Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins' book, Impulse, is a fiction book about three teenagers whose lives intersect at a psych hospital. Whether on purpose or by accident, each of them has done something to try and end their life. Conner tried to put a bullet through his chest even though he had the life most kids dream of having. He had money, he got what he wanted when he wanted it and he was popular. But his mother was cold and heartless and never around. Vanessa lived with her nurse grandmother after her mom was put into a psych hospital. When she started to hear the demons her mom always heard, she got into the habit of cutting. Well, she accidently cut too deeply once and it landed her in the psych hospital. Tony grew up in too many places, all of which were bad. He’s gay, trying to get by and he was abused by many of his mother’s boyfriends, so he ran away. When he had nothing left for which to live, he tried to overdose. They all have a challenge to get through and that is to survive. If you have a difficult life just remember there is always someone who cares. This book though is a great read for anyone.

Emily A.

Summer of Secrets by: Paul Langan

I liked this book a lot because it was really interesting. This book is about a teenage girl named Darcy Wills who was having so many problems in her life. One problem was a boy from school, named Brian, who attacked her. This made her so afraid of boys she didn’t want them near her.

At home she was having problems because her parents were always fighting and arguing. Darcy needed help and needed to talk to someone but there was no one around. The people she loved the most were gone, like her Grandma who had died from a stroke and her ex-boyfriend who went to Detroit. Later on in the story, Darcy was unable to deny the painful truth she had tried to hide.

Darcy turns to her remaining friends only to discover one of them was hiding an even bigger secret. So from there on Darcy had to stand up for herself and her friend. In the end the secrets are discovered. I think other students will like this book because it’s really interesting plus you learn things from this book. I recommend this book to anyone who likes books about teenage difficulties. This book keeps you entertained to the point where you can’t stop reading it because you want to know what will happen next.

Brenda G.

Go Ask Alice By: Anonymous

I really enjoyed "Go Ask Alice" because it is a true story. This book is about a young 15 year old girl who gets addicted to the life of drugs, alcohol and sex. Alice is going through a difficult time in her life; she had her heart broken, she isn’t very popular and she has to leave her hometown.

Alice doesn’t adjust well to her new surroundings so she ends up going back to her hometown and spends the whole summer with her grandparents. She ends up meeting with old school mate, Jill, but what she doesn’t know is that Jill is not as nice as she seems. Jill invites Alice over for a party. Jill and her friends end up slipping acid to Alice and that is when the addiction begins. I think a lot of high school girls can relate to Jill since many students are having a lot of urges to try new things and it shows the consequences.

Jennifer L.

Target By: Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson

Personally I did not like the book, Target. The book was a little too much over the top for me. The book went in to way too much detail and certain aspects of the book were too graphic for me to handle. The topics the author covered in detail included how a young man attending high school was raped and that seemed a little excessive. One reason other people may be interested in this book is because it goes through the life of a high school male who has been the victim of a rape and then tries to restart his life at a new high school. Another reason people might like this book is because the book goes into vivid detail in many parts of the book and this really lets the reader visualize and feel what it is like to experience difficult times in someone else’s life.

Robert G.

Two Badges by Mona Ruiz

This book is a very good book if you like inspirational stories and want to see how much people struggle but make good things come out of it. This book is about a young girl who lives in Santa Ana, California and joins a gang called the F-Troopers. The story tells a lot about how she struggles as a young girl, dropping out of school, getting pregnant and marrying an abusive husband who hit her in front of her children. Her dream, as well as her dad’s, has always been to become a police officer of Santa Ana. As she grows up, she faces many decisions. Her biggest decision is whether to follow her dream and become a police officer or keep on gang banging and go against some of her family members and friends.


I really liked this book because it shows how a young girl struggles so much growing up and how many hard decisions she went through but made the best of the experiences she had. I recommend other students read this book because it shows no matter how bad things are in your life you can always get out and become anything in life you want.

Magali C.

Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez's book, “Haters”, is a book of fiction. The book is about the story of a girl named Paski, who is the daughter of an artist. He got a better job offer and they moved from New Mexico to California. She was made fun of and she was hated by the popular girls at school. Although Paski was abandoned by her mother, she was still loved and cared for by her father. She doesn't have a perfect life but at least she's happy with the people around her.

Alyssa C.

The Interruption of Everything by Terry McMillan

Terry McMillan's book, “The Interruption of Everything”, is a very detailed but fun to read fiction book. It is an enjoyment to read. It tells how a woman by the name of Marilyn, who is in her mid-forties, thinks life is grand. Then her husband, Leon, comes out with a secret that might cause huge changes in her life. Leon's mother lives with them as well as the dog she has had for as long as she can remember. Leon’s father passed away many months ago. Her sister is a drug addict with two kids and her mother might have Alzheimer's disease. Marilyn has three kids, a daughter who is 21 and pregnant and twin boys who are 18 and in college. Marilyn has a lot of obstacles to overcome. Will she get over them?

Tonjanna B.

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

“Go Ask Alice” is a diary written by a fifteen year old girl seeking friends and popularity. In the seeking of friends and popularity, Alice found the wrong group of friends who push her to get into the world of drugs. In this world she met un-protected sex, alcohol and finally the destruction of her entire life. The entire diary tells about the battle between getting out of this world and coming back to it. Would she be able to get out of this seductive world? Read this book to find out.

Gisela Z.

Diary by Chuck Palaniuk

In Diary, we are thrown into a story of love, hate and conspiracy but mostly hate. Misty Wilcot is a mediocre wife, with a mediocre job and a mediocre life. Her husband is comatose from a previous accident, an accident she indirectly caused, but an accident nonetheless. A chain of events unfolds to leave Misty miserable but at the same time almost content in her misery. I enjoyed the deranged storytelling as well as the social interactions that had a consistent edge of repressed malice.

Ed H.

Hold Still by Nina La'Cour

"Hold Still" by Nina La'Cour is an amazing book. If you like a book about teens going through a rough time this is the book you would want to read. It tells about a girl name Caitlyn trying to get through her best friend’s suicide. Caitlyn couldn't figure out why her friend did it until she found her best friend's journal under her bed. It told why she did it. Caitlyn wasn’t able to help her friend and she had to figure out the answer from her friend's journal.

Alejandra V.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Chris Crutcher's book "Deadline" is a work of fiction. It tells the story of Ben Wolf, a high school senior who just found out he's dying and wants to make his last year here special. It keeps the reader in touch with emotions throughout the story but also keeps the reader asking questions. If you have read Crutcher, you will enjoy reading “Deadline” because it tells the story of life and how some people deal with it. I personally recommend this book for anyone looking for an easy yet fulfilling read.

Eddie R.

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

There is much to respect about Dave Pelzer. He served his country during Desert Storm and has received commendations from Presidents Reagan, Bush the First and Clinton for his work as a motivational speaker. His other honors include being named California's Volunteer of the Year in 1990, one of 1993's Ten Outstanding Young Americans and one of the Outstanding Young Persons of the World for 1994. He is a best selling author and tells his story to the world in the book, A Child Called "It". He is the survivor of the third worst case of child abuse in California history.

Dave's powerful story begins on March 5, 1973 when Dave is 12 years old. He describes his morning before school when he has 20 minutes to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen if he has any hopes of eating that morning. Dave explains how his mother starves him as one of her many horrible "punishments". Dave has not eaten since lunch the day before. When Dave takes his hand out of the scalding dish water for a second, his mother catches him. As soon as his mother sees his hands out of the water she smashes his head into the kitchen counter. Dave falls and cries to stop his mother from hitting him again; he knows his mother gets satisfaction from his pain so he doesn't try to be tough.

His mother gives him a half eaten bowl of Lucky Charms and takes him, along with his brothers, to school. When Dave arrives at school he is late and his mother yells at him to tell the school nurse he ran into a door if she asks what happened to him. Since Dave is late to school he has to go see the school nurse which turns out to be a huge turning point in Dave's life because the nurse finally decides to help him. When the nurse sees the huge wound on Dave's head she asks what happened. Of course Dave told her just what his mom instructed him to say. The nurse again does not belief him because this is not the first time Dave has come to her office.

She pulls out the boy's record that includes bruises, cuts, malnutrition and, of course, the stab wound. The nurse tells the school principal and calls the police. Dave is taken to the San Mateo Juvenile Department Center never to return home. Dave, in his story, tells us his mother was not always abusive. He describes her as being warm and loving.

He tells us his mother would leave on trips and everything was nice. His mother changed when he was just four years old. He was never too sure why but he said it was because of her excessive drinking and his father’s absence due to his fireman duties. His mother focused all of her rage mostly on him because she disliked him more than her other kids.

The story continues through his life with his evil mother. He explains why he cannot escape and that his father will not do anything to help because he too is an alcoholic. Dave is a smart boy because he knows his mother's "games" and how to make things better for the moment.

One of the major passages in the book was when Dave was stabbed by his mother and all his dad said was “well, you better go wash those dishes". This happened when Dave was in the kitchen and he did not do his chores fast enough. His mother got mad and pointed the knife at him saying "I'm going to kill you" until she slipped and stabbed him. Dave started bleeding a lot and passed out. When Dave passed out his mother cleaned his wounds.

Later Dave goes to tell his dad what happened but his dad is drunk and does not care. This was a very important passage because it's when Dave finds out no one will help him, not even his father, whom he once loved so much. His own father did not help him and did not care. The author really does a very nice job of explaining everything with such great detail. Since this is a first person story it gives a lot more feeling to it.

Another important passage was when Dave's mother forces him to stay in the locked bathroom with a bucket of Clorox mixed with ammonia. I think this was one of the best sensory images from the author in the whole book because he described the scene so well I could even feel my eyes stinging. The author made me feel his pain so much during the whole story of the book.

This book is an autobiographical story. It's the true story of the author, Dave Pelzer. I think because the book is a true story and is written from the child’s perspective, the story provides a lot more detail and really puts you in his shoes. The book’s weakness is that it's written in a very simple writing style with not a lot of thought into the use of words because he is writing it as if he was a little boy. This book is short and easy for everyone to understand. It's a must read for anyone who wants to have an interesting read in a short amount of time.

Miguel C.

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

This easy-to-read novel by David Pelzer is an amazing story about David's distorted childhood. It taught me a great deal of true life experiences that weren't at all similar to those of which I am generally aware. I think other students would like this book because it does not require much thinking while reading and teaches you about a man's life who is known throughout the country today for his unique childhood and amazing strength.

Jillian M.

Cut by Patricia McCormick

Callie is an average teenager growing up in a healthy family until her little brother, Sam, gets deathly sick with asthma. She is forced to grow up quickly and soon she is practically taking care of herself. She is overwhelmed with life's milestones and begins the lethal habit of cutting herself to forget about her internal battles. Before long, Callie ends up in a treatment facility for girls with substance abuse issues and eating disorders but there is no one with a self inflicted abuse problem.

Being completely alone, she stops speaking all together, resists treatment and will not speak with anyone. However, after a series of events she decides to make the journey to treatment. Anyone can relate to this coming of age story when this young girl goes through hell and back to find out how strong she really is.

Morgan M.

TH1RTEEN REASONS Why by Jay Asher

This book is about Clay Jensen, a generally nice boy who receives a surprise gift on his doorstep. A shoebox was propped up at an angle on his doorstep. Inside the box were several tapes and a map with bright red stars in certain spots. Recently, his classmate (and crush), Hannah Baker, had committed suicide. No one really knew why she did this to herself but the true reason was on these tapes.

Throughout the story, Jay Asher leads you on a suspenseful journey as Hannah's voice eerily plays through Clay's headphones. He follows each location where Hannah tells him to go because at each location there’s a story or a twist that explains one of the thirteen reasons why she killed herself.

As the story continues, Hannah explains if the listener receives the tapes that meant he or she was on it. Clay's heart stops in an instant. This leaves you in awe about this girl's hard life. It makes your anticipation boil with every turn of the page. It makes you wait to hear about Clay's affiliation in this girl's death.

Jay Asher did a fabulous job in description, in point of view and descriptive action. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I couldn't put it down for a second and I ended up finishing this book in just two days. I guarantee every student will love this book. As a high school student myself, I can relate to Hannah Baker and hardships with friends, drama, partying, etc. Thirteen Reasons Why is a must-read book!

China W.

Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess

The book, "Such a Pretty Girl", was a very interesting book to read. It was about a girl named Meredith whose dad had gone to prison for being a child molester. Charles, the dad, had to come out of prison once Meredith turned eighteen. Meredith was glad with the court decision because she thought once she turned eighteen she could just start her own life alone. It turned out, however, her dad came back home when she was fifteen. This really shocked Meredith because she didn't want to be living in the same house with her dad . Meredith thought her life was over. I would really recommend this book to other people because it's really an interesting book which just makes you want to keep reading.



Ana F.

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

Life as an abused child; just imagine that. That’s what a young Dave Pelzer went through during his childhood. In the book "A Child Called It," Dave Pelzer tells his story about his abusive mother doing some very cruel things to her son. Dave's mother was an alcoholic and no longer cared about her son anymore. So she would make him suffer by making his life a living hell. Dave must go through many struggles just to find ways to survive day in and day out.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a very good story that keeps you wanting to read on to find out what happens to the young boy. It’s a very short read, only 153 pages long. I think many people would enjoy this book because it’s a good story and you get to feel the pain a young child would go through in an abusive family. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Tony Q.

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

A Million Little Pieces, written by James Frey, is a very interesting book. It is about a man, James, who hits rock bottom after being addicted to many drugs and to alcohol. He is flown to Chicago to one of America's best rehabilitation centers for substance abusers. He is told at the clinic if he uses one more time, he will die. I personally liked this book because I like stories about recovering drug addicts and the problems they encounter on their journey to sobriety. I think other students would like this book as well because it is a different story, one you do not hear everyday. Also, since it is a true story, it gets you interested quickly and lets you feel for what James is going through. I would recommend this book to anyone looking forward to a good read.

Katrina T.

DOORMAT by Kelly McWilliams

This book is a very good book for teenagers because it shows what a lot of girls have to go through and how difficult it is to live in a society where people expect a lot from them and they feel lost in a world where they don't know what to do with their life.

This book is mainly about a girl named Jaime; she doesn't know what she wants in life. She lives with her mom because her dad left them when she was little and she feels lost. She has a friend named Melissa who is really pretty and who wants to be a model. Melissa knows what she wants in life but she has to face something that changes her life. She gets pregnant and she doesn't know what to do or whether to tell her parents. Jaime helps her make the choice to keep the baby and they go through different things together.

I recommend this book because it makes you understand what others go through and how difficult it is. I enjoyed this book because it was really interesting. It always made me want to keep reading because the characters had to go through different stuff that a lot of teenagers go through and it’s easier to understand books when you can actually relate and make connections with them.

Elizabeth C.

Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

This book is about a girl who grows up in a small town and moves away to a new town. She leaves everything and everyone she knows. During the summer her grandma gets really sick so she goes back to her old town to help out her grandpa to take care of her grandma. Before she knows it, she ends up dealing with drugs, alcohol and sex.

Melissa G.