This is a book aimed at the teenage market I didnt realise.
Its still a good read though. The main character is Joe Beck a shy boy who falls for Candy a teenage prostitute he rescues her from drugs and her pimp.
Far fetched but enjoyable non the less. ( )

Candy By: Kevin Brooks
Book Review
Makena Brown Sept. 1 2010

Candy is a twisted love story, filled with many emotions and struggles. Joe Beck, the protagonist of the story, is a young and very naive teenage boy in a band. The day he met Candy, his boring, normal life slowly evolved to be all about that one girl he barely even knew, but oddly enough cares about. Candy is a young heroin addict and results to selling her body in order to feed her addiction. Her pimp, Iggy, is in full control over her life and will not let anybody interfere with their business together, especially not Joe. The author Kevin Brooks captures the emotions of the characters very realistically and fully makes their hearts stand out, so the reader could feel the characters true feelings.

This story is all in the perspective of Joe; he s confused throughout the book not knowing how to handle the situations he gets himself involved in. He has many mixed emotions and can t keep his mind preoccupied with anything else but Candy. Everything about her makes him fall in love with her, he ignores the fact she's addicted to drugs and a prostitute and loves her for her sweet, one of a kind personality. Joe is the only character we truly come to know, everybody else is just seen through his eyes. Kevin Brooks made the reader feel how Joe was feeling, the confusion and the crazy feelings of love drew you into the story.

The setting of this book takes place in the city of London, England and then progresses into the countryside as the story climaxes. Candy and Joe have a secret relationship, always cautious of the wrath of Iggy. After finding out Candy was abused by her pimp, Joe decides spontaneously to rescue Candy from the nightmare she is living in and she can't escape from on her own. The two of them run away from the chaos and retreat to Joe's countryside cottage far away enough to remain fearless. The story drastically changes while in this new setting, it's more of a tamed environment where the simplest issues stand far out from what happened in the city.

They are put through an extreme struggle as Candy is withdrawing from the drugs. Gina, Joe's older sister and her fiance Mike are a big support during the time Joe and Candy are trying to overcome the situation they are involved in.

Candy may get you hooked. The Love, passion, drugs, fear, and brutality of the story keeps you wanting more. The rush of all the emotions that sweep over you as you are turning each page, gives you a craving for more Candy. Kevin Brooks wants you to feel what it would be like in Joe's position. He makes you wonder, thinking to yourself "What would I do?". This shockingly, twisted, love story is definitely one of my favorite books, by far.

I didn't absolutely love it, but as I read it I did get quickly drawn into the story. It's a powerful story about a fairly innocent teen boy who develops an attachment to a girl he meets, and as a result finds himself pulled deeply into an underground world that he doesn't know or understand anything about. Told with a sense of realism and in a gradually darkening style that pulls you in the same way Joe (the main character) gets pulled into a far darker reality than any he has previously faced, you probably won't be able to stop reading it until you're done, if only because you will want to know how it ends.

Not one of my favorites, but definitely worth reading if you're into the genre. ( )

Candy is a compelling book. I found myself not wanting to put it down. I was drawn the characters. ( )

Very realistic, no happy ending