Friday, January 11, 2013

Review: Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook

Nobody But Us
Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook
Bonnie and Clyde meets IF I STAY in this addictively heart-wrenching story of two desperate teenagers on the run from their pasts.
They’re young. They’re in love. They’re on the run.
Zoe wants to save Will as much as Will wants to save Zoe. When Will turns eighteen, they decide to run away together. But they never expected their escape to be so fraught with danger....
When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can’t run fast enough.
Nobody But Us, told in alternating perspectives from Will and Zoe, is an unflinching novel, in turns heartbreaking and hopeful, about survival, choices, and love...and how having love doesn’t always mean that you get a happy ending. Described as “beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating” by Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF, Nobody But Us will prove irresistible to fans of Nina Lacour, Jenny Han, and Sara Zarr.

Publishes in US: Jan 29th 2013
Source: HarperTeen via Edelweiss
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    Nobody But Us is one of those gripping, darkly beautiful gritty books that I could not look away from, and as the story continued, I knew it was going to break my heart but I still couldn't look away.
    I sympathized with Zoe, and could totally see the appeal of Will. It was finally someone who wanted to protect her after a lifetime of her abusive father. It broke my heart to hear what she went through in silence with him as well as her memories of her mom. It was quite a journey to watch Zoe learn more about herself and life in this book, and I hated that she had to continue down the road of hard knocks. I think that she grew so much though, and however hard the decisions she had to make, I still was rooting for her to do the right thing no matter how much it hurt, and ultimately make the choice of following her heart no matter the cost.
    The dual narrative was well done. Will had a lot to contribute to this book, and it was nice to be in his head and see how much he cared about Zoe, and his mindframe when he was doing the things he did. Not having to guess his motives, but really seeing where his heart was. His past was also gritty and broke my heart to see the road he'd traveled, and know that there are kids in real life as well that deal with the things he had to...
     This is in no way a light and fluffy read, and the ending really reflected that. It shocked me, and like I said earlier, it broke my heart. Kristin Halbrook wrote a story with an end in mind, and I applaud her in writing it and sharing this story.
    I also tip my hat because even though I somehow wanted Will and Zoe to succeed because I cared about them and wished that they could have their happy ending, I also knew that bad decisions meant consequences, and you can't run from those forever. It is hard to have me torn like that, and Nobody But Us succeeded.
    Bottom Line: Fast paced contemporary that will break your heart.

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Have you ever been on the run from your past?

18 comments:

  1. I'm about halfway through this and am enjoying the dark. What I really love so far is seeing how invested each is in this relationship but neither is quite certain if the other is. Terrified about what awaits me at the end!

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  2. I was afraid there would be heartbreak at the end. Still can't wait to read this though!

    ~Sara @ Forever 17 Books

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  3. Definitely adding this to my TBR list. I'm a sucker for stories like this:) You had me at "Bottom Line: Fast paced contemporary that will break your heart."

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  4. Oh yes, this one broke my heart. Not quite as much as I imagined it would - I kind of saw it all coming - but it was still beautiful and well-written and bittersweet. Halbrook is one author I'll definitely be reading more of!

    Great review! :)

    Sierra @ Yearning to Read

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  5. This sounds like one that will definitely tug on the heart strings. As much as I enjoy books like this they often leave me feeling emotionally drained, so I'm not sure I'll read this one!
    Great review :)

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  6. I should read more contemporary romance books, It's been a long time.

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  7. I don't really feel like I'm in the mood to read anything that has a sad ending. But this story sounds soooo good!! Thanks for sharing, Brandi :)

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  8. Love dual POVs but this sounds like an emotional roller coaster but I prefer happy endings. Not sure this would work for me. Maybe I'll look up some more spoilers first. lol

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  9. Oh I don't know. I'm so not on emotional book trend right now, but this one might be good for a later date. I'm trying to read more contemps.

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  10. I like gritty and messy stories. The cover looks fluffy though, very misleading. Happy weekend Brandi!

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  11. Aww..it broke your heart, I just read a hard one, and this sounds bittersweet and messy! I honestly thought this was a love story by the cover..awesome review Brandi and Happy Friday!

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  12. Oh yeah, I have been on the run from my past in the past. When I came out to where I live now I was running away. It worked out though.

    This sounds really good. I love dual narratives. I'm not really up for gritty right now so much, but in the future I'll remember this one!

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  13. I have been secretly dying to read this one. It sounds amazing through your eyes. Thanks for the review.

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  14. sounds like the perfect book for me! Love deep contemporary novels and I don't always need a happily-ever-after, especially if having one would make the book too unrealistic.

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  15. It looks like you had one that drew you in as well. It sounds like a very poignant read. I don't know if I could handle the subject matter, just because it is so difficult. I wouldn't say that I had to run from my past but I definitely don't like to live in it. I try to move on and live in the now. Great Review! Jaclyn @ JC's Book Haven

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  16. I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK! It sounds amazing! I can't wait to see how the story, characters, romance...everything turns out. This seems like a high emotional book, especially the ending and I am very nervous but I am keeping an open mind because I LOVE contemporary books, and this is just too good to pass by. I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Fantastic review! :D

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  17. Wonderful review, Brandi! I love darker contemps so I have been looking forward to this one, and I can't wait to read about Zoe and Will.

    No, I don't think I have, not in the literal sense of running away, but I am sure we all have things we want to forget about :)

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  18. Wow, what a great review! I love stories w/dual pov as well, so I'm glad to see this one has that. I have a feeling this one is a heartbreaker. Just my type!

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