ARC, 199 pages
Release Date: June 3, 2014Published by: Roaring Brook PressStand-aloneSource: Gifted by Around the World ARC ToursFor fans of: Contemporary, Romance, Drama,Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down.
*MY THOUGHTS*
When I got this off my shelf, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew it was about bullying, but this emotional ride that came along with it, I was not expecting it at all. The Truth About Alice had me hooked from the very beginning.
“‘Morelli, I don’t know why the hell I do the things I do sometime, if you want to know the truth.’“
pg. 103
The thing that had me hooked about this story was the emotion behind it. I was so upset about the teens and the way they treated each other that I had to put down the book a few times. I wanted to be their mothers and yell at them for being so freaking cruel. And the fact that they did it so freely. Like most of them didn’t even stop to think. It just came out. Like word vomit. And although they were only teens, I hated them a little more each time they let a little more out.
“I know you of all people, recognize that life isn’t fair. That life can be cruel, arbitrary even’“
pg 183
As for the characters, each of the most important ones had their own chapter. As the story goes on, it’s obvious that Alice is involved in so many of these things, but it’s also clear that the reason why is because the other teens have a grudge against her. But it was all about petty things. They basically ruined this girl’s life because someone else read her diary, you were jealous of her, and you didn’t want to let the world know your darkest secret. As I read, I prayed that this story didn’t end the way I thought it was going to.
“‘[So] maybe it’s wrong for me to ask you to recognize the unfairness of this situation. Because this isn’t fair, the way you’re treating me right now.“
pg 183
As for the writing style, I really liked it. I didn’t realize it was a debut until after I finished reading it. And that was only because I wanted to add something else by her to my TBR pile. In other words, I clearly couldn’t tell that it was a debut. Especially with all the different POV’s going on. She made it flow and then as for me the reader she definitely made it easy to follow. But when I saw that person’s at the end, I got a little afraid. I did NOT want that one thing to happen. Slut shaming never ends well.
“‘[…]there is one thing I’ve learned about people; they don’t get that mean and nasty overnight. It’s human nature.“
pg 193
This is another novel that I would include in English classes. Just to help the teens there know what slut shaming does to people and cruelty is not the answer to things. Hopefully they will pull some of the same emotions from this that I did. I just hope that teens use this as a proper teaching tool
“‘If you give people enough time, eventually they’ll do the most heartbreaking stuff in the world.“
pg 193
This book was filled with a raw emotion that I wasn’t expecting. It captured me from the very beginning. But even though I was so drawn in, I had to close the book for a minute and vent out loud for a little bit because I got so upset. I really liked everything about this book and I hope that schools across the nation use it to teach from.
Overall, I give this