You

What a lucky Goodreads Giveaway win! I would have never picked up this book on my own and it ended up exceeding all my expectations. <br /><br />The novel is addictive from the very first lines:<br /><br /><i>You are surprised at all the blood.<br /><br />He looks over at you, eyes wide, mouth dropping open, his face almost as white as his shirt.<br /><br />He's surprised, too. <br /><br />There is not a lot of broken glass, though, just some tiny slivers around his feet and one big piece busted into sharp peaks like a spiking line graphs, the blood washing down it like rain on a windshield.<br /><br />He doesn't say anything clever or funny, doesn't quote Shakespeare, just screams. But no one can hear him, and it would be too late if they could.<br /><br />You are thinking, this wasn't the way it was supposed to go, this shouldn't be happening. And now things are only going to get worse... </i><br /><br />What did just happen? Who are these people? What are they doing?<br /><br />As the story unfolds, we gradually learn who this mysterious "you" is, how he got to this point, what life choices (or circumstances?) made him what he is now. It's not a feel good story. To see the main character make poor choices and become passive and apathetic is truly disheartening, but there is a meaningful lesson. <br /><br /><a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/7785598.You" title="You by Charles Benoit" rel="noopener">You</a> is an extremely intense novel written in a very unique way. Although it is very short (220 pages in large font and with huge margins) and the prose is sparse, the book managed to keep me in a state of anxiety throughout. What is also remarkable about the style is that the story is written in 2nd person. I don't come across this POV very often and <a href="https://goodreads.com/author/show/384737.Charles_Benoit" title="Charles Benoit" rel="noopener">Charles Benoit</a> uses this perspective to the fullest advantage. In fact, <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/7785598.You" title="You by Charles Benoit" rel="noopener">You</a> is written and paced so well that I believe the book might be a <i>Printz award</i> contender.<br /><br />The novel might not appeal to everyone - it is a dark, frustrating story. Many will think the ending unsatisfying. But I personally found the message of the book very powerful. You are the choices you make rather than a victim of circumstances, even though it is often more comforting to think so.

Reviewed by Karin Librarian for TeensReadToo.com<br /><br />Kyle is a hoodie. One of those kids that sits in the back of the class, tries not to be noticed, doesn't do his homework (only because he doesn't see the point), and dresses in the same "uniform" every day - black jeans, black shirt, black hoodie.<br /><br />You can find hoodies in every school, even though they might be called something else - slackers, freaks, stoners. Whenever you see them walking down the hall or through the mall, you don't know exactly what to expect - you just know it won't be good.<br /><br />YOU by Charles Benoit provides a glimpse into the mind of Kyle. By writing in a second-person point-of-view, the reader actually walks around inside Kyle's head. You are the character going through the story.<br /><br />* You are the one listening to the teachers explain how important it is you turn in all your work the rest of the<br />grading period even though you still won't be able to pass the class.<br />* You are the one attending Midlands High School because your grades weren't good enough to go to the<br />private school with the people you already know.<br />* You are the one with a secret crush on a girl you're afraid you have no chance with.<br />* You are the one who thinks that your cute, kindergarten-age sister is the best person you know.<br />* You are the one with a tragic end.<br /><br />Kyle is a good guy. Is he misunderstood? No - he projects exactly what he wants to project. The people in his life don't give him a reason to do anything differently.<br /><br />EVERY educator needs to read this book!

1.5* read this a few years back and hated it

Am I missing something? Can someone please tell me what it is? Why is the front cover of this ARC covered with wonderful blurbs? Why is the back cover the same? Why are there three and a half pages inside (three of them filled to the brim) with wonderful blurbs? Someone tell me because I'm not seeing it. <br />I rated this two stars because I did finish it although that's not a huge feat considering I did this in one evening only picking up the book three times. If I started listing all the other things I did in between I'd be here for hours so I won't. Let's just say it's super fast. And who wants to know the reason for that? YOU?? Oh good. Because there's nothing to it. <br />It kept me going because I wanted to see how Kyle dies at the end. I have to be straight up here. That's the only reason. But even that wasn't anywhere near as climactic as they made it out to seem. Where is the excitment? Where is the good writing? <br />Kyle is speaking straight at the reader which is nothing else but annoying in my opinion and when you through in a few one sided convo's I think this book needs a straight jacket and a trip to the looney bin. <br />Note to publishers: There is a certain line to be drawn when hyping a book. If you are not SURE that the book is "gut wrenching" (what?), "stunning" (where exactly?), "unforgettable" (lmao), and "outstanding, original, haunting" then don't shout it to the world. This is nothing if not medicocre yet it's thrown at people like it's life-changing. Just in case we have some slow learners out there - you create a desire for a bang and people want a bang. You don't deliver said bang people get annoyed. In the words of my five year old: Get it? Got it? Good.

Casual teenagers story mixed with some «thriller» elements. The casual life part was good enough, the characters and the school life settings were believable and well done in my opinion. Unfortunately the thrilling part fell a bit short. It felts force by time, the conclusion of it all wasn't satisfying, and the big «drama» the beginning promise just didn't deliver. An okay read but just nothing extraordinary, it should have stay simple and focus more on the teens life and it probably would have been better.

You open a book and it hits you in the face with broken glass, blood, and screaming. You haven’t met anyone yet and so don’t know who the other players are. You’re confused. You’re anxious. You might even be angry. You decide to just go with it.<br /><br /><i>You</i> are Kyle, a high school sophomore and hapless and angry loner. He made some bad decisions and is now resigned to a path in life that he can’t find a way off of. His father is a disembodied voice shouting at the TV, his mother is the Muppet Babies Nanny who constantly nags about school, clothes, and responsibility. There’s a Girl, a New Kid, and more Bad Decisions (or is it just unavoidable fate?) leading up to the desperate scene that opens the book.<br /><br />Kyle is equal parts uncomplicated and unfinished. But he’s you, so what more do you need? Ashley is a pretty incidental character, more of a symbol, which I initially didn’t like but eventually appreciated. Zack, however, is a fascinating YA psychopath.<br /><br />I didn’t really know what I thought of this book. I still don’t, but I know I think well of it. It’s a quick read. The words are actually pretty sparse on the page and are very terse. It’s tense and gripping and I found myself reacting strongly and without conscious thought. It all seems unfair, but was ultimately avoidable. Because, the truth? You chose to do this.

YOU is infuriating. (Please forgive me for the horrible grammar this title causes).<br /><br />It’s is criminally hard to put down. There are no chapters. Only direct, shattering, prose, fast-paced and swift to read. I found myself telling myself to stop after five more pages, ten more pages, fifteen… Until I was halfway through in one sitting.<br /><br />This is a novel that seems destined for discussion, not unlike a movie with one heck of a twist ending. In fact, I’m desperate to track down anyone who’s read it so I can let loose on that ending– it’s jaw dropping and unforgettable, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ve even interpreted it the right way. The story zips along at a lightning pace, and it’s the type that keeps you up late at night thinking “Just a few more pages…”.<br /><br />Addicting is probably the right word for it. YOU tries to do something different. The angsty, troubled teen has been explored countless times in YA lit before, but second person is a narrative device that’s only slowly emerging, and it’s probably a good thing, lest I be kept awake all night by how unputdownable a book becomes (think about a second person voice as gripping as Stolen by Lucy Christopher).<br /><br />Gripping, harrowing, haunting as it may be, the characters remained unbelievable, or at least not thoroughly fleshed out. This is pretty understandable, given that the style it’s written in can’t give us much backstory on external characters, but you can’t get very emotionally involved with them, and I think a lot of the things that Kyle did didn’t make much sense; it was almost as if the story was trying a little to hard to make him seem teenagerly that he just became unrealistic. Not all the teens of today are that moody and brooding… I’d like to think, anyways.<br /><br />It’s alright to suspend your disbelief for the few hundred pages of YOU, however, because it’s an absolute rollercoaster ride of a plot that’s done all too soon. I was annoyed by the characters, but their actions were over-the-top and very dramatic. Which leads me to their motivations behind said actions; hard to decipher.<br /><br />This is a book that you can’t simply finish and move on– the ending is something else. It ties back to the beginning, changes your primary viewpoint, and then it just -ends-. I finished it in utter shock and disbelief, and it wasn’t entirely because it was good– in fact, I’d go as far to say it was a little infuriating. There is no resolution, and it just leaves you hanging, and a little confused. I suppose it’s up to your interpretation, but it was a little like being taken for a jarring ride to a questionable destination.<br /><br />If you’ve finished YOU, I really, really need to discuss it with someone. It kind of made me a little angry, that ending. Like I stayed up all night reading it for nothing. Cop-out? Or brilliant, meaningful semi-cliffhanger? I can’t decide.<br /><br />In short, YOU is something very different, and it’s jarring to say the least. It just tries a little too hard to be edgy. Kyle doesn’t seem, (to me) an ‘ordinary’ teen, contrary to what his description may be. Coming from a teen herself. But his story is striking, and unique among the typical books lining your shelf.

You<br />By<br />Charles Benoit<br /><br />Kyle Chase is a loser…in his own mind. He has dropped out…he has made poor choices, he doesn’t care, he doesn’t like the way his parents treat him, he doesn’t respect his teachers, he doesn’t really even like his friends. He knows if he had made other choices he would be in a different school doing very different things. And yet he is not. And there is nothing he can do about it. He has everyone figured out. He has life figured out and he is not able to change anything. He doesn’t know how or even better he knows how and yet he doesn’t want to do anything to change. He appears to be stuck. He gets detention after detention, he doesn’t study, he yearns after a girl named Ashley and does not do anything about it. He wonders when his mom became awkward around him and when his dad began to dislike him. He seems to love his little 5 year old sister. Her innocence and her love for him mean a lot to him. One day he hears his sister tell his mom that when she grows up she wants to be just like Kyle. When his mom responds that she hopes not…Kyle is sad even though he doesn’t want to be. <br /><br />Then…new student Zack comes into Kyle’s life and nothing will ever be the same again. Zack knows how to find Kyle’s weak spot and use it to his own advantage. This results in a devastating end of this story.<br /><br />I was really caught up in this story. It is narrated by Kyle. It was heartbreaking. I wondered what I would do if I had known someone like Kyle. He is intelligent, awkward, rebellious…all the things a 15 year old male can be. I don’t know if I would have gone out of my way to talk to him. It seemed as though all he needed was one understanding parent or one teacher he could talk to but all circumstances were against him. He walked alone. His story was so sad. He seemed to not know joy. He did not understand what to do with his tortured anger.<br /><br />So…how did I feel about this book…I think it is an important book to read. <br />

When I first started reading this book I really liked it.<br />Since Charles Benoit wrote YOU in 2nd person, it was like nothing I've read before,<br />I absolutely loved it.<br />I would love to find more books that are written like this.<br />It started out great, and I started getting so excited because I thought I found an amazing book.<br />I read a lot of reviews with people saying that it was stunning.<br />But about half way through the book I starting thinking,<br />"Alright, so where exactly is this story going?"<br />I felt like the story was just kind of... Pointless.<br />And I know its just a novel and it can be pointless if it wants to be.<br />But I felt like this book absolutely accomplished nothing.<br />Nothing happened.<br />The entire book, it was just 15 year old Kyle Chase flirting with this girl he likes,<br />sneaking beer to the park with his friends, complaining about his mom, and trying to get a job.<br />...Okay.<br />So pretty much every single high schooler's life.<br />Man, doesn't that sound interesting? Yes! So lets make a book out it.<br />Alright, so now I'm getting carried away with my rant, <br />and I think everyone knows how that can turn out to be a little messy.<br />So besides everything I disliked about YOU,<br />I really loved how Charles Benoit did a nice job of developing the characters,<br />I also really liked how he captured Kyle's teenage boy thoughts so well, <br />without making it explicit.<br /><br /><br />I didn't hate YOU, I just wasn't very impressed with it.<br />The writing was incredible, I just felt like the story could have been a little bit more interesting.<br /><br />Abigaile<br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="http://ReadingTeen.net">http://ReadingTeen.net</a>

I'm not sure how to rate this book... I definitely expected more. Specially after that intro.<br /><br /><br />I don't know.<br /><br />Will review later.