chrysfey's review
3.0
3.5 STARS
Shawna is a sixteen-year-old girl whose mother just split. Now she has to live with a grandmother she doesn't know. Every moment is far from what she's used to, and she struggles within herself. She doesn't talk unless she's yelling. She always has a bad attitude. And she cuts her ankle to relieve her pain.
By the middle of the book, I really got into the characters. I got teary-eyed and held my breath at certain parts. The only thing that disappointed me was the abrupt end. I expected 3-4 more chapters but all of a sudden there's an epilogue. I felt as though the climax and exciting parts were left out. *spoilers* I wanted to be with them when they got the horses back, wanted to hear the conversation between Shawna and Casey, and wanted to feel the happiness when Kay received guardianship of Shawna.
Regardless, this is a a great story for teens.
Contains trigger topics: suicide, cutting, overdose
Shawna is a sixteen-year-old girl whose mother just split. Now she has to live with a grandmother she doesn't know. Every moment is far from what she's used to, and she struggles within herself. She doesn't talk unless she's yelling. She always has a bad attitude. And she cuts her ankle to relieve her pain.
By the middle of the book, I really got into the characters. I got teary-eyed and held my breath at certain parts. The only thing that disappointed me was the abrupt end. I expected 3-4 more chapters but all of a sudden there's an epilogue. I felt as though the climax and exciting parts were left out. *spoilers* I wanted to be with them when they got the horses back, wanted to hear the conversation between Shawna and Casey, and wanted to feel the happiness when Kay received guardianship of Shawna.
Regardless, this is a a great story for teens.
Contains trigger topics: suicide, cutting, overdose
martha_schwalbe's review
4.0
Wow! This book took me by surprise because the flawed main character is trying to fight the Monster. This is the most proactive book on cutting I've read in all my time reading YA. The book wasn't driven by the cutting either which makes it more plausible since the few cutters I've known have kept their secret while living what appear to be normal lives.
Shawna's reluctance to get to know her grandmother in terms of protecting herself from more hurt and in light of the stories her mother told her.
Although the book is told in two voices I think the voices are separated enough by age and perception that a lower reader could read it. I would suggest pointing out prior to the reading that Shawna is the granddaughter and Kay is the grandma.
I'd love to know what students think.
Shawna's reluctance to get to know her grandmother in terms of protecting herself from more hurt and in light of the stories her mother told her.
Although the book is told in two voices I think the voices are separated enough by age and perception that a lower reader could read it. I would suggest pointing out prior to the reading that Shawna is the granddaughter and Kay is the grandma.
I'd love to know what students think.
anna_reads_too_much's review
3.0
Characters:
The characters in this book described in one word were: somewhat weird. I felt like at times, they were all as normal as they could be for their character, but then at other parts, it was just... too weird, even for the character. There were only a few main characters, especially towards the beginning, and to be honest, I got bored of them towards the beginning of the book. If the characters hadn't been so boring towards the beginning, I think I would've finished the book quicker than I did.
Plot:
For the most part, I liked the plot. There was just one thing that didn't mix in with everything else: Monster's part of the story. Monster is a thing that comes and tells Shawna that she needs to cut. It just... didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the story, which I did enjoy, except for the slow beginning.
Wow Factor:
Wasn't very wowed.... I thought it would've been better than it was. 3 hearts.
The characters in this book described in one word were: somewhat weird. I felt like at times, they were all as normal as they could be for their character, but then at other parts, it was just... too weird, even for the character. There were only a few main characters, especially towards the beginning, and to be honest, I got bored of them towards the beginning of the book. If the characters hadn't been so boring towards the beginning, I think I would've finished the book quicker than I did.
Plot:
For the most part, I liked the plot. There was just one thing that didn't mix in with everything else: Monster's part of the story. Monster is a thing that comes and tells Shawna that she needs to cut. It just... didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the story, which I did enjoy, except for the slow beginning.
Wow Factor:
Wasn't very wowed.... I thought it would've been better than it was. 3 hearts.
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