Review: You Against Me

You Against Me by Jenny Downham

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 419
Published: Sept 13, 2011
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult

My Rating: 4/5

Summary (from chapters.ca):

If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge.

If your brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him.

When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the offense, her world begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.

This is a brave and unflinching novel from the bestselling author of Before I Die. It's a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all, it''s a book about love.

Review:

**NOTE: A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher, Doubleday Canada. However, no compensations were made and this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings**

What a crazy mixed up world we live in... this novel really brings to light some of the harder issues that teenage girls deal with.

When Karyn McKenzie wakes up to find herself in an uncompromising position, and one that isn't of her choice, she sets into motion events that will change the lives of everyone they know.

I found that the characters in this book were very well thought out and worked so well together. The connection between Ellie and Mikey was almost palpable. I loved the way that they had those true feelings for eachother, those once in a lifetime, love-at-first-site, feelings. It is something that is so rare but when it is found is truly beautiful.

At times I wanted the story to move faster but that wasn't because it dragged, it was more because I had an incredible need to find out what was going to happen... would Ellie or Mikey 'win' in the end? Would Karyn ever leave her flat? Would Holly be part of a 'normal' family? It was definitely a book that you wanted to keep reading until the very last page.

Overall, while I am not a true fan of young adult books, I found this one hit all the right spots and is worth the read.