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Tilt

by Ellen Hopkins (Goodreads Author)

4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 · rating details · 3,202 ratings · 469 reviews

Love—good and bad—forces three teens’ worlds to tilt in a riveting novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.

Three teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt….

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan,...more

ebook, 544 pages

Published September 11th 2012 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

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September 2012

27th out of 183 books — 261 voters

September 2012 YA & MG Releases!

24th out of 46 books — 99 voters

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Oct 06, 2012 Marianne -유진이 ☆- rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ph-simon-and-schuster, 二千十二, own, in-english, lgbtqa-protagonists, hiv-aids, 2012

after reading Tilt:
I love Ellen Hopkins, and how she tackles even the toughest issues, but lately, her books lack certain... essence that was present in her earlier books. The characters are easy to sympathize and/or relate to, but I haven't been able to form strong bonds with them like I did with Kristina, Connor, Pattyn, etc.
Her verse has lost its power, too. Now it reads more like a running monologue than art.
I'm not sure whether I want to read any more of her books...

*a side note: Tilt and...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Lisbeth Avery {Assorted Insanity} rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: could-have-been-better, creepy-0_0, ehh-cover, guilty-pleasure, half-star, reviewed, two-stars

I am quite addicted to free prose novels, especially those by Ellen Hopkins. The only one, out of her published free prose novels, I haven't read is TRIANGLES which is an adult novel. I realized a long long time ago that they were all the same.

The plot, the characters - Hopkins keeps reusing them. There's always this one gay stereotype, a teenage pregnancy stereotype, a young innocent girl stereotype, and a druggie stereotype. At least three of them are always in her books.

Yet, I still read the...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Colby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I saw the cover tonight, I damn near exploded. GOD ELLEN I LOVE YOU AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ONE!!! I'm sure it will be just as good as the rest of your books.

UPDATE:
I am now finished with the book, and I have to say it was one of her better books. At first, I was unsure of whether I would like it, but it picked up quite steadily and became a very powerful book. I enjoyed it a lot! Way to go, Ellen - another fantastic book.

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Dec 26, 2012 YA Reads Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nichole

Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole.

Love—good and bad—forces three teens’ worlds to tilt in a riveting novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.
Three teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt….
Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mi...more

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May 23, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owns, arcs

Triangles brilliantly displayed how adults don't necessarily have all the answers they appear to, and their children are front row witnesses to both their triumphs and failures in Tilt. The story travels alongside the events of Triangles as seen through pregnant Mikayla (Holly and Jace's daughter), gay (view spoiler) Shane (Marissa and Christian's son), and on the cusp of teenagedome Harley's(Andrea's daughter)stories and extends to the aftermath of Triangl...more

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May 04, 2013 Angela (: rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, books-in-verse, books-library-owns

I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this. I guess I was hoping it’d be better, because it’s Ellen Hopkins. People say her books are amazing, because it’s heartbreaking and whatnot. This is the first book I read written by her, and I guess I’m disappointed. Books in verse are just not my thing. Tilt took me almost a week to finish, mainly because after I started it, I put it down after a few pages, and didn’t get back to it after a few days. It’s not that the book was boring, but it wasn’...more

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May 11, 2013 Shana Loven added it · review of another edition

Shana Loven
APA Citation: Hopkins, Ellen. (2012). Tilt. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Genre: Poetry or Verse Novel
Format: Print
Selection Process: Kirkus Reviews

Tilt tells the tales of the three teens introduced in Triangles, Ellen Hopkins’ first adult verse novel. Mikayla believes that the love she and Dylan share will survive any test, but an unplanned pregnancy shows her that sometimes love isn’t enough. Shane is struggling to deal with first love, an HIV-positive boyfriend, and a termi...more

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May 01, 2013 Erica Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: addiction-to-fiction

What if words had the ability to tilt your world in a foreign direction? You never knew they could be so powerful and yet when I read "Tilt" by Ellen Hopkins, the language of the teenagers as they bump and glide on life's troubles- is potent and true. They all have secrets but we hear their quiet voices. The ones they don't tell their friends and parents.

There are too many characters for me to dissect here and I have not read *"Triangles"(the adult book) which is what Tilt is based on, however t...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Natalie Kolo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are a ton of characters! It is told from 16 different points of view 16!!!

Here are some character notes: spoiler alert!
Mikayla: dates Dylan, friends with Emily, Brianna's sister, cousins with Shane, keeping Dylan's baby, mom is adopted and her sister is Tia

Dylan: dates Mikayla, friends with Tyler

Shane: guy who dates Alex,
best friends with Tara, sister is Shelby, has God in his life, cousins with Harley

Alex: dates Shane very honest

Harley: father lives with Chad's mom, best friend is Bria...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, junior, own, teen

Tilt follows the lives of three teens through the summer and into the new school year as they deal with different traumas, friendships and knowledge's they encounter. This books goes hand in hand with Ellen Hopkins' other book titled Triangles which follows the mothers of the teens in her book Tilt.

First is Mikayla, daughter to Holly. Mikki, as she is called by most, has it all. A great boyfriend who loves her and she loves back, perfect family with great parents, a great house and anything she...more Tilt follows the lives of three teens through the summer and into the new school year as they deal with different traumas, friendships and knowledge's they encounter. This books goes hand in hand with Ellen Hopkins' other book titled Triangles which follows the mothers of the teens in her book Tilt.

First is Mikayla, daughter to Holly. Mikki, as she is called by most, has it all. A great boyfriend who loves her and she loves back, perfect family with great parents, a great house and anything she could ever want. She is so happy and in love, however, she keeps getting grounded all summer for staying out too late and getting caught. She sneaks out a few times, but still gets caught. Her parents say it is for her own good, but Mikki thinks differently, she thinks they are trying to keep her away from Dylan the love of her life. One night they have the night of their lives, but protection is not used though a common excuse to continue is. Before Mikki knows it she is pregnant and doesn't know what to do about it. At the same time her family is falling apart, her mom is always out and coming in late usually drunk, her dad is strong but doesn't know what is going on and her sister is clueless but her brother is a pain. She is confused. Should she abort the baby as Dylan requests and keep their love strong, or should she keep it but risk losing everything? She doesn't want to kill a child, but she is just a child herself. The constant turmoil inside her as well as the pressures of her family and friends weigh on her. What is she to do?

Second is Shane, son to Marissa. Shane is a troubled teen. He is gay, has no real true friends other than his best friend Tara or the guys he smokes pot with if you consider them friends. At home Shane is dealing with an absent father who works too much, drinks too often and is never there for him especially since he came out of the closet; a mother who is also absent, but not in the same sense because she is dealing with Shane's very ill little sister who is unable to do anything on her own so mom is the constant caregiver thus never lending any time to Shane. Though Shane finally meets Alex, through an online chat, the two meet and fall in love, however, there is a sad tale to this happiness. Alex is HIV positive. Soon the family falls further apart with the realization that his dad has been cheating on his mom for years and then the death of his little sister. Shane goes into a deep depression, drinking and smoking pot constantly. He doesn't care any longer. Can anyone save him?

Third is Harley, daughter to Andrea. Harley is an only child of a single parent, her mother left her father when she was a small child because she fell out of love. Harley wants to be popular, pretty and to have the boys look at her the same way they look at her best friend Brianna, but she is chubby and not sexy. Harley's father comes back into the picture with a new girlfriend who happens to have a son, Harley falls for him and tries as she might to make him like her. With the help of her mom Harley goes on a diet and workout regime to lose weight and it works so does the help from her dad's girlfriend Cassie to get some new, hotter clothes. While Harley is trying to find herself and how she fits into the world over the summer before high school, her mom is trying to find love along with dealing with family issues with her sister. Andrea keeps the death of Harley's cousin from her at first, and bursts with the complaint that she wishes everyone would quit treating her like a child. When school starts Harley makes her friends, though Bri and her fight they are still best friends but not going to the same school strains the relationship and does not have any affect of making of new friendships. Is this what Harley has always dreamed of? Being popular, dating an older guy, others thinking she is hot and not cute, having fun, perhaps too much fun?

Another home run for Ellen Hopkins. I love her books and having read Triangles previously this books made so much more sense and I loved seeing the same issues and time frame that the mothers were going through in Triangles. This books gave the reader another side to not only the mothers but the teens as well. Very well written with excellent and at times tragic content, but the thing about Ellen Hopkins is she does not let fear misguide her away from the real and harsh realities that many teens and their families are facing each and every day. I have to admit I was very fortunate for the most part growing up, though family depression plagues not only myself but many members in my family that is about the worst of. Though having any of the problems that Hopkins mentions in her books is not bad, like Alex having HIV, he did not get it cause he sleeps around he was raped as a child, not his fault and he is smart about it and takes the proper precautions with the virus. It is all about how a person handles themselves and the situations they are in. Thank you so much Ellen Hopkins for writing your books for teens, they are so expressive and allow others to know that they are not alone.(less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Sincethedawnoftime rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ellen Hopkins is a New York Times bestseller. She is author of many young adult novels. Tilt is her newest novel and surely very close in quality to her other books. Tilt is the story of three main teens, Shane Mikayla, and Harley. They are all trying to discover themselves and learn about the things they have contact with. It is a companion novel to her adult book, Triangles, which is the story, told from the parents’ point of view. It is told from the points of view from each of the three main...more Ellen Hopkins is a New York Times bestseller. She is author of many young adult novels. Tilt is her newest novel and surely very close in quality to her other books. Tilt is the story of three main teens, Shane Mikayla, and Harley. They are all trying to discover themselves and learn about the things they have contact with. It is a companion novel to her adult book, Triangles, which is the story, told from the parents’ point of view. It is told from the points of view from each of the three main characters. The intended audience, young adults, should find this to be a good book.
At first while reading this I was confused as to who was related to whom and how, because all of the characters are related in some way. I believe that some of the experiences that they go through, have been written about a lot but she takes a fresh view on them. I defiantly would recommend this book to other teens who like her books and that like books about real world problems.
She developed this book well. Her descriptions of the events that happened were great, I felt like I was there having the experiences as well, but not way too much. The events are presented in chronological order with interchanging viewpoints. I think this book had accurate information. At the end she places a list of statistics that pertain to the things the characters go through. A teen pregnancy where the father leaves after the mother decides to keep it is a common subject but one I think that teenagers should know more about. Also pregnant mothers should know more about their options and what happens after they choose one, so that they don’t choose one and then regret it. The problems of rape, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, teen sexuality and finding oneself are the most explored topics in this book with quite a few others. Tilt makes you think “What would I do if I were that person or going through what they are going through?”
Tilt is the story of three teens. Shane is gay and thinks he’s found the man he loves only there’s a catch. He also has a sister who is struggling to keep her life. Then there’s Mikayla who thinks she will be with the boy she’s currently with forever, only when he doesn’t buck up and take responsibility for his actions does she realize he was never that great. Lastly there’s Harley who is struggling to find who she is. She does a complete turn around with her character and then Lucas does something not so great and she realizes the she’s spent the last little bit of her life as the wrong person. These teens are all interconnected somehow; family, friends or other things. Throughout this book they all learn things and Ellen Hopkins sticks to her true style with surprises at every turn.
Her characters are all people that I could know. They could be people in my school; they could even be people in my family. In fact I identified with Shane a little bit more than the rest because I had a brother who had Down’s syndrome and at certain points in the story I realized that sometimes I felt the same way he did. I think that Ms. Hopkins must’ve spent a lot of time developing them, everyone in the story is three dimensional.
Some of her major themes are popular themes and ideas. There’s one that you can make your own choices despite what other people think. There’s not everyone is who you think they are. These are just a couple of the themes that she explored in Tilt.
The plot was great. If I were to draw out the “hill” diagram we use in school, there would be a lot of little bumps and some big ones in there too. The three biggest climaxes are mixed in with the little ones so you don’t get a ton of tiny ones then a bunch of big ones. I think that her opening was good and the ending great. It leaves the possibility for a sequel and I believe that she should write one. I would defiantly read it; I want to know what happens to these characters, especially Shane and Mikayla.
At the end of every poem she has a phrase that is similar to the one that she uses at the beginning of the next one. Also at the end of each set of poems about one person she does one poem from one of the bigger characters but not the main ones. After that she goes to the next character.
The novel is very clear but not exactly simple. There are a lot of little interconnected characters and quite a few subplots as well as the main plot. There’s not much dialogue but you get what the people would say if they were to talk. There's also not much humor because it isn’t supposed to be funny. There are some jokes made that are supposed to be sarcastic.
It is set in Nevada but it’s not really that significant to the plot. I remember a few instances where it was gloomy outside at times when you would expect it to be gloomy.
Overall I thinkt that Tilt is very well written. I like the storyline and connected well with the characters, certain ones especially. I didn’t want to put it down but, I had to or else I wouldn’t have been able to get all of my homework done. I loved this book and all of her other ones. She’s a writer all her own and I recommend her to all teens that are struggling with something because she most likely has written a book about it.
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Jan 19, 2013 Taylor rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really did love Ellen Hopkins' earlier works, like Crank, Glass, and Impulse, but there are a few I didn't particularly like, and this was one of them (alongside Fallout, Burned, and Identical). The thing about these prose books is that the characters, realistic-ness, and the situations drive them. Scenery, detail, those things take a back burner as far as these stories are concerned. Sadly, this story falls short on both plot and character development, which drags the whole thing downhill rig...more I really did love Ellen Hopkins' earlier works, like Crank, Glass, and Impulse, but there are a few I didn't particularly like, and this was one of them (alongside Fallout, Burned, and Identical). The thing about these prose books is that the characters, realistic-ness, and the situations drive them. Scenery, detail, those things take a back burner as far as these stories are concerned. Sadly, this story falls short on both plot and character development, which drags the whole thing downhill right from the beginning.

Now, I did not read Triangles, but here is what we can gleen from the characters in THIS book without revealing the whole plot:

Mikayla: A seventeen year old girl who, like all of Ellen's female characters, knows that she is SO in love with a boy, and they are going to live happily ever after. Until she gets pregnant. Now, while I do have to give props for tackling the very real issue of teenage pregnancy and adoption vs. abortion vs. keeping the child, there were a few issues that just didn't sit. Dylan, the father, was not sympathetic. We didn't get anything from his POV that didn't paint him as a jerk, nor did we see anything from Mikayla's POV that didn't portray him as a moron. This is all mixed with the blandness of Mikayla's character telling the story, so of course, whenever I saw these chapters coming, I wanted to gag.

Harley: Probably the least sympathetic and hardest character in the book to connect to. Harley is a 13-14 year old girl obsessed with boys. And who could blame her? Her mother is completely irresponsible. She doesn't know her father and his new wife all too well, or she'd know Harley's soon-to-be stepmother is no one you'd want to leave a child with. Harley herself is as immature as they come. She purposefully dresses skimpy and puts herself out to attract guys, which is disgusting, and ... she's an idiot. What happens to her is the other character's fault, and it's a horrible thing, but at the same time ... Harley could have prevented what happened. If she'd just calmed down for three seconds and really looked at this person, she would have been fine. But of course not. Because all 14 year old girls are stupid and boy crazy.

Shane: Stereotypical gay guy from all Ellen's books. Sweet and sympathetic, while raving about how gays are still not accepted anywhere. And by the way he writes, I mean anywhere, because every gay he meets is not accepted by anyone. What, are we living in the 1800's again? Why didn't I get the memo? His schtick is that he ends up going out with someone with HIV. And that would be a really original and interesting plot if the HIV served more a purpose. It's worried about for maybe 1/4th of the book, and then, not much. Alex, the HIV kid, is just your typical nice guy boyfriend, with the added tragedy past of molestation, simply for shock value's sake.

All in all, the characters are either boring, stereotypical, or stupid. The issues Ellen tries to tackle come across wrong half the time, or aren't addressed as thoroughly as they could have been, and by the end of the book I was glad to put it down. She could make due with doing more research next time, and rather than adding so much shock value, maybe Ms. Hopkins could focus on the problems she actually puts forth and explore them based on real interviews she has with people who have experienced it, not on how she thinks people think or might handle it.(less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Kaitlin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, contemporary, review, realistic-fiction

I've loved every book I've read by Ellen Hopkins so far, and I enjoyed reading Tilt just like all the rest, even though its not my favorite of her books. This one deals with the so many different issues-teen pregnancy, HIV, chronic illnesses, adoption, death, depression, religion-among many smaller ones.

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I liked how each character was connected in some way, such as through family or friends, as opposed to having completely separate lives, but going through similar struggles. The three main...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tilt is about three different stories and they all relate to each other whether it's through friends or family. Tilt like all other Ellen Hopkins' books was a great read for me. Like all her other books, she writes it in the format of a poem. The three stories are from three points of view. There is Shane, Mikayla, and Harley. Shane's story talks about how he goes through life with himself being gay, he doesn't seem to struggle with it, he has a strong personality and doesn't let anybody bring h...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Abbe Hinder rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: female-pov, male-pov, meh, contemporary, glbt, margaret-k-mcelderry, serious-topics, reviewed

I was expecting more from this book because the synopsis is really well written. Kind of a let down, it falls short and might disappoint. Sean is the most interesting to me because he has a lot more obstacles to overcome than Mikayla and Harley. He's different and strong in ways that not very many people think he's capable of. In her usual books, the characters jump off the pages. The main characters are pretty stiff and a bit lifeless. I wasn't freaking out the way I expected myself to. I didn'...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Tina Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Ellen Hopkins fans

Recommended to Tina Rae by: Elizabeth

Honestly, I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to feel about this book. When I'd heard that it was a sequel, of sorts, to Triangles, I thought it would pick up where Triangles left off and give the rest of the story. When that wasn't the case at all, I was actually pretty disappointed.

Around the middle of this book, I wasn't even sure that I was going to continue reading since it just felt like reading the same exact story over again, just from a different perspective. That honestly didn't eve...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Carmen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Name of book-> Tilt
Author-> Ellen Hopkins
Pages-> 728
Genre-> Drama
Reading level-> Adult
Exposition-> Michaela likes Drew and he likes her back so they start to date. Meanwhile Shawn is lonely and searches on the web for a buddy but ends up finding a relationship instead with a guy named Alex. Micheala's and Drew's relationship is perfect. Shawn only 16 is over obsessed with 18 year old Alex.
Conflict-> After having a picnic together Alex finally decides to tell Shawn that he...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Literary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mandy's Review:

I've seen Ellen Hopkins' novels in stores. I've glanced through them, intimidated by the sheer volume of each one. I was intrigued by what I saw, though: the chapters being written poetry-style with stanzas and rhythm. Yet my intimidation over how thick the novels were kept me from buying them.

Then came my chance. I received Tilt in the mail for review. My first Ellen Hopkins novel. I was finally able to see what all the hype was about.

I began to read.

Before I knew it, I was over...more Mandy's Review:

I've seen Ellen Hopkins' novels in stores. I've glanced through them, intimidated by the sheer volume of each one. I was intrigued by what I saw, though: the chapters being written poetry-style with stanzas and rhythm. Yet my intimidation over how thick the novels were kept me from buying them.

Then came my chance. I received Tilt in the mail for review. My first Ellen Hopkins novel. I was finally able to see what all the hype was about.

I began to read.

Before I knew it, I was over 100 pages into the novel. I just couldn't put it down. The way it's written makes it so easy to read. I especially loved the black pages; how she had a standalone word for each stanza that, when you read the standalone words from top to bottom, created their own sentence or thought. Very cool.

The characters are extremely realistic. Mikayla, blinded by love, allows her boyfriend to have sex with her without a condom ... twice. That's all it took. She became pregnant. Dylan, freaked out by the thought of being a father, wants her to abort it. Mikayla, being eighteen and pregnant, is so freaked out herself that she doesn't know what to do. Pardon my language, people, but Dylan is such a dick that he makes Mikayla choose between him and the baby.

Shane is so lonely that he has pretty much given up on finding love. His dad is religious to the point of believing Shane will go to hell for being gay. Shane pretty much stays in his room, looking at porno and getting high. One day, he meets Alex online and they get to know each other and fall in love. Shelby's death pushes Shane over the edge and he attempts suicide. He calls Alex to say 'goodbye.'

Harley is something else. She's fourteen and naive. Thinking she can handle anything, she gets into a relationship with an older guy. All he's interested in is popping her cherry. Being with him, wanting his attention and approval, Harley begins smoking weed and drinking. Any girl knows not to send a naked pic to a guy she barely knows, because what is he going to do? Yep! Show it to every guy he knows and probably some he doesn't know. Harley, honey, doesn't know any better. She thinks she's grown because Lucas wants her to send him a naked pic, so she does it. *Sigh* She learns her lesson, though, when Lucas proves exactly who he is.

This may have been my first Ellen Hopkins novel, but it will not be my last. I loved Tilt; the emotions, the drama, the realism, the uniqueness of the writing. This book definitely receives 5 out of 5 stars from me.(less)

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Nov 04, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fun-reads

While I have heard of Ellen Hopkins’ novel CRANK, this was the first of her books I read. I was surprised by the poetry format and feared that there would be no narrative. I was wrong. The stories of three teens flow seamlessly from poem to poem. Each character has their own sections narrated in first person. The poetry format helps to convey the alienating and overwhelming emotions the teens feel. My favorite poems were the black pages where the reader gets a small poem told from the point of v...more While I have heard of Ellen Hopkins’ novel CRANK, this was the first of her books I read. I was surprised by the poetry format and feared that there would be no narrative. I was wrong. The stories of three teens flow seamlessly from poem to poem. Each character has their own sections narrated in first person. The poetry format helps to convey the alienating and overwhelming emotions the teens feel. My favorite poems were the black pages where the reader gets a small poem told from the point of view of a character who is not one of the three protagonists. Hopkins arranges the form of these poems so there are actually two contained in one. You might have to see it for yourself to understand what I mean.

Hopkins is without doubt a great poet. She successfully conveys the emotions of three very different characters. The reader even gets to know the adults through the dialogue. I empathized with every character, except for one. They all seemed so real and I could identify with almost all of them. The book is very tragic, and while the end had some loose strings, I still closed the book with a sense that all of the characters would be alright.

As a twenty-something, my teen years are not too far behind me. Hopkins all too easily transported me back to the angst, self-consciousness, and fear I felt at that time. I also couldn’t help but think, Teenagers are supposed to read this? But the issues in the book are real problems that real teens face. Maybe these issues wouldn’t be so bad if everyone were as honest about them as Hopkins is. The teens face HIV; teenage pregnancy; underage sex, drinking, and drugging; chronic illness; alcoholic parents; and a lack of tools to deal with it all. Their struggle is not unique to fiction and the author’s note pronounces Hopkins’ hope to make a difference in the lives of teen readers. If I had read this book when I was 16, I would have been disturbed and I might have made different choices.

The only problem I came across was keeping track of all of the adults. Since the narrators refer to them as “Mom” and “Dad,” when their actual names appeared, I had trouble keeping them straight. Hopkins based the teens in this book off of characters in TRIANGLES, an adult novel --- perhaps it would have been easier to organize them in my head if I had read TRIANGLES first.

I would not call this light reading, but it is an important book. Hopkins creates deeply troubled characters, who I wish I could reach in and help out. My worry for them propelled me through the pages.
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Oct 21, 2012 Kelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-12

Like Ellen Hopkins other novels, all of the different character's stories are related in one way or another. The book is a spinoff from her adult novel, Triangles, although this novel is focused on adult's children. The ages range, whether it be Mikayla who thinks she's in love with her boyfriend, or Shane who's gay and has a hard time fitting in at home and at school, but finds himself falling head over heels for a boy he meets online. There are other characters in the novel and all struggle w...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Kayleigh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Like all of Hopkins books, it's a bunch of teens with alot problems. Addiction, pregnancy, abuse, rejection, depression ect. I enjoyed this book and finished it farely quickly, but it left me with ALOT of un answered questions. I feel like her books do that alot, they seem to have very abrubt endings. And by unanswered questions, I don't mean the good kind that keep you thinking about it, I mean the kind of questions that need the story to keep going another 50 pages to feel like you really fins...more Like all of Hopkins books, it's a bunch of teens with alot problems. Addiction, pregnancy, abuse, rejection, depression ect. I enjoyed this book and finished it farely quickly, but it left me with ALOT of un answered questions. I feel like her books do that alot, they seem to have very abrubt endings. And by unanswered questions, I don't mean the good kind that keep you thinking about it, I mean the kind of questions that need the story to keep going another 50 pages to feel like you really finshed it.

First off, you never find out what Mkayla does with her baby. She changes her mind like 4 times and you never know for sure what the hell she is going to do with it at the end. Her jackass boyfriend decides to leave her because he doesn't want to be second in her mind, even though he was the one that pressured her into having sex without a condom. But she keeps going back and forth between hating him and loving him or both at the same time. I found this extremely frustrating because she couldn't make up her god damned mind about anything important.

Second, Shayne had a perfectly good relationship and then goes and fucks it up to no end. Showing up drunk and high at his boyfriend (Alex) house asking for sex, Alex trying to be responsible one and send him home but Shayne is too much a whiney asshole to get help. Then he tries to kill himself and everyone said that he was "so selfish" and "I can't beleive he would do that to us". BULLSHIT. Your son/cousin/uncle tried to end his life and your thinking about how he didn't think of YOUR feelings?? Fuck you. On top of that because sex seems to be the only cure for Shanynes problems, Alex is HIV positive, but still tires to be constantly with him even though it might not/isn't safe.

And then theirs Harley. A 14 year old mess. Trying to grow up WAY to fast. Going on a rediculous diet and dressing much to provacative for her age. Hooking up with a guy who gives no fucks about her, and ends up raped. But still she's surprised. Harley pretty much did all the changing a friend of mine did in 2 or 3 YEARS in 2 or 3 MONTHS. Since i'm 14 I could relate to alot of what she was feeling, and the stuff I couldn't relate to personaly, I could relate it to someone I know.

Though it maye seem like I hated this book, it was well written and flowed pretty well up until the end and your stuck with a bunch of important questions that could easly have been answered.

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Oct 15, 2012 Cornmaven rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: high-school

I liked parts of this book, but I think Hopkins tried to do too much with this one, not the least of which was to blatantly market her adult novel to teens, one which I feel is totally inappropriate for the 14 year olds that would normally read her YA novels.

She's got some good themes in there, including the usual teen pregnancy. Shane's relationship with Alex presents a good image of homosexual relationships. Harley's stupidity in getting together with neanderthal Lucas should have been taken t...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Liza Wiemer added it · review of another edition

Tilt is another outstanding novel by the queen of free verse - Ellen Hopkins. Once again, she does not shy away from addressing some serious issues like teen pregnancy, date rape, a relationship with an HIV infected partner, and adoption. What I deeply appreciate about this novel is that the messages to teens are straightforward - take responsibility, think about the consequences of having sex before you get involved with a partner. I also deeply appreciate that "sexting" was brought up. It's NE...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Cathy Nelson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the SWVBC choice for October 17, 2012. I've had a few kids at school ask if we are getting it, and yes, we are. I read through it and have my own reservations. The story is well written and easy to read. It doesn't sugar coat any issues, and covers all the topics students would be exposed to through any hallway conversations (teen pregnancy, date-rape, drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, bullying, and more.) While it it still reverberating (sp?) in my head, I'm still trying to see how each ma...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In order to completely enjoy Ellen Hopkins, the reader must read the books in the format they are written. The words are profound and written in verse. At the same time, the format provides layers to the stories. It's more of an art form than simply a novel or a book of poetry. For instance, one of the peripheral characters is writing from his point of view and expresses many different thoughts and feelings, when read completely. It makes complete sense and the voice stays in character. At the s...more In order to completely enjoy Ellen Hopkins, the reader must read the books in the format they are written. The words are profound and written in verse. At the same time, the format provides layers to the stories. It's more of an art form than simply a novel or a book of poetry. For instance, one of the peripheral characters is writing from his point of view and expresses many different thoughts and feelings, when read completely. It makes complete sense and the voice stays in character. At the same time, the verses are written in a format where certain words are set apart and succinctly summarize in five words.

Triangles was an adult book, written about three women; friends and/or sisters. Their lives all intersect in many ways and on different levels. What they all have in common is their geography and the fact they are all mothers. Tilt is also written in verse and alternate points of view via three main characters, one teenage child per woman from Triangles. This book covers the same time period as the adult book, perhaps even further if I remember correctly, but from the teenage children's perspective. Interestingly, it does not retell the same story. There are life events that both books tell like death, marriage, divorce, and a certain level of infidelity, but the books intersect only so far. The children never completely grasp what the parents are experiencing and the parents did not comprehend what the children were really doing or feeling.

The main characters include Harley, Shane, and Mikayla. All three are struggling to find their place in the world. Intermingled in the three stories are peripheral points of view through verse via boyfriend, sister, cousin or best friend. Each character and voice is vastly different and I found myself liking Alex, a peripheral character, the best because of his depth.

I can not rant and rave enough about Hopkins and her writing style. I love it and I love the way she expresses an individual's thoughts, feelings, and subconscious ideas. I would suggest this book as a book club book and moderated by a teacher or counselor. It is rich with feeling and layered with the reality of consequences regarding teenage sex, quick judgment, and drug and alcohol use. Well worth the time. But be prepared for difficult subjects.

Sex - Extreme
Drug Use - Moderate to extreme
Language - Extreme
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Feb 27, 2013 Minty McBunny rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, february-2013

I started on Ellen Hopkins with Crank and the other 2 books in that series and I was enthralled. None of her other books though quite measure up. Obviously the personal nature of that initial trilogy is what gives them their power. Also the writing in verse thing works better when you're dealing with drug addicts, it is kind of hypnotic and mirrors the way they might think.

Some of her other books were good, if not excellent like the Crank trilogy, but to me this is the weakest of the lot along...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, read-in-2012, young-adult, contemporary

Review originally posted here: The Bookie Nook

***

Tilt is a young adult novel written by Ellen Hopkins in verse. I have heard a lot about Hopkins as a novelist, although prior to Tilt I had not read any of her work. I was worried that because it was written in verse that it would seem broken up and hard to read. But it wasn’t. It truly added another layer to the story. I decided I would sit down in the library and read it for a few minutes just to make sure that it was something that I would like...more Review originally posted here: The Bookie Nook

***

Tilt is a young adult novel written by Ellen Hopkins in verse. I have heard a lot about Hopkins as a novelist, although prior to Tilt I had not read any of her work. I was worried that because it was written in verse that it would seem broken up and hard to read. But it wasn’t. It truly added another layer to the story. I decided I would sit down in the library and read it for a few minutes just to make sure that it was something that I would like. Seventy-five pages later, I checked out the book. I will be returning to the library to pick up her other books, but Crank was not available (I will be looking for it again, during my next library haul)… but, let’s look at why I will be going back for more of Hopkins books, shall we?

Tilt is a novel that is told from the point-of-view of three different teenagers: Mikayla, Shane, and Harley, whose lives all become intermingled. It is the companion to an adult novel that was written by Hopkins called Triangles, which I am interested in picking up. It is the story that is told from the point-of-view of the parents of Mikki, Shane, and Harley. I think that it would have been a little bit easier if I had read Triangles first, because I struggled a bit at the beginning in keeping straight who was related to who, and best friends with who. I think that was my only real hangup.

I enjoy reading contemporaries that deal with real issues, that could happen to real people. In Tilt, we are introduced to Mikayla, or “Mikki” as she is called by her friends and family. A girl who has fallen head over heels for a boy named Dylan Douglas. This is something unfamiliar to her, a first love. And it seems especially foreign to her because it has been obvious for a long time now that her parents are not in love anymore. Things become even more complicated when Mikayla falls pregnant the summer before her senior year with Dylan’s baby, and decides to keep the baby which will greatly affect her life. In the future, and in the now.

“Because another thing

I’ve decided through a lot of

meditation, in fact, that life

is all about chances. You might

be safer not taking any. But

playing it safe means

you’re only existing. Not living.”

The second narrator that we are introduced to is Shane. He is just turning sixteen, and has recently come out to those around him. And in the summer that he turns sixteen, he meets Alex. Alex will become his first serious boyfriend. Soon after they meet, Alex makes a confession to Shane: he is living life HIV positive. This news, amiss having seen his younger sister battle just to stay alive for the last four years drastically complicate Shane’s life. Will he push away what could be the best thing in his life, or will he stay with Alex even though he knows that his life will be cut short, much like his baby sister?

And finally, there is Harley who is Shane’s younger cousin. At thirteen years old she is just an ordinary good girl who is trying to learn who she is and define herself. She is willing to push herself, to change herself… because she thinks that is who she is supposed to be. I think this is something that could be true of so many teenage girls out there. Wanting to impress the people around them. And maybe losing themselves a little bit in the effort of finding themselves. It is Harley’s best friend Bri who I think is a saving grace. Even though she knows that Harley is changing, and not for the better, she is there. She is a true testament to the kind of friend that every teenager reads.

Intertwined are the relationships of the parents, whose relationships are easily just as messy as their children. Many of their lives at a crossroads. If you have ever struggled to find yourself, if you remember what it was like to be a teenager and to be lost, if you have ever lost someone, or loved someone… this is an amazing contemporary read.(less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Callie Fox rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book. I really liked how Ellen Hopkins included POV from other side characters on one page between the main characters - it really gave the book more life (which in my opinion had been lacking in her last teen novels).

It is best read after you read it's companion (adult) novel Triangles which is written the same (I especially loved how the children's chapters were in the order their parents were).

Spoilers ahead!

I only had one problem with this book that actually infuriated me. W...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Bree rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review is of the Advanced Reader's Edition of the book.

Tilt is a companion story to Hopkins' adult novel, Triangles. As I have yet to read Triangles, all of the characters in this book were new to me. Tilt follows the story of three teenagers, Harley, Mikayla, and Shane. Harley is 13 and desperate to fall in love for the first time. Mikayla is 17 and in the midst of the most powerful love of her life. Shane is 15 and starting his first real relationship while trying to escape his family dra...more This review is of the Advanced Reader's Edition of the book.

Tilt is a companion story to Hopkins' adult novel, Triangles. As I have yet to read Triangles, all of the characters in this book were new to me. Tilt follows the story of three teenagers, Harley, Mikayla, and Shane. Harley is 13 and desperate to fall in love for the first time. Mikayla is 17 and in the midst of the most powerful love of her life. Shane is 15 and starting his first real relationship while trying to escape his family drama.

The voices of these three are not the only ones present in the book. Although the book is not divided into chapters, the character's POV is switched by interspersed pages (inverted with white text on black) of secondary characters relevant to the story. At first, I found this to be too jarring. It took at least 200 pages for me to understand how these characters were connected to each other, who was friends with whom and who was cousins with whom. (A character list or "family tree" at the front of the book would have been helpful to reference.) However, by the end of the novel I really appreciated hearing the voices of these other characters. For example, hearing from Shelby, Shane's severely disabled younger sister that has never been able to speak, was very powerful. Likewise, hearing from Lucas, a guy that Harley begins experimenting sexually with was the only way to give the reader an insight into what a huge creep he is.

It is an understatement to say that the lives of these three are completely changed from the beginning of the book to the end. Not only do major life events play themselves out on the pages, but the audience can detect the difference in their personal narrative as time goes on (even though the book only covers about 6 months of real time). I could see each person grow and change and oftentimes feel how they lived uncomfortably in their new realities.

As I finished this book, I felt completely empty. This is not a happy-ending fairy tale (though anyone familiar with Hopkins' works wouldn't expect it anyway). The stories of these characters, (Shane especially) were so harsh and uncomfortable that I was gasping for a little light at the end of the tunnel. Much like real life, though, I was only left with a vague promise of change on horizon.(less)

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Jan 19, 2013 Lexi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

*3.5/5 stars.

This book. This. Book.

I have mixed feelings about it. I'll just get out of the way what I didn't like about it so I can end on a positive note.

There are way, WAY too many characters in this book. Yes, it sticks to the main three, but there are so many other kids and parents involved, the families all mingle and how they are related got really confusing, which unfortunately distracted me for a good portion of the book.Also, because of this, it got difficult to really connect with the...more

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About Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, Fallout, Perfect, Triangles, Tilt, and Collateral. She lives in Carson City, Nevada, with her husband and son. Hopkin's Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest pages get thousands of hits from teens who claim Hopkins is the "only one who understands me", and she can be visited at ellenhopkin...more

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“...life is all about chances. You might be safer not taking any. But playing it totally safe means you're only existing. Not living. I want to live.” — 15 people liked it

“A best friend is your voice when you can't find it.” — 11 people liked it

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