Review: Leah Raeder's "Unteachable."

@KirstyLBooks

Review: Leah Raeder's "Unteachable."

Amazon UK:   http://amzn.to/15isK7y

Amazon.com:  http://amzn.to/16R6Ega

Synopsis:

This novel contains graphic sexual content and strong language. It is intended for mature readers. 

I met him at a carnival, of all corny places. The summer I turned eighteen, in that chaos of neon lights and cheap thrills, I met a man so sweet, so beautiful, he seemed to come from another world. We had one night: intense, scary, real. Then I ran, like I always do. Because I didn’t want to be abandoned again.

But I couldn’t run far enough.

I knew him as Evan that night. When I walked into his classroom, he became Mr. Wilke.  My teacher.

I don’t know if what we’re doing is wrong. The rules say one thing; my heart says screw the rules. I can’t let him lose his job. And I can’t lose him.

In the movies, this would have a happy ending. I grow up. I love, I lose, I learn. And I move on. But this is life, and there’s no script. You make it up as you go along.

And you don’t pray for a happy ending. You pray for it to never end.

Review: Kirsty Lander

When I started this book I was looking for a 5* read that would blow me away. I didn't get that.. I got a pretty good book that had both good and bad parts. I guess I can't really complain?

To start off, I've never read a book that is written quite the same as this. I can't put my finger on what it was, but I felt the writing was, at times, a little bizarre. It was almost as if Maise was just reeling off a list of events to get to the juicy stuff. I don't know.. As I said, it's hard to pin point it exactly but it didn't completely work for me. 

Maise was an interesting character for me. I really didn't like her so much to start off with.

 "Thanks Dad, for leaving a huge void in my life that Freud says has to be filled with dick." 

See? Not the most likeable! She spends her days seeking out older men to sleep with without a care in the world. So when she comes across Evan, at a carnival all by himself, I'm sure she thinks all her Christmas' have come at once. She's hit the jackpot. Not only is he an older man, but a gorgeous older man. Now, I'm not totally mean. I do get her to a certain extent. She has had an awful childhood, taking on the role of parent for her junkie mum. It's sad, heartbreaking, unforgivable. No child should have to live that way. But I just simply didn't like her. She rubbed me the wrong way, I have no other reason for it. 

"Part of falling in love with someone is falling in love with yourself. Realizing that you're gorgeous, you're fearless and unpredictable, you're a firecracker spitting light, entrancing a hundred faces that stare up at you with starry eyes."

But where the story did work for me was with Evan. I really enjoyed this strange and complex character. I say strange because in all honesty, right from the off he was an odd one. What was he doing out at a carnival by himself? Anyway, moving on.. Throughout the story we get little glimpses in to the person that Evan is and what makes him tick. You could tell early on that Evan was hiding things, little clues here and there, but it's not for a long time that we find out what it is. And I was shocked. Never saw it coming at all. I love when that happens with my reading!

The story itself I enjoyed. I love a 'forbidden romance' and a teacher/student one is the best kind, IMO. I've read a few and this was not my favourite, but I still enjoyed it. I didn't feel like what they were doing was 'forbidden enough', which I'm sure is an awful thing to say, but I never really felt the danger in it. For one, it was repeatedly stated everything was legal, secondly Maise was not a young and naive character. She was very aware of the world and old for her age, it made the whole affair less wrong in my eyes. 

"I can't hold on to you. You're like a shooting star. Just a trail of fire in my hands."

Overall I did enjoy this book but I can't say that it's one that will stick with me forever. Unfortunately, it was forgettable. It didn't blow me away, I just enjoyed it but am happy to move on now.

I rated "Unteachable" 4 Hearts