The Boy who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window by Kirsty Moseley

After Nothing Left to Lose Kirsty Moseley definitely put herself on my must read list, she is probably one of my favourite Young Adut Authors; I say that because I enjoy reading her work recreationally, it doesn’t have to be super realistic and scrutinised just simply enjoyed and appreciated, both of which I did ...  for the most part.

I’m not one to rip a book to shreds so I merely state my opinion in the most constructive and polite manner and hope I don’t get end up being sued.

Brief Summary

Amber has an abusive father, he attempts to rape her, and Amber’s brother Jake and his best friend Liam kick their dad out of the house. Ever since Liam has slept in Amber’s bed with her because she has nightmares. Now would be a good time to mention Amber and Jake’s mum works a lot so she’s home maybe one week out of a month which would explain how a 16 year old girl and an 18 year old boy have been sleeping together for eight years.

In true YA style Amber begins to develop feelings for Liam, Liam declares he’s loved her since they met at his sixth birthday party {because that’s totally believable *rolls eyes so much they get stuck in the back of my head*}. Liam and Amber become exclusive. Amber becomes pregnant, Amber’s abusive father returns with a new family who he is also abusing.  Long story short Amber gets into a fight with her dad he shoves her, she loses the baby. Five years later {because epilogues love that five year gap} Liam is a star ice hockey player, Amber graduates with a dance choreography degree, on said graduation day Liam proposes and you’re led to believe “Life couldn’t get any better than this”.

My Plot Pet Peeves
No offence but I really hope Dance Choreography is not a real degree but knowing America she can probably do a MA in it too!

I wasn't sure if the tear slid down my face because of the beauty of the plot or my unrelenting tiredness but that was just too sweet and a bit messed up but I suppose the best ones are always a bit wrong.

I feel a bit conflicted because I love Moseley’s ideas but there were times when I was reading I was just so frustrated with the direction the plot went in. Reading this book was an “interestingly” dry experience; although the boy who sneaks in my window is cute it does lack realism, to say the least.

So there I am reading this book about a girl who is being abused by her father, it is very sad as to be expected in YA fiction Amber is our broken girl, who needs this strong older boy-man-whore person to protect her; my inner feminist is absolutely fuming with this idea, when young girls read this book they will be led to believe they need a man to protect them. Sorry but that is not the case and I am disappointed that the female gender was represented rather poorly in this novel. If the bet to see who could sleep with Liam is anything to go by, excuse me for speaking rather colloquially, this book was inundated with a bunch of thirsty hoes.

It was genuinely interesting that the dad came back and he hadn’t changed his ways, it was nice to subvert the stereotype of an absent parent returning reformed and redeemed.

When I read that Amber was pregnant I wanted to scream God give me strength, she was on the pill, yes I know it's not 100% effective but she's already been abused, she’s got the whole sleeping with my brother’s best friend scenario covered and then Moseley decided to throw in a little teenage pregnancy to the mix; hasn't 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom 1,2 & 3 taught my generation anything? I hate to sound cynically nihilistic but I just knew she'd lose the baby, it’s insensitive of me but there is no way that plot could have executed a teenage pregnancy well.

The second half of the book really got my blood boiling over some things. Amber's dad practically induces her miscarriage and Liam is arrested for GBH, even in fiction crime and punishment sucks especially the fictional American justice system.

As negative and sceptical as I was with this book it did give me that feeling in the pit of my heart when you know what you just read was so heart warming beautiful, as cliché and predictable as it might have been it was a pleasant read and there were many times when “I could feel my heart trying to burst out of my chest". 

Of course there were times when I was beaming ear to ear ready to ship “Lamber” and there were times when I was so taken aback I had no words ... but then there were times when it was obscenely cheesy I’d cringe or want to knockout the characters.

When I’m writing a post and the words are flowing out of my brain quicker than my hands can type, you know it was a good read.