This is the first time I read an Alex flinn novel and I must say that I loved her work! Although, I was quick to assume that she was a man because of her name I loved how I discovered that she was a woman, which goes to show how well she writes because she narrated a 16 year old boy so well. The thing that I loved the most about this book was the creativity of the book structure because the book alternates chapters to retell the events that Michael experienced while living with his mother’s opulence husband, Walker Monroe. Alex Flinn’s “Nothing to Lose” novel undertakes one of the most morose topics to be in literature or in real life situations. Domestic violence characteristics or spouse abuse has been seen across the world but is ever hardly reported because most women are traumatized with the image of what their husband might do to them if they find out that they reported to the police. I believe that people that love suspense, romance, mystery and happy endings will love this book because throughout the book Alex flinn has the reader meandering what is going to happen next in the story because when something good is about to happen in the past it quickly jumps back to the present and all you can do is make an assumption of what you might think is going to happen next. Another thing that I loved about the book that people will enjoy is how a teenage boy can simply disappear, become a “carny” and travel the world with a carnival for an entire year while his mother is facing a murder charge because she killed her husband. As a first time Alex Flinn novel reader I believe that I was satisfied and impressed with her sagacious and exemplary work because it exceeded my wildest imagination and I will definitely give a try to other books that she has written.
Alex Flinn did it again. After reading Beastly I got excited when I saw another book by Alex Flinn. Nothing To Lose was a really compelling page turner for me. The Story is set in two different times. Now don't think this is Sci-Fi but its told all in the main character, Micheal Daye's, point of view from One Year ago and the present time. Michael, like many boys, loves football and his friends but when his attractive mother marries a rich lawyer things for him seem to go down hill, He quits the team and changes from the really nice popular football player to the guy with the attitude problem hanging with the school werido Julian Karpe. His new stepfather is everything a man shouldn't be, abusively unpredictable,controlling, and two-faced to the point of where Michael is feeling trapped and can't take it anymore of his mothers excuses for staying with 'That Bastasrd' as the stepfather is so often called. He eventually runs away from a horrible past. But a year later people at the carnval he works at begin recognize him in the papers. Bloody memories from the past begin to catch up with him. With his Mother on trial for a murder, Michael is tired of running away from his past and wants to get back at his now dead stepfather and save his beloved mother.This book took me about four days to read and I'm not sorry for the lack of sleep that came with it. I enjoyed seeing the Michael One Year ago and then the present Michael in the book. The story always stayed honest and interesting. With this book being the second book I've read from Alex Flinn this makes me an instant fan. The pace of the book was very fast and intense. Michael is a very interesting character and I enjoyed getting to know him.I'm looking forward to reading the next Alex Flinn book.
What do You think about Nothing To Lose (2005)?
This is a book about a young boy who's life starting spinning out of control when he step father is abusing his mother and there is nothing that he can do to stop. Then one day, after he quit the football team and left all of his friends, an old friend asked to take him to the fair. When Michael gets tot he fair, what does he find? Trouble? How about love? After meeting someone new at the fair his life seems ot be getting a little better. He spends time with his new "friend" and forgets all about home. He keeps his mothers beeper with him just in case. Although, he knows that his mother would never page him if somethign went wrong. This book just made me want to keep reading and never put it down.
—Caroline Nixon
I really feel like this book is more of a 3.5 stars, but I will give it the benefit of the doubt with 4.First off, what I liked: The story was really creative. I feel like, with all the thousands of books that have been written, it's hard to find something truly original without writing a fantasy, and I think the author did that. She took some sadly common themes and scenarios and brought them to life in a new way. I think that takes real talent, and I also think the author made it work very wel
—Alison
i just started reading nothing to lose by Alex Flinn. I have already read two of her books and enjoyed them alot. In this book Michael bounces back from this year to last year telling memorie of his mom and Walker. This year Walkers mom was convicted of the murder of Walker. No one believes her how Walker was abusive but Michael keeps having multiple flashbacks of Walker beating her. I really am excited to be reading this book because it keeps me on my toes. 3/18Im on page 102 and its getting very good. Michael is talking about how he met his love kirsten at the carnival and when he jumps back to this year he is trying to find where she is now. im excited because i want to know why Kirsten left and i want to hear michael explain it. Also during this year michael is seeing an old friends mother to do probono for his mothers case. this is an exciting book.
—Eileen flood
