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Lost It

3.36 of 5 stars 3.36 · rating details · 2,145 ratings · 162 reviews

What would you do...

...if your best friend were plotting the annihilation of a small, furry neighborhood poodle? Or if your parents up and moved to an Outward Bound-type survival camp in the middle of the desert? How about if your grandmother bought you new bras and underwear -- and you actually thought they were a teensy bit, umm, sexy?

Most people would not react well.

...more

Paperback, 276 pages

Published January 23rd 2007 by Simon Pulse

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May 06, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

The title of Kristen Tracy's LOST IT sums up the heart of the novel in two simple words, but like the novel itself, its simplicity is deceiving. "Lost it" could refer to many facets of the book. The narrator, Tess, starts things off by telling readers how she lost her virginity, and how she subsequently seems to have lost the guy she gave it to. At the same time, her rock-solid best friend is losing her grip after a parental divorce, Tess's parents are r...more Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

The title of Kristen Tracy's LOST IT sums up the heart of the novel in two simple words, but like the novel itself, its simplicity is deceiving. "Lost it" could refer to many facets of the book. The narrator, Tess, starts things off by telling readers how she lost her virginity, and how she subsequently seems to have lost the guy she gave it to. At the same time, her rock-solid best friend is losing her grip after a parental divorce, Tess's parents are running off to recover the sense of self they think they've lost, and Tess, in the middle of everything, feels lost in the world as she tries to pull her life together without them. LOST IT is one of those rare books that gives you a light, fun read yet packs an emotional wallop you won't soon forget.

Like the novel, Tess is a rarity. Readers will relate to her insecurities and her struggles to understand the people in her life, but her constant fear of attacks by wild animals and her naivety due to her born-again parents's restriction of TV viewing give her voice an oddball, comic touch. Tess's voice is a far cry from the polished, hyper-mature tones of the Gossip and It Girls in teen fiction. She's not quite like any character I've ever read about, and that difference makes this book stand out.

Much of the story focuses on Tess's developing relationship with a new guy at school. Tess deals with many of the same questions teens face when they start dating: how serious to get, how far to go, how to make sure he'll stay. But, gradually, readers realize that despite its somewhat juicy opening, what's important isn't whether Tess should have slept with her boyfriend, or whether she's lost him for good. LOST IT proves that there are bigger issues than dating and sex. At the heart of the story is Tess lost in a sea of strong personalities and vague fears. She won't win by keeping the guy, but by keeping her head above water and accepting the uncertainties of life which threaten to overwhelm her.

LOST IT should appeal to a wide range of teen readers, but especially to those who value honesty and awkwardness over posh worldliness. While the novel contains some sexual subject matter, it's hardly glorified or graphic. And its themes of learning to cope with and even enjoy change and unpredictability may be just want teens want to hear. I suspect this is a book that will affect readers of all ages, and stick with them after they finish reading. (less)

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Nov 15, 2010 мαяïα❤ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wanted to read this book because when I saw the front cover I
Knew that it would talk about teenagres..and I am one so thats why
I wouldn't to read this book..((: It mostly take place at school
and at the Island Park..where Tess Whistle lost her virginity to
Benjamin Easter a senior..Tess was a junior when she lost it
she wasn't planing to loss it..but it happened..The main problem
of the story was when Tess was confused she didn't know want she
wanted because she had lost it with Benjamin Easter....more

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Dec 28, 2008 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008

I liked this book okay. It was a quick, entertaining read, and I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. I really related with Tess and her numerous insecurities and freak outs, but I thought some of the situations and dialogue bordered on soap opera at times.

I liked the way that sex/virginity was dealt with, it was very realistic and not too over the top. I liked the friendship between Tess and Zena, which also rang very true. It's the character of Ben that left me feeling a little "eh." I usually li...more

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Jan 26, 2009 Katherine rated it 1 of 5 stars

When I picked up this book, I knew it was going to have to do with the girl losing her virginity. However, I did think there would at least be a side plot. Yes, yes, there was the whole blowing up the poodle bit but she didn't even blow up the poodle! She blew up a stuffed animal. Seriously, what a cop-out. Back to the main plot, there little to no character development and Tess was so whiny! For such a small book, it took me forever to get through it. The book just lagged. I would not recommend...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Lauren Fidler rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: abusive-relationships, bad-mothers, bildungsroman, books-i-can-read-in-under-3-hours, clunky, daddy-issues, dirty-hippy, dysfunctional-family-drama, love-like-a-bad-mixtape, mindrot, not-good-for-mothers-of-daughters, poorly-named-characters, quirky, sex-and-drugs-and-rock-and-roll, stupid-metaphors-played-out-too-lit, super-secret-shame, wish-it-were-better, what-a-bunch-of-assholes, young-adult-fiction-secret-shame

what i learned from this book / promises to my daughters, who are far too young to read this review and far too smart to ever misread ethan frome:

1. repression is not the answer. i will not move to idaho and sell vitamin-infused drinks. i will not marry a man who is as weak-spirited as i am and i will not let either one of us convince the other that accepting a blond jesus as our personal lord and savior is the answer to loving and fulfilling life. i will not accept self-help gurus as my persona...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Andy Gavin rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a verylikableteen romance about an Idaho girl's first real relationship and of course... how she lost her virginity. I read this in my continued meandering quest to find out just howedgyand racy YA can actually be. I hope someone points me to another answer, but I'm thinking... not very. If you know anything really edgy, please put it in a comment.Lost It is prettyreminiscentof Judy Blume's Forever(my review HERE), and it's gone backwards in the sexual explicitness department big time. R...more This is a very likable teen romance about an Idaho girl's first real relationship and of course... how she lost her virginity. I read this in my continued meandering quest to find out just how edgy and racy YA can actually be. I hope someone points me to another answer, but I'm thinking... not very. If you know anything really edgy, please put it in a comment. Lost It is pretty reminiscent of Judy Blume's Forever (my review HERE), and it's gone backwards in the sexual explicitness department big time. Really there's barely any.

Don't get me wrong. This is a good book, and it stands on its own. It's just not racy. But I really did like the voice. Using the standard first person past you are immediately and tightly drawn into protagonist Tess's head. She's pretty funny too, and not your totally typical teen girl. There is a lot of interior monologue, but it doesn't suffer from the "too much tell" problems that this often entails. Like, for example, the Indy book Switched (my review HERE) I read the previous day. With Lost It, I actually laughed a number of times aloud -- or at least chuckled. Like all these books, the narrator is what drives the whole thing, and the book delivers 100% in that regard.

Many of the other characters are good. The best friend, the boyfriend, and the grandmother all felt unique and real. The parents less so. Tracy doesn't have the effortless ability to make every character totally and completely believable like Judy Blume, but who does? Nevertheless, she gives it the good old college try and the results are very good.

But the tameness bothered me. In our era of hyper shock factor, it would be nice if an honest book like this was a bit more honest and open about its central topic. Sex. Forever certainly has the edge there, and it's more than 35 years old. It's also worth noting that the two books have almost the same cover. I guess publisher marketing departments all think alike. Observe to the right!

I don't know what it is, but at the same time the internet has opened the door to vastly more sexual material than my 70s or 80s brain could have ever conceived, popular media has less and less. But more violence. Somehow this seems pretty twisted -- at least the more violence less love thing.

Anyway, Lost It, is a good book. Refreshing actually because I didn't have to force myself to finish it. It's all character driven, and when well done that's a very good thing.(less)

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Dec 16, 2010 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: quirky, chick-lit, young-adult-fiction, realistic, romance, romantic, boobies, relationship-problems, relationships, lying-deception, diabetes, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Tess Whistle’s lost it in more ways than one. Her life has gone crazy in short order – her best friend Zena is planning to blow up a poodle, her mother has gone to find herself in Utah, and the only stable thing in her life is her new relationship with Ben Easter, who, through an unfortunate misunderstanding, now believes she’s a diabetic. As her life gets more and more complicated, Tess finds herself clinging to Ben as the only safe port in the storm, but he’s a good guy. And he loves her. When...more Tess Whistle’s lost it in more ways than one. Her life has gone crazy in short order – her best friend Zena is planning to blow up a poodle, her mother has gone to find herself in Utah, and the only stable thing in her life is her new relationship with Ben Easter, who, through an unfortunate misunderstanding, now believes she’s a diabetic. As her life gets more and more complicated, Tess finds herself clinging to Ben as the only safe port in the storm, but he’s a good guy. And he loves her. When Tess finally does lose her virginity to Ben it’s not quite the experience that she expected, but it’s not bad either. Before they really have a chance to explore what else might happen between them, Ben discovers Tess lied about her illness, and he doesn’t know what to believe or think about her. And as everything else in her life settles down, Tess feels the pain of his absence – the one person she was sure about.

This book starts out a little rocky. Tess has a unique and funny voice, but her thoughts wander all over the place and she often neglects to finish one thought before she’s moved on to another, which makes her narrative difficult to follow. Once she’s settled down, however, you get to enjoy her amusing choice of words and turns of phrase. Her grandma’s a hoot as well. We’re all left at the very end wondering what Ben will do, but Tess doesn’t seem particularly upset (a bit strange when she spends pages and pages whining to Zena about how much she misses Ben) – she’s uncharacteristically philosophical about it all. She suddenly realizes that rings aren’t promises and nothing is certain and people change their minds – good lessons, but she comes to them relatively easily and her story comes to an end before you really know how well they stick with her. Still, this was funny and sweet and teen girls will likely eat it up. It includes frank discussions of sex, although the act itself is not portrayed graphically.

Excerpt:

"'Foundation is another word for practical lingerie. Have your breasts grown? Do you need a new brassiere? Do you need help measuring your bosom?'
    My grandmother stared right at my chest as she asked her questions.
    'That's very invasive of you,' I whispered, folding my arms and covering them up. 'And we're in public.'
    'Filling out is a thing to be proud of. Have you tried a push-up brassiere? I think it's good to hoist the girls up as high as possible.'
    My blushing intensified. My grandma noticed.
    'Ah to be young,' she said. 'And embarrassed by your own breasts.'
    'I'm not embarrassed by them,' I whispered. 'I just don't talk about them at the bagel shop. They're sacred.'
    My grandmother shrugged. 'Boobs are boobs. And yours are quite nice.'
    As I sat there, I couldn't wait to get to a phone and tell Ben about all my suffering. I'd been abandoned by my parents. My best friend had been shipped away. And my primary caregiver was obsessed with my breasts."
(p. 126)(less)

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Oct 02, 2010 Stacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-the-blog, own

Lost It is the coming-of-age story of Tess Whistle an innocent and very quirky teenager. With a fear of wild animals (things she can't control,) parents who I have no words for, a Grandma who doesn't fit the knitting-Betty Crocker mold, and a boyfriend who at the beginning who seems to fall in love with her quirks, Tessa wasn't an easy character to read. With a rather annoying personality, innocence based on ignorance I just didn't believe, and a voice I didn't enjoy following I wasn't surprised...more

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May 14, 2010 Jeni added it

This is a really good book and it also has a great example on the quote don't judge a book by its cover. most people would think the book is completely about a girl losing her virginity but it is also about how she kinda loses her mind and how her parents go insane and she doesn't know what to think of them anymore.
this is one of my new favorite books, although i am a little disappointed that her relationship ended up getting totally messed up due to the lie that started her relationship.
i enjo...more

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Mar 24, 2010 Betsy Martinez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lost It
One of my favorite books is Lost It by Kristen Tracey.I really enjoyed reading it, i loved it.The book is about this girl named Tess Whistle.She goes through so much in the story, and Tess is just like any high school girl.

In the beginning of the book Tess is an innocent girl who doesn't believe in sex before marriage.But when Tess meets Ben she completely changes. Before she didn't care about how she looked and she didn't like to lie, but that soon changes.When Ben finds out that she lie...more

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Sep 22, 2009 Katherine Marple rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Lost It" is clearly about the innocence of a teenager. But, on top of the whole sex thing... it's also about losing your mind, losing your clutch on reality, losing your best friend, losing your sense of self.

Tess Whistle is a junior in high school. She opens her story with telling you that she lost her virginity to Ben (the new guy in school) after knowing him for only four months. She totally surprised herself with how quickly she fell in love with him because from the start, she firmly beli...more "Lost It" is clearly about the innocence of a teenager. But, on top of the whole sex thing... it's also about losing your mind, losing your clutch on reality, losing your best friend, losing your sense of self.

Tess Whistle is a junior in high school. She opens her story with telling you that she lost her virginity to Ben (the new guy in school) after knowing him for only four months. She totally surprised herself with how quickly she fell in love with him because from the start, she firmly believed she would wait until she was married- or atleast engaged (as most of us start out hoping). Then, she tells the background of what happened before and during- and circles around again at the end.

Tess lives in EastBum (expletive) where there are constant worries about avalanches, hitting a moose on the highway, getting attacked by bears and wolves or having airplane pieces land on top of your house.

The characters are very strong. Each has their own personalities and they stay true to their characters in the conversations and reactions throughout the story.

-Ben is a pure gentleman who has a few secrets of his own that he keeps rightfully to himself. He is handsome, smart, encouraging, gentle and still passionate at the same time. It's obvious why Tess falls for him almost immediately.

-Zena is obnoxious yet sweet, insightful yet oblivious, and sometimes too smart for herself. I would want a true best friend like her too. A once-in-a-lifetime friend through and through.

-Grandma is spunky, funny, smart, old-fashioned yet also very up-to-date on buying things like thongs and bras. She teaches Tess how to string a man along just enough to get him interested (because nobody likes spoiled soup in their laps). She is one of the most vivid characters in this book and I love her.

-Minor but strong characters: Mom and Dad Whistle. They are in the book briefly but then lose pieces of their minds when running across a few states to go on a few months' expedition to rock climb, leaving Tess home alone until her Grandma flies in from out of state to take care of her. Even though they are only in the book through glimpses in the chapters, they are still strong characters.

Even though this sounds a bit heavy... Tracy keeps it really light! It's so easy to read that I finished it in only one sitting. I couldn't wait to find out what the next thing Ms Tess was going to say! Her outlook on the world is laugh-out-loud funny because she never seems at a loss for words. She will blurt out the most ridiculous things and because of my own warped sense of sarcastic humor... she says what I would've said- which makes me love her even more! haha.

I truly loved this book. I didn't want it to end and was hoping that Tracy wrote another book so that I could continue to read in this type of prose.

Truly an enlightening, deep, entertaining, nostalgic read. Could be a beach book, a backyard book, or a bathtub book. Really really good. (less)

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Feb 17, 2009 Michelle rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was total crap. I bought it because I thought it would be funny, but it was just neurotic, annoying, and purposeless. The character goes along being clingy and whiny, and at the end of the book, no lesson has been learned and the conflict the character is experiencing is not resolved. I wanted to call the author and be like, "Hey, the trite paragraph at the end of your book where you slapped out a couple platitudes and thought that was an ending? It wasn't. Get back to work."

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Apr 29, 2012 Angieleigh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, ya

This is probably one of the funniest books I've read in awhile. From the very first page until near the end I giggled my way through it.

Tess is a great main character - flaws and all. In case you missed some other reviews I've written, flawed characters are my favorite. Tess is a worrier like no other...she hates wildlife because she's afraid she's going to be eaten. She worries about her parents. About her best friend, Zena, who wants to blow up a poodle.

And about losing her virginity and what...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Danielle rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Younger girls

Shelves: 100-books-in-2012, bought-in-2012, pbsb-i-ve-recieved

I'm not a big fan of this book. I definitely think that this subject matter is for older teens (14-15 and up) but how it's written it's definitely more towards the younger crowed. I know when I was sixteen I wasn't this immature about sex and it frustrates me that Tess is. But keep in mind the main character Tess has been sheltered her whole life because they have no cable. Although her friend Zena is a bit eccentric so you would think she'd have filled Tess in on all the juicy details.

The stor...more I'm not a big fan of this book. I definitely think that this subject matter is for older teens (14-15 and up) but how it's written it's definitely more towards the younger crowed. I know when I was sixteen I wasn't this immature about sex and it frustrates me that Tess is. But keep in mind the main character Tess has been sheltered her whole life because they have no cable. Although her friend Zena is a bit eccentric so you would think she'd have filled Tess in on all the juicy details.

The story is kind of the same thing over and over to me. Basically Tess the main character has a best friend named Zena. Zena's parents have gone through their midlife crisis leaving Zena in a stage of madness where she's obsessed with blowing up a poodle. Tess has her own issues with her parents and ends up latching onto Ben an older boy who has a locker beneath hers. In the very beginning it tells you that she had sex with Ben and then it goes into the story of how it all 'went down'.

Well obviously if you're going to be that desperate and throw yourself at a boy who's clearly saying he doesn't want it or he's not interested because of your desperation he's going to book it as soon as possible. That's a fact. Unless he loves how easy you are, then he might use you a few more times. I always hate how characters think one thing and act on it like a moron. I love the characters who can think and want one thing a lot but know street tactics on how to not show it off. If you're obsessed with a boy and want him that badly you should know better and don't act on how you feel or think.

I do say one thing for Tess though and this might be because of my own personal experience. Usually the first time or at least my first time was terrible. It happened, he disappeared just like Ben did to Tess. So I can say that sometimes girls who don't know any better can end up throwing it away and learning it the hard way. So I can relate to Tess and sympathize with her but she's a junior in high school and that fact throws me for a loop. I understand everywhere is different some people are more sheltered but it still astonishes me.

Lastly the ending. I wasn't a huge fan. Obviously if you lie about something THAT big it's going to burn you. But in Tess's defense Ben's obsession with girls with that illness is a bit strange.

Overall it's not a terrible book but it is possibly one were you want to slap the MC quite a few times.(less)

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Oct 04, 2011 KatieBookQueen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Firstly, when I read about 'Lost It', I completely expected it to just be about a girl losing her Virginity - I was totally wrong! Even though a big part of the book is about that, its also about so much more. This story really captures what it's like to be a teenager and to sometimes feel like your whole world is falling apart or that your losing your grip on reality. I think that the story holds a great positive message for teenage girls.

Secondly, I loved the characters. I thought that Tess's...more

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Dec 10, 2010 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think this was the best book I've ever read; straight from the beginning LOST IT kept my attention. It's in this very modern tone of voice and it's really humorous how Tess says things. She's so afraid of the outdoors that it's on the verge of being ridiculous. Once she meets Ben, you just know that it's going to be a great relationship.

I didn't really like how she started off their relationship in a major lie, but it kept things interesting. I really liked how the book began with Tess telling...more

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Mar 28, 2009 Allison DeLauer rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a riot this is! This hilarious coming-of-age story is told from the awkward, quirky, point of view that only the most perceptive of writers could conjure. Unlike some wannabe characters currently quite popular (eg Twilight's Bella) the protagonist in Lost It is has a sweet neurotic complexity that almost hurts to read – but then delivers the most-human of goods with real life trials/ travails/ and endearing friends and role models. What’s great about the book is that you can get lost with T...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Huiyi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-2011-2012

This book was overall okay. I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. This book is about how the protagonist loses her virginity to her boyfriend, or the person she loves. Having always thought that she would lose her virginity after marriage, and suddenly losing it outside, was very sudden and different for her. Having lost her virginity, she also loses the guy she likes. The title "Lost It" basically sums up the book. It talks about how the protagonist, Tess loses her virginity, and...more

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Sep 23, 2010 Clover (Fluttering Butterflies) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Oh boy, did I love this book. I had it for a little while and always put it off thinking it was just a book about a girl losing her virginity. That's what the title refers to, doesn't it? Ah, no. Turns out the book is way more complicated than that.

Not only does Tess lose her virginity, and then the boy who she gives it to, she's also losing her way. Her best friend is losing her grip on reality after her parents get divorced, so she decides to build a bomb to blow a poodle. Tess's parents are l...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Glass rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

When I started reading this book I thought it's going to be funny and with some here's-my-wisdom point of view. Well, it wasn't that funny - actully, this book is full of stupid jokes and conversations in the Gilmore Girls style (I hate that show). Half of the time you are not even sure what is going on and the other half you're just annoyed.

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May 20, 2012 Princess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Best love story I've read so far :)
There are so many parts of the story that really poked me.

First, I am one of those girls that gives a lot of importance of losing it. Maybe that's why I actually ended up reading this book. But i love how i just didn't learned about things related to this.

Second, Benjamin Foster felt so real. I mean besides that he's such a lovely boyfriend type. Everything in him seems connected and concrete that it seems like he's really based on a real human.
I love these ki...more

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Oct 29, 2012 V.E. rated it 2 of 5 stars

"Tess is neurotic and Zena is really strange and Ben is terribly annoying." That's basically what I was thinking throughout the entire book. I mean, how does your friend talk constantly about making bombs and blowing up a poodle without you making a real effort to do anything or talk to anyone about it (and no, casually mentioning it you a guy whose butt you were admiring then crying afterwards does not count). The part about losing her virginity was as bad as I expected and compared the the sil...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Madi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought that the book Lost It, by Kristen Tracy, was a great book for teenage girls. It had love, heart break, laughter, sorrow, and most importantly, friendship. I feel that it could help tons of kids in high school get through a similar situation. It started out with a girl just starting her junior year. Right off the bat she is looking for love. She thinks she has found it when she meets a senior boy who feels the same way about her, but she makes a fatal mistake and sends their love spiral...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Karla rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, romance, ya

Usually I really am entertained with teenage physical "first time" romance novels. This one was comical so I admit it made me chuckle a few times but..... The main character would go into nerotic ramblings that were a waste of time. Also I felt the romance seemed hallow and lacked depth. A lot of unbalanced romance and parenting. I did really enjoy the Grandma she ended up my favorite character. The ending was the wost part, any writter of YA knows(I hope!) that girls want to know did they work...more

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Aug 13, 2009 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-reads, favorites

Rating B+

Review This book was laugh-out-loud funny. Tess was quite unlike any character I'd ever read before, her worries and anxieties (and knowledge of survival tactics for freak situations) were a hoot to read. Also, Tess's friend, her parents, and her grandma contributed to the laughs as well. The whole thing was chuckle-inducing nearly the whole way through.

The only drawback to me was that the climax of the book was precipitated on Tess making up a lie (as a survival tactic to not have to a...more

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Jul 07, 2009 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a quick and entertaining YA novel. The writing was good overall in terms of dialog, pacing, etc but I had issues with the plot stretching credibility a bit too much (accident, lottery, Utah, dental assistant, poodle, etc). Any of those plots individually would have worked for me but they added up to a bit too much. The small details about the characters were wonderfully well done, but Tess herself was overly-anxious in an occasionally annoying way and some characters like her parents ne...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

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

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Aug 06, 2011 Krystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lost It by Kristen Tracy looks a bit scandalous just from the cover. But truthfully, this novel is true to life. It isn't just about "losing it". It's about life. Love. Friendship. And feeling like you've gone mad (which we've all come across... admit it!).

It was really easy to relate to, as a teenage girl in a similar situation as the main character. But haven't we all been there?

This novel was filled with humour and wit. It had me laughing out loud (and getting strange looks from those around...more

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Oct 01, 2009 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ssr

Emma Andrews
period 12/13
"Lost It"
by: Kristen Tracy
276 pgs.
completed: Sept. 6, 2009
rating: 9
Book #1

In the book "Lost It," Tess defintely changed the most by the end of the story. She started out as this naive christian girl who didn't really believe in sex before marraige. She also never really look at boys or felt herself to be "sexy", until one day she meets Ben and everything changes. Once they start dating, everything becomes very differnt for Tess. She cares about her apperance more, and wha...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Angelica Perez rated it 4 of 5 stars

We all eventually hit those confusing teen age years don't we? We make dumb decisions and wonder about a lot of things, but have you ever blown up a poodle with a bomb or have your parents ever left you to live with your grandma so they can go to an inspirational camp? These things only make those years more difficult;as if a teenager needs more problems to deal with than what we already have.

Tess whistle A junior in high school finds herself caught in a triangular disaster. Not only is she ent...more We all eventually hit those confusing teen age years don't we? We make dumb decisions and wonder about a lot of things, but have you ever blown up a poodle with a bomb or have your parents ever left you to live with your grandma so they can go to an inspirational camp? These things only make those years more difficult;as if a teenager needs more problems to deal with than what we already have.

Tess whistle A junior in high school finds herself caught in a triangular disaster. Not only is she entering the toughest year of high school, but she also has to deal with her best friend Zena who wants to blow up a poodle, her religious parents who leave her to live with her grandma so they can go "find" themselves at a special institution, and of course the tears that come with every girls first real boyfriend.Did I mention that Tess is afraid of the wild which really is a problem when you live in Idaho. Now. Yes, Tess does get with the guy of her dreams Benjamin Easter; however she tells a big lie that compromises their whole relationship. The lie was not told on purpose it was simply a slip of words that had a huge affect. Throughout their relationship Tess must deal with Zena her psycho friend who does eventually blow up a poodle, Zena ends up leaving to a strict camp because of her anger problems this really hurts Tess because Zena is the only person she has besides Benjamin, because of this Tess forces herself on Benjamin which also causes problems in their relationship. Tess wants to take comfort in Benjamin but he is not ready to take it that far. Finally Tess walks on thin line when she encounters a near death experience this is when Benjamin realized he wanted to let Tess take comfort in him, and Tess "Lost It". She lost everything, but she gained the only thing that she really needed to gain.

Kristen Tracey is the Co-editor of a Global Anthology of Poetry by Women. She herself grew up in Idaho, however she was not afraid of the Wild. She always went camping with her family and unfortunately never saw any wild animals.

I read this book in 4 hours. It was a well written story I felt like I was watching a movie. However while I was reading this book I never really understood the point of the book it was just a story that was well written. I guess I could say the theme was really hidden and there were not many moments when the theme is reflected. You won't be able to figure out the whole meaning of the book until the very last page, and even after I finished I spent a good amount of time trying to piece the puzzle together and really understand it. I liked the book because when you do figure the theme out the whole story becomes so much more relate-able for all teens. I believe the message was really good and the story line was just a bonus.

At one point in the story Benjamin and Tess are in his car right outside of the woods watching the moon. Eventually they began kissing until Tess heard a coyote howl, then she bolted up and locked the car doors. She didn't like wild life it scared her because she didn't know where the animals were hidden and the fact that they could strike unexpectedly at any time. She got so frightened that she began to cry until Benjamin explains to her the real reason why he thinks she is afraid of wild animals. Tess really thinks about what he says and then begins to wonder If she will ever be able to change.

The books theme is to not worry about the unknown, because the unknown is something that no human can control so its not worth worrying about. Things will go the way they are destined to go and you can't worry and wake up every morning wondering whats coming next. Too many people in this world are stuck on trying to fix things that are not fixable. It only causes more fear in the world and makes situations worse. In the teenage community we are all so worried and focused on what tomorrow has to bring or being afraid of our future. The theme of this book helps us to understand that our future has yet to be written so nothing can be read and if nothing can be read then nothing can be worried about you just have to feel hopeful and be ready for what does come next. (less)

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“Her parents had basically abdicated their roles as guardians and she was building a bomb. In order to kill a poodle.” — 5 people liked it

“Really, I think my tippy state was a sign. I was supposed to see how much I was depending on Ben. I was supposed to realize that you can't depend on another person to provide your own balance.” — 3 people liked it

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