by her standards, and kidnapping Candy is also okay because you're hot! I cannot stand this dude. Seriously. Uuuuuuuuuuuugh.
Rena. Honestly, Rena is the only okay character in this book. I want to learn more about her, and only her. Even though the author made her out to be the mean grandmother from Russia (along with other stereotypes), she still intrigues me.
P L O T
Okay, I was basically setting myself to not like this book. The premise didn't even really sound interesting to me, but it was short and it had an okay cover, and I thought I could be convinced to like it- maybe it would be like Stolen by Lucy Christopher, yknow?
That's not what ended up happening.
DISCLAIMER: I think this story idea would have translated better onto film. I just can't understand some of the characters' decisions, and maybe I could have if I saw their faces and them thinking through it.
So.
Let's start off by talking about Candy and Levon. I don't think Stockholm Syndrome is what Candy went through; I think it is Candy's idiotic judgement. Being kidnapped is suddenly okay because she's finally free of that totally horrible boarding school- oh and, omg, her kidnapper is, like, so totally hot. Before even knowing his motives (which still don't make it okay), she's fine because he's cute. NO. What kind of idiocy?!
Not only is Candy making very quick judgements- and horrible ones at that- she falls in love in a week. A week. Insta-lovey, much? (They didn't even have a connection, either- he just laughed sometimes when she said "witty" things.)
Can we also talk about what this book is about? Because yeah, I don't know either. Is it a road trip? Is it about Candy's "development" (in question marks because she doesn't develop)? How about just being kidnapped and the events surrounding that? STEALING CANDY just couldn't decide what to focus on. (That's code word for weak plot.)
Also, I wondered after I ended it if that was really it. That was such a horrible ending.
I could go on and on, but I'll stop there for now.
I could probably rant for a million more years about this book, but we're not gonna do that. I just want to advise you to keep away from this book.
May 13, 2017
Candy dad sends her away to boarding school. She hates it there and finds herself board until she is kidnapped.
Candy knows how all the movies involving kidnapping end and she is freaking out! panics. Its laughable that her kidnappers think they are going to get her rock star father to pay anything for her safe return. She sent her away and hasn't seen her in years.
Candy starts to enjoy her "kidnapping road trip" with the hot Levon. She connects with him and wants to help him get his revenge and his payout.
This was a very different and interesting story. I liked it. Candy was an interesting character and takes her kidnapping and turns it into an adventure.
--
Candy knows how all the movies involving kidnapping end and she is freaking out! panics. Its laughable that her kidnappers think they are going to get her rock star father to pay anything for her safe return. She sent her away and hasn't seen her in years.
Candy starts to enjoy her "kidnapping road trip" with the hot Levon. She connects with him and wants to help him get his revenge and his payout.
This was a very different and interesting story. I liked it. Candy was an interesting character and takes her kidnapping and turns it into an adventure.
--
August 29, 2017
Candy Rex, teenaged daughter of rock star, Wade Rex (who she hasn't seen in years), is living in a boarding school where she doesn't connect with anyone except the janitor. Then, she's kidnapped, and what begins as a terrifying revenge mission against her father quickly turns into a road trip in which she is falling for her kidnapper, Levon.
Let's get one thing straight to start: I didn't think this book was *bad*. And no matter what I say beyond this point, it was a book I enjoyed reading. It was fun. Levon was hot. It brought me entertainment, which any book should do at the very least.
But then there come the unfortunate flaws that keep it from not just being an enjoyable read, but also a good story.
The pacing was awkward. It felt like it never dove too deeply into any one moment, and some it just rushed by too quickly. You don't spend much time with Candy at boarding school getting to know her life, making it difficult to connect with her desire to leave. All too quickly, she decides she likes being kidnapped and likes Levon. All too quickly after meeting him she decides she loves him.
There's not enough depth in the story between Candy and her father, again making it difficult to connect with her emotions. There really wasn't enough depth anywhere. She spends all this time talking about her dead mother, but we never actually learn how she died. But I was told instead of shown.
I think overall, too much of this book didn't dive deep enough. It was more a surface look at their journey. I didn't feel connected to any of the emotions.
Finally, the ending was too much skipping and far to ambiguous. It skips over so much in so little space. It's frustrating that it gives no resolution to the Levon plot line. It bothered me.
Overall, again, I enjoyed reading it. However, I'm a little surprised it's a book I found in Books A Million rather than on Wattpad or self-published on Amazon. A fun read, but not necessarily what I would need to say a good book.
Let's get one thing straight to start: I didn't think this book was *bad*. And no matter what I say beyond this point, it was a book I enjoyed reading. It was fun. Levon was hot. It brought me entertainment, which any book should do at the very least.
But then there come the unfortunate flaws that keep it from not just being an enjoyable read, but also a good story.
The pacing was awkward. It felt like it never dove too deeply into any one moment, and some it just rushed by too quickly. You don't spend much time with Candy at boarding school getting to know her life, making it difficult to connect with her desire to leave. All too quickly, she decides she likes being kidnapped and likes Levon. All too quickly after meeting him she decides she loves him.
There's not enough depth in the story between Candy and her father, again making it difficult to connect with her emotions. There really wasn't enough depth anywhere. She spends all this time talking about her dead mother, but we never actually learn how she died. But I was told instead of shown.
I think overall, too much of this book didn't dive deep enough. It was more a surface look at their journey. I didn't feel connected to any of the emotions.
Finally, the ending was too much skipping and far to ambiguous. It skips over so much in so little space. It's frustrating that it gives no resolution to the Levon plot line. It bothered me.
Overall, again, I enjoyed reading it. However, I'm a little surprised it's a book I found in Books A Million rather than on Wattpad or self-published on Amazon. A fun read, but not necessarily what I would need to say a good book.
February 1, 2017
Note: I received an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I hate rating books, makes it seem very definite. Particularly a book like this, which left me with mixed feelings.
For the majority of the book, I did not like Candy at all. I guess that she was supposed to come across as spirited, wild. fierce and defensive. But to me, she just seemed snobby, self absorbed in some ways and bland. Well, in her defence, she does realise by the end that she was too quick to judge the people around her and tries to be a better person. I guess the book, in a way, is supposed to be the story of her character development. However, it just seemed like she was bland and whiny for 3/4th of the book and then suddenly transformed into this new person when she came back. That is, there was no gradual change in her voice over the course of the book. To me, it seemed like the author never really figured out the voice of Candy over the course of the book.
Levon was also not too well fleshed out. Every now and then, he would appear to shine some light and I would get excited, expecting more from his character. But that never happened. He just ends up falling flat for most of the book.
The plot development was also rather poor. Candy is kidnapped within the first few pages. But there is no urgency, no real sense of danger. I expected a gradual development from a serious kidnapping to her understanding that her kidnapper means no harm. But this isn't gradual at all! She panics for a total of fifteen pages, before she decides that she doesn't mind being kidnapped. Also, Levon is very quick to trust Candy. When she starts making demands and planning things for them, there is no real sense of suspicion from his side. He sort of lets her wander around and do whatever she wants from a very early point of the book. The kidnapping never really seemed like a kidnapping at all!
However, the book is not all bad. The second half is rather well paced and the plot is considerably better. By the end of the book, I didnt dislike Candy as much as I originally did. It was just very frustrating, as it is clear that the author is not a bad writer. Based on the second half, it is also clear that a well paced plot or a better character isn't too out of her league. The book just shows so much potential that it doesn't fulfil.
Solely for this reason, I was rather happy that the book ended with a rather abrupt cliffhanger. If there is a sequel, I hope it makes up for the lost potential of this book.
I hate rating books, makes it seem very definite. Particularly a book like this, which left me with mixed feelings.
For the majority of the book, I did not like Candy at all. I guess that she was supposed to come across as spirited, wild. fierce and defensive. But to me, she just seemed snobby, self absorbed in some ways and bland. Well, in her defence, she does realise by the end that she was too quick to judge the people around her and tries to be a better person. I guess the book, in a way, is supposed to be the story of her character development. However, it just seemed like she was bland and whiny for 3/4th of the book and then suddenly transformed into this new person when she came back. That is, there was no gradual change in her voice over the course of the book. To me, it seemed like the author never really figured out the voice of Candy over the course of the book.
Levon was also not too well fleshed out. Every now and then, he would appear to shine some light and I would get excited, expecting more from his character. But that never happened. He just ends up falling flat for most of the book.
The plot development was also rather poor. Candy is kidnapped within the first few pages. But there is no urgency, no real sense of danger. I expected a gradual development from a serious kidnapping to her understanding that her kidnapper means no harm. But this isn't gradual at all! She panics for a total of fifteen pages, before she decides that she doesn't mind being kidnapped. Also, Levon is very quick to trust Candy. When she starts making demands and planning things for them, there is no real sense of suspicion from his side. He sort of lets her wander around and do whatever she wants from a very early point of the book. The kidnapping never really seemed like a kidnapping at all!
However, the book is not all bad. The second half is rather well paced and the plot is considerably better. By the end of the book, I didnt dislike Candy as much as I originally did. It was just very frustrating, as it is clear that the author is not a bad writer. Based on the second half, it is also clear that a well paced plot or a better character isn't too out of her league. The book just shows so much potential that it doesn't fulfil.
Solely for this reason, I was rather happy that the book ended with a rather abrupt cliffhanger. If there is a sequel, I hope it makes up for the lost potential of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2017
If you can get past the complete unbelievability of this whole adventure and look at is a road trip adventure, it's not so bad. The whole kidnapping thing was a little riduculous, but the desperation of a son I can buy. A lot of this story is completely fantastical, but there is some character growth and even a bit of a sweet romance. The one part I could not get past was a scene when Candy and Levon are playing a movie game. Candy names a movie (When Harry Met Sally) and Levon is supposed to answer with an actor in said movie, and it goes on from there. My problem was that he answered Tom Hanks, and despite both characters being supposed movie buffs, neither of them seemed to realize that answer was wrong. That was supposed to be the easy one, and they got it wrong. Tom Hanks is not in When Harry Met Sally, it is Billy Crystal. That little part annoyed me to no end. Of course, I read an advanced copy and perhaps it was corrected in the final printed version. If not, that lost all cred with me. This story had its moments of fun and overall I was able to enjoy it. Candy was obnoxious at times, but I enjoyed getting to know her. The overall plot was ridiculous, but there was still an enjoyable story entwined within it.
April 27, 2018
I won this good through a goodreads giveaway.
On the one hand it was a fast read and I enjoyed the quick pace of the story. The wondering what was going to happen next... disappointment on how it ended. On the other hand I was concerned that this young girl had few ties and connection to people in her life ... and too easily found her kidnapping to be an adventure of getting even with her father and thinking she was falling in love with her kidnapper and not wanting the experience to end. I wondered if there was a bit of a Stockholm Syndrome here too.
Since this was a YA book while reading it I hoped that if this was put into the hands of a young person to read there was an adult close by who had read the book that would open up some dialog about the story line.... the people and choices that were made - etc.
While I appreciate the authors talents and the story that he paints - this is not a book I would put on a YA recommended list for reading
On the one hand it was a fast read and I enjoyed the quick pace of the story. The wondering what was going to happen next... disappointment on how it ended. On the other hand I was concerned that this young girl had few ties and connection to people in her life ... and too easily found her kidnapping to be an adventure of getting even with her father and thinking she was falling in love with her kidnapper and not wanting the experience to end. I wondered if there was a bit of a Stockholm Syndrome here too.
Since this was a YA book while reading it I hoped that if this was put into the hands of a young person to read there was an adult close by who had read the book that would open up some dialog about the story line.... the people and choices that were made - etc.
While I appreciate the authors talents and the story that he paints - this is not a book I would put on a YA recommended list for reading
May 3, 2022
ok, when I saw the reviews on this book I thought it would be super bad. I got it for a dollar at my local dollar store and surprisingly it wasn’t bad at all. I liked the concept of candys dad being a huge rockstar and enemies to loves sort of thing. The only thing I didn’t like abt this book is that candy was dumb. And I mean, dumb. Before she knew her kidnapper well she had multiple chances to call for help and do something but she did nothing. I cannot tell you how many times I put the book done just to think about how dumb of a decision she would make. I also was a bit confused about the ending, but overall, I think the plot was great, for a dollar. I wouldn’t recommend buying this full price but it was a pretty good story.
June 8, 2017
I could not get into this book. I wanted to give it a try because the blurb had really intrigued me, but I'm going to be honest, after the first few chapters I couldn't read any more.
From page one, I immediately didn't connect to the main character, which is a red flag for me because usually, even when I don't like a character, I relate to them on some level almost immediately.
Unfortunately, this was DNF for me, but maybe one day I'll come back and give it another chance.
**NOTE: I RECEIVED AN ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**
From page one, I immediately didn't connect to the main character, which is a red flag for me because usually, even when I don't like a character, I relate to them on some level almost immediately.
Unfortunately, this was DNF for me, but maybe one day I'll come back and give it another chance.
**NOTE: I RECEIVED AN ARC FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**
June 20, 2017
I started reading this book at the bookstore because it looked interesting. I had only read up to where Candy and one of the kidnappers stay at the hotel. Honestly, this book is for people who enjoy reading books about torture and rape. So just not my type. 😂
June 7, 2017
Although the story may not very believable, this is a good book for a quick, summer read, and would be of interest to the targeted audience of teens.
June 22, 2017
highly unrealistic but hard to put down. guilty pleasure.
July 29, 2017
The writing is juvenile. The main character is awful. I didn't even get halfway through. But, it made a nice addition to my Roy G. Biv themed bookshelf.
June 21, 2018
This was a cute book, but towards the end candy just got desperate, at least that’s my opinion.
February 18, 2023
A little strange but ab quick and easy read
March 18, 2017
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
Candy's personality is a little hard to swallow at first, I mean, whose happy about getting kidnapped? But over time I grew to love her sarcastic way of handling things, and realized that she was pretty good at getting herself out of rough situations. It was fun to see all the characters actually develop in an easier way, and I know the ending will piss off many younger fans; I found it to be quite realistic.
Candy's personality is a little hard to swallow at first, I mean, whose happy about getting kidnapped? But over time I grew to love her sarcastic way of handling things, and realized that she was pretty good at getting herself out of rough situations. It was fun to see all the characters actually develop in an easier way, and I know the ending will piss off many younger fans; I found it to be quite realistic.
December 28, 2021
Read this books years ago. Just adding it here for my virtual catalogue.
February 28, 2017
I don't even know what to say about this book. It's bad. It's good. It's surprising. It's amazing. It's one adventure after another with these two. Everytime I thought things would calm down, they land themselves up into something else.
It's funny, it's thrilling, it's almost edge of your seat at times. I laughed, I screamed, I yelled at the dumb girl who "has fun" while being kidnapped. She's absolutely crazy in a glass half full kind of way.
I honestly don't even know where to begin.
I think my favorite part, which really spoke volumes of this girl's character, was when Candy and Levon argue over a potential dead body. She is not okay with leaving the guy to die... and he just wants to get out of there before they get caught.
More parallel to that, when you find out his reasons for "Stealing Candy" you begin to wonder exactly what kind of person Levon is.
The ending did not make me happy, it was very cliff hanger-y... but if there is a second book coming I can be okay with that.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Four Hearts
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2017
I gave this book 2.5 stars. It took me a few months to finally write this review because I couldn't really gather my thoughts on it up until now. I can finally figure out how I felt about it.
This book, while having a very interesting premise, fell a bit flat to me. I was so excited going into it, but I ended up dragging my feet, often ditching this to read something else more to my taste. Even after I finally started reading large chunks of this at a time I doing a bit of skim reading, which isn't the best when you're expected to write a review on it.
The writing... the only way I can seem to explain it is not enough showing and way too much telling. I was getting a lot more of the "protagonist's" voice than I was of the actual author. I was being told all of these things that were happening intends of seeing them playing out and the emotions that the protagonist attributed with these actions. It was more like the protagonist thinking things like "I did this because of this" and no other rational behind it. She would just do things because she wanted to.
The plot was interesting enough, it wasn't played out the best, but I wasn't falling asleep while reading it. I liked how there was more to the kidnapping than Levon just wanting money with no other motive. He had more going on than just wanting to be rich. There was a reasonable and serious explanation to why things went the way they were.
As for the "romance" I didn't really care for it. It didn't do anything for me, mostly because I didn't exactly care for the characters themselves, they seemed pretty one dimensional despite having these serious backstories. They didn't feel that relatable to me, i couldn't connect.
As for the ending of this book, I didn't like it. It was almost a cliffhanger and I don't think there is going to be a second book, so I'm a bit annoyed by the ending. It was a very unsatisfying ending to say the least and I still think about it sometimes. I want to know what happens after, but at the same time I wouldn't want to waste my energy reading that.
Overall, not the best book I've ever read. I can't say that I would recommend it, but if you seem interested by the premise and you want to give it a shot who am I to stop you?
This book, while having a very interesting premise, fell a bit flat to me. I was so excited going into it, but I ended up dragging my feet, often ditching this to read something else more to my taste. Even after I finally started reading large chunks of this at a time I doing a bit of skim reading, which isn't the best when you're expected to write a review on it.
The writing... the only way I can seem to explain it is not enough showing and way too much telling. I was getting a lot more of the "protagonist's" voice than I was of the actual author. I was being told all of these things that were happening intends of seeing them playing out and the emotions that the protagonist attributed with these actions. It was more like the protagonist thinking things like "I did this because of this" and no other rational behind it. She would just do things because she wanted to.
The plot was interesting enough, it wasn't played out the best, but I wasn't falling asleep while reading it. I liked how there was more to the kidnapping than Levon just wanting money with no other motive. He had more going on than just wanting to be rich. There was a reasonable and serious explanation to why things went the way they were.
As for the "romance" I didn't really care for it. It didn't do anything for me, mostly because I didn't exactly care for the characters themselves, they seemed pretty one dimensional despite having these serious backstories. They didn't feel that relatable to me, i couldn't connect.
As for the ending of this book, I didn't like it. It was almost a cliffhanger and I don't think there is going to be a second book, so I'm a bit annoyed by the ending. It was a very unsatisfying ending to say the least and I still think about it sometimes. I want to know what happens after, but at the same time I wouldn't want to waste my energy reading that.
Overall, not the best book I've ever read. I can't say that I would recommend it, but if you seem interested by the premise and you want to give it a shot who am I to stop you?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews