Review: "Bully" Book 1 of: The Fall Away Series by Penelope Douglas

4 Stars!!

Jarred and Tate grow up next door to each other. Jared was sweet, generous and friendly and they were the absolute best friends.... but that was then... not when the book begins... The boy who held her hand through the pain of losing her mother, who climbed trees with her, snuck over for sleepovers, and helped her heal from her mothers death is gone and in his place is a cruel tormentor who loathes and despises her.

"Every party we go to, or every time I relax at school, there's some prank or embarrassment to ruin it."

And did he ever. He was cruel in his torment of her, with cruel words and rumors which served to make her undatable and alone. His taunts and the taunts of his followers hurt her deeply.

"Even after everything he'd done, part of me still missed that boy who was my waking thought and constant companion as a kid. But that Jared was gone now. In his place was a sour, hateful douchbag that had no regard for me."

The book shows Tate's confusion and struggle with her feelings and his behavior. The constant Why's. What did I do wrong? etc.

His behavior was very contradictory as well, one second being her tormenter and the next covering for her at school when she was in trouble. He made sure none of the guys at school ever touched her, but clearly didn't want her for himself. Me, being me, tried to rationalize his behavior the entire book...looking I too was asking the Why's, which is the sign of a book that has you engaged and invested in the story. I made excuses, found reasons to forgive him and genereally tried to redeam the "hero" of this story.

I loved the Heroine... She was kind and strong and didnt let her experiences make her bitter. She was a "victim" and it made its mark on her, but when faced with the same opportunity in the book to become a bully herself she was aware and remained the better person. "This is how bullies are made"

This was a crazy book for me. Parts I absolutely looooved, parts left me a little short. K.C.'s behavior in the book left me cold. I couldnt redeam her character, even though the Heroine forgave and loved her in spite of her behavior. Jared was never FULLY redeamed in my eyes. I guess I didnt totally buy into his excuse or better said I didnt feel like it made his behavior rational or excusable. It didnt totally compute for me. But our Heroine was strong, loving and forgiving and that tied it up. I could live with it. But it cost a star. I liked it A LOT, but it didnt leave me mourning for the characters or anxious to see where they ended up later in life. I closed the book, sighed and said "Ok".

#review #4stars #bestfriends #bully