An often engaging story of two teens’ emotional highs and lows.
A teenage surfer encounters a new boy who upends her life in Rizik’s YA novel.
Sixteen-year-old Kendra Dimes’ brother, Kyle, overdosed when she was 7; at the time, he was training to compete in the USA Surfing Prime West competition. Now, Kendra decides to compete in the same event in honor of her sibling. As a result, she doesn’t have much of social life; she sticks to school and surfing, and practices meditation to manage her anxiety. Meanwhile, Brock Parker, the new kid at school, sells drugs, likes to party, and dreams of buying an island with his best friend, Duke Larson.Kendra and Brock’s paths cross, and their initial friendship transforms into a consuming relationship that affects both of their lives, for better and for worse. At its core, this is a coming-of-age story, as Rizik familiarizes readers with the obstacles that Kendra and Brock have faced in their lives; Brock, for instance, had to give up playing music, which was his passion, to continue his parents’ shady business,and both he and Kendra were forced to move away from their hometowns. Along the way, readers get a clear view of how their decisions have affected their lives and forced them to mature. Brock and Kendra have a tendency to refer to themselves in demeaning ways (Kendra calls herself an “awkward loser”; Brock calls himself a “pussy”), and it’s a device that gets repetitive; however, it also serves as an effective reminder that they’re just teenagers trying to figure things out, and it adds to their character development. The overall plot is fairly predictable, in that one won’t be surprised when something bad eventually happens that tests the main characters’ bond. However, the twisty tale is entertaining enough at readers won’t mind such familiar beats.
An often engaging story of two teens’ emotional highs and lows.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-68463-087-5
Page Count: -
Publisher: SparkPress
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A visceral, weighty read.
An unflinching portrayal of the complexities of one teenager’s journey through alcoholism and recovery.
Bella took her first drink when she was 11. Now she’s 15, and she and her friends have perfected the art of asking strangers outside liquor stores to buy them booze. It’s the best way to cope with her parents’ fighting, the grief and trauma of watching her beloved grandmother die, acting as a caregiver to her younger sister, and getting dumped by her first boyfriend, who said she was “too much.” A party a few weeks ago led to the drunken mess of a night known as Bella’s Extremely Unfortunate Public Downfall, after which her mom ruled: “no drinking, no parties.” But Bella’s parents are divorced, and when she’s staying with her permissive and inattentive dad, who’ll stop her? After Bella blacks out at a Thanksgiving party and her friends drop her on her mom’s stoop, she ends up hospitalized with alcohol poisoning and a broken face. Her mom sends her to an outdoorsy rehab center with a program focused on building self-awareness and self-reliance. Bella’s experiences with the program and her fellow residents are depicted with realistic nuance; nothing comes easily, and Glasgow carefully addresses relapses, anxiety disorder, self-harm, and death. After Bella’s treatment ends, she discovers that returning to her life may be the most significant challenge of all. Most characters are cued white.
A visceral, weighty read. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780525708087
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
Editor and author Levithan winningly joins the ranks of talented authors exploring the novel-in-verse and kicks it up a notch. Though there is a progression of events in these mostly blank verse poems, it’s less a story than an examination of teenage relationships—with family, friends, self, and lovers—from every angle. Twenty distinct voices chime in with their own poem, series of poems, or cycle of songs; and several relationships and incidents are described by more than one character. No synopsis could do justice to the complexities of the interconnectedness of these characters. If high school is a dim memory for you, you might need a scorecard to keep track of who knows who and how well. However, all teenagers will find themselves, their relationships, and their attitudes toward life, love, and the pursuit of happiness somewhere in these poems. A must for YA collections used by those unafraid of poetry, strongly suggested for all others. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: Aug. 10, 2004
ISBN: 0-375-82845-1
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2004
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