BrianYou’ll make it out of here, Brian. I swear.I had everything—school quarterback, popular with girls, and my dad was proud of me. I told myself it didn’t matter no one knew the real me. And then I nearly died. Landon saved my life. He’s the bravest guy I know. He came out a few years ago, proud and fierce, and he ran into gunfire to help others. Me, I’m a mess. Can’t even stand to be in a room … be in a room with the curtains open. But here’s the thing about losing it all: You get a chance to start over and be someone new. Only how can I move on when the two shooters who attacked our school were never caught? And why do I feel like I’m still in the crosshairs?
Landon
Will you kiss me?
When I came across Brian Marshall,the hottest guy in school, dying on the cafeteria floor, I did what anyone would do. I tried to save him. His request surprised me, but I figured he needed comfort, so I kissed him on the forehead. When he survived and came back to school, he was broken in body and mind. He still needed me, and soon we were unlikely besties. But what I saw at school that day woke me up. I want to demand action on gun control, lead protests, raise my fist. I’ll tear the world down if I have to. And if I can get the man of my dreams and save the world at the same time? I’ll take it. Only I didn’t understand that the horror at Jefferson Waller High wasn’t over.
more
I loved so much about this new Eli Easton book. For one thing, she’s amazingly brave to tackle such a hot-button issue. The story that Eli tells is a powerful one. A school shooting, told from the perspective of the students who lived through it, is heartbreaking and feels much closer to home than the news reports we see day after day.
Both characters bring a unique perspective to the story. Brian, who was shot, struggles to overcome his fears in the aftermath. Landon, who watched others gunned down and helped save Brian’s life, is moved to speak out on behalf of all of those who cannot.
The story is ultimately one of optimism and hope, and is in many ways a tribute to the Parkland High students who are speaking out after surviving a shooting at their school. I highly recommend.
An incredible, haunting read that I couldn’t put down once I started reading. This book is brilliant and emotional. Definitely going on my top 10 reads list of the year for 2018. INCREDIBLE WRITING, CHARACTERS, AND STORY.
Highly recommend.
TW: Mass Shooting, Death, PTSD.
There are no words in this world to describe how much I loved this book. It was just amazing; the characters, the plot, and the writing style. Also, can we talk about Brian’s poems? they were my favorite part of the book. I loved all of them
Wow, just…wow!
School shootings, while depressingly common, haven’t been told so intimately to those of us not involved or those of us who don’t know anyone who has been through a school shooting. But the way this book describes a fictional school shooting and the emotions behind it is heartbreakingly realistic.
You meet Brian. A typical football player who is trying to fit in with one large secret, he’s gay. No one knows and he needs to keep it that way for another two years because he can’t let his father find out. So he keeps his attraction to Landon to himself and stays friends with two kids on his team who are vocal about their racist and homophobic views.
But that all changes after he’s shot. Landon is there putting pressure on his wound and talks him through the pain until he’s taken to the hospital. While Brian obviously has PTSD, he comes to depend on Landon for his mental health and sees him as the one person where he can be himself around. He starts spending more and more time with Landon and his parents, still dealing with the shooting, while listening to his father spout complete BS about the shooting, gay people, and everything else he dislikes.
Along with the reality of trauma, Brian’s father was a complete and utter hate spouting (insert several curse words here) idiot. The relationship he had with his son is strained because he chooses to listen to someone at his job and the radio shows where hate is a common theme. Every conversation with him in the book left me stressed out and feeling disgusted, but as I said, it is sadly depicted realistically.
In the end, while the book has a lot of issues to be covered, I enjoyed the slow burn of Brian and Landon’s relationship. There was a connection from the moment Landon saved Brian’s life, but as they slowly fell in love while dealing with issues kids should never have to deal with, their relationship gave you hope for their future.
The secondary characters are wonderful, especially Landon’s two best friends Josiah and Madison. Landon’s parents were understanding and loving and their acceptance of Brian was important to see in the story.
All in all, the story deals with a heavy topic and leaves you angry, sad, and scared for the characters, but in the end, Brian and Landon are stronger, they are together, and they are in love. It’s a great story that deals with a subject that must be talked about more and a love story between two men who have a deep connection. I loved every moment of this book and I highly recommend it!!
Simply an amazing novel about how love can transform tragedy into life and hope. Easton’s two main characters, high school boys thrown into the horror of a lethal school shooting, come together to heal each other and, ultimately, to find a kind of happiness within the sorrow and unfairness of an event that has become all too familiar in our national news. Highly recommended!
I could not tear myself away from this gripping, beautiful, painful story. I highly recommend.
Shattered is the perfect description of my state of mind after reading this story. I suppose that some might find this book political but at this time, everything in life is political. The storyline includes topics of tragedy, acceptance, loss, grief, PTSD, self-reflection, and so many more. I can’t think of, don’t know words that can adequately portray my feelings while reading this story.
This story is so raw, so real that I actually had chest pain while reading and cried like a baby. My eyes just kept leaking. The story felt like a series of black and white snapshots of some long-ago event because it couldn’t possibly be real, yet it is – real to life, that is.
Brian is a football player who, like many football players, spends his time with his teammates, both in school and after. He has 3 closest friends, all on the football, although only one is truly a friend. The other two are just always there and by habit, this is the way it is. Jake was his friend since childhood. The other two are bigots and Brian does his best to defuse the situation when one of these two meatheads, Cameron and Gordo, bully other students.
Brian doesn’t necessarily love football but he’s always lived in his older brother’s shadow, the brother who died, and he keeps trying to measure up. He knows that, in his father’s eyes, that will never happen but he can’t stop trying. Brian looks forward to nothing more than leaving his home and his bigoted, paranoid, father who is abusive, paranoid and ascribes to many conspiracy theories about ‘liberals’, ‘homos’ and even, entirely illogically, ‘fake victims of school shootings’ when his own son nearly died from a school shooting .
Langdon Hughes is the out and proud yet quiet hero of this “ripped from the headlines” story. He is one of few, very few, openly gay students although statistics tell us that number was much higher. Clearly his high school, Jefferson Waller High, in Missouri, has a larger than usual closet where the other gay students hide their sexuality.
On the last day of the week, Friday, Landon and his BFF Madison was in drama class when he went to his locker to get a cough drop for another student. This was typical for Landon, always eager to please. While at his locker, Langdon heard a “loud sound…like a power drill…like gunfire”. He began to run when he remembered that his friend Josiah, one of the only other openly gay students, was in the cafeteria, an open room with nowhere to avoid, delay or defend.
This story is tragic, suspenseful to the degree that one might consider it a thriller. The characters following the fateful Friday, are drowning, paralyzed by emotion and it seems that, although each must find a way out from the tragedy in his or her own way, they are all forever changed by the true-to-life events.
Some changed, each learned more about their own beliefs, nature, and ability to survive despite insurmountable odds.
I can’t talk about the plot, the storyline, without comment on the stunning writing, describing situations and emotions.
“Something eased inside me, like cool water had been poured on the burning pit that was my soul”.
“That word “unbearable”, was starting to lose its meaning. Because, in the end, what choice do we have but to bear it?”
“My heart is not a lion’s. I fear everything. Especially the truth. Maybe a day will come when I can tell you: this frightened heart is yours.
As someone else said, “the passion of the characters carries the message” about gun violence, especially about school shootings.
Be aware that although this story will rip your heart and crush your soul, there is a satisfactory and logical conclusion.
One of the very few stories that I have already read more than once and will definitely read again.
5 Stars!
What can I say about Boy Shattered that hasn’t been said before? Probably not much. What I can say is that it’s a poignant, heart wrenching, emotional story that realistically deals with the painful reality of what kids go through in schools in the US. The fear, the stress, knowing that surviving something like this will leave you forever changed.
This is not a romance, although there’s one. The connection between Landon and Brian is palpable, especially after the shooting, and it makes sense (as do they), all things considered.
This is not an easy book to read or listen to, but it’s so worth it. Eli Easton’s writing is amazing. It’s easy to get fully invested in Landon and Brian’s lives, and how they deal with the aftermath of surviving a tragic event like this one, especially Brian, who was left with deep physical and emotional wounds.
Tristan Josiah is a new narrator to me, but you can bet I’ll be checking other books he’s done with Eli Easton asap. He did a superb job bringing these kids to life, all the characters had a distinctive voice, and he conveyed all the emotions a story like this one elicits with his voice.
I can’t recommend this audiobook enough. Just go buy it if you haven’t already.
Boy Shattered by Eli Easton is a wonderfully told story that had me emotional, and had me glued to the story. I loved the connection that formed between Brian and Landon, the beauty that emerges from a tragedy. I definitely had a lot of feelings listening to the audiobook. Between the spectacular writing of Eli Easton and the Wonderful narration by Tristan Josiah, I felt like I could be part of the scenes, feeling the emotions – the fear, the anger, the sorrow, the peace and the love.
This book gave me goosebumps and made me hold my breath right from the beginning. A carefully woven story of today’s real world worries and concerns.
Boy Shattered is a coming of age tale that takes the reader deep into the psyche of young survivors of a mass shooting. An event that changed their lives in more than one way. Strongly drawn characters litter the pages, and come together in detailed and evocative scenes that made me cry, broke my heart, and left me cheering in the end.
BOY SHATTERED
Eli Easton is a new to me author. I’ve never read their work. I’m glad I took the time and read this one. The story wasn’t simple. It wasn’t ordinary. It was beautifully done and told in the right way. I believe the only way. Landon and Brian were two teenagers who had their lives changed. One event. One event changed them and they had to find a way to heal and make a difference. I love the progression of the story. There was no instalove or even instalust. The characters’ love grew over time in the midst of so much tragedy. I would say this book is definitely a must read. It will take you on an emotional ride.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Oh my emotions. This book tore them up. The book deals with a very touchy subject and will lead to some heavy emotions, but I thought it was well done and the characters were all ones I wanted to learn more about and really get in their heads!
Brian is the quintessential football quarterback that all the girls want. The guy that everyone knows and wants to be friends with. Landon is the out and proud gay kid, the one that will stand up for those who need a little boost and also happens to have a crush on Brian – though he would NEVER think anything could come of it! A tragedy brings the two together and their connection is so deep that it seems impenetrable.
Though this story isn’t easy to read nor is it strictly a romance, it was definitely worth the time it took me to read and one I would highly recommend. I still (a week after finishing) have strong emotions tied to this book and these characters and can’t believe all that they went through and only hope they are having their HEA out there in the fictional world somewhere.
*** I voluntarily read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***
One has to admire the ability to take such a horrifyingly tragic theme as a school shooting and create a beautiful, warm hearted story of love, discovery and hope within such a heartbreaking experience. I expected it to be well written, having read other Easton books, I know the writer is a capable and imaginative storyteller, but I didn’t have any other expectations because it is such a difficult premise. I was wonderfully surprised by how well it was delivered. Each young man is fully fleshed out and relatable in their own ways. This was accomplished by the use of multiple points of view, allowing the reader to experience the rawness of their emotions and growth. Brian Marshall is what most people wish they were in high school. He’s a handsome and popular football player, who mostly gets along with everyone in the rural Missouri high school known as The Wall, but is keeping his sexuality secret, as he is very aware how difficult it would be for him to be out of the closet, especially when his father is a right wing extremist conspiracy theory believer. Brian keeps this part of himself locked away, and can’t help but admire all the LGBTQ students at his school, especially senior Landon Hughes. Landon is out and proud, serious and smart, with a clear view of what he wants, although he can’t help but nurse a small crush on Brian. The young men do not interact in school, since their social circles rarely intersect, but their lives change dramatically when two shooters come in their school and tear their world apart. The book not only touches on school shootings, but deals with toxic masculinity, bullying, homophobia, misogyny, homelessness, religious and political extremist behavior, without ever wandering into preaching, but letting the characters and their experiences do the talking.
Both Brian and Landon have to come to terms with what life means for them, in the aftermath of the shootings. Brian has to face his fears and become his most authentic self, in the face of losing all he loves, and Landon has to be strong enough to support Brian. Their love story develops quite organically, with plenty of sweet, moving moments, and though the book does touch upon their physical intimacies, it does a wonderful job of presenting it in a respectful, responsible manner due to young adults going through new experiences.
I really loved this book. It was written with love and compassion and as a parent, it made me emotional. I only hope that all the beautiful messages can come across to all that read it.
What a beautiful story. Intense and powerful. My emotions were all over the place. It started sweet enough. Brian, the high school quarterback, who secretly has a crush on Landon, the out and proud gay boy. Then the most horrific event thinkable happens. Two men entering the school and shooting all they see. The author takes us with them on their rampage through the school. She paints the scene with grueling details that were heart-wrenching to read. All those beautiful young people gone forever. But in devastation, there is always hope. Landon is Brian’s savior, literally. My heart went out to both guys.
Not only do they have to deal with the aftermath of the shooting, but there is also Brian’s homophobic and gun-loving father, who has no respect for their lives whatsoever. He is one of the worst I have ever encountered. The support Brian gets from Landon and his family is such an amazing gift.
But then, how to pick up your life again, how to be a normal boy again? You will never be normal, but you can learn to cope with it. That’s what Brian and Landon do. They found each other under dire circumstances, and obviously they question their feelings about that, but they know deep down that their feelings are true and honest. They go on with their lives in their own way, but together. Let’s not forget, they both are victims. Brian might have been the one who got shot, but Landon was the first person to see the massacre. The author handles this with care, respect, and dignity. She shows the different angles without lessening the feelings of the other.
Brian and Landon were just meant to be together. Two broken and shattered boys who come together in the most beautiful albeit heart-breaking way.
This is a book that really got under my skin. An amazing story of loss and grief, but also of love, friendship, hope, perseverance and unity in the face of senseless violence and ignorant hatred.
I think Eli Easton did an outstanding job, taking her characters and readers alike on a very intense, sadly realistic, and emotional journey. The lines between fiction and reality get blurred, making this a very powerful story.
Landon and Brian are so clearly meant to be. The way they connect during the shooting was incredibly moving. Such a great scene, terrifying and heartbreaking though it was.
Brian is an wonderful MC and so utterly shattered by the horror of what happened to him. It was devastating to read. I hate that there are actual Brian’s out there. And Jake’s that are no longer with us…
Brian had a hard time coping with his fears when he returns to school and doesn’t get a ton of support at home. Landon is his rock.
I was so happy, though, that in the end, Brian found a way to be a savior to Landon as well.
I loved Brian’s poems and the way they gave us more insight into his feelings. The Lion poem and 18 Chairs were especially poignant.
I think this is a story that needed to be written. I’m very thankful to Eli Easton for sharing it with us.
A tragedy beyond comprehension visits The Wall. The survivors are left to wonder all the hard questions that don’t really have answers. For Brian Marshall, the old version of himself died and the new version is still just as afraid, but of more than just discovery. The shooters weren’t caught. His lifeline both literally and figuratively was Landon, the proud and out gay boy in school he’s always admired. As they become closer while trying to make sense of the madness and grief they each find more: their calling, their fears, and love. But if they can’t find a way to reconcile it all they’ll find themselves, and their relationship, in the crosshairs of an enemy that hasn’t finished delivering their message.
While some of the side characters felt more like place-holders or just a side-note to fill in some gaps around the growing relationship between Brian and Landon and the surrounding drama, it was clear that we were meant to focus solely on those two things. The political motivations and stances included in the story were there but I felt they were more of a tool rather than a statement for the author. Not to say there weren’t some clear statements in there, just that they were more used as a tool for the characters than a soapbox for the author.
As for the MC’s themselves, I was drawn to Brian more than Landon. Maybe because he had such pain inside and had a harder time dealing with it. Maybe because of his evolution as an individual. Mostly I think it’s because of a combination of those two things with his drive to get answers, to make sense of what happened in order to bring justice. Landon was a good partner for him, someone who could look beyond the facade and into who Brian is and is meant to become. As for his advocacy, that was just kind of a part of his character. We saw a lot of the results of his activism but not a lot of the steps in-between like we got with Brian’s investigation.
Those poems. Those poems! Those poems hurt my soul! Some a good pain, some not, but they each produced some kind of ache in me. This is probably another reason I felt so strongly for Brian. To have been the quintessential All-American boy but to have words like that coming from inside him was a wonderful surprise.
The who-dunnit was slightly surprising in a good way. Meaning that I was glad it didn’t play out exactly like I assumed it would after meeting all the characters. I did think the whole resolution was a bit rushed and not just because of the urgency of the situation, but that there wasn’t enough settling at the end for all the changes in various characters and everyone’s interactions. By the end there was hope for Brian and Landon’s futures as individuals as well as a couple. I do wish there had been more therapy as well as compromise or discussion between them regarding fears and goals and how they could meld them together to move forward. But despite all that, I was moved by the story, the poems, and the characters’ evolution. Through tragedy they found one another, their career goals, and a true acceptance of self.
What a powerful and emotional read. A difficult one too, given the subject matter. Boy Shattered revolves around a high school shooting and its aftermath. It’s a hard read because of that, but I enjoyed the ride the author took me on.
Boy Shattered is told in dual POV, which worked perfectly for this story, giving us a look into Brian’s fear and Landon’s determination to enact change. Separate they were strong characters; together they could take on the world. The side characters were well-depicted as well, with the exception of Brian’s sister, Lisa. She was so infrequently mentioned that, to be honest, I forgot all about her.
All in all, 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Where it dropped a half star for me was in the conclusion. The final epilogue is great (I love myself an epilogue), but I felt like we were missing some resolution between Brian and his parents. It’s mentioned briefly, but it’s almost like an afterthought.
A gripping read that had me turning pages until the very end.
Heartbreakingly realistic and ultimately uplifting.
I don’t even know how to start to review such a moving story. I knew from the minute I read the blurb for the book that I had to read it – and, I knew it would tear me up. While the events that happened are horrifying the story ultimately ended up being uplifting to me. They survived, they fell in love and they eventually got on with their lives although they were changed forever.
I don’t really see how I can say any more without giving too much away. I’ll just say that Boy Shattered was a very compelling read and I would have finished it in one sitting if real life hadn’t gotten in the way. I applaud Eli Easton for taking on what had to be a very emotional task; I doubt that telling this story was easy. The poetry she wrote for Brian’s character was also very moving and wonderful. Bravo! Five well deserved stars.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Powerful. Heartwrenching. Full of Hope.
For those worried about the violence in the story, it isn’t graphic and only a small portion of the story. The base of this story is how Brian and Landon deal with the aftermath of the shooting. They take different paths to help them cope with what happened that day.
I literally couldn’t put my kindle down. I started the story in the morning and stayed up until 1:00am to finish it. Eli Easton is a brilliant storyteller. I was worried about how the shooting would be handled. I had goosebumps. It hurt my heart to think that this had happened to so many others, but the take away is the growth and the hope I had reading about Brian and Landon and how they each handled the aftermath.
The romance part of the story was brilliant. Watching the two of them find each other and hang on when the tragedy could have torn them apart was heartwarming. But I’m not surprised, because, as I said, Eli is a brilliant storyteller and I’m happy she told the story of Brian and Landon.