*Warning* This book ends on a cliffhanger and contains physical and emotional violence including extreme bullying, rape, murder, multiple attempted suicides (some on page), mental illness, and a lot of inner turmoil.

I wasn't prepared for how many of the characters would be involved in this torment or how selfish, clueless and violent these kids would be. I feel like too much happen to these kids.

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*Warning* This book ends on a cliffhanger and contains physical and emotional violence including extreme bullying, rape, murder, multiple attempted suicides (some on page), mental illness, and a lot of inner turmoil.

I knew going in that this wasn't going to be an easy read because there were warnings of the extreme content. I wasn't prepared for how many of the characters would be involved in this torment or how selfish, clueless and violent these kids would be. I enjoyed this story as much as I could considering the content, but when I reached about the 60% mark, the story really started to go into implausible land.

Llewellyn is a boy and a girl, born with breasts as well as a micro penis, and suffers from cramps but of course can't bleed or have a full period. Llewellyn considers himself a boy, but sometime wishes he could dress as a girl. He likes seeing pretty people and often stares at them. This coupled with the fact that Llewellyn is small (like a girl), with long hair, he draws a lot of attention on himself, and from possibly the worst person - Ant. Ant is seriously a demented person who has some sort of mental illness simply based on how his character deteriorates thru the story.

I didn't particularly like any of these characters because they were all weak. That isn't a criticism about the writing quality, the opposite actually. The characters were fleshed out, and we actually get alternating points of view from more than the MCs, which was certainly eye opening. The characters are all teenagers, hormonal and selfish and clueless about life in general. They are also vicious to each other, the boys always getting into fights, the girls being petty and jealous and actually doing physical harm to another. It's scary what these kids were capable of. I called them weak because nobody asked for help, or sought out someone with real brains who could help them find the best path.

So much of what happened to these kids is unbelievable which is why I gave it 3 stars. Could all of these things happen to a group a kids? If you watch the news, it's probably not as farfetched as one would hope. But when writing fiction, one must be careful about how much crap is piled on to the characters before the story breaks. The story didn't go at all how I expected based on the first half. A lot of the actions that transpired came out of nowhere for me and I read every word on the page because I didn't want to miss anything.

I am trying not to give away too much of the story because I don't want to ruin anything. You should be warned that this ends on a cliffhanger in the epilogue. I wasn't expecting that wish the blurb had made this known; I might night have read this. It is not a happy for now ending, it's not a calm before the storm ending - it's a legit there is a knock on the door, we see who it is, and that's the end, story to be continued in Ashes to Ashes. This ending also contributed to the 3 stars.

Do I recommend this? It honestly depends on the person. I think some people will like it, and for some it will be too much and they will quit or not even start it. Am I sorry I read it? That's hard to answer because it really made me think deep down about the type of people living in this world. This book really will bring out emotions in you. I guess I am not sorry I read it, but knowing what I know now, I would not have read it, if that makes sense.

3 stars, and there are some minor editing issues.

I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There is always a time in a book reviewers life where they attempt to find something new, something unusual, and something they don't normally find themselves reading. Think of it as our way of stretching our book review angel wings and looking for new adventures. This book was one such experience. I am not usually one who reads books that involve LGBT. Not because I have anything against the genre, but because when you're a straight female who chronically gets lost in romance books, it's hard to star in a role with someone of the same gender when not into that sort of thing. But, as I had never experienced this type of book before, I was curious. I decided to try it out and see what came of it.

Llewelyn is not like the other kids at school. Llewelyn is neither a straight boy, gay boy, straight girl, or gay girl. He is something in between: both girl and boy. This ultimately leads to a lot of strife as kids in his school don't know how to treat him. He is too beautiful to be a boy, but has always been considered a boy on both paper and when enrolling in schools. Llewelyn has just transferred to a new school where he knows nobody. It doesn't take long for the school bully to set his sights on the timid creature, but for a different reason than Llewelyn thought. It seems Ant has an attraction for him that he is not likely to give up without a fight.

Then there's Ash. Llewelyn is immediately attracted to the most popular, gorgeous boy in school but it isn't until trauma and circumstances brings the two together that a kinship is born. L and Ash know the pain of violence, sex, and how the two when combined can cause irreparable damage. But when neither of them seem to be able to find a way to keep their heads above water will they at least have each other when they start to sink?

Oh my goodness, L is a heartbreak personified. I can't believe how much he goes through and how he still finds a way to care about the people around him more than his own emotions. L is just the best complimenting character to Ash and his brooding spirit. I found myself rooting for the two despite the fact that their relationship would be difficult to truly formulate into an actual relationship. I wanted Ash to admit his feelings for L even though they were utterly confusing. I wanted L to assert himself more and prove that the best match for Ash was him. I wanted Ant to be eaten alive by fire ants.

The many traumatic experiences of the characters became a bit overwhelming. It seemed like EVERYONE was being violated or beat on one way or the other. It wasn't enough for me to roll my eyes with a resounding "here we go again", but it did get old fast. Did they all have to be scarred in some way? But, I did find myself pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. It was definitely something that most authors would shy away from. It was also something new for me and I'm glad I took the time to explore unknown book genres.

"Crying Out Silent" is a book that is unafraid to delve into the gritty darkness or sex and violence and find the beauty that lurks within.

Sorry, but whilst this is well-written, it's dreary, boring and depressing. I found the rapes unpalatable, especially when an adult was aware of the situation, and then when a responsible adult turned rapist. This book should have come with a warning of dysfunctional families/characters.

Wow, this book was so intense on so many emotional levels, I was left feeling like I'd run a marathon when I finished. This novel covers issues of sexuality, homosexuality, bi, and intersex as well as rape, bullying, suicide and dysfunction within families, friendship and within school. It follows the lives of several teenagers, each with their own issues and agendas. I liked Llewellyn and felt deep empathy for him/her throughout the story. Ash too was a mostly likeable character with his own flaws and issues to deal with. Ant and Jenna though were two of the most unlikable people, and I so hoped they would get what they deserved. I found this to be a powerful read, it also made me angry that we as a society can treat people the way we do just because of how they look, or whether they are make, female, straight, gay or somewhere in between. People need to start accepting others for who they are, suicide and bullying both need to be stopped. Humanity needs to become more tolerant of other people's differences and as adults and parents we need to be teaching our children empathy and acceptance. Ok so preaching aside, this was an incredibly moving story and I definitely hope that the sequel gets written.

Thanks to NetGalley and Marita A Hansen for a copy in return for an honest review.

Sounded like a tear jerker but good. Christ there’s a lot going on. Was really hoping everything would be black and white but its all a murky grey. Can safely say I hated Jenna, she’s as black hearted as you can get. The rest is pretty much an example of psychotic parents. There’s a lot of issues based around sexual assault and suicide. I liked L and then I didn’t, same with Ash. Its sweet, painful and heartbreaking. The choices and decisions make everything more complicated. I felt sorry for Tiana, Marko and Kelley. Dante’s character was interesting.