A YA tale about smart choices, family secrets and peer pressure.
A mother’s love has not been enough to save her teenage son from increasingly delinquent behavior in this realistic young-adult novel.
In her literary debut, the author introduces 16-year-old Rodney Birge, a smart kid making a host of dumb choices. The story begins as he commits illegal acts that place him in front of a judge who will not accept the teenager’s customary rationalizations. Rodney has also exhausted the good will of his mother, who has grown weary of his manipulative, unacceptable behavior. Susan, a single parent who escaped terrible domestic abuse, still feels guilty about depriving Rodney of any relationship with his father, a weakness her son often exploits. So far, Rodney has refused to face the consequences of his actions, and Susan has constantly enabled them. But this time, with the real threat of juvenile detention hanging over him and an electronic monitor around his ankle, he reluctantly begins the process of changing his attitude and behavior. His mandatory community service at a youth center becomes much less of a punishment when his peer tutor is a blonde beauty; he rediscovers his passion for basketball; and some of the young residents at the center admire him. Susan’s life becomes more tolerable as Rodney develops socially acceptable interests, and the police officer assigned to his case takes a nonprofessional interest in her. Although many positive changes occur, this story does not have a fairy-tale ending, and violence is an integral part of the plot. Despite the painful episodes, this novel is a refreshing change of pace from YA fantasies full of zombies, vampires and aliens. Here, the monsters are flesh and blood characters who do brutal things to one another. The excellent pacing creates an urgent narrative marred only by a lack of some sophistication regarding real kids, such as when a 16-year-old boy is oddly impressed by fine table settings. Characters are well-drawn, though some of the dialogue is stilted: “It’s quite a bit bigger inside than the outside had me thinking.”
A YA tale about smart choices, family secrets and peer pressure.Pub Date: June 3, 2014
ISBN: 978-1492343288
Page Count: 170
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
