Pull - B.A. Binns

Pull by B.A. Binns
David is starting over, after his father murdered his mother. New surname, school and state. Entering his senior year of high school, and the oldest of three. David has two sisters, Barney and Linda, he is now responsible for keeping them together. The three move from California to Chicago, to live with their Aunt Edie in a small one bedroom apartment.

After school David works at a construction site, earning money for rent. Still haunted by the murder of his mother. David just want to lay low his senior year, graduate and look out for his sisters.

At school David is attracted to Yolanda Dare (The Dare) , who is dating Malik. Malik is on the basketball team and thinks much of himself. David is doing his best to avoid the couple and keep Malik away from his sister, Barney.

Binns manages to touch upon many issues. David reflecting on his parents abusive relationship. Knowing he doesn't want to be like his father and wondering why his mom stayed. Don't see much of David's youngest sister Linda, the same is not true for Barney.

I liked the storyline, of Malik going after Barney. In YA you already ever see the unsuspecting girl being worked on by an older guy. So many girls at that Barney's age end up in bad sexual relationships because they' re vulnerable. That could've easily happened to Barney, she was exposed to her parents abusive relationships and uprooted to a new home. Part of me thinks maybe the author wanted the reader to see Barney could've easily been the next Yolanda without her brother.

Many rumors fly around school about who Yolanda has or hasn't been with. Malik treats Yolanda like he owns her. This is the first YA book I've read were the supposedly easy girl was the love interest. I liked this aspect of the story as well, since labels are given out like candy in high school.

There is a lot going on in Pull but at no point does it feel like an issues book. It reads smoothly from beginning to end. The author gets the first kiss out of the way very early but David isn't involved. Its Neill and Carl who are kissing, the two are a couple. David and Barney sit at their lunch time with their group of friends. Binns doesn't make a big deal about the kiss or Neil and Carl's relationship. They are simply allowed to be another couple in the background.

David's a well drawn character and I loved his voice. The ending of Pull was unexpected, hopeful and very fitting. I thought Pull was very well done and really enjoyed it.