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Me, Him, Them, and It
ME is Evelyn Jones, 16, a valedictorian hopeful who's been playing bad girl to piss off THEM, her cold, distant parents. HIM is Todd, Evelyn's secret un-boyfriend, who she thought she was just using for sex - until she accidentally fell in love with him. But before Evelyn gets a chance to tell Todd how she feels, something much more important comes up. IT. IT is a fetus. Evelyn is pregnant - and when Todd turns his back on her, Evelyn has no idea who to turn to. Can a cheating father, a stiff, cold mother, a pissed-off BFF, and a (thankfully!) loving aunt with adopted girls of her own help Evelyn make the heart-wrenching decisions that follow?
310 pages, Hardcover
First published February 26, 2013
45 people are currently reading
3427 people want to read
About the author
Caela Carter
10 books343 followersCaela Carter grew up in Basking Ridge, NJ and Baltimore, MD. She's been writing since she learned how to pick up a pen but before the writing thing got serious she spent six years teaching English to middle and high school students in Jacksonville, FL and Chicago, IL. Her debut novel, ME, HIM, THEM AND IT was published in 2013 by Bloomsbury. When she's not writing, Caela is a teacher of some awesome teens in Brooklyn, a Notre Dame football enthusiast, and a happy explorer in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
February 19, 2013
In Jacksonville, Florida - born and raised in the backseat is where I spent most of my days.
Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool, getting knocked up by QB* in the playground by the school.
When a couple of cells, who were up to no good, started multiplying in my womanhood.
Missing one little period made my mom explode, she said, "You're moving with your auntie and auntie in Chicago."
I loaded up the Jeep and when it came near, I tried to ride in silence, avoid my mom's glare. If anything, I would say Lizzie's silence was fair.
But, I thought, "Naw forget it, yo home to Noble Square*."
I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8 and I yelled to my cousins, "Yo girls, nice to meet you."
Confronted my choices, and they all seem like shit. A much abbreviated telling of Me, Him, Them, and It.
*Accuracy was sacrificed for rhyme scheme.
Chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool, getting knocked up by QB* in the playground by the school.
When a couple of cells, who were up to no good, started multiplying in my womanhood.
Missing one little period made my mom explode, she said, "You're moving with your auntie and auntie in Chicago."
I loaded up the Jeep and when it came near, I tried to ride in silence, avoid my mom's glare. If anything, I would say Lizzie's silence was fair.
But, I thought, "Naw forget it, yo home to Noble Square*."
I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8 and I yelled to my cousins, "Yo girls, nice to meet you."
Confronted my choices, and they all seem like shit. A much abbreviated telling of Me, Him, Them, and It.
*Accuracy was sacrificed for rhyme scheme.
February 16, 2013
This book made me cry for like 4 straight hours. So realistic.
January 31, 2013
Me, Him, Them and It is definitely one of the best books I've read that takes on teen pregnancy. Caela Carter tackles the subject with a careful hand, and while it can be said that she pushes her heroine, Evelyn, in some directions more than others, I felt that the novel presents a well-rounded and realistic portrayal of a teen faced with an unexpected pregnancy.
Evelyn is a smart girl who makes some reckless decisions in an attempt to both punish and draw the attention of her very absent parents. While she used to have a relatively strong relationship with her father and at least a passably good relationship with her mother, that all changed when her father had an affair. Instead of her parents splitting up, her mother decided to take her father back and stay together, but things are far from normal. The house is always tense and silent and Evelyn rarely see her parents who are so busy avoiding each other they forget she's even around.
Evelyn takes what one might consider the stereotypical route and begins rebelling. She quits her extracurriculars, starts lying, distances herself from her friends, and decides to lose herself in meaningless sex. Except for what starts out as meaningless sex turns into more when Evelyn finds herself falling for Todd. And then finds herself pregnant.
One of my favorite aspects of Me, Him, Them and It is how real Evelyn felt. There are moments when she's brave, moments of realization, and moments of undeniable immaturity. At first, she's terrified of what will happen to her life and what people will think of her. Not only is she pregnant, but she doesn't have a boyfriend, which she knows will create all kinds of gossip. Her aunt, who she looks up to and considers one of the only reliable adults in her life, lives far away and has no idea how much she's changed and Evelyn fears disappointing her. Along with the fear of what others will think, come Evelyn's fears about losing her freedom, gaining weight, her grades slipping, and her entire future. Overwhelmed, Evelyn shuts down and attempts to push all the decisions regarding the pregnancy and the baby onto her parents and every other adult she comes in contact with. But the author doesn't let Evelyn off the hook that easily, which I feel is extremely important. Evelyn's mother would be more than happy to make all the decisions, but she doesn't. Instead, she stresses to Evelyn how important it is that she make the decisions because, ultimately, it is her life and no body can live it for her. This doesn't mean that our heroine is left all alone to figure things out, after all, she's only sixteen. There are many great secondary characters that form a support system for Evelyn that are integral to her decision making process.
In addition to Evelyn's parents, she also gains insight from her aunt, her partner, a counselors, and doctors. Despite her negative view of her parents, it's clear that they care a great deal for her and, though they've both made mistakes, are determined to be there for her no matter how she decides to proceed. Evelyn's aunts, who she lives with during the decision making process, are a fantastic support system, as one provides much needed understanding and the other provides structure, while they both provide plenty of love.
One character who is notably absent from the decision making process is the baby's father, Todd. While he does have some input, more or less saying that the decision is completely Evelyn's and that he doesn't want to participate in the baby's life if she chooses to keep it, he is otherwise absent when it comes to the pregnancy. I came to appreciate this detail as Evelyn struggled internally with her feelings for Todd and the idea of the baby being a catalyst for them to start a family. I'm so glad that Todd wasn't physically near Evelyn as she sorted through her options because it would have been entirely too easy for her to succumb to that fantasy, but it was fantasy and his distance allowed her to see that.
I also appreciated that Me, Him, Them and It touched on every available option to consider when faced with an unexpected pregnancy and the pros and cons. Adoption, both open and closed, teen parenthood, alone and with help or the father, and abortion are all discussed and explored. Furthermore, Planned Parenthood, religion, and family opinion are all considered. I truly felt that all options were fairly represented.
In the end, I feel that Evelyn not only made an educated decision, she also made the decision that was best for her. Of course, I can't say much more without spoiling the ending, but had come a long way by the conclusion of the novel. Her situation, though not ideal, forced her to think about her future, change her lifestyle, and her take some time away from a pretty unhealthy environment to figure things out. Though the novel did wrap up neatly, I wasn't left feeling that things were too calm or perfect. The Evelyn at the end of Me, Him, Them and It is clearly different than the one at the beginning and that, for me, allowed for a satisfying conclusion.
Evelyn is a smart girl who makes some reckless decisions in an attempt to both punish and draw the attention of her very absent parents. While she used to have a relatively strong relationship with her father and at least a passably good relationship with her mother, that all changed when her father had an affair. Instead of her parents splitting up, her mother decided to take her father back and stay together, but things are far from normal. The house is always tense and silent and Evelyn rarely see her parents who are so busy avoiding each other they forget she's even around.
Evelyn takes what one might consider the stereotypical route and begins rebelling. She quits her extracurriculars, starts lying, distances herself from her friends, and decides to lose herself in meaningless sex. Except for what starts out as meaningless sex turns into more when Evelyn finds herself falling for Todd. And then finds herself pregnant.
One of my favorite aspects of Me, Him, Them and It is how real Evelyn felt. There are moments when she's brave, moments of realization, and moments of undeniable immaturity. At first, she's terrified of what will happen to her life and what people will think of her. Not only is she pregnant, but she doesn't have a boyfriend, which she knows will create all kinds of gossip. Her aunt, who she looks up to and considers one of the only reliable adults in her life, lives far away and has no idea how much she's changed and Evelyn fears disappointing her. Along with the fear of what others will think, come Evelyn's fears about losing her freedom, gaining weight, her grades slipping, and her entire future. Overwhelmed, Evelyn shuts down and attempts to push all the decisions regarding the pregnancy and the baby onto her parents and every other adult she comes in contact with. But the author doesn't let Evelyn off the hook that easily, which I feel is extremely important. Evelyn's mother would be more than happy to make all the decisions, but she doesn't. Instead, she stresses to Evelyn how important it is that she make the decisions because, ultimately, it is her life and no body can live it for her. This doesn't mean that our heroine is left all alone to figure things out, after all, she's only sixteen. There are many great secondary characters that form a support system for Evelyn that are integral to her decision making process.
In addition to Evelyn's parents, she also gains insight from her aunt, her partner, a counselors, and doctors. Despite her negative view of her parents, it's clear that they care a great deal for her and, though they've both made mistakes, are determined to be there for her no matter how she decides to proceed. Evelyn's aunts, who she lives with during the decision making process, are a fantastic support system, as one provides much needed understanding and the other provides structure, while they both provide plenty of love.
One character who is notably absent from the decision making process is the baby's father, Todd. While he does have some input, more or less saying that the decision is completely Evelyn's and that he doesn't want to participate in the baby's life if she chooses to keep it, he is otherwise absent when it comes to the pregnancy. I came to appreciate this detail as Evelyn struggled internally with her feelings for Todd and the idea of the baby being a catalyst for them to start a family. I'm so glad that Todd wasn't physically near Evelyn as she sorted through her options because it would have been entirely too easy for her to succumb to that fantasy, but it was fantasy and his distance allowed her to see that.
I also appreciated that Me, Him, Them and It touched on every available option to consider when faced with an unexpected pregnancy and the pros and cons. Adoption, both open and closed, teen parenthood, alone and with help or the father, and abortion are all discussed and explored. Furthermore, Planned Parenthood, religion, and family opinion are all considered. I truly felt that all options were fairly represented.
In the end, I feel that Evelyn not only made an educated decision, she also made the decision that was best for her. Of course, I can't say much more without spoiling the ending, but had come a long way by the conclusion of the novel. Her situation, though not ideal, forced her to think about her future, change her lifestyle, and her take some time away from a pretty unhealthy environment to figure things out. Though the novel did wrap up neatly, I wasn't left feeling that things were too calm or perfect. The Evelyn at the end of Me, Him, Them and It is clearly different than the one at the beginning and that, for me, allowed for a satisfying conclusion.
March 24, 2013
Initial reaction: "Me, Him, Them, and It" was such an emotional ride. I didn't realize how much of a punch it would be to follow Evie, a young woman who deals with the decisions surrounding her family and circle of friends when she discovers she's pregnant and weighs her options. While I thought the narrative dragged quite a bit in places, where the emotional resonance kicked in, it kicked very hard, and I found myself caring for the respective cast, including Evie herself.
Full review:
I really did not think I would like Caela Carter's "Me, Him, Them, and It" as much as I did - it really surprised me. It starts off a little shaky as it portrays the story of a young woman named Evie who realizes she's pregnant between her developing sexual relationship with Todd. They navigate through some awkward sexual first-times, and the story provides a clear picture of that in the intimacy of their encounters, but it feels so vivid, real, and put into proper context that it drew me into the narrative and how Evie felt about the situations she found herself in. When the pregnancy is revealed, Evie's left with a series of tough choices - keeping the baby in her family, giving it up for adoption, or having an abortion. The story follows Evie through the motions of making that decision, alongside her friends and family's reactions to the pregnancy.
I think my biggest problem in this work didn't have anything to do with the characterization or the story itself - those elements, even with Evie tough narrative voice and flaws, were very sound and plausible. Evie has to deal with so much in this book including her parents' pending separation, her best friend's distance, living with her aunt in order to hide the pregnancy, and the decision she ultimately comes to make with respect to the baby. Heck, I'd take this story ten times over the manufactured drama I see on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" or "Teen Mom" any day. This story felt more real, visceral, emotionally resonant and I'll admit it did hit hard at my core when it was all said and done.
The problem I had was how long the narrative read in certain sections. I think a good portion of this story could've been streamlined better and still packed some of the punch that it had with the revelations and tough subject details that it tackled. I understood walking through the options, the emotional changes Evie undergoes, and ultimately what she learns and comes to terms with in all this, but some of it did feel a bit longer than it should have, and if it had been a little better streamlined, this would've easily been a 4 or even 5 star read for me. I liked its grounding, I especially liked the characterization of Evie's aunt and her respective family (which was far more solid than Evie's own flawed family).
It's a novel I would indubitably recommend in showcasing a young woman's coming to terms with not only her sexual experiences and pregnancy, but also with respect to the matters she faces outside of that.
Overall score: 3/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Bloomsbury.
Full review:
I really did not think I would like Caela Carter's "Me, Him, Them, and It" as much as I did - it really surprised me. It starts off a little shaky as it portrays the story of a young woman named Evie who realizes she's pregnant between her developing sexual relationship with Todd. They navigate through some awkward sexual first-times, and the story provides a clear picture of that in the intimacy of their encounters, but it feels so vivid, real, and put into proper context that it drew me into the narrative and how Evie felt about the situations she found herself in. When the pregnancy is revealed, Evie's left with a series of tough choices - keeping the baby in her family, giving it up for adoption, or having an abortion. The story follows Evie through the motions of making that decision, alongside her friends and family's reactions to the pregnancy.
I think my biggest problem in this work didn't have anything to do with the characterization or the story itself - those elements, even with Evie tough narrative voice and flaws, were very sound and plausible. Evie has to deal with so much in this book including her parents' pending separation, her best friend's distance, living with her aunt in order to hide the pregnancy, and the decision she ultimately comes to make with respect to the baby. Heck, I'd take this story ten times over the manufactured drama I see on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" or "Teen Mom" any day. This story felt more real, visceral, emotionally resonant and I'll admit it did hit hard at my core when it was all said and done.
The problem I had was how long the narrative read in certain sections. I think a good portion of this story could've been streamlined better and still packed some of the punch that it had with the revelations and tough subject details that it tackled. I understood walking through the options, the emotional changes Evie undergoes, and ultimately what she learns and comes to terms with in all this, but some of it did feel a bit longer than it should have, and if it had been a little better streamlined, this would've easily been a 4 or even 5 star read for me. I liked its grounding, I especially liked the characterization of Evie's aunt and her respective family (which was far more solid than Evie's own flawed family).
It's a novel I would indubitably recommend in showcasing a young woman's coming to terms with not only her sexual experiences and pregnancy, but also with respect to the matters she faces outside of that.
Overall score: 3/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Bloomsbury.
December 17, 2014
I received an ARC through NetGalley.
Me, Him, Them, and It was one of my most anticipated 2013 releases, but unfortunately I didn’t like it. Evelyn has been trying on a new bad girl image to upset her parents, but it’s a big failure since they don’t even pay attention to her. Then she gets pregnant, and instead of rubbing their faces in it, she decides not to tell them. If her goal is to get their attention, wouldn’t that just go against it? Of course, the truth has to come out and it’s one big mess.
There’s no other way to put this, so I’ll just say it. Evelyn is a bitch. She really is, and I didn’t like her. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t interested in what she had to say, because I was. I just wanted to slap her several times. However, I was proud when she stood up to Todd when they were “discussing” her decision. She’s just not a person I would want to hang around, but she does make for interesting reading, since she makes such horribly stupid decisions. I did think that things would get better once she arrived at her Aunt Linda’s house, and I was right…kind of…okay, not really.
Evelyn becomes less bitchy, but she’s still annoying, definitely more so. I can’t believe that she acts like pregnancy is some new thing, and has no idea that decisions need to be made even if she doesn’t know what to choose at the moment. She acts so surprised when people ask her obvious, common sense questions. I understand that having a baby is a huge life change, especially at sixteen, but she really behaves like she’s never heard of pregnancy before. Her mind seems to be preoccupied with her boobs, since she never had any until now. In fact, she spends most of the book complaining about how she’s too skinny and too pale and her hair is too red and frizzy. There are more important things!
AND…yes there’s more…And at about two-thirds in, she starts complaining about how she has no one to talk to about her feelings or to help her make decisions, despite everyone asking her to sit down and chat with them or letting her know they’re available to talk. Then the very next time someone tries to talk to her she just shrugs. She shrugs A LOT, even when she’s on the phone. The person on the other line can’t see you shrug, USE YOUR WORDS! If she wants to talk, why is she shrugging everyone off, literally?! It’s extrememly frustrating.
I also had a hard time with the story once she moves in with her aunt and cousins. I was expecting a warm, accepting environment where Evelyn could get her life together. However, Aunt Linda’s wife, Nora, puts in place a bunch of rules, which is fine, except for #8 which says Evelyn can’t interact with her cousins. Then Nora has the nerve to say she feels sad that Evelyn seems detached from the family. Um, what?! You are doing that! Then there’s the whole fact that her mother is paying them $4,000 a month to take her in. Most people don’t even earn that much money in a month! No wonder Evelyn is having a rough time! She has no real emotional support (not that she would accept it anyway)!
I was enjoying Me, Him, Them, and It at the beginning, despite my dislike for Evelyn, but things really started to fall apart at around the midpoint. The story just became unbelievable with the characters behaving in stupid manners. Sure Evelyn makes the dumbest decision of all by agreeing to have unprotected sex (multiple times), but having her parents send her away to two women who know nothing about what she’s going through, one of which is concerned about Evelyn not feeling like part of the family when she’s the one preventing it, and the other who is suppose to be her support system isn’t even home, was much more frustrating.
I just can’t believe how mad this book made me. Nothing that anybody did made any sense at all. The ending especially. You know all of those decisions that Evelyn didn’t know she needed to make? Well she makes a decision….to not make any decisions! She pushes it all off to her aunt, but then decides to make a decision, and everyone who was pressuring her to make a decision decides that she’s too young to make any decisions! I felt like I was taking crazy pills! I was originally going to give this one 2 stars, because I liked it in the beginning and I applaud the author for taking on this tough subject. But after thinking on it for a week, I just can’t give it another star. The characters are just too horrible and lacking in any kind of sense which really brought down the entire book.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Me, Him, Them, and It was one of my most anticipated 2013 releases, but unfortunately I didn’t like it. Evelyn has been trying on a new bad girl image to upset her parents, but it’s a big failure since they don’t even pay attention to her. Then she gets pregnant, and instead of rubbing their faces in it, she decides not to tell them. If her goal is to get their attention, wouldn’t that just go against it? Of course, the truth has to come out and it’s one big mess.
There’s no other way to put this, so I’ll just say it. Evelyn is a bitch. She really is, and I didn’t like her. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t interested in what she had to say, because I was. I just wanted to slap her several times. However, I was proud when she stood up to Todd when they were “discussing” her decision. She’s just not a person I would want to hang around, but she does make for interesting reading, since she makes such horribly stupid decisions. I did think that things would get better once she arrived at her Aunt Linda’s house, and I was right…kind of…okay, not really.
Evelyn becomes less bitchy, but she’s still annoying, definitely more so. I can’t believe that she acts like pregnancy is some new thing, and has no idea that decisions need to be made even if she doesn’t know what to choose at the moment. She acts so surprised when people ask her obvious, common sense questions. I understand that having a baby is a huge life change, especially at sixteen, but she really behaves like she’s never heard of pregnancy before. Her mind seems to be preoccupied with her boobs, since she never had any until now. In fact, she spends most of the book complaining about how she’s too skinny and too pale and her hair is too red and frizzy. There are more important things!
AND…yes there’s more…And at about two-thirds in, she starts complaining about how she has no one to talk to about her feelings or to help her make decisions, despite everyone asking her to sit down and chat with them or letting her know they’re available to talk. Then the very next time someone tries to talk to her she just shrugs. She shrugs A LOT, even when she’s on the phone. The person on the other line can’t see you shrug, USE YOUR WORDS! If she wants to talk, why is she shrugging everyone off, literally?! It’s extrememly frustrating.
I also had a hard time with the story once she moves in with her aunt and cousins. I was expecting a warm, accepting environment where Evelyn could get her life together. However, Aunt Linda’s wife, Nora, puts in place a bunch of rules, which is fine, except for #8 which says Evelyn can’t interact with her cousins. Then Nora has the nerve to say she feels sad that Evelyn seems detached from the family. Um, what?! You are doing that! Then there’s the whole fact that her mother is paying them $4,000 a month to take her in. Most people don’t even earn that much money in a month! No wonder Evelyn is having a rough time! She has no real emotional support (not that she would accept it anyway)!
I was enjoying Me, Him, Them, and It at the beginning, despite my dislike for Evelyn, but things really started to fall apart at around the midpoint. The story just became unbelievable with the characters behaving in stupid manners. Sure Evelyn makes the dumbest decision of all by agreeing to have unprotected sex (multiple times), but having her parents send her away to two women who know nothing about what she’s going through, one of which is concerned about Evelyn not feeling like part of the family when she’s the one preventing it, and the other who is suppose to be her support system isn’t even home, was much more frustrating.
I just can’t believe how mad this book made me. Nothing that anybody did made any sense at all. The ending especially. You know all of those decisions that Evelyn didn’t know she needed to make? Well she makes a decision….to not make any decisions! She pushes it all off to her aunt, but then decides to make a decision, and everyone who was pressuring her to make a decision decides that she’s too young to make any decisions! I felt like I was taking crazy pills! I was originally going to give this one 2 stars, because I liked it in the beginning and I applaud the author for taking on this tough subject. But after thinking on it for a week, I just can’t give it another star. The characters are just too horrible and lacking in any kind of sense which really brought down the entire book.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
December 20, 2012
I was hesitant to read this because most of the time teen pregnancy books are preachy and overly dramatic. Not this one though. I want to give my teenage sister and all of her friends this book. Any teen who is sexually active or even thinking of becoming sexually active should read this book.
Not since Juno has teen pregnancy been portrayed this powerfully. This is one to watch for 2013.
I received this novel from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books via NetGalley for an honest review.
Not since Juno has teen pregnancy been portrayed this powerfully. This is one to watch for 2013.
I received this novel from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books via NetGalley for an honest review.
April 2, 2013
Originally posted on
A Book and a Latte
:
**4.5 stars** Me, Him, Them, and It is one of the most honest and realistic books I’ve read that deals with teen pregnancy. It’s heart breaking yet beautiful. It’s about a girl; Evelyn who becomes “Bad Evelyn” in retaliation to her parents after her dad cheats, leaves, and then comes back. Then her parents pretend everything is fine, even though the house is silent, and loveless.
Though Evelyn is smart and has so much going for her, including potentially being valedictorian, she makes some stupid decisions in the name of “Bad Evelyn”. For this reason I had a hard time relating with Evelyn as a character even though I was rooting for her. I had a pretty crappy childhood, but all my decisions were focused on staying out of trouble so I could get out, versus purposely finding trouble for retaliation or to get attention. That said, I feel that Evelyn’s reactions were realistic and honest.
Evelyn doesn’t want anyone to know she’s pregnant, and she’s desperate to keep up her GPA in hopes that she’ll be able to get into an Ivy League school. Feeling like she can’t talk to anyone, she meets Mary through the Planned Parenthood Center, who talks her through things and is there for her until she’s out of time and she must tell her mother. Evelyn’s non-boyfriend/baby daddy Todd is useless, he’s just not capable of taking responsibility for his actions even though he obviously cares for her. This too, felt realistic.
Evelyn ends up staying with her Aunt Linda and her partner, and her adopted cousins in Chicago while deciding what to do about “It”. I loved how she becomes part of their family, and how the author incorporated a non-traditional family into the story. I felt the family dynamics, with Evelyn’s relationships with each of her parents, and her aunts, were so honest, and right on.
Me, Him, Them, and It is well written and gives insight into teen pregnancy, and the difficult heart-wrenching, life-changing decisions that must be made. I look forward to reading more by Caela Carter.
**4.5 stars** Me, Him, Them, and It is one of the most honest and realistic books I’ve read that deals with teen pregnancy. It’s heart breaking yet beautiful. It’s about a girl; Evelyn who becomes “Bad Evelyn” in retaliation to her parents after her dad cheats, leaves, and then comes back. Then her parents pretend everything is fine, even though the house is silent, and loveless.
Though Evelyn is smart and has so much going for her, including potentially being valedictorian, she makes some stupid decisions in the name of “Bad Evelyn”. For this reason I had a hard time relating with Evelyn as a character even though I was rooting for her. I had a pretty crappy childhood, but all my decisions were focused on staying out of trouble so I could get out, versus purposely finding trouble for retaliation or to get attention. That said, I feel that Evelyn’s reactions were realistic and honest.
Evelyn doesn’t want anyone to know she’s pregnant, and she’s desperate to keep up her GPA in hopes that she’ll be able to get into an Ivy League school. Feeling like she can’t talk to anyone, she meets Mary through the Planned Parenthood Center, who talks her through things and is there for her until she’s out of time and she must tell her mother. Evelyn’s non-boyfriend/baby daddy Todd is useless, he’s just not capable of taking responsibility for his actions even though he obviously cares for her. This too, felt realistic.
Evelyn ends up staying with her Aunt Linda and her partner, and her adopted cousins in Chicago while deciding what to do about “It”. I loved how she becomes part of their family, and how the author incorporated a non-traditional family into the story. I felt the family dynamics, with Evelyn’s relationships with each of her parents, and her aunts, were so honest, and right on.
Me, Him, Them, and It is well written and gives insight into teen pregnancy, and the difficult heart-wrenching, life-changing decisions that must be made. I look forward to reading more by Caela Carter.
February 13, 2013
4.5 Stars!
Caela Carter has managed to take a very real and very personal issues that some teenagers are facing today and make it into an emotional yet beautiful struggle about one girl and the decisions she must face that will change the rest of her life, for better or worse.
I felt for Evelyn from the get go. Yeah, she was a teenager and asmart one at that, but a smart one that made some very bad decisions for some very wrong reasons. But the choices she made because of those reasons? Those were what killed me more than anything. How sad I felt for her. For one girl's struggle to be noticed and loved by her parents. To lash out in the only way she thought she could, by screwing up her whole life. It kind of broke my heart. Not just because of the circumstances surrounding Evelyn but because I know this happens, more often than what I care to think about. Girl's just crying out for the attention and love they so desperately need from the two people in their lives that should always been there for. For those two people that above anyone else, we should always be able to count on and depend on.
Yeah, it broke my heart.
This wasn't just a story about Evelyn's pregnancy though. It was a story about family too. About what love means and how to express it. Learning that love comes in many different shapes and forms and about finding yourself along the way, without or without that love. \
I didn't always agree with Evelyn's decisions or with the way she handled herself but overall I think this was a great coming of age story that covered a lot of hard real life issues for a lot of young people out there today.
I fell in love with a lot of the characters, more so than I thought. Her Aunt Linda was amazing. Her Aunt Nora too. Her Dad, Lizzie, so many great people. I would like to say I got through this one withut crying but that wouldn't be true. I cried, I did. Not necessarily because it was sad, because it was sad, but because it was happy to, in a melancholy kind of way.
Very well done Ms. Carter.
Caela Carter has managed to take a very real and very personal issues that some teenagers are facing today and make it into an emotional yet beautiful struggle about one girl and the decisions she must face that will change the rest of her life, for better or worse.
I felt for Evelyn from the get go. Yeah, she was a teenager and asmart one at that, but a smart one that made some very bad decisions for some very wrong reasons. But the choices she made because of those reasons? Those were what killed me more than anything. How sad I felt for her. For one girl's struggle to be noticed and loved by her parents. To lash out in the only way she thought she could, by screwing up her whole life. It kind of broke my heart. Not just because of the circumstances surrounding Evelyn but because I know this happens, more often than what I care to think about. Girl's just crying out for the attention and love they so desperately need from the two people in their lives that should always been there for. For those two people that above anyone else, we should always be able to count on and depend on.
Yeah, it broke my heart.
This wasn't just a story about Evelyn's pregnancy though. It was a story about family too. About what love means and how to express it. Learning that love comes in many different shapes and forms and about finding yourself along the way, without or without that love. \
I didn't always agree with Evelyn's decisions or with the way she handled herself but overall I think this was a great coming of age story that covered a lot of hard real life issues for a lot of young people out there today.
I fell in love with a lot of the characters, more so than I thought. Her Aunt Linda was amazing. Her Aunt Nora too. Her Dad, Lizzie, so many great people. I would like to say I got through this one withut crying but that wouldn't be true. I cried, I did. Not necessarily because it was sad, because it was sad, but because it was happy to, in a melancholy kind of way.
Very well done Ms. Carter.
February 7, 2013
I received this book from Netgalley.com for preview.
I needed a few days to really wrap my head around this book.
As a father to young daughters, this really resonated with me how much of a divide there can be between children and their parents, and how things are not always as they appear to be and interpretations of events can be distorted through our own lenses of truth.
Evelyn starts out the story in a Planned Parenthood office, talking with Mary, a worker who is trying desperately to get Evelyn to make some damn hard choices that she's just not able to make at that point. Evie is a pretty spoiled girl, very immature and egocentric. At one point in time, she was a straight A student, started on the varsity track team as a freshman, and was a model of a "good girl". But with her parents marital problems causing her father to run away with the family dentist, Evie decides the best way to punish them is to become "Bad Evie". So she begins her descent into drinking and partying, and sex with her non-boyfriend Todd. From this point, her streak of bad choices eventually leads to being pregnant by Todd and trying to figure out what to do.
I think this book will make the reader ask themselves a lot of hard questions through their perception of Evie's inability to answer them. Putting myself in Evie's shoes as I read the story, I found myself thinking about how hard it would be to choose between abortion, keeping the baby, or adoption at that age when all you want is for things to go back to normal.
I won't go into details of the story, as I think that's where the meat really lies here, in Evie confronting these decisions and making good and bad choices, some well thought out and others emotionally driven. Needless to say, I found some of her antics infuriating and irresponsible, but that's who she is and how she got to this place to begin with.
I needed a few days to really wrap my head around this book.
As a father to young daughters, this really resonated with me how much of a divide there can be between children and their parents, and how things are not always as they appear to be and interpretations of events can be distorted through our own lenses of truth.
Evelyn starts out the story in a Planned Parenthood office, talking with Mary, a worker who is trying desperately to get Evelyn to make some damn hard choices that she's just not able to make at that point. Evie is a pretty spoiled girl, very immature and egocentric. At one point in time, she was a straight A student, started on the varsity track team as a freshman, and was a model of a "good girl". But with her parents marital problems causing her father to run away with the family dentist, Evie decides the best way to punish them is to become "Bad Evie". So she begins her descent into drinking and partying, and sex with her non-boyfriend Todd. From this point, her streak of bad choices eventually leads to being pregnant by Todd and trying to figure out what to do.
I think this book will make the reader ask themselves a lot of hard questions through their perception of Evie's inability to answer them. Putting myself in Evie's shoes as I read the story, I found myself thinking about how hard it would be to choose between abortion, keeping the baby, or adoption at that age when all you want is for things to go back to normal.
I won't go into details of the story, as I think that's where the meat really lies here, in Evie confronting these decisions and making good and bad choices, some well thought out and others emotionally driven. Needless to say, I found some of her antics infuriating and irresponsible, but that's who she is and how she got to this place to begin with.
May 30, 2015
Grade: D
Former good girl Evelyn uses her kinda sorta boyfriend for sex. Now she's pregnant and has some decisions to make. Abortion? Adoption? Raising the baby? He has no interest in being a father and she, well, she'd rather have the baby disappear and not have to make any decisions. She's also juggling a cheating father, cold mother, narcissistic best friend.
Evelyn was a hard character to embrace. While I could easily see why she was withdrawn, noncommittal, unfriendly and sometimes unkind, I didn't feel particularly sympathetic to her plight. She had so many people who loved and wanted to support her. Yes, they were imperfection, but she didn't appreciate anyone or realize that others had feelings and a right to their reactions to her behavior. Caela Carter did make most of the characters multidimensional and avoided following back on stereotypes, but none of the characters were particularly memorable. I was glad to see Carter filled the novel with diverse characters.
Similarly, the writing was marginal, I didn't highlight any profound statements or feel wowed, but I also didn't roll my eyes wondering how ME, HIM, THEM, IT got published either. I never felt like Evelyn was really making a choice, or that Carter put any tension into that decision. I knew there was one choice she'd never make, in fact, Carter did a pretty half baked job making me believe Evelyn even considered that option, which, on my opinion, would have made for a much braver path to take.
Themes: teen pregnancy, birth control, sex, family, dysfunction, friendship, multicultural characters, lesbian families
ME, HIM, THEM, IT is a below average read, with some bright spots.
Former good girl Evelyn uses her kinda sorta boyfriend for sex. Now she's pregnant and has some decisions to make. Abortion? Adoption? Raising the baby? He has no interest in being a father and she, well, she'd rather have the baby disappear and not have to make any decisions. She's also juggling a cheating father, cold mother, narcissistic best friend.
Evelyn was a hard character to embrace. While I could easily see why she was withdrawn, noncommittal, unfriendly and sometimes unkind, I didn't feel particularly sympathetic to her plight. She had so many people who loved and wanted to support her. Yes, they were imperfection, but she didn't appreciate anyone or realize that others had feelings and a right to their reactions to her behavior. Caela Carter did make most of the characters multidimensional and avoided following back on stereotypes, but none of the characters were particularly memorable. I was glad to see Carter filled the novel with diverse characters.
Similarly, the writing was marginal, I didn't highlight any profound statements or feel wowed, but I also didn't roll my eyes wondering how ME, HIM, THEM, IT got published either. I never felt like Evelyn was really making a choice, or that Carter put any tension into that decision. I knew there was one choice she'd never make, in fact, Carter did a pretty half baked job making me believe Evelyn even considered that option, which, on my opinion, would have made for a much braver path to take.
Themes: teen pregnancy, birth control, sex, family, dysfunction, friendship, multicultural characters, lesbian families
ME, HIM, THEM, IT is a below average read, with some bright spots.
April 1, 2013
Potrebovala som si dať pauzu od Cassandry a jej princeznej. Niečo nesériové a contemporary. Toto bola super voľba. Krátke, jednoduché a iné. Keby som sa mohla sústrediť len na čítanie dala by som to za deň, takto to trvalo dni dva.
Tehotenstvo tínedžerok je kontroverzná téma. Autorka to ale zvládla veľmi dobre. Zapracovala do príbehu viac problémov ako len samotné tehotenstvo a vek hrdinky. Problémoví rodičia, lesbická teta a jej adoptované dcéry, a celkovo nezodpovednosť tínedžerov v oblasti sexu. Hlavne ak je to na truc rodičom. Páčilo sa mi, ako bola Evie zmätená, menila rozhodnutia a celkovo nevedela čo so sebou a už vôbec nie s tým, čo jej rástlo v bruchu. Čo ma vytáčalo bol fakt, že Evie sa s nikým nerozprávala. Takmer celú knihu odmietla otvoriť ústa a rozprávať sa s kýmkoľvek. Len prikyvovala, krútila hlavou, krčila plecami alebo sa otočila a odišla. Ale v rámci jej domáceho prostredia som dokázala pochopiť prečo to tak bolo. A páčilo sa mi, že celý problém nebol zavrhnutý trápnym štýlom - jasné zoberiem zodpovednosť sa svoje činy, budem to milovať atď. Jej správanie bolo realistické. A koniec sa mi veľmi páčil. Proste super oddychovka na zasnežený jarný deň keď sa vám nikam nechce ísť. Ale samozrejme aj na každý iný deň.
Tehotenstvo tínedžerok je kontroverzná téma. Autorka to ale zvládla veľmi dobre. Zapracovala do príbehu viac problémov ako len samotné tehotenstvo a vek hrdinky. Problémoví rodičia, lesbická teta a jej adoptované dcéry, a celkovo nezodpovednosť tínedžerov v oblasti sexu. Hlavne ak je to na truc rodičom. Páčilo sa mi, ako bola Evie zmätená, menila rozhodnutia a celkovo nevedela čo so sebou a už vôbec nie s tým, čo jej rástlo v bruchu. Čo ma vytáčalo bol fakt, že Evie sa s nikým nerozprávala. Takmer celú knihu odmietla otvoriť ústa a rozprávať sa s kýmkoľvek. Len prikyvovala, krútila hlavou, krčila plecami alebo sa otočila a odišla. Ale v rámci jej domáceho prostredia som dokázala pochopiť prečo to tak bolo. A páčilo sa mi, že celý problém nebol zavrhnutý trápnym štýlom - jasné zoberiem zodpovednosť sa svoje činy, budem to milovať atď. Jej správanie bolo realistické. A koniec sa mi veľmi páčil. Proste super oddychovka na zasnežený jarný deň keď sa vám nikam nechce ísť. Ale samozrejme aj na každý iný deň.
March 5, 2013
I wanted a chest, so when she said I could go to Planned Parenthood and get a prescription without even telling my parents -- and that it could move me up a full bra size -- I did. I was having sex with Todd anyway, so it seemed like a good idea. On the way home from the first day of school, I just drove myself over here, whistling out the window of my car like a freaking idiot while visions of C-cups bounced in my brain. When I got here, they made me take a blood test, and it said I was already pregnant. The thought had not even occurred to me. That's how much of a dumbass I am.
And so begins the candid story of Evelyn Jones, a sixteen year old high school student whose world is forever changed when she learns that she is pregnant. While her previous focus was on hanging out with her best friend, hooking up with her boyfriend, and working on getting the grades to keep her future valedictorian role in sight, now Evelyn is faced with something entirely new and foreign -- the decision as to whether she will abort, adopt, or parent the child growing inside of her.
I don't like the baby. I know it's not the baby's fault, but it showed up and everything sucks. Now, I can't drink; I can't smoke weed; I can't have sex...
Sent away by her parents to hide from the shame that unwed pregnancy would bring at her strict Catholic school, Evelyn moves in with her aunt and her wife until things are back to normal -- whatever that means now. Isolated from her friends and separated from her boyfriend, Evelyn realizes just how much she has to lose, no matter what she picks. Are there any options that will let her resume things exactly as they were before without feeling guilty?
Although Evelyn dreams of a future where she and Todd are blissfully in love, raising their child together as husband and wife, she soon comes to realize that her fantasies have nothing at all to do with her real life. Her best friend disowns her for keeping secrets and Todd decides he wants nothing to do with the baby, stating that he can't deal with things changing so drastically in his life and admitting he has no plans to pay child support in the future, either.
ME, HIM, THEM, AND IT is a heartbreaking, painstakingly honest look at one young woman's struggle with making one of the most important decisions that a woman may ever face -- that of what to do when facing an unplanned pregnancy. While popular media like Teen Mom often portray a glamorized vision of teenage pregnancy, Carter's novel gives a gritty portrayal of what things REALLY look like, from the perspective of a troubled young girl who is conflicted by the expectations of those around her -- as well as her own misguided hopes for her future.
I think the best thing about the novel is really that it's just SO brutally honest from start to finish. Evelyn makes no hint of the fact that she feels entirely unfit to be a mother, and she is quick to let us know that she'd much rather be drunk and high than spending her time at home with a baby. She dreamily describes her sexual encounters with her boyfriend while detailing her hops for a happily ever after for two teenagers who are clearly not headed for a long term adult relationship. Even as the story progresses, Evelyn maintains a blatant openness about her thoughts on each of her options, in such a way that feels realistic and relateable to young readers.
Another great thing about this novel is the wit and skill the author displays in crafting the inner dialogue of the main character. There are so many lines that are just SO magically quotable, like the following...
When we leave I am clad in hot pink and covered in sparkles, an unwed mother masquerading as a Disney Princess.
LOVE IT!
I would totally recommend this to anyone who loves realistic fiction dealing with sensitive issues, although I would definitely recommend this one more for adults and teens who are a little older and more mature. The story is fantastic, the writing is superb, and the novel definitely earns five fabulous stars from me, for sure!
And so begins the candid story of Evelyn Jones, a sixteen year old high school student whose world is forever changed when she learns that she is pregnant. While her previous focus was on hanging out with her best friend, hooking up with her boyfriend, and working on getting the grades to keep her future valedictorian role in sight, now Evelyn is faced with something entirely new and foreign -- the decision as to whether she will abort, adopt, or parent the child growing inside of her.
I don't like the baby. I know it's not the baby's fault, but it showed up and everything sucks. Now, I can't drink; I can't smoke weed; I can't have sex...
Sent away by her parents to hide from the shame that unwed pregnancy would bring at her strict Catholic school, Evelyn moves in with her aunt and her wife until things are back to normal -- whatever that means now. Isolated from her friends and separated from her boyfriend, Evelyn realizes just how much she has to lose, no matter what she picks. Are there any options that will let her resume things exactly as they were before without feeling guilty?
Although Evelyn dreams of a future where she and Todd are blissfully in love, raising their child together as husband and wife, she soon comes to realize that her fantasies have nothing at all to do with her real life. Her best friend disowns her for keeping secrets and Todd decides he wants nothing to do with the baby, stating that he can't deal with things changing so drastically in his life and admitting he has no plans to pay child support in the future, either.
ME, HIM, THEM, AND IT is a heartbreaking, painstakingly honest look at one young woman's struggle with making one of the most important decisions that a woman may ever face -- that of what to do when facing an unplanned pregnancy. While popular media like Teen Mom often portray a glamorized vision of teenage pregnancy, Carter's novel gives a gritty portrayal of what things REALLY look like, from the perspective of a troubled young girl who is conflicted by the expectations of those around her -- as well as her own misguided hopes for her future.
I think the best thing about the novel is really that it's just SO brutally honest from start to finish. Evelyn makes no hint of the fact that she feels entirely unfit to be a mother, and she is quick to let us know that she'd much rather be drunk and high than spending her time at home with a baby. She dreamily describes her sexual encounters with her boyfriend while detailing her hops for a happily ever after for two teenagers who are clearly not headed for a long term adult relationship. Even as the story progresses, Evelyn maintains a blatant openness about her thoughts on each of her options, in such a way that feels realistic and relateable to young readers.
Another great thing about this novel is the wit and skill the author displays in crafting the inner dialogue of the main character. There are so many lines that are just SO magically quotable, like the following...
When we leave I am clad in hot pink and covered in sparkles, an unwed mother masquerading as a Disney Princess.
LOVE IT!
I would totally recommend this to anyone who loves realistic fiction dealing with sensitive issues, although I would definitely recommend this one more for adults and teens who are a little older and more mature. The story is fantastic, the writing is superb, and the novel definitely earns five fabulous stars from me, for sure!
October 1, 2013
Me, Him, Them and It is a book that screams 'issues'. A pregnant teenager, a family that is dysfunctional at best, a lesbian aunt and adopted cousins all pile together to make a book that has a hell of a lot going on, and I was interested to see how Caela Carter could pull all this together.
The most memorable thing about this book is definitely the main character, Evelyn. As her relationship with her parents has disintegrated, she throws energies into becoming a 'bad girl', and thus ending up pregnant at sixteen. She's not the most easily likable character, and her lack of ability to make a decision or even communicate to those closest to her I found quite frustrating, but also understanable. By vocalising something it becomes real, when all she wants to do is stick her head in the sand and hope it all goes away.
The family dynamics in Me, Him, Them and It are what really make this book different. Evelyn spends almost the whole book interacting, avoiding or fighting with her family, and it's quite unusual to get this much parental and extended family involvment in a Young Adult novel. Everyone who bemoans this lack I would imagine would be rather interested in reading this book, although it's definitely not all rainbows and butterflies. It is realistic, and although at times I wanted to shake Evelyn's mother (or, more accurately, slap her), the connection between her parents behaviour and Evelyns is logical.
There's very little romance in this book - there's the father of the baby, with whom Evelyn has a relationship, but it's not overly close or developed and for large parts of the book he is absent. This makes the book feel far more realisitic, but if you need a bit of romance in your YA novels, this one would probably be a little disappointing. For me personally, it's not a deal breaker, and I really liked that Carter didn't just add in a romance for the sake of it.
Me, Him, Them and It ended in a way that I had a few issues with, but they were personal issues of mine, rather than the book itself - I just didn't feel comfortable with the resolution, and although I'm sure the author did her research, it just didn't feel 'right' to me. Along with the fact that I found Evelyn hard-going at times, this book was just missing a little something to make it really memorable for me, but I could see it being a great read for those looking for YA novel that really focuses on family interactions.
The most memorable thing about this book is definitely the main character, Evelyn. As her relationship with her parents has disintegrated, she throws energies into becoming a 'bad girl', and thus ending up pregnant at sixteen. She's not the most easily likable character, and her lack of ability to make a decision or even communicate to those closest to her I found quite frustrating, but also understanable. By vocalising something it becomes real, when all she wants to do is stick her head in the sand and hope it all goes away.
The family dynamics in Me, Him, Them and It are what really make this book different. Evelyn spends almost the whole book interacting, avoiding or fighting with her family, and it's quite unusual to get this much parental and extended family involvment in a Young Adult novel. Everyone who bemoans this lack I would imagine would be rather interested in reading this book, although it's definitely not all rainbows and butterflies. It is realistic, and although at times I wanted to shake Evelyn's mother (or, more accurately, slap her), the connection between her parents behaviour and Evelyns is logical.
There's very little romance in this book - there's the father of the baby, with whom Evelyn has a relationship, but it's not overly close or developed and for large parts of the book he is absent. This makes the book feel far more realisitic, but if you need a bit of romance in your YA novels, this one would probably be a little disappointing. For me personally, it's not a deal breaker, and I really liked that Carter didn't just add in a romance for the sake of it.
Me, Him, Them and It ended in a way that I had a few issues with, but they were personal issues of mine, rather than the book itself - I just didn't feel comfortable with the resolution, and although I'm sure the author did her research, it just didn't feel 'right' to me. Along with the fact that I found Evelyn hard-going at times, this book was just missing a little something to make it really memorable for me, but I could see it being a great read for those looking for YA novel that really focuses on family interactions.
January 7, 2013
I have always been intrigued by the concept of teen pregnancy. I'm not sure if it's because I personally broke a stereotype racially and demographically not getting pregnant as a teen. Or if it's because I am still amazed when I do meet teen moms. But I have honestly been so fascinated by this topic and it's prevalence in teen media that I made it the topic for my last final paper in college.
So when I saw this book, I knew I had to read and review it. From very first glance, the cover has a cleaver way of signaling that a pregnancy story is ahead. I love the cleaver design and that every aspect of it actually perfectly matches the story within. They actually casted a model that looks like Evelyn!
Story wise, I cried so freakin' much! I feel like I was a pregnant lady with the amount of tears this book made me shed. I think Caela Carter was very skillful in the way she crafted this story. What always bugs me about the portrayal of teen pregnancy and parenthood in pop fiction is the lack of real emotion and accuracy in life hardship. Juno has no emotion to it, just humor. Secret Life is all about how easy it is to play house and make ends meet. That everything will work out perfect in the end and the dramas you face will only be sex related. Depictions like that make we cringe because there is a whole lot more stress to life than just sex.
And I think Carter did a good job showing that. While Evelyn sucked at actually facing and handling those stresses in a mature way, she was a child after all and her life couldn't go back to normal after, like most stories go.
What felt a little unrealistic to me was the "going away" plot line. If this was the mid-twentieth century, then yes that would be the only direction this story could go. But in 2013, it just doesn't seem relatable. It does make me wonder if Carter got the idea for this story from reading the Girls Who Went Away though because the emotions and events rang very true to that.
In the end, I really enjoyed this book. It was just the kind of emotional story I like. And while I would be more apt to recommend this book to teen girls regarding pregnancy than say Bumped or even Juno, it is definitely for a more mature reader who can differentiate the good and bad decisions in this book.
I received a free review copy of this book from the publishers but the opinions expressed here are my own.
So when I saw this book, I knew I had to read and review it. From very first glance, the cover has a cleaver way of signaling that a pregnancy story is ahead. I love the cleaver design and that every aspect of it actually perfectly matches the story within. They actually casted a model that looks like Evelyn!
Story wise, I cried so freakin' much! I feel like I was a pregnant lady with the amount of tears this book made me shed. I think Caela Carter was very skillful in the way she crafted this story. What always bugs me about the portrayal of teen pregnancy and parenthood in pop fiction is the lack of real emotion and accuracy in life hardship. Juno has no emotion to it, just humor. Secret Life is all about how easy it is to play house and make ends meet. That everything will work out perfect in the end and the dramas you face will only be sex related. Depictions like that make we cringe because there is a whole lot more stress to life than just sex.
And I think Carter did a good job showing that. While Evelyn sucked at actually facing and handling those stresses in a mature way, she was a child after all and her life couldn't go back to normal after, like most stories go.
What felt a little unrealistic to me was the "going away" plot line. If this was the mid-twentieth century, then yes that would be the only direction this story could go. But in 2013, it just doesn't seem relatable. It does make me wonder if Carter got the idea for this story from reading the Girls Who Went Away though because the emotions and events rang very true to that.
In the end, I really enjoyed this book. It was just the kind of emotional story I like. And while I would be more apt to recommend this book to teen girls regarding pregnancy than say Bumped or even Juno, it is definitely for a more mature reader who can differentiate the good and bad decisions in this book.
I received a free review copy of this book from the publishers but the opinions expressed here are my own.
November 11, 2012
Official review to come closer to release date. Here are my initial thoughts after finishing this book today.
Favorite scene:
I cried.
Overall
A great book. Teen pregnancy is unfortunate and can have horrible outcomes.
Writing
I loved the structure of this book. The flash backs to Ev's friends and events. The chapter titles were nice.
Personal Story
I had a best friend that got pregnant at 15. She is now thirty with 2 children and a husband. She lost her most recent child to a sepsis infection within the first two weeks of her life. She has not had an easy life but I know that she and her husband made the right decision to raise their child together.
Teen Pregnancy
I can't say that I agree or disagree with Ev's decisions in this book. I know that I would have handled many issues differently. I made it my prerogative to NOT get pregnant as a teen. It was the one thing my step-father always threw in my face while I was growing up. I was and continue to be motivated to do what others think I can't do. In this case, get through high school without becoming pregnant. That doesn't mean I wasn't sexually active. It just means I was smart and didn't let myself get caught up in the situation. I also had a great partner that was also smart and didn't forget to be protective.
Moral
In the end this book hammered in the one thing I do agree with. It is your decision to make yourself. I also believe it is also the baby's father's decision too. It may be your body but the child is not just the mother's. It's both of theirs.
Favorite scene:
I cried.
Overall
A great book. Teen pregnancy is unfortunate and can have horrible outcomes.
Writing
I loved the structure of this book. The flash backs to Ev's friends and events. The chapter titles were nice.
Personal Story
I had a best friend that got pregnant at 15. She is now thirty with 2 children and a husband. She lost her most recent child to a sepsis infection within the first two weeks of her life. She has not had an easy life but I know that she and her husband made the right decision to raise their child together.
Teen Pregnancy
I can't say that I agree or disagree with Ev's decisions in this book. I know that I would have handled many issues differently. I made it my prerogative to NOT get pregnant as a teen. It was the one thing my step-father always threw in my face while I was growing up. I was and continue to be motivated to do what others think I can't do. In this case, get through high school without becoming pregnant. That doesn't mean I wasn't sexually active. It just means I was smart and didn't let myself get caught up in the situation. I also had a great partner that was also smart and didn't forget to be protective.
Moral
In the end this book hammered in the one thing I do agree with. It is your decision to make yourself. I also believe it is also the baby's father's decision too. It may be your body but the child is not just the mother's. It's both of theirs.
May 4, 2013
I couldn't put this book down because I could not imagine how Evie would find her way through the horrible choices that lay before her. Until the last fifty pages I had no idea how the book would end. Evie really had to find courage and grow up in order for this book to have a satisfying ending which was not too good to be true. Caela put her main character through the wringer and brought her out the other side whole.
I do not understand those who could not relate to Evie. I sympathized with her, I understood her and I loved her. It is nice to see a quiet girl as a main character. Though she has a hard time speaking her feelings, we are privy to her thoughts and carried along with the tumult. One thing I loved about Evie was her stubbornness in not letting people push her into making decisions before she was ready. She was not facing up to facts at many times in the book, despite everyone trying to force her to. Still in the end, she was able to make courageous decisions. None of us are born with courage. It takes time for us to grow it. Yes, it's best to face facts, but sometimes we just don't have it in us to do it, maybe because we haven't been shown this kind of courage. Which obviously, she had not been shown by her parents who were not facing facts themselves. Evie made some poor decisions. She paid the price for them, and she became better for it. What more can you ask of a daughter, or of yourself?
I do not understand those who could not relate to Evie. I sympathized with her, I understood her and I loved her. It is nice to see a quiet girl as a main character. Though she has a hard time speaking her feelings, we are privy to her thoughts and carried along with the tumult. One thing I loved about Evie was her stubbornness in not letting people push her into making decisions before she was ready. She was not facing up to facts at many times in the book, despite everyone trying to force her to. Still in the end, she was able to make courageous decisions. None of us are born with courage. It takes time for us to grow it. Yes, it's best to face facts, but sometimes we just don't have it in us to do it, maybe because we haven't been shown this kind of courage. Which obviously, she had not been shown by her parents who were not facing facts themselves. Evie made some poor decisions. She paid the price for them, and she became better for it. What more can you ask of a daughter, or of yourself?
February 25, 2013
Wow. This was a really well-written book, and Evelyn made for a great main character. Carter wrote her in such a way that she's defiant, vulnerable, witty (I did laugh out loud a couple times), and so much more. She felt like a real person and how I imagine many teen moms feel when they learn they're pregnant.
Evelyn has a wonderful emotional arc over the course of the book, and I loved reading along, watching her grow, regress, and grow again. It's a difficult book to put down and I was scrolling through pages faster than usual. I liked the inclusion too of the different types of parents and parenting styles; there's her parents, her Aunt Linda and her partner Nora, her friend Lizzie's mom, a fellow pregnant teen and her boyfriend as well as her family. It was interesting to see all these, and Evelyn comments on all of them, wondering if she'll be like them as a parent.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and reading about these characters' lives. Carter is a fantastic new voice in YA and I can't wait to read what she writes next!
Evelyn has a wonderful emotional arc over the course of the book, and I loved reading along, watching her grow, regress, and grow again. It's a difficult book to put down and I was scrolling through pages faster than usual. I liked the inclusion too of the different types of parents and parenting styles; there's her parents, her Aunt Linda and her partner Nora, her friend Lizzie's mom, a fellow pregnant teen and her boyfriend as well as her family. It was interesting to see all these, and Evelyn comments on all of them, wondering if she'll be like them as a parent.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and reading about these characters' lives. Carter is a fantastic new voice in YA and I can't wait to read what she writes next!
May 24, 2013
I liked the book, but I was so frustrated with Evelyn alot of the time and I hated the ending. I thought it was going to be a bit lighthearted (well as lighthearted as teenage pregnancy can be) as opposed to most of the depressing books dealing with this topic. But no, it was kinda depressing. I felt really bad for Evelyn at the start, with her parents and crappy Todd, but after a while she was so infuriating. Why couldn't she speak or make a decision? Well, I understand why, but it was still annoying. And then her behaviour in the end just took the biscuit. I started to feel so bad for her dad. It was lovely to read about her becoming close to Nora and the kids though.
April 12, 2013
The title of this book just 'called' to me ..
You can probably guess from the title what 'it' is ... * spoiler*
Teenage pregnancy is still a taboo subject ..can you imagine the horror when said teen is in a Catholic school?
I actually enjoyed the pointless teenage rambles throughout the book ...I have a teen at home and I so can relate to the .. 'if I can't see it ..it doesn't concern me' attitude
I'm not known for emotion ..however I did feel a strange lump in my throat at the choices and decisions being made ..
A relatively short book ..I read it in 5 hours ..
You can probably guess from the title what 'it' is ... * spoiler*
Teenage pregnancy is still a taboo subject ..can you imagine the horror when said teen is in a Catholic school?
I actually enjoyed the pointless teenage rambles throughout the book ...I have a teen at home and I so can relate to the .. 'if I can't see it ..it doesn't concern me' attitude
I'm not known for emotion ..however I did feel a strange lump in my throat at the choices and decisions being made ..
A relatively short book ..I read it in 5 hours ..
September 2, 2016
It was an interesting incursion in the life of a pregnant teen-girl, with the frustratingly limited view of the world. The writing is quite good, a well done first person you can actually empathize with. You don't necessarily agree with her decisions, but it is interesting to see the decision making process and the views on pregnancy as a first world issue.
Interesting read, well written, and even if the book's ending might disappoint, it is really a realistic and honest ending. I loved that.
Interesting read, well written, and even if the book's ending might disappoint, it is really a realistic and honest ending. I loved that.
July 23, 2016
I am amazed by this book's ability to make me feel attached to an unborn child (adorably referred to as Bean).
This book is wonderfully written, and is sad, funny, happy, and gut wrenching all at the same time. I didn't even know that was possible. This book is filled with almost every emotion possible (which I can guess is partially due to the hormones that Evie was dealing with).
But I'm really only giving this book 4.75 stars, because
This book is wonderfully written, and is sad, funny, happy, and gut wrenching all at the same time. I didn't even know that was possible. This book is filled with almost every emotion possible (which I can guess is partially due to the hormones that Evie was dealing with).
But I'm really only giving this book 4.75 stars, because
April 29, 2016
3.5 stars. I loved how this book was so Pro-Planned Parenthood. That's reason enough to pick it up because I rarely read about those experiences in YA. Lots of tough stuff in Evelyn's story with an important focus on "the silent family" and what happens when the struggles in the marriage of the parents affects the whole family in ways you never thought. Also loved Aunt Linda and her daughters. Even stern Nora grew on me. Lots of nuance to these characters and their relationships.
Keywords: teen pregnancy, best friendship, Chicago, family secrets, Catholic school
Keywords: teen pregnancy, best friendship, Chicago, family secrets, Catholic school
November 20, 2013
This book is as real as it could. I like how she acts her age and be so mature at the same time. I hate Todd but I guess he's just as confuse as anyone that would be on that situation. I kinda hate the ending but I like the plot. It was full of emotions. The entire book made me realize that sometimes things don't go the way we wanted because we needed something else. Doesn't mean we never could have it anyway. Just in the right time.
April 15, 2013
I cried. And cried. And cried. Part way through I started to get annoyed with Evelyn and the way she shut herself off, then something clicked, and I got it. I felt how she was feeling. And I cried. Fabulous book.
February 9, 2015
Wow this was such a pleasant surprise. The voice was amazing. A unique spin on a teen pregnancy novel. Very talented author. Can't wait to see what's next from her.
December 4, 2013
The ending kind of felt rushed, but otherwise I really enjoyed this book. I saw some of my own avoiding, self-isolating tendencies in Evie and I think that made her seem real to me.
December 29, 2013
I find it kinda hard to fathom that this girl is supposed to be asian and she's a real... female dog and I don't like how she's so damn spoiled!
But overally, good.
But overally, good.
January 18, 2014
I'm really glad I decided to read this at home as I just spend the last 40ish pages bawling.
February 26, 2014
I enjoyed this book. My daughter joined my life thru adoption and to read a story from a Birthmother's view was a nice perspective that I could not imagine from my own life experience.
March 28, 2014
I cried. Like really crying all throughout the book. It's just so emotional, and painful, and real. It'ss awesome.
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