I received this book from BookTasters and the author for my honest review.

Trigger Warning! This book has many triggers.

Life has not been kind to Cee. Her father was abusive – physically and emotionally. Her father and her brother were killed in a car accident, leaving only Cee and her mother. Cee’s mother is a mess, she ignored the abuse Cee was suffering and turned to alcohol after the death of her husband. She knows her daughter is fragile yet willingly passes her off to others for emotional support.

The emotions from her father and brother’s deaths overwhelm Cee, she needs guidance. The parish priest, Fr. Benkovsky, spends time talking with and guiding Cee. Oddly, Fr. Benkovsky doesn’t follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. His beliefs are centered around the teachings of Nietzsche. No one seems concerned his homilies seem to differ from the teachings of the church. People see things are different and yet don’t want to be involved.

With an emotionally distanced mother and an unusual spiritual guide, how will Cee manage her high school years? Peer pressure and social media have added a more complicated dynamic to life. Will Cee be able to have meaningful relationships with people or is she too afraid of being hurt?

Andrew Colvin ambitiously delves into cutting, abuse, rape, and bullying. Examining these topics through the perspective of a teen is a brilliant way to educate the reader. The characters illustrate the teen struggle for maturity while dealing with the multitude of social pressures. There are so many stressors in Cee’s life, the more she seems to unravel, the more afraid you become. 

I found myself deeply drawn in to this story. I felt compelled to rescue Cee many times! I recommend this book; it is a deep look at teen life, surviving abuse, and survival.

My Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Additional Thoughts: I will admit that this book bothered me in many ways – that’s why there’s a trigger warning! I struggle with the attitude that the teens have toward sex. It is just something to do without any attachments. I am worried that this is closer to the truth than my sheltered life shows me. I feel we as adults are failing at being present in our children’s lives. When things seem off, such as a priest’s homilies, we need to step up and call attention to it. Bottom line is that after reading this book I feel challenged to intervene and not merely “go with the flow”. It can be hard to read a book that can shock you like this but I believe the author did his job by shaking us up and opening our eyes. This author is certainly one to watch!