Review: Want You by Jen Frederick

Want You by Jen Frederick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this eARC novel from the author. This is my honest review.
Release Date: July 1, 2018

When 12 year old Leka found 5 year old Bitsy in an alleyway, he didn't realize that his life was about to change. Trying to bug a cops walkie-talkie, Leka was afraid that Bitsy would give him away and things would go south. But Bitsy was as still as a statue, quiet as a mouse, and Leka took her "home" with him to care for her.

Because Leka now has someone else to take care of, he decided he needed to do...harder...work at his "job". It was hard, but Leka now has someone that is relying on him to bring in food, clothes, and to find a real place to live - not squatting in an empty apartment.

And he wants the best for Bitsy. She is going to go to school, get good grades, and stay completely out of the business that Leka is in.

For the most part, things are going well. But when Bitsy is 14, an incident happened that makes Leka panic and send her far, far away. Bitsy was furious, but when she graduated, she decided she needs to take things in her own hands and make her own future.

But when Bitsy comes back, what she thought she knew about Leka's job wasn't all of the information, and she finds herself in another terrible situation. Leka's life and job are on the line, and he will do whatever it takes to protect the one person he has ever cared for to make sure she will always be protected.

Wow... Someone said if you loved the Royal series by Erin Watt, you would love this book, but I'm not too sure about that... This book is so much darker and has higher trigger subjects than the Royal series, in my opinion.

This is a dark world, full of people you cannot trust, work that is terrible and dirty and illegal and desperate. The "kids" in this novel are not your typical kids, but ones who have been through awful situations and they are just trying to survive one day at a time. What Leka had to do to keep him and Bitsy safe was just sickening in some ways.

But the fact that Leka 1. took Bitsy in and 2. cared for her instantly is so admiring. I mean, He. Is. 12. Years. Old. 12!!!! And he took the responsibility for another human being and the pressure he must have felt.... Just wow.

Bitsy broke my heart when we met her. She was 5 and had so many things done to her already. Her mother called her Nuisance and had a whole line of guys coming to the place, not caring what happened to her daughter. And when Leka took her in, she was always wanting to be the perfect girl, not making him angry in case he kicked her out or left her.

And then the whole situation when they are older and the reason Leka sent Bitsy away? Just terrible.

This novel really makes a person appreciate their life when stories like this are told, because they are true in today's world, and many don't understand how things could be so different from what they grew up with.

I did like this book, but I don't think it will be for every reader because of the trigger subjects. I am very glad I got to read this, though! And I'm curious if there will be another book following the epilogue... 0_0?


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