Flawed [Paperback]

Kate Avelynn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 11, 2012

Sarah O'Brien is only alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago--James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she's watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she'll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James's best friend--and the boy Sarah's had a crush on--for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she's in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he's going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he's not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact...

Editorial Reviews

Review

A gripping look into the lives of a broken family, and one girl's struggle to end the cycle of abuse. - Pretty Deadly Reviews

Intense, dark, painful, wrenching and stunning, FLAWED is a fabulous debut that dances in the gray areas in the most perfect of ways. - A Good Addition

FLAWED takes love and twists it into something deadly. - Shortie Says

Kate Avelynn created a book so powerful, so gut wrenching, nothing will ever be the same. - Words, Pages, and Books

From the Back Cover

Sarah O'Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago -- James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she's watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she'll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James's best friend -- and the boy Sarah's had a crush on -- for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she's in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he's going to save her. Neither of them realizes James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he's not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact...

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Entangled Teen (December 11, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1620612321
• ISBN-13: 978-1620612323
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.8 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When not devouring books, holding down her editing gig, or burning the cookies she keeps forgetting she's baking, Kate Avelynn writes dark contemporary YA that blends first love, betrayal, and danger. Find out more at www.kateavelynn.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A dark and tragically beautiful story! November 23, 2012

By xjessirae

Format:Kindle Edition

Beautiful and devastating all wrapped in one heart shattering, soul moving book. Flawed broke me, crushed me whole and devoured my every being. Kate Avelynn created a book so powerful, so gut wrenching.. nothing will ever be the same.

Sarah O'Brien was the strongest protagonist I have ever encountered in all my time of reading. She wasn't strong physically, but with years of abuse she had to go through, Sarah endured. She was living a life she didn't deserve at all, stuck in an impossible situation with difficult choices to make between the two people that she loved the most. It was all so hard on Sarah and I really felt that pain, the indecision and the stress she was holding on her shoulders. The juggling of protecting herself, her brother, and Sam just took a toll on Sarah and my heart damn near crumbled for her. In the toughest of times, Sarah held out and I truly looked up to the way she loved and cared for James and Sam. I loved Sarah for all that she was and all that she wasn't and I especially loved her for the choices she made and the fact that she continued to dream, hope and live. 


In so little words, I loved James. I ached for him entirely; that broken boy I wanted to fix from the inside out. As unstable and unpredictable as he was, I could not help but only see the goodness of his intentions and of his heart. He conflicted me, he shook me and made me love and hate him simultaneously. All his life has been devoted to protect and care for Sarah. Everything he had ever done was for Sarah and his unwavering love for her allowed darkness and madness to consume him. James only knew what he had to do to protect Sarah and all he wanted in return was love; love she could not give. And that possessive, all consuming love he had for her was what blew out the last of the bright flame my lovely golden boy had. How do you fix something so broken, so tainted by abuse, alcohol, drugs and fear that only darkness remained? There really is only one answer.. you can't.

The romance of this book rooted and attached itself to me. I have never felt so intensely for the love that bloomed between Sarah and Sam. It was electric and it was paradise and it was dangerous in so many aspects. For me, the risk was worth it all. Sam opened Sarah's eyes. His smart, independent, caring, and protective personality awakened Sarah and taught her the true meaning of unconditional love. He gave her happiness and what little freedom she could take. Sarah was his everything, his forever and I truly believed that from the bottom of my heart. This boy.. this great, spectacular, unlike-no-one-in-this-world kind of boy was the sweetest, brightest and selfless being I have ever had the privilege to fall in love with. If there is one true hero in this book, it was Sam Donavan. No questions asked.

I was unprepared for the amount of pain and hurt this book made me feel. I was unprepared for the amount and depth of love I had for every single letter, word, sentence, paragraph, page and chapter. I have never felt so much fear, hot and cold in my heart. I didn't think I could have ever foreseen it coming at all. This book opened my eyes to the meaning of sacrifices, of choices, and complete devotion.


Flawed has easily worked its way to being one of the best books I have ever read. The wait was more than worth it and if I had to wait a million years for this book, I would happily do so. Kate Avelynn completely moved me to sobbing tears with her clean, exquisite, and top notch writing. What she created in Flawed was pure emotion, passion and dark tragedy that shattered my heart to tiny painful pieces. It's the type of book that is too beautiful for words and one that will haunt your very core to oblivion.



Overall, Flawed was just perfect, flawless and incomparable.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but dubious ending November 25, 2012

By Heather S. Alpert

Format:Kindle Edition

This book might be more like 3 1/2 stars, I'm torn. So I did like this book, if like can really be a good word for this type of story.

First of all this story is not for the faint of heart. You probably figured that considering it involved, incest. But even besides that this story has a lot more gruesome aspects then just that. This story is horribly tragic, and although the ending had a sliver of a possible silver lining I still felt like it ended ultimately on a down note.

I almost felt the ending was a bit too depressing. Like certain aspects I felt were inevitable to the ending but one particular aspect really killed me and I am sitting here wondering if it was even necessary. Here's what I mean.
SPOILER AHEAD
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<spoiler> I'm just not sure I felt that killing Sam off was the right thing to do. I can see it being the right thing for Sarah. Her relationship with her family was so messed up that she really didn't need to be with anyone, ever. She needed so much psychological help it's not even funny. We are talking years and years of therapy, not a short term. However, part of me almost feels it was a cop out for the author to kill Sam. Like it was more convenient to have her go off on her own by ultimately taking away the choice of her ending up with Sam. If Sam had been alive it seems fairly obvious that Sarah would have went with him, and he was so not what she needed in her life at that point. And considering the past history they have maybe it never would have been right for them. That said, I hated that Sam's mother lost her only son. Especially considering her husband died. That's the part really killed me. I think it could have possibly been more interesting if Sam and Sarah had some how both went their separate paths. That said, I certainly can't say I disliked this novel. It gripped me enough to finish it until 2 am! LOL

James character is completely messed up, but I didn't hate him. It was obvious where his messed up past came from. And I don't know if it was just me but I almost felt an incestuous vibe going on between him and his mother. I would love to hear other people's thoughts on that. </spoiler>

Anyways, that's my 2 cents. Bottom line: An addictive read, with some dissatisfaction about the ending. Also be prepared for a MAJOR dark story aside from even the incest.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Contemporary YA I Have Ever Read! November 23, 2012

By Tara Fuller

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Wow! I am still reeling after devouring this book in one day. Hands down, the best contemporary YA novel I have ever read. I have never been so absolutely consumed by a story before. Sarah and James broke my heart. And then Sarah and Sam helped stitch it back together. Dark, emotionally raw, and romantic, FLAWED is a must read!