Left Drowning

The book is devastatingly perfect!! The characters are...Intense! But in a very good way. I've read this author's other books so I drove in with my eyes wide open because I knew it would be a great read and boy was it! I couldn't put it down, that is until about half way through when I had to because I just needed a chapter. Yes a chapter break. I had so many emotion rolling through me I had to put it down and take a breath. The protagonist Blythe is so lost yet so strong, she's living yet she not. All of the characters are fantastic!! Chris and Sabin are perfect! When I needed a laugh I could count on something funny coming from Sabin. When I needed to swoon I could count on Chris to make that happen. I loved how these characters interacted. How they hurt each other so much yet were there at the most important times. They are all dealing with issues from there past but are still there to offer support to the others.
This story is Dark and Sexy! It's Devastating and Gut Wrenching! It's Heart Warming and Heart Wrenching! It's everything I've ever needed in a book. It took me on a ride that I will never forget. I will re-read this one for years to come.

A poorly written "50 Shades of Gray" wanna be. The plot is predictable from the moment you start the first page. The characters are flat (especially the hot boyfriend). Really disappointed.

First of all, this book is a lot of smut-which I didn't really expect by the description. Not that I necessarily have a problem with smut, but honestly the main driving factor of this book seemed to be the erotic descriptions both in interactions alone with herself and with the main male lead. It didn't really seem to be that the book was one about their emotional baggage and healing with some sex thrown in, but more about all the sex and then the past wounds and interactions that seemed to be side-thoughts to the driving factor-which was sex. So if you go in with that understanding, maybe it won't be so shocking for you.

Also, sometimes the sex scenes would be kind of enthralling and then they'd say something totally bizarre that pulled me entire out of it, so I wasn't very keen on this author's writing style as she just lost me about half way through some of them. I listened to the audio book, but I'm thinking this one would have been better to read rather than listen to, as then I could have put it in my own voice and maybe not been so... Weirded out? Yeah, I was weirded out a couple of times.

Also, it was pretty predictable. I guessed every single plot twist before it happened, this is normal for me, but this time it just seemed too easy to guess where they the connections and turns would happen. So this book gets three stars, the third one just because there were some great quotes that I related to or loved. There was also some good to it, so it did have some redeemable qualities.

Read halfway and just couldn't connect with the characters.

I originally bought this book on a whim because I loved the cover art, read the summary on the back and then was sucked in after reading the first few pages in the store. This was a year ago, and I can still remember everything that happened in the book very vividly. The story focuses on Blythe and her life after an unspeakable tragedy affects her family. Throughout the course of the book she is learning how to cope with what happened to her family and not forget, but move on with her life, instead of being stuck in the past. As the book goes on you slowly begin learning about the other main character, Chris and the rest of his family. I don't want to give anything away but the things you come to find out about Chris & his family will stun you.

Jessica Park creates such great characters that aren't just one level, but have many different dimensions to them. They aren't your normal supporting characters who sugarcoat everything, but they tell Blythe the things she needs to hear but really doesn't want to. You will fall in love with all of the supporting characters just as much as the main characters, Blythe & Chris.

This is one of those books that leaves an impact on your life, even a year later remembering some parts give me chills just thinking about them. It's not a book you read to feel better about yourself, but one that after reading it you take a second look at your own life. I have recommended this book to almost all of their friends, and after reading the short sample they become hooked as well. This book was a definite top 5 of the books I have read in the past year. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be angry, you'll be happy, get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions, because you are in for quite the ride!

Also I think I should mention that today is the one year anniversary of the publication of Left Drowning, so you should probably not miss out on reading this book any longer!

Jessica Park’s unflinching ability to get inside the minds and emotions of tragically damaged souls is unparalleled in Left Drowning. You’ll fall in love with the main characters, Blythe and Chris, both of whom have been emotionally broken, and struggle to put themselves--and each other--back together again.

Graphically descriptive and steamy sex scenes (think 50 Shades of Gray without the bondage) and brutal parental abuse make this book a bit advanced for teens, and not true coming-of-age or YA as it is described on Amazon, in my opinion.

This is the third Park novel I’ve devoured, and eagerly await the delivery of the sequel, which I just ordered. Raw and real, Left Drowning will leave you caring about every character in the book, long after the last page has been turned.

I’m still not too sure how I feel after reading this, but I will say that it is a very quick and easy read—4 hours tops. If you’re into cliche, wattpad-like chick lit, then this is for you. There were times where I was hooked, and other times where I cringed a little bit. Storyline is incredibly predictable and characters are a little too “quirky”, but it’s still relatively interesting and they’re still very lovable. Some other reviews mentioned that it was heartbreaking; I was surprised and a little disappointed that I didn’t feel anything very strongly while reading it, and this is coming from someone who is very connected with her emotions and can especially project them through reading. Overall, not bad but not amazing. Of course, this is just my opinion based on my personal reader experience, and I definitely commend Ms. Park and her team for all the time and effort that must have been put into a well-written book such as this.

I so loved the "Flat out" books that it is hard to believe that this is the same author. It was just really difficult to find anything in these characters to relate to. The wealth and time these young people had was just hard to believe. The level of drama and tragedy that was heaped on everyone all the time was just too much. There were the occasional insightful lines, but it was not balanced by the continuous and relentless drama. The fairly well-crafted sex scenes also transitioned into drama, drama, drama... it was exhausting. I'll not be wasting my time on the second book.

I love this book so much, it is absolutely great. IT IS HIGHLY EXPLICIT AND FILLED WITH INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE FOR CHILDREN. If you are mature I 100% recommend it.

I procrastinated starting this book because I know every time I start reading a Jessica Park novel I get sucked in so completely I lose track of everything around me. I needed some clear reading time, which often means reading through the night because I can't put it down. She blew me away again! I laughed and I cried but it was a good cry. Her characters are so real I expect to look up and see them next to me.