Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I truly didn't know know how to rate this. Everything that happened was just so horrible but the entire book was also loud and powerful. I kind of want to leave it unrated because I don't feel like something this impactful should be rated.

This is a beautiful, gut-wrenching book about sexual assault and harassment told from the perspective of the victim and perpetrator. The pacing is a little bit too fast at the end when it starts slowly, but it’s a necessary read.

In this debut YA novel, two-voice prose merges with graphic elements in telling the story of white 16-year-old Erica Walker, who wakes up half-clothed after a drunken house party. Coming to, she finds derogatory words and the names of the boys’ lacrosse team written in Sharpie across her body. Erica doesn’t remember what happened the night before, but she can’t believe that her new boyfriend, Thomas, would be involved. Thomas wakes up from the party, worried he is late for his audition to music school. He is determined not to ruin his chances, while also not entirely clear about everything that occurred the night before. As Erica and Thomas make their way through the next few days, the truth is revealed. Erica learns that there is also a video circulating at school of her being assaulted while passed out. The narrative unfolds between Erica’s and Thomas’s points of view, with images woven throughout of Erica’s alter ego superhero Erica Strange, the comic she draws. This page-turner tackles issues of assault, relationships, and suicide. The main characters, especially Erica, are dynamic but the multitude of secondary characters sometimes muddles the narrative and takes away from the main focus. Still, the pacing and story will draw teens. VERDICT The beautiful graphics and the way this novel tackles assault head-on make it a good addition to a library shelf.

Powerful! This novel will rank right up there with Speak. Quirky Erica loves spending time with lacrosse player Thomas. After a post-game party spins out of control, their lives and those of their friends and teammates will be forever changed. Some will show their great strength, others will wallow in weakness. An unforgettable story that takes place over a few days, but one that will be difficult to forget. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my review.

"Does a devastating event require a certain definition for it to be considered world-altering to the person it happened to?"

Astounding, incredible, and poignant, this is one of the most powerful YA books I've ever read. Right off the bat, I feel the need to include some trigger warnings, as this book won't be for everyone. There is on page sexual assault, on page suicidal ideation, and an on page suicide attempt. All of these things are vital to the plot, and are handled with care and respect, portraying an, unfortunately, realistic viewpoint toward SA victims and how their assaults are handled by everyone involved. This is the first book I've happened to pick up where we get the POV from the female victim and also one of the male perpetrators, and this gave an extremely emotional and complex sight into what happened.

I think I'm going to keep this review short, because anything I inject is just going to take away from the powerful message that this novel has to offer, but if you can handle the graphic, unsettling content involved, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I sobbed on and off the entire time I was reading this book, and I think it would be a profound teaching resource for the high school grade levels. Lots of discussions to be had surrounding this book, and I've already ordered a finished copy of this book for my personal shelves at home.

tw // sexual assault, suicide ideation, attempted suicide, verbal abuse, physical abuse.

first and for most, thank you so much for an arc, since it think this book is such an important book and i honestly hope more people read this book. like, i feel like the author took on some of the really serious topics, which i feel like a lot of people don't talk about in books, especially YA books. like they talk about date rape, sexual assault, and mental illness. and took those different plots and than writing a book that was actually really good, but also so heartbreaking at the same time. and i feel like it was such a hard topic but it was done so well. and also just that we get to see the victim and to see them go through all the struggles post that, which i honestly really liked. and also just to see them figure out all of that. and i mean, we really felt for them, and to see how the victim feels. and also just to see them have the narrative of her, the victim, and also the bad guys that did this to her. which, i never really read, but i still really liked it.

but, i do think the writing wasn't the best thing in the world. like, yeah it was honestly decent, but i feel like it just needed some work, which i feel like would happen when this author writes more books in the future. but, i still really enjoyed this book as a whole.

Okay this book is a little darker than what I usally read. This book shows real life issues. Some parts were hard to read. The author did such a good job writing this and bringing all the emotions in. Really look into the trigger warnings before you pick this on up. This book wasn't bad I just felt like it wasn't completed.

The first thing that I have to say is that I hated the ending of this book. I think there was so much more to say and the author left it to open. There was no closure. This is a book about how even your closest friends can turn on you and why you should never drink too much. I wish the author would’ve given us closure because now it seems like a nightmare that doesn’t end.

Before grabbing up this book, the reader needs to be aware that it hits dark and serious themes. The triggers (sexual assault, attempted suicide, verbal assault, and physical assault) are the center theme and are approached openly and with honesty.

Erica wakes up to find herself in a bedroom after a party with words scribbled on her entire body, not only cruel terms but the names of several guys she knows. Ashamed and not sure how to handle the situation, she hides it as best she can. But it soon becomes clear that this isn't going to work. Some of the guys are more than willing to stab with reminders of what happened, and her best friend is acting strange. Worse yet, her boyfriend seems to have been a part of it...a guy, she was positive was incapable of such a terrible act. But while this assault is more than she can already handle, it's only the beginning.

The book is written from two points of alternating views: Erica and her boyfriend, Thomas. The first page hits with Erica waking up to discover she's been assaulted by several people. The scene hits raw and harsh, and with the confusion and humiliation to make it break the heart. Thomas' opening chapter, the next one, clashes wonderfully with Erica's as he rushes through his next day totally oblivious to what he and his friends had done. The reader learns to know each of these characters as the tale delves deep into their thoughts and emotions, building well-done depth.

The pacing keeps everything moving, while still allowing both characters to develop. Their views and thoughts change as they face dark truths and deal with things as more and more comes to light. Erica's thoughts and actions are more than understandable, and the cruelty she faces is more than harsh. There were a few aspects (more on Thomas's end), which didn't transition quite right, but the intensity is still strong and leaves an impact. The author does a great job at letting the pressure build little by little, allowing the reader to know that it is only a matter of time before everything comes apart.

Erica's interest in creating a graphic novel/comic also adds a unique touch. These illustrations are sprinkled in at just the right time. And while not humorous, they do add a bit of much needed release, and still deepen the emotional predicament Erica finds herself in at the same time.

This is a well written read which packs a punch.
I received an ARC.

I don't even know where to start with this book.. so let's start with the obvious. I loved it. I finished this book faster than I've read any other in the past few years, I loved it that much. I didn't stop thinking about it while I was watching my show last night, I just wanted to see what happened next.
I'll also preface this with the warning that there's a trigger warning at the beginning of this book. I'm no stranger to those, I love picking up a book that has a realistic feel to it and may take on some very serious subjects. I didn't expect it to be any different than any other book that may have a trigger warning at the beginning, but it was. It went into depth. It almost felt like what I used to write when I was a teenager. It was raw. It spreads an amazing message, not only for those who may have been a victim, but for those on the sidelines too. That was my favorite part, it had both sides of the situation and their thoughts written true to what they may be feeling in that moment. It felt like they were teenagers, ones who didn't know what they got themselves into. Ones who made a very drastic mistake and have to face the consequences.
There was one character who stood out to me. It wasn't either of the main characters, and they weren't even a teenager. But I had an absolute hatred for Thomas's father. Not only because of how awful he was to Thomas. I'm so glad that Cassie wrote him into this, because he, and people like him, are the reason that these victims never get the closure they deserve.
I know the exact moment where my heart broke too, where I knew I was going to love how this book portrayed itself. The hallway. Anyone who has read or will be reading this will know exactly what I mean by that. I can't tell you how many times I could feel my heart aching for Erica after that moment. Had that moment been different, it may have changed the entire course of the book and those characters lives.

If you're able to read this, and I totally understand if you can't simply because of how heavy this content is, please do. Even if you've never experienced this sort of thing first hand because the way that Cassie writes this makes you understand, even just a little bit, what happens. What can happen. And it's so important.

I love this book, and when it comes out you bet that I am going to do my hardest to get people to read it.