Tag: Young Adult (Page 23 of 157)

BOOK REVIEW: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2) by Brigid Kemmerer

December 12, 2019 / Arielle / 2 Comments

A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2)
by Brigid Kemmerer
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In the sequel to New York Times bestselling A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Brigid Kemmerer returns to the world of Emberfall in a lush fantasy where friends become foes and love blooms in the darkest of places.

Find the heir, win the crown.
The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.

Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen--until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?

The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.

Review

“Must you men make everything about violence?” I say. “Not every problem can be solved by the edge of a sword.”

This was SO good. Even after reading my review from A Curse So Dark and Lonely, I can’t say that I remember a whole lot about the first book in this series. I remember liking it but not being completely in love. I also remember wanting to focus more on Rhen since he was the actual love interest/ part of the main couple BUT being more drawn to Grey instead. You see, Grey is my exact brand of BBF. He reminded me a lot of Chaol from the Throne of Glass series and anyone who knows me, should know that he is the damaged cinnamon roll of my heart.

As much as I feel bad saying this, too, I didn’t get into the book fully until after we leave Rhen and Harper in Emberfall and fully get to Grey and Lia Mara’s time together. Rhen does….some pretty shitty things in this book. I don’t think that they were really out of character for him for a number of different reasons however, I think there’s a good chance that it’s going to piss some die hard Rhen fans off when they read this…at least until they get to the epilogue.

Anyway, Grey not surprisingly, was a damn treat. Again, he is so like Chaol in the sense that he has this very specific sense of duty and honor and following orders without question because that’s all he’s done all his life. When he’s inevitably found and brought back to the castle, he refuses to tell Rhen that he’s the heir/the one with magic. He thinks he’s keeping Rhen safe and when Rhen does a certain something that I can’t say, his old and steady view of things drastically changes.

It’s then that the real story begins. He ends up on a journey with Lia Mara, eldest daughter (but not heir) of the queen of Syhl Shallow, a boy named Tycho that has become quite attached to Grey, a new magical creature called a scraver that is named Iisak, and Harper’s brother, Jake and boyfriend Noah round out the rag-tag group. Even though Jake annoyed me at first, he actually became a really well rounded character. I mean all of them, really. I felt like I was way connected to them than half the people mentioned in book one. Lia Mara was my favorite, though. She was so smart and kind and STRONG. Like the scene where she and Grey carried that deer to the fire…that was amazing. I loved how he just basically was this cheerleader for her and held her up with kind (but always very truthful) words. He made her see the potential in herself and that she WAS smart, kind, strong, and important. Also, their romantic scenes were so. Damn. Swoony. I want to go back and re-read them all immediately and probably will.

Overall I think this book had a lot more development than the first. Grey’s growth as a character in itself was beyond what I could have imagined. I had already been dying to see how things were going to pan out in book three but even more so after the epilogue.

View Spoiler »

“But you are far more dangerous.”
I can hardly think with his fingers tracing a line down the side of my face.
“Ah, yes, the most dangerous person at the party is always the girl sitting alone with a book.”

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman

December 2, 2019 / Jen / 13 Comments

I’m so excited to be on the Adorkable blog tour because I absolutely loved this book! So check out my 5 Star Review below and enter a fabulous giveaway where you can win a copy of this book. Enjoy!

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.

Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she's done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There's only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.

Her solution: She needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.

Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around hottie, and Sally's best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He'd do anything for Sal―even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she's "more than pretty," and expertly kissing her at parties.

The problem: Sally's been in love with Becks all her life―and he's completely clueless.

This book features two best friends, one special-edition Yoda Snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses, and begs the question:

Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

Review:

Adorkable was filled with laughter, butterfly and smile inducing moments, and I couldn’t get enough of it! The characters quickly found a place in my heart, and the story-line was so cute! It involved the fake boyfriend trope, and it was done in a way that felt fresh and fun. So this addicting book easily made its way onto my favorites shelf!

I was so tired of surprises. If I had to meet one more blind date, I would literally go insane.

The nicknames in this book were hilarious! Our heroine is Sally Sue Spitz and her classmates call her Spitz. And her best friend is Lillian Hooker, who Sally calls Hooker. Loved it! So Sally was forever single and Hooker, trying to be the best friend ever, always set Sally up on blind dates. But these weren’t regular blind dates. Or even regular guys it would seem. Each and every interaction Sally had with them had me laughing, groaning or doing both out loud. After a horrible double-double date (you’ll see what I mean lol) gone terribly wrong and a misunderstanding, Sally comes up with the idea that she needs a fake boyfriend. It was the only way to stop Hooker’s attempts. So she begged Becks, her best friend forever who’s been in her life since grade school, to be her fake boyfriend.

Ducking, he placed a lingering kiss on the spot right below my ear. The move made my hand shoot out to grip his jersey. Becks laughed silently, little puffs of air hitting my neck, as I shivered.

Becks. Oh Becks. He was one of my many favorite things about this book. The way Becks looked at Sally, the way he claimed her as his, the way he protected her, his jealousy, oh my gosh even the way he touched her, it all made my heart beat so fast. But here’s the confusing part, I had NO clue what he thought at times. You see, he would say and do these things that would imply that he liked Sally more than just friends, but then again he was just playing a part. And his words would reinforce that idea. So I desperately wanted to get in that sexy head of his and know all of his thoughts. Especially when he suggested that they should start practicing….hello butterflies!

“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?”
“Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.”
As he squeezed my hip, I swear I stopped breathing.

So not only did I adore Becks, but Sally too. I loved how Sally easily sprinkled Harry Potter, Star Wars, Star Trek etc into her daily life. She embraced her geekiness, and I loved how she didn’t second guess herself in that regards. But at the same point, she could be self-conscious. Especially when it came to her feelings towards Becks. You see, while Becks was her BFF, he was also beautiful, smart, a player, a jock and everyone easily loved him. Including Sally. Knowing that Sally wanted to be more than friends with Becks put my heart on the line right with her. I flipped through the pages as fast as possible for both of our stakes!

“Spitz, the guy’s wearing Chinos, and he tried to shake my hand.” She tugged at one end of her bob. “I found him bent over a book bigger than my head in the sci-fi/fantasy section at Barnes and Noble.”
That sounded suspicious. “And what were you doing in Barnes and Noble?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” she laughed. “I was looking for the male version of you.”
I laughed despite myself. – Spitz (Sally) and Hooker

The side characters not only helped round out this book, but they felt so real to me. Hooker, oh my gosh, I wanted her to listen to Sally at times. But we all have our flaws, and what Hooker thought was best for Sally wasn’t always what was truly the best for her and it led to hilarious moments. My favorites were Ash, Becks’ fellow soccer teammate and Sally’s fellow classmate, and also Clayton, Becks’ oldest brother. I could easily and happily read a book about each of them!

This one could only end badly, and when it did, it was going to hurt.
A lot.

So if you’re a fan of cute books that leave you with the hugest smile ever, or if you adore the fake boyfriend trope, then I highly recommend you pick up Adorkable! This is the second time I’ve picked up this book and I loved it even more the second time. I even cried at the end this second time around, it was just so perfect. So yes, I loved this book with my whole heart! Cookie O’Gorman always creates characters that are so easy to connect with and love, and of course. I can’t wait for you to meet them too!

Amazon | Target | Barnes and Noble

About Cookie O’Gorman:

Cookie O’Gorman writes YA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas.

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BOOK REVIEW: Resurrection Girls by Ava Morgyn

November 14, 2019 / Cassie / 3 Comments

Resurrection Girls by Ava Morgyn
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Olivia Foster hasn’t felt alive since her little brother drowned in the backyard pool three years ago. Then Kara Hallas moves in across the street with her mother and grandmother, and Olivia is immediately drawn to these three generations of women. Kara is particularly intoxicating, so much so that Olivia not only comes to accept Kara's morbid habit of writing to men on death row, she helps her do it. They sign their letters as the Resurrection Girls.

But as Kara’s friendship pulls Olivia out of the dark fog she’s been living in, Olivia realizes that a different kind of darkness taints the otherwise lively Hallas women—an impulse that is strange, magical, and possibly deadly.

Thank you to Netgalley the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I was death’s sister.
She was a murderer’s daughter.

Resurrection Girls was a really interesting book and not really like anything I’ve read before. The blurb doesn’t really do it justice – it seemed like it was going to be a dark book with a bit of a paranormal or thriller aspect. But that’s not the case. The subjects discussed in the book are certainly dark and heavy, but there’s really no mystery or paranormal to be had.

Olivia Foster is drowning in guilt after the death of her younger brother three years ago. Her parents are barely functioning, and Olivia is drifting through life. That is until a new family moves in across the street. Kara Hallas is the spark that Olivia needed to break out of her solitary life.

If Kara were punctuation, she’d be an exclamation, never a period. I…I would be an ellipsis, a thought waiting to happen, to complete itself, but never fully arriving. Prescott would be a hyphen because there was more to him than what the eye.

As Olivia and Kara begin to spend time together, they begin to write letters to men on death row and sign it as the Resurrection Girls. Their neighbor (and Olivia’s long time crush) Prescott gets roped in to their group and soon the trio begins to spend a lot of time together. There’s a charged dynamic between the three of them and it constantly feels like they are balancing on the end of a board together, always close to ruining the balance and crashing apart.

And while there’s no paranormal occurrences, there’s a kind of magical realism surrounding the Hallas women.

If you’re looking for a book that will thrill you or feature things that go bump in the night, this isn’t it. There’s a lot of focus on grief and what it takes to heal from horrible tragedies. Overall, once I understood better what this was, I really enjoyed it. Olive, Kara and Prescott were great main characters, especially Olivia. I truly felt for her and her family situation and was rooting for her the whole time.

Somewhere between the scented lip gloss, deadly pen pals, and crazy grandmother lay the real Kara Hallas. A girl who was haunted by far more than I had ever been. And I had just met her.

Content Warnings: Discussion of death, death of a child, drug use/overdose, drug addiction, depression and sex.

BOOK REVIEW: The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

November 12, 2019 / Cassie / 3 Comments

The Upside of Falling by Alex Light
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
It’s been years since seventeen-year-old Becca Hart believed in true love. But when her former best friend teases her for not having a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she’s been secretly seeing someone.

Brett Wells has it all. Being captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in school, he should have no problem finding someone to date, but he’s always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca’s lie, Brett decides to step in and be her mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution: he gets people off his back for not dating and she can keep up the ruse.

Acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy though, especially when you barely know the other person. But with Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When the line between real and pretend begins to blur, they are forced to answer the question: is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives?

I mean, there’s a reason all books end right after the couple gets together. No one wants to keep reading long enough to see the happily ever after turn into an unhappily ever after. Right?

Thank you so much to Edelweiss, Harper TEEN and Alex Light for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Upside of Falling is an adorable book that plays with the fake relationship trope, which is easily one of my favorite tropes. So when I saw that there was a new book coming out with this front and center, I knew I had to have my hands on it. And once I had it, I read it in less than 24 hours haha. I couldn’t put it down.

TUoF centers on Becca Hart and Brett Wells. Becca loves to read romance books, but has never experienced true love in real life. She lives with her mother and helps with her local bakery. Becca doesn’t have too many close friends, especially since her former best friend found herself in the popular crowd and left Becca behind.

Brett Wells, meanwhile, seems to have everything going for him. He’s popular and captain of the football team. He’s smart and kind and his parents dote on him. However, he’s just focused on getting out of high school and securing a college scholarship to make his parents proud. He’s too busy to focus on normal high school things, like girlfriends, and has no problem with that.

That is, until one day when he hears Becca telling a lie about having a boyfriend, he decides to jump in and be that boyfriend. Becca is shocked but goes with it as well and the two come to an easy arrangement. Becca gets to have a popular boyfriend, while Brett gets his parents off his back about having a girlfriend without all the drama and commitment. What could go wrong?

“First you run away when I kiss you. Now you want to break up with me when we haven’t even been dating for a day. Way to break a guy’s heart, Hart.” He poked my leg. “See what I did there?”

I’ve never read To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (sorry!) but I have seen the movie twice and there’s definitely some similarities in terms of them coming up with ground rules, assimilating between their worlds and the fact that both of them, not surprisingly, might begin to feel real feelings.

There’s a lot of wonderful themes in this book past teenagers falling in love for the first time, such as complicated friendships, how complicated relationships with parents can be and the feeling of rejection from those you care about.

If I had to provide any kind of constructive feedback, it mostly boils down to two things: It doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the genre and I wanted more from it. Don’t get me wrong, I adored this book, but I didn’t find anything, outside of maybe the complicated family dynamics, to be new and awe inspiring. I wish the trope had been twisted more, but I imagine that was not the author’s intent. And when I say more, I feel at 288 pages, it was a little light. I would have loved to see this be a little longer, so the relationship between Becca and Brett could have been more complex. It hit all the right notes, but I felt like it was skimming toward the top. I feel we could have gotten a little more in depth with these two and given the book a little more weight.

But overall, I adored this book. If you are looking for a fairly fluffy and happy YA romance, especially with the fake dating relationship trope, you won’t be disappointed. I certainly wasn’t.

The Upside of Falling is available February 18, 2020.

“I’m confused,” I said, “because one day we were strangers and then, bam, we were pretending to be in love. All these lines between what was real and what was fake started to blur and I can’t tell the two apart anymore.”

“Just because we were pretending doesn’t mean it wasn’t real.”

BOOK REVIEW: Find Me Their Bones (Bring Me Their Hearts #2) by Sara Wolf

November 7, 2019 / Jen / 6 Comments

Find Me Their Bones (Bring Me Their Hearts #2)
by Sara Wolf
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
No one can save her.

In order to protect Prince Lucien d’Malvane’s heart, Zera had to betray him. Now, he hates the sight of her. Trapped in Cavanos as a prisoner of the king, she awaits the inevitable moment her witch severs their magical connection and finally ends her life.

But fate isn't ready to give her up just yet.

With freedom coming from the most unlikely of sources, Zera is given a second chance at life as a Heartless. But it comes with a terrible price. As the king mobilizes his army to march against the witches, Zera must tame an elusive and deadly valkerax trapped in the tunnels underneath the city if she wants to regain her humanity.

Winning over a bloodthirsty valkerax? Hard. Winning back her friends before war breaks out? A little harder.

But a Heartless winning back Prince Lucien’s heart?

The hardest thing she’s ever done.

Review:

Find Me Their Bones was an incredible continuation of the Bring Me Their Hearts Series. This book started off right where the last one ended. The action packed pages were filled with secrets, friendship, betrayal, and finding faith in yourself. And it never once slowed down. So hold on because you’re about to be taken on a fabulous journey! So here are some of my favorite things about this book…..

**I’m being forced to choose again. Between my heart and him. But this time… this time I’ll make the right choice.**

✮ Zera & Sacrifice:

“How can something that was a lie mean anything at all?”

Zera was a force to be reckoned with. The fact that she was a heartless who could weep, she was wanted for something special. No matter how dark that path would become, she still had her voice. Zera still had her snark. But she had so much to learn. Who to trust. How to choose what was right. While Zera made some excellent decisions, she also made some that hurt my heart. Even if it was truly for the best.

A thousand things flood my mouth and jockey for first place: I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you. I didn’t mean to hurt you—

I loved that Zera was smart, quick witted and had a heart, even if it wasn’t in her chest. I hoped she’d finally find the path that led her to happiness. Because she had lost so much. Her life felt even more horrific now and I cried for her, for the injustice of it all. It hurt that she had to tarnish herself and the friendships she had with others. Her lies hurt. Her actions hurt. It all hurt. But her reasons behind it were pure hearted. She wanted to make amends with those she betrayed. But I wanted her to be selfish for once. To take what she wanted. She deserved happiness, love and friendship. She was such an amazing person and I kept waiting for her to realize how truly astounding she was.

✮ Prince Lucien & The Truth:

He’s beautiful. And I can’t bear to tear my gaze away. No matter how much I know I should, no matter how much I know I need to push him away, I can’t bring myself to.
Neither of us speaks.

Prince Lucien was even more swoon worthy in Find Me Their Bones. And don’t tell Zera, but I loved him the most! Just like the first book, I looked for clues surrounding Prince Lucien. He emitted anger and disgust towards Zera. After all, she was a heartless who deceived him and murdered others. Yet I kept my fingers crossed that he would see the light for who she truly was.

“You actually think I would tell you the truth? After everything I’ve done?” I whisper up at him.
“I’m giving you another chance to,” he says.

My heart was in my throat when Prince Lucien would say things that made me pause or second guess what he was saying. A touch here. A glance there. Was I only reading into how I wanted it to all turn out? But Prince Lucien was also on an emotional journey. One I can’t say why, other than I was so extremely proud of him!

✮ Lost In The Story:

This one moment is all I could ever ask for. It is all I will ever have, and I tattoo it into every part of my aching flesh.

Find Me Their Bones was perfectly paced and always kept me entertained. There were twists and turns and while I saw a lot of them coming, I was still in shock. I was in disbelief that that truly happened. With heart stopping peril and moments that made me laugh out loud, this book was the perfect combination. So much was revealed and it all became so clear what was happening and where it was all leading us to.

He laughs softly, hollowly, keeping his mouth by my ear. “Don’t look so troubled, Lady Zera. You and I both know it’s true. It was only two weeks. What sort of love is ever true after only two weeks? We were infatuated, and nothing more.”
His thoughts mirror mine, the truth like needles piercing any joy I held secretly.
“And yet,” he says, “emotions aren’t convenient pieces of jewelry you can put on and take off whenever you want to.”

Looking back, I was even more emotional with this story. I had tears for the tiny remnants of friendship I found. I had tears for when the truth was spoken. And I even shed tears for what Zera was able to accomplish. I was SO proud of her. But this story isn’t close to being over, so I’ll be desperately counting down until the next book is released and I can be back in this world I love. I can’t wait to be back with my friends. So yes, I definitely recommend this series. But be prepared, it’s a wild and fabulous ride!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Tag: Young Adult (Page 23 of 157)

BOOK REVIEW: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2) by Brigid Kemmerer

Synopsis:

BOOK REVIEW: Resurrection Girls by Ava Morgyn

Synopsis:

BOOK REVIEW: The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

Synopsis:

BOOK REVIEW: Find Me Their Bones (Bring Me Their Hearts #2) by Sara Wolf

Synopsis:

**I’m being forced to choose again. Between my heart and him. But this time… this time I’ll make the right choice.**

“How can something that was a lie mean anything at all?”

A thousand things flood my mouth and jockey for first place: I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you. I didn’t mean to hurt you—

He’s beautiful. And I can’t bear to tear my gaze away. No matter how much I know I should, no matter how much I know I need to push him away, I can’t bring myself to.
Neither of us speaks.

“You actually think I would tell you the truth? After everything I’ve done?” I whisper up at him.
“I’m giving you another chance to,” he says.

This one moment is all I could ever ask for. It is all I will ever have, and I tattoo it into every part of my aching flesh.

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BOOK REVIEW: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2) by Brigid Kemmerer

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BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman

Synopsis:

Review:

I was so tired of surprises. If I had to meet one more blind date, I would literally go insane.

Ducking, he placed a lingering kiss on the spot right below my ear. The move made my hand shoot out to grip his jersey. Becks laughed silently, little puffs of air hitting my neck, as I shivered.

“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?”“Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.”As he squeezed my hip, I swear I stopped breathing.

This one could only end badly, and when it did, it was going to hurt.A lot.

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BOOK REVIEW: Resurrection Girls by Ava Morgyn

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BOOK REVIEW: The Upside of Falling by Alex Light

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BOOK REVIEW: Find Me Their Bones (Bring Me Their Hearts #2) by Sara Wolf

Synopsis:

I’m being forced to choose again. Between my heart and him. But this time… this time I’ll make the right choice.

“How can something that was a lie mean anything at all?”

A thousand things flood my mouth and jockey for first place: I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you. I didn’t mean to hurt you—

He’s beautiful. And I can’t bear to tear my gaze away. No matter how much I know I should, no matter how much I know I need to push him away, I can’t bring myself to. Neither of us speaks.

“You actually think I would tell you the truth? After everything I’ve done?” I whisper up at him.“I’m giving you another chance to,” he says.

This one moment is all I could ever ask for. It is all I will ever have, and I tattoo it into every part of my aching flesh.

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“But Becks,” she whined, “I don’t understand. Why her?”
“Nothing to understand really,” he said, smiling down at me. “Sal’s my girl. Always has been.”
As he squeezed my hip, I swear I stopped breathing.

This one could only end badly, and when it did, it was going to hurt.
A lot.

**I’m being forced to choose again. Between my heart and him. But this time… this time I’ll make the right choice.**

He’s beautiful. And I can’t bear to tear my gaze away. No matter how much I know I should, no matter how much I know I need to push him away, I can’t bring myself to.
Neither of us speaks.

“You actually think I would tell you the truth? After everything I’ve done?” I whisper up at him.
“I’m giving you another chance to,” he says.