Tricks

*Barnes and Noble is not working so no pictures.*

Tricks
Ellen Hopkins
Mcelderry Books
$18.99 USD
August 2009
FTC: This is my friend’s book. I am not being compensated in any way for reviewing this novel.

Characters 20/20
Plot 15/20
Setting 20/20
Cover 20/20
Ending 15/20
Total grade: 90% A

Sexual content: 20/20
Violence: 15/20
Drugs: 15/20
Underage drinking: 15/20
Swearing: 15/20
Total rating: 16+

Summary: (Amazon)
"When all choice is taken from you, life becomes a game of survival."

Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching...for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all the wrong reasons.

Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell a larger, powerful story -- a story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. A story about kids figuring out what sex and love are all about, at all costs, while asking themselves, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"

My Thoughts:
I had super high hopes for this book but I felt that it did not fully meet the needs of this topic. Teen prostitution is rarely covered but its super important. I think people a tough topic should not wait till halfway through the book to begin. There was too much wasted plotline.

I love how there is five characters. They were all so clear you had to have someone to connect with! They each had their own story and it was started. There were just too manu unneeded gaps to fully fill the plot.

I recommend this book to fans of Dark Literature.

Quotes:
Here is a random quote I found by opening to a random page:

I followed, found sheets cold as death.