Review: The Truth About Alice



The Truth About Alice

Jennifer Mathieu

Roaring Brook Press

 

 

 

From Goodreads: Everyone knows Alice slept with two guys at one party.

But did you know Alice was sexting Brandon when he crashed his car?

It's true. Ask ANYBODY.

Rumor has it that Alice Franklin is a slut. It's written all over the bathroom stall at Healy High for everyone to see. And after star quarterback Brandon Fitzsimmons dies in a car accident, the rumors start to spiral out of control.

In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students—the girl who has the infamous party, the car accident survivor, the former best friend, and the boy next door—tell all they know.

But exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.  

 

 

 

My Review:   I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for my honest review.

 

 

    This book was WOW.  That is the only word I could think of  when writing this review. Eye-opening and riveting. I thought this book was well written and powerful. This book exposes the aftermath of lies, gossip and bullying. Powerful book and a wonderful read.  There are several reasons I think this book is so good.

   

    First, the different perspectives. This story is told by four different people and you get to explore there reasoning and get to know each one of them giving the story more depth.

 

  Second, the realism of this book. I felt like I was in this school, we have all been there. Hearing the rumors about one class mate or another. Never knowing the real story and getting swept up in all the talk. This book makes you remember the cliques in high school and perspective from all sides.

 

Third, Alice herself, she stays silent in most of the book. Just going about her life or what is left of it as the rumors fly and name calling ensues. We do hear her story and the last chapter is moving and wonderful.

 

 Lastly, I was shocked to find out this is Jennifer Mathieu first book so powerful and well written. I am looking forward to see what else se writes. I love finding new authors to read and this author now has a fan for life. 

 

 

    



Review : Blood Orange Soda

Blood Orange Soda
James Michael Larranaga
JML

From Goodreads : Darius Hunter is a bullied high school freshman. When he drinks Blood Orange Soda to transform into a Vampire and earn respect, he soon learns life as a Vampire has its own challenges.

Set in the future on the rural landscape of St. Cloud, Minnesota where pre-Vampire teens are required by the government to take a daily Red pill to prevent their urge to bite, Blood Orange Soda is a coming of age story of love, life and death.

 

 

 

My Review:  I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for my honest review.

 

 

         I enjoyed this book. It was quite interesting to see such an unusual take on the whole vampire story. The main character Darius is half vampire half human and is trying to decide if he want to become a vampire or stay human. Society has a ne drug called "Reds" that stops the transformation. Blood Orange Soda that speeds up the transformation.

 

  Darius is your typical teen boy, bullied at school for his Goth appearance. Dealing with the illness of his mother and going through life without his father. He struggles and grows with each new experience. I would have liked to see more development with the supporting characters of this book to enrich the story, but this reads more like a diary of Darius's experiences and that was an intriguing story in itself.