Today, I'm happy to be one of the blog stops on the Going Under Blog Tour to celebrate Walden's latest release, Going Under!
Going Under
By: S. Walden
Now Available!!!
Going Under on Goodreads here.
Now Available!!!
Going Under on Goodreads here.
Synopsis:
Brooke Wright has only two goals her senior year at Charity Run High School: stay out of trouble and learn to forgive herself for the past. Forgiveness proves elusive, and trouble finds her anyway when she discovers a secret club at school connected to the death of her best friend. She learns that swim team members participate in a “Fantasy Slut League,” scoring points for their sexual acts with unsuspecting girls.
Brooke, wracked with guilt over her friend’s death, decides to infiltrate the league by becoming one of the “unsuspecting girls,” and exact revenge on the boys who stole away her best friend. An unexpected romance complicates her plans, and her dogged pursuit of justice turns her reckless as she underestimates just how far the boys will go to keep their sex club a secret.
(This is a New Adult fiction book with mature themes. It contains graphic sex and language and a description of sexual violence.)
Brooke Wright has only two goals her senior year at Charity Run High School: stay out of trouble and learn to forgive herself for the past. Forgiveness proves elusive, and trouble finds her anyway when she discovers a secret club at school connected to the death of her best friend. She learns that swim team members participate in a “Fantasy Slut League,” scoring points for their sexual acts with unsuspecting girls.
Brooke, wracked with guilt over her friend’s death, decides to infiltrate the league by becoming one of the “unsuspecting girls,” and exact revenge on the boys who stole away her best friend. An unexpected romance complicates her plans, and her dogged pursuit of justice turns her reckless as she underestimates just how far the boys will go to keep their sex club a secret.
(This is a New Adult fiction book with mature themes. It contains graphic sex and language and a description of sexual violence.)
My Thoughts:
Very intense read...
Seriously, this title is not for the faint of heart who are looking for a feel good book with a guaranteed happily ever after. No, Going Under is a story of one girl's need for revenge. Going Under wasn't a typical read for me, but did I ever get sucked into Walden's world and Becca's need for vengeance against the boys responsible for her best friend's death. It truly shocked me to think that not one but multiple boys could be as sick and twisted as the ones that attend Becca's school.
Becca is a very complicated and damaged heroine, but while I had a difficult time empathizing (and sometimes) liking, her, I always rooted for her success in exacting her revenge, although I'm not sure completely sure the emotional loss was worth the end result.
There is a romance to this story (and a flipping AMAZING one at that), but even our hero, Ryan, has many damages and layers to him that Becca can't quite make out. He's an enigma- both strong and fragile. He's got major skeletons in his closet and is keeping a HUGE secret from Becca, one that could destroy everything that these two have, together. I really enjoyed the way Walden treated the growth of these two's relationship, especially towards the end of the novel.
There is a scene in this book that is pretty graphic and definitely disturbing and once again, I feel the need to warn those who are faint of heart, that you might want to pass on this. However, even though Going Under was a much darker read than I'm used to, I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless and am so glad that I didn't shy away from the warnings included with its synopsis. Walden has taken the controversial subject of rape, and showcased all of its ugly elements in the darkest and most honest way possible.
Going Under is a dark psychological thriller with an unconventional (but thrilling) Romance and I would recommend it to those who wish to read a well written contemporary New Adult title.
Happy Reading!!! (Although it feels ironic to include my regular 3 exclamation marks after such a dark review ;))
Seriously, this title is not for the faint of heart who are looking for a feel good book with a guaranteed happily ever after. No, Going Under is a story of one girl's need for revenge. Going Under wasn't a typical read for me, but did I ever get sucked into Walden's world and Becca's need for vengeance against the boys responsible for her best friend's death. It truly shocked me to think that not one but multiple boys could be as sick and twisted as the ones that attend Becca's school.
Becca is a very complicated and damaged heroine, but while I had a difficult time empathizing (and sometimes) liking, her, I always rooted for her success in exacting her revenge, although I'm not sure completely sure the emotional loss was worth the end result.
There is a romance to this story (and a flipping AMAZING one at that), but even our hero, Ryan, has many damages and layers to him that Becca can't quite make out. He's an enigma- both strong and fragile. He's got major skeletons in his closet and is keeping a HUGE secret from Becca, one that could destroy everything that these two have, together. I really enjoyed the way Walden treated the growth of these two's relationship, especially towards the end of the novel.
There is a scene in this book that is pretty graphic and definitely disturbing and once again, I feel the need to warn those who are faint of heart, that you might want to pass on this. However, even though Going Under was a much darker read than I'm used to, I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless and am so glad that I didn't shy away from the warnings included with its synopsis. Walden has taken the controversial subject of rape, and showcased all of its ugly elements in the darkest and most honest way possible.
Going Under is a dark psychological thriller with an unconventional (but thrilling) Romance and I would recommend it to those who wish to read a well written contemporary New Adult title.
Happy Reading!!! (Although it feels ironic to include my regular 3 exclamation marks after such a dark review ;))
Walden's Top Ten Favourite Books of All Time
1. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
2. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
3. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
4. Naked by David Sedaris
5. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Patterson
6. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
7. The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan
8. The Giver by Lois Lowry
9. The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
10. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
About the Author:
S. Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a full-time writer. She 
Connect with Walden:
Giveaway time!!! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win one of 3 awesome prizes!
Good luck to all!
Hayley,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for being a part of my GOING UNDER tour and for taking the time to review my work.
<3 Summer
You're more than welcome, Summer! Going Under was a pleasure to review, thank you for stopping by! :)
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