'Say Something' was not an easy read for me, not because of the subject matter, but because it happened to someone very close to me and could therefore relate to virtually all that was written. Just hope that one day, and like Maggie, there will be a happy ending. Well written.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, which i have freely given.

Awaiting review to be published on Amazon.

This book tackled a huge topic of sexual molestation through the eyes of the victim from her young age and how she deals with her life in the following formative years. I have so much to say because I feel like Maggie's struggles and how she deals and tries to overcome them made her a strong character in that sense but I was also slightly annoyed with her too. I totally understand that it is not that easy to just do or not do something but it was just her personality towards certain things. I do applaud the author for taking this topic and putting us in the head of the victim and seeing another perspective on an issue so many have experienced.

This book is written in such a way that it would be excellent for middle or high school students, specially on the topic of sexual assault. The are so many people out there that needs to know that is it ok to say something. This book can also help you to do just that.
Thank you very much Netgalley for giving me a chance to read and rate this amazing book!

Say Something by Cathy Morrison was a really wonderful read.

I picked this book on a whim, and I have to say that I was not disappointing in reading it. I found that this book was a great piece for insight to what the aftermath of child abuse could be. I have a feeling this would be a great book for people to read so they can get an insight of the horror of child abuse, and all aftermath that follows when the truth is found. Maybe this book will help others who need a push on getting the help that they need.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read!

A book about chances and past. An abusive past has led her to feel worthless but a new guy enters to take it all away. The past often comes back to haunt us, until we fully accept it, we cannot move on. A good book.

This is a compelling and heart breaking book about a young woman Maggie who was abused by her mother's boyfriend as a child. Years later she is starting to move on with her life - doing well at school and dating her first boyfriend - when suddenly she comes into contact with her abuser and realises that another little girl is in danger from him and she feels compelled to 'say something'!

This was a well written and compulsive read and I was addicted to Maggie's story from the beginning despite the difficult subject matter. Maggie was an amazing character and you really root for her throughout the book and her relationship with her boyfriend was beautifully described and very realistic.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher/author for this ARC for my honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book honestly. It could have been SO much more. More powerful, more helpful, just More. With everything going on in the media and the #metoo movement, this book could have had so much more depth and meaning. The character’s storyline and descriptions were a tad lacking. It almost felt like the author kept making the boyfriend Matt more of a victim than he should have been. While the book wasn’t BAD, I was left expecting and wanting more from
It. There are definitely better books out there on the topic of child / sex abuse.

***Actual rating: 3/5 Unflinching Stars***

"We are all broken. That's how the light gets in."-Author unknown -Maggie's journal



Trigger Warning: Child sexual abuse, child molestation (Though none of those sensitive scenes were depicted in detail.)

Say Something is a story about encouraging (female) victims of sexual abuse, particularly when that happens in their childhood, to speak up for themselves and stand their ground despite what others think. Honestly, I have mixed thoughts about this book.

To begin with, as "right" as this sounds, I don't fully agree with the author's perspective because 1) the case in this book takes a sharp turn by the end of the trial, tainting the initially good cause of the enforcement of law, which I don't appreciate very much, and 2) I personally am not convinced by the reasons why people should stand out the way the female protagonist in this book does. In other words, our female main character, Maggie, is the victim of a child sexual abuse case happening when she was only eight and even though she reported to the school's counselor and the police then, her mom told her to recant so that they could get money from the abuser, a.k.a. Maggie's mom's ex-boyfriend, who also happened to be one of the most powerful prosecutors in the county. As you can see, this case here is a typical example of someone in the higher social ranking does something terribly wrong, but it's not hard to imagine people's reaction when hearing upon Maggie's accusation of him: disbelief, dismay, calling her a slut, and only a few of people support her.

So when Maggie finally decides to tell her story, an ugly truth she's been hiding for years until she's 17, her entire world is flipped upside down. The only people truly care about her are her football star boyfriend, Matt, and his best friend, Kelvin. (Of course there are some secondary characters but I skip them.) I love that Matt can always play the perfect-boyfriend-role-model all the time and show affection/thoughtfulness when Maggie needs the most. However, the author mentions way too much "Poor Matt" in the story since Maggie doesn't tell Matt everything until pretty late in their relationship and that Matt is CONSTANTLY CONFUSED by Maggie's sudden tuning outs.

Besides, there are also some minor parts that I find quite contradictory. For instance, in the beginning of the story, Maggie's having a self-deprecative conversation with her reflection in the mirror, where she mentions how much she hates her BRIGHT BLUE eyes. Somehow, in the middle of the book when she's going out on a date with Matt, she says the dress brings out the GREEN IN HER HAZEL EYES. I know this is just a teeny, tiny bit of the whole story compared to those bigger issues but still! I like to picture those characters in my head with as many details as possible, and eye color is definitely one of those features I value.

Okay, apparently I'm rambling right now so let's get back to the plot. The entire story is fairly predictable, in my opinion, because when I come to think of it, this book focuses on Maggie saying something about the child sexual abuse just so she can not only justify herself, but save another "little beauty," as the said abuser likes to call his victims, from going through the same horrifying experience as Maggie's. Therefore, with the satisfying ending, Maggie becomes the public hero *DUH* and though she can never have the normal life she yearns for, she's content at the moment.

To sum up, this book isn't bad, but the plot and character development could be more deliberately thought-out. There's still room for improvement regarding many smaller aspects such us character's personality and appearances. That being said, I wouldn't highly recommend this book to everyone, but the moral here is still worthy of spreading: seeking help when you see someone or when you encounter similar child sexual abuse incidents is essential, no matter how daunting the process may be. Speaking up and defending yourself/other victims will make you stronger, and someone will always appreciate your brave deeds.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed this book from NetGalley.***

Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story is raw and hard to read. But it’s also wonderful to read, to be inside (albeit a fictional) head of someone who has been abused, to see their thoughts. The story is heartbreaking, but it’s wonderful to see the story unfold. To see Maggie grow, be stronger and finally let some of it go.

On it self quite a good book, but not really what I imagined it would be.
Sometimes quiet confusing with all the changes in the past.

But it is an really interesting topic which should be more talked about. Great work.

This is a compelling and heart breaking book about a young woman Maggie who was abused by her mother's boyfriend as a child. Years later she is starting to move on with her life - doing well at school and dating her first boyfriend - when suddenly she comes into contact with her abuser and realises that another little girl is in danger from him and she feels compelled to 'say something'!

This was a well written and compulsive read and I was addicted to Maggie's story from the beginning despite the difficult subject matter. Maggie was an amazing character and you really root for her throughout the book and her relationship with her boyfriend was beautifully described and very realistic. I hated the character of Maggie's mother but sadly in real life some parents are not supportive of their children when they are abused so it was important for the author to show this.

This was a beautiful book and I was crying at the end.

Have you ever read a book, not because you wanted to, but because you NEEDED to?

I know this book would cause emotional distress, possibly flashbacks, but most of all rage. I knew that...but I needed to read it anyway.

Say Something is a YA book. It's not graphic in its descriptions. It doesn't need to be. It's my hope that those that need justice get it but that's not always reality. In this story, it happens quickly and neatly though I can attest to that not being the standard, I appreciated it. Say Something is cathartic in its resolution because even if it's not a "real story," it is someone's real story.

Be brave. Be strong. Don't let the monsters rule your life. Say Something.

#saysomething #cathymorrison #metoo #sexualabuse #abuse #YA #bookstagram #books #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book. Say Something is a heart wrenching read. It was a very real look at abuse, it wasn't sugar coated or anything and was an amazing read. I recommend this book to everyone.

I think this is the time to use the strong word “Powerful” to describe a book.

This the story of Maggie, a 17 year old girl healing as best she can from sexual abuse she endured as a young child at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend.

Maggie did tell her mother what Warren was doing to her when she was seven, and even told the authorities. Her frightened mother convinced her daughter to recant her words. Young Maggie does just that. Now at 17, she has relived the experience every day of her life. Did she do the right thing by listening to her mother? And don’t get me wrong, Maggie’s mother loves her daughter, but she also knows Warren is a powerful and possibly a dangerous man. She is terrified of his retaliation. She feels its best they just let it go and forget it happened. Forget it happened?!?

Now her daughter is living each day the best she can, making her way through high school with top notch grades and as a talented athlete. She is okay now right, far from it. She spends her days on the outside, trying to stay under the radar. Her only friend Mari is now aloof from Maggie and you will learn the reason. Maggie remains on the fringe from everyone and this is ok for Maggie. She feels she needs to be an island. That is until she meets this extraordinary and patient guy named Matt. For some reason she decides to share her secret and he does everything he can to help her heal. It’s beautiful to see how their relationship has its ups and downs and the learning they both experience throughout.

There are times reading, I would hold my breath waiting for the next reaction, never knowing if it would be positive, negative or even violent.

This story is an incredible 10 year journey of just one of many many sexually abused victims. The story demonstrates how support systems can fail and unlikely heroes emerge. Cathy Morrison didn’t just sit down and write a book. The author did her homework when it came to therapy techniques used for abuse victims. Read the acknowledgements.

I absolutely recommend this book for all mature readers, especially those who deal with children on a daily basis. Your eyes will to what is happening every day in our world.
Some end in positive resolution, but many do not.

The abuse is not explained in graphic detail or really much detail at all. It didn’t need to be. The story evokes empathy as you read a book very hard to put down until the end.
I would say it is resolved, but I don’t know is victims of sexual abuse ever feel the peace and joy again young ones should experience as an innocent child.

Say Something by Cathy Morrison draws you in right away with a slightly mysterious and heavy prologue about main character, Maggie, in a flashback to when she was eight years old.

You quickly come to learn that Maggie was sexually abused as a child by her mother's boyfriend, Warren. The majority of Say Something takes place in present day focusing on Maggie trying to cope with the sexual abuse ten years later and the fact that her mother made her recant her statement of abuse as a child. You see the effects Maggie's childhood has had on her relationships with her best friend, boyfriend, mother, and herself.

Part of the book is set in the past with flashbacks of eight year old Maggie. The flashbacks provide a better look into what Warren did to her and her relationship with her mother.

I also enjoyed Maggie as a character. She was courageous in a very real way. Her character as a whole did not feel forced or overly exaggerated in a way I feel like I so often see in other YA novels.

I appreciate the research that Cathy Morrison put into this book to make it as authentic as possible. Morrison was able to carry a story about sexual abuse without graphic content.

Overall, I would give Say Something by Cathy Morrison as 3.5 out of 5 stars. The story certainly kept me hooked, as I finished it in a day. Though, I do feel like the other main characters could have used a bit more substance. I would have loved to see a bit more about Maggie's mother and Warren's past relationship.

Say Something by Cathy Morrison is a story about childhood abuse and the way Maggie deals with it as she matures and blossoms into a young adult. I found this book quite easy to read, none of the abuse was overly described and although it can be confronting, it wasn't hard to read or too upsetting. It was an excellent way of portraying the story without causing readers any worry.

Thanks to NetGalley and the published for this ARC in return for my honest review.

I just want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for considering me and allowing me to receive a copy of this book.

As much as I wanted to love this I couldn’t really get through it. It definitely triggered me and I found myself not being able to get through some of the parts of this book for personal reasons. I definitely commend the author for handling the sexual abuse component so delicately and very gracefully. I just personally couldn’t get through it.

This book is about a girl just trying to deal with the after effects of being sexually abused by someone she thought she could trust and be a normal teenager when she discovers that her abuser has a new target. Coupled with the developing crush she has on the schools jock.

This story about sexual abuse started off strongly. Maggie was the sole focus of the story, but we learn during one of her high school classes that Maggie could pick out others who showed signs of a history of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, their stories were never told or even hinted at. Instead, a sweet romance starts to blossom between Maggie and Matt, who is a much admired football jock. Maggie runs hot and cold with Matt, She worries about telling Matt that she had been sexually abused. I won't drop any spoilers as to how he reacts to her disclosure of sexual abuse. There are no graphic descriptions of the sexual abuse. I felt that the story line and the love relationship were a tad predictable but I suspect many will enjoy the lighter tone of this very serious subject matter.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Cold Fires Publishing for the chance to read and review it.

In this story Maggie is struggling to deal with the abuse she suffered at the hand of her mother's ex-fiance, Warren. He was a well connected, powerful man who used that power to intimidate and silence his victims. Ten years after the first time she told someone, she becomes interested in a boy at school. Her first date triggers night terrors of the abuse when all she wants is to feel like a normal teenager, but is anyone truly normal? Then one night she's on a date when Warren walks in with his new girlfriend and her little girl. Instantly she knows and it's time for her to say something. She has to protect the little girl even if it means she will never be that normal teenager she so desperately wants to be.

This book pleasantly surprised me. The topic of abuse is a difficult one due to the sheer number of individuals that can be triggered by it, but I think Cathy did a great job at relaying what happened without going into great detail. She definitely did her research when it comes to surviving this type of abuse. The PTSD is real, the feeling of being alone is real, and the fear in definitely real, and all of it can be suffocating. I felt for Maggie and was crying as she was gaining her voice. Being brave isn't always the easiest choice, but sometimes it's the only choice. I applaud this author and the story she wrote.

I liked that Maggie wasn't portrayed as a strong rebel fighter after dealing with her ordeal. Her insecurities and her low self confidence are very clear and it helps to identify with the character as a victim in a realistic way. She became a strong warrior with the support of friends and family and I think this book will be an incredible teaching resource to help teens and parents and to 'say something'.