You Against Me by Jenny Downham

YOU AGAINST ME
Author: Jenny Downham
Source: Amazon Vine
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: David Fickling Books (September 13, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385751605
ISBN-13: 978-0385751605

If someone hurts your sister and you’re any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother’s accused of a terrible crime but says he didn’t do it, you defend him, don’t you? 

When Mikey’s sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. When Ellie’s brother is charged with the offence, 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.

When I first received this book for review, everyone was telling me how wonderful this book was.  I fell hard into the hype of You Against Me, but it didn’t have the same impact to me that it had to others.  While the summary was fascinating and the cover was beautifully done, the story wasn’t something that kept me interested like it should have.


The story is told from alternating points of view between Ellie and Mikey.  While I could understand the pain that each character was feeling, I just couldn’t stay interested in the story enough to care about the romance.  It was bland and stale from my point of view in the feelings department for each other.  I wanted so much more that never seemed to unfold.  


While the story will appeal to others as a wonderful and angst filled read, I just felt it was a mediocre book that could have been so much more.  If you are a fan of the authors previous book, then give this one a try and see for yourself.