Saving Ben by Ashley Farley

Saving Ben
Synopsis:

A boy, his sister, and her psychopathic roommate. 

When Katherine Langley’s roommate, Emma, disappears from a house party on New Year’s Day, the only evidence left is a single set of footprints in the snow leading down to a deserted dock. 

Flashback sixteen months to Katherine’s first day at the University of Virginia when life is sweet. She is finally free from the drama of her parents’ dysfunctional marriage and ready to focus on studying to become a nurse. Her brother, Ben, belongs to the hottest fraternity on campus, and her new roommate, Emma, is beautiful and charming, a party girl whose answer for a hangover is happy hour. She is also a psychopath. When Katherine’s obsessive-compulsive overprotective brother succumbs to Emma’s charms and falls dangerously off-track, Katherine must save Ben from himself. 

From the University of Virginia campus to a cozy cottage on Carter’s Creek, Saving Ben is a haunting tale of love and loyalty, anger management, substance abuse, and betrayal.

Review:

Saving Ben started off okay. I had no idea where the story was going at first, and it was a lot of telling not showing. The entire story is narrated by Katherine. It is just her telling what happened so the telling wasn't as annoying at first, though I do like showing better. At first Katherine is drawn in by Emma, and her brother Ben is instantly attracted to her. Emma right from the start is a little off. She gets more manipulative and such the longer the story goes on.

I was going along with the story just fine for most of the book, even if it was a bit boring. I saw how everyone was worried about Ben, but they couldn't really do anything since he will do what he wants to do. He had to reach rock bottom before he could make some changes for himself. Everyone except Ben hated Emma with good reason. I got all of that and went along with it, even though it was told and not shown.

Then we get towards the end and I just got sick of everyone being an idiot in regards to Emma. Yes she is crazy. Yes they all hate her, so why do they still let her crash their party? Why do they still let her spend the night? You get in a physical altercation with her and yet you still let her stay? Ben says she is stalking him and you still think this is a good idea? From then on it was just like what are you thinking?!? Why would you get in the car with crazy guy you think is the killer? Why would you do any of these idiotic things you did? Did you learn nothing?  I thought you saw through Emma and her games, so why are you still playing into them? It made no sense. Emma was a horrible person, but Katherine was just stupid. I was hoping that she would have grown and learned from her experiences, but I don't think she did.  It was just like poor decision after poor decision and I really started to hate it. It just got to be too much.

Rating: 2/5