Gabi, a Girl in Pieces in What's the Name of That Book???

Oct 07, 2017 Liz Laurin rated it really liked it

This book meant so much more to me than I expected.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR UNDERSTANDING WHAT BOYS WILL BE BOYS REALLY MEANS

1. You're wearing that little dress tonight? Remember, boys will be boys, so be careful.

2. If you drink way too much, your body is fair game -for anyone or anyones. Boys will be boys, and you just made it easier.

3. When a girl says no, you might want to consider your position. I don't think she meant yes. But I'm a girl, so what do I know? But beause boys will be boys, you don't

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Dec 03, 2014 Emma rated it liked it

Gabi Hernandez chronicles all the important pieces of her senior year of high school in her diary. Through her diary she tries to make sense of her best friends Cindy's pregnancy and Sebastian's coming out.

Gabi also has to deal with college applications and the confusing world of boys.

Add to that her father's meth addiction and her complicated relationship with food (thanks to her mom always harassing Gabi about what she eats) and Gabi's plate is already more than full for the year.

In the midst Gabi Hernandez chronicles all the important pieces of her senior year of high school in her diary. Through her diary she tries to make sense of her best friends Cindy's pregnancy and Sebastian's coming out.

Gabi also has to deal with college applications and the confusing world of boys.

Add to that her father's meth addiction and her complicated relationship with food (thanks to her mom always harassing Gabi about what she eats) and Gabi's plate is already more than full for the year.

In the midst of a difficult year Gabi finds solace in an unlikely place. Gabi always knew she liked writing and poetry. She just didn't realize discovering the poetry within herself (and around her) would have the power to change everything in Gabi, a Girl in Pieces (2014) by Isabel Quintero.

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is Quintero's first novel and the winner of the 2015 William C. Morris YA Debut Award.

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is told entirely through Gabi's diary entries as she navigates an especially complicated year in her life as many long-standing problems come to a head including her father's addiction and Gabi's mother's disapproval of Gabi's plans to go away to college.

Quintero brings Gabi to life with a vivid voice and authentic storytelling that mark this novel as a standout in the diary novel sub-genre. While Gabi sometimes comes across as younger than her seventeen years, she is always honest and raw.

Gabi's story is effervescent and overall sweet even with real moments of sadness and other serious situations in the story. Given the nature of a diary format, Gabi, a Girl in pieces is not always a cohesive story as Gabi's thoughts and her life jump from point to point.

What does remain consistent throughout is Gabi's love of words. The enthusiasm Gabi feels as she begins to find her voice as a writer and discover new poets is infectious. Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is an empowering, thoughtful novel brimming with creative energy.

Possible Pairings: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley, And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard, Alice, I Think by Susan Juby, Undercover by Beth Kephart, The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, How to Save a Life by Sarah Zarr ...more

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Oct 13, 2014 Hannah added it

Shelves: ya

I really really loved this. I want to say a lot about it when I have time to get it all out. It's so good at so many things, like being Latina and not being a skinny bitch and not being wealthy and speaking Spanglish and just being PEOPLE. To be fair, this book (or at least the Kindle edition I read) never saw a copyeditor, and that's a shame. Misused punctuation, almost no accents where they're required in Spanish, made up words, etc. And it was enough for me to notice a lot. But it's also so f ...more

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May 05, 2018 Christy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

The diary style does remind me of my own high school diary. As others have said, the zine in the middle of the book (which is the source of the cover) was one of the best parts. It’s a lot of plot and drama, but for some high schoolers, that is true to life to have so much going on.

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Oct 04, 2017 Sharon rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, poc-authors

A lovely book about the high school experiences of a likeable and very relateable girl. It was actually a really excellent "slice of high school life" book; not usually my genre, but I really enjoyed it. ...more

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