I just couldn't put it down. I could relate and it made me sad, it was like I wanted to know what happened at the end but I also didn't want it so fast I wanted more. That's how you can tell it's a good book. ( )

My mini review--I hope that once I am done recovering from Disney and the resulting cold, I hope to more thoroughly review this one.
I love how gritty and real Walton writes. The characters are so realistic, flawed and in this case, has serious problems.
The bullying is so hard to swallow. I hate it, and I have been on the side of getting picked on, but luckily for me, never severely. I think that especially with boys, it is true to life and could really have happened in a school setting. It is sad to have to live in that fear and the object of hatred and you can tell how that coupled with distant parents who are requiring perfection, and he hopes if he reaches it, they will finally show him affection, leads him to want to end his life.
In Cracked, we also get the perspective of the bullyer, although we never really see what is going through his mind when he was being his cruelest, we do see his messed up home life, and see that it is a cycle. Feeling out of control at home, he finds an easy target and has control over something, much like a girl with an eating disorder. There is so much more to his character though, and some surprising twists. I def felt for him, but it was hard to get past what he did to Victor.
A good portion of the book is in the mental hospital, and I think that also gives a look into the world of mental illness that is slowly being broached in the world of YA. I don't know how realistic it is, since I have only been in individual therapy, but I did tear through the pages at their realizations, unexpected friendship, healing and ultimately having the unexpected people to stand up on their side.
The ending was fitting, and left me satisfied while still sad to leave my character.
I loved getting the dual perspective from two guys, with no romantic connection between the two.

Bottom Line: Emotional look into what leads to suicidal thoughts/actions and then healing. ( )

This book ended in a way I didn't expect. Told from two different POVs, this book was actually really easy to follow along. Both Bull and Victor, who come from different home lives, wind up in a psych ward as room mates. Unknown to everyone else until the last few days in the ward, Bull has bullied Victor in school for as long as they both can remember. Can they let the past the past? A well-written, quick light read, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good YA book. ( )

Cracked

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. The synopsis drew me in, having read “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” a month prior, but after the first few chapters of “Cracked,” I wasn’t feeling it. I enjoy books that are told by alternative viewpoints, but giving each character his voice can be a challenge for many writers. This is one of those writers. The story itself was very well-written in terms of emotion and an accurate portrayal of mental illness in young adults, but if I hadn’t been paying attention, any chapter could easily be Victor’s OR Bull’s. I think the author would have made a better choice had she chosen to tell the story in alternating viewpoints in the third-person.
This is a quick and engaging read for teens who struggle with mental illness, abuse, or bullying. Having dealt with both as a teen, it took me awhile, but I was eventually drawn into the lives of Victor and Bull. I cheered for Victor and cried for Bull. I shut the book feeling hopeful and nostalgic, and I think that this book could be a saving grace for a young person experiencing bullying, mental illness, or abuse. It has the potential to encourage and empower the reader to reach out for help. One suggestion I have for the author/publisher for future editions of this book is to include more resources for teens. The book does sport a full-page flyer for Teen Central, which is a good start, but including the phone numbers to organizations such as 1-800-SUICIDE would be helpful as well. ( )

“Cracked” by K. M. Walton is the story of two teenage boys who have grown up together. One of them, Bull, has bullied Victor ever since they were small. The book alternates chapters between Bull and Victor. We learn that Bull lives with a drunken grandfather who constantly beats him and a mother who thinks he should have never been born. He takes his anger about his situation on the kids in school, especially Victor. Bull is from the poor side of town; Victor is from the wealthy side. We learn that Victor’s life with his parents is just as abusive, but emotionally and mentally, not physically. Victor decides that the answer to his problems is a handful of sleeping pills; Bull decides his answer to his constant beatings is with a gun. Both boys end up in the psych ward for children who try suicide. Both end up in the same room. The question is: will Bull and Victor be able to understand each other and not kill each other for the five days they are stuck together?

For a debut novel, K. M. did a masterful job of making the reader feel empathy for both characters. Alternating chapters to tell each character’s point of view shows that you may think you know someone, but you never really do. I think that a poem in the book really sums up what Bull and Victor are feeling:

Children want to be loved
Cherished
Without conditions
Restrictions
Limitations
Or boundaries

A child’s spirit is a fragile thing
a hollow egg
delicate and easy to shatter

Some wait to be filled
with direction
hope

Someone wait for no one
they fill
themselves
up

This book is written for young adults and I think that anyone who is a teenager and above would enjoy this book. The author tries to let in the reader as to why some people kids feel that suicide is the answer. They feel alone and that no one understands what they are feeling. Sometimes they just need to know that someone cares. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading any more novels that K. M. Walton will write. ( )