Exposure: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare's Macbeth (Twisted Lit, #2) by Kim Askew

May 18, 2013 Jesse Kimmel-Freeman rated it 4 of 5 stars

The second book in the A Twisted Lit Novel Series doesn't fall too far behind the first one. Amy and Kim really know how to take a beautiful work of art and redo it- keeping the mastery.

Unlike the first one that dealt with Shakespeare's Tempest, this time we get to experience Macbeth in a new light (I'm a fan of that story in particular). Once again they have managed to take something that is very specific in language, timing, and morals and modernize it.

They breathe life into their characters a...more

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May 16, 2013 Jaylia3 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth instead of The Tempest, this second in the in the Twisted Lit series is a little darker than its predecessor with themes of ambition, deception, murder, and mental illness, but Exposure shares the clear-eyed wit and literate style that made reading Tempestuous such a pleasure. Both books have loose connections with their source play, which is a good thing because it allows each story to evolve in its own natural but sometimes unexpected direction.

With its unusual...more

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May 10, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

First, Macbeth is my favorite Shakespearean play. I have taught it for several years, and I could see it an endless amount of time. Lady Macbeth is both a terror and a heart wrenching character, so it's hard for me to see a YA book even come close to that. Exposure doesn't come close to Macbeth, but if I was to separate Exposure from Macbeth, the book is very good.

Summary:
Skye attempts to stay out of the spotlight. She takes pictures for the school newsletter and would rather stay behind the cam...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Andrea J rated it 4 of 5 stars

As with the first book in the twisted Lit series, Tempestuous, Exposure is also well-written, with interesting characters, depth, and very clever takes on their classic literature influence. Where Tempestuous was based on the Tempest, Exposure takes a new look at MacBeth. You don't need to have read (or even remember) the plot of Macbeth to enjoy this, though the witty reinventions of the Shakespeare novel characters and plots add appreciation to the story.

Macbeth is a psychological piece and a...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Cheryl rated it 2 of 5 stars

Skye Kingston tends to stay in the background with her camera. She is a photographer. If Skye wants to grab the attention of her crush, Craig, then she will have to shift from the background to the forefront. Skye will also have to get past Craig’s girlfriend, Beth.

While I like the idea of the books in the Twisted Lit series, the books just are not connecting with me. No matter how much I want them to. Exposure is the second book I have read in this series. However, I do have to say that I did...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Audrey Wilkerson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books-read, books-reviewed

Exposure. Too little, and you’re overlooked. Too much, and you’re vulnerable. Skye Kingston belongs in the “too little” category. With her old-school camera, she records the history being made at her high school without being a part of it. Unbeknownst to her, though, her senior year was going to put her more front and center than she ever expected.

Based loosely on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, this is the story of a boy, Craig MacKenzie, a relative newcomer who dates a power-hungry hockey cheerleader n...more Exposure. Too little, and you’re overlooked. Too much, and you’re vulnerable. Skye Kingston belongs in the “too little” category. With her old-school camera, she records the history being made at her high school without being a part of it. Unbeknownst to her, though, her senior year was going to put her more front and center than she ever expected.

Based loosely on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, this is the story of a boy, Craig MacKenzie, a relative newcomer who dates a power-hungry hockey cheerleader named Beth Morgan. Beth’s best friend, Kristy Winters, goes out with Duff Wallace, who plays on the hockey team with Craig. At least he did, before he got sent off suddenly to Scotland as part of a student exchange program. The star of the team is the senior captain, Duncan Shaw. If you’ve read Macbeth, you know nothing good is going to happen. There are even three "witches" who prophesy about what's to come.

The story is equally about Skye and her feelings toward Craig. Craig’s family moved to Alaska one summer, and he met Skye. They became great friends, but when school started, he got sucked into the popular crowd vortex by the queen bee, Beth. Skye and Craig stay friends, which does not sit well with Beth. As the story develops, Skye unwittingly (and unbeknownst to the others) becomes privy to information that can sink several people.

This story is a morality play, dealing with guilt, being courageous, needing power, staying true to yourself, when to be honest and when to reveal all. For the most part, it stays true to the mark. The tale starts with a prologue, and the only reason it seems to exist is so that a little something can happen at the end. (It seems that the answers we get at the end about Skye didn’t make it to the prologue?) Otherwise, it seems unneeded and clunky. Also awkward is the character of Margot. She seems to be there only to spout wisdom like a mechanical therapy machine. Her contribution to the story feels out of place.

The title is so perfect; there’s a lot of exposing (of one’s self and others) and exposure (both physical and photographic) going on here. It’s very interesting that this is the second book that I have read this year that is based on the story or characters of Macbeth. This story stays very close to that original story, and it makes for engaging reading.

3.5 of 5 Stars (Based on Ink and Page’s Rating System)

Genres: Young Adult Fiction Contemporary Romance
Ages: 14 and up
You might want to know: Some profanity. Underage drinking, drug use

Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes was published today by Merit Press. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review.(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

EXPOSURE is a contemporary young adult novel inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth. Craig Mackenzie, our Macbeth, is on the local hockey team along with Duncan, and his girlfriend Bree Matthews is a cheerleader. The narrator, Skye Kingston, has been friends with Craig since he moved to Alaska and had a crush on him for just as long. When Duncan dies of exposure after a party in the woods, Skye remembers a cryptic conversation she overheard between Craig and Bree. Almost instinctively, she protects h...more EXPOSURE is a contemporary young adult novel inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth. Craig Mackenzie, our Macbeth, is on the local hockey team along with Duncan, and his girlfriend Bree Matthews is a cheerleader. The narrator, Skye Kingston, has been friends with Craig since he moved to Alaska and had a crush on him for just as long. When Duncan dies of exposure after a party in the woods, Skye remembers a cryptic conversation she overheard between Craig and Bree. Almost instinctively, she protects her friend, but starts to ask questions.

TEMPESTUOUS, the first Twisted Lit novel, had very little in common with The Tempest aside from character names. EXPOSURE hews a bit more closely to Macbeth, but it's often its own thing. Which is fine, because it's a good story. I noticed a few editing errors, unlike TEMPESTUOUS, but I'll chalk that up to reading an ARC and assume it was cleaned up in the final copy.

Skye's motives were hard to understand at times. I can see why she didn't immediately turn Craig in, just on the basis of a half-heard conversation, but I'm not entirely sure why she sticks by him when he treats her terribly in the throes of his guilt. At the same time, it's hard to fault a character for being loyal. Plus, I loved the scene where they finally talked to each other about the things they hadn't discussed with each other before, such as why he dated the ambitious Bree in the first place.

Plus, I have to recommend EXPOSURE for its take on the witches. Cat, Kaya, and Tess are three arty girls who crack jokes and see pretty deeply into their classmates. They're wicked fun. Actually, a lot of the characters who populate the novel are pretty fun, such as the guy who wants to go to prom with Skye and never catches on that she's trying to let him down gently.

I recommend EXPOSURE to Shakespeare fans looking for something lighter than tragedies, as well as contemporary fans looking for a bit of mystery and a hint of romance. I hope Kim Askew and Amy Helmes have more modern takes on Shakespeare on the way, because I found their first two outings very enjoyable.(less)

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Jan 18, 2013 Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-2013

After I finished reading Tempestuous by the same authors, I just couldn’t wait to read Exposure. I was immensely impressed by the writing style of these two ladies with their first Twisted Lit novel, so naturally I had high expectations of Exposure, and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Admittedly, I haven’t read Shakespeare’s Macbeth, so I can’t draw any comparisons to his novel, but on its own, Exposure is – in my opinion - a literary masterpiece. There were so many things I loved about...more After I finished reading Tempestuous by the same authors, I just couldn’t wait to read Exposure. I was immensely impressed by the writing style of these two ladies with their first Twisted Lit novel, so naturally I had high expectations of Exposure, and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Admittedly, I haven’t read Shakespeare’s Macbeth, so I can’t draw any comparisons to his novel, but on its own, Exposure is – in my opinion - a literary masterpiece. There were so many things I loved about this book I hardly know where to begin.

What instantly drew me into the story was Skye’s character. I liked that she wasn’t the stereotypical, rich-kid beauty queen with a bevy of followers who ruled the school with an iron fist. Her introverted, behind-the-scenes nature made it easy for me to connect with her, and her daily struggles will strike a chord with many readers. Surprisingly, even though I didn’t like her at all, I also felt sympathy for Skye’s nemesis, Beth. I appreciated that the authors took the time to develop her character not as a cold-hearted antagonist, but as one with weaknesses and teenage angst, and one who is also a victim of circumstance. Overall I found all the main and supporting characters to be three-dimensional and written with depth in such a skilful manner which allows readers to effortlessly establish that connection on an emotional level, and thus draw them deeper into the story.

Although the blurb may be interpreted as this being a murder mystery, there really is so much more to this multilayered novel than what I originally thought it would be. Skye and Craig go through such transformation in the space of a year, that by the end of the book they aren’t the same characters as the ones we meet at the beginning. Taking the journey with them through their final year in high school, I often laughed, cried, and at one point experienced absolute fear. From a soulmate found and lost, parting ways with new friends and old, dealing with separation, having to leave home, breaking out of her shell, learning to trust, to growing up and moving on; this novel without a doubt has something for every reader.

In short, Exposure is an exceptional read and it left me with so much to think about. The ending is perfect and the title sums up in one word the gist of this story. A solid, fast-moving plot with realistic characters and true-to-life situations, written in a voice for today’s young adult, makes this an unforgettable read that will leave you begging for more from what is looking to be the literary world’s newest power duo.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
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Jan 17, 2013 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-arc, 2013-tbr-list

Okay, so here's the truth, I don't remember MacBeth. I remember something about "Bubble, Bubble toil and trouble" and I recognized the three witches but they weren't anywhere near the mean ugly witches in Shakespeare's story. But, that's the thing about this story, it's a big switch up on the original tale. Skye is a very tall, creative and pretty, though she doesn't know it, red head. She takes pictures for the school newspaper, her favorite subject being the star of the hockey team, Craig McKe...more Okay, so here's the truth, I don't remember MacBeth. I remember something about "Bubble, Bubble toil and trouble" and I recognized the three witches but they weren't anywhere near the mean ugly witches in Shakespeare's story. But, that's the thing about this story, it's a big switch up on the original tale. Skye is a very tall, creative and pretty, though she doesn't know it, red head. She takes pictures for the school newspaper, her favorite subject being the star of the hockey team, Craig McKenzie. They are friends only when no one else is around, when his popular friends can't harass him about it. His girlfriend, of course, is a cheerleader and a typical mean girl. Or maybe not so typical. Beth seems to be even meaner than most mean girls needing not only Craig's attention, but the attention of anyone else she can get as well. Skye has spent most of her high school career avoiding Beth, but she has been caught a time or two talking to Craig, a huge mistake in Beth's eyes. She gets reamed for it so she tries not to be noticed. Most of her school experience has been from behind a camera lens, so when Craig issues an invitation to an in crowd party out in the woods at a hunting shack, Skye, in a fit of anger or craziness or something accepts and she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, or maybe the right place at the right time. She hears and sees things she's never heard before, things that make her question herself and everything she believes in.

Skye also has an unusual home life. She has an infant brother and a father who stays home most of the time with him while mom goes back to school to get a degree in medicine. She wants to be a doctor. And just when Skye thinks her mother and father are getting a divorce, they snuggle up to each other at Christmas and seem even more close than they ever have been. Things seem better with them than ever.

It's really hard to review this story other than to say, I remember bits of MacBeth and I thought the twists on it were very good for a contemporary twist on Shakespeare. I really enjoyed the story and could have actually done with a much longer epilogue! But I really loved this story all the twisted minds and social politics. Damn high school is rough!

I highly recommend this novel for lovers of Shakespeare, contemporary YA fiction and anyone that loves a good story. It's light on romance and heavy on the drama. It's a really great story told very well with a lot of dialogue and action. It's a lot of fun!

Thanks to the authors for contacting me about their Twisted Lit novels I enjoyed both that I read, but I think this was my favorite. I did receive a free E-ARC for review through NetGalley. This in no way influenced my opinions.

Heather(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Viviane Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Skye Kingston is a phenomenal photographer, even though she is only a high school Senior in a small Alaskan town. She’s smart and initially not a popular gal, but she’s made a good friend in Craig. Soon Craig has moved into the popular group of students as a result of his superb hockey skills. Beth latches onto Craig and definitely views Skye as an unwelcome addition to their group; in fact, she is just plain nasty to Skye. As Skye is a serious student and spends a great deal of time on developi...more Skye Kingston is a phenomenal photographer, even though she is only a high school Senior in a small Alaskan town. She’s smart and initially not a popular gal, but she’s made a good friend in Craig. Soon Craig has moved into the popular group of students as a result of his superb hockey skills. Beth latches onto Craig and definitely views Skye as an unwelcome addition to their group; in fact, she is just plain nasty to Skye. As Skye is a serious student and spends a great deal of time on developing her own pictures, she’s annoyed but doesn’t allow herself to fall apart over such a nasty gal. Well, that’s what she says while her thoughts and emotions keep swirling!

Home isn’t much better, with Skye’s parents barely speaking and her mother appearing to avoid being home whenever possible. Skye suspect a divorce is a distinct future possibility but says nothing, thinking if unsaid perhaps it will never happen. Still, it’s another bump that could definitely affect her future. How could Skye go away to college, knowing her father will need help with her sibling and how can her parents afford her tuition if they might not be together?

Then one night Skye is invited to a party. Craig invited her, never realizing she for a change just might accept the invitation instead of refusing in her normal response. Drinking begins and soon after a game begins which resembles a teenage version of hide-and-seek but which ends in total disaster, the death of Duncan and some whispered words Skye accidentally overhears.

How these teens deal with the tragic death of one of their own and their reactions as the investigation very slowly unfolds is tension-ridden reading. Many secrets will also slowly be revealed. The discovery process of the Hamlet-style murder mystery, as well as the unfolding of Skye’s family and future life, makes for a terrific read that isn’t predictable at all. Riddled with tension and some poignant and potent moments, Exposure is a terrific teen read. These authors know their audience and have told a riveting read guaranteed to make readers want more like it in The Twisted Lit collection. Highly recommended!
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Dec 31, 2012 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Double, double, toil and trouble." Wow! This twisted modern version of Shakespeare's play, Macbeth uncovered the hidden hierarchy present in high school. Who would have thought that it was possible to integrate an everyday high school into one of Shakespeare's tragic plays. Askew stepped up to the plate and delivered another well written twist to one of the most well known plays.

I was surprised at how well the characters in the book was so...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Megan (The Book Babe) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-my-site, received-for-review

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

This book was just a bit too anticlimactic for my taste. I mean, it kept me entertained and all for the short time that I was reading it, but...yeah. I just didn't care all that much for the story. Something so very dramatic happens, and it's something that you never forget for the duration of the story...but it really isn't capitalized on.

Skye's decisions toward Craig were kind of spineless, and it was the end of the book before I started to lik...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Caragh rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review can also be found at: http://loadedshelves.blogspot.co.uk/2...

Exposure is the second book in Askew & Helmes' Twisted Lit series. I read the first, Tempestuous last month and LOVED it so I was really excited to see what Askew & Helmes were going to do with my beloved Macbeth.

Like Tempestuous, the characters were brilliantly written. I loved Skye and Craig to the point where I think i'd have been happy just hearing about them constantly! I loved the back story to other charact...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Alanna (The Flashlight Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, arcs

I am a huge fan of retellings, especially Shakespeare (or other classics). I just love how a good retelling can make an otherwise intimidating book more accessible to younger readers. However, Exposure just didn't work for me.

As far as things that I like, I was highly impressed with the vocabulary used throughout this book. I am thankful I read this on my Kindle because I had to use the dictionary feature several times. (I really hate admitting that too.) I get giddy when my brain is challenge...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

exposure
by
Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

My short yet reasonably sweet summary...

Camera loving high school girl overhears too much? Prom king...cheerleader...murder?

My thoughts after reading this book...

I am sighing from contentment at the end of this novel. It was a lovely circle of Skye's senior year. Skye is a photographer, a loner, a bit of a Geek and in love with popular about to be Prom King...Craig. Craig started out being Skye's friend but ended up as Mean Girl Beth's captive boy toy. Beth is t...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Book Twirps rated it 3 of 5 stars

Once again, Kim Askew and Amy Helmes have taken one of Shakespeare’s plays and turned it on its head, making it their own. The authors of Tempestuous have tackled the “Bard of Avon’s” Macbeth, or as we suspicious folks in the theatre community like to refer to it, “the Scottish play”.

The book begins with shutterbug, Skye Kingston trying to put a tumultuous senior year behind her as she starts college at USC. But then the rumors begin to fly about her and she decides if she’s ever going to get an...more Once again, Kim Askew and Amy Helmes have taken one of Shakespeare’s plays and turned it on its head, making it their own. The authors of Tempestuous have tackled the “Bard of Avon’s” Macbeth, or as we suspicious folks in the theatre community like to refer to it, “the Scottish play”.

The book begins with shutterbug, Skye Kingston trying to put a tumultuous senior year behind her as she starts college at USC. But then the rumors begin to fly about her and she decides if she’s ever going to get any peace and move on, she’ll have to tell her college friends the truth about what really happened that last year of high school. The tale is filed with murder, betrayal and a fight to become prom royalty.

The main story is set in Alaska. It’s cold and isolated which fits the the tone and the story perfectly. It’s also a setting that isn’t used often, so it was a nice change of pace.

I loved how the authors infused bits of Shakespeare’s characters into the characters in this book. Craig, Skye’s best friend and the boy she has been crushing on for years, is the perfect high school equivalent of Macbeth. Psycho Beth is her own version of Lady Macbeth, and I really got a kick out of Skye’s friends who represent the three witch’s from Shakespeare’s play.

As far as Skye goes, I liked her enough, but she felt a little weak to me. I understood her loyalty to Craig, but I wanted her to buck up and get past the hearts in her eyes to do the logical thing without her heart getting in the way.

I really enjoy the writing in this series. The authors definitely get teens and write with authentic teen voices. There was a good sense of pace and nothing seemed to drag out. They were also very creative in recreating Shakespeare’s story. Who would have thought that high school royalty could be as dysfunctional as the royal family in Macbeth? They even managed to work in “out damned spot” effectively.

While I enjoyed Tempestuous more, Exposure is a nice addition to the Twisted Lit series. Dark and funny, I think teens will really enjoy this modern spin on one of Shakespeare’s more famous works.(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Ramie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, ya

All of my reviews can be found here: http://www.chicksgetlit.com/

Exposure is the second book in the Twisted Lit series. This time they're taking on Macbeth. If you missed the point of the series - it's to totally shake up a Shakespeare tale, twist it into something youthful and modern ending up with something only very loosely based on the original.

Skye is pretty, tall, and popular enough amongst her own crowd. The problem is that her crowd isn't very popular in the wilds of Alaska. She'd much r...more All of my reviews can be found here: http://www.chicksgetlit.com/

Exposure is the second book in the Twisted Lit series. This time they're taking on Macbeth. If you missed the point of the series - it's to totally shake up a Shakespeare tale, twist it into something youthful and modern ending up with something only very loosely based on the original.

Skye is pretty, tall, and popular enough amongst her own crowd. The problem is that her crowd isn't very popular in the wilds of Alaska. She'd much rather be getting the perfect shot with a classic 35mm camera than making a shot with a hockey stick or cheering on the hockey team. Still, one summer a guy shows up who turns into her best friend. Craig is everything she dreams about. He likes going to classic movies with her. He's smart and funny and cute and rich. Summer ends and Skye realizes her time may be up - he'll realize he's above her. Her nightmares quickly come reality. Craig is absorbed into the popular crowd, he becomes a star hockey player. Beth, the queen bee of the school, becomes his girlfriend petitioning for them to be prom queen and king from the day they met.

Craig doesn't totally forget Skye. An occasional nod. A friendly invite here or there all the while knowing she's not friendly with his group of friends so will politely decline - until the one time she doesn't, just to see what happens. What happens turns out to be a disaster. Craig's fellow hockey player is never seen alive again.

Rumors and overheard conversations cause Skye to wonder just how connected Craig is to the death. Still no one who knows what happens to Duncan, or thinks they know comes forward. Instead secrets start eating at everyone involved -- while trying dealing with the pressures of college applications, family drama, prom prep, and senior projects. Sooner or later one or more of them is bound to snap and the truth with come with spilling out.

I felt the first was a solid 4 out of 5 stars for young readers though it was almost too cheery even during the darkest of times (not a bad message but unrealistic at times). This one too is 4 stars but when times got gloomy, these teens at least managed to show some actual angst, there probably could have been more of that to make it 5 stars. Given what these kids are going through, I'd expect them to be more broody. Still overall, a fast fun read in the teen category.

* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like so as not to waste my time.(less)

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Dec 20, 2012 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Skye Kingston has had one hell of a year. It has been filled with murder, intrigue, family issues and romance. She just wants to put it all behind her now that she's at USC studying photography like she always dreamed of. But after her roommates start spreading rumors about her and talking about her while she's there like she's invisible, Skye decides to set the record straight once and for all. So she tells them the tale of Craig, the boy she secretly loved, and his psychopathic ex-girlfriend B...more Skye Kingston has had one hell of a year. It has been filled with murder, intrigue, family issues and romance. She just wants to put it all behind her now that she's at USC studying photography like she always dreamed of. But after her roommates start spreading rumors about her and talking about her while she's there like she's invisible, Skye decides to set the record straight once and for all. So she tells them the tale of Craig, the boy she secretly loved, and his psychopathic ex-girlfriend Beth covering up the accidental homicide of Duncan, captain of the hockey team and how it almost destroys them all. Who is really to blame and will Skye and Craig ever get their happy ending? This has all the set-up of a Macbeth re-telling and the lines are clear cut as to who represents what character from the original play. The only one without any real place in things is Skye, a shy photographer for the school newspaper, who is secretly in love with hockey heartthrob Craig (a.k.a Macbeth). Honestly, Skye came across very pathetically to me. When Duncan dies, she overhears Beth telling Craig that they need to cover up their part in it. Even after they find out that he died of exposure and didn't drown, still neither of them comes forward to confess what really happened. And yet Skye is still making excuses for him and blames everything on Beth. Oh yeah, she also doesn't tell the authorities that her classmate was probably MURDERED and she knows who did it!!! All because she 'lurves' Craig so much and he's really a good person. Honest, he is! *Gags* I thought that I would like this as much as the first book in the Twisted Lit series, but by the end I was so disgusted with all of the main characters that I hoped they all would get locked up in prison. Overall, a very good book if you enjoy abusive relationships, where the female has no sense of self-worth. It does get a star for the fact that it managed to keep me reading just to see if anyone would even get punished - they didn't, at least to my satisfaction! :(

VERDICT: 1/5 Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is January 18th, 2013.*(less)

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Feb 06, 2013 Dianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, netgalley, own, personal-growth, strong-female-characters, ya, ya-romance

Making Shakespeare less intimidating to readers is a great idea! This modern day take on MacBeth is no exception. There is tragedy, remorse, guilt, romance, and lessons learned.

The story opens with Skye, a new college student from Alaska, telling her story to her new room mates in an effort to quash the rumor mill about her. She tells a painful story in her own way.

The high school jock, Craig, (MacBeth) has been Skye's secret crush since she first met him. He has a girlfriend though, Beth, a che...more

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Mar 12, 2013 D.R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read other book reviews at Book Junkie Joint.

Exposure is an engaging young adult story about self-discovery and courage to own up to one’s mistakes.

This is book 2 of the Twisted Lit series by Amy Helmes and Kim Askew, and is actually a modern take on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. However, you don’t really need to have read Macbeth beforehand to understand the whole story. Just imagine Macbeth being set in a modern high school setting and you pretty much get Exposure.

This is the second book from the Tw...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Bailee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, young-adult, favorites

It takes a lot of guts to take on such a well known Shakespearian play like Macbeth and I don't know any people who've taken it on. Macbeth is a complex story all by itself, so I have a lot of respect for someone who can take on such a difficult story. Sure, you can distill the story down but it's hard to capture its intricacies. Kim Askew and Amy Helmes did a wonderful job of taking a huge project and making it seem so easy.

Exposure is a beautiful novel, all on it's own. It tells the story of S...more It takes a lot of guts to take on such a well known Shakespearian play like Macbeth and I don't know any people who've taken it on. Macbeth is a complex story all by itself, so I have a lot of respect for someone who can take on such a difficult story. Sure, you can distill the story down but it's hard to capture its intricacies. Kim Askew and Amy Helmes did a wonderful job of taking a huge project and making it seem so easy.

Exposure is a beautiful novel, all on it's own. It tells the story of Skye, a girl who would rather hide behind her camera than stand out, and what becomes of her life once a tragic accident occurs. The problem she faces is whether to tell the truth and hurt her best friend, Craig, or remain silent and deal with the consequences of her actions. She, along with the other people involved, faces the question of what really makes someone guilty. Is it the person who led up to the accident, the person who initiated it, or the person that kept it a secret? What really makes a person guilty?

The story was introduced beautifully through the prologue, moving forward in time beyond what happened and really starting with the end. I gained a lot of interest in the story due to how Skye was described by everyone else and the third person perspective added something different to what I had assumed would be a first person story. And it was, after the prologue and before the epilogue. I've met people who would've fit into the category that Skye fit into so I can see why people took such an interest in her. There is a mystery about her that is set up in the beginning and well, once the story really starts, you begin to understand what she really was like.

Skye reminds me a lot of me. The way she acts throughout the book would definitely be my response to the whole situation she is faced with. I admired her strengths and hated her weaknesses because I could see a lot of them in myself. She is a relatable character without coming off too ordinary or boring. From the first page, she captures your attention and she keeps it for long after the book is finished. Her character jumps out from the page as a worthwhile person to admire, an attainable dream I suppose. I love that despite all of the drama and all of the problems thrown her way, she is able to stay true to herself. She doesn't lose herself in any part of the book, she doesn't give up photography, she doesn't start an 'I hate the world' campaign although she rightfully could have, and she refuses to stand for anyone's bad treatment of her. At least most of the time. I would've slapped Craig long before she did anything about their friendship.

Craig is wonderfully written character -- a modernized Macbeth. It's hard to not sympathize with him and just love him because he's basically great. Other than being self-obsorbed and occasionally a jerk. But even with all his bad qualities, there is something innately likable about him. He comes off like a typical cocky jerk in the beginning which made me question Skye's huge crush on him and it isn't until she explains their friendship -- or should be relationship in my mind -- a little more clearly. Perhaps he isn't an all around douche most of the time, she seems to say throughout the beginning, or at least he used to be a decent person. It's after a little bit that I grew attached to Craig but it was a slow start in that department. Just to let you know, I would've slapped him and probably hurt him in various ways if he did to me what he did to Skye. Want to know what he did? You should really check out the book.

Crazy girlfriend of Craig, check. Her name was Beth and she was a... not very nice person. I wanted to know more about her than I really got to. Most of the time, nay all of the time she came off like this evil person that I just wanted to send to Siberia or as far away from me as I could get her. Her backstory wasn't as well developed as I would've liked or at least, it wasn't very well explored. I really would've loved to understand whom I have come to consider the bad guy of the story. She had so much to offer.

Again, there was a great cast of characters that played both large and small roles. They were all important and each of them played some key part to the story as it continued on. I really love that none of them are ever really forgotten or tossed to the wayside as the story goes on. Even the characters that are a little crazy made multiple debuts throughout the novel. Yeah, I can recall some characters just because of how well written they were and they didn't even have a big part to play.

Y'know what I think would be awesome? Entwining the characters from both novels which are of course standalone and making some epic book about how their stories intertwine. Just saying. It would be cool. Think of it as the Shakespeare plays collide into one fantastic novel that entangles the intense storyline of each story and somehow pulls together all of the different pieces to make a uniquely beautiful tale of love, betrayal, mystery, and just plain epic-ness.

Anyway, I am getting off topic. This story is amazing. I really enjoyed it. You should read because it was so great. (less)

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Dec 12, 2012 The (YA) Bookcase rated it 3 of 5 stars

Based on the infamous Shakespearean play Macbeth, Exposure brings an interesting modern twist and embodies the multiple nature of human beings by exposing them to none other than the prime situation that is sure to make you laugh and cringe all at once: high school. Full of murder, secrets, love and friendship this novel not only depicts the challenges of getting through high school but the complexity of relationships—be it love or family—it is sure to relate to you. The multiple allusions in th...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Dayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, adaptation, awesome-ya, coming-of-age, contemporary, death, family, favourite-authors, fun-read, good-character-development, high-school-issues, photography, promising-series, romance, school, series, shakespeare, society, young-adult

Article first published as Book Review: Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes on Blogcritics.

Review also appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received a copy for review

Exposure by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes is the second installment in the Twisted Lit series. It is also an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The prologue offers a unique introduction into the story, while the protagonist is a smart twist to Shakespeare’s most tragic play. Set in Alaska, Askew and Helmes pull the reader in...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Kelly Sierra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, crime, family-crimes, heart-break-by-death, high-school-realistic, mystery, real-fic, romance, remake, to-review

Exposure is the the second book in the Twisted Lit series. With a story full of social climbing, betrayals, deaths, and guilt Macbeth is not a particular bucket of sunshine; however, seeing how the events unfold in this version and that these are modern day teenagers behind one of the darkest plots of Shakespeare, Exposure definitely makes a statement. As stated this story takes place in a modern high school in Alaska, which is pretty awesome seeing as it is a state that is known to have a regul...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Kris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, contemporary, humor, ya-books, books-reviewed

Another humor-filled Shakespearean retelling from Kim and Amy!

Frankly, if I found out the guy I'm crushing on was involved in an accident that resulted in someone's death and didn't tell the proper authorities, I would fall out of love right there. I'd also go tell the authorities. Because I'm a goody goody like that. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't be crushing on the guy who lets his bitchy girlfriend boss him around. Skye has a bigger heart than me here. She wants to save Craig from the...more Another humor-filled Shakespearean retelling from Kim and Amy!

Frankly, if I found out the guy I'm crushing on was involved in an accident that resulted in someone's death and didn't tell the proper authorities, I would fall out of love right there. I'd also go tell the authorities. Because I'm a goody goody like that. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't be crushing on the guy who lets his bitchy girlfriend boss him around. Skye has a bigger heart than me here. She wants to save Craig from the mess that he's dragged himself into, and she stays quiet about what she knows for his sake, waiting for the right moment to help him. Craig isn't a bad guy at heart, and he's lucky to have a good girl like Skye by his side.

Past the small detail of Craig's wimpiness, I enjoyed reading this story. I'm not familiar with Macbeth, as it wasn't on my high school reading list and I never got around to reading it on my own time. Nevertheless, I do know that Craig's girlfriend really fits the role of a modern-day Lady Macbeth. She'll do anything to climb the social ladder--even murder. She's psycho, and I'm not sorry about what happens to her in the end. Just that Skye had to get involved with her to protect Craig.

Like Tempestuous, Exposure is filled with stereotypical characters. From cheerleaders who see Halloween as an opportunity to show off as much skin as possible to dumb jocks with equally dumb senses of humor to strange artists with unique personalities and the crazy, daring environmentalist, this book has them all. Normally, I like to think that stereotypes shouldn't exist and that all people have different sides to them--like Craig, the jock and artist. However, that would be a perfect world, and such stereotypes do exists. And playing with stereotypes leaves a lot of room for humor to come out.

This is a quick and highly entertaining addition to the Twisted Lit series. If you enjoyed Tempestuous, you'll love this one as well. I hope to see more twisted lit books from Kim and Amy!

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.(less)

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Nov 22, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, r2r-and-arr

I would like to thank the author for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review. Besides having a few editing errors, I found this book to be well written and entertaining.

Skye is the voice of this book. At the beginning she has started college, and there are many rumors flying around about her past. So for a bedtime story she finally decides to tell her story to her roommates to shut up the rumor mill. Then she tells the story of the boy she's loved forever, and a high school tragedy...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Isabel (Sab The Book Eater) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

This review and more at Sab The Book

Eater

In the second book of the Twisted Lit series, Kim Askew and Amy Helmes brings an interesting adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. I'm not much of a Shakespeare fan; I don't know much about most of his work. When I read Exposure I tried to do my homework by reading at least a summary of Macbeth. To be fair though, I read their first book and I can say reading Shakespeare isn't really a prerequisite. I just wanted to know if it would have an effect on my r...more This review and more at Sab The Book

Eater

In the second book of the Twisted Lit series, Kim Askew and Amy Helmes brings an interesting adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth. I'm not much of a Shakespeare fan; I don't know much about most of his work. When I read Exposure I tried to do my homework by reading at least a summary of Macbeth. To be fair though, I read their first book and I can say reading Shakespeare isn't really a prerequisite. I just wanted to know if it would have an effect on my reading experience. Turns out, it was even better. Now I'm not sure if it's because I read a plot summary or I really just happened to enjoy Exposure more than Tempestuous. Okay let's get down to it.

I like how enjoyable Exposure is despite the tragic events. Don't tell me I spoiled it for you! The synopsis says, "tragic twists of fate" and well... it's Shakespeare. Some sort of tragedy is to be expected. Anyway, what captivated me from the onset was the mystery injected in the story early in the Prologue. From there, the story was told beautifully in a mixture of constant suspense and drama. It's the typical highschool story wherein the cool kids fight over the "coveted" (it's in quotes because I never really believed in all that LOL) title of Prom King and Queen only more interesting because there's so much more involved. Aside from that, I like that the story didn't lose its YA touch because the teen romance was still there along with all the drama that comes with it - without giving readers the unnecessary stress that a lot of teen dramas give. (tee hee)

Since I only read Macbeth's plot summary, the only similarities I saw between the characters in Macbeth and in Exposure are their names. It's fun though, to actually get the play on names (play on words?). It was interesting to read how incredibly diverse the characters were and how they developed throughout the story. I liked Skye and Craig's chemistry in particular. I liked them so much that even if things ended that way, I was okay with it. In fact, I liked how everything turned out. I really liked how Askew and Helmes wrote the (inevitable, slightly tragic) ending.

Lastly, and this is rare, I love the cover of the book. I don't usually take the cover into account when I rate/review a book but this is really something. I don't know about you but I don't usually see/read books that have meaningful covers. Exposure's cover ties the whole story together and it's really cool that it made sense when I looked at it again after reading it. Snaps for that! *snaps haha*

Overall Exposure is a great read. It says so much about ambition, guilt, betrayal, and love in an enjoyable well-paced story that'll definitely leave you satisfied. ;-)(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Kristin Hafling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

My Thoughts:

I was really interested in reading this book after reading the first book in this series, I really enjoyed it and thought it was just a plain fun read. But, unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, it had some great and unique aspects to it but, it just felt like not a lot happened in this one. I have not read Shakespeare's Macbeth but, I had an idea of what happens in it and it was definitely fun to look up stuff about it and see how it compared to the book.

Skye...more My Thoughts:

I was really interested in reading this book after reading the first book in this series, I really enjoyed it and thought it was just a plain fun read. But, unfortunately I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, it had some great and unique aspects to it but, it just felt like not a lot happened in this one. I have not read Shakespeare's Macbeth but, I had an idea of what happens in it and it was definitely fun to look up stuff about it and see how it compared to the book.

Skye is your normal teenage girl, she loves photography and the feeling of being behind a camera, she works for the school paper and she doesn't stand out much. Growing up in Alaska, the sport to play is hockey. That's where Craig McKenzie comes in, he transferred to their high school and the first person that he met was Skye, over the summer they spent a lot of time together and became close friends. But, once school began and Craig was initiated into the popular crowd, Skye felt like she didn't exist. She had a crush on Craig, but knew their wasn't anything she could do about it, Craig was dating the most popular girl in school and they were destined to become Prom King and Queen, but after a party one night everything is not as it seems and Skye may be the only one who knows the truth.

One of the things I loved the most about this book was the setting, I have never read a book that takes place in Alaska and it was definitely refreshing while unfortunately there was as much talk about the setting as I would have liked there was a bit that definitely made me happy. I loved Skye because she seemed like such a genuine person, I felt like I knew her immediately and after all of the time you spend in her head, I knew that in real life I would want her as one of my friends.

Craig on the other hand was a character that I didn't love until almost the end of the book, he was friends with Skye before he knew everyone else but, once he was popular he kind of let her go. He would invite her do things with him and his girlfriend but, he didn't ever actually expect her to go. It really felt like he knew she wouldn't say yes so he had no problem asking and that kind of made me dislike him a bit.

Overall, this book wasn't a hit for me, not as fun as Tempestuous but still interesting in its own right. The book took off in the beginning with a big twist and then fell in the middle until towards the end wh(less)

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Dec 14, 2012 Patricia Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, read-2012, kim-askew, young-adult, realistic-fiction, high-school, pub-2013

Exposure is a modern-day spin of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Sadly, I haven't read Macbeth. Therefore I can't compare these two books. Nonetheless, this book was an awesome read. It's about high school's drama; the popularity, the sport, the clique, etc.

I enjoyed reading it. It has a thriller-suspense vibe in it. Though, I admit the mood was eerie at first. Reading it was like watching a moonless sky and waiting for the sun to paint it.

I have no trouble reading it, except for a couple of typographica...more

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May 10, 2013 Stacey B. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine, i-own, read-2013, reviewed

MEMORABLE QUOTE: "When I develop pictures in a darkroom, it's almost like painting with light." (p. 21)

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Unfortunately, I have never read Macbeth, so I cannot compare this story to that at all. I was looking forward to reading this as I enjoyed Askew and Helmes' first book, Tempestuous. This one sort of similar, but I didn't like it as much. The last third or so of the book is definitely the best part. I feel like the beginning could have used a little bit more involvement, may...more

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title link	preview: Exposure: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare's Macbeth
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Exposure: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare's Macbeth (Twisted Lit #2)

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