I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Every Last Promise by Kristin Halbrook Series: Standalone
Published by HarperTeen on April 21st 2015
Pages: 288
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Amazon・ Good Books・Book Depository
Goodreads
Perfect for fans of Laurie Halse Anderson and Gayle Forman, Every Last Promise is a provocative and emotional novel about a girl who must decide between keeping quiet and speaking up after witnessing a classmate's sexual assault.
Kayla saw something at the party that she wasn't supposed to. But she hasn't told anyone. No one knows the real story about what happened that night—about why Kayla was driving the car that ran into a ditch after the party, about what she saw in the hours leading up to the accident, and about the promise she made to her friend Bean before she left for the summer.
Now Kayla's coming home for her senior year. If Kayla keeps quiet, she might be able to get her old life back. If she tells the truth, she risks losing everything—and everyone—she ever cared about.
I’m just going to come out and say it: If you want to enjoy this book, do NOT read the blurb! I’m so sick of blurbs that give away things that happen in the last half of the book. I couldn’t get into the story because I already knew a huge part of it! Before I read the first page! That’s just outrageous.
I’m on the fence about this one. I think the overall message is important but I really disliked the main character. Kayla is so weak. I hated being inside her head. She gets treated like trash by her “friends” but she’s so desperate to be in their group that she keeps a huge secret. I get that she’s young and I completely understand what the author intended to do. I just don’t understand why anyone would want to protect awful people in the first place. They are all despicable. The fact that Kayla chooses not to protect the only good person in her life is beyond me. She isn’t surrounded by awesome people, you know? So her way of handling things is way off. I hated everyone so much that I couldn’t connect with the characters or the story. I made an effort but I just didn’t care. And let’s not forget that I knew exactly what Kayla saw at the party because THE BLURB TOLD ME. So nothing but my desire to torture myself kept me reading.
This book is great at showing the damage that covering a crime can do to everyone involved. Not all of us will have the guts to speak up and do the right thing but some of us will be brave when it matters. I just hate that I had to spend 288 pages with someone I wanted to sucker-punch to reach this conclusion.
Paola Carolina
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Amanda
Well that’s disappointing. I hate when a blurb gives away the major plot of a book. I love not knowing what happened/is happening/will happen. That’s a huge part of why I read in the first place.
Kyra
Hmm, I might not pick this up – doesn’t sound like my cup of tea. Great review!
Kyra recently posted…Review – Finding Audrey – Sophie Kinsella
Review: Every Last Promise by Kristin Halbrook | Novel Society
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