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Traffic Jam

by Melissa Groeling (Goodreads Author)

4.29 of 5 stars 4.29 · rating details · 35 ratings · 28 reviews

When you’re caught in traffic, you’ve got nowhere to go…

Val Delton’s life is spiraling and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Her dad lost his job, her mom works fourteen hour days to pay the bills and yet somehow there are high-end shopping bags and an iPod in her older sister’s room. Naturally, Val becomes suspicious but her sister’s lips are sealed. Then by accident...more

Paperback, First, 300 pages

Published May 26th 2012 by Black Opal Books

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Nov 16, 2012 Faye (The Social Potato) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, tragedy, stand-alone, drama, thriller

Wow, that was an absolutely amazing read. I think this book is one of the very few that made my heart almost burst out of anxiety and suspense, and one of the few Young Adult novels (that isn't YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy) that I really, really like. I finished it just 5 minutes ago and I just had to start writing my review now while my feelings are still raw!

The plot was very suspenseful and terrifying. I'm actually quite surprised to see it in a Young Adult novel, considering it's a very touchy and sens...more Wow, that was an absolutely amazing read. I think this book is one of the very few that made my heart almost burst out of anxiety and suspense, and one of the few Young Adult novels (that isn't YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy) that I really, really like. I finished it just 5 minutes ago and I just had to start writing my review now while my feelings are still raw!

The plot was very suspenseful and terrifying. I'm actually quite surprised to see it in a Young Adult novel, considering it's a very touchy and sensitive issue. I, myself, feel terrified just thinking about it (especially since I've watched Taken starring Liam Neeson... that made me anxious about going to other countries by myself!), and this book was no exception! It was fast-paced, making my stomach twist and turn at every page, and my heart swell in so much dread and despair for the two sisters! I'm very glad that despite the subject being very horrifying, the writer was able to portray it well and make the story gripping and powerful. It made me realize that the subject matter is NOT a joke... I may be in the comfort of my own home, reading books on my kindle, but it's real and it's happening out there somewhere. Many girls have become victims of it, and a good number of them are still trapped and have nowhere to run. It's a depressing thought, but it's reality.

As for the characters, I loved Valerie the most. Finally, a young adult heroine with common sense! I loved her reactions to certain revelations and how she handled herself majority of the time. Level-headed. Cool. Not overly dramatic. She wasn't stupid like most YA characters out there (*cough*), and was very calculating and reflective, making her very real and not "forced" at all. The things she did were probably the things I would do (not that I'm saying I'm level-headed, but I definitely am not stupid!) if I were in her shoes, and that made me appreciate her a lot. She was fierce and protective of her sister despite the latter being a really mean bully at the beginning. In fact, I didn't like the sister very much - she was too aggressive and rebellious for my taste.

I was also quite surprised at the high school here! It definitely wasn't the kind of high school I would want to study in, with so much gossipers, vile teenagers, and whatnot. Then again, coming from an all-girls Catholic school in the Philippines, perhaps I was simply just too sheltered from these things, but even if I studied in a co-ed private/public school, I don't see such an environment manifesting itself there as well. Nevertheless, it made me a bit frustrated to see Val in such a cold and uninviting environment, and made me thankful that I didn't have to go through such bullshit.

Lastly, I absolutely admire that this novel was able to portray to the readers the kind of values that we seem to... lack recently. It showed how trust and loyalty can go a long way, and that no matter what happens, your family will always be there for you. Always. Shit may hit the fan, but your family will always have your back, and will support you through thick and thin. At least, that's how I interpreted it, and that's how we are being taught here at home, and I'm glad that this novel efficiently illustrated that through Val and Sam's relationship as sisters.(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 Brandy Nacole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Melissa Groeling did an amazing job on taking me for an emotional ride. Traffic Jam is a YA novel filled with mystery, suspense, teenage drama, and friendship.

I'll be honest here, that's what I'm suppose to do right? At first, I didn't much care for Val. Val is the main character that we follow through this gripping novel. Val is a bit of a loner with one friend, many worries, and a sister, Sam, who is the total opposite of Val. At first, I didn't like Val because of what I perceived as childis...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Megan McDade rated it 5 of 5 stars

Traffic Jam by Melissa Groeling was a powerful story with a lesson to learn. The story follows main protagonist Val Delton who is a bit of a loner who only has one really good friend, Allison. Val's father has recently lost his job and they have had to move to an apartment smack bang in the centre of town where it is noisy all the time and she has to share a room with her younger brother as there is very little space.

Val has an older sister called Sam who she doesn't get on with. They are total...more Traffic Jam by Melissa Groeling was a powerful story with a lesson to learn. The story follows main protagonist Val Delton who is a bit of a loner who only has one really good friend, Allison. Val's father has recently lost his job and they have had to move to an apartment smack bang in the centre of town where it is noisy all the time and she has to share a room with her younger brother as there is very little space.

Val has an older sister called Sam who she doesn't get on with. They are total opposites. Sam is the popular, pretty girl at the school the type that would be a cheerleader (Sam is) and Val is not and doesn't want to be. Val starts to get suspicious that her sister is up to something she shouldn't be when she sees bags of new clothes and other things in her sisters room, (she shouldn't have been in there) they can just about afford to live, where did she get these new things from. From this Val is determined to find out what her sister sister is up to. When she does find out what is going on she realised maybe she shouldn't have gone down this road as what she finds is something that is terrible and could destroy her family and possibly end up with her or Sam dead! (If you want to know what it is you will have to go and pick up a copy of Traffic Jam to find out :) ) I wasn't expecting it to be what it was but it's something dangerous and scary!

On to my thoughts on the characters in Traffic Jam! I really liked Val as a character, she is determined and strong and will do anything for her family, even her sister which she realises in the book. Val's best friend, Allison, is a great character, her storyline brought in a different theme that is very common in today's society and the way the character deals with it is very natural and life like. Sam, Val's sister is a character I didn't like. Not because the character was written terribly but that she is a character I think most wouldn't like because of the way she behaves. She is the sort of person in High School I would have hated! However she does grow though the book and redeem herself and I did feel really bad for her though the course of the book.

One point of Traffic Jam I liked was that even though we have a terrible, dangerous storyline going on, behind the scenes there is a little romance in the form of Val and one of her sister's friends John. The way Val is around him is like what any teenager would be around a hot guy they liked, going red every time she speaks to him and not being able to say much to start of with ! The romance wasn't the main theme of the story but I still liked it. It wasn't a full blown love affair but a slow burning one that seemed natural.

Overall I really liked Traffic Jam. It wasn't what I was expecting, especially with the theme of the book by this is what makes it different than all the YA books out there. It stands alone. I was engrossed by what would happen next and couldn't put it down. Traffic Jam is like nothing I have ever read before and I would highly recommend it!
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May 17, 2013 Danielle Romero rated it 4 of 5 stars

So first and foremost I loved the story line. It kept me as a reader interested and made reading this book a breeze. The subject matter was intense at times and I really liked that I did NOT know how the story was really going to unfold until I got to the end and everything started happening, can we say Climax! Its was great, I would tell you more but I don't want to ruin the story for you! The book is a bit dramatic but in a good way though it did have some unnecessary teenage rambling at times...more

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May 17, 2013 Bex 'n' Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: charlee-s-review

Reviewer: Charlee
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Fairies

Traffic Jam, by Melissa Groeling, is a heart-wrenching tale of a naive teenage girl, Val, making her way through the most difficult year of her life. Facing financial difficulty, her family are forced to move from their comfortable home to a small apartment in the city.

I found the book was a bit slow and hard to get into in the first 60 pages, but when the pace picked up, I couldn't put it down. Following Val and her sister, Sam, through their proble...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ebook: Traffic Jam
Author: Melissa Groeling
Fiction,
This review may contain spoilers
I bought this on Amazon,
Summary:
When you’re caught in traffic, you’ve got nowhere to go…
Val Delton’s life is spiraling and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Her dad lost his job, her mom works fourteen hour days to pay the bills and yet somehow there are high-end shopping bags and an iPod in her older sister’s room. Naturally, Val becomes suspicious but her sister’s lips are sealed. Then by accident, she unco...more Ebook: Traffic Jam
Author: Melissa Groeling
Fiction,
This review may contain spoilers
I bought this on Amazon,
Summary:
When you’re caught in traffic, you’ve got nowhere to go…
Val Delton’s life is spiraling and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Her dad lost his job, her mom works fourteen hour days to pay the bills and yet somehow there are high-end shopping bags and an iPod in her older sister’s room. Naturally, Val becomes suspicious but her sister’s lips are sealed. Then by accident, she uncovers a dark, dangerous secret hidden behind her sister’s bright smiles and cool indifference. Val has no idea how far and how deep the repercussions of her sister’s secret will reach but she’ll do whatever it takes to keep her family safe. Will she succeed before her sister’s secret destroys everyone she loves?
The Review
Wow, just wow, this is an awesome book that kept me up all night, An emotional subject but I thought very well thought out, The author did a fantastic job of telling it like it is, or how I perceive it to be with families involved in this awful world in which we live in, Human Trafficking is happening all around us, which is awful, this was a truly great read and I would highly recommend it be read by teenagers, to help them understand the complexities these people go through to entice you into their world, maybe it would be easier for a lot of them to not be get caught up into the world, if they knew what to look out for, This book was really emotional, but I felt that that made it more realistic to me, You may well need tissues, I did, The author created a great novel out of a very sordid act, it is a horrible subject to discuss I know, but I believe that the author has done an outstanding job in getting this story across , I loved the character description, how she described the emotional feelings of each character was amazing, this book will keep you enthralled, the Delton family have such turmoil going through their lives and the one character that really stuck out for me was Val, she told it, how she saw it, which in some cases was to her detriment, but she was your typical teenager, all mouth, getting the point across when she needed to, I loved her, I am so happy with the ending, glad Val got just what she wanted, I would highly recommend this to all, especially teenagers 4.5/5
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Mar 24, 2013 Aneta Cruz rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I finished reading Melissa Groeling’s Traffic Jam, I came to a horrific realization. I haven’t read a young-adult novel in over a decade! How is that possible? I watch YA films, such as Mean Girl or The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants all the time! And YA novels were my first love when I was in middle and high school. But I guess that’s how it goes. After you graduate from high school, you kinda move on to conquer the world and forget about your first love…until you see it at a reunion.

M...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Lynn Worton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review 6******

I was given this ARC by the author for an honest review.

WOW!! This book is an emotional roller-coaster! I absolutely LOVED it! I struggled to put it down. It's not very long, 277 pages, but the pull of the story kept me hooked!

Val is a typical 16 year-old teenager. She is a fantastic character. She is the middle child in the family. I don't know if it's because I'm also a middle child, but I identified with her. She is what most people would call a nerd, always studying or reading....more

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Feb 23, 2013 Lily rated it 2 of 5 stars

First of all, I applaud budding young adult novelist Groeling for tackling such a difficult subject, especially in a young adult novel. However, as an adult who frequently digests young adult novels about controversial and difficult topics, I was wholly disappointed in the quality of writing in this book.

It was long. Not long in the page length sense, but long as in, Groeling could have accomplished her purpose with about 20,000 less words. Entire chapters are devoted to teenage girlish banter,...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Tiana Lemons rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was amazing and had a lot of suspension. When I was in the middle, I kept wondering, "what was Sam up to?". The main character is COMPLETELY likable because I totally agree with her. HIGH SCHOOL IS HELL. And losing a friend, that has just happened to me recently (although I'm not really mourning). This is probably one of the best book that I have ever read. At first I was a bit confused because I was also reading Fahrenheit 451 at the same time, which got me confused, but I ended up ig...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Kellie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Many books serve the purpose of enjoyment and an escape from the hassles surrounding everyday life. Traffic Jam by Melissa Groeling, however, falls into a different category. Certainly it pulled me away from everyday life and I enjoyed reading it, but it also managed to make me think. A book which manages to massage the brains cells is a welcomed change; especially a book within the Young Adult genre. Val Delton is the book’s heroine. No she does not have special powers or unbelievable physical...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Laurentiu Lazar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This was better than I expected and the theme of this YA novel is quite unique: Human Trafficking!. Simple writing, full of emotion and straight to the point,not fooling around with unnecessary explanations.

What I didn't like is Allison,since her character was out of reach, with no point in being in this story whatsoever. So, she was Val's best friend,appears early on in a couple of chapters after that... puff she vanishes! Except that she materializes again in the last chapters. (view spoiler)...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Helena Ferrell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 05-r2r, suspense

Note : I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Frankly, I assumed this was a completely different genre of story when I requested this book. I had expectations that were quickly thrown out the window.

Whoa. Human trafficking. That is not a topic that many YA authors would ever consider. I'm not sure exactly where the author is from, but it is a topic that is often overlooked in the US, and is a lot more serious and large scale than many would ever think. I think the...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Kaitlin Bevis rated it 5 of 5 stars

The world echoed, faded, and went dark"

First, what an awesome line! Sorry, writer fan girl moment. Back to serious review stuff.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up Traffic Jam. This was not my happy young adult world of cool powers, and romantic relationships (though there is a bit of romance). This was a much darker, much more realistic place that we all like to pretend doesn't exist.

Groeling writes dread well. I read this book with baited breath and a twisted stomach, terr...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Francesca Dell rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all teenagers, teenage girls

Shelves: r2r

This is a very powerful and compelling story, which was written brilliantly. There are many lessons to learn in this book as it is very deep and emotional. The author successfully looks into the darker sides of human nature leaving the reader grasping their seat in anticipation of what is going to happen next.

What is so interesting about this story is that it told from the point of view of Val, who is the younger sister of Sam. Val is a normal teenage girl who is a bit of an outsider and is very...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Looking for a YA novel with a kick?? I was asked to read and review Traffic Jam by Melissa Groeling and to be honest, YA suspense is not my genre. But I went into it with an open mind and was pleasantly surprised!!

Traffic Jam is a story about some extremely intense life situations. Melissa touches on family dynamics, high school drama and HUMAN TRAFFICKING. Yes, I said human trafficking and I never expected that one either!! I kept thinking throughout the story, how is she going to pull this of...more Looking for a YA novel with a kick?? I was asked to read and review Traffic Jam by Melissa Groeling and to be honest, YA suspense is not my genre. But I went into it with an open mind and was pleasantly surprised!!

Traffic Jam is a story about some extremely intense life situations. Melissa touches on family dynamics, high school drama and HUMAN TRAFFICKING. Yes, I said human trafficking and I never expected that one either!! I kept thinking throughout the story, how is she going to pull this off in a YA book?? I would think this to be a hard subject to write about and she did it with class.

Val and Sam are the main characters in this story but there are many other secondary characters and they were all developed well. Val and Sam are sisters but they are total opposites. Sam is the older and popular sister and Val is the younger and smart one. Their family is falling on hard times as their father lost his job and their mother is supporting a family of 5 on a baker’s income.

Even though Val is only 16, she is a great person. (I just wanted to hug her) She is concerned about everyone and always wants to do what is right. She starts to notice that something is different about Sam and she is determined to find out what is going on. But what she doesn’t know is that she is about to get herself into something that is dangerous to not only herself but everyone else around her. And her sister is a BITCH!!! There is nothing nicer I can say….bitch describes her the best. Sorry, can’t help myself on that one...hehe!

The events that take place in this story were very intense. There are a lot of life lessons to be learned in this story. Not just from Val and Sam…there are situations with their friends that also broke my heart. I kept saying, let me read one more chapter and then I will put it down, but one more chapter would turn out to be 2 or 3 :) Also, I was so impressed with the beautiful editing of this story. The dialogue is great and so easy to follow. I could probably count on one hand the grammar errors I saw in this story. The only thing that bothered me was it started out a little slow, but that is just my personal preference. Overall, a great book and I recommend it.
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Jan 05, 2013 Ravenz Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't quite sure when I began this book if I would like it or not. By the end of it, I Loved It!!! This book is geared towards the teen/YA genre but I really think that any age group would love this book as much as I did. I really tried to finish it all in one day, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, but the minute I woke up, I was right back on my Nook because I HAD to know what Sam had gotten herself mixed up in. Wow! Just wow!

Val is a 16yr old ordinary girl whose not popular...more I wasn't quite sure when I began this book if I would like it or not. By the end of it, I Loved It!!! This book is geared towards the teen/YA genre but I really think that any age group would love this book as much as I did. I really tried to finish it all in one day, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer, but the minute I woke up, I was right back on my Nook because I HAD to know what Sam had gotten herself mixed up in. Wow! Just wow!

Val is a 16yr old ordinary girl whose not popular by any standard, has only one friend, plays softball for her high school, works on the school newspaper and is just trying to survive high school. She and her family move into a 3 bedroom apt after her father lost his job and life is already tense when she discovers that her older sister Sam is hiding something from the rest of the family.

Sam and Val do not get along, but Val becomes concerned when she see's her sister coming home with bruises and looking disheveled. Val questions her sister after she discovers an Ipod that clearly her family cannot afford as well as shopping bags full of new clothes. Sam brushes the questions off with excuses that she borrowed the Ipod and a friend gave her the clothes. But Val knows she's lying. Though she doesn't have any real proof, her observations leave her with more questions than answers. Sam's friends start cornering Val in school, asking questions about where Sam has been and why she's acting so odd, only furthering Val's suspicions that something is not right.

When a creepy guy that Val doesn't know is waiting outside the apartment as Val and her little brother arrive home from school, Val's instincts kick in and send her suspicions into overdrive. The guy, Ed, is looking for Sam and making comments that leave Val very uncomfortable.

One day, while shopping at the mall, Val is approached by Ed and a few of his cronies wanting to know where Sam is again and this time threatening Val and the rest of her family. Val has no intention of letting Ed treat her or any member of her family like this and stands up to him. She thinks that being in the mall is safe enough since there are people and security around. So when the girl with Ed jumps her, she never see's it coming. And she ends up unconcious and in the hospital. When she come's to, she discovers that Sam has told their parents and the cops a modified version of the truth, enough for the cops to go after Ed, but not enough that anyone knows just what it is that Sam has been doing for Ed. Val begs Sam to tell the cops and their parents everything, but Sam is too scared that Ed will come after her and kill her and she refuses to tell anyone the full truth. She's already scared out of her mind that the cops are looking for Ed for harrassment.

Rumors begin milling around at school about the fight at the mall and as if things weren't bad enough, Sam and Val are being walked to school by their dad and being walked home by him as well. No one in the family can go anywhere by themselves until Ed is caught and Sam's friends are harrassing Val even more at school with questions that Sam obviosuly isn't answering. At this point, Val just wants to crawl inside a hole and hide for eternity.

A few days after the mall incident, as Val and a family friend (John) are leaving the bakery where Val's mom works, Ed approaches them yet again. He jumps John and John screams for Val to run. And she does. Ed is chasing her and Val is running faster than she's ever run in her life. As she approaches the apartment, she see's her Dad, Sam and little brother ouside, getting ready to leave. She starts screaming to them and as her Dad runs toward her, he's screaming for all his kids to get inside and call the police. Their dad gets into an altercation with Ed, but that doesn't stop Ed from continuing his quest to get to Sam and Val and make them "pay" for the cops being on his tail.

If you want to know what Sam really got herself involved in and what had her and Val so scared, you need to read this book! I had my suspicions of what Sam was caught up in, but when it is revealed at the end, it leaves you saying OMG! And although this is fiction, I have to wonder if this was based on a true event that either the author was involved in or someone close to her was involved in. This book really brings this serious issue into the light and makes aware something that I'm sure we've all heard about but maybe never thought could happen right in our own back yard.

Kudos to Groeling for writing such a powerful book! (less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Alannah Clarke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, kindle

I feel like it has been so long since I read a book as gripping as this. I was so gripped with this novel, I could almost feel my stomach sinking with dread. It's really well written for a first book, the characters are greatly developed as well as the story-line, it just made want to go on and on. I really liked the main character Val, she was a headstrong girl which can make good novels.

I don't think I have ever read anything quite as gripping as this book, I was sucked in from the first page...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Sheri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mc, ya, reviewed

Traffic Jam is one of those books where you are not quite sure how it is going to end. Though the book was relatively short, there was plenty of drama and suspense to keep you interested. The book followed Val, a teenage girl who is a bit of a loner. I think a lot of teenage girls could understand Val. She fought with her sister, fought with her best friend, was too shy to tell a guy she liked him, and she kept secrets. However, she proves to everyone that, though at a shy and awkward age, when...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Tana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Traffic Jam by Melissa Groeling

I was given a copy of Traffic Jam as part of Melissa Groeling: Traffic Jam blog tour, not really knowing what to expect as I had never heard of the book or author, I will say that I am sure glad I said yes to the request. Melissa Groeling’s writing is very good, the story flows extremely well, it’s one of those books that you just don’t want to put down until you can figure out what is going on. As the story starts to unravel you start to feel for Val and hope she...more Traffic Jam by Melissa Groeling

I was given a copy of Traffic Jam as part of Melissa Groeling: Traffic Jam blog tour, not really knowing what to expect as I had never heard of the book or author, I will say that I am sure glad I said yes to the request. Melissa Groeling’s writing is very good, the story flows extremely well, it’s one of those books that you just don’t want to put down until you can figure out what is going on. As the story starts to unravel you start to feel for Val and hope she doesn’t get hurt along the way. This story is full of suspense, drama, secrets, and a maybe even a new relationship. I will say I couldn’t stop reading Traffic Jam, the story line, characters and everything about this story held my attention.

We meet Val, her family have gone through a lot lately, loss of her father’s job, then having to move into an apartment, sharing a room with her brother and to make matters worse her sister has a room full of brand new clothes. For Val life at school is a place she goes to learn and get A’s for her sister it’s about being popular and hanging out with her friends. But things start to change and she notices the Sam may appear to have things under control but something is going on. Val watches and listens to conversations trying to piece things together. Sam warns Val to back off; it could be her life or a loved one’s life. Val is scared and has no one to talk too, but deep down Val knows she must find out what is going on with Sam. When she meets Ed he wants to know where Sam is she knows there is way more to the story then Sam is willing to admit. You have to go read to find out what happens to Sam and Val!

Traffic Jam is a fantastic read; I ended up really enjoying Val she is shy and can’t look at the boy she likes or even hold a conversation with him. But when she comes face to face with the dangerous and scary Ed she doesn’t hold back. You can see the strength coming through her as she tries to figure out a way to save her sister Sam.

I have rated Traffic Jam a 4 star rating, I couldn’t put this book down, it is a must read. Melissa’s writing is good and I will definitely read the next book she publishes. I would recommend Traffic Jam to anyone who reads my reviews.
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Jul 31, 2012 Tlani Knuth rated it 3 of 5 stars

REVIEW

A fairly short story with 277 pages but i must say every page was enticing , has a great flow and very easy to follow along with the characters . I found this book to be entertaining in the way the mystery doesn't completely unfold until the very end . As a YA novel I felt it suited just about anyone and what a topic of conversation this book leaves in its wake . In all a highly dramatic and realistic book definitely worth a read .

3 and a half chocolate kiss stars

Tlani
belladonnas book c...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Lauri rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was glad to have the opportunity to read Melissa Groeling's Traffic Jam, which I requested through Goodread's YA Reader's Lounge group. I was intrigued that Groeling was going to address such a unique subject (human trafficking) in a YA novel.

For me, Traffic Jam was a roller coaster ride. I had moments where I wanted to smack every character across the back of their head and shout, "Hello!" I had moments where I questioned whether or not I should stop reading, yes, I was that mad. Ultimately,...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-reviews

Not many writers would touch this subject of trafficking in the YA category. I think that Melissa did such a wonderful job with this story. It was hard to put down but it was short enough to pack a good punch. Its hard to see your family struggling and then seeing someone just having things that shouldnt be there. It was definitely full of emotion. You can just see the love that Val has for Sam. The heartbreak and intensity just eats at you. I can say that its an eye opener that most people tend...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Samia Ruponti rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: abandoned, young-adult

I received this book in exchange of an honest review.
/*******************************/
Edit:

I'm a little more coherent now, so I'll try to sum up everything better. I was informed that the book deals with a very touching subject and I feel that I need to thank the author too. However, the book was too long. I understand that Val, the protagonist, discovers the secret life of her sister, which isn't pleasant, but so much fluffy teenage drama wasn't needed to be shown. The writer definitely needs t...more

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May 17, 2013 Claire Thake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well I started this book with no real expectations as hadn’t read any reviews on it prior to starting. the beginning few chapters I found quite slow, however after managing to read half of the book in one sitting I was hooked!

For a YA novel it tackled a very serious subject but did this very well. I loved the twist and how despite everything, Val got her happy ending. I would have liked to have seen more interaction with Alison and would be interested in reading more about Sams side to the story...more

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Feb 03, 2013 InD'Tale Magazine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-february, genre-ya, rating-4-5-star

4.5 stars

Val Delton’s high school life has never been easy, but since her Dad lost his job and her family had to move into a small apartment downtown, it has devolved into almost unbearable. Making matters worse is the fact that her older sister, Sam, is the most popular girl in school while Val is nothing more than the school’s biggest brainiac nerd. Sam and Val have never been close but now Sam seems to go out of her way to make Val feel miserable.

A superbly written, anxiety ridden ride of a...more

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Jan 27, 2013 MissyDevoursDelishReads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Traffic Jam written by Melissa Groeling was quite a well written read. I thouroughly enjoyed it, what a riot! Great characters, the reading went fast, and I noted very few editing errors. Interesting storyline, perceivable and easy reading. Not sure where the book cover is but I'll give Traffic Jam hands down, 4 Stars!

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Nov 26, 2012 Jillian rated it 5 of 5 stars

at first i wasnt sure what it was about the info gave nothing away but it turned out to be an amazing book and im so glad i read it

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May 17, 2013 Carlha Tamboong marked it as to-read

May 16, 2013 Julie S. marked it as to-read

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About Melissa Groeling

I'm a fiery red-head who’s been writing for years and has no intention of stopping especially now that TRAFFIC JAM, my young-adult novel is available for the masses! So gear up, folks!

I'm a New York Giants fan but please don't hold that against me! I have an on-going, intense love affair with dark chocolate and you should also know I'm just this side of crazy...which I think is normal for someone...more

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