I added this book to my "Witchtober" TBR this year - I mean with that cover how could I not!? Right? ... uh, right?? *looks around* How come none of y'all told me this has nothing at all to do with witches!? I definitely do not blame myself for never reading the synopsis.

Even though it is the least witchy book I have ever read in my whole life, I still really enjoyed it. The way the story is told is exceptionally unique. It is told from young Jody's perspective and his style is a blend of "Catcher in the Rye" meets a light version of William Faulkner's stream-of-consciousness meets slang. When I started reading I was a little thrown off, but then it all started making sense and it actually enhanced the pace of the book. He uses code instead of certain swear words but after a handful of pages you are able to figure out what everything means, too.

Jody is just so interesting and his thought process is on another level. I laughed so much at some of the things going through his mind! But based on the nature of the story, it definitely takes some humor to not just have your heart break for Jody and the rest of the kids in the story. These kids are essentially orphaned and surrounding themselves with drugs and bad intentions. I flew threw this book because of how intrigued I was with their situation, the attempt to poison apples and stick razors or crack into candy bars, and to see who would and would not get redemption by the end. The ending felt a little abrupt, but that also makes sense based on the the rest of the story and how it was told. But I still would have liked a little more of a "bow on top" or ending that did not feel like more story could be on the next page. 4 stars!