Author: Penelope Douglas
Publication date: December 4th 2013
Source: Purchased via Amazon
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble
Have you ever been so angry that hitting things felt good? Or so numb that you actually felt high? The past few years have been like that for me. Traveling between fury and indifference with no stops in between.
Some people hate me for it, while others are scared of me. But none of them can hurt me, because I don't care about anything or anyone.
Except Tatum.
I love her so much that I hate her. We used to be friends, but I found out that I couldn't trust her or anyone else.
So I hurt her. I pushed her away.
But I still need her. The sight of her centers me, and I can pool all of my anger into her. Engaging her, challenging her, bullying her...they are my food, my air, and the last part of me that feels anything human.
But she left. She went to France for a year, and came back a different girl.
Now, when I push, she pushes back.
(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)
Review:
Fact #1: I am absolutely in love with Penelope Douglas.
Fact #2: I absolutely loved Bully and I don't think it's possible for me to love a book more...
Fact #3: Penelope Douglas proved me wrong: I loved Until You more than Bully.
Fact #4: See Fact #3.
All those things stated about are true. Ever since I read Bully a few months back, I felt like I had found my book soul mate (I instantly ordered a print copy to love and cuddle with), I actually wanted to have book babies with it even though Bully is technically a girl... #Awkward But when Penelope Douglas, the amazing woman that she is, announced that she would be releasing a book written in Jared's point of view, I knew that I had my chance to make those babies. Normally I do not really like reading books re-told in the male's point of view but I just knew that I needed to read this book and I was right, I friggin' loved it. Seriously.
When you read Bully, you are able to experience Tate's growth and maturity as the book goes on but in Until You, you see it instead. You actually become Jared (yup, I was finally a real boy, papa!) and you experience the exact turmoil that Tate only managed to see. It was fun reading this book because in Bully Tate also asks what Jared may be thinking and in this book, Jared questions the same thing, it is like what an awkward couple dance around each other, trying to get close but too nervous to take that step. But more than that, I knew from the first book that Jared was a deeper character than you read about, it is not just his past that gives him depth, it is actually his whole person. He is made up on tiny little Jared-shaped facets that make up who he is, and if you keep pounding and pounding at him, then he will break apart and you will see the real him, the Jared that he tries so hard to hide: someone who is vulnerable and who loved unconditionally (I bet you are singing the Katy Perry song right now... aaaand I am.)
As if we needed a visual on Jared's abs and his tattoos, now I need a print of this book just so I can perv on him. What, he is legal! It does not even help that not only does he get hotter in this book, Penelope Douglas literally just wants you to fall in love with him in this one. The thing with Jared is that he is a lover but he does not know exactly how to convey all the feelings he has inside of him. But the thing that wrecked me was that he always tries, he makes the effort to do what he can to make Tate happy and for me, the effort will always count the most. Oh, Jared, just take meeeee. *opens arms*
It was great that Penelope Douglas filled out all the holes that were left in Bully in this one. You really get the whole experience because all the unanswered questions were brought out and clarified in Until You. Penelope Douglas was right not to describe this as a retelling of Bully because it is not, it actually feels like a whole novel in itself. I am going to say that I have never enjoyed a book written in a male's POV more than this one because while it may have been a guy narrating, the book still managed to give me the shiver and made my insides tingle. I think those feelings intensified even more because of the fact that it was written in Jared's point of view.
Until You made me laugh, giggle, get all "kilig" (<-- there is no right English term for this), cry, get uber pissed and made me fall in love with Jared again... okay, even Tate. I adored Tate in Bully because of her fierce and confident attitude but seeing her the way Jared sees her, puts her in a whole different light. That is what Jared did, he puts her underneath a bright and reverent light that just shows how much he really cares for her because Jared did not just love her, he struggled with his feelings for Tate. He was confused, did he love her or did her hate her? It was interesting reading about Jared's inner turmoil and what he had to do to come into peace with his decisions. It was enlightening reliving Jared's past and all of the things that happen to him, they really broke my heart and I cried... a lot. Penelope Douglas' ability to tug at your heartstrings completely amazes me; one minute you are bawling like a babby and the next you are guffawing like a maniac or even Hannibal Lecter-lauging, it is either I am PMS-ing or she is just that good.
All I can really say is: Penelope Douglas has done it again... and more! Until You is the most perfect companion novel I have ever read and I am honestly not shocked that I loved it this much (though I am shocked that I enjoyed it so much more than Bully) because I already know that Penelope Douglas has an amazing talent for writing, it is already a guarantee that I will read anything that she will write... even if it is a collection of all her conversations with her hubby about the zombie apocalypse, corsets and fans. I love her and her books that much, yup, I feel super creepy. But seriously speaking, you will not regret reading Until You and if you have not read this series yet, now is the best time to start with Fall Away series because trust me, you need this series in your life. I am really looking forward to the next book of the series because it is about Maddoc and if there is one thing I know about Maddoc, it is that no moment with him will ever be boring. *winks at Maddoc* I'll see you soon, baby, just don't tell Jared.
It was great that Penelope Douglas filled out all the holes that were left in Bully in this one. You really get the whole experience because all the unanswered questions were brought out and clarified in Until You. Penelope Douglas was right not to describe this as a retelling of Bully because it is not, it actually feels like a whole novel in itself. I am going to say that I have never enjoyed a book written in a male's POV more than this one because while it may have been a guy narrating, the book still managed to give me the shiver and made my insides tingle. I think those feelings intensified even more because of the fact that it was written in Jared's point of view.
Until You made me laugh, giggle, get all "kilig" (<-- there is no right English term for this), cry, get uber pissed and made me fall in love with Jared again... okay, even Tate. I adored Tate in Bully because of her fierce and confident attitude but seeing her the way Jared sees her, puts her in a whole different light. That is what Jared did, he puts her underneath a bright and reverent light that just shows how much he really cares for her because Jared did not just love her, he struggled with his feelings for Tate. He was confused, did he love her or did her hate her? It was interesting reading about Jared's inner turmoil and what he had to do to come into peace with his decisions. It was enlightening reliving Jared's past and all of the things that happen to him, they really broke my heart and I cried... a lot. Penelope Douglas' ability to tug at your heartstrings completely amazes me; one minute you are bawling like a babby and the next you are guffawing like a maniac or even Hannibal Lecter-lauging, it is either I am PMS-ing or she is just that good.
All I can really say is: Penelope Douglas has done it again... and more! Until You is the most perfect companion novel I have ever read and I am honestly not shocked that I loved it this much (though I am shocked that I enjoyed it so much more than Bully) because I already know that Penelope Douglas has an amazing talent for writing, it is already a guarantee that I will read anything that she will write... even if it is a collection of all her conversations with her hubby about the zombie apocalypse, corsets and fans. I love her and her books that much, yup, I feel super creepy. But seriously speaking, you will not regret reading Until You and if you have not read this series yet, now is the best time to start with Fall Away series because trust me, you need this series in your life. I am really looking forward to the next book of the series because it is about Maddoc and if there is one thing I know about Maddoc, it is that no moment with him will ever be boring. *winks at Maddoc* I'll see you soon, baby, just don't tell Jared.
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