The Boy who steals Houses

MY HEART IS SHATTERED!
Buddy reading this book has giving me the opportunity to delve into the many layers of this book and experience it in a completely different way. This is truly a book for everyone. But mostly I feel this book should be part of EVERY SCHOOL CURRICULUM.

This book is a beautiful kind of torture. The story of Sam and his autistic brother Avery had me in tears – several times!!! This is an intense emotional experience. And if you have suffered domestic abuse or bullying in any form in your life this will likely be a trigger for you. But it is a powerful story. And one that has to be told.

The writing is so intense that I was so thankful that through the buddy read we took discussion days which were great mini breaks to just patch my heart up again. The characters are so real, their emotions so raw that several other hyped novels suddenly pale in comparison. I cannot get enough of the Delaney family! The amount of detail each of the characters received blew my mind. And I will definitely be comparing a lot of writing to this in the future.

Even if the story is not the sweetest one, I found the flashback method was executed well and didn’t hinder the reading process as much as I initially expected. At one point I was so curious I almost jumped to the flashback just to find out what happened. The narrative of 15-year-old Sam and the challenges he faces, is easy to follow considering the intensity of the message.

I didn’t not love the ending and I hope we get more from Sam and Moxie in the future. I need more of this story. I need to live the happily ever after moment. But I have made my peace with this very suitable and powerful ending.

This book addresses a lot of crucial messages and themes. Things parents often shy away from in order to protect their children. But in many cases empathy and understanding can only come from certain experiences. Reading this book gives you the opportunity to discuss these issues with your children in safe environments. Helping them understand signs and symptoms of abuse in other people, to help the grow and treat others with the necessary empathy. This is why I love books. Especially books like these.

I highly recommend you read this book. I will never not recommend this book. Stick with it till the end – and make sure you have lots of tissues ready. And be ready to learn about the world and yourself.

Synopsis:

Can two broken boys find their perfect home?

Sam is only fifteen but he and his autistic older brother, Avery, have been abandoned by every relative he’s ever known. Now Sam’s trying to build a new life for them. He survives by breaking into empty houses when their owners are away, until one day he’s caught out when a family returns home. To his amazement this large, chaotic family takes him under their wing – each teenager assuming Sam is a friend of another sibling. Sam finds himself inextricably caught up in their life, and falling for the beautiful Moxie.

But Sam has a secret, and his past is about to catch up with him.

About the Author

C.G. Drews lives in Australia with her piano and the goal of reading every book in existence. Consequently, her brain has overflowed with words and she spends her days writing novels to make you laugh or cry (or both). She never sleeps and believes in cake for breakfast.

She blogs at paperfury.com.
Born in Australia