The Boy Who Steals Houses

This book KILLED ME! I died. I died 347 times. It was so well written, and I enjoyed every moment of it. It’s very angsty, like... there were 0.3 happy moments and the rest of it was all downhill. But in a good way. I love how C.G.Drews writes her characters. While I love Sam and Avery with all my heart, I also wanted to smack them with a heavy book most times. I only wish the best for Sam and SERIOUSLY HE DESERVES BETTER. I love Moxie and her family with all my heart. Vin can go die in a hole. The characters were very likable and the story in general was heartwarming AND heartbreaking. My soul hurts. I will take this book to my grave. My tombstone will read “this is C.G.Drew’s fault.” Because I love this book so so so much and I feel the overwhelming urge to read more, and it kills me. So am I gonna try to get her other book? Absolutely. Will it kill me too? Counting on it. I was reading this book slowly because I KNEW I couldn’t deal with it ending. I didn’t want it to end. Sadly, as all good books do, it did end. I’m spiteful.All in all, after it wrecked me and left me to die, I give it 10/10, 5 stars, do indeed recommend.

Okay, um, fair warning: this book will probably destroy your emotions.Now that's out of the way, let's talk about why I ADORE THIS BOOK SO STINKIN' MUCH. First of all, C.G. Drews has SUCH a way of writing emotions. It's so very raw that you can't help but feel alongside the characters. I adore our main characters, Sam & Avery, and will PROTECT THEM WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE. Probably, I should protect them from their author because, wow, does Cait put her characters through the wringer.Not only do I love Sam and Avery, but the De Lainey's are also a fantastic bunch. Moxie is, of course, great. She's a girl with a very big, distinct personality, who likes unique fashion and piling a bunch of stuff on her waffles, and she takes crap from absolutely no one. But Mr. De Lainey is such an underrated character. He has an actual heart of gold, I'm pretty sure.All in all, one of my favorite books of the year. Seriously, it's so good. It made me smile, made me grin, made me cry, aka the makings of an amazing book.Note: There are some trigger warnings associated with this one, so I'd recommend looking into those if you're concerned about that.

April pick for the #WickAndJaneBookClub on Instagram. The theme was Autistic MC! Note on rep from the author: Sam (our narrator) is un-diagnosed autistic and his brother Avery is diagnosed and the word is used on the page.Sam and Avery haven't had a good record with adults or homes. But the two dream of having a home and a family--even if it's only the two of them. Sam tries his best to build a life for them, by stealing other peoples' houses--one night at a time. Then one day he's caught in a house he broke into and ends up caught in the family's chaotic energy. Each sibling assumes he's someone else's friend and Sam's not going to tell them they're wrong, because for once he feels like he belongs.I should've known this book would break my heart after reading C.G's debut A Thousand Perfect Notes, which also broke me. C.G. doesn't want us to be happy, clearly 😂. Sam & Avery have been through so much and I just want to protect them both. Maybe even give them a hug if they would let me. It was too easy to be drawn into their story and to care for these characters.Also my favorite line is from Avery and it's when he tells Sam, " and did you know you can pick whoever you want, which is good because sometimes boys are as pretty as girls..." And I just. Am deceased. I love you Avery and you're possible bi/pan awakening. 🥺🥺This is such an ultimate found family story and that will never NOT be my favorite trope. Always. Also I would like to be adopted by the De Laineys and have them feed me pancakes. If you are soft like me, read this book, you won't regret it!

Such a good book! I loved CG Drews debut novel and had been anxiously waiting for this one.Sam is a little ball of stress who just wants a home and a family and just to take care of Avery. I loved the positive Autism rep in the book, especially since I work a lot with kids with Autsim.The DeLainey's were awesome, and as someone who comes from large family (7 siblings), the accuracy of the constant chaos and sibling snark and trolling of each other while defending each other was epic.The themes of finding acceptance and a place really hit home for me. The plot kept me turning the pages and read the book in a day. The POV style takes some getting used to since it's not one I read a lot in, but it works so well with the story! Highly recommend!

First off, this book review is probably going to be spoilery. Don't read any further if you don't want to be spoiled.Back in April or May (I'm unsure of which month), but this beautiful book was the talk of bookstagram. I heard about it several times, before I decided to check it out. When I read it was about a boy with an autistic brother who steals houses to survive, that is what made me want to read this book. And I LOVED IT. At first, I was thrown off by the writing style and formating, but I gradually accepted it and moved on. I noticed something about Sam as well and after doing a little bit of research, I noticed Sam isn't your normal boy either. It's what I absolutely loved about it, I picked up on the things inadvertently hinted in this book. The ending when Sam got almost fatally injured and he had Avery is one of the moments I nearly bawled my eyes out. No matter what transpired between the two of them, they always loved each other and came back. The ending also had me almost bawling! Mr. De Lainey was wonderful to Avery and so accepting. Needless to say this story about a lonely broken boy and his brother and his survival, is what really had my heart. I would love to know more about Sam, Avery and the rest of the gangs story. I NEED TO KNOW. please write more @paperfury (I look forward to reading your other book too). I really felt for these characters, you have no idea.

My teenage son LOVED this book - he couldn't put it down. He usually struggles with reading but I told him once he finds a book he loves it wouldn't be a chore. This was it! I'm just about to order another book by this author for him and hope he finds it just as enjoyable.

For me this book had everything I hope for in a read. A powerful, dramatic story and believable characters who are both flawed and wonderful at the same time, and who you become totally invested in. Sam has been looking out for his autistic brother Avery for as long as he can remember. After their mother ran away, their abusive father dumped them on their Aunt, who also did not want or care for them. Sam has been fighting Avery's corner since he was a little kid and this means he has got into the habit of using his fists to solve problems. Due to his violence, the boys are now homeless and relying on a life of crime to survive. One night Sam attempts to burgle an empty house and while he is there, the family return. The family have so many kids and one overworked but loving widowed father, and each sibling just assumes Sam is a friend of one of the others. He finds himself suddenly welcomed into a family for the first time in his life. Teen daughter Moxie takes him under her wing and a friendship develops between them. Meanwhile, Sam is torn between his new life where he is lying constantly, and his other life where he is stealing in order to keep him and Avery safe. Poor Sam is only fifteen and placed in so many impossible situations that my heart just ached for him in this book. Every time I thought it couldn't get any worse for him, it did. In fact, that was my only criticism. The amount of terrible stuff that happened to him, one after the other, got a little bit hard to cope with. He was a wonderful character, outwardly a tough street kid who steals and pick pockets, but everything he did was driven for his love for Avery and his instinct to protect him. Moxie was also a wonderful character and I was desperate for things to work out between them. One of those books you just keep reading because you love the characters so much. A great and very satisfying ending. I'd definitely like to read more from this author.

I love the author’s blog, Paper Fury and read the ARC of her first novel; A Thousand Perfect Notes so couldn’t wait to read this. I loved this book so much. It made me cry like a big baby. It’s the kind of book that rips a hole in your chest, grabs your heart, squeezes it and doesn’t let go until you pass out. I loved Sam and Avery, both lost boys, broken by parental neglect and a system that failed them. I was on their side within a few words of the first chapter and my heart was in my throat as I flipped the pages, hoping they’d get a break. I loved Moxie’s family, they were too nice to be completely real at times but so endearing I couldn’t help fall for them. This is an incredible book. I can’t wait to read the author’s next one.

This book will break your heart and stitch it back together with caramel and sunbeams. It is a story filled with hope, pain, love, fear, and beautiful, beautiful connection.CG Drews once again demonstrates her ability to craft the most astounding characters and weave the most heart wrenching narratives. The Lou brothers are masterfully written: all fear and rage and brotherly love and the relationship between them is portrayed with such raw honesty with all the sibling frustration and affection. The De Lainey family is just that most fabulous ball of waffle fuelled chaos and I adore every single one of them. I LOVED the big family dynamic: the teasing, the sibling rivalry, the anger and frustration and the fierce love is all just perfect.I absolutely adored everything about this story: the range of characters and relationships, the dual timeline narrative, the anxiety and autism rep, the unflinching portrayal of darker themes, the friendships, the family, the romance - just...everything. A complete triumph. Read it with a box of tissues.

I absolutely adored Cait’s first novel, A Thousand Perfect Notes so when I found out this was coming out, it went straight onto my pre-order list.I think it would be grossly underestimating the little book by describing it simply as a contemporary YA romance.Full disclosure: I had to stop reading at one point because I was crying so much my glasses fogged. So yea I adored this book even though it made me cry.I’m really into reading about sibling relationships right now, possibly because it’s a major theme in my own writing but I think Cait has surpassed herself this time.I really liked how she managed to balance a very understanding and respectful portrayal of autism with the reality of having a sibling – of growing up knowing they are different but being willing to fight for them because they’re your sibling and that’s what you do. I read somewhere that this is an #ownvoices rep for autism and anxiety and I can get that.Sam is in one word, adorable. While I did fall in love with him for his unwavering support and care (and fear for) his brother I also could identify with him through his need of finding safety – of finding a home that fits him – and he fits into perfectly.I think the danger would be that the story would focus too heavily on Avery, and Sam’s love and care for him – this is an #ownvoices story about autism but it’s made clear that it’s not only about autism. It also deals so well with the post traumatic effects of growing up in both a physically and emotionally abusive household for Sam. Is it a nervous tic that makes him steal houses – or the keys at least – or is it his way of coping with his isolated and troublesome world?Of course, there are romantic elements – Sam falls for Moxie. In a way that only a scared, abandoned boy can – by falling in love with her family first. But romance aside (because really, would the book fail if it didn’t have the romantic relationship between Sam and Moxie? I don’t think so) this is a book about falling in love with safety; with a chance for a family – however patchwork and broken it might be.You see, I could probably keep going on but there are only so many ways I can say that I adored this book. While both are standalone this and A Thousand Perfect Notes fit each other perfectly – from having a male POV to dealing with various forms of love, abuse, anger and hope. I can’t wait to read more of Cait’s stuff!