Welcome to Litsy!

Yup, high schoolers are complicated creatures. Decent writing and story line, but extremely predictable. It‘s close to being a great book, but lacks the depth to take it out of the YA category. Still, it‘s worth the read, if only to remind you what the teens in your life are up against.

When I read contemporary YA, it makes me so glad that my high school years were pre-internet! But this book was good! Some characters were likable and some definitely were not, but they were all pretty much trainwrecks, and I guess that was the point. That it‘s not easy being a teen, and even if you have money and advantages, you still have your demons to battle.

#bookspinbingo

Trigger warnings for suicide, bullying, sexual abuse, and the general awfulness of being a teen in the world of social media.

Told over a period of a few years, from spoiled 8th graders, to high school kids trying to find their identity and place in life, you get to follow the same group of teens in a wealthy town. A young, idealistic teacher does her best to help, but her efforts seem to just cause her anguish. A tough and rough read!

Being a teenager is always hard, but in the world of social media, it's 24/7 and it's forever. The Slam Books we filled out in 1989? I guarantee the owners chucked them. So far this audiobook is fairly horrifying, trigger warnings for bullying, suicide and student/teacher sex... and I still have a lot of book to go!

Today‘s schools certainly can feel worthy of such a title, sad, sad, sadly enough.

There are a 1000 reasons why I‘m glad not to be in high school right now. And this book just gave me at least 500 of them. Johnson gives most characters just one chapter of focus, but intertwines the story so we get to know them all. Their young-ish teacher, Molly Nicholl, tries to help them be better people but it‘s beyond her. A quick read.

Full review http://www.TheBibliophage.com
#thebibliophage2019
#booked2019 #socialmediafocus #socialmedia

I‘ve been reading this one lately. I‘m hoping it‘ll work for #socialmediafocus from #booked2019 prompts. But I‘m still not convinced it‘s enough of a focus to count. Either way, it‘s way more captivating than I expected. High schoolers in an expensive community ... go figure.

Planning for the Spring #Booked2019 season? I found a great list of thrillers with a #socialmediafocus! I‘m debating between the tagged book and You. Many of these get mixed reviews, but You is more positive. But I‘ve seen a few Littens say it was just TOO much.

What are you thinking about for this prompt?

Every summer I find myself thinking “I should have been a teacher” solely because I am jealous of summer vacation. And then I encounter teenagers either in life or literature who very quickly snap me out of my fantasy. These are those teenagers. Rotten, spoiled, cruel, rude, self-absorbed a-holes. It‘s not badly written by any means and I don‘t need to like or relate to characters but their drama was tiresome. 3⭐️.

High school. The most dangerous place. I couldn't related to this book. Maybe because I didn't grow up in a small town? Or because my high school was so large? Or because cyber bullying wasn't a thing when I grew up (which wasn't that long ago, but I did go to school pre-Facebook)

Well.... Spring Break is officially over and it‘s back to work tomorrow. 😭 I know. I know. #teacherproblems Trying to squeeze in some last minute reading before all the hullabaloo starts back up again.

Happy Friday!!! This was my Friday treat to myself! 😊Is it any good???

Looks interesting.
Someone stop me. Damn #kindledailydeal

Picked this up after seeing it in someone‘s top six picks of 2017. Maybe I misread and it was their top six worst picks of 2017. This is the most obnoxious teenage whine-first-world-problems kind of book I‘ve ever attempted to read. Open at your own peril.

Believe me I tried! 😞 The whole YA genre won‘t allow my brain to grasp it. I guess it‘s because I already know what will happen.

#reindeerreads #jingleshelves #seasonsreadings2017

A little late night #bookandtreat coincidentally, my #currentread has #dangerous in the title.

Tonight's audiobook 👌

It feels so real. Heartbreaking and beautiful.

I am devouring this. So good.

This is a reread (or re-listen), but I'm counting it because I hope I listen to the books I own more than once! This book has ups and downs plot-wise, but you can't choose anything but a pick when Cassandra Campbell is narrating. Audio is the only way to go!! #botm #botmchallenge probably 1/45

There are two books I'm dying to get so I've got to get a Bingo!

I got almost to the halfway point but just couldn't do it. Unfortunately, the characters and story are just not interesting to me, even though the writing itself isn't bad. Too many books in the TBR stack to spend time on ones I don't like!
#botm
#botmchallenge
27/35

This is a novel that every teacher, parent, high school student, should read. An honest account of what "innocent" bullying can do in the lives of all involved. The lingering psychological effects of trying to be a part of the in- crowd be it: teacher, students, or parent are laid bare in these pages. An unforgettable portrayal of the most dangerous place on Earth.

"And she'd realized there was something worse than being ignored; there was being a target."

This was just a so-so read for me. I finished it just over a week ago and I feel like I've already forgotten about it.

⭐⭐⭐

#themostdanergerousplaceonearth #lindseyleejohnson #3stars #soso #books #reading #bookworm #meh

#90sinJuly #WhereTheWildThingsAre

This was a quick and excellent read. The author does an amazing job of capturing the angst of being in high school. #julyreads

This is an astute novel, written in confident, skillful prose, and filled with emotion. The setting is modern and well-informed, and never rings as unbelievable.

There are many storylines, so some resonated more than others. But the stuff that worked, consumed me.

Highly recommended if you don't mind material about high school, though this does journey to a deeper, more severe place than most teen drama fare.

Day 13 #riotgrams. #freebie! #freebie. I received this freebie in December from Early Reviewers at Library Thing. Hope to get it read this summer.

On waterskiing:

"Cally had clenched her teeth and waved back, believing she was ready. But when the boat took off, she was paralyzed, unable to stand, unable to release the rope. The water coursed over her body, flooding her nose and her mouth, and she knew it then: the world was going to drag her where it wanted."

This book is juicy gossipy emo, and I love it.

?

I really loved this book. The different personalities of the students combined with the naïveté of the teacher was something I could relate to. Although, I kept getting angry about that naïveté as well. Beautiful writing, interesting plot, and a unique twist on the archetypal high school students.

Spending time outdoors on this gorgeous day. April and May were rough for me in many ways and I recently got out of my reading rut by listening to Shrill on audio. Now I'm hoping to binge a couple books today and tomorrow so I can end May well! 4 days of school left then this is my plan for all my mornings in the near future! Accompanied by Rory Gilmore. #dogsoflitsy

The first chapter of this book just about gutted me... I don't know if I want to continue. If I made it through Roanoke Girls, I will make it through this.... but I am really tired of sad.

#MayBookFlowers #EyesOnCovers

All of these were on just one bookcase, and all of them are still tbr. 😬

This wasn't my favorite #BOTM pick, but it is interesting in the way it represents a lot of issues that kids on the #EdgeOfSeventeen face. #RockinMay

It's been a while since I posted my #LitsyReadingChallenge progress! It's slow going (for me!) but we still have 7 more months! Has anyone completed their board yet?

So far, this book is just making me angry. #audiobook #BOTM #SpringCleaningReadathon

The first half was great, but the second half lost me in some places. This is a very character driven story, and there are several different plot lines to follow. Many of the characters deal with intense and important issues. As a young teacher, who also grew up with technology, the characters were relatable and interesting. I felt that there were several unanswered questions.

Book #3 for #readathon
#longtitle for #aroundtheyearin52books

3:55pm. Rapidly closing in on the 10 hours mark! #readathon #snackathon #litsyeats

I'm setting The Nightmare aside for now. Even though I need to read it for challenges and it was part of my monthly TBR, I've tried to read it a few times and it just isn't pulling me in at the moment. On to the library stack! #readathon

Johnson's debut is often compared to Ng's Everything I never Told You and while the comparison is fair, I don't think it does Johnson any favors. Ng's novel felt plausible while Johnson's tends toward the dramatic, cramming ten years worth of scandals into the experience of a few classes of high schoolers. The Most Dangerous Place on Earth has its moments, but overall tended toward the improbable with characters who were too often unlikeable.

Enjoyed this one...it is very character driven, which I like. It also made me very grateful that my high school days were far behind me (and very nervous that my kids will be in high school in the not very distant future.

Nope. Not for me, not right now.

Johnson writes a very realistic look into the minds and actions of the affluent adolescents of Mill Valley. Set in a high school, the story focuses on several diverse students as they navigate life after a terrible event. Adolescence is harder now more than ever as expectations are often unreasonable and unreachable and every decision can go viral. Johnson gives us a peek into this difficult world.

The only thing I've really done today is read this book. The entire thing. Not many books are one sitters for me. I loved this look into a high school atmosphere that was all to familiar for me. To much money. Unsupervised kids smattering in a mixture of drugs, sex, alcohol, and poor choices. Excellent engrossing read.

8 AM on Saturday mornings should always be spent like this. The rain is coming in, but my coffee is hot and this book is completely engaging at 27%.

Gonna visit the difficult world of high schoolers. Starting this one next...

4 am cardio + kindle 💪🏼

Only about 50 pages in...a bit cliche so far, but I'll keep going!