Samantha only wants to be loved. By her father, by her best friend, and now by the new boy at school, Farouk. The more time Sam spends with him, th...
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reviews
Nov 06, 2008
Alex
rated it: 
Swollen has been a great book to read. I would really recommend this book to anyone who wants an off the seat moment throughout the entire book. From beginning to end, you find answers to the questions they set for you to look for. If this book was turned into a movie, I think it would be great, and a lot of people would want to see it, especially teenagers.
When Owen, the star jock of the high school, dies of a swollen heart, Samantha was starting to get a lot of mixed emotions More...
Mar 21, 2010
Tiffany
rated it: 
A story about a teenager desperate for love. Her father can seldom be bothered with her, and when he is he sets a terrible example, often asking her to lie for him while he cheats on his girlfriend with other women. Her best friend cuts herself, and she expects any boy she's with to be like her father. Plus, she has a mother who didn't exactly do the best by her daughter in leaving her with her father. So, out of her desperate quest for unconditional love comes time with boys, and even a desire
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Jun 25, 2009
Kristin
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Swollen by Melissa Lion tells a story about true love and discovering yourself told from the viewpoint of Samantha (Sam) Pallas. Sam is accustomed to running from everything. She even ran from her school’s golden boy right before his death. Then Farouk arrives and no longer is Sam running away, but towards someone. With Farouk, she can escape the problems and pressures of her family, friends, and running. Sam knows she can just be herself when she’s with him and she trusts him with almost all of
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Jan 08, 2012
Gabe
rated it: 
This book is about a young girl named Sam that is trying to find herself, along with love. After the jock at their school dies, a new mysterious boy named Farouk moves in. Sam takes a great interest in the mysterious boy. I would recommend this book to people looking for an in depth, emotional book.
I liked how Melissa Lion wrote this book to resemble and actually be somewhat like a teenage girl's life. Although some of the situations in this book could have been altered a litt More...
I liked how Melissa Lion wrote this book to resemble and actually be somewhat like a teenage girl's life. Although some of the situations in this book could have been altered a litt More...
Jun 14, 2011
Meaghan
rated it: 
This is in many ways quite a gritty story -- promiscuity, unprotected sex, marital infidelity, self-mutilation, drug addiction, steroid use, abortion and suicide are all touched upon in some way. Yet somehow the author manages to get them all in without it seeming like an after school special. Samantha and her family and friends could be at any middle-class suburban high school. Although there wasn't much of a plot here and Noah's death didn't play as big a role in the story as I expected it wou
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Sep 16, 2011
Isabela
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A beautiful story about getting over first loves and realizing that you can get over them.
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Jul 23, 2008
MaryAnn
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To be upfront this book touched some deep. long buried chords in me. In fact it completely depressed me. When I finished I had to go curl up next to my husband and just cry. And not Lurlene McDaniel, everybody dies cry. Just tears. Why? I don’t know, or more honestly have no plans of announcing why on a public forum. Sam is the invisible girl, who falls in love (with what turns out to be a mostly inappropriate boy, but really aren’t the ones who scar us mostly inappropriate?) It goes as f
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Mar 02, 2009
Lupe
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Swollen deals with real life issues. Samantha, is a teenage girl who is experincing with boy drama, she's a member of the track team and her dad is an unfaithful boyfriend. When a new kid comes to school, Farouk, Samantha falls head over heels for him. They spend so much time together thoughout the book. Hanging out all the time and walking along the beach together.
Its sweet and all but after a while it just gets old. The book talked too much about Farouk's and Samantha's More...
Its sweet and all but after a while it just gets old. The book talked too much about Farouk's and Samantha's More...
Dec 23, 2009
Jia wei
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Each and everytime I read this book over and over, I get different rush of feelings. Many times I get confused or rather tangled by the ending. Touching, moving and heart-lifting story that leaves a deep stain in my heart. I feel for Samantha each time I read this book. Sometimes I feel Farouk is a jerk and other time he's a gentleman and still loves her. *shrugs*
Apr 22, 2009
Jenny
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As a parent of a 13 year old girl, this book is terribly depressing, and sad to me. It has started a few conversations though with my daughter about choices. (I read this book after my daughter brought it home from the library and read it.)
Sep 16, 2007
Sommer Ann
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This book was very impacting and had a lot of deep issues in it. Ranging from a cheating father to a friend who cuts herself and feelings of inadequacy this novel spanned many parts of life. I loved the tone and the way Melissa Lion incorprated so many truthful feelings without making it feel bogged down. This book felt like a true look at someone's life and was very well told. One of the best realistic fiction reads I've had in a while. It takes everyday existence and morphs it into something t
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Nov 16, 2008
Paige
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This book was fantastic. It was well-written and believable and never too sappy. My only complaints would be that I got annoyed with Samantha near the end of the book, though I'm glad with the way things were tied up, even though it may not have been that picture-perfect ending some would hope for. Melissa Lion is a great writer, and it never felt like she was trying too hard to do anything - the words just were what they were. I appreciated the lack of cliches here and the depth of the story &
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Aug 15, 2010
Cookie
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Ummm...quick read...not really sure what else to write...it was strange...not great...but not bad.
Jul 20, 2009
Angela
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A very random book, but ok for young adults I guess. Quick read,finished in less than a day.
Jul 18, 2011
Kricket
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a cross-country running teenage girl gets her heart broken.
i can't decide if there's too much going on in this book (teen pregnancy! a different accidental pregnancy! cutting! suicide! infidelity!) or not enough (because not much is actually happening to the main character...) i didn't really identify with samantha and i wasn't sure what i was supposed to make of the way farouk treated her. it kept my attention while i was reading, but ultimately i'm not left with much of an impression
i can't decide if there's too much going on in this book (teen pregnancy! a different accidental pregnancy! cutting! suicide! infidelity!) or not enough (because not much is actually happening to the main character...) i didn't really identify with samantha and i wasn't sure what i was supposed to make of the way farouk treated her. it kept my attention while i was reading, but ultimately i'm not left with much of an impression
Sep 09, 2008
Kate
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This book was major in depression, it started out with hope and dreams all those at the end were shut down and the main character didn't believe in the good people out there. I know i can't believe the theme of this story, because if the world was really like that, there wouldn't be families, there wouldn't be new found couples, and our world would drown in disgust and dispare. Don't read it, it's a waste of anyones time.
Oct 24, 2009
Terry
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This took a few unexpected turns from the 'first-love-leads-to-heart-break' formula. The setting of coastal southern-California is brought out and adds to the story. There are some interesting side plots and secondary characters. This is an especially good look at how girls and women get to places where their choices, are obviously wrong - to an outsider - but they can't see it for themselves.
Jun 20, 2008
Panda
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It's alright but alittle to romancy and girly for me. Sammantha totally is a brat and doesn't even really care that a kid at her school dies. That kid could have been in love with her and she doesn't even seem to care. She even found he carved there inistials into a bridge! She just porays herself as a brat!
Jan 29, 2010
Sarah
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Desperately longing to be loved, but afraid of being hurt, Samantha must conquer her fear of sharing her true feelings when she finds herself growing more and more attached to Farouk, the new boy at school.
Aug 10, 2008
Don
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a well written story of a highschool girl and her life and relationships.
Feb 08, 2012
Jan 15, 2012
Dec 03, 2011
