A Minute Of Reading: Bitter End and Stay

Bitter End

By: Jennifer Brown

When Alex falls for the charming new boy at school, Cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her -- she can't believe she's finally found her soul mate . . . someone who truly loves and understands her.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend Zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? As the months pass, though, Alex can no longer ignore Cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.

As Alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself

Stay

By: Deb Caletti

Clara's relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it's almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is and what he's willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city and Christian behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won't let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough...

My Review

      Bitter End was the first one I read and i got to say that it really made a great impact on me, I'm used to reading High School Romances and stuff but I had never read something so intense in a high school relationship.  When Alex first met Cole, the new student at her school, she couldn't help but like him, I mean I would have liked him too, he was perfect; Hot, Funny, Athletic and He liked her too, what else could a girl ask for? Until it happen. A new side of Cole comes out to light, one that she definitely doesn't like at all. This Cole is cold, mean, cruel,  jealous, and even violent. 

       I think we can relate about the fact that we think that an abusive relationship could never happen to us, or that if some day it does happen we would be able to handle it and deal with it in all the right ways; but truth to be told we would never know until it actually happens. I think that Mrs. Brown did a wonderful job writing about what it is like to fall in love with a abusive guy. There were many times that Alex really annoyed me, the fact that she led her best friends down so many times because of Cole or the fact that she dint leave him the first time he actually hit her, or the second, or third time for the matter. There were many times that I wanted to close the book and just trow it at the wall, since I couldn't believe how stupid she could be, but I guess I don't know what would I would have done eater if I ever found my self in that kind if situation. 

    The one character I really hated in this book (after Cole) was Alex's father. I understand that he was really depressed because of what had happened to him with his wife, but life goes on and he had to learn how to live it, not only for him but for his three daughters, that really needed him.  In fact I think that what happened to Alex had one good outcome and that is that her father finally tried to actually talk to her and tried to act like a father would. 

This was a good book but not my favorite, I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

      Let us talk about my second review; Stay. I just finish reading this book last night, and I got to say

when i first read the summary of the book I really hesitated to actually read it since i thought it was going to be a lot like Bitter End, But to my surprise behind that awesome cover i found a just as awesomely written book; Stay. I gotta say, It was one heck of a great book. I love the way Mrs. Caletti wrote it in between the chapters, how it would switch from past to present.  I really liked Clara and the way she dealt with Christian, I love how she knew that enough was enough and unlike Alex she Broke off the relationship before it went to far. But then again Christian was really similar to Cole but also Nothing alike at the same time. Christian is obsessive and just like Cole he had a cold, jealous, cruel, and really mean side but at least he never hit Clara. Unlike Alex, Clara really tried to get away from Christian but she had something that Alex dint and that is the great support from her father. which brings me to my next point; 

     Clara's father. I really loved this men, he was great, and i loved the way he supported and helped his daughter in everything he could. He sometimes felt like he was more of a friend than a father which made him totally awesome. Now talking about men i love in this book, let us review the sexy, cute, sweet, and incredibly awesome Finn. Now he was someone who made the story totally worth reading. Nothing Like Cole or Christian, he was the perfect guy we all are looking for and I'm glad Clara found him. Once again i gotta say that Mrs. Caletti did a wonderful job writing this book, In one chapter we were leaning about the Obsessive relationship Clara had with Christian, while in the next chapter we were learning about the sweet relationship she was finding in Finn. A total Bitter-Sweet effect; just perfect. 

At one point of the book i actually felt sorry for Christian, In the end whenever Clara was running away from him into the water, the way she described how he was looking at her from far and she thought that he was going to jump and killed himself, it really touched me, I imagine how he might had felt seeing the girl he loves running away from him like that (now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying she shouldn't had run) But then again all these little things is what made this book such a Master Piece.

This book gets a 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to anyone, really a great awesome book.

Both books were great books in their own way. I think we can all learn a lot from this two books, Love is not abuse, jealousy can be cute but not when it gets to certain point.  All my respect to Jennifer Brown and Deb Caletti for writing such great books.