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readergirlz is a literacy and social media project for teens, awarded the National Book Foundation's Innovations in Reading Prize. The rgz blog serves as a depot for news and YA reviews from industry professionals and teens. As volunteers return full force to their own YA writing, the organization continues to hold one initiative a year to impact teen literacy. All are welcome to "like" us on Facebook!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Rgz Street Team: Alex reviews Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.

Today, Alex skillfully reviews our featured April title, Impulse by
Ellen Hopkins:

This book kept my heart and stomach in knots. It was a whirlwind of pain, humility, and sorrow. Everyone has secrets and some eat at us, slowly rotting us from the inside out. In Impulse, this was painfully obvious as three teenagers--Conner, Tony, and Vanessa--fought the demons within them that drove them to attempting suicide.

Tony used pills to fight his past of sexual abuse and abandonment.

Vanessa used knives to battle her bipolar disorder and fear of becoming her mother.

Conner used a gun to drive away his childhood sexual abuse and the lack of love from the person he wanted it the most from.

Each walked a different path in life but their roads collided when they were institutionalized.

This book emphasizes that depression is real and treatable. However, if not treated, it can lead to death--the most irreversible and final thing of all.

10 comments:

Marie said...

Awesome review!!

Melissa Walker said...

Love this review, Alex! No spoilers is HARD, and this is so well done!

Shelf Elf said...

Alex - Really well done with this review. You communicated how powerful this book is in such a short space. I bet lots of people will be inspired to pick it up!

Lorie Ann Grover said...

Awesome interview, Alex. Thanks!

Shelly B said...

Good one! The more I read on this blog, the more books I add to my wish list.

Alex said...

Thanks everyone! I was trying so hard to no give away the best parts of the book because it always annoys me when someone tells me how a book ends. Anyways, I loved the book even more than I loved Crank. Its just..amazing and the verse took my breath away. The mere arrangement of the words within the book gave it so much emotion and power..it was just amazing.

Reyna Meinhardt said...

Wow, sounds amazing! I will have to read this one! Thanks for ther eview!

holly cupala said...

Great review, Alex! Thank you.

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