Review: You (Benoit)

Title: You
Author: Benoit
Genre: Fiction, High School
Pages: 223
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I am desperately attempting to catch up on all of my reviews of BFYA (Best Fiction for Young Adults) nominees.  To be honest, I read this book in the summer and knew immediately that it was not junior high appropriate, so I did not post a review here.  But, upon further reflection, it does merit a review in this forum and the message/theme of the book is a good one, even if I still think it is for older readers.

I am posting the synopsis from Goodreads as it has been months since I have read this and don't want to do an injustice to the book by forgetting a key element: You're just a typical fifteen-year-old, an average guy named Kyle Chase. This can't be happening to you. But then, how do you explain all the blood? How do you explain how you got here in the first place?

There had to have been signs, had to have been some clues it was coming. Did you miss them, or ignore them? Maybe if you can figure out where it all went wrong, you can still make it right. Or is it already too late? Think fast, Kyle. Time's running out. How did this happen?

I don't think that teens ever intend for bad things to happen to them.  Unfortunately, sometimes there is not any thinking going on, and actions have consequences.  You is the riveting story of Kyle and the small choices he does and doesn't make that lead to his own destruction.  This is not a happily ever after story, but still a powerful one.