Flawed

I hurt after reading this story. I am sitting in my bed, laptop

I hurt after reading this story. I am sitting in my bed, laptop set up and I am just replaying the entire book in my head. Nothing could have prepared me for what took place between each page and in my heart and mind.  I have never thought of a book so wonderful in its own sense but yet so devastating.  Let me make this clear; this is a great read but it is a very rough and emotional read.  As the reader, you need to be prepared before you dive into the plot.  




Flawed is filled with hatred, violence, abuse, love (conventional and unconventional), friendship, struggle, new beginnings and shattering endings.  It made me feel lucky in the sense that I have not had to deal with the life that the character Sarah has had to deal with.  Just reading about this life put me on edge for every turn of the page.  You know that as a perfect moment is happening in this book, an imperfect moment is right around the corner and it is going to be a doozy when it is unleashed.  




This book is dark, it makes you think, it makes you long for a string of happiness that you can reach in and give Sarah and James to make things better if only for a day.  Be ready because this book will send you into an emotional whirlwind.
~BookWhisperer Reviewer MC~

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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This book hurts my heart. It hurts my soul. Shattered me into a

This book hurts my heart. It hurts my soul. Shattered me into a million pieces. These words... Like razor blades across my skin. It's beautiful and intense and earth shattering. Flawed takes love and twists it into something deadly.




When you're put in an impossible choice, is there really a right answer? I have been there. Stuck between two heartbreaking decisions except there was no right choice. They are both right and they are both wrong... it always comes down to hurting yourself or the other person. But with impossible choices, unfortunately I think you always lose regardless. You always hurt something with in yourself. Sarah sits in that spot. Shes so conflicted through out the whole book... family over love, love over family... love love love. She's been over protected her entire life, scarred, hurt, yet she still has love in her heart. I felt so deeply for her. And, I don't envy her.




Then there is James. James is one of those characters that you either see the dark side or you see deeper inside and see that within that darkness is a boy who has been broken. Who's been strengthened to be overprotective. Who's had to turn himself into this twisted soul because he thought he was doing what he had to do for Sarah. James is the bad guy in this story, yet I somehow don't see him that way. He's good-looking, hard working, and protects the hell out of his sister. Some where along the line he just took it too far... too far to rein all that darkness back in. I still loved him and my heart still broke for him every time he shed a tear. Every time he was afraid to lose something too important to him. I mean, how do you just suddenly stop protecting the thing that means the most to you in the world? I know there is good in James. Unfortunately, he was just too far gone and I would have done anything to save him. He's that type of boy.




Sam. He tore my world apart. Sam is Sarah's hero. I could never get enough of Sam. When Sam was filling the pages, my mind was completely attached. He's sweet. He's a family guy. He's smart. He's sexy as hell. He's protective. He's artistic. He's beautiful... inside and out. He has the type of love that could wrap you up in warmth from the inside out. He would do anything for Sarah... he does do anything for Sarah. "When are you going to get that you are everything?" (Pg 302). Sam was everything to me as the reader. I loved him so much, and his love completely captured my heart and then drug me down into that black hole of hurt with the bittersweet ending. "I figured out pretty quickly that this is a forever thing for me." (Pg 302)




I could talk about this book forever. It will never leave me. I don't want it to. I want to look at that gorgeously haunting cover and know the story that lies within that broken weed.




I devoured Flawed. I couldn't help it. I ate it's three hundred and some pages like it was fifty. It pulled me in piece by piece until it had all of me and then it blew me wide open shattering every piece of my carefully held in emotion. Yes, I cried. I held everything in. Each tension, each betrayal, each lie, each abuse, each torture, each kiss... Slowly building inside of me until that last chapter. When I found out that there was no going back, I couldn't hold it back anymore.




Kate outdid herself with this story. It's heart-achingly beautiful and abusive. I fell in love with it and then it broke my heart. I've waited for this book for so long, it was my most anticipated book of this year and I can happily (with a broken heart) say that it did not disappoint me at all. It held up to every standard I put it to. It hit every bar I raised it to. I wanted some sick, twisted, intense book... and I got just that. I wanted to love a book that fit into that dark place in my soul... Flawed is that book.(less)

6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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This book was BEYOND good.

Holy Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I don't even know where to start.

This book DESTROYED me. Like I'm sitting here, crying in a seriously borderline hysterical manner and I can't seem to stop. That said, just WOW. I was right there with Sarah the entire time. There was no distancing myself from the events of the book, no sitting back and wondering what *I* would have done. I couldn't escape this story if I'd tried.

Read this book. It will devastate you, bring you up, down, and sideways, and at the end you'll walk away knowing you've just read what is, hands down, one of the best books of 2012.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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:(

This book hurts. But when it can make you feel so strong, it deserves nothing but 5 stars.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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There¿s a fist-clenching feeling in my stomach, tear pools in my

There’s a fist-clenching feeling in my stomach, tear pools in my eyes. In the past, select stories have stirred some emotion out of me, mainly mentally with a few shedded tears here and there. This is the first time that a story has moved me to such a degree of physical response. I feel like my emotions are revolting against the floodgate I’ve constructed. It’s hard to describe my feelings towards Flawed without bursting into tears. I sit here wrecked, having had my emotions thrown through the wringer, and now left with a firm belief that Flawed is one of the most remarkable books I’ve ever read. Devastating and dark doesn’t even begin describe this story, but it’s a good place to start.
Sarah O’Brien’s life is abysmal. Her father’s a monster, a once famed boxer who delegates his time between work at the paper mill, chugging beers and beating his children and wife. His presence was like a dark shadow that Sarah couldn’t escape from, a nightmare replayed over and over again. Sarah’s mother, always high off of this or that medication was useless, unable to help anyone let alone herself. Then there’s James. The constant, shining star in Sarah’s life. All their life, Sarah and James have clung to each other for comfort, support and protection. The bond between these two were nigh impenetrable. That is, until Jame’s instability really came to light, and Sarah found a sense of freedom in Sam’s promises.
Flawed is gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. It was an emotional roller-coaster that kept plummeting down into a dark, dreary tunnel. In a way I’m glad that my job prevented me from reading this whole book in one sitting. If I hadn’t read, breaked, than read some more, I don’t know what state I’d be in. I’m already in an emotional-overload as it is. Every cruel, revolting and downright horrific thing Sarah went through had me clutching tissues and sobbing. There were those cute, hope-filled moments here and there, especially when Sam was involved, but they weren’t enough to lift the sorrow-filled haze clouding my mind.
The moment I saw Flawed I knew I needed to read it, a decision I’ll forever be glad I made. It was an experience never before experienced, and never to be forgotten. Avelynn weaves a story so disturbing yet real that had me rapidly flipping the pages. I was so hooked on Sarah’s story. Every physical and emotional obstacle Sarah went through, just made my hope for her brighter future, that much higher.
Flawed is an easy 5 stakes. The story although, dark and highly controversial, is raw and beautiful. Strip away the abuse, the drug use and tinged hints of incest, and you have a girl just trying to discover who she is and what she wants out of life, and most importantly, realizing that she does deserve a happy ending.
I have no idea what he sees in me. Strength he says. Beauty. A big heart. I see none of these things. I see fear, flaws, and a heart so full of blackness I can’t give up on my own selfish wants to set him or my brother free.
Flawed is being marketed as a Young Adult book, however I’d argue that it definitely belongs with the New Adult domain. There are a lot of mature scenes and concepts that are most definitely not suited for tweens or younger teens. I’d say 17+ for mature language, scenes including yet not limited to violence, sex, and drugs.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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I have to say, if any of you book lovers out there are deeply af

I have to say, if any of you book lovers out there are deeply affected by very sensitive issues – then I’m sure this book isn’t for you. If however, you’re better at dealing with such subjects I highly recommend this novel - It was incredible. This story is definitely not light and fluffy - it really hurt me to read it at times. There was a constant pain in my chest, and as tears streamed from my eyes, it felt like my gut was being wrenched out. Am I being a bit dramatic? Maybe so, but this book is not for the faint-hearted. It’s not a book with happily ever-after and a Prince that saves the day. It shows a cruel and nasty reality that many people have to endure.

The novel is told by the main character, Sarah. Her family life is a sham; her dad’s an alcoholic and an ex-boxer. He takes his rage about his fallen career on Sarah, her elder brother James and their mother. This aggression has been going on for as long as Sarah can remember. James tries to take the majority of their father’s punches and blows – to protect his sister. Sarah’s mother is a no-go, no matter how many times she screamed for her mum, she was too busy ignoring her or away in a drug haze. The only person Sarah feels she can turn to is her brother, and is heavily and emotionally tied to James and the guilt that consumes her ties them even tighter together.

Around the time that Sam, James’s best friend and the guy Sarah’s had a crush on for the last 4 years, starts to show interest in her – James becomes unbearably jealous. His feelings of more than ‘brotherly love’ start to show, he wants her all to himself. Sarah however, has begun a relationship with Sam and is falling head-over-heels in love with him. He accepts her for who she is, knows her every flaw and is far-from repulsed by the many scars marring her body. He shows her what real happiness is like and fills a void that her brother has been so desperately trying to fill himself.

I loved Sarah’s character, even though she’s very with-drawn - there was so much depth to her. She was very relatable and as the book progresses, finds herself and what she really wants in life. The close relationship between her and her brother was enough to make anyone uncomfortable. It’s obvious she cares a great deal about him and feels a certain obligation to him for saving her all the time. They’re brother and sister, so that’s okay, right? Even so, their relationship is a very sensitive subject and very emotional.

James’ character I found very interesting, I disliked him a lot, but I also thought he was incredibly well developed and I think you’re supposed to feel some sort of anger and annoyance towards him. I feel that if James wasn’t the way he was – the book wouldn’t be nearly as incredible. Incest is more of a common thing than people realise, and in Sarah and James’ situation, with their complete dependence on each other – I wasn’t surprised that he found himself falling in love with his sister. Overall, James’ character is broken and complex. On one hand I wanted to fall to his side and patch up his wounds, and on the other; I wanted to slap him senseless. Talk about a love hate relationship, right?

As for Sam’s character; I loved him as well – he’s sweet, adorable and loving – what else can you ask for? I was a bit suspicious of his motives at first, his ‘sudden’ attraction to Sarah, seemed a little fishy. However, I’m glad to say I was wrong. The chemistry between Sarah and Sam is enough to set a house on fire, and it was incredible watching them grow together. Watching their relationship develop was one of the best parts of this novel and I was rooting for them from the very start.

When reading certain parts of this book – I wanted to hate it. I really did, but the force and emotion behind the writing in this novel made it impossible too. The end completely crushed and destroyed me. In some ways, I wish it were different – however, the book wouldn’t be as incredible if the ending didn’t happen the way it did either.

On multiple occasions throughout this book, I cried - a lot. I also wanted to tear my hair out and run screaming down the road from my frustration at being an emotional wreck. The story was so heart-wrenching and I really felt connected to the characters and their pain. The entire book was so dark and terrifying at times, yet I couldn’t put it down. I believe the 5/5 star rating was well-earned and doesn’t deserve anything less. I can’t wait to read more from Kate Avelynn, she’s such an incredible writer and I’d read anything else by her in a heart-beat.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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FLAWED is a stunning piece of fiction, beautifully written and e

FLAWED is a stunning piece of fiction, beautifully written and expertly crafted in such a way that grips you and carries you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and nerves. The three main characters, James, Sarah and Sam, each possess both good and bad characteristics, and I found myself both rooting for and cursing them constantly.

Sarah first comes across as timid and weak, but we discover (along with Sarah) her true self through the novel's progression. Her decisions throughout had me almost yelling out loud at her they were so wrong at times, but the great thing about Avelynn's storytelling prowess is that I completely understood why she was making them. Many times I found myself asking what I would do in her situation, which is always a great thing for a story to produce in a reader.

James is seemingly the polar opposite of Sarah. He's strong, protective, unafraid of standing up for both himself and his sister. But James also harbors a darkness that eats away at him from page one. A darkness that shows itself more and more as the novel moves forward. A darkness that threatens everyone. I have to admit that my feelings toward James changed by the end of the book, but to avoid any spoilers, I won't say how.

Sam, to me, is the light of this novel, though as I said, he isn't all good and perfect all the time (who is, right?). But Sam does represent possibility and hope, not only for James and Sarah, but also for himself. The relationships he has with both Sarah and James are severely damaged right from the start, but he has a quiet optimism inside that somehow keeps the fragility of those relationships intact.

I really can't express how powerful and moving this novel is. I was swept into the story from the first page, and I stayed there until the unbelievable end. I give FLAWED 5 Stars, and highly recommend (demand, really) that you all go and get a copy now and meet a cast of characters that will stay with you long after you've read the last word.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Breathe again

Uncomfortable, breathless, anxious...such a great story. Not sure I was breathing much when I read it. Not for the faint of heart.

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RH

Loved the book, but I was mad at myself for reading the ending at 2 in the morning.. I ended up going to sleep with a headache & stuffy nose from crying.

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A very emotional read

This is not a book for everyone especially if your addicted to a HEA. But if you can handle the heartbreaking tragedy that is Sarah's life then i implore you to read this book. But be prepared you may lose a piece of your heart along the way.

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Wow

That's all I can say is"Wow"... Very emotional and difficult read!!!! You have to buy this book. My heart goes out to Sarah, Sam and James.... This book is not for the timid!!!

LOVETOREAD

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Wow, I'm not sure how to review this one. Flawed by Kate Avelyn

Wow, I'm not sure how to review this one. Flawed by Kate Avelynn is an emotional story of a teenage girl named Sarah, who goes through so much. Her life revolves around James – her older brother. Their father is very abusive and James is always there to protect Sarah. However, James wants more than just a normal brother-sister relationship.

Sarah falls for James' best friend Sam. James makes it clear that he wants Sarah to stay away from Sam. In fact, the more the book progresses the more possessive James becomes. He won't let Sarah date, get a job, or get her license. He wants her all to himself. Sarah and Sam still secretly see each other. They become very close rather quickly. Sam is the perfect guy and is perfect for her. I really liked the character of Sam. He is everything a girl could want in a boyfriend. They had a sweet, passionate relationship.

I got a little annoyed with Sarah's character, but I tried really hard not to judge. You don't know how you would react to things in someone else's shoes. I wish she would have stood up to her brother more, but I understood her feelings of guilt and her need for loyalty to him. She had promised to never leave him, and he hasn't forgotten that promise. James becomes very mentally unstable though (more so than he already was). Sarah makes a bad decision toward the end of the book, and if she would have decided differently then things might have ended better. Who knows.

This is a very well written and powerful story. I just wish it would have ended differently. I knew going in though, that there was not a happy ending. I tried to not let myself get too attached to the characters because of that fact, but it was hard. This story just has a way of sucking you in. Due to the heavy subject matter, I'd recommend this for mature teens and above. I'd love to see a follow up book to this – one in which Sarah starts new and has a happy ending.

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so gooooood!!

This was the first book I read on my nook and it was so freakin' good! I couldn't stop reading. I finished like 2 weeks ago and I already want to re read it.
I can't recommend this book enough.
I felt like an idiot cause of how much I cried.

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Wow

This book will destroy you. But it is SO GOOD. I mean i seriously cannot even describe how i feel right now. Titally disturbing material but somehow told in a way that is beautiful and sad and just heart breaking

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omg!

This book was just amazing...didnt put it down until the end..when the end came i never felt so sad over a book. This is a must must MUST read!

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Just wow.....

Make sure you have tissue handy, i did not see the ending coming at all! I am sitting her with tears still in my eyes. Was a beautiful story but dark, one that i dont think i could read again as much as i loved it was just to sad.

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Dislike!

Soo freaking depressing.

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One word.  Incredible!  A must read!!! I don't want to give any

One word.  Incredible! 

A must read!!! I don't want to give anything away, but my heart broke at the very end. 

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Question

Hiw many pages is this

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Love this book...recommend it anyone who loves a good story. I w

Love this book...recommend it anyone who loves a good story. I was pulled in from the begining, I was happy sad and even cried..I was mad at one point but realizes it made book that much better. I will be reading this over and over. PLEASE PLEASE WRITE SOME MORE BOOKS!!!!

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