Review: Speechless!! Have tissues ready!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 20, 2014
***I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review***First let me start off by letting you know that this is not an easy book to read. The subject of this story is bullying due to sexual orientation in a high school setting. It is YA, but with very mature content.Bullying is a problem worldwide. Sexual orientation seems to be the most common topic for bullying amongst this age group. With the days of social media, it makes it harder for the victims to escape the abuse. Adults don't want to get involved because they don't know what to do. I believe this book provides a message to readers of every age about bullying. This book is written from multiple POVs so that readers can place themselves not only in the shoes of the victims, but in the shoes of bullies, teachers, parents, and friends so that you can understand the full scope of the situation.I cried when I read this book. A lot. I cried for the victims and the pain they suffered, both physically and emotionally. For the adults who felt their hands were tied when faced with a situation. For the families who didn't understand or lost a loved one. And for the bullies thinking their actions were acceptable.Yes, I am going to tell you this was a great book. Not only because it was written very well, but because of the powerful message within it. It's a sad and disturbing story. Not a romance that is so often at the forefront of the YA and NA genres. I would like to think we ALL would want to support this book to help get the message out that bullying is not ok. Bullying is a sensitive subject to some and I can see why some groups would shy away from this book. It's a shame really. I hope others who read this book, will come away with a renewed understanding of the this issue that plagues us.