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Check out my full review of this book here:
http://www.consumedbybooks.com/2017/0... ...more
http://www.consumedbybooks.com/2017/0... ...more
This book was quite a wild ride through Kiri's summer on her own. Her parents have gone on a 6 week cruise, her older brother Denny is out of the house, and 17-year-old Kiri is home practicing her piano for the Showcase she has qualified for, as well as the Battle of the Bands with her best friend. Then, she receives a phone call from someone with a connection to her older sister, who died in a car accident 5 years earlier. Kiri had been close to her sister, despite the rest of her family having
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This book was SO not what I was expecting. What I thought I would get: A sad adventure featuring a responsible young lady whose story is interesting but not disastrous. What I did get: A complex, melancholy look at a teen girl who has too much to handle on her own, and when she receives shocking news about her sister, breaks. With this story I completely understood that the main character didn't even realize what was happening as it went along. She was all on her own and dealt with everything as
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Despite the official description, this book is really about one teen girl's descent into a manic episode. Its descriptions of mental illness, both hers and a boy named Skunk's, were realistic and heartfelt, feeling very much like Plath's The Bell Jar. Her emotions seemed to jump to extremes, which I suppose is indicative of the mania, but the plot points seemed so disconnected. One day she was practicing like crazy for her piano recital, the next she was going on all day bike rides, the next she
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The writing in this debut novel is really quite good for the most part (the timeline was a bit sloppy), but this ultimately wasn't a very enjoyable read. The manic episodes experienced by the main character made me annoyed and anxious - which means they were very well done - but it didn't exactly make me want to read.
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Solid, sometimes inspired writing but the central premise had too many holes - Kiri's descent into mania, drinking, and drug use was inconsistent with everything the reader knows. In addition, Kiri's almost absent cellphone was a problem in terms of accuracy. Speaking of absent...Kiri's parents were straight out of the YA casting department. As a reader, I found it hard to believe that parents too protective to let their teen daughter drive would leave her to her own devices for an entire summer
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I think teens would read this...believable, even though the circumstances are not...
I like books about crazy people. They're refreshing. Real review to come.
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A creative and unique voice. I liked Kiri but didn't get as swept up in this as the reviews had led me to expect.
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So many things I love about this book: kindred spirits, midnight bicycle rides, obsession/art/music, upbeat tone, serious issues, honest dialog, fast pace - and who doesn't love an irascible 3-legged cat?! Most of all, I appreciate characters with mental illness who are multi-dimensional, likable, productive, important, and so much more than symptoms, side-effects or stereotypes. One of my favorites of the year for realistic romance for teens grades 9 and up.
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Read for review.
Powerful. Disturbing and beautiful, too. There are flaws -- thin characterizations, sloppy moments -- but this is a book that kept me up way past my bedtime because I had to keep going, fueled by Kiri's manic energy.
It will be interesting to see if it stays with me or fades quickly. ...more
It will be interesting to see if it stays with me or fades quickly. ...more
Jan 01, 2013
Haley Shaffer
marked it as to-read
Feb 04, 2013
Elizabeth
marked it as to-read
Feb 09, 2013
Sarah Gross
marked it as to-read
Jun 07, 2013
Marybeth
marked it as to-read
Aug 04, 2013
Nancy
marked it as to-read
Jun 26, 2014
Amy
marked it as to-read
