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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hawthorne High in Books
Sep 18, 2019
Bullied for many things, such as having a boys name, Dylan Hatfield's only friends are imaginary. Imaginary, that is until they ask her to help possess the minds of the bullies. Happy that her enemies are now being nice to her, Dylan soon realises she has made a mistake when horrible things start to happen around town. Not only were they not imaginary, but it also appears they are evil too.
Hawthorne High is a short young adult ghost story by the versatile author Jordan Elizabeth. Set in the present day, the story deals with past and current issues, particularly bullying. Dylan has been bullied her whole life and it is the attention she receives from her "imaginary friends" that leads her to make a devastating decision. Whilst not a conventional way to tackle bullying, the possession of the bullies makes Dylan's life much better at school but it has dangerous consequences for the rest of the town.
The "imaginary friends" or ghosts, as they turn out to be, harbour grudges about the town and the people who tormented them in the past. The people are no longer living and it is the current inhabitants that end up paying for their past transgressions. Without being able to tell anyone about the ghosts, Dylan has to find out how to get rid of them and save the town from total destruction.
When the author offered me the book to read in exchange for a review, I almost said no. The term "ghost story" nearly put me off because I do not enjoy scary stories, however, due to the reassurance that it was "more of a drama than a horror," I agreed to give the book a chance, and I am glad I did. Being short, Hawthorne High is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. The story becomes exciting as it unfolds and the town's past comes to light.
More could be written about the ghosts' history, however, as a short story, Hawthorne High works well and is great for a quick read. Although written for young adults, it is a story adult readers can enjoy too.
Hawthorne High is a short young adult ghost story by the versatile author Jordan Elizabeth. Set in the present day, the story deals with past and current issues, particularly bullying. Dylan has been bullied her whole life and it is the attention she receives from her "imaginary friends" that leads her to make a devastating decision. Whilst not a conventional way to tackle bullying, the possession of the bullies makes Dylan's life much better at school but it has dangerous consequences for the rest of the town.
The "imaginary friends" or ghosts, as they turn out to be, harbour grudges about the town and the people who tormented them in the past. The people are no longer living and it is the current inhabitants that end up paying for their past transgressions. Without being able to tell anyone about the ghosts, Dylan has to find out how to get rid of them and save the town from total destruction.
When the author offered me the book to read in exchange for a review, I almost said no. The term "ghost story" nearly put me off because I do not enjoy scary stories, however, due to the reassurance that it was "more of a drama than a horror," I agreed to give the book a chance, and I am glad I did. Being short, Hawthorne High is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. The story becomes exciting as it unfolds and the town's past comes to light.
More could be written about the ghosts' history, however, as a short story, Hawthorne High works well and is great for a quick read. Although written for young adults, it is a story adult readers can enjoy too.
Monster Messenger
Social Networking and Education
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Monster Messenger is a safe instant messaging app for our little monsters. With Monster Messenger,...
Sam (74 KP) rated The Exact Opposite of Okay in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Absolutely hilarious!
Izzy is probably one of the best characters ever. She’s laugh-out-loud funny, mixes feminism and dry wit, and doesn’t let anything get her down. She is the kind of person everyone wishes that they could be.
I was giggling at this book from start to finish. I love that although Izzy ends up in some pretty bad situations, she never loses her sense of humour.
I love that the author does manage to be serious about the issues of slut-shaming and bullying while keeping the story educational. It shows the effects of slut-shaming on a teenager and how bullies can affect a person’s mental health while at the same time staying very light even though it is full of honesty.
The novel sticks by reality and nothing that happens is beyond what can happen in real life. It is painfully honest and truthful.
I absolutely loved this. It was brilliant and one of the best books I’ve read this year. You NEED to read it!
Izzy is probably one of the best characters ever. She’s laugh-out-loud funny, mixes feminism and dry wit, and doesn’t let anything get her down. She is the kind of person everyone wishes that they could be.
I was giggling at this book from start to finish. I love that although Izzy ends up in some pretty bad situations, she never loses her sense of humour.
I love that the author does manage to be serious about the issues of slut-shaming and bullying while keeping the story educational. It shows the effects of slut-shaming on a teenager and how bullies can affect a person’s mental health while at the same time staying very light even though it is full of honesty.
The novel sticks by reality and nothing that happens is beyond what can happen in real life. It is painfully honest and truthful.
I absolutely loved this. It was brilliant and one of the best books I’ve read this year. You NEED to read it!
Tifflynn032418 (59 KP) rated Big Little Lies in Books
Jul 17, 2018
It took me a while before i finally picked this book up but i am so glad that i did. The story can be a little slow at times but not so much that you want to give up on it. You cant help but love all the main characters and hate the ones who deserve to be hated. You know right from the beginning that someone dies and you spend the entire book guessing who and hoping it's not certain characters. The book covers the topics of bullying and domestic abuse so it can be a little touchy for some but not so intense that its too hard to read. I have been known to figure out the ending of some books but i can definitely say that i did not see this one coming. The surprise ending was most certainly that. My mouth was literally hanging open when it all came together. I love the way the author writes and i can not wait to read the rest of her books.
James Koppert (2698 KP) rated When I Hit You: Or, a Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife in Books
Nov 13, 2019
This book hit me
The writer searched for a tender embrace and found rape and punches. Kandasamy is a poet and beautifully she uses words to punch back or to make sense of a horrific and unimaginable monstrosity of a situation. However, when I say poetic please don't assume this is pretentious for it is not. you sometimes feel terrible for enjoying the words as a thing of beauty,and it is a beautiful piece of writing, but it is there to mind meaning in the inexcusable. It is a wonderful cathartic explosion of finding sense where there is none. of finding hope where there was only hatred in the name of love. My hope is it may give another legs to run or an abuser a reflection into their monstrosity. This may be listed as a feminist book but is fighting against evil cruelty, bullying and rape feminist or is it a struggle to be more human?
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