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Intentions

3.44 of 5 stars 3.44 · rating details · 152 ratings · 43 reviews

Rachel thought she was grown up enough to accept that no one is perfect. Her parents argue, her grandmother has been acting strangely, and her best friend doesn't want to talk to her. But none of that could have prepared her for what she overheard in her synagogue's sanctuary.

Now Rachel's trust in the people she loves is shattered, and her newfound cynicism leads to reckle...more

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published August 14th 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

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Mar 30, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holy crap! Please excuse my French, but this book was so EFFED UP! From the first two chapters in the sanctuary to the messed up relationships between parents, boys and best friends to the heavier tragedies like Randy and Grandma. Wow!

I think a LOT of people are going to be either pissed off and annoyed like hell. The characters in the book were crazy, and the story development was chaotic. But for some crazy reason - I know, maybe I'm messed up too - I liked this freakin' train wreck.

The book m...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, realistic

A story about having your faith shaken, and how that can affect you. Sixteen year old Rachel Greenberg, a devoted Jew, overhears her beloved Rabbi having, um, inappropriate relations with a woman he's supposed to be counseling. But she can't tell her mom this earthshattering news when she sees how her mother acts around the Rabbi--she even sees them kiss! Is her mother also having an affair with him? Is this why her parents have been fighting so much lately? Where is God to help her decide what...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Kathe rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 20, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ah…the world of role models for young adults. (LOL)

In this tale our main character, Rachel, has had just about enough of her parents constantly fighting. Not only is that bugging her, but her best friend, Alexis, seems to have transformed from the normal, fun-loving girl that Rachel always cared about to a mopey Goth who talks about sex, drugs, etc., ever since her parents divorced.

One day, after overhearing yet another household battle, Rachel runs into the sanctuary. This is the peace where s...more Ah…the world of role models for young adults. (LOL)

In this tale our main character, Rachel, has had just about enough of her parents constantly fighting. Not only is that bugging her, but her best friend, Alexis, seems to have transformed from the normal, fun-loving girl that Rachel always cared about to a mopey Goth who talks about sex, drugs, etc., ever since her parents divorced.

One day, after overhearing yet another household battle, Rachel runs into the sanctuary. This is the peace where she can be calm, talk to her ‘creator,’ and basically chill out. In fact, she believes that now is the time to talk to Rabbi Cohn about her issues. After all, he should be able to help her out with all the problems that are going on in her life. Of course, the last thing she expects to hear inside her sanctuary is the rabbi having more than a little ‘fun’ with a woman who came to the town to marry one of the locals. It’s amazing to Rachel that the rabbi preaches about ‘intentions’ when he certainly has some of his own that don’t exactly fit in with his station.

Rachel runs out of the sanctuary, no longer believing that it can possibly be the place where one seeks solace, and tries to figure out what to do next. Do you tell someone?

Shaking her head, laughing in class, and grinning and bearing it - readers follow Rachel as she longs for her ‘almost’ boyfriend, Jake, and has to deal with Alexis and the rabbi’s handsome son, Adam, who not only dislikes his father but also has the flirty ability his father has in spades.

Rachel finds herself in one mess after the other with the one bright spot being a young kid named, Randy, who she reads to and who has a far worse home than she does. What’s worse is the fact that one day she watches her own mother flirt with the rabbi who has already proven himself to be a lover of female attention. What is this story about? Growing up!

The author has done a magnificent job of intermingling humor with fear, aggression, depression, obsession - a whole punch of ‘ions’ - and written a novel that will truly add color and spark to the YA world.

Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy(less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: female-protagonist, own, ya, contemporary

Emily's Review at http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I am somewhat guilty of judging books by their covers, but I was intrigued by the dark and mysterious images that were supposed to tell the story. I have been trying to be more intentional about reading different kinds of YA books, so I chose this one to stretch myself. And that it did. I immediately felt like a bit of an outsider reading the book. While the author tries to d...more Emily's Review at http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I am somewhat guilty of judging books by their covers, but I was intrigued by the dark and mysterious images that were supposed to tell the story. I have been trying to be more intentional about reading different kinds of YA books, so I chose this one to stretch myself. And that it did. I immediately felt like a bit of an outsider reading the book. While the author tries to do a good job of explaining the Hebrew words and Jewish ideas, I still never felt like I completely understood all that was going on.

First 50 Pages: I think anyone who had been a teenage girl can understand the highs and lows that comes with hormones, changing friendships and trying to find your identity. Rachel is a girl who is struggling to find her way, and it is complicated by the fact that her parents appear to be on the verge of divorce, her best friend has completely changed, and her Rabbi has done something that made her no longer trust him. This is a book about Rachel finding herself and learning what is real and important in her world.

Characters and Plot: Rachel, Alexis, Adam and Jake are the main characters. Classmates at school and members of the same synagogue, the four of them know a lot about each other, but at the same time, they need to figure out what really makes each other tick. They are interesting characters, if a little stereotypical depictions of teenagers. Rachel is the usual good girl who makes some mistakes out of her own confusion and frustration; Alexis was Rachel's best friend until her parents got divorced and she felt abandoned by Rachel; Adam is the Rabbis son who has fallen far from his own faith and Jake is the cute, popular boy with a dark secret.

The plot moves along quickly enough, basically just telling Rachel's story and helping her to grow. Because Intentions is a contemporary story, the plot is more just life and not some fantastic or amazing journey that the characters have to survive. The story is simply this: actions have consequences.

Final Thoughts: Intentions is a good book. Well written and succinct, there is a lot here to enjoy. For me, however, it was just okay. I didn’t dislike it by any stretch of the imagination, but there was also nothing that really stuck with me or overly impressed me. It was an easy, fine read that was good enough but not life-changing.(less)

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Jul 29, 2012 Wandering Librarians rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: family, fiction, friendship, realistic-fiction, ya, serious-issues

Rachel's parents are fighting more and more. Her best friend Alexis is acting like a different person, and the person she admires most, her temple's rabbi, has just let her down in a monumental way. Rachel struggles to make sense of it all, but before she can make it through she has a long way to fall.

I didn't love it. There wasn't anything in particular that turned me off. It was a good story. The characters were fine. It moved along. It was just fine all around I guess. Nothing jumped out at m...more Rachel's parents are fighting more and more. Her best friend Alexis is acting like a different person, and the person she admires most, her temple's rabbi, has just let her down in a monumental way. Rachel struggles to make sense of it all, but before she can make it through she has a long way to fall.

I didn't love it. There wasn't anything in particular that turned me off. It was a good story. The characters were fine. It moved along. It was just fine all around I guess. Nothing jumped out at me or pulled me in, but then nothing was a turn off.

Intentions explored how it can be dangerous and destructive to view other people as perfect. It looked at what happens when someone you looked up to lets you down. This was happening in two different ways, which Rachel doesn't realize at first. First is the realization that the rabbi, who Rachel has always greatly admired, cheats on his wife. Rachel is horrified and doesn't know who to talk to about this. She doesn't feel like she can tell her parents, and her Alexis, her one close friend, is acting so strangely. We realize that just as the rabbi let Rachel down, Rachel unknowingly let Alexis down. Alexis always saw Rachel as perfect, but Rachel wasn't there for her when Alexis' parents were going through a divorce. Now, Alexis gets back at Rachel is a series of really awful ways, and Rachel tags along after her like a puppy for far too long, but I understand what was being done.

Rachel's life falls apart, and she blames it all on the rabbi, which is of course not the root of the problem. Rachel is in love with Jake, but ends up cheating on him with someone else, despite her disgust at the rabbi's cheating. She blames it all on the rabbi and what he's done to her, but she eventually realizes she has no one to blame for the way she acts but herself.

I appreciated that not everything got fixed for Rachel. She and Alexis didn't have a big love-fest at the end when all is forgiven (although everything does work out with Jake and her parents).

Intentions comes out August 14, 2012.(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Joana Hill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

Read more reviews at my blog, Words and Tea Bottles.

It took me a while to start on this review after I finished reading. Not because it was bad; in fact, it was the opposite! Intentions is one of the few books I’ve thoroughly enjoyed in a while. I suppose it’s easier to complain than compliment, though.

I seem to be on a bit of a Judaism kick for YA lately; just a few weeks ago I read one called If I Should Die Before I Wake, about a neo-Nazi girl who kept flashing back to the life of a Jewish gi...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Lizz rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm most familiar with Heiligman from her excellent CHARLES AND EMMA, so this struck me as a departure. Lots of teen sex, drug use, and cursing but all presented in realistic ways that are not salacious or gratuitous. Rachel's journey from self-made victim to a young woman who acts with intention is gripping. While her mistakes might be bigger than some readers, Heiligman makes no excuses for her characters' actions. Rather the focus is on responsibility: how one acts to correct mistakes, to liv...more

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Aug 17, 2012 ExLibris_Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Intentions begins with 15 year old Rachel escaping to the synagogue to avoid her fighting parents and subsequently witnessing something that sets her world at a tilt. As we meet the people in Rachel's world, you soon realize that her old friendships are changing. She hardly knows her best friends anymore, and her attempts to repair that relationship made me cringe more than once. Even without witnessing what she did Rachel is in a major state of transition in her life. Deborah Heiligman paints a...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Jcel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Okay I’ll admit it I was only interested because of its cover! The cover is so freakish and mysterious that it had caught my eye but after having read the book I could not find any relation to the cover and the story. *scratches head*

Anyway, the book started out strong. I mean what with hearing the Rabbi doing “things” and all, it makes you keep reading but further in the book I felt that the author was just twisted. Like knowing that the Rabbi is a big hypocrite, your parents fighting and your...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Ally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, netgalley, young-adult, fiction

I finished this one yesterday and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. Rachel has so much on her plate--her rabbi has been knocked off the pedestal she's had him on since childhood, her parents are fighting like cats and dogs, her best friend doesn't seem to want to be friends anymore, she has boy trouble, a young poverty-stricken boy in her community has come to mean a lot to her, and her grandmother isn't doing so well. This book is an examination of how a young Jewish girl handles...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Phenomenal! Obviously a good read as I read it so quickly. It is short but truly a book that makes you want to keep turning pages. Rachel is funny and normal. Her internal monologue is witty and quirky. Honestly, her inner thoughts and inner jokes reminded me of myself and the thoughts I have that sometimes are definitely better left unsaid considering the moments I have them in. Rachel becomes conflicted due to the confusing and upsetting things happening to her externally. She makes some unwis...more

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Oct 10, 2012 J rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-school-fiction, realistic-fiction

Rachel’s life is falling apart. Her parents are fighting all the time, her beloved grandmother’s mind is going, and she’s just witness her rabbi, a man she reveres almost more than God him/herself, having sex in the synagogue with someone who is not his wife! And her best friend barely acknowledges her. These events send Rachel spiraling into some dark moments, until finally the rabbi’s teachings resurface and remind her to live and act with intention and to make things right. Though this reads...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, psc-reviews, realistic-fiction, young-adult

Rachel is struggling with a number of crises all at once: family, faith, and friendship. Throw in some confusing boy drama as well, and you have the basis for a solid realistic fiction novel. The faith in question here is Judaism, which will make a nice addition to my collection as it addresses issues clearly enough that you don't need a deep background in the faith to understand what is happening and yet the lessons learn could be applied to just about any religious philosophy. Through all that...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have been thinking about this book for a while. What would happen if you found out one of your idols was not who you thought they were? Rachel discovers this about her rabbi at a moment when the rest of her life is in a state of upheaval. Rachel makes mistakes which ring true, which is both good and bad; good, because they are realistic and bad because you may be shaking your head and telling her not to do those things at the same time. I admit that contemporary Jewish life is not something th...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Treasa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, finding-yourself, high-school, realistic-fiction, young-adult, faith, judaism

Rachel's world is falling apart. Her parents fight all the time and her best friend hardly ever speaks to her. But when she discovers the truth about the rabbi she has always revered and trusted, everything is shattered. She tries to cling to the good in her life, especially Jake, but there is so much going wrong that she sometimes feels as though she's spiraling out of control. It is going to take a great deal of determination - and intention - to set things right.

When I first started this book...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Bethany Miller rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: royal-january-2013

Tired of listening to her parents fighting, Rachel leaves early to go to Temple one Saturday afternoon. She goes into the sanctuary hoping to find some peace and to talk to Rabbi Cohn about her problems. Her parents are fighting constantly, her former best friend is treating her badly for no apparent reason, and she isn’t sure where she stands with kind-of boyfriend Jake. When she finds the sanctuary empty, she lays down on one of the pews and drifts off to sleep waking a little while later to t...more Tired of listening to her parents fighting, Rachel leaves early to go to Temple one Saturday afternoon. She goes into the sanctuary hoping to find some peace and to talk to Rabbi Cohn about her problems. Her parents are fighting constantly, her former best friend is treating her badly for no apparent reason, and she isn’t sure where she stands with kind-of boyfriend Jake. When she finds the sanctuary empty, she lays down on one of the pews and drifts off to sleep waking a little while later to the sound of a man and woman having sex. Not knowing what else to do, Rachel quietly heads for the door, but before she leaves she hears the woman say, “Oh, Rabbi.” At that moment, Rachel’s world changes forever as she realizes that the man who she had trusted and respected is having an affair. Though she doesn’t tell anyone about what she witnessed that day, this discovery causes Rachel to start questioning her faith and sets her on a path of rebellions and bad decisions.

Though Rachel happens to be Jewish, teens who have been brought up to follow any religion will probably identify with Rachel’s crisis of faith. Though the incident that brought it about for Rachel was extreme, the teen years are a time of questioning rules and traditions as well as the adults who model them. I liked that the author addressed this issue in a bold way.

At times it is difficult to like Rachel and hard to understand some of the decisions that she makes; however, Rachel is a realistic character. Like many teens, there are instances when she knows she is doing something wrong, but does it anyway. The conflicts that she has with her parents and friends are also realistic and relatable. As an adult reader, there were many times when I wanted to grab Rachel by the shoulders and give her a good shake, but that probably speaks to the realism of the character more than anything else.

There were a few aspects of this book that I had issues with. The chapter titles seemed unnecessary and interrupted the flow of the narrative. There are brief chapters at the beginning and the end of the novel that are from the perspective of adult Rachel. They seem at odds with the immediacy of the present tense (and at times stream of consciousness) narration in the rest of the novel. There is no sense from the rest of the novel that the story is being told by an older person looking back at previous events in her life. The resolution of the book came quickly and tied things up a little too neatly. Though the book was well intentioned (pun), for me it was just ok.
(less)

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Aug 21, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

There are not many books out there that allow Jewish traditions to be at the forefront without it being a Holocaust story.
Rachel's "Jewish good girl" life begins to disintegrate as she faces the loss of trust in the people she cares most about in life. The emotional roller coaster she goes on is so well written and it is hard to put this down. She is young, only 15 and wavers between mature and immature responses to her life's situations. Sometimes it seems like too much is packed in...but it al...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Rose rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, netgalley, young-adult, contemporary, realistic-fiction

The key positive statement I can make in the aftermath of reading Deborah Heiligman's "Intentions" is that it's a very compulsive, quick read. I stayed up in the wee hours of the morning finishing it. It's very easy to get through if you're engaged in the storyline for what it offers. The story centers around a trainwreck of events in the life of a Jewish teen named Rachel, who ends up questioning everything around her. She falls into her own missteps after several hard hits that change her pers...more The key positive statement I can make in the aftermath of reading Deborah Heiligman's "Intentions" is that it's a very compulsive, quick read. I stayed up in the wee hours of the morning finishing it. It's very easy to get through if you're engaged in the storyline for what it offers. The story centers around a trainwreck of events in the life of a Jewish teen named Rachel, who ends up questioning everything around her. She falls into her own missteps after several hard hits that change her perspective on more than just the people in her faith circles, but also her family, friends, and peers.

The problem that I saw in retrospect isn't so much that the collective cast has their fair share of flaws, but rather the whole narrative seems to be rather streamlined for drama, not giving much time for development or identification. Rachel herself is an insufferable protagonist, particularly in the beginning when she's self-absorbed and has a flighty attention span to things, it seems. The problems in her life, however, are rather numerous and grow as the story moves forward (sometimes self-inflicted). Her parents are constantly fighting and she fears they may end up divorcing. Her former best friend is no longer speaking to her, and even actively shunning Rachel every chance she gets. Rachel learns that her Rabbi has affairs with many women, including one that strikes close to home. Rachel finds herself falling in love with a childhood best friend, but then has a momentary fling with another boy. Her grandmother is sick and making her whole family's nerves stand on end.

So, admittedly, Rachel has a lot on her plate. On one hand, it's hard not to feel for her when some of the events take their toll and overwhelm her. But I can't help but notice just how disconnected it feels in the overall narrative. The characters aren't all that particularly dimensional. I felt like I could see glimpses into each of the surrounding characters (aside from Rachel), and while one can tell there are some heavy issues in the matter of things, there's not a lot of whys to the hows. I couldn't just take it on the matter of what the overarching novel is trying to say - that no one is as perfect as they seem and at some point, people have to move on and find their own path to life. I got the idea, but I don't think it really hit me as hard because there wasn't a lot of showing of the "whys," coping, and consequence. I wish I could've connected better with Rachel and the characters in the overarching novel. The only one I was able to connect to in some way was Jake, but even the focus on him was spotty and underdeveloped.

Overall, I think it's an okay story, quick read and it will engage with the way that its written as well as the successive turns of conflict that the character faces, but I don't know if it's the kind of novel that grips you and doesn't let go. For me, if it had just a bit more heart - even with its flawed characters, I probably would've liked it more.

Overall score: 2/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House/Knopf BFYR.(less)

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Aug 03, 2012 Angela Fristoe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-books

Intentions started off really strong and I thought the initial conflict Rachel had was an interesting way for her to start questioning her faith not just in her religion, but also her faith in the people around her. That said I think it was a bit of a stretch to think that this one incident that she observes serves as the catalyst for every choice she makes throughout the book. Yes, aspects of her life do start to break down and she does some stupid things, but even when she realizes she's done...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Estelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-new-releases, young-adult, nyc-teen-author-festival, netgalley

Review originally posted on Rather Be Reading Blog:

Rachel's world is shaken to its core when she overhears her rabbi getting down in the synagouge. I mean, who can blame her? A man she has known forever, seen her through bad times, listened carefully when she had questions about her religion, and has been a person of superior authority in her life has just shocked the crap out of her. So not only are her parents constantly fighting and her favorite relative in the world a shell of her former sel...more Review originally posted on Rather Be Reading Blog:

Rachel's world is shaken to its core when she overhears her rabbi getting down in the synagouge. I mean, who can blame her? A man she has known forever, seen her through bad times, listened carefully when she had questions about her religion, and has been a person of superior authority in her life has just shocked the crap out of her. So not only are her parents constantly fighting and her favorite relative in the world a shell of her former self, but now she holds the heavy burden of keeping this secret.

It's not even so much about who the rabbi was with... but the aftermath of Rachel's discovery.

Basically, Rachel -- a perfect student, devout to her religion, a goodie-two shoes of sorts -- is a complete and utter mess. And I couldn't have loved that more about her. She's just clumsy with life in general and I could relate. The way she talks to boys, the way she tries to balance her school work or keep her room clean... it's just never perfect, a tiny tiny thing always goes wrong. And sadly, she has no one to turn to. Her best friend is MIA (for reasons she doesn't know) and she still hasn't found the perfect avenue when it comes to talking to Jake, the boy she loves. Heiligman has really succeeded in creating a flawed character who despite her experiences with a traumatic situation is still spunky, funny, and sensitive without being a drama queen. Watching her rabbi teach about goodness and God after finding out his secret is confusing and causes her to have a healthy internal deliberation about her role within her religion and also who she wants to be on an everyday basis.

I loved the idea of adults who preach and then act in the opposite fashion. How exactly do you deal with this when adults RULE THE WORLD and you are supposed to follow their example? It's a frustrating paradox but one that is a part of our reality, unfortunately. The other one being the need to be comforted by the very person who may be making your life a stressful wreck. How many of us can relate to those feelings?

One intriguing supporting character was Adam, the rabbi's son, who has a tempting bad boy streak but also these quiet moments of understanding and sweetness. Even though we know Rachel has her sights set on Jake, I was very curious about what would happen with Adam, and if he was in the know about his father's side activities. Was this why he was always acting out? I really enjoyed the arc of his character and the temptation he brought into the story. Jake, on the other hand, had his own secrets and was strangely distant with Rachel. Though, for once, it was nice to see a shyer relationship that wasn't based on some wild chemistry. It was quiet and private, and Rachel expressed many relatable fears when it came to coming to terms with how she felt about him.

I love the technique of framing in a novel and Heiligman uses it here, beginning the books with an older Rachel, recounting the events of this particular year, and ending it the way it started -- back to adult Rachel, who has returned to town for the first time since everything with the rabbi went down. I thought it was a great touch, but my only complaint is that Rachel's younger years wrapped up a bit too quickly and we didn't get a better glimpse at the supporting characters. The ending, however, is extremely extremely surprising, folks, in a way that made me really think about Rachel far long after I finished the book.

Intentions is a great representation of the time in your teenage years when everything just comes at you from all angles, and you are forced to see and learn things you never wanted to. For such a jaw-dropping premise, Heiligman has created a well-written world of people in various degrees of imperfection, while still weaving in the lighter moments in life. I was hooked from the very first page.
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Aug 14, 2012 Anjana rated it 2 of 5 stars

Intentions was such a messy read!

I spent the first five minutes trying to figure out what on earth was going on and the next ten minutes wondering why the protagonist just wouldn't stop talking about the Rabbi. The first 20 pages of this book had me thinking that the whole book was about the Rabbi, which, it's not.

Okay, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. Let me explain, Intentions does not feel like you're starting at the beginning of the story; it makes you like you were thrown...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Ms.P rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, issues, grief, young-adult

A powerful story about a Jewish teenager who discovers that her world is not perfect when she catches her beloved rabbi in a compromising position. She struggles with that, losing her best friend, developing a relationship with a nice boy, fending off the advances of another, and managing her grandmother's grief at losing her husband and her parents' endless fighting. There's a lot in this book, but it was very well done and I think it was presented in a realistic manner.

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Aug 28, 2012 Virginia Walter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-books

Fifteen-year-old Rachel witnesses her much-admired Rabbi having sex in the sanctuary of her temple. She is estranged from her best friend. Her grandmother's health is declining. Her parents' marriage seems to be on the rocks, and she is falling in love for the first time. It's a lot to deal with, and Rachel is not perfect. Told from her point of view, I found the voice a little tiresome. Still, a good first foray into fiction by the author of CHARLES AND EMMA.

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Mar 15, 2013 Sean Kottke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ya

This has the best first chapter I've read in a long, long time. Rachel can feel her world coming apart, and seeks solace in her synagogue. She falls asleep, and upon awakening, makes an awful discovery that sets her on a downward spiral of doubt. The hook of the first chapter is irresistible, and pulls the novel through one or two subplots too many before reaching resolution. Along the way, Rachel's descent into existential doubt is painful, yet honest, in fact, one of the most honest depictions...more

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Jan 25, 2013 Maureen marked it as to-read

Shelves: award-winner

2013 winner of the prestigious Sydney Taylor Book Award. The awards were announced at the Mid-Winter Meeting of the School, Synagogue and Community Center Division of the Association of Jewish Libraries. The Sydney Taylor Book Award honors new books for children and teens that exemplify the highest literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.

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Oct 21, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for a kid in trouble and romance. Protagonist Rachel faces several challenges - changes in friendships, her parents' relationship, her trust in her rabbi, her grandmother's deteriorating health. Heiligman paints a portrait of a realistic dilemma - not knowing where to turn and whom to trust. Well done.

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Aug 19, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

A bit didactic, and the whiny characters left something to be desired (but I guess sometimes when it rains shite, it pours, even in 'real' life) but the different from dystopia/goth/and gag me love triangle generics, it was a nice change pace -- and interesting culturaly speaking.

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Aug 04, 2012 Mickey rated it 2 of 5 stars

So, what happens to you when you lose all faith in humanity? Evidently, its' a mix of promiscuity, experimentation, and trouble with school. Now, to be fair, Intentions did a great job of finding a series of events that are *almost* believable. Almost. Meaning not. Not believable. What are the odds, really, of one spunky, happy-go-lucky teen falling down the slippery slope of substance abuse, crime, and pathetic woe-is-me depression and then be reborn from the ashes of understanding in under 300...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Walt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Walt by: BOOKPAGE

When Rachel accidentally walks in on her rabbi in a most un-holy situation, she has to rethink her views on morality, right and wrong, and who she can let herself admire. I'm looking forward to devouring the other books by this very talented writer

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About Deborah Heiligman

Deborah Heiligman's second job was at the Scholastic News Explorer, the 4th grade classroom magazine. There discovered that she loved writing for children and she has never looked back.

After the birth of her two children she started to work as a freelancer. She has written 28 children's books as well as articles for numerous magazines including Ladies' Home Journal, Sesame Street Parents Guide, P...more

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Books by Deborah Heiligman

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith

Honeybees: Jump into Science (Jump Into Science)

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Intentions

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