Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am working my way through reading all of Susane Colasanti's books and I really enjoyed this book!
Marisa is a 9th grader and she and her best friend Sterling think this is the year they have been waiting for! They reinvent themselves every year and this is no different, Marisa has an anxiety disorder that she keeps quiet about but she has been seeing a doctor and she can keep it under control when the warning signs start. Thanks to her wonderful, supportive family, Marisa feels she is luck since most of her friends have families with no parental support or single parents who have been deserted by their partner. Since Marisa has been secretly in love with Derek, she can;t believe he asks her out and they begin to date. She has a good friend, Nash who is unbelievably smart, kind, and geeky. She has always felt really comfortable around Nash but in middle school, the distance between them began to grow. Now that they are in chemistry together, they are lab partners and meet weekly. There is also an anonymous guy on the web at night who seems to be able to understand and help all the teens in her school with their problems by writing in to his show. It is when Nash's girlfriend breaks up with him, Derek seems to be inattentive to Marisa, and Marisa learns that her parents are separating that Marisa's world and anxiety come crashing down, HARD. Will Marisa be able to help herself, forgive her parents and let her friends in, while she is wishing for that special someone? Girls will love this Colsanti book about high school, friends, and lrelationships.
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high school (7)
Just Another Hero by Sharon M. DraperMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Draper's final book in the trilogy, Just Another Hero, was great. The plot was fast paced, the characters believable using as the backdrop---their final year of high school as seniors including many fire drills, jobs after school and getting into college. I just loved Draper's characterization of Arielle and her mother. They really grew from materialistic to becoming thinking, feeling women. Kofi was an athlete, in love with Dana, but addicted to pain killers. He is able to beat his addiction and win a scholarship. November is back at school, while her baby, Sunshine, is being cared for. A few other memorable students include Osrick as the brainy wierdo that everyone makes fun of and Crazy Jack who clangs his cymbals in the hallway and may be pulling fire alarms to get out of taking tests. As the seniors go toward graduation, money and ipods are going missing, Who is responsible? Read all three Draper books and see how friends cope with the anguish and drama of everyday life. Great for the reluctant reader with a nice large font. View all my reviews >>
Well Ms Jack and her Pop Contemp Lit students----I FINALLY read this book!!! And yes, I agree everyone (who loves YA lit)should read read this book. Charlie is one of those teens who asks many, many questions. He has thoughts and feelings on almost everything and his letters to this anonymous person really speak about his confusion, yet his hyper-awareness, and his awkwardness. At first I thought he might have (as my sister calls it - an ism)a personality quirk but he is just trying to find his place after the suicide of one of his good friends. I felt sorry for Charlie as he makes friends in high school;he seemed to remember never having family touch him, complement him, or tell him they loved him. His family wasn't dysfunctional in any way, so I am thinking that as he got older, he appreciated through his friends--that there was meanigful conversation, hugs, kisses, etc. and he doesn't remember it as a child??? Does he block it out (because of Aunt Helen) and as he matures, he figures things out. I particulary enjoyed his music, TV, book, and movie references thoughout. His friends Sam and Patrick, beloved teacher, and jock Penn State brother and snarky senior sister were perfect foils and in the end, perfect brother and sister to Charlie. A must read, the reluctant readers will like the compactness of the book, the readers will gobble up all the drama - promiscuity, homosexuality, abuse, drinking and drugs, it has all the elements teens (boys and girls) will enjoy and see how Charlie finds his place in the world.
