cambamrox's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
whatcha_listening_to's review against another edition
3.0
Chloe is having a hard time at home so when she meets Kieran who is older and puts some things in to perspective. She trusts him, and things are great until they aren’t. Its interesting to see how fast it can change without you seeing or realizing that your almost dependent on that person.
And they were so young. I wasn’t a fan of Kieran’s from the get go and I went in completely blind other than the blurb. I found him to be very manipulative she justifies some of his behavior I think because she wants attention and he gives it to her. And that can be a hard trap to get out of.
He wanted her all to himself, he never wanted to meet or hang out with her friends. Huge red flags but when you’re a teenager and life at home isn’t easy you turn to whoever will give you what you need.
It was a good lesson book.
I love the voice of Marian, Chloe’s boss at the paper. The narrator did a good job bringing depth to these characters.
And they were so young. I wasn’t a fan of Kieran’s from the get go and I went in completely blind other than the blurb. I found him to be very manipulative she justifies some of his behavior I think because she wants attention and he gives it to her. And that can be a hard trap to get out of.
He wanted her all to himself, he never wanted to meet or hang out with her friends. Huge red flags but when you’re a teenager and life at home isn’t easy you turn to whoever will give you what you need.
It was a good lesson book.
I love the voice of Marian, Chloe’s boss at the paper. The narrator did a good job bringing depth to these characters.
faerietears's review against another edition
5.0
Girl on the Brink is a must read for all teenagers. It’s both light and dark, happy and sad. Despite red flags going up right away for me with Kieran, it’s easy to see how Chloe let the attention Kieran gives her take over her life. It’s easy to see how his attentiveness turns to obsession. Turns to emotional, and eventually physical, abuse.
This book is hard to read. It’s hard to see a nice girl like Chloe, who is already going through so much at home with her dad having moved away and her mom sunk in a deep depression. It’s no wonder she clings to the one good thing in her life, the boy who says he loves her.
Abuse is a difficult topic to tackle, especially when aimed at teens. Hoag did a wonderful job creating realistic characters, setting up the romance, and putting in all the little warnings that things weren’t as good as they seemed. I truly believe this book belongs in every high school. Too many girls go through what Chloe endured and they need to know that they are not alone and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I think my favorite thing about this book is that it’s not preachy. It doesn’t read like an after school special. It’s just a good teen contemporary romance… that takes a dark turn into abuse.
Disclaimer: I work for the publisher of this book and I am the cover designer, however I stand by my review and ratings 100%. I would not promote a book I didn’t believe in.
This book is hard to read. It’s hard to see a nice girl like Chloe, who is already going through so much at home with her dad having moved away and her mom sunk in a deep depression. It’s no wonder she clings to the one good thing in her life, the boy who says he loves her.
Abuse is a difficult topic to tackle, especially when aimed at teens. Hoag did a wonderful job creating realistic characters, setting up the romance, and putting in all the little warnings that things weren’t as good as they seemed. I truly believe this book belongs in every high school. Too many girls go through what Chloe endured and they need to know that they are not alone and that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I think my favorite thing about this book is that it’s not preachy. It doesn’t read like an after school special. It’s just a good teen contemporary romance… that takes a dark turn into abuse.
Disclaimer: I work for the publisher of this book and I am the cover designer, however I stand by my review and ratings 100%. I would not promote a book I didn’t believe in.
emerxxi's review against another edition
5.0
The book I would give my teen self.
If I could go back in time and give one book to my teen self this would be the one. I can see so much of my younger self in Chloe and her story. I don't normally read YA as the themes generally don't interest me however I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. It was the first story in a long time that I couldn't put down.
Spoilers from here on:
This is one of the realest and most personal portrayals of domestic abuse I've ever come across. I really empathized with Chloe and how she felt constantly walking on eggshells. I was really able to understand her motivation to keep the peace. I felt like some of the characters could have been fleshed out a little more but I think it lends itself well to how Kieran tries to cut Chloe off from her friends and family.
I really think this is a fantastic book. If you're going to give one book to a young woman in your life please make it this one.
If I could go back in time and give one book to my teen self this would be the one. I can see so much of my younger self in Chloe and her story. I don't normally read YA as the themes generally don't interest me however I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. It was the first story in a long time that I couldn't put down.
Spoilers from here on:
This is one of the realest and most personal portrayals of domestic abuse I've ever come across. I really empathized with Chloe and how she felt constantly walking on eggshells. I was really able to understand her motivation to keep the peace. I felt like some of the characters could have been fleshed out a little more but I think it lends itself well to how Kieran tries to cut Chloe off from her friends and family.
I really think this is a fantastic book. If you're going to give one book to a young woman in your life please make it this one.
bookoholic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Girl on The Brink is such a powerful and an important story. It's hard to find words to describe it. I believe it's a must read for all young people, to help them recognise the abuse in the early stages.
One way or another we all are faced with the abuse - even if it doesn't concern us directly, we see it in our neighbours, friends, or strangers on the street or in a pub. We should react, we should help, because victims might not be brave enough or not see abuse for what it is.
Chloe meets Kieran in the time when she's vulnerable - her parents are getting a divorce, her brother is moving our, she's in the final year of high school before making big decisions about the college. She meets a charming guy, who wants to spend every second with her. And she loves it, at first.
The toxic relationship develops, and even though the girl starts noticing the red flags, they're not shining bright red for her. She finds excuses and tries to explain Kieran's behaviour even to herself.
As a consequence she's facing abuse but doesn't know how to leave. She lost her friends, she's away from the family and she's stuck in a relationship with a monster who'll do anything to keep her or make sure she suffers.
My blood was boiling when I listened to it. It's heartbreaking, because I know that there are many helpless women experiencing this type of abuse on daily basis. I hope they'll find strength and escape toxic relationships to find their own self again. If you struggle, please seek help. You're not alone. Abuse is not ok. You deserve to be respected and to be happy.
I listened to an audiobook and the narrator was great.
One way or another we all are faced with the abuse - even if it doesn't concern us directly, we see it in our neighbours, friends, or strangers on the street or in a pub. We should react, we should help, because victims might not be brave enough or not see abuse for what it is.
Chloe meets Kieran in the time when she's vulnerable - her parents are getting a divorce, her brother is moving our, she's in the final year of high school before making big decisions about the college. She meets a charming guy, who wants to spend every second with her. And she loves it, at first.
The toxic relationship develops, and even though the girl starts noticing the red flags, they're not shining bright red for her. She finds excuses and tries to explain Kieran's behaviour even to herself.
As a consequence she's facing abuse but doesn't know how to leave. She lost her friends, she's away from the family and she's stuck in a relationship with a monster who'll do anything to keep her or make sure she suffers.
My blood was boiling when I listened to it. It's heartbreaking, because I know that there are many helpless women experiencing this type of abuse on daily basis. I hope they'll find strength and escape toxic relationships to find their own self again. If you struggle, please seek help. You're not alone. Abuse is not ok. You deserve to be respected and to be happy.
I listened to an audiobook and the narrator was great.
rosepetals1984's review
5.0
Quick review for a quick read. I feel awful that this book managed to slip past my radar considering it was published back in 2016, but I'm very glad I had the chance to read it now. "Girl on the Brink" is very much a true-to-life, brutally honest story of a young woman coming to terms with an abusive relationship. Chloe's understandably in a rough place in the beginning of this novel - her parents are divorcing, her mother's going through emotional upheavals that occur in cycles of depression - essentially there are pieces of Chloe's life that are falling apart. It makes sense that when Kieran comes into Chloe's life, she's looking for a change of pace from all the other bad relationships she's been through. Kieran seems to give Chloe attention and apt praise, though it quickly becomes clear that Kieran's affections are a bit...too much. At first Chloe thinks this is just how Kieran is, until she realizes his quick turns of mood and ability to twist the truth into raging fits that put her directly in his path of rage. It becomes a matter of whether or not she can help him or get as far away from him as humanly possible.
I rooted for Chloe this entire novel, and I was glad to see her progression despite all the horrible and harrowing events she endures. I thought the primary and secondary characters were given apt time to develop and fleshing out throughout the events of the story. The tension was well placed and the pacing moved very well - there wasn't a moment where I put down this book at all - it had me so invested in Chloe's story and wanting her - as well as her family and friends - to find better places given the events of the novel. Overall, I really liked "Girl on the Brink" and thought it was a great story not only for its respective audience, but shedding light and truth on abusive relationships in a way that's full of empathy and reckoning.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.
I rooted for Chloe this entire novel, and I was glad to see her progression despite all the horrible and harrowing events she endures. I thought the primary and secondary characters were given apt time to develop and fleshing out throughout the events of the story. The tension was well placed and the pacing moved very well - there wasn't a moment where I put down this book at all - it had me so invested in Chloe's story and wanting her - as well as her family and friends - to find better places given the events of the novel. Overall, I really liked "Girl on the Brink" and thought it was a great story not only for its respective audience, but shedding light and truth on abusive relationships in a way that's full of empathy and reckoning.
Overall score: 4.5/5 stars.
petra_reads's review
5.0
My original Girl on the Brink audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
17-year-old Chloe is about to start her last year at high school when she meets charming Kieran. Initially, Kieran seems perfect boyfriend material. Unlike other boys Chloe has come across, Kieran doesn’t just want sex, he is very attentive and fun to be with. He actually listens to Chloe when she needs to talk about her difficult time at home. Her parents have recently separated and Chloe’s Mum is not coping well.
I have listened to numerous novels with a domestic abuse theme. What made [b:Girl on the Brink|31870568|Girl on the Brink|Christina Hoag|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473293275s/31870568.jpg|52053556] stand out from the crowd for me personally was the age of the main character. This is technically a young adult novel, but it should appeal to a much wider audience. There is so much potential for discussion here, it would be a great book to be shared and talked about between parents and teenagers, in youth groups etc.
While some readers/listeners will soon pick up on the tell-tale signs of where Chloe and Kieran’s relationship starts to turn sour, the story is ideal for introducing less experienced audiences to this difficult subject matter in a meaningful but very enjoyable way. Chloe is a brilliantly drawn character and it is easy to feel for her, but what made this really outstanding for me, is the fact that [a:Christina Hoag|7341116|Christina Hoag|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1470587595p2/7341116.jpg]’s characterization of Kieran made me feel all sorts of emotions, too. I was there with Chloe when she tried desperately to help Kieran. The push and pull between needing to save herself and wanting to save Kieran was done so well and really emotional.
[a:Christina Hoag|7341116|Christina Hoag|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1470587595p2/7341116.jpg] has evidently done extensive research into the topic. The novel is well written, the story is completely believable, characters and dialog felt realistic, and the cycle of abuse is portrayed frightfully accurately.
Possible spoiler: Unlike other domestic abuse stories I have read, this one doesn’t end when Chloe “frees herself”. I liked that it went further into the aftermath of it all. The support group meeting certainly provided a lot more information about domestic abuse without ever coming across as being preachy. My only minor niggle: while I realize that most domestic abuse is targeted at women, it would have been nice to acknowledge, within the support group meeting perhaps, that men can also be victims of domestic abuse.
The narration by Angela Rose Marsi was excellent. She had a young sounding voice that suited Chloe’s first-person perspective very well, but her male voices were equally great and very believable. There were no issues with the production of the audio.
This is the sort of novel that should be widely available in educational establishments, libraries, and homes across the country. Highly recommended!
Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com
17-year-old Chloe is about to start her last year at high school when she meets charming Kieran. Initially, Kieran seems perfect boyfriend material. Unlike other boys Chloe has come across, Kieran doesn’t just want sex, he is very attentive and fun to be with. He actually listens to Chloe when she needs to talk about her difficult time at home. Her parents have recently separated and Chloe’s Mum is not coping well.
I have listened to numerous novels with a domestic abuse theme. What made [b:Girl on the Brink|31870568|Girl on the Brink|Christina Hoag|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473293275s/31870568.jpg|52053556] stand out from the crowd for me personally was the age of the main character. This is technically a young adult novel, but it should appeal to a much wider audience. There is so much potential for discussion here, it would be a great book to be shared and talked about between parents and teenagers, in youth groups etc.
While some readers/listeners will soon pick up on the tell-tale signs of where Chloe and Kieran’s relationship starts to turn sour, the story is ideal for introducing less experienced audiences to this difficult subject matter in a meaningful but very enjoyable way. Chloe is a brilliantly drawn character and it is easy to feel for her, but what made this really outstanding for me, is the fact that [a:Christina Hoag|7341116|Christina Hoag|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1470587595p2/7341116.jpg]’s characterization of Kieran made me feel all sorts of emotions, too. I was there with Chloe when she tried desperately to help Kieran. The push and pull between needing to save herself and wanting to save Kieran was done so well and really emotional.
[a:Christina Hoag|7341116|Christina Hoag|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1470587595p2/7341116.jpg] has evidently done extensive research into the topic. The novel is well written, the story is completely believable, characters and dialog felt realistic, and the cycle of abuse is portrayed frightfully accurately.
Possible spoiler: Unlike other domestic abuse stories I have read, this one doesn’t end when Chloe “frees herself”. I liked that it went further into the aftermath of it all. The support group meeting certainly provided a lot more information about domestic abuse without ever coming across as being preachy. My only minor niggle: while I realize that most domestic abuse is targeted at women, it would have been nice to acknowledge, within the support group meeting perhaps, that men can also be victims of domestic abuse.
The narration by Angela Rose Marsi was excellent. She had a young sounding voice that suited Chloe’s first-person perspective very well, but her male voices were equally great and very believable. There were no issues with the production of the audio.
This is the sort of novel that should be widely available in educational establishments, libraries, and homes across the country. Highly recommended!
Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com
teresa_anton's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Reseña rápida:
+ Un libro para reflexionar.
+ Personajes realistas.
+ Estilo ligero y fácil de leer.
+ No explota el drama o el morbo.
Reseña:
Esta novela llegó a mí por parte de la autora que contactó conmigo para colaborar y, cuándo lo hizo, fui a buscar más información a internet. Y la verdad es que pintaba muy bien por lo que me decidí a leerlo y he de decir que las expectativas las ha cumplido. La novela está inspirada en su propia historia, algo que le da más peso. Y, aunque ella ya aclara que los sucesos y personajes son ficticios, mucho de lo que ocurre y algunas conversaciones son similares a lo que ella vivió.
Su intención al hacer la novela, y al ponerla con una protagonista adolescente, era ayudar a las jóvenes a ser conscientes y a entender cómo es una relación tóxica y cómo salir de ella. Un punto muy interesante es que al final tiene una lista de preguntas para reflexionar sobre el libro y que serían perfectas para organizar lecturas conjuntas o para utilizarlas en clase en los institutos, ya que opino que es una novela que sería interesante promoverla en la escuela.
Y, comenzando con la reseña realmente, voy a señalar esto de nuevo: es un libro para reflexionar. No solo desde el papel de Chloe, la protagonista, sino también del de sus amistades y familia. ¿Cómo te das cuenta de que tu relación se ha vuelto tóxica? ¿Cómo reaccionarías cuando una amiga empieza a pasar de ti por estar con el novio? ¿Si tu hija parece feliz con su pareja, pero está en una relación violenta, le haces el caso suficiente? El libro nunca culpa a la victima e incluso en los capítulos finales hay mucho trabajo de cómo lidiar con estas situaciones. Además, la situación de ella en casa también es un tema importante con el que muchos pueden sentirse identificados.
Ya he dicho que puedes aprender de varios personajes. Así que ahora toca destacar que son personajes complejos, reales. Aunque sea todo desde el punto de vista de Chloe, tenemos a las amigas, a la madre, en menor medida al padre, hermano y su jefa, y, sobre todo, al novio. Para mí Chloe, su madre y Kieran, el novio, son los personajes más desarrollados en la historia. Nadie es perfecto ni exagerado en la historia, son personas reales, tienen interacciones como las que puedes tener o tenías con tus amigas cuando estabas en el instituto. Es fácil verse reflejado en algunos de sus momentos.
Un punto que ayudará mucho a ser leído es que utiliza un estilo ligero. Es muy fácil de leer, no se hace denso, ni sobreabundan las descripciones. Tiene reflexiones interiores de la protagonistas, pero sobre todo acciones que hacen que todo se mueva muy rápido. Y, en este punto, tengo que alabar el inicio. Con un flashforward (un salto adelante en la historia) nos da una escena de tensión que te engancha de golpe a la novela, para luego retroceder al pasado y ver cómo se conocen Kieran y Chloe por primera vez. Una decisión muy acertada que hizo que me metiera en la historia de lleno y que te adelantaba qué iba a pasar y, a partir de ello, ibas a estar analizando sus interacciones desde esa perspectiva.
A mí me gustan los new adult dramáticos (que además parece ser el grupo de contemporánea que más adora el drama), pero aquí no se deja llevar por explotarte la lágrima. Trata el tema de la violencia doméstica con cuidado y respeto y es perfecto. No busca destrozarte y dejarte sollozando, sino hacer que seas consciente de una realidad de hoy en día.
¿Lo recomendaría? Sí, creo que es una lectura necesaria para adolescentes e, incluso, algunos adultos y no solo para mujeres. Sinceramente, me parece que sería bueno que la recomendaran en los institutos.
Por último, quiero destacar este momento:
+ Un libro para reflexionar.
+ Personajes realistas.
+ Estilo ligero y fácil de leer.
+ No explota el drama o el morbo.
Reseña:
Esta novela llegó a mí por parte de la autora que contactó conmigo para colaborar y, cuándo lo hizo, fui a buscar más información a internet. Y la verdad es que pintaba muy bien por lo que me decidí a leerlo y he de decir que las expectativas las ha cumplido. La novela está inspirada en su propia historia, algo que le da más peso. Y, aunque ella ya aclara que los sucesos y personajes son ficticios, mucho de lo que ocurre y algunas conversaciones son similares a lo que ella vivió.
Su intención al hacer la novela, y al ponerla con una protagonista adolescente, era ayudar a las jóvenes a ser conscientes y a entender cómo es una relación tóxica y cómo salir de ella. Un punto muy interesante es que al final tiene una lista de preguntas para reflexionar sobre el libro y que serían perfectas para organizar lecturas conjuntas o para utilizarlas en clase en los institutos, ya que opino que es una novela que sería interesante promoverla en la escuela.
Y, comenzando con la reseña realmente, voy a señalar esto de nuevo: es un libro para reflexionar. No solo desde el papel de Chloe, la protagonista, sino también del de sus amistades y familia. ¿Cómo te das cuenta de que tu relación se ha vuelto tóxica? ¿Cómo reaccionarías cuando una amiga empieza a pasar de ti por estar con el novio? ¿Si tu hija parece feliz con su pareja, pero está en una relación violenta, le haces el caso suficiente? El libro nunca culpa a la victima e incluso en los capítulos finales hay mucho trabajo de cómo lidiar con estas situaciones. Además, la situación de ella en casa también es un tema importante con el que muchos pueden sentirse identificados.
Ya he dicho que puedes aprender de varios personajes. Así que ahora toca destacar que son personajes complejos, reales. Aunque sea todo desde el punto de vista de Chloe, tenemos a las amigas, a la madre, en menor medida al padre, hermano y su jefa, y, sobre todo, al novio. Para mí Chloe, su madre y Kieran, el novio, son los personajes más desarrollados en la historia. Nadie es perfecto ni exagerado en la historia, son personas reales, tienen interacciones como las que puedes tener o tenías con tus amigas cuando estabas en el instituto. Es fácil verse reflejado en algunos de sus momentos.
Un punto que ayudará mucho a ser leído es que utiliza un estilo ligero. Es muy fácil de leer, no se hace denso, ni sobreabundan las descripciones. Tiene reflexiones interiores de la protagonistas, pero sobre todo acciones que hacen que todo se mueva muy rápido. Y, en este punto, tengo que alabar el inicio. Con un flashforward (un salto adelante en la historia) nos da una escena de tensión que te engancha de golpe a la novela, para luego retroceder al pasado y ver cómo se conocen Kieran y Chloe por primera vez. Una decisión muy acertada que hizo que me metiera en la historia de lleno y que te adelantaba qué iba a pasar y, a partir de ello, ibas a estar analizando sus interacciones desde esa perspectiva.
A mí me gustan los new adult dramáticos (que además parece ser el grupo de contemporánea que más adora el drama), pero aquí no se deja llevar por explotarte la lágrima. Trata el tema de la violencia doméstica con cuidado y respeto y es perfecto. No busca destrozarte y dejarte sollozando, sino hacer que seas consciente de una realidad de hoy en día.
¿Lo recomendaría? Sí, creo que es una lectura necesaria para adolescentes e, incluso, algunos adultos y no solo para mujeres. Sinceramente, me parece que sería bueno que la recomendaran en los institutos.
Por último, quiero destacar este momento:
"Cuando alguien es abusivo contigo de cualquier manera, ya sea un empujón o acecho, ve a la policía inmediatamente. Haz una denuncia, inicia un rastro de papel sobre ellos. No sientas pena por ellos y no te sientas avergonzada. Es importante que te protejas porque si algo serio sucede, tendrás evidencia que te respalde y podremos actuar en base a ella"
heatherhy01's review
4.0
I often find that I really enjoy these books that have to do with dating abuse. I think that it is because I can relate. I had a bad experience with an ex that was not as bad as this situation but bordered on mental abuse. It was very difficult to get out of that relationship so I really felt for these characters while reading.
I enjoyed the character of Chloe a lot. She is a smart kid whom may not have made all the correct decisions but was smart enough to know when to get out. I could feel her loneliness when she was experiencing trouble with her friends and her boyfriend all at the same time. I really felt saddened during those times.
At first, Kieran, was perfect. I even fell for him but he quickly became obsessive and domineering, not to mention physically abusive. By the end of the book, I no longer had a liking for him and parts seemed to be written to make the reader feel a little bad for all he had gone through, but I did not.
I would suggest this book for any teen that may be going through an abusive relationship or any teen whom is starting to date just so that they know the dangers and can see the warning signs.
I enjoyed the character of Chloe a lot. She is a smart kid whom may not have made all the correct decisions but was smart enough to know when to get out. I could feel her loneliness when she was experiencing trouble with her friends and her boyfriend all at the same time. I really felt saddened during those times.
At first, Kieran, was perfect. I even fell for him but he quickly became obsessive and domineering, not to mention physically abusive. By the end of the book, I no longer had a liking for him and parts seemed to be written to make the reader feel a little bad for all he had gone through, but I did not.
I would suggest this book for any teen that may be going through an abusive relationship or any teen whom is starting to date just so that they know the dangers and can see the warning signs.
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