Painful and heartfelt. This book was hard emotionally to get through (not gonna lie) but it shows how much reality can stink, what you'll do for the ppl you love, how messed up ppl can be and how some ppl never change no matter what happens or how hard it hurts.

Fantastic, dynamic characters that could not feel any more human. An intense read that brings up poignant reflections on faith, morality, and human resiliency. The strongest young adult book I have read this year! Also, a fantastic audiobook.

This book is tough to read - the main character is faced with having to figure out what he stands for when everything he believes is turned on its head. From his religious upbringing (emphasized by his radio evangelist father) to his belief in loyalty above all else, he comes to realize that life isn't as straightforward as he thought. Has some possible triggers, but does a good job tackling tough topics without the judgmental tone that is often in YA.

Conviction is much more introspective than action-oriented. It focuses on showing how Mart has taken his faith and used it to control Braden, who has been brought up to believe he must obey his father in order to be right with God. Braden is fiercely loyal to his father, unable to see how unfair it is that his father has turned his parental love into a burden of guilt.

Read my full review here: http://shayshortt.com/2015/10/06/conviction/