Perversion or relationship?

[gilliansisley]

That is actually what’s making me not want to continue with the book. It’s just too weird for me... the whole thing with the mum (stepmom)... should I keep on reading then? I thought we were dealing with incest

I finished this whole book, and let me tell you stop reading while you still can. sh*t keeps getting more and more disturbing, and I want those hours of my life back spent reading this horrifying book.

[gilliansisley]

Adam’s fascination with JoAnn made me uncomfortable and had me thinking that this book should have been categorised in the Adult category, not YA. Please someone tell me if he improves further down the book because I am still undecided if I should continue reading it.

He DOES NOT improve. He gets creepier. It gets so, so much worse and I was HORRIFIED throughout the whole book imagining this thing in the hands of young, impressionable readers. It is dangerous and irresponsible to call this YA.

[gilliansisley]

Adam’s fascination with JoAnn made me uncomfortable and had me thinking that this book should have been categorised in the Adult category, not YA. Please someone tell me if he improves further down the book because I am still undecided if I should continue reading it.

They DO kinda explain why Adam has those thoughts, but it was a pretty weak explanation in my opinion. For the most part, it's just kinda cringy... but there are some weird sexual details that don't really serve a purpose to the story. They definitely made me pause and

It was an extremely weak explanation, and really the whole "sexual attraction to his mom" thing was very much unnecessary. It did not contribute any value to the plot.

[gilliansisley]

I would like to think that he wouldn't have acted on his feelings for his adoptive mother. However, when she later confessed to sharing those feelings it caused some serious cringing on my part. This sounds like a plot for the erotica section on Amazon, not a young adult book!

Hell yeah! Even with the weak explanation of why Adam had these feelings, that didn't explain her RETURNING those feelings! It's wrong! These people have issues, this is not normal and it shouldn't be normalized to young people as YA entertainment.

[gilliansisley]

That is actually what’s making me not want to continue with the book. It’s just too weird for me... the whole thing with the mum (stepmom)... should I keep on reading then? I thought we were dealing with incest

I completely agree. It is just plain weird and it is making me want to quit this book. I don't know what to do!

STOP READING. It just gets worse. I wish I had stopped, but I'm terrible at not finishing what I started and I regret it. I hated this book for a long, long list of problematic reasons.

[gilliansisley]

Adam had definitely already developed an obsession with his stepmom that was highly disturbing. If Carly had not shown up I'm sure things would've escalated and it was difficult enough to read that part.

Wasn't even his stepmom. His adoptive mom. By all mean just his mom, period. And hell yes, I agree, after what he did to Terry I have no doubt he would have killed his dad and probably sexually assaulted his mom because he's a no-questions-asked psychopath.

[gilliansisley]

That is actually what’s making me not want to continue with the book. It’s just too weird for me... the whole thing with the mum (stepmom)... should I keep on reading then? I thought we were dealing with incest

I am also feeling the same and am undecided. I keep thinking if showing Adam like this is really necessary and considering it is a YA book, just plain weird and shocking.

No, Adam like this is definitely not necessary. It is just the author adding some unusual toches to darken his character.

Agreed. I feel it was trying too hard to make him "dark and moody", and ended up being a poorly executed attempt at a moody teen, and when into serial-killer-in-the-making territory.

[gilliansisley]

That is actually what’s making me not want to continue with the book. It’s just too weird for me... the whole thing with the mum (stepmom)... should I keep on reading then? I thought we were dealing with incest

I completely agree. It is just plain weird and it is making me want to quit this book. I don't know what to do!

Yeah, I understand your pain. Been at the same crossroads myself!

I didn't quit the book, and I really, really, really wish I had. I will never get those hours back.

[gilliansisley]

I would like to think that he wouldn't have acted on his feelings for his adoptive mother. However, when she later confessed to sharing those feelings it caused some serious cringing on my part. This sounds like a plot for the erotica section on Amazon, not a young adult book!

I think my mind blocked that part out haha... but you are right, there are quite a few scenes that fit a little bit better into some softcore porn than a YA book...

In all the discussions you and I have had about the problems with this book, Nym, I too blocked that part out! It was just oo much, there were too many other, more disturbing things going on (which makes me ill saying!)

[gilliansisley]

That is actually what’s making me not want to continue with the book. It’s just too weird for me... the whole thing with the mum (stepmom)... should I keep on reading then? I thought we were dealing with incest

I completely agree. It is just plain weird and it is making me want to quit this book. I don't know what to do!

To be fair, the second half of the book is a little more... tame? Appropiate? one of those words... and they do kinda explain the attraction, but poorly in my opinion.

Tame is a good word... basically, all of the creepy and horrible stuff that happens at the beginning of the book, which should really be life-scarring and traumatizing to the core, are unrealistically swept under the rug in the name of a gag-worthy "young love" story, which has its own, unique issues.

[gilliansisley]

If Carly hadn't come into the scene I think Adam would've kept spiraling out of control. His feelings towards his mother were not normal and he didn't know how to handle himself. I think his emotions would have got the better of him and he would keep acting out in worse and worse ways.

Completely and totally agreed. His violence and sickness would have continued to grow, and more people would have gotten hurt.

[Lisa A Rayburn]

That is actually what’s making me not want to continue with the book. It’s just too weird for me... the whole thing with the mum (stepmom)... should I keep on reading then? I thought we were dealing with incest

Yes and no. From a purely biological perspective, it wouldn’t be considered incest. From a sociological standpoint, it very well might be regarded as incest, especially if the step-parent actually helped raise the child. Legally? I think the laws would vary.

[Lisa A Rayburn]

I would like to think that he wouldn't have acted on his feelings for his adoptive mother. However, when she later confessed to sharing those feelings it caused some serious cringing on my part. This sounds like a plot for the erotica section on Amazon, not a young adult book!

I agree with the cringy statement wholeheartedly. I don't know that I would go so far as switching it to the erotica section, but I do think it's inappropriate for YA, especially the younger age group.

[Lisa A Rayburn]

That is actually what’s making me not want to continue with the book. It’s just too weird for me... the whole thing with the mum (stepmom)... should I keep on reading then? I thought we were dealing with incest

Yeah, there are some really weird and uncomfortable details in this book... most of it is pretty YA but then there are sentences that are just outrageous to have in a YA book.

P.S I love your profile pic!

Yes the weird sexual overtones were really unnessesary.

I'm not sure I agree, though I don't think it's appropriate for a YA audience. Those 'weird sexual overtones' are part of what pulls the book solidly on the 'dark' side as opposed to the light and fluffy feel of many YA books. However, I don't think the author had to use that particular relationship to give the book the creepy overtone. There are a myriad of ways that could have been done.

[Lisa A Rayburn]

When I first started reading I thought perversion for sure! I'm glad Adam fell for Carly because I was freaked out enough I almost stopped reading!

Yes, I believe it was quite a turn off for everyone.

It didn't really freak me out, probably because at this point in my life, I've read so many books that it's kind of difficult to have a situation that I haven't already run across - or at least something similar. Now, creeping me out, that's another story.