ARC Review ~ Come Sit By Me by Thomas Hoobler

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Author: Thomas Hoobler
Available Formats: eBook
Publisher: Booktrope 
Publication Date:         
Pages: 218
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The boy who shot seven people in the school library is dead. But did his secrets die with him?

 Something terrible happened at Hamilton High last year, and those who survived don't want to relive the past. But Paul has just arrived, and gets the same locker that the shooter used. He wants to know what really happened...and you know what curiosity did to the cat.

My So-Called Review:

When I came across Come Sit by Me on NetGalley the first thing that struck me & made me click on it was the cover, I was totally intrigued by the ominous tone; who was this boy and what secrets was he hiding? When I read the synopsis I thought it sounded fascinating and dark, once I pared that feeling with my initial questions from the book cover I was instantly excited at the prospect of a truly gritty, contemporary YA read. This is one that made me itchy with excitement so the moment I was approved for it I settled down, began to read and then didn’t get up again until after I finished it.

Paul is new in town, he just moved here with his younger sister and their writer father. While enrolling for his senior year at his new school he learns he’s been assigned a locker that previously belonged to Caleb, the boy responsible for shooting and killing 7 people last year before turning the gun on himself. For reasons Paul’s unable to explain; he feels an instant connection to Caleb, one that causes him to seek out answers to why Caleb did what he did. The rest of the town and the students just want to put it behind them and forget but Paul isn’t satisfied with that conclusion and sets out to uncover the story behind Caleb’s motive. The more he searches into Caleb’s past and discovers who he was, the more Paul realizes that something about the day of the shooting isn’t quite adding up and his search for answers could cost him more than he bargained for!

I loved Come Sit by Me, I started reading it early one morning and I don’t think I moved for the rest of the day until I finished it. Right from page one I was completely engrossed in this story and I wanted to know just as Paul did what really happened that day, it was obvious to me that something didn’t fit but I wasn’t sure what it was. I loved Paul’s voice, everything about it. He’s certainly a character that a lot of people won’t like; he’s rude, crass and makes some pretty disturbing comments towards a few of the girls in regards to their looks. But the thing is, were inside Paul’s head and these are his thoughts, honestly he’s a 17 year old boy and I think this was a pretty accurate depiction of the thoughts running through their head. I personally feel this is WAY more authentic then when you read a teen boy’s POV and he’s super sweet, sensitive and kind. Not that these boys don’t exist because they do, I just think Paul’s voice was more realistic.

This is definitely a book that will split adults, you’ll either love it or you’ll hate it. With teens I can see this book being hugely popular, not only does it deal with things that are prevalent to their world but each character, good and bad, is easy to connect with. Combine that with a clear writing style, fast paced plot & some juicy twists and teens will gobble this one up! Highly recommended to all YA teens ages 14 and up, this is a must read! I would also highly recommend this to adults who are interested in getting inside the true psyche of today’s American teenager, regardless of what you might find there!

Thank you to publishers, Booktrope and to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary, advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!