Shine in Mock Newbery 2026

Dec 27, 2011 Mari Anne rated it liked it

Shelves: mg-ya

3.5 stars! Now this was a well written and constructed YA novel. Cat is a young girl suffering the aftereffects of a sexual assault when her best friend is brutally attacked. She has to find the strength and resolve to find out who did this to him. In the meantime she rediscovers herself, her friends and her strength. I really enjoyed this one and could hardly put it down. The themes and plot contained mature material so I would only recommend for much older teens.

Kudos on the beautiful cover ar ...more

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Jul 22, 2011 The Reading Countess rated it really liked it

Shelves: realistic-fiction, ya

Being that this is my first Myracle book and I had heard SUCH fabulous things about her books/writing style, I was very excited to jump into this one. I did find the plot a bit expected, although I admit that I'm not her target audience. Still, I think her message will ring true to that audience, and it's one that should be heard loud and clear over and over again.

Written as a mystery about the brutal gay bashing, this is really a story about healing from past injustices as much as it is about t ...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Rachel Seigel rated it really liked it

This is a fantastic book. There are themes of prejudice, friendship and courage, and Myracle perfectly depicts life in a small-town where there is no longer hope. There are some hard topics covered in this book, and some strong language as well as drug-use, but there is not one thing about this book that is not to recommend for a teen reader. More detailed review to follow on the blog in the next couple of days.

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Jan 19, 2011 Beth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, arcs, ya-lit, 2014-novel-length-reads, own, re-read, mystery

When Cat discovers that her best friend Patrick has been the victim of a hate crime, she vows to find out who did it - especially given the sheriff department's apathy and unwillingness to investigate any possible leads. As she continues to question people close to Patrick, Cat soon finds herself running into people who don't want her digging up dirt into Patrick's past and present. Part social commentary, part mystery, Lauren Myracle manages to deal with the heavy subject matter of the plot wit ...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Kim rated it really liked it

Shelves: bullying, teen-ya, lgbtqia, hate-crime

Cat's best friend, Patrick, is a victim of a vicious hate crime just because he is gay. He is beaten, tied to a gas pump and left to die. He is in a coma, but the doctors aren't sure if Patrick is going to make it. To add insult to injury, this crime is not being investigated by the local sheriff (is he indifferent or prejudiced?) and Cat is afraid that the people responsible will not be found and punished.

This is a fantastic novel! In addition to the main story, there are other stories expertl ...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Margaret rated it liked it

ok for 8th gd. Story opens with Patrick being left for dead at a gas pump w/gay slur written across chest. Best friend tries to find out who did this to him and learns about herself and others in her rural, small, poor town.

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Jan 08, 2012 Claire rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 8th-grade-and-up, family-matters, high-school-and-beyond, gay-lesbian-characters, adults-reading-ya-lit, bullying, lgbtq-interest, rape, policy-makers-recommend, fall-out-from-drugs

Wow, this is a stunning piece. The story kicks off with a brutal attack on Patrick a quietly gay kid who works at a convenience store in back, back water south. The story is told by Cat who grew up with Patrick and loves him even if she has abandoned him and all her friends after being attacked by a boy she sees almost every day.
Now that Patrick has been hurt and in a coma, she wants to know what happened. To do this she mush reengage with former friends. Ostensibly a mystery this story encompa ...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Cathy Blackler rated it it was amazing

Miracle has written an emotionally-draining novel about the power of letting go. Ironically it is Cat's ability to NOT let go that drives this powerful story. Life in the rural south has little to offer the inhabitants of Black Creek. And when a tragedy befalls this small town, silence appears to be all there is. Torn apart by grief and guilt, Cat is determined to fit together the pieces of a deep-seeded mystery. Friendship, family, and forgiveness, along with an unlikely ally, help Cat make sen ...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Dolores rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

In the pages of this book, there is a loving tribute to the South of my youth hidden behind a very ugly story. So for me reading Shine was a mixed blessing. I would find myself smiling over references to boiled peanuts, fatback (shudder) and gossip in the church hall on Sundays, because in my family too, the girls HAD to go, but the boys were excused. I recognized many of these characters--both the good and the bad. The ugly story seemed all too familiar too. But, as the cover suggests from dirt ...more

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