United By Pop received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are our own.
Title: Die For You
Author: Amy Fellner Dominy
Purchase: Available now in the US and the UK
Overall rating: 4/5
Great for: Fans of emotional YA books such as ‘Everything, Everything’ by Nicola Yoon or ‘Speak’ by Laure Halse Anderson
Themes: Young adult, emotional and physical abuse, self harm, coming of age
Review: There’s always something about dark, emotional reads that pulls me in and makes me want to read late into the night. ‘Die For You’ by Amy Fellner Dominy was no exception.
The YA novel follows Emma, a high school senior whose parents have recently separated. She’s left her friends and sister to move an hour away and live with her dad, who is not taking the split well. Because of the chaos caused by her parents’ divorce, Emma has mostly given up on her dreams of working in archaeology to take care of her father.
The one thing that is stable in Emma’s life is her boyfriend, Dillon, whom she met shortly after moving with her dad. Emma and Dillon’s love is fierce and passionate. It’s the type of love that only happens once in a lifetime. They share this connected bond over loss and pain (Dillon’s dad died a couple years prior), which makes their relationship even closer. Their future together is set – from going to Arizona State University together the upcoming year and beyond.
When a perfect opportunity arises for Emma, it threatens the future she and Dillon have planned. That’s when Emma starts to notice that maybe her relationship with Dillon isn’t as perfect as it seems. I mean, he’s only behaving the way he is because he loves her, right?
‘Die For You’ offers insight into controlling relationships and how abuse isn’t always a physical thing. It doesn’t necessarily mean concealing bruises with long sleeves and makeup. Sometimes it means smiling when there really isn’t anything to smile about.
This novel is haunting and heartbreaking. It forces the reader to realize that things aren’t always what they seem, and you truly can’t always understand what those around you are going through.
I found myself thinking about this book constantly and needing to read it throughout the day. I needed to know what was going to happen to Emma next and how she was going to handle it. I encourage anyone who enjoys dark romances or romantic thrillers to read this book. It could even change your life.
(P.S. I thank Fellner Dominy for including resources at the end of this book that can provide invaluable information to those who are struggling through similar situations Emma experiences in this novel; those resources can truly save someone.)
