Review: 6/5 from Jenn @ Back Off My Books
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 20, 2014
I was first drawn to wanting to read this story by the synopsis, then by the teaser I read, then I was like oh snap I have to read it because it is based in my state of Montana and the characters are attending my school!  Granted I live 100s of miles away from said school and attend it online only but still!  So the day for it's release came and I 1-clicked and dove right in.Now at first I was a smidge leery, love triangles do that too me.  They have to be done right for me to enjoy reading them, they have to be done perfectly for me to love the book.  I F***ING LOVE THE BOOK.  Pardon my english.Backing up.  The beginning good third of this book is back story.  We get a glimpse of the "now" and the "then" between Denver and Greer.  This part is really really crucial.  We get to learn so much about Denver during this time and actually experience what has shaped her and it helps build our emotions into this "non-relationship" between the two.  Without this part the later part of this book would not have the impact it did.  Further more, let me just say the Lynetta constructs such well crafted and multi-dimensional characters, especially in Denver, that you feel like you know this girl.  It is as though she is someone you know in real life.I loved the underlying theme of labels.  Labels we place on others and labels we place on ourselves.  Labels pigeon hole us all, trying to force many to conform to that which they are titled even if they don't fit the mold.  Instead of just being a person who is who they are we try and force people into categories and judge them based off of where we think they lie. We become blinded to who the person really is and often only see their label. Used shows how labels aren't always correct, often are misleading,  and not only that but how damaging labels can be to the people we place them upon. This is shown to us not just with Denver, but all the characters.Okay.  Taking a breath.I was not sure what to expect but I got nothing like what I could imagine.  I didn't know how much I would love Denver but I couldn't not love her.  My heart broke for her and her situation.  I pitied her, I shook her in my mind and screamed "You are not HER!". However, more than the pity I felt, there was pride in her too.  She is strong, so amazingly strong and smart.  Greer melted me every damn time.  I Started reading and all I could see was this book going one way, one freaking way and I was okay with that.  I accepted that direction from the start.  I was intrigued by how the journey would be but I was enjoing it all the same.  Ransom was holding a soft spot in me.  I was confused, I felt a kinship between him and Denver.  I felt the anger and hate that was directed at Denver, just as she felt it.Then, THEN 67% in and my mind was F***ING BLOWN.  Yeah, I need to use those words to describe this moment.  I know it isn't normally me but I am riding a book high and it is just the emotion I am surfing.I did not see it coming, the wind was knocked out of me, my world was rocked and suddenly everywhere I thought this story was going was totally not where it went.My heart still breaks for Denver, I am still screaming in my head for her to say the one crucial thing that if she said no one would think anymore about the rumors.Used was a powerful, touching, deep, and brilliant story that felt like a slow seduction with a sudden sucker punch; it will surprise you and leave you wanting more.April can't come soon enough when book #2 , FREED, is released.