sjj169's review against another edition
4.0
"Why can't I be a normal girl who doesn't know what spent gunpowder smells like? Why can't I just...dick around on Facebook and chase after boys and...I dunno, just quit stirring up the shit?"
That's who Atlanta Burns is. She shoots the nads off her mother's boyfriend when he started messing around with her, so she spends some time away. When she returns Atlanta is a take no bullshit kind of girl.
In the first story of the book Atlanta is helping out a gay friend who is being tortured by a bunch of skin head ass-holes. She stirs up a hornets nest of pure redneck assholes.
Then in the second story of the book she deals with some of these same assholes and add in a dog fighting ring. (This part has some animal abuse for those of you that can't handle that kind of thing)..don't worry though. Atlanta has no fears when she tackles these people. She has no filter when it comes to her being pissed off. No stopping sense. Umm...I know someone sorta like that.
One question that kept going through my mind was wondering how old this girl was..and why no adult except for a drug dealer offers to help with any of this bull.
I received an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley
gnashchick's review against another edition
5.0
Girl Detectives. You know them: Nancy Drew, Ginny Gordon, Trixie Belden, and so many others. Atlanta Burns is the newest name on that list. The difference in this series is that author Chuck Wendig takes that beloved trope and drags it out behind the dumpsters of its safe little world. He roughs it up and hauls it onto a stage set by the mundane horrors of poverty, racism, and abuse.
Atlanta is an outsider. Not only is she a transplant to “Pennsyltucky” from the North Carolina, she’s returning to high school after spending months in inpatient therapy. She’s traumatized, and suffering from PTSD. Her peers are terrified of her. On her first week back at school, she breaks up a ring of bullies tormenting a smaller boy, and gains new friends, Shane Lafluco and Chris Coyne.
Wendig handles the incident that sent her to therapy with an honest delicacy, letting Atlanta come to grips with the trauma in small steps. Readers come along with her, gradually unveiling the abuse that Atlanta can’t shake. She self-medicates with illegally purchased Adderall and coors light.
Atlanta has to rely on herself because her mother is no help at all. It’s not clear if her mother is mentally ill, an alcoholic or merely dysfunctional, but she is a presence that Atlanta both condemns and clings to.
If I’d read a book like this as a teen, I know I would have identified with Atlanta immediately. The character is a flawed hero who meets violence with violence, and isn’t above using blackmail and threats to combat corruption. It's a powerful character, and a powerful book.
This is a YA novel, and would appeal to older teens. It doesn’t shy away from death or flinch from brutality. It’s the story of vigilante justice that leaves you cheering for the hero while at the same time knowing that it’s entirely unrealistic in a world where teens can be shot by the police with impunity
This ain’t no play-pretty. Atlanta Burns is a dark novel that doesn’t need any supernatural element to make your hackles rise. The real world is scary enough on it’s own. Yes, the novel is violent. The language of brutality is right up in your face, daring you to go ahead and try using a euphemism for that word to see if it makes you feel better. Try skating around rape and murder with a wink and a nod and see where that gets you. Tell me how you wouldn’t do the same thing if were in that same situation.
The novel ends on a positive note, with Atlanta and Shane making a video. In it, Atlanta records a video with an “It gets better” message that at first, pissed me off, then made me cheer. Atlanta Burns is no Trixie Belden; she’s damaged and violent and has problems that she can’t solve on her own. But she will stick with her friends, and be around to fight back against the bullshit.
I’d recommend this for older teens, say 16+, and adult readers.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Originally published at www.bookie-monster.com
Atlanta is an outsider. Not only is she a transplant to “Pennsyltucky” from the North Carolina, she’s returning to high school after spending months in inpatient therapy. She’s traumatized, and suffering from PTSD. Her peers are terrified of her. On her first week back at school, she breaks up a ring of bullies tormenting a smaller boy, and gains new friends, Shane Lafluco and Chris Coyne.
Wendig handles the incident that sent her to therapy with an honest delicacy, letting Atlanta come to grips with the trauma in small steps. Readers come along with her, gradually unveiling the abuse that Atlanta can’t shake. She self-medicates with illegally purchased Adderall and coors light.
Atlanta has to rely on herself because her mother is no help at all. It’s not clear if her mother is mentally ill, an alcoholic or merely dysfunctional, but she is a presence that Atlanta both condemns and clings to.
If I’d read a book like this as a teen, I know I would have identified with Atlanta immediately. The character is a flawed hero who meets violence with violence, and isn’t above using blackmail and threats to combat corruption. It's a powerful character, and a powerful book.
This is a YA novel, and would appeal to older teens. It doesn’t shy away from death or flinch from brutality. It’s the story of vigilante justice that leaves you cheering for the hero while at the same time knowing that it’s entirely unrealistic in a world where teens can be shot by the police with impunity
This ain’t no play-pretty. Atlanta Burns is a dark novel that doesn’t need any supernatural element to make your hackles rise. The real world is scary enough on it’s own. Yes, the novel is violent. The language of brutality is right up in your face, daring you to go ahead and try using a euphemism for that word to see if it makes you feel better. Try skating around rape and murder with a wink and a nod and see where that gets you. Tell me how you wouldn’t do the same thing if were in that same situation.
The novel ends on a positive note, with Atlanta and Shane making a video. In it, Atlanta records a video with an “It gets better” message that at first, pissed me off, then made me cheer. Atlanta Burns is no Trixie Belden; she’s damaged and violent and has problems that she can’t solve on her own. But she will stick with her friends, and be around to fight back against the bullshit.
I’d recommend this for older teens, say 16+, and adult readers.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Originally published at www.bookie-monster.com
dkpalmer13's review against another edition
4.0
This is very difficult to rate. There was a lot of great in this book. But, I had to skip over the bulk of the dog fight parts, and wanted to stop reading. In many ways I still want to have stopped reading. I love Atlanta and her spunky in-your-face-even-if-it-kills-me attitude. I love her willingness to do the right thing and figure out what the right thing is based on her own experience rather than what is conventional or polite. I just really, really hate animal cruelty! People who feel as strongly as I do about that should think twice before reading. I wish I’d known.
pygment's review against another edition
4.0
So, I didn't read anything about this book before diving in so I received no trigger warnings. Thus, if you are reading my review this is my warning. This book has triggers in it, LOTS and they start and don't stop. Reading this book is like being an octopus being tenderized to be sushi, you're tossed in a cement mixer with rocks and it's turned on. This book is a roll down a scree filled hill that doesn't stop till you get to the end. It was also, for me, worth every moment of it. Atlanta Burns takes her hard life and dishes it right back to the people who are hurting her. I wish I'd had her moxie at her age and done something. Maybe not the way she did it, but something more than what I did.
beccainabook's review against another edition
4.0
This series is like Mercy Thompson, the teen years. from the first page, I was hooked! If you have Mercy fever, get to know Atlanta because you will be satisfied!
mostlywright's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very difficult book for me to rate...and to finish! Atlanta is a spunky and dark version of Veronica Mars. Which is why I bought the book! However, you soon realize that Atlanta is very dark and perhaps not as clever as Veronica. This is an enjoyable book for the most part. I am not 100% sure what direction the plot is going in (or if there is one). It covers bullying, sexual assault and then suddenly...dog fighting. And this is the point where I almost stopped reading. I did stop actual reading and had to skim only. The graphic violence towards dogs is not something I can take. I also realized that I am far more of a happy person than I realized. There is no real "happiness" in this book. Things just keep going from bad to worse and there is not an offset. There is not a balance of any kind. I would recommend that folks who are interested read this book...folks who are dog lovers-you might struggle.
ashrowe's review against another edition
4.0
Dark gritty wonderful!
She’s a negative young lady who has seen some dark things and has done something that has made the town rather scared of her. She sticks up for those who need someone to stick up for them. Even if she doesn’t want to.
Atlanta was a great broken, vulnerable, kick butt character that swore like a sailor and was tough as nails. She had moments where she was rather funny and through out the book I couldn’t help admire her and her tenacity.
The story its self is chock full of triggers. Rape, Animal abuse, Homophobia, lots of blood and violence. Still it made all for an interesting heart string pulling story. Kind of hard to read because of all the violent stuff that was going on but there were good times too. Reading about her actually developing friendships and trying to mend things with her mother were rather pleasant breaks from the darkness.
Dark, Violent, and a great story if you can handle it
old_tim's review against another edition
4.0
You may have been wondering if Chuck Wendig can kick ass with a YA novel. The answer is yes, of course.
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2015/02/why-cant-i-be-normal-girl.html
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2015/02/why-cant-i-be-normal-girl.html
simply_sam's review against another edition
3.0
The writing is really good. I totally get the Veronica Mars vibe, yay, and I really liked the characters and the atmosphere he's created (he threw a little bit of the Heartland in there too which I loved!). Buuut....the story just felt off to me. A lot of actions didn't add up and the author required an incredible amount of suspended belief. Overall, it's a decent read that would have been better with more solid and believeable plot.
nuevecuervos's review against another edition
4.0
Chuck Wendig is one of my favorite go-to authors for grimy adventure; his writing style is quick, snappy, witty and entertaining and it makes me happy. I'd been waiting to get my hands on the Atlanta Burns books, and they didn't disappoint. He's great at writing real people, though my favorites are the broken heroines like Atlanta and Miriam (from Blackbirds) and this book didn't disappoint. Not your typical feel-good teen sleuth story, and I loved it.