I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, as I knew it was going to be different to the first one in the series and after giving this a read I have to say that I do think that KC Kassidy (Sierra Hill) has done a good job, I thought the story was interesting and that it was an eye opener to how some communities and cultures can be even if we’re adults, but it’s how we choose to embrace things is what makes the difference. I loved that KC went ahead and carried on trying to teach us lessons but also made sure that it was told in a heart-breaking but gripping way, and I do think that with each book she writes that her writing is growing so much.
I loved how William was himself and didn’t want to change who he was just to fit in with everyone, as he knew that wasn’t going to make life any different for him. But he also used his experiences as a way to push on and get through everything he was dealing through when he was struggling in school. I found him to be such a likeable character and he was very well respected in the community as he was older, okay there was still going to be people out there that wasn’t willing to accept who he was or what he represented, but he did his best to just power through and considering the position that he’s in now, he has done well for himself. One of my favourite things about him is that he doesn’t want any child going through what he did when he was younger, so he goes out of his way to show the children that he genuinely cares and that if they feel that they can’t talk to their parents then he is there for them and that he’ll do his best to actually help them and stop anything that isn’t sitting right with them.
Benny, I wasn’t exactly sure what to make of him on the other hand, I get that he was trying to process a few things and that he fell in with the wrong crowd at times, but still he couldn’t work out why exactly William never just hid who he was and just tried to blend in so that he didn’t paint a target for himself. I do think he growed as a character later on in the book, but in terms of me liking him, I’m still deciding that as I couldn’t get a good read on him.
Overall, I do think that KC did a good job at creating this story, yet there was just one thing that for me didn’t work and that was the chapter where it’s from Benny’s POV and we’re back to when he was in school and the scene of him helping William. It just seemed like the chapter doesn’t fit, the contents of the chapter works but it’s just how it’s in third person. Had this just been written in the 1st person like the rest of the book I honestly think it would have flowed a lot better and wouldn’t have stood out as much as it had.
Other than that, I enjoyed the story and am excited to see what happens next in this series.
William has always been one of those people who wanted to just embrace who he was and whilst he struggled when he was younger due to being bullied for who he was, he never let them stop him being himself. Knowing that he only had a little while longer to deal with everything thrown his way, he pushes on and allows everything that happens to him help him grow as a person.
Now years later, he’s happy, he’s got a great job, went after his dream and is now looking after children in the school and showing them that they can open up to him and he’ll help them. However, after one student gets brought into the office, William’s life is about to change and not only does he help get through to this kid, his parent is not who he’s expecting. Benny…. Benny from the block, the one kid who tried to help him when he was younger, but also did hurt him in some ways and then vanished. He honestly can’t believe his eyes when Benny walks through the office door.
Will Benny be the same guy as he was all those years ago and still hurt William or has he grown up a lot and is willing to make amends for what happened years ago??
With William’s crush back in full force on Benny will William make a move or will this be his secret for good??
Will Benny figure out the reason as to why he can’t keep away from William or will he just be in denial and not change his ways of things???
I loved how William was himself and didn’t want to change who he was just to fit in with everyone, as he knew that wasn’t going to make life any different for him. But he also used his experiences as a way to push on and get through everything he was dealing through when he was struggling in school. I found him to be such a likeable character and he was very well respected in the community as he was older, okay there was still going to be people out there that wasn’t willing to accept who he was or what he represented, but he did his best to just power through and considering the position that he’s in now, he has done well for himself. One of my favourite things about him is that he doesn’t want any child going through what he did when he was younger, so he goes out of his way to show the children that he genuinely cares and that if they feel that they can’t talk to their parents then he is there for them and that he’ll do his best to actually help them and stop anything that isn’t sitting right with them.
Benny, I wasn’t exactly sure what to make of him on the other hand, I get that he was trying to process a few things and that he fell in with the wrong crowd at times, but still he couldn’t work out why exactly William never just hid who he was and just tried to blend in so that he didn’t paint a target for himself. I do think he growed as a character later on in the book, but in terms of me liking him, I’m still deciding that as I couldn’t get a good read on him.
Overall, I do think that KC did a good job at creating this story, yet there was just one thing that for me didn’t work and that was the chapter where it’s from Benny’s POV and we’re back to when he was in school and the scene of him helping William. It just seemed like the chapter doesn’t fit, the contents of the chapter works but it’s just how it’s in third person. Had this just been written in the 1st person like the rest of the book I honestly think it would have flowed a lot better and wouldn’t have stood out as much as it had.
Other than that, I enjoyed the story and am excited to see what happens next in this series.
William has always been one of those people who wanted to just embrace who he was and whilst he struggled when he was younger due to being bullied for who he was, he never let them stop him being himself. Knowing that he only had a little while longer to deal with everything thrown his way, he pushes on and allows everything that happens to him help him grow as a person.
Now years later, he’s happy, he’s got a great job, went after his dream and is now looking after children in the school and showing them that they can open up to him and he’ll help them. However, after one student gets brought into the office, William’s life is about to change and not only does he help get through to this kid, his parent is not who he’s expecting. Benny…. Benny from the block, the one kid who tried to help him when he was younger, but also did hurt him in some ways and then vanished. He honestly can’t believe his eyes when Benny walks through the office door.
Will Benny be the same guy as he was all those years ago and still hurt William or has he grown up a lot and is willing to make amends for what happened years ago??
With William’s crush back in full force on Benny will William make a move or will this be his secret for good??
Will Benny figure out the reason as to why he can’t keep away from William or will he just be in denial and not change his ways of things???