So, I decided to switch it up and read a YA novel about teen sexuality and teen first love. It was always a interesting topic to read about. A favorite would be the tearful The Lovely Bones. The teen love story in that book touched me deeply.
This book? Not so much.
Tess Whistle begins her sophomore year of high school clobbering the owner of the locker below hers with her book bag contents and a can of apple juice. Benjamin Easter is a sweetheart and instantly apologizes for being in her way. He picks up the apple juice with a question of why apple juice? And Tess answers by stating that she's diabetic which is why she was so clumsy with her stuff. He immediately is concerned for her but she doesn't engage much.
Tess also has a weird best friend, Zena, who is stuck on building a bomb to blow up a poodle. The story behind this is very weird and I believe this is the major reason for the writing of this book.
Tess's parents are a complete mess. They are "born again" but her mother decides to leave for 6 weeks on a find yourself camping/hiking trip to Utah. This leaves Tess's dad not so much as her dad. Tess has begun a friendship with Ben and she calls him for comfort. He comes over to pick her up. That's the beginning of their relationship.
Lots and lots of emotional stuff goes down in this book. Ultimately Tess learns to live while you can but it backfires like I've never seen before.
I'm a major fan of happy endings, even if they aren't that happy, but this book just blew in that department. I guess Tess and Zena came out emotionally stronger but what's that worth to me? Nothing. The book was written in a retelling way by Tess. The beginning told you exactly what ends up happening but I didn't want to believe it and so I read on. I really wish I hadn't.
5/10
Product Details
This book? Not so much.
Tess Whistle begins her sophomore year of high school clobbering the owner of the locker below hers with her book bag contents and a can of apple juice. Benjamin Easter is a sweetheart and instantly apologizes for being in her way. He picks up the apple juice with a question of why apple juice? And Tess answers by stating that she's diabetic which is why she was so clumsy with her stuff. He immediately is concerned for her but she doesn't engage much.Tess also has a weird best friend, Zena, who is stuck on building a bomb to blow up a poodle. The story behind this is very weird and I believe this is the major reason for the writing of this book.
Tess's parents are a complete mess. They are "born again" but her mother decides to leave for 6 weeks on a find yourself camping/hiking trip to Utah. This leaves Tess's dad not so much as her dad. Tess has begun a friendship with Ben and she calls him for comfort. He comes over to pick her up. That's the beginning of their relationship.
Lots and lots of emotional stuff goes down in this book. Ultimately Tess learns to live while you can but it backfires like I've never seen before.
I'm a major fan of happy endings, even if they aren't that happy, but this book just blew in that department. I guess Tess and Zena came out emotionally stronger but what's that worth to me? Nothing. The book was written in a retelling way by Tess. The beginning told you exactly what ends up happening but I didn't want to believe it and so I read on. I really wish I hadn't.
5/10
Product Details
- Reading level: Young Adult
- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Simon Pulse (January 23, 2007)
- ISBN-10: 1416934758
- Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#3 in Books > Children's Books > Issues > Moving <---not so much about moving #14 in Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Social Situations > Self-Esteem & Self-Respect > Fiction #21 in Books > Teens > Social Issues > Dating & Intimacy > Fiction
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