Hooked

Jan 16, 2013 Mary Skramovsky rated it 2 of 5 stars

Additional
This is Greenman first novel.

Thea Galehouse meets Will Weston during a fire drill at Stuyvesant High School. It is love at first sight and although Will is a senior and is headed for Columbia University in the Fall, for the time being they are in high school. Thea’s home life is horrible. Her mother is self-absorbed and her father is a recovering alcoholic with a cold standoffish exterior. This is your typical boy meets girl, girl has problems, girl gets pregnant.
Thea is scheduled for...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Erika Maki rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: any pregnant teenager

Shelves: young-adult

I thought this book was very informative. It helped me understand the complex relationshiips that people have especially with their parents. Teenagers think that they have to do to receive love from parents if they come from a broken home. Their love is not unconditional. They also have to face the disappointment and diaproval of everyone them. That has to be tough for any teenager. I think portrayed all of those feelings very clearly and eloquently. Rather, than avoiding the experience of teena...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Jean V. Naggar Literary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Named a 2012 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers from Young Adult Library Services Association

“Smart and appealing...What keeps this strong debut on course is its accumulation of myriad, closely observed details, the building blocks of fiction that delineate character and bring an imagined world, narrow or not, to life.” --Kirkus

“The narrative covers a lot of time and emotional ground but still manages to maintain a level of detail that sufficiently develops character. The story charts Thea’s growt...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, review-on-blog

Hooked is such a believable and real book. Nothing is sugar coated, nothing is too far of a stretch. It is all real life, and that is what I enjoyed most about it. I am not a huge fan of teenage pregnancy so I wasn't sure how much I was going to love Hooked, but Catherine Greenman does not try to glamorize pregnancy. But what she does accomplish is paint a very accurate picture of the situation and how it affects everyone. Hooked is the story of not just Thea and Will, but of their whole familie...more Hooked is such a believable and real book. Nothing is sugar coated, nothing is too far of a stretch. It is all real life, and that is what I enjoyed most about it. I am not a huge fan of teenage pregnancy so I wasn't sure how much I was going to love Hooked, but Catherine Greenman does not try to glamorize pregnancy. But what she does accomplish is paint a very accurate picture of the situation and how it affects everyone. Hooked is the story of not just Thea and Will, but of their whole families.

Thea is a likable enough character. I went into the story ready to dislike Thea. I know that is awful, but I imagined her to just be one of those people that thinks pregnancy would never happen, so they don't take any kind of precaution against it. But that was not Thea at all. She was so strong, and moral and darn it, she even crocheted! She was adorable and I ended up really liking her.

Will was just kind of meh, for me. I was kind of indifferent to him, even before Thea got pregnant. I couldn't really see the appeal of him at all. And then after Ian was born, Will just started going downhill in my eyes. I am still undecided on my final verdict as far as he goes.

The real selling point for Hooked is the writing. It's so wonderfully written, that you just can't help but want to read more and more. Catherine does a great job describing everything, and she is awesome at developing her characters subtly. She doesn't just come right out and say every thought on every characters minds, she plays around with their body language and subtle cues to help get at what their feelings are, and I loved that so much! I think that is the mark of great writing, and Catherine has it down.

Hooked also has a really satisfying ending. Not everything is wrapped up, but hey that is real life. Things can't always be neatly wrapped up at the end of the day. Thea and Will and Ians journey is still ongoing, but I the ending of Hooked was just perfect. Any fan of contemporary and realistic fiction will really enjoy Hooked. (less)

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Dec 29, 2011 Reading Teen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Thea Galehouse is a young woman who has had to rely on herself for a long time. Her parents are divorced and both are concentrating on their own lives rather than on Thea. Vanessa has been her best friend since they were little girls. Then she meets Will Weston. Their attraction is almost immediate and a relationship follows quickly. As a result of their sexual relationship, Thea becomes pregnant. Her father is disappointed with her because she will not be able to get into the college he wanted...more Thea Galehouse is a young woman who has had to rely on herself for a long time. Her parents are divorced and both are concentrating on their own lives rather than on Thea. Vanessa has been her best friend since they were little girls. Then she meets Will Weston. Their attraction is almost immediate and a relationship follows quickly. As a result of their sexual relationship, Thea becomes pregnant. Her father is disappointed with her because she will not be able to get into the college he wanted for her. Her mother was concerned about how this was going to affect her own life. Thea and Will attempt to deal with the pregnancy on their own including moving in together. Thea comes to the realization that she must be responsible for herself and her baby.

I liked the story but didn't like parts of the book. Once again, I don't understand why all this stuff has to be a part of the main character's life. Why do all main characters who are teens have to be involved with so much smoking, drinking, drugs and sex? Would the story be too boring if those things weren't included? Of course, if a sexual relationship hadn't been included here there wouldn't be a story at all. Which is why I say that I liked the story. The story tells about a young woman who makes many mistakes. But she is making mistakes as she tries to get her life together. She is not a bad girl living a bad life. I liked that she does her best to get her life together in spite of the difficulties of her life.

I did like Thea Galehouse. She was doing the best she knew how to live a good life in a stressful situation. Her father was an alcoholic who had little contact with Thea. Thea believes that he is only interested in ways that she can improve. His main focus is Thea getting into a prestigious college. Needless to say, he is not happy when he discovers that Thea's new boyfriend is taking time and energy away from her studies. Thea's mother is consumed with herself and her life. She previously owned a club with sexual overtones. She sees herself more as a friend than parent to Thea. So, when she is told that Thea is pregnant, her concern is how this is going to affect her life. She simply is not there for Thea as any kind of support.

Early in her pregnancy, Thea decided that she was going to keep her baby. Although Will, her boyfriend, was freaked out at first, he quickly became very concerned and supportive of Thea and her decision. His parents were also supportive and helped them to find a place to live. Will had a part time job and continued to go to college. Unfortunately, once the baby arrived and reality set in their relationship began to change. Will had other things going on his life and gradually began to understand that this was a lifetime commitment to this baby. He eventually talked to Thea about giving the baby up for adoption. I found this to be very realistic not only from personal experience but from many similar situations. So very often the young men who father these babies do not stick around to live up to their responsibilities. Fortunately for Thea, she has a somewhat tarnished knight in shining armor who comes to her aid.....her father. It was great to see their relationship develop and grow. Thea really took charge of her own life and her son making decisions that were beneficial for both of them.

Content:

Sexual Content: Heavy
Profanity: Very Heavy
Violence: Mild
Other Notables: Heavy underage drinking, drugs/pot

-Janeth
Readingteen.net(less)

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Nov 29, 2011 Vivian rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. i never read a teenage pregnancy book before, so this was a new experience for me to read. i was expecting it to be a lot more dramatic and containing a lot of mixed emotions than what was actually in the book. The way that Thea and Will met was also not one of the most romantic way of meeting someone new, so i didn't expect them to be heads over heels with each other when she became pregnant.
Something that really stood out to me was when she told him that she was pregnant and other than Will...more i never read a teenage pregnancy book before, so this was a new experience for me to read. i was expecting it to be a lot more dramatic and containing a lot of mixed emotions than what was actually in the book. The way that Thea and Will met was also not one of the most romantic way of meeting someone new, so i didn't expect them to be heads over heels with each other when she became pregnant.
Something that really stood out to me was when she told him that she was pregnant and other than Will responding back as a silence, or a long thought process, or an abortion, like i was expecting, Will says, wouldn't it be cool to have a baby. The reason why this stuck out to me so much was the fact that he actually though that having a baby, with a girl he was just dating and in the midst of his working, busy life, he thought it would've been cool to have a baby.
This is where i had mixed emotions because 1) taking care of a baby is no joke. A baby is another life, not a doll. i felt that the adults took it so much more seriously than the actual parents of the baby. Which showed to me that in the end parents always knows best. You see, these two characters are very independent characters. They are characters that need someone to take care of their daily necessities, so the fact that when this issue occurred and they didn't know how to handle it, showed me that no matter how much you do depend on yourself, sometimes you'll need to reach out your hands and have someone help you.
2) If i was pregnant, and in Thea's position's i would've also felt relieved that my partner actually has a positive reaction over something like an unexpected baby. Most of the time, the guy will always blame it on the girl or the girl would have to take it as her responsibility because she's the one carrying it. But it takes 2 to make a baby, naturally. So the fact that Will was thinking of how he would be able to help made me like the story just a little bit more.
The story overall tells you that if you aren't ready to face the consequences don't do anything that would get you there.(less)

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Sep 15, 2011 kb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4ever-young-adult

This was a random pick for me but luckily, reading it made me so happy about my choice. I'm surprised to see why the other reviews seem so negative because I found it to be such a good read. It gave a fresher take on first love and pregnancy and teen parenthood, such as the factors of cool and accepting parents, a willing parents-to-be teens. It's also definitely smarter, more real and... well, more ~hooking, if I may say so, than the similarly plotted novels I've read before. The main character...more

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May 27, 2011 Peggy rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No one

Recommended to Peggy by: It was an advanced reader's copy.

Thea is a high school junior when she falls in love with a senior. She is sure that when Will leaves for college in the fall that he will dump her, but he doesn't. He attends a university in New York close enough that she can visit him anytime and still make it home for dinner. Then Thea discovers that she is pregnant. Major life changes are on the way...

I really, truly didn't like this book. In fact, I never finished it - I gave up and that is unusual for me. I felt the writing was uneven and...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Jennifer Conner rated it 4 of 5 stars

"I took the crochet hook and stabbed it into the ball. It looked like a piece of sculpture or artwork, full of weight and purpose. When I pulled th ehod out it brought a couple of strands of yarn with it and I thought, that's my heart right now-- stabbed by a blunt object, with little bitsof heart mush oozing out. That's my heart. My heart is hooked.(34)" Life goes by as normal for Thea. A junior in high school, living with her divorced mother. She has little communication with her recovering al...more "I took the crochet hook and stabbed it into the ball. It looked like a piece of sculpture or artwork, full of weight and purpose. When I pulled th ehod out it brought a couple of strands of yarn with it and I thought, that's my heart right now-- stabbed by a blunt object, with little bitsof heart mush oozing out. That's my heart. My heart is hooked.(34)" Life goes by as normal for Thea. A junior in high school, living with her divorced mother. She has little communication with her recovering alcoholic father and a superficial relationshipo with her mother. She attends a competitive high school in New York City, where all of the kids are, "too smart" for her. Her father wants her to attend a prestigious university and live a wealthy lifestyle. Thea is not pleased with the idea, but is forced to cooperate. That is until she meets Will. Will is older, handsome, and perfect. She begins to spend every spare moment with Will, forgettting about her homework and tests. Eventually Thea graduates high school, along with the joy of graduating Thea is greeted with the joy/anxiety of pregnancy. After two failed attempts at an abortion, Thea is conviced that she wants to raise the baby with Will. However, everyone has different ideas.
First comes love...then comes... the baby. This increasinly popular situation is demonstrated in the book by two teenagers who barely know each other, let alone love. However, they decide to take the next step and raise their unexpected child. At first thought of this scenerio, I could tell it was doomed for failure. How could this unexperienced, unwed couple raise a child? I figured this was going to be another novel where the parents took over and children did not have to deal with their miskates. However, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised with the way events played out. I think this novel was well written and contains a lesson for us all about growing up and dealing with our mistakes. I know we all make them, however, it is how we deal with them that sets us apart from the rest. Greenman was able to write a novel that intricately wove details of everyday teenage life with the unexpected situation of raising a child. Putting my ethical values aside, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed seeing the maturation of the characters and their relationships with one another.
I think this is a good novel for teenagers to read. I would reccomend this book to students in their freshman year. I think it would give them a snapshot of life raising a child would be like. This book would enforce the practices of safe sex or abstinence among teenagers. I think the relationship between Jaimie and Will allows teenagers to see that they may not always know the true meaning of love at the age of 14 or 15. I think this book would teach teenagers an important lesson that would encourage them to think about the situations they are placing themselves in. (less)

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Oct 31, 2011 Camille ღ rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really like the book. Thea is so brave, and she's stupid too. She's stupid because she let herself be pregnant. That's why teenagers shouldn't have sex until they're on the right age even if you say they use the pill or condom, they SHOULDN'T! But I'm proud of her, I admire her braveness, I'm glad she didn't let her baby be adopted and she's really a good mother. And Will, I sort of hate and like his character, I'm in between, I like his character because he didn't ran away when Thea's pregnan...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Emily Brown (TheBrownReviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, reads-of-2011

Concept/ideas: 4/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Storyline/Plot: 4/5
Rating: 3.5/4 stars

This book was really good. Not as good as I thought maybe it would be. But still definitely good. I was expecting more of an easier plotline, but it actually goes along with a pretty in depth feel and alot of thought within the story... more than you'd expect. It went pretty fast, and the book takes place over a span of about 3 years from the very beginning, to the very end. There were some slow parts, but every word, every...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Savi Malfitano rated it 4 of 5 stars

Thea is a teen who discovers love for the first time and is consumed by this new feeling, the feeling of comfort and need that she lacks from her divorced parents. She meets Will at school during his senior year (her junior) and before she knows it she is head over heels for him. As the relationship progresses she becomes pregnant and it changes everything! She makes a really tough decision that will lead her to grow up quickly, she keeps her baby. Throughout the story we're introduced to her be...more Thea is a teen who discovers love for the first time and is consumed by this new feeling, the feeling of comfort and need that she lacks from her divorced parents. She meets Will at school during his senior year (her junior) and before she knows it she is head over heels for him. As the relationship progresses she becomes pregnant and it changes everything! She makes a really tough decision that will lead her to grow up quickly, she keeps her baby. Throughout the story we're introduced to her best friend Vanessa who teaches her how to crochet and we see Thea develop this passionate love for it. It especially helps out when she's carrying for nine months and feels the need to recreate a beloved clothing item from her childhood. Soon the pressures of motherhood, a relationship thrust into fast forward and the very real state of caring for a screaming baby take over her life. We see the ups and downs of her and Will's relationship and we get to see how she comes into her own, making her way through life with the help of a parent who was almost non existent when she was growing up.

I loved that this story took place in NYC and that it involved a lot of landmarks that I know. The writing is superb and kept me interested the entire time. I just wished that the story itself would have been a bit more realistic. Both sets of parents were peeved by the pregnancy, very real, but both sets of parents giving each child their own bank account stock piled with money to make their way through parenthood while living in a swanky piece of real estate in the Village? Yeah, not so real. Either way it's fiction so I get that, I just worry that some of it may romanticize the whole teen pregnancy issue. Overall it was a really enjoyable book and I loved how Thea turned out. She started out somewhat weak and mute in voice and by the end she was the strongest character in the novel and I admired her. I recommend this book, such a short and direct to the point read that will have you "Hooked" in no time!(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Maya Khan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, ipad-books

It was brilliant. I'll be honest, I started this thinking it was just another boy meets girl kind of book. But boy was ii wrong! It had its cliched moments but I liked the deeper parts better and was bowled over by the strong female lead and her love for her baby!

This is Greenman's first novel and I must say she's done a pretty good job. It's not mind blowing literature mind you, but it has it's finer moments as well. I liked the fact that she didn't try to portray teenage pregnancy as a cool t...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Paige Bradish rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wow so I really loved this book... It's so crazy for some reason I thought it would be one of those books were the couple lived happily ever after, but that wasn't the case at all. Anyways this book was so awesome in so many ways. Let me start with the characters. My favorites were of course Miss Thea and her adorable baby boy Ian (I know I haven't seen a picture but just they way the book describes him he's a cutie!) Anyways Thea is one of my favorite character because she is unbelievably stron...more Wow so I really loved this book... It's so crazy for some reason I thought it would be one of those books were the couple lived happily ever after, but that wasn't the case at all. Anyways this book was so awesome in so many ways. Let me start with the characters. My favorites were of course Miss Thea and her adorable baby boy Ian (I know I haven't seen a picture but just they way the book describes him he's a cutie!) Anyways Thea is one of my favorite character because she is unbelievably strong throughout the whole book. If I was in that situation I would have been an emotional wreck especially since she really didn't have anyone on her side just about from the time she found out she was pregnant until basically the end. She was able to handle getting pregnant right out of high school, having two abortion appointments and skipping out on them, Moving in with her boyfriend having the baby, then dealing with him wanting to give the baby up after she had an accident? I mean really that would of completely tore me apart. Especially because of how much you knew she loved Will from the begging, and little Ian? He's my other favorite character because he's such a little ham lol. The book does really good of describing his actions and things like that just saying =)

Second the plot. Now at first I thought it was going to be one of those they have a baby have a few fights but they're still happy together. But I was very wrong. After Thea had her accident by accidentally burning the baby Will acted different and then when he said he wanted to give the baby up for adoption?!?!?! oh my god!! I wanted to jump into the book and slap him repeatedly. I felt so bad for Thea I can't imagine what she was feeling when the guy that she loved said he wanted to give up her little man. I'm glad she left him and didn't give up the baby. It made me so happy that she was able to be strong and get out while she could. Will was my least favorite character for those reasons, because in the beginning of the book I loved him I was so glad they were together but now I’m glad there apart.

When I wasn't quite finished with the book I was kind of hoping for a sequel but now that I’m done I’m hoping threes not because I feel like the story was told fully and that there's no more to be told. I'm glad that I feel like that those are one of my favorite kinds of books because I feel closure. Anyways I hope you enjoy my review leave comments below!!(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Kyla rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am somewhat influenced by the fact that I
1) read this all in one go this morning between 4:30-7:15 am
2) my 4 year old was asleep next to me and looked so bloody cute as I read that she and the book combined to make my heart explode
3) I expected almost nothing from the cover or blurb

And was so pleasantly surprised. It almost seems like it's best read by those who already have kids, a wise, warm rumination on parenthood at different stages and love at different stages. I liked the characters, t...more

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Oct 01, 2011 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hooked started out a little shaky for me. In the beginning, the timeline just didn't make any sense. In one chapter, we'd be with Thea while she started to learn how to crochet, and all of a sudden, in the next chapter, it was months later. That seemed to happen a lot in the beginning, but then Thea would always go back to this ball of purple yarn that she was using to make a scarf, and it seemed like she never made any progress crocheting the scarf, so there were times when I was confused about...more Hooked started out a little shaky for me. In the beginning, the timeline just didn't make any sense. In one chapter, we'd be with Thea while she started to learn how to crochet, and all of a sudden, in the next chapter, it was months later. That seemed to happen a lot in the beginning, but then Thea would always go back to this ball of purple yarn that she was using to make a scarf, and it seemed like she never made any progress crocheting the scarf, so there were times when I was confused about where we were in the story. I also had an issue with the timeline because it didn't allow me to see Thea and Will's relationship develop. One minute, they've just met. Then they're on their first date, and then it's suddenly months later, and they're having sex and saying they love each other, and all I could think was, "How in the world could we get from Point A to Point C without ever seeing what happens during Point B?" It was really difficult for me to not see Thea and Will's relationship develop, because it made it really difficult for me to understand how Thea could love Will as much as she did. He didn't have any redeeming qualities. He was immature and selfish, and I had no idea what Thea saw in him, because we never really got to see what made her fall in love with him while their relationship progressed.

But then Thea had her baby, and the story completely changed for me. The timeline became so much better; it was smoother and easier to follow. As Thea matures throughout the story, it almost seems like the writing matures and gets better, too. I loved everything after Thea had the baby. It was so interesting and fun to read, although it was definitely hard to read at times, too. I think at this point in the novel, Greenman does an excellent job of portraying what it's like for a teenage girl who isn't mature enough or prepared to have a baby to get pregnant, have to make the decision of whether she wants to have an abortion, keep the baby, or give the baby up for adoption, and then become a mother. It seemed very realistic to me to read how Thea dealt with everything. Her actions and the way she thought seemed spot-on for how a teenager would really react in Thea's situation. I adored seeing Thea mature throughout the second half of the novel. By the end of it, I was rooting for her and happy ending.

Getting through the first half of the novel might be a little challenging, but it's worth it. I haven't read too many books that deal with teen pregnancy, but Hooked is definitely one of the better ones I've read.(less)

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Jan 24, 2012 Aly rated it 3 of 5 stars

When Thea sees Will, she is immediately captivated by him. Shortly after having sex. Will is a year ahead Thea, so while he’s off at college, Thea is still in high school, but someone their relationships weathers it well. Then Thea realizes that she is pregnant. The original plan is for Thea to have an abortion, and but when the time comes, she can’t go through it and decides to keep the baby. Will reluctantly agrees and the two get married. Once the baby comes their whole lives change, and only...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Katie Powell rated it 2 of 5 stars

I talked about this book on my blog
http://804-notassigned.blogspot.com/2....

Papa Don’t Preach
When I was a teenager, Norma Klein wrote Young Adult books featuring savvy New York kids who were about 15 years more sophisticated than anyone I knew. These kids talked like the people in Woody Allen movies, and talked about stuff that the teenagers I knew wouldn’t have said out loud even for the promise of a new Benetton sweater. They talked frankly to each other and their parents about the decision to...more I talked about this book on my blog
http://804-notassigned.blogspot.com/2....

Papa Don’t Preach
When I was a teenager, Norma Klein wrote Young Adult books featuring savvy New York kids who were about 15 years more sophisticated than anyone I knew. These kids talked like the people in Woody Allen movies, and talked about stuff that the teenagers I knew wouldn’t have said out loud even for the promise of a new Benetton sweater. They talked frankly to each other and their parents about the decision to have sex and, since we’ve firmly established how repressed I happily am, you guys know it was always awkward even to read. I don’t think these super-literate and rational teenagers really existed outside of Norma Klein’s head and I watched enough NYC Prep to confirm that. There’s a veneer of sophistication to these kids, but they still have bad skin and a ladleful of hormone soup to swim through.

I just finished Catherine Greenman’s Hooked and she might have grown up on the same Norma Klein books as I did. Thea falls in love with Will in her junior year of high school and gets pregnant as a senior. They decide to keep the baby and move in together. Sounds simple, right? This book is so foreign to anything I can imagine happening if I had gotten pregnant in high school that it feels like science fiction.

Will’s parents only care that he stay in college. Thea’s mother doesn’t care much about any of it and her usually distant father is the only one who seems to care about Thea or the baby. The parents all kick in money to allow Thea and Will to sub-let an apartment while Will goes to school and Thea stays at home with the baby. An accident happens with the baby (nothing too traumatic, I promise) and all the people drift back apart as if they had never met. It’s a strange story, with some subplots written clearly and movingly and other, more major plot points half-drawn and abandoned before they develop real meaning. I still don’t have any idea whether Greenman meant to portray Thea as a good mother or as a little girl making a grownup mistake.(less)

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Oct 09, 2011 Leah (Simply Nerdy Book Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-own, own-a-copy

This is my third teen pregnancy novel, and the first that I've really, really liked. The first was Dessen's Someone Like You which just didn't have any appeal for me at all, and the second was such a terrible experience, in fact, that it became the only book that I have ever reviewed negatively.I was pleasantly surprised with Catherine Greenman's debut novel Hooked and dually shocked by the negativety of other reviews I've seen.

The entire novel is very fresh and relatable; it's a sweet (and some...more This is my third teen pregnancy novel, and the first that I've really, really liked. The first was Dessen's Someone Like You which just didn't have any appeal for me at all, and the second was such a terrible experience, in fact, that it became the only book that I have ever reviewed negatively.I was pleasantly surprised with Catherine Greenman's debut novel Hooked and dually shocked by the negativety of other reviews I've seen.

The entire novel is very fresh and relatable; it's a sweet (and sometimes not-so-sweet) story of teen romance, pregnancy and parenthood that hasn't been told before. The plot is thoroughly developed and carried out perfectly. The writing is stunning and shines with personality. The characters are what draw you into this book from the start, and keep you hooked--Thea especially. She's your average teenager--sort of--with doubts about college and the future, issues with her parents, and boy troubles. Until it gets a little trickier; pregnancy tends to do that.

There are common stereotypes and misconseptions in our country about teen pregnancy. This novel--and Thea herself--push the boundaries of these stereotypes until they've been completely demolished. Thea is not irresponsible (at least not any more so than any other American teen), she is not extremely poor, she is not a hooker, she is not a slut. She is on the pill. She uses protection. The affect that this has on the reader's view of the novel is overwhelming: this could happen to me.

And, of course, this just happens to be Hooked's selling aspect. The fact that it is so relateable just makes you admire Thea so much, and question those stereotypes that I'm sure most of us must have hidden in the dark corners of our mind; the kind that comes up when you see a pregnant girl in the hall at school, or overhear someone in the bathroom talking to their doctor over the phone about the effectiveness of the pill.

I absolutely loved this novel. Don't listen to what anyone else says. It's fantastic.

Grade: A+
(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Blair Mirth rated it 4 of 5 stars

My thoughts :

So a little while back the Misty - The Book Rat did a discussion topic on Buzz words and deal breakers and while I do believe I had a list ready to roll I never made the video. Needless to say Hooked [to use something totally cliché] had me hooked and it reeled me in with some of my favorite buzz words: Knitting, wool, crochet, teen pregnancy, dysfunctional family and love. Now while I loved those words and I admit I certainly was excited throughout the book every time she mentioned...more My thoughts :

So a little while back the Misty - The Book Rat did a discussion topic on Buzz words and deal breakers and while I do believe I had a list ready to roll I never made the video. Needless to say Hooked [to use something totally cliché] had me hooked and it reeled me in with some of my favorite buzz words: Knitting, wool, crochet, teen pregnancy, dysfunctional family and love. Now while I loved those words and I admit I certainly was excited throughout the book every time she mentioned wool and babies; Hooked was not a perfect marriage from begging to end and here’s why.

To begin with there was a lot of inconsistencies in the story, parts where the writing made no sense and I felt were just there to be a filler for the real juice. At times the dialogue itself was confusing, sometimes I just had to read through it and hope that whatever she said would be relevant later on and some of it was, but a lot of the time it was unrealistic to what I know teenagers and even adults to talk like. Lastly Hooked has these characters that are so dense, maybe it is because the writing is meant to come across as simplistic, but to me it reads like a few of those contemporary books where the author sat down and just wrote a stream of consciousness ramble getting to know her characters before she fully fleshed them out and really began writing.

You’d think from those pointers alone that I would dislike the book, but actually I became addicted to reading it. It was so raw and real, the portrayal and the darkness that comes from pregnancy, especially teen pregnancy. It is not all happiness and cash flowing and I actually merited her for creating a family that while were rich did not indulge the main character. I think it made Thea, our main narrator a lot stronger in the end. Her parents are such self-absorbed tools, but it works because we get to see how Thea was raised and her parents influence. We also get to grow with her as her independence becomes stronger as does her passions to make the best life for her and her son.
It wasn’t only the teen pregnancy that had me reading till all hours of the morning though, but the dynamics of each relationship she has with her family and her bf throughout the novel and how those relationships change and progress.

I felt this is where the real juice was. The honest to god real life where people struggle and things fall apart and then there is a turning point where you realize that you would do anything for this child and then you slowly start to grow up. I loved this aspect of the novel. She didn’t whine about it, she took everything on board, all the hatred and the disbelief and lack of faith everyone had in her and she turned it into success with her own mind and her perseverance and love for her child.

This novel broke my heart so many times and ripped it from my chest, there were so many moments when I thought I could not take it anymore and I was dying inside for Thea. My strong internal motherly instincts flared up and I wanted to gut Will for being so heartless and weak and for all the utter crap he put her through. He was not a very strong character and I certainly didn’t like him from the beginning but he sure as hell did a fantastic job in the novel in convincing me how strong minded women are and how proud we should be.

Along with will I hated, yes hated Thea’s mother with an anger so deep rooted I could have slapped her so hard it would knock her teeth out. She was a hypercritical, self-absorbed, self-important bitch. She was always complaining and fluctuating with her moods and to be honest she sounded like the type of mother who was not meant to have children. I could see why she could have driven anyone away.

My favorite character in the book was her father. Maybe it had something do with having that relationship with my own father throughout his sobering up, or maybe it was the way the two of them grew together over the course of the novel and what faith he truly had in his daughter even if he had a funny way of showing it. But I loved it.

I would recommend anyone to read it. Please give it a chance, I know there is a lot to dislike about the construction and execution of this novel, but the real gem is the story and the emotional impact is has. I could read it over again and I most likely will sometime in the future. But forewarning, if you are even the slightest bit crafty you may have the urge to start taking up crocheting or checking out wool stores.[ which is never a bad thing] This can get addictive. I would recommend this for all young adults as it is a perfect portrayal of real life and the implications, complications and triumphs that teen pregnancy can bring.

I am giving this:
★★★★.5
Crocheted Bikini bottoms
(less)

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Jun 10, 2013 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don’t pick up much teen pregnancy books cause of the drama. This story however, goes farther and much more in depth than what I thought.

1. Plot. This has a very good plot. We have the characters who meet, fall in love and of course get pregnant unexpectedly. And they fail. I really enjoyed the plot has the rise of love, excitement of a new life to the failing of communication and fear. It really showcase every single angle.

2. Emotions. This story is just like a roller coaster. First love, the...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Joni Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-pregnancy, young-adult, teen

There is no book on teen pregnancy that I will pass up, it's a subject that for some reason, I love to read about. So naturally I couldn't wait to read this book. And I liked it. The story follows Thea who meets Will at school and he asks her out on a date. Before you know it they have both fallen hard for each other, completely wrapped up in and, yes, hooked on each other. Their relationship even withstands Will's move to college. Then Thea finds out she is pregnant and their relationship will...more There is no book on teen pregnancy that I will pass up, it's a subject that for some reason, I love to read about. So naturally I couldn't wait to read this book. And I liked it. The story follows Thea who meets Will at school and he asks her out on a date. Before you know it they have both fallen hard for each other, completely wrapped up in and, yes, hooked on each other. Their relationship even withstands Will's move to college. Then Thea finds out she is pregnant and their relationship will be tested in ways they never could have predicted.
When Thea finds out she is pregnant at first she plans to have an abortion but she can't go through with it. She tells Will and they sit down and tell their parents. Will's aunt is subletting her apartment so they are able to find a place to live with the baby. Will lands a job as a summer associate at a law firm and Thea stays home preparing for the baby. But neither one of them is fully prepared and after the baby comes tensions rise between the sleepless nights and the money issues and everything else that comes from having a child. When a freak accident with the baby pushes Will farther away from Thea and he decides he can't do it anymore Thea is on her own to care for their son with one person to turn to, her stiff, uptight father.
I am glad this book featured the problems and troubles that come with a baby. So many times books gloss over the issues but this book showed that tempers flare, parents become enemies and babies are not always a little bundle of joy 24/7.
While the title obviously is about Thea being completely Hooked on Will, it also refers to the hobby Thea takes up while she is home alone while Will is at work: crocheting. I love books that describe hobbies like knitting, crocheting and baking and I have been itching to learn to crochet since I read this book. It was a nice little side part of the story to hear about Thea working on learning to crochet and the special project she is working on.
The only downfall of this book was the dialogue, it was a bit off to me. Almost like it the author was trying too hard to make the characters sound witty and sarcastic. It took me a while to get used to it but after a few chapters I didn't even notice anymore.
This book by far has the most realistic take on how a baby can affect a relationship. It's relief to find a book that doesn't make it rainbows and butterflies, but one that actually delves into the hardships and the disappointments that follow a teen pregnancy.(less)

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Oct 24, 2011 Sarah (YA Love) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-debut-author-challenge, contemporary-ya, read-in-2011, realistic-fiction, young-adult-lit

There are a number of YA novels about teen pregnancy on the shelves, but Hooked definitely stands out in the crowd. It’s about more than Thea getting pregnant in high school. It’s about Thea’s first love, it’s about her relationship with her dad, and it’s about Thea discovering where she fits after high school.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read Hooked because I don’t care for the cover. It really doesn’t do anything for the story and what it’s really about. Personally, I think it lo...more There are a number of YA novels about teen pregnancy on the shelves, but Hooked definitely stands out in the crowd. It’s about more than Thea getting pregnant in high school. It’s about Thea’s first love, it’s about her relationship with her dad, and it’s about Thea discovering where she fits after high school.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read Hooked because I don’t care for the cover. It really doesn’t do anything for the story and what it’s really about. Personally, I think it looks tacky and the title looks like a tattoo. Once I started reading the book and looked more closely as the cover, I realized that the heart is crocheted. Thea learning to crochet becomes a large portion of the plot, so it makes sense that it’s represented on the cover. I just wish it was more prominent. Despite my feelings on the cover, I’m quite happy I read Greenman’s debut.

I think the best way for me to review Hooked is to break down what worked and didn’t work for me.

What Worked:
I like Thea’s character because she isn’t really popular and she isn’t really awkward either. She’s right in the middle like most teens. Also, once she has the baby, I think her life is portrayed realistically, for the most part. She’s incredibly nervous about being a mother and hurting her baby. I’m not a mother, but I’m guessing many new moms worry about this, especially teen moms. Thea’s decision to keep the baby wasn’t an easy choice, but once she makes the decision she stands by it no matter what anybody says. Her dad is firm that she doesn’t miss out on her college education, which I’m happy is in the novel because even though not all teens get this opportunity when they have a baby, I’m happy the importance of education and having a steady job is stressed. Thea is a likeable character that I found myself liking more as she matured and the novel progressed. She discovers a talent she didn’t know she had, while trying to balance being a mother and holding down a job.

What Didn’t Work:
I think my biggest criticism is that while her life is realistic, it only was to a degree. **This is a spoiler** Thea’s and Will’s parents give them a large sum of money to live on with the baby until they get settled. This didn’t work for me, because while I know their parents are wealthy, I just can’t picture that really happening. Eventually Thea needs to rely on her dad in a different way which I viewed positively and saw that as being more realistic. It was actually one of my favorite parts of the story; their relationship isn’t perfect, but we get to see both Thea and her father grow as characters.

Other than the story, I had some issues with the writing. There are a number of flashbacks in Hooked, but the writing/format lacks a signal letting us know we’re moving back and then forward again. At times like these I had to re-read the passage to figure out what was going on. Also, I was confused about the setting at the beginning because Thea and her mom are talking and Thea’s mom mentions a flat she sold. When I read that I thought maybe this takes place in England, but then locations in New York were mentioned. It wasn’t until much later that we learn Thea’s mom is from England. That would have been nice to know at the beginning.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Hooked. I’m sure many of my students will enjoy this and I’m looking forward to their thoughts. There were a couple of quirks to the story, but I’m happy I read it. If you like novels by Rachel Cohn, I’m sure you’ll like it too.(less)

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Oct 02, 2011 Smitha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ethereal, young-adult

Another teenage pregnancy and motherhood novel. This is the third such book I am reading this year. I find it better than the other two ('Not my daughter' -Barbara Delinsky - where 4 teenagers took a pregnancy pact to show their independance and 'After' - Amy Effaw - where a pregnant teenager had a mental block towards her condition and tried to kill the newborn). The protagonist Thea is a 17 year old who got accidently pregnant while on pills, and though her boyfriend was initially supportive,...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Bailey (IB Book Blogging) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Going in to Hooked, I was weary but hopeful. Teen Pregnancy is such a taboo subject so I was interested in how Greenman would pull it off. I am sad to say that I was a bit disappointed in the outcome. The characters were one-dimensional and I wasn't able to really get into Hooked because of that. They weren't very likable, and I found myself cringing at their words and actions. If you are interested in books like this, try it. If you aren't but are a bit curious about it, be prepared to be let d...more Going in to Hooked, I was weary but hopeful. Teen Pregnancy is such a taboo subject so I was interested in how Greenman would pull it off. I am sad to say that I was a bit disappointed in the outcome. The characters were one-dimensional and I wasn't able to really get into Hooked because of that. They weren't very likable, and I found myself cringing at their words and actions. If you are interested in books like this, try it. If you aren't but are a bit curious about it, be prepared to be let down.

Thea was a clingy, needy teen who should not have gotten involved in such a relationship with her boyfriend. I don't know what Will saw in Thea, or even Thea in Will. I wasn't at all involved in what Thea was going through because I didn't like who she was as a person and she wasn't real enough for me. Sure, I felt pity for her at times, but not enough to get how she got herself into the situations she did. One thing I will say is that I commend her for not getting an abortion. It was her fault for getting pregnant and not the baby's so I was happy when she decided against it.

Will was rude, mean, and an over all jerk who I would never fall for. He is such a tool and pulls Thea around. Everything she does revolves around him and I got so mad at him. Especially towards the end!! What he said and did to Thea infuriated me. If I wasn't so close to being done with the book I would have put it down then and there.

Though I didn't care for most of the story, it did have a few redeemable parts. Ian, Thea and Will's baby is a total sweetie pie. I just love babies and the way Greenman described him made me come to love him! I also liked Will's parents and Thea's dad. Even though Will's parents aren't around often, they made some scenes lighter and I was happy with how they handled certain situations. Thea's dad doesn't have the greatest personality, but I commend him for being there for Thea when she needed him most.

While Hooked isn't that great of a read, I did like that it didn't promote teen pregnancy. Readers will see from the story that it isn't at all glamorous like some TV shows (16 and Pregnant) make it out to be. It is tough and will change your life forever. (less)

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Feb 03, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Thea is a wild girl who is living with an unconventional family- her mother owns a dance club, and her estranged recovering-alcoholic geek father is nowhere around. When she gets pregnant, she learns to rely on herself and forges new bonds with her family and friends.

This was a perfectly readable and enjoyable novel, but two weeks after reading it I could remember nothing about it except that she ends up making a living making fancy crocheted swimsuits that she sells at a shop for 300 dollars ap...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-books-2011-2012

Thea Galehouse is a young teen who had to undergo a lot of hardships after her parents divorced. She is dependent on herself because her mom is a selfish braud and her dad is an alcoholic. After meeting Will, a guy she falls deeply in love with, she gives him the key to her heart. Ultimately Thea becomes pregnant and has to deal with having a child and being one herself. I liked this book because it was very "real" and it kind of shows how society is now a days. When teenagers have a tough child...more

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Aug 26, 2011 Jess Bierschied rated it 3 of 5 stars

HOOKED, by Catherine Greenman is a debut novel about love, all of its complications, and teen pregnancy. It's a roller coaster ride of emotions and really highlights that family is such an important aspect in life.

This was a very quick read, I read it in one day and what kept me going was the freak accident that was described on the back. I wanted to know what it was! I was quickly disappointed when I reached that point. To say I was disappointed with the novel would not be true, I was however,...more

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May 10, 2012 Kaitlyn Oruska rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who wants to read a teenage pregnancy novel with a different ending

I was interested in this book because it is surprisingly difficult to find young adult novels about teenage pregnancy in which the baby doesn't end up being given away for adoption. I thought that the general story line was a good one, and I felt that Thea was a realistic portrayal of a teenage girl struggling with the decision of whether or not to have her baby, after already feeling that she loves it. I was disappointed though, in the lack of emotions that the story seemed to contain. I couldn...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Moonstar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: don´t-own, not-fantasy-related

I enjoyed this book. It was an easy and fast read book. In a well written language.
It´s about a young girl, hooking up with her boyfrind. I think she was 17 years old.
And then she becomes pregnant and have to take the hard decission if she wants to keep the kid or get an abortion. And as you probably can guess, she keeps it.

You follow her in the magick in being in love. The hard decission during teenage years, and the journey in becoming an adult.

Just let me note that this is not a book full...more

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