Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

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Kim
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Sep 01, 2012 09:36AM

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Or, some may be having a tough time getting their hands on it.
I know my library had 7 but only had 1 in for me to reserve, so there seem to be quite a few reading it with me.
I really liked the book. I haven't been participating in the other parts of discussion since I knew I'd already read it and didn't want to discuss anything that people hadn't already read about....trying not to spoil the experience :)

I also planned on borrowing it from the library. I'm 2nd in line, but the book was due back in June so I probably won't be receiving it anytime soon. -.-


That's how I felt about the book too- I read it a while ago but I didn't want to read it again.

That's how I felt about the book too- I..."
I would definitely agree with you all. I was not super in to it either. I wonder how many picked it up and didn't finish it.
It's interesting that many had troubles getting the book from their library. I listened to the audiobook through my library's Overdrive and my library does have 4 copies of the book. I wish I could forward it on to those having difficulties getting it.


I also felt that some things weren't resolved. Although we find out why Parker was acting out, my mind goes back to this sentence on page 32:
Four years, two suicides, one death, one rape, two pregnancies (one abortion), three overdoses and one missing person...We find out about most of the events that sentence refers to but my mind sticks on "two pregnancies (one abortion)". What? I kept waiting for the circumstances of these to be mentioned. Who got pregnant? Who had an abortion? Was that a storyline that got dropped somewhere along the line in the editing process? Whatever it was, that sentence set me up to expect an explanation of everything mentioned and pretty much spoiled the book when a COMPLETE explanation didn't materialize.

Four years, two suicides, one death, one rape, two pregnancies (one abortion), three overdoses and one missing person...
We find out about most of the events that sentence refers to but my mind sticks on "two pregnancies (one abortion)". What? I kept waiting for the circumstances of these to be mentioned. Who got pregnant? Who had an abortion? Was that a storyline that got dropped somewhere along the line in the editing process? Whatever it was, that sentence set me up to expect an explanation of everything mentioned and pretty much spoiled the book when a COMPLETE explanation didn't materialize.
I'd completely forgotten about that. I sort of thought it was just talking about what happened in her school in general, not just to her group of friends, but in retrospect, it wasn't very clear.
Grace wrote: "I liked it at the beginning but it took me a long time to finish it (considering that it's only 214 pages long) mainly because I was trying to meet deadlines with two different clients. (If you thi..."
That line really intrigued me too. I thought maybe there was going to be more about this line later in the book.
That line really intrigued me too. I thought maybe there was going to be more about this line later in the book.
Man this book was hard to get my hands on.. and it sounds like others had a hard time getting it too!!
I really liked this book. Not what I expected at all. I thought it was going to be like other teen books... love triangles and all that. In fact I loved it so much I am going to for sure read This Is Not a Test which is the author's new zombie book. I wonder how that one is.
I find it interesting that a lot of readers in the group didn't really like it. I enjoyed it.. I felt it was different then what I normally read and maybe that is why I like it. A breath of fresh air.
I will say the last few chapters seemed rush. They were really choppy to me. I suppose that what I did like though is that the story wasn't a happily every after for Parker, but there is hope for her. And she seemed to want a better life so I found myself hoping that for her.
I also really thought the supporting characters in this book are really well written. This book is how long triangles should be!!! But I am dying to know (view spoiler)
I really liked this book. Not what I expected at all. I thought it was going to be like other teen books... love triangles and all that. In fact I loved it so much I am going to for sure read This Is Not a Test which is the author's new zombie book. I wonder how that one is.
I find it interesting that a lot of readers in the group didn't really like it. I enjoyed it.. I felt it was different then what I normally read and maybe that is why I like it. A breath of fresh air.
I will say the last few chapters seemed rush. They were really choppy to me. I suppose that what I did like though is that the story wasn't a happily every after for Parker, but there is hope for her. And she seemed to want a better life so I found myself hoping that for her.
I also really thought the supporting characters in this book are really well written. This book is how long triangles should be!!! But I am dying to know (view spoiler)
Grace wrote: "I liked it at the beginning but it took me a long time to finish it (considering that it's only 214 pages long) mainly because I was trying to meet deadlines with two different clients. (If you thi..."
hummm oh well I see now she answer this in the Q&A. Good question to ask her Grace!
hummm oh well I see now she answer this in the Q&A. Good question to ask her Grace!

I really liked it too! I was surprised most others didn't like it.


I think it sheds a different light on high school and what can happen. I like the characters and was able to relate to them and the situations they were in, one way or another. I also liked that the book threw me back into high school and I can see something like this occurring...maybe not the exact situation, but something like it.
This book will stay with me for a long time.
I don't read enough contemporary YA novels so maybe this is another reason I enjoyed this book. I too felt like I was back in high school. I started thinking of events that happened to us there.. especially my experiences in art class!!!

I think it sheds a different light on high school and what can happen. I like the characters and was able to relate to them..."
I'm really glad you liked it. I didn't, but then again, it didn't transport me back to high school, so maybe that's part of it. I had a much different experience of high school than most Americans. But, I can definitely agree that it was realistic feeling the whole way.
(Well, except maybe Jake. That part was a little too perfect and took me out of the story a bit).