Edge of Ready

by L.B. Tillit

Sometimes we find ourselves on a gravel road, not sure of how we got there or where the road leads. Sharp stones pellet the unprotected, and the everyday wear and tear sears more deeply. Whatever happens, school comes first. Her mother said it like she meant it. These words played over and over again in Dani Garcia's head. But life got in the way. There were mouths to feed and rent to pay. Plus someone had to watch baby Benny. Dani knew adversity, but she was the kind of strong that comes from within: strong mind, body, and soul. Then a horrible rape and its powerful aftermath threaten to bring Dani's life crashing down-- forever. She's trapped in a reality that she cannot control, but she gains the strength to never back down and finally has faith in her own power.

Genres: Young Adult, Drama

192 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Rossiany Barbosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before Dani was struggle in life everything was difficult for her but in the end she got all the help from her family and teacher they was talk to her until she understand so she can be successful.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the book. I would highly recommend it to my high school students. The book gives a nice real perspective of the struggle to graduate in an inter-city.



Spoiler:

I don't think that there is anyway Dani would end up with Keon. Especially if he even remotely looked like Evron.

[Loreidy Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The boom “Edge of Ready” is about a teenage girl named Dani who goes through a ruff time with her mom and her baby brother Bennie. Her mom promised her that she would never interfere with Dani’s education but it all goes wrong. She was almost reaped by her ex boyfriend and had to drop out of high school to take nigh school. There’s also of problems going on in her life taking away all the hope she had left. I would recommend this book if you like drama and suspense since theirs a lot of things that surprise you as you continue to read.

[Gage · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book very short and packed with interesting things in every chapter. The book is about Dany the main character just living her life with some obstacles in the way. Dany has to take care of a baby while her single mother works, finish high school and obtain her GED and during this a boy is taking advantage of her, life is hard for Dany.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting and engaging story. It felt heartfelt and very honest, not shying away from more serious subjects. I liked the way they were presented. It didn't sugarcoat them, and placed no blame on victims and survivors. Overall, the story felt very human, and it was great seeing the characters heal in the end.

[Toki 8th Grade Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace C - Imhoff 3: "I thought the book had a really good moral and it had lessons in it that I wouldn't have ever thought of. I will say that it is a bit odd at some parts but overall it is really good and I recommend it."

[Jessica Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think it was a really good book. It was very interesting in how she had to live.

[Naima Mohamed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edge Of Ready

The author of the book Edge of Ready is L.B. Tillit and she wrote about a girl Dani Garcia who have a hard life and just in high school. She have a younger brother Benny that she have to watch sometimes, they both live with their mother. She also have a best friend Ruth who has two brothers Evron and Keon. One day Dani was at Ruth house and it was Halloween, Ruth said that I have gift for you, you want see it now Dani? The gift was her brother Evron and he was up stairs back of the bedroom and she went in and they had sex. This happened lot of times until Dani wanted to stop seeing Evron but he didn’t want to stop seeing her. Then he raped her and he got arrested. At the end of the book Dani moves out of her mom’s apartment and starts dating Evron’s older brother Keon. The big idea of this book is to listen your heart and not listen other people what they said to you.

This girl was always listening to other people like her mom and her best friend Ruth. She didn’t follow her heart what was saying to her. Dani was nice girl and she did not want to do something bad but when she start listening her best friend, she did something that she didn’t want to do. Ruth advice to Dani was “You really think school matters, I tell you what matters. Keep Evron and he’ll take care of you. If you’re really smart you let him get you pregnant. Then he’ll take good care of you and the baby.” “For the first time I really saw that Ruth didn’t get it. She didn’t get me.”After Dani was raped she finally started listening to her heart, she moved out and got her own apartment and she was taking classes at night and working on the weekend. Dani graduated high school by herself because she finally listened to her heart and not what other people told her which was bad for her.

I don’t like this book because after Dani life became good way, she starts dating Keon which is Ruth older brother. If I was her I would not date anyone who is in that family even if Ruth was my best friend I would not talk her in my whole life. What made me so mad is that Dani was going back to that family again, like she is going to be part of the family. Keon says “I am not my brother” but they are from the same family and however Evron is, Keon that way too. This is what I would do if I was her, I was going find another boy to be in my life and accept me who I am. Also I don’t like this book because when she got raped it is really sad to me and it did hurt me when her best friend took her brother side even though that she knows what happened and not telling the truth. What kind best friend is this?

[NayDoubleU · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an easy read; I read it in two hours. I’d recommend it for at least 7th grade and up. I say 7th grade because children these days are starting off seeing and going through things at such a young age and this book can be a source of hope for them; although it is only a book. This character has a rough life she goes through trying to finish high school but can’t because her mother keeps forcing her to take care of her little brother while she works on going through a rape and losing her only friend to a prostitution ring. This book wasn’t graphic at all and only used the word rape at most 10 times, no curse words or anything of that nature. Soon the character comes to realize even with all the downs life has given her it’s HER life and she WILL and CAN make the best of it. Just as we all can.

[Shannon Schmelz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick and easy read. I found it fairly realistic in all of the events that occurred. I read this to see if it would be appropriate for middle school students. I would say that it needs to stay in 8th grade and above.

Dani is a high school student who has high hopes of graduating high school, but struggles due to the fact that she is always trying to be there for her mother. She ends up being raped by her best friends brother with in turn unfolds his prostitution ring. In the end she ends up with her best friends other brother who helps put his brother in jail. This is just the tip of the iceberg in what is to be discovered in this book. I found it to be a great hi/lo book to engage readers.

[Yuleisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book "Edge of ready"is interesting and sad book, because Dani is the main character she missed a lot time the school because she needs to take care her baby brother. Her mother work every day in does not have time. For this reason she has to take night class to pass the year. One night when she get out the class a person she know he raped her that was terrible raped. But she find person who help her to move on. when the time passe she fall in love with Keon's who help a lot to continue her life.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA -- Gravel Road

I liked this "urban" book much more than the other Saddleback series.

This one had a more realistic teen voice and the situations were gritty but current. I can see great role models in this novel for both men and women. The protagonist was flawed, but strong. Some plot elements were a little too pat, but overall I enjoyed this book. I can see girls really liking the story.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm happy anytime I see another decent 'urban' YA book hit the shelves, especially when they include strong, semi-realistic role models. But this particular book fell a little short of perfect for me. Many of the characters were too flat, and many of the plot 'developments' were too contrived. Overall, I think the book was a good short read that many young adults would enjoy, but it's not one that I can say has enough literary merit to warrant a personal second read.

[Jaia Moua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love edge of ready. I think that this book was a really touching book. When reading this book I didn't even want to put it down. And that doesn't happen very often, since I am not a big fan of books. I really learned the meaning of don't judge a book by it's cover. When I first saw it. I thought no way, it's going to be boring. But boy was I wrong. I was so thankful my mom showed me the book. After reading this book, I started finding L.B Tillit books. I really think her books are amazing!

[Quishae · Rating 5 out of 5]

the reason why I gave it five stars is because it was good book it showed me how life is hard on young teenager also it showed me that kids are to be safe in the dark because anybody can do anything know them or not and your mom should be able to watch her own child then she wouldn't had the problem that she face. I believe anybody who like to hear about people stories and how they live when they were a teenager should read this story it is really good.

[Neyvil Witty · Rating 4 out of 5]

One writer's move I like is the thoughtshot of the main character,Dani. "I couldn't seem to push away the fog from my brain. I didn't understand. How could she know? I tried to speak, but I only close my eyes." What I don't like about this book is Dani end up being with the brother of the person who raped her. I would recommend this book to people who like to read drama.

[Mailee Xiong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the First Book that I've read, in the beginning of the school year. This book was the book, that made me got interest into reading. This book is emotional and sad, but it's a life lesson. Edge of ready, is a book that many teens should read.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed for SLJ

[Lavabearian (Jessica) · Rating 4 out of 5]

See the review of Unchained since these are part of the same series. A YES vote for me.

[Bear Champion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book. Tough to read in places, and there are certainly some "convenient" coincidences, but worth the read.

[Nancy Summers · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the titles in the new Gravel Road series for reluctant readers.

[Maria Alves]

This book is interesting one, and I enjoy a lot reading it.

[Jasmine Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Not much of a reveiw, but that is all I have to say.

[Quinn Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

[Lydia Doohen]

This book is very interesting. It is very attention grabbing. When I read this book I didn’t want to put it down. I could not stop reading it and I enjoyed it very much. I recommend this book to people who like really emotional books. There are a lot of things going on in the book and a lot of different emotions. I really liked this book and I definitely recommend it.

[Victoria Waltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book four stars if it weren’t for the first half of the book being absolutely boring. Yes, the book started off very “sad” but that’s not why I didn’t like it. I’m all for that kind of stuff I just don’t like how little dialogue and description there was. I would have preferred for the book to have had longer sentences. Like this, “We moved a week later. Mom said we didn’t need three bedrooms. She said smaller was better. I believed her.” IS AWFUL! This is probably just my personal preference but I find that very boring. Anyway, the topics in the book are a little mature but the characters themselves are not. I don’t know how I feel about it.