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 understands her and loves her for who she really is.

At first, Alex is blissfully happy. Sure, Cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her best friends, Zack and Bethany, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all of her time with another boy? But as the months pass, 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.

 

This novel just blew me away. Jennifer Brown’s first novel Hate List was one of my favorite books of 2009, and Bitter End is sure to be one of my favorite books of 2011. Bitter End is heartfelt, intense, and incredibly moving. Jennifer Brown is an incredible writer. When Cole first came into the picture, I actually thought he was cute. As the story went on and everything was unfolded, I was dumbfounded. Not because I didn’t know what Cole was going to be like in the beginning, I read the summary before I read the book so I wasn’t really surprised. I was dumbfounded because of just how well I was able to follow Alex through her journey. In a lot of books that deal with abusive relationships, it’s hard to understand why the main character is sticking with the abuser. Though it was still hard for me to understand her reasoning towards the end/middle, I feel like I understood Alex more than I have been able to understand other characters who have also been abused.

I honestly don’t have any complaints about Bitter End. Jennifer Brown has stunned me into silence yet again, with a novel that will touch the hearts of every person who reads it. Alex was a strong character who I really felt for. It was horrible to see her fall apart. Zach and Bethany were both admirable friends, despite their hesitation to be friends with Alex during/after she started dating Cole. All of these characters were written wonderfully.

I cannot recommend Bitter End enough. This book should be read by everyone. It is indescribable in the best possible way. I am speechless. Jennifer Brown has written another important addition to  the world of Young Adult literature.

FTC- Publisher.