Monday, August 22, 2016

Review: Ripple by Heather Smith Meloche


Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Published: September 20, 2016
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320

Source: First to Read
Synopsis:
When their too-adult lives lead them down self-destructive paths, these broken teens find a way to heal in this YA novel perfect for fans of Ellen Hopkins.

With her impossible-to-please grandmother on her back about college and her disapproving step-dad watching her every move, Tessa would do anything to escape the pressure-cooker she calls home. So she finds a shot of much-needed power and confidence by hooking up with boys, even though it means cheating on her boyfriend. But when she's finally caught red-handed, she’ll do anything she can to cover up what she's done.

Jack is a prankster who bucks the system every chance he gets—each transgression getting riskier and riskier. He loves the thrill, and each adventure allows a little release because his smug smile and suave demeanor in the face of authority doesn’t make life at home with his mom any less tough. He tries to take care of her, but the truth is he's powerless in the face of her fragile mental health. So he copes in his own way, by defacing public property and pulling elaborate pranks, though he knows in the end this’ll only screw up his life even more.

As they both try not to let their self-destructive patterns get the best of them, Tessa and Jack gravitate toward one another, discovering the best parts of themselves in the process. An honest portrayal of the urges that drive us and finding the strength to overcome them.
 


My Rating:
★★★★


Review:
I received this book from the First to Reads program for an honest review, all reviews and opinions are my own.

I feel like this will be a long review because of how close to home this book touches. This one hit me in the feels, I did not expect it but it did.

I liked how the chapters switched back and forth between the two characters. This makes it easier to see what is going on each of the main characters heads.Though they both are in different situations they are similar and I think that brings them closer together. I know a little something about that since both my husband and I come from troubled backgrounds with family, and I think that is one thing that pushed us closer together. Family can break up a relationship really fast but when the two came together like they did in this book to sort of help each other through the others pain it creates a bond that doesn't let go.

Tessa irritated me at times with how weak she made herself and put herself in harms way when with other boys. She needed to go through it to learn and become stronger, but it was still very dangerous. I can relate a bit because I went through things that if I look back now and know what I do now I wouldn't have gone through what I did but at the age I was and with what I knew I had to go through it to become the stronger me. She needed to learn to stand up for herself and make people see what she wants in life. I know its hard because parents want to live through their childs life but that isn't always the best for them.

Jack had to learn to live for himself he had a lot of responsibility and sometimes it is okay to be selfish. I know first handed how hard it is to be the adult when you yourself are a kid, but it does make one stronger in the end. Without giving away to much he learned to grow and let go of somethings sometimes you can't be the only one to carry such a burden.

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