Send by Patty Blount

To keep his secrets, all he has to do is listen to the voice in his head and just walk away...
On his first day at his new high school, Dan stops a bully from beating up a kid half his size. He didn't want to get involved. All he wants out of his senior year is to fly under the radar. But Dan knows what it's like to be terrorized by a bully-he used to be one. Now the whole school thinks he's some kind of hero, except Julie Murphy, the prettiest girl on campus. She looks at him like she knows he has a secret. Like she knows his name isn't really Daniel.

Goodreads Summary


Dan is a complex character. He might not be the type of person that the readers could picture themselves liking, but I think the reader will make an exception for him. Having been through a lot, Dan is tough and hardened, but not so hardened that he won't help a fellow student from being bullied. Dan's stepping in may result in trouble for him, however. He knows he needs to protect his parents and grandfather from his past and he must keep a low profile. What did Dan do that was so horrible? Can he be forgiven?

This book isn't the easiest read. The plot centers on bullying and suicide. The author writes fluidly and emotionally, injecting depth into many of the characters' conversations and actions. Dan's character is fairly even keel. He strongly believes that he must punish himself and deserved what he got. Julie, the mysterious love interest, has erratic hot and cold behavior that the reader may find annoying-but is there a reason? Brandon, the student being bullied, is a perfect foil for Dan. Brandon's character is so beaten down and angry that the readers will want to hug him, try to make him feel better, and yell at the bullies. Overall, the characters are believable and easy to relate to. They will remind the readers of that one student always bullied at school and the protective friend they may have had. Dan's past "transgression" and his current situation mirror each other very closely; the reader will love how everything ties together in the end. Although this book is certainly an emotional rollercoaster ride, it is certainly worth reading.


4 Stars



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