Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Publisher: Square Fish

Source: Purchased

Pages: 224

Series: Standalone

Release Date: May 10, 2011

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

I am Outcast.

The kids behind me laugh so loud I know they're laughing about me. I can't help myself. I turn around. It's Rachel, surrounded by a bunch of kids wearing clothes from the Eastside Mall. Rachel Bruin, my ex-best friend. She stares at something above my left ear. Words climb up my throat. This was the girl who suffered through Brownies with me, who taught me how to swim, who understood about my parents, who didn't make fun of my bedroom. If there is anyone in the entire galaxy I am dying to tell what really happened, it's Rachel. My throat burns.

Her eyes meet mine for a second. "I hate you," she mouths silently.

Melinda Sordino's freshman year is off to a horrible start. She busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, and now her friends--and even strangers--all hate her. Months pass and things aren't getting better. She's a pariah. The lowest of the low. Avoided by everyone. But eventually, she'll reveal what happened at the party. And when she finally speaks the truth, everything will change.

Okay, so I'm not going to lie. This book talked about a very touchy subject that hits close to home for me. I was a little hesitant to read it once I found out what it was about, but I gave it a shot anyways. I told myself that if it got too bad to read, it would be okay to put it down.

Before I go into how I felt about the book, I want to say something. If anyone has been a victim of abuse, either sexual or physical, don't be afraid to tell someone. You are not alone and there will be people there for you that will help you get through things. Getting through something like that alone is not possible. It makes things worse. Talking to someone about what happened will allow you to get help and also make you feel better. Again, you are not alone. Talk to someone!

Now on to my feelings about the book. There were some parts that I liked and there were some parts that I wasn't a big fan of. The way the author writes is so powerful. She makes you feel all kinds of emotions. Throughout the whole book, I felt a connection with the main character, Melinda. I could feel pretty much every emotion that she was feeling. Sometimes it got to where I felt like I really was her. It was kind of scary to be honest.

I thought that the main character, Melinda, was such a strong character. She had to deal with so much throughout the whole book and never once did she give up. Sure it may have taken her a year to speak to someone about what really happened to her at the party, but she did eventually speak. The truth was finally told. I thought that it was so heartbreaking that her own friends wouldn't listen to her and let her explain to them what had happened to her.

I think that this story is definitely worth reading. I think that it teaches a good lesson to teens as well as others as well. I have heard that this book is a required reading at some schools and I can see why it is. If it isn't, I think that it should be. I think that kids need to read about something like this. There are so many people who have to deal with things like this and knowing that they really can go to someone and tell them what happened can be a good thing to let them know.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book. I think that it teaches a great lesson that many people should read about.

Review: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen

Publisher: Speak

Source: Purchased

Pages: 250

Series: Standalone

Release Date: May 11, 2004

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Wake up, Caitlin

Ever since she started going out with Rogerson Biscoe, Caitlin seems to have fallen into a semiconscious dreamland where nothing is quite real. Rogerson is different from anyone Caitlin has ever known. He's magnetic. He's compelling. He's dangerous. Being with him makes Caitlin forget about everything else--her missing sister, her withdrawn mother, her lackluster life. But what happens when being with Rogerson becomes a larger problem than being without him?

This is by far my favorite book by Sarah Dessen. This story os so heartbreaking. Actually, heartbreaking may not be a strong enough word to describe this book. 

As I read this, I would literally cringe and want to cry/scream/punch things. Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but this book caused me to go through so many different emotions. It was haunting and disturbing. I feel so bad for Caitlin throughout the whole book. She feels like she will never measure up to her sister, Cass. She ends up getting tired of trying to be like her that she is lead to trouble. In this case, trouble is named Rogerson. I'm not going to say much about him because that would be a spoiler, but I will say that I HATED him SO so so much. At first, things seem to be just find between them... then things happen. (I won't mention what things because again, spoiler.) There were parts in the book where I literally wanted to shake Caitlin because I felt like she should have known better in some situations. She knows that she is on a destructive path, but she feels like she can't do anything to get herself out of it. I feel like this isn't true. I feel like you have a choice whether or not you really want to or not.

This book is one of those books that is so raw. The things that Caitlin had to deal with, I could relate to in so many ways. I unfortunately was in a situation like her before, so I felt a real connection with her and her story. Although we took different actions to help ourselves to get out, I still understand why she did certain things. I feel like Dessen did an awesome job with showing the negative effects of drugs without being too preachy. Sometimes you need to go through pain to heal, but drugs cheat you out of the opportunity. Sarah Dessen is a beast at showing how all the choices we make add up to what path we are lead to. She does this in all of her books. 

There isn't a lot that I can say about this book without giving too much away. All I can say is that you should definitely give this book a read. It is one of those books that after you read it, you won't forget it.