maryam162424's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book; it was different from other books with the same issue. I just think that sometimes I was confused with how she acted.. And that's one reason why if isn't 5 stars, and then the big cliffy as well! But it was a good book! A bit intense but still great.
losetimereading's review against another edition
3.0
Live Through This has been on my TBR for a while now… since before it was released actually. I didn’t hesitate when I seen this at the library, I knew I had to pick it up and read it straight away.
Let’s start with the characters before anything. Coley, the main character, besides having an awesome name was great. She was totally realistic for a teenager. Her emotions with dealing with her best friend, her first major boyfriend, her feelings toward her stepfather; it was all so true for a teenage girl. She was also an extremely raw character. Her constant personal battles with the abuse and her inner conversations almost forced me into tears so many times. Coley was so brave. So strong. A fantastic, well crafted main character. Reece, Coley’s boyfriend was ADORABLE. I freaking loved this kid. He was so incredibly kind and sweet. All that aside my absolute favorite part about Reece was that he wasn’t the popular boy. I loved that he was in a band, was a little bit geeky and more often than not, corny. I also really enjoyed the strong family presence in Live Through This. Coley’s mother was just a great mom, and I loved that the parents were so present in this book. And the triplets. Gosh they were adorable… and hilarious! Brian(Coley’s older brother) was hard to judge for me though. He was so standoffish throughout the novel and the real perspectives we had were from Coley flashbacks about previous times. It’s obvious that Brian was really damaged from the previous years abuse.
Now… the pacing. I know this is a story about abuse so as I read I knew that the issue of abuse would eventually be confronted but for a large part of the novel I felt like it a love story. As much as I loved Reece, I wish that was not as big of a focus. I understand that the process of her falling in love for the first time is directly related to her abuse and her struggle with it but I just would have liked to see a much larger focus on the main topic at hand. It’s not unlike, What Happens Next, which I also had the same problem with.
That being said, once the abuse came more to the forefront of the novel I was incredibly shocked at who the abuser was. I mean astonished. I was reading this on the train to work and literally had to go back several pages because I was certain I had missed something. I had a ton of guesses in my mind, and perhaps I overlooked dropped hints but I was stunned. And it absolutely crushed me. Once I realized what was happening, you would have been hard pressed to find me without tears every couple of pages.
The only other problem that I had with the novel was the ending. Now, don’t get me wrong, the ending was fantastic and for a while I thought I would end the book with throwing it at the wall in frustration but it was done very well. I was satisfied with the outcome of the entire situation however I would have liked to have more. I don’t want to spoil the ending so I have to be rather elusive but I would have liked to see the outcome after the fact.
Even with my issues, and I seem to be one of the only ones who didn’t LOVE it, it’s a fantastic book. I really enjoyed Mindi Scott’s easy to read writing style and her character building was phenomenal. If you like contemporaries that deal with tough topics(sexual abuse) then I definitely recommend Live Through This. You won’t be disappointed.
Let’s start with the characters before anything. Coley, the main character, besides having an awesome name was great. She was totally realistic for a teenager. Her emotions with dealing with her best friend, her first major boyfriend, her feelings toward her stepfather; it was all so true for a teenage girl. She was also an extremely raw character. Her constant personal battles with the abuse and her inner conversations almost forced me into tears so many times. Coley was so brave. So strong. A fantastic, well crafted main character. Reece, Coley’s boyfriend was ADORABLE. I freaking loved this kid. He was so incredibly kind and sweet. All that aside my absolute favorite part about Reece was that he wasn’t the popular boy. I loved that he was in a band, was a little bit geeky and more often than not, corny. I also really enjoyed the strong family presence in Live Through This. Coley’s mother was just a great mom, and I loved that the parents were so present in this book. And the triplets. Gosh they were adorable… and hilarious! Brian(Coley’s older brother) was hard to judge for me though. He was so standoffish throughout the novel and the real perspectives we had were from Coley flashbacks about previous times. It’s obvious that Brian was really damaged from the previous years abuse.
Now… the pacing. I know this is a story about abuse so as I read I knew that the issue of abuse would eventually be confronted but for a large part of the novel I felt like it a love story. As much as I loved Reece, I wish that was not as big of a focus. I understand that the process of her falling in love for the first time is directly related to her abuse and her struggle with it but I just would have liked to see a much larger focus on the main topic at hand. It’s not unlike, What Happens Next, which I also had the same problem with.
That being said, once the abuse came more to the forefront of the novel I was incredibly shocked at who the abuser was. I mean astonished. I was reading this on the train to work and literally had to go back several pages because I was certain I had missed something. I had a ton of guesses in my mind, and perhaps I overlooked dropped hints but I was stunned. And it absolutely crushed me. Once I realized what was happening, you would have been hard pressed to find me without tears every couple of pages.
The only other problem that I had with the novel was the ending. Now, don’t get me wrong, the ending was fantastic and for a while I thought I would end the book with throwing it at the wall in frustration but it was done very well. I was satisfied with the outcome of the entire situation however I would have liked to have more. I don’t want to spoil the ending so I have to be rather elusive but I would have liked to see the outcome after the fact.
Even with my issues, and I seem to be one of the only ones who didn’t LOVE it, it’s a fantastic book. I really enjoyed Mindi Scott’s easy to read writing style and her character building was phenomenal. If you like contemporaries that deal with tough topics(sexual abuse) then I definitely recommend Live Through This. You won’t be disappointed.
mrs_george's review against another edition
4.0
I love this author's writing style! The characters were well-thought out. I liked the MC a lot and it was refreshing to have a YA MC who wasn't an exaggerated version of a teenager. I would've liked more of a conclusion as it left on a point with so many questions. I look forward to reading more by this author.
mallegar's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Rape
aurelyah's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, I guess the ending of this book is probably the happiest way it could end, but I wanted more. I cried with Coley and wanted to know she was okay, not just that she had taken steps towards getting help. I immediately looked for part 2. I understand what the author did there, and this isn't technically a romance, but I wanted resolution. Probably unfair, since there are no winners in the situation Coley was faced with, but I think I could've gone up to 4 stars with just a little bit more.
My review isn't very well written--I just finished this book and wanted to get my thoughts out.
My review isn't very well written--I just finished this book and wanted to get my thoughts out.
valeriefm's review against another edition
This book is really important. It doesn't tie up things with a neat little bow. It doesn't give the right answer. It doesn't serve justice or punish anyone who has done wrong.
What it does is show how difficult speaking out can be. How confusing it is to choose who to trust. And how not perfect life is. I want to put this book in the hands of every teenager I know.
What it does is show how difficult speaking out can be. How confusing it is to choose who to trust. And how not perfect life is. I want to put this book in the hands of every teenager I know.
mar_etc's review against another edition
2.0
I would have given this book more stars but it felt very rushed. Everything seems to happen right at the end. And the ending left me with more questions than answers.
bellatora's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very emotional, dark book. I think that at times it got away from Scott – there were a lot of scenes that were just chatter among Coley and her friends that didn’t really do much besides show that yes, they are, in fact, friends. It felt unnecessary, but not so distracting that it detracted from the book. Just maybe some more editing would've made it even stronger.
This seems to have been a very personal book for Scott, so I will make allowances that this was probably a difficult book to make as tightly woven as it could be. This book is part typical YA: friend drama (falling out with a now ex-best friend), first boyfriend, and friends starting to explore sex. And the other part is a very painful subject – incestuous abuse by a loved one. Most portrayals of sexual abuse are violent. But here, Coley is getting abused by. Even though she does not want to be touched by him in that way, her body responds. And she doesn’t stop it (because she's young, and she's confused, and she's being taken advantage of by someone she trusts). So she feels guilty and confused and ashamed. It was very raw and real and made me feel all sorts of terrible.
I still don’t quite understand why thought what he was doing was alright.
A sensitive look at a very dark, still little-talked-about subject.
This seems to have been a very personal book for Scott, so I will make allowances that this was probably a difficult book to make as tightly woven as it could be. This book is part typical YA: friend drama (falling out with a now ex-best friend), first boyfriend, and friends starting to explore sex. And the other part is a very painful subject – incestuous abuse by a loved one. Most portrayals of sexual abuse are violent. But here, Coley is getting abused by
Spoiler
her beloved older brotherI still don’t quite understand why
Spoiler
BryanSpoiler
Coley and Bryan’s dad abused their mom – and possibly them. Their mom fled with them from New Zealand to Washington, and Coley is too young to remember what happened with their father. But Bryan remembers. Was he sexually abused too? Or is he just so messed up that he doesn’t understand what is appropriate? Bryan has a violent temper, is quickly becoming an alcoholic (if he isn’t one already), and is a very angry, depressed young man who does not understand boundaries. Bryan and Coley had an “Us Against Them” mentality against their stepfather/stepsiblings/their mother. Although their mother and stepfather made every effort to integrate the family, Coley and Bryan still chose to be on the outside. An unhealthy person relying an unhealthy amount on a sibling probably does not help whatever tendencies Bryan has. So there are glimmers of his motivations in the book, but I still don't fully know why. Maybe because Scott still doesn't understand why.A sensitive look at a very dark, still little-talked-about subject.
bookswithdy's review against another edition
3.0
Beautiful book I only wished the ending was a little different.. maybe an epilogue...how coley was dealing with everything and how the family was dealing...
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
3.0
3.5.
Scott's sophomore novel starts with the worst possible scenario: someone is on top of Coley, taking advantage of her. We aren't sure who it is, but we know it's not the imaginary boyfriend Coley wished it were.
From there, we're tossed into the everyday world of Coley as she navigates balancing dance team responsibilities with friendship obligations. There's also Reece, the boy who she's close with and with whom she'd like to be officially dating. It's when her family takes a winter vacation to Whistler and he's allowed -- after much debate -- to join for a small portion of the trip when things become more for them. But not before Coley's subjected to further abuse. Not before we find out who is doing this to her.
This is a powerful and painful novel to read because it's quiet. Scott's subtle in how she portrays abuse -- Coley's a victim but she's also not entirely willing to admit it to herself. She bottles it and tries to go forward. She doesn't believe it's happening to her, especially because
It's a slow build, and it's effective because of that. The hangup I have with the book is the ending felt rushed and almost a little too convenient.
The emotions ring true, and the writing and pacing is tight. It's not an easy read by any means.
Longer review to come.
Scott's sophomore novel starts with the worst possible scenario: someone is on top of Coley, taking advantage of her. We aren't sure who it is, but we know it's not the imaginary boyfriend Coley wished it were.
From there, we're tossed into the everyday world of Coley as she navigates balancing dance team responsibilities with friendship obligations. There's also Reece, the boy who she's close with and with whom she'd like to be officially dating. It's when her family takes a winter vacation to Whistler and he's allowed -- after much debate -- to join for a small portion of the trip when things become more for them. But not before Coley's subjected to further abuse. Not before we find out who is doing this to her.
This is a powerful and painful novel to read because it's quiet. Scott's subtle in how she portrays abuse -- Coley's a victim but she's also not entirely willing to admit it to herself. She bottles it and tries to go forward. She doesn't believe it's happening to her, especially because
Spoiler
she's thrown off by the fact her body reacts differently than she believes it should. As if losing control physically means she's lost control intellectually over what is being taken from her in both senses.It's a slow build, and it's effective because of that. The hangup I have with the book is the ending felt rushed and almost a little too convenient.
Spoiler
Alejandra, a former friend of Coley who'd treated her pretty poorly, ends up being the person who finds out what's going on. The turn around was a little too quick for me on both of their ends.The emotions ring true, and the writing and pacing is tight. It's not an easy read by any means.
Longer review to come.