When We Were Young

Book: When We Were Young

Author: Anna Benoit

Publisher: BooksGoSocial

Released: Jan 2017

Readership: Teens & YA

Review:

*** stars

When We Were Young is a story about loss and loss and more loss. You wait and wait and wait for the things to get better but Anna Benoit keeps hitting you hard. Livvy Edison is a sweet girl surrounded by the worst people on earth except for her neighbor who she lives with, David. But he is also taken away from her when he has to deal with his own problem Jack aka the son he didn't know he had. In spite of nothing in common Livvy and Jack instantly feel a connection over a bunch of beers on her porch hammock. But the next day at school their dynamics change quickly as they find out more about each other and their social level. While Livvy is the good student who never fails a test her life is only pretense and Jack tries to keep himself safe and sober, keeping his probation in mind. The story takes off really slow, weaving in every detail teasing the shit out of the readers but when Anna reveals it gets dark real quick. The story is something that could actually happen to a young adult or anyone for a matter of fact. Abusive and manipulative relationships are real. The way she has painted the picture of Luke and Livvy's relationship is amazing it will make you wonder who is insane, and even if you are reading it right. I loved this part of the book including the fact that throughout the book the leads have their own lives, partners and different problems. It is not until the end when they finally find each other. But when reading towards the end, things get dark, I really had to stop for a bit to gain my composure. If you have been through a relationship anything even close to it, this stuff is made of nightmares. I felt for Livvy and Jack a lot, I wanted things to get better for them. Another thing that bothered me a bit is everyone seemed to have a rather irrational behavior, not one person with a character trait but a lot of them including the leads and their parents and friends, which is almost everyone. I get it, people can be moody and weird and crazy at times but here every other person was described as--just the way they are, irrationally and moody at extreme lengths.

Also this is the first time I read a book where several weeks and months have passed with not more than a few words. Which was very new to me. The story needed it but I am not sure about how I feel about such pacing. I was hoping so bad for a happy ending, which in a sense I did not get at all. All the bad guys are still bad and are probably ruining other people's lives out there. What When We Were Young told me the world moves on even if you have been failed by your people and the system which I did not like.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a ARC of this book by Netgalley so I could give an honest review.

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