YA Lit Week Four: Breathless - Jessica Warman - 2009

Read for week four of YA Lit course.

Course Theme for the Week: Integrity: Making Moral Choices (2-16-2011)

Title: Breathless

Author: Jessica Warman

Year: 2009

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Date Read: 2-14-2011 (reread)

Overall: * * * 1/2 (3.5/5)

GoodReads Blurb: When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school, it doesn't take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She's smart, she's cute, and she's a swimming prodigy. What her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don't know is that Katie has kept a secret about her past—that her schizophrenic older brother, Will, is quickly descending deeper into insanity. As her lie constantly threatens to reveal itself, it's all Katie can do to keep her head above water.

My Review: When I think about this book, I am undecided about how much I liked it. I enjoyed reading it, and there were a few characters that I really liked. But the book as a whole didn't really leave its mark on me. I always hope that there will be something about each book that will distinguish it from all other books, so that I can remember each one. What I most remember about Breathless both times I've read it, is Katie's friend Mazzie. At times it felt like small subplots were introduced and then they trailed off without really developing.

I like Katie's confusion about her life and especially her brother. I understood that it would easier for her to pretend he no longer existed than to accept and explain what he was really like. I haven't read many books recently that really go into the problems siblings can have with each other and the love that siblings share, which can be a really interesting topic.

I'm not sure what age group I would recommend this book to. I don't know if younger teens would be able to understand the complexity of Katie's relationships with the people around her, even her layered friendship with Mazzie. I think older teens might enjoy this story, but I might recommend Warman's other book, Where The Truth Lies, before I would recommend Breathless.

To Purchase: Amazon

Other Books By This Author: Where the Truth Lies (201)

Currently Reading: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Books Read in 2011: 21

The Education of Hailey Kendrick - Eileen Cook - 2011

Title: The Education of Hailey Kendrick

Author: Eileen Cook

Year: 2011

Date Read: 1-16-2011

Overall Rating: * * * 1/2 (3.5/5)

GoodReads Blurb: Hailey Kendrick always does exactly what's expected of her. She has the right friends, dates the perfect boy, gets good grades, and follows all the rules. But one night, Hailey risks everything by breaking a very big rule in a very public way...and with a very unexpected partner in crime. Hailey gets caught, but her accomplice does not, and Hailey takes the fall for both of them.

Suddenly, Hailey's perfect life--and her reputation--are blowing up in her face. Her friends are all avoiding her. Her teachers don't trust her. Her boyfriend won't even speak to her for long enough to tell her that she's been dumped.

They say honesty is the best policy--but some secrets are worth keeping, no matter the cost. Or are they?

Plot: * * * *

Characters: * * * *

Style: * * *

My Review: I liked this book, but not as much as I liked Cook's previous two novels. (Edit: somehow missed that she wrote another book, Unpredictable, which is now at the top of my "Must Find This Book Now" lis). What Would Emma Do? and Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood really grabbed me and I loved the stories and characters. Hailey Kendrick is caught vandalizing a piece of her school campus, and refuses to give up the person she is with because he has more to lose than she does. The story follows the repercussions of her decision not to tell and how this affects her relationships with just about everyone in her life.

I like Hailey, though she was a little too easy a character to peg, and I really liked Drew, the "townie" she meets on cleanup detail. Their conversations were really well done and I loved their back and forth banter. However, the supporting characters, like her friends/boyfriend Tristan, Joel, and Kelsie seemed so boring to me. There was no spark, no reason that I could see to be drawn to any of them, even when Cook explained why/how Hailey and Kelsie became friends.

I felt like the emotional scenes, particularly the weird chemistry that could have happened between Joel and Hailey, the fight between Hailey and her father, and the scenes between Hailey and Tristan could have been more powerful. They felt lacking. I wanted Hailey to scream at her dad, not just forgive him and talk it out and be "closer than ever" in a day. On its own, I would have liked this book more, because even though it was well-written, it didn't feel as strong as her other two books.

Though I would recommend it just because Drew was such a nice character and even though it was a little predictable and had a very "wrapped up in a bow" ending, it was still nice and had a great message to convey about standing up for yourself and learning who you are.

To Buy: Amazon

Currently Reading: Zombies Vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier