Glimpse

Glimpse
Carol Lynch Williams
Simon and Schuster
$16.99
June 2010
FTC: I received this book from the publisher with the understanding that I would provide a review for no compensation.

Characters 15/20
Plot 15/20
Setting 20/20
Cover 20/20
Ending 15/20
Total grade: 85% B

Sexual content: moderate
Violence: moderate
Drugs: mild
Underage drinking: n/a
Swearing: mild
Total rating: 14+

Summary:
Sisters Hope and Lizzie are also best friends; Lizzie, the elder sibling, has looked after Hope since she was an infant. When Lizzie suddenly becomes suicidal, though, Hope is bewildered, but she gradually realizes that she may have some insight into the roots of Lizzie's depression. Glimpses into her memories and her dreams unfold a story of neglect and abuse that will haunt both Hope and the reader alike.

My Thoughts:
This book was not as good as I expected to be honest. Usually I devour books written in verse as well as ones where a character suffers the trauma Lizzie does. I will not tell you what she faces but I will tell you it is flat out disgusting and may very well piss a few readers off. I don’t want to say I enjoyed that part of the book because that just sounds wrong. I will say that is what made me read it in the first place and what kept me reading.

The plot was gappy and predictable at times. I had figured out Lizzie’s problem long before Hope did. I know that the issues facing Lizzie were gruesome but they should have been addressed a bit more. I also feel that there should have been more focus on the suicide attempts, not just brief mentions.

The ending was okay but not really happy. It leaves you fearing for the girls again. This time it is for their emotional development. The situation they are left in seems bad but at least it is only a “temporary” kind of thing.

I recommend this to fans of abuse books. Readers looking for a passionate story of the bond between sisters will enjoy this!

Playlist:
1. Candle “Sick and Tired” (White Tie Affair)
2. Fearless (Colbie Caillat)
3. Where’d You Go (Fort Minor)
4. Dance in the Dark (Lady Gaga)
5. Secret (The Pierces)

Tangled

Tangled

Carolyn Mackler

Harper Collins

$16.99

December 2009

FTC: This is a library book. I am not being compensated in any manner for my review.

Characters 20/20

Plot 20/20

Setting 15/20

Cover 20/20

Ending 20/20

Total grade: 95% A

Sexual content: Heavy (lots of referencing)

Violence: N/A

Drugs: mild

Underage drinking: moderate

Swearing: heavy

Total rating: 16+

Summary:

Paradise wasn't supposed to suck.

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean.

Jena, Dakota, Skye, and Owen are all there for different reasons, but at Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all.

It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting.

It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn't have to be a jerk just because people think he's one.

It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the consequences.

And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise. . . .

From confused to confident and back again, one thing's certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book. I will be buying a copy for sure. I thought it was cool seeing how these four lives intertwine. The characters were so very lovable and each had their own story to tell me. I loved each and every one. I felt a bit deceived, Paradise was not a big part of the book, but it didn’t really bother me because it was still superb. I know the cover is bit plain but it just really seems perfect to the story.

Because of how the story was split it had a great ending. As you moved on to each person’s story you saw the ends of the other person being tied up within theirs. The very end was awesome. It left everything at a perfect close.

For some reason I am coming up short on words. Maybe it is the fact that this book was so good it has refreshed my desire to read. Go buy a copy… NOW!

Playlist:

1. T-Shirt (Shontelle)
2. Cinderella (Play)
3. Ridin’ Solo (Jason Derulo)
4. Fearless (Colbie Caillat)
5. Miss Independent (Kelly Clarkson)

Crash Into Me

Crash into Me

Albert Borris

Simon Pulse

$16.99

July 2009

FTC: This is a library book. I am not being compensated in any manner for my review.

Characters 15/20

Plot 15/20

Setting 20/20

Cover 15/20

Ending 15/20

Total grade: 80% B

Total rating: 14+

Summary:

Introverted Owen, brash confabulator Audrey, struggling lesbian Jin-Ae, and alcoholic Frank don't seem to have much in common, but they bond online over a shared interest: to commit suicide. Some of them have already made repeated attempts, and now they make a pact. They take a cross-country road trip from New Jersey, visiting the graves of famous people who have killed themselves, that will culminate at Death Valley. There, they will take their own lives—no backing down, no changes of heart. But as they crisscross the states, these isolated, unhappy teens begin to connect over more than just their desire to die; as they share their darkest secrets and most cherished wishes, real friendship and even romantic love develop. As the end of their trip grows closer, the time comes to decide: Is life worth living in spite of the pain, or do they keep their deadly promise?

My Thoughts:

This book was not as good as I expected it to be. From all of the summaries I had read I expected an awesome book, instead I received a good book. I felt that it took to long to really get exciting. The only explanation we got for where it started was the IM’s we read throughout the entire book. The characters were not very likeable; they actually kind of pissed me off. Maybe that was the way the author thought it needed to be but I was not a fan. There were a few parts that had me laughing out loud (like the fact that I realized my mom named her dog after an athlete who later became known as a rapist and cannibal. The lovely things I learned from this book.). I would recommend this to readers who have an interest in suicide books.

Playlist:

1. Party in Your Bedroom (Cash Cash)
2. Secrets (One Republic)
3. Vienna (Billy Joel)
4. Dance Floor Anthem (Good Charlotte)
5. Dead and Gone (TI)

By the Time You Read This I'll Be Dead

By the Time You Read This I’ll be Dead

Julie Anne Peters

Hyperion

$16.99

January 2010

FTC: I received this book from the publisher with the understanding that I would provide an honest review for no compensation.

Characters 20/20

Plot 20/20

Setting 15/20

Cover 20/20

Ending 20/20

Total grade: 95% A

Sexual content: mild

Violence: heavy (self-violence)

Drugs: none

Underage drinking: none

Swearing: moderate

Total rating: 15+

Summary: (Amazon)

Daelyn Rice is broken beyond repair, and after a string of botched suicide attempts, she’s determined to get her death right. She starts visiting a website for “completers”— www.through-the-light .com.

While she’s on the site, Daelyn blogs about her life, uncovering a history of bullying that goes back to kindergarten. When she’s not on the Web, Daelyn’s at her private school, where she’s known as the freak who doesn’t talk.

Then, a boy named Santana begins to sit with her after school while she’s waiting to for her parents to pick her up. Even though she’s made it clear that she wants to be left alone, Santana won’t give up. And it’s too late for Daelyn to be letting people into her life…isn’t it?

My Thoughts:

Let me start by saying this book broke my heart. It had me in tears at a couple parts. For someone so young to feel that way is just horrid. It made me stop to think about the girls at my school who just need someone to reach out. Being teased and bullied is hard. I know from personal experience (a story for another day). I think this is a great curricular read for middle and high school students.

The plot was great. It was very developed and could really sway your emotions. I cried, I laugher, I wanted to scream. This girl was the kind of girl I want to be friends with. Not the suicide part, but she is seriously smart. The thoughts that girl has are amazing!

The end of this book confused me. There was no real conclusion. You are left to wonder what happened. If you happen to read this Julie, I would be very interested in what you think happens.

I recommend this book for all teens. Its an important read.

Hold Still

Hold Still

Nina LaCour

Dutton

$17.99

October 2009

FTC: This is a library book. I am not being compensated in any way for reviewing this book.

Characters 15/20

Plot 15/20

Setting 15/20

Cover 20/20

Ending 20/20

Total grade: 85% B

Sexual content: low

Violence: moderate (suicide)

Drugs: none

Underage drinking: none

Swearing: mild

Total rating: 13+

Summary: (Barnes and Noble)

After losing her best friend, Ingrid, to suicide, Caitlin is completely immobilized. Unable to function, and refusing to visit a therapist, she begins the long journey to wellness alone. During this year of heart-wrenching, raw emotion, Caitlin finds Ingrid's journal, which not only reveals her descent into irreversible depression, but also serves as Caitlin's vehicle for renewed hope in the future. The book is written with honesty, revealing one's pain after the loss of a loved one. Caitlin learns, with the help of new friends and her parents, that there is life after Ingrid.

My Thoughts:

This book started off very well. I was able to fall right into reading it. The problems happened about half way through. I began to get bored and could not just sit and read very much. I think it could have been a much better book if certain parts were cut.

I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a sad book. It was relatively clean but the topic of suicide is a tough one.

Wednesday Wishlist

Summary: (Barnes and Noble)
Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: they all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, the four teens make a deadly pact: they will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will all end their lives. As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living—or if there's no turning back.

Why:
It sounds super intriguing!!!