Morgan
Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt
Book Blurb:
Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna’s new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can’t know.
Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical, Uses for Boys is a story of breaking down and growing up.
Release date: January 15th 2013 by St Martin’s Press
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11958608-uses-for-boys
Purchase: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250007119?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1250007119&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
My Review:
This book was difficult to read. The chapters were short, and the writing was easy to read. It was the content that made it hard. This book was depressing and emotional and tough. So to say that I enjoyed it would not be a true statement. I was touched by it though.
It is a story of a girl growing up and realizing that she does not need to be with boys to find herself. I wish she would have realized that a little sooner in the book. I honestly had a hard time getting a good message out of this book. It also seemed a little unrealistic. Some of the things she went through would have MAJOR emotional strains on you in the future, but she got over it all extremely quickly.
I enjoyed her friendship with Toy. Even though they may not have been the greatest friends to each other, you knew they still cared. Her relationship with her mom broke my heart, but I liked that her mom started to come around in the end. Sam was really sweet to her, and I liked that we got to see her with a really good guy. She learns that there are guys that will actually care for her.
This book is not for anyone under the age of 18ish. I am 21 and struggled greatly with some of the scenes in this book.
3 stars
I received this book for free in return for an honest review.
About the Author:
When Erica was a kid all she did was write. She dropped out of high school and attended the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University where she was surrounded by writers and artists.
But then, in Erica’s early twenties, she got a job. She worked hard at that job for 15 years and didn’t write a word.
Then this happened: Erica walked into a bookstore and bought two books by Francesca Lia Block. No particular reason, she just liked their covers. Then Erica read everything Francesca wrote. She read all the YA she could. She still does. Erica think’s the world that happens between 13 and 17 is everything.
She quit her job. Studied writing. And then spent three and a half years writing Uses for Boys. Now she’s working on a new novel and it’s like falling down a hole. Writing her first novel taught her nothing about writing the next one.
Official site: www.ericalorraine.com
Twitter: @ericalorraine