Trust

by Kylie Scott

• ISBN10: 1546768092
• ISBN13: 9781546768098
• Publish Date: 23 May 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 374
• Language: English

Reviews

[Cocktails and Books]

I have always enjoyed Kylie Scott's books but Trust by far is my favorite by far.

Edie has just lived through the unthinkable - surviving a convenience store hold up and witnessing 2 people die has changed her forever.  Now her best friend has sold her out for a story Edie switches schools hoping for a new start and where she hasn't punched anyone.  Of course, the new school is also where John goes the other survivor of that night.  Now with new friends and John who is the only other person who truly understands what happened can Edie move forward, more importantly, can she move forward with John?

John a dealer just happened to be at the convenience store that night selling for his brother he just did what he had to to make sure he and the others made it out alive.  Now looking to change his life which includes becoming friends with Edie he knows he wants more out of his life than dealing drugs for his brother and this being his senior year he still has time to make a change.  What he didn't count on was becoming close to Edie - always been a player now he finds himself having feelings for her.

What I loved about Trust is that it takes stereo typical high school kids and makes them make changes in their lives and to become self-aware.  It's unfortunate that happens because of a horrific event but that is true in life, our experiences shape us and boy did this experience shape, John, and Edie.  Told from Edie's POV we get to see her evolution especially on how she sees herself.  Always been a bigger girl she comes to realize that shouldn't define her and when John who just happens to be one of the cutest boys in school and he likes her that makes it even better.  The writing is top notch mixed with great dialog and great exposition throughout the book.  There are some great secondary characters - Edie and John\'s friends especially.  I would have liked a little more interaction with Edie's mom there is some but we really get it at the end of the book.   The story has a great ending which to me seemed true for this story.

All in all, I loved Trust - it's a great YA novel that covers some very intense situations and the light at the end.

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

I am not an avid reader of the Young Adult genre, but this book kept calling my name. To be honest, it had nothing to do with the author as my experience with her was limited, having only read one book written by her. The synopsis was the driving force behind my decision to read Trust by Kylie Scott.This story differs from anything I have read before. Its unique storyline sucked me in and if it were not for my busy work schedule, I would have finished it sooner than I did. It tells the story of two high school students who were brought together because of a tragic event which would forever change their lives. Trust is a coming of age story that embraces the themes of friendship, love, drug addiction and fat shaming.The title aptly fits the story as this was what Edie was forced to do when she found herself in the middle of a hostage situation involving a crazed drug addict. Placing her trust in a complete stranger was the last thing on her mind when she went to purchase snacks in the middle of the night dressed in nothing but her PJs and flip-flops. Her fear at that moment was palpable. She had no idea if she would get out alive. However, in the midst of all the chaos, she discovered she was not alone. There was a guy, a teenager like herself, who went above and beyond to secure her safety. The two found themselves bound to each other through shared memories of a night they would both prefer to forget.The highlight of the story for me was the unlikely friendship that developed between John and Edie. They never expected to see each other again after that fateful night. However, Edie’s decision to change schools led to their paths crossing once again. Theirs was a friendship borne out of tragedy, but it would provide them with the healing they both needed. Despite the challenges faced, their friendship developed to the point where lines became blurred and so not only do they have to deal with painful memories, they have to figure out if their feelings for each other were real.I admired Edie for her strength of character. She refused to be labelled a victim. Her body was on the plump side and she faced constant shaming as a result, but she did not allow the hateful remarks define her. She accepted herself the way she was, and no intention of changing to please others. In spite of this, there were moments when her insecurities would rear its head, especially around John. Not only is she a fighter, she is caring and funny.I loved how John was with Edie. His need to protect her extended beyond that fateful night. John has his share of struggles, however, he always finds time for Edie whenever she needed him. They were protective of each other and they had each other’s back at all times. I loved that John saw beyond her plumpness and accepted all of her.The secondary characters played their part in making this story shine. They provided enough laughter to balance out the pain, fears and angst.I did have a few issues with the story, but it did not take away from my enjoyment.I thought the situation with John and his brother could have been handled better. The whole scenario was rushed and lacking in details.The story was told primarily from Edie’s POV. It would have been great to be privy to John’s inner thoughts and feelings. My knowledge of his struggles and feelings were gained from Edie’s perspective. I believe that having the story from John’s POV would have made the story that more realistic, especially as it relates to their romance. Edie’s feelings for John were obvious based on her inner dialogue, but it was difficult discerning how John’s true feelings.I expected more information in regards to Edie’s feelings after the traumatic incident. I understood why she had trouble sleeping, but the other aspects did not ring true for someone who stared death in the face.Recommendation/ConclusionIn spite of the issues, Trust is an enjoyable read and fans of the YA genre and Kylie Scott will fall in love with this book.

[stacey_is_sassy]

Trust me...It's ALIVE!!

I enjoyed it but it's hard to turn off my mum brain.

I know I can waffle. If you want to skip the waffling and go straight to my thoughts on Trust, go to the paragraph starting with ***.

Here’s the thing, I finished Grade 12/Senior at the age of sixteen. I had no desire to go on to further studies so my parents gave me an alternative…get a job or keep studying. I was determined and had a job secured before I even finished school. At seventeen, I was finished school, working and living like an adult. Yes, I was still at home, but, I was expected to act and behave like a responsible adult. Which is why I struggle to understand how an eighteen-year-old can sit in a class and have a teacher treat them like a little kid. I think I would have been attending regular sessions of detention because I told a teacher to stick it where the sun don’t shine.

And…this is why YA and I don’t always jell.

I tried hard, but I really don't get YA and struggle to see myself in their shoes. The teenage "angsty love" in the school hallways is unfamiliar to me because I went to an all-girls Catholic school. The eighteen-year-old who has a curfew seems weird. Facing repercussions for sharing an opinion with a teacher seems wrong. As adults, we have repercussions and choices to make but I learnt them a lot younger than eighteen. I was an adult at eighteen. I did not hide behind my parents if I made a bad decision. I was not sent to the naughty corner to contemplate my bad decisions. If I ran out of money, I did without. That's the way it was...back in the olden days. 😉

I tend to read YA with my mum hat on. I am analysing what I, as a parent, would do if my child went off the rails or was faced with angsty high school drama. When I read about body issues, alcohol, drugs and truancy, I’m wondering if I would have seen the signs. What rules will I have in place? Have I taught my kids right from wrong? Do they know that they’re loved unconditionally? Have I taught them to respect themselves as well as other around them? I can’t turn my mum brain off.

Reading YA kind of feels a little pervy and wrong. While I appreciate the beauty of the cover model, I can't help thinking *he's just a skinny kid*. While I appreciate and enjoy the story, the romance part is a little harder for me to enjoy.

As per usual, I’ve waffled on about stuff...

***Trust was pretty awesome. It was well written, dealt with some tough issues and had me feeling a wide range of emotions. Edie and John have faced one of the most horrific experiences and lived to tell the tale. Both of them came out the other side as different people with a different mindset. Edie realises it’s time to start living and to some extent, grow a backbone. John has lived a wild life but after his experience, he realises wild isn’t so great especially if you end up dead because of it. One wants to go a little wild and the other wants to take a step back from wild. Hopefully, they meet somewhere in the middle.

Look, if I was going to get converted and become a fan of YA, I think it would be Kylie Scott’s style of YA that would do it. The characters aren’t stupidly immature or reckless. Yes, they take unnecessary risks that made me tut-tut a little, but I can honestly say that I didn’t roll my eyes once. To me, that is definitely a sign of success. I liked the characters, found the storyline interesting and never felt frustrated or confused. There are some sexy shenanigans between the main characters as well as some thoughts and chatter about sexual situations. Trust does deal with death, depression, anger and drug addiction. You see it and you also see the fallout of dealing with it as well. It’s all handled really well.

While Young Adult Romance is not something I go looking for, Kylie Scott is. I really like her writing and enjoyed settling in for Edie and John’s emotional journey.




I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 3.5 Stars

This book started with a bang, literally. It was a satisfying friends to more story featuring a lot of things I really liked, such as:

The bonding over a tragic event. Because John and Edie shared this harrowing experience together, some of the intensity in their friendship made sense. It gave them a common ground, where they really didn't have any and was definitely a driving force in their friendship.

I always love the idea that people can grow and change. John and Edie both had a near death experience, and it prompted both of them to make some life changes. John was trying to walk the straight and narrow, while Edie was sort of spinning out. I was glad they had each other as an anchor when they really needed it.

Scott built some great friends and family into this story. I sort of really love Hang. She was quite a steadfast friend to Edie. She provided a lot of comic relief (along with Anders, John's friend), but she also provided Edie with support when she really needed it, and she was not super judgmental when it came to some of Edie's choices. I also liked the dynamic between Edie and her mom. It was interesting to see her go all tiger mom.

The ending was quite satisfying and left me with that sense of closure that I require. I cannot lie, it also left me with a smile.

[Kelly]

Contains sensitivities such as violence, assault, substance abuse and intimidation.

Seventeen year old Edith has been taken hostage. Lying on the floor of the convince store bloodied and terrified. While Edie survived the volatile hostage the repercussions of her trauma have altered Edie's perspective, abandoning her private school education and enrolling at the local public school in Northern California where she will become another young woman within the nondescript student community.

John is plagued by nightmares. Surviving the convenience store ordeal, the former narcotics trafficker is determined to change perceptions, returning to solitary and exclusion. Although John internalises the confrontation, Edie reluctantly attends counselling. Tethered by the harrowing experience, Edie and John discover companionship in one another, a tentative friendship flourishing.

Edie is a quiet, intellectual young woman who survived a terrifying and violent hostage incident. Although experiencing anxiety, the incident has emphasised how fragile our lives are when faced with adversity and encourages Edie to appreciate each moment. Edie is magnificent. Mostly. Her tenacity to confront her oppressor was a culmination of abuse and torment because she's a voluptuous young woman. Edie is confident but experiences moments of insecurity but with her positive perspective, refuses to allow others to demoralise or degrade her. It was wonderfully portrayed.

John is an intriguing young man who was coerced into dispensing narcotics after his parents relocated, placing John under the supervision of his brother. John is afflicted by post traumatic stress disorder and although often agitated and sullen, remained resilient although tormented by nightmares. Aesthetically, John is a prototypical male protagonist. Attractive, indifferent and assured. In an act of altruism, John valiantly liberates Edie by confronting the perpetrator. Throughout their tentative friendship, John and Edie are a tremendous support to one another.

If rumours are to be believed, John prefers sexual encounters with various consenting partners. Positive sexual liberation is a wonderful exploration for teens but John and Edie became too dependant on their friendship to allow the other to explore relationships beyond their companionship. The gradual relationship between John and Edie was lovely but the decision to begin their physical relationship felt contrived. The narrative ventured into what is typically viewed as a conventional new adult romance and although I applaud authors who create positive sexual content, I felt mildly disappointed. Trust also touches upon post traumatic stress disorder, abuse, substance abuse and domestic violence. Delicately.

Kylie Scott is a wonderfully accomplished author. Trust is a pragmatic and conscientious narrative, captivating and tender, emphasising our fragility when faced with adversity. To appreciate each moment.