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What is a Buddy Read?

This is an "Informal Buddy Read"
An “Informal Buddy Read�� doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book. An example is here.

Book synopsis
Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country

reserved

Yay! Thank you for setting up this thread! To anyone that wants to join, we will be starting December 1st :)

Hi Jacyln just adding a comment so i get notifications

This looks like it's going to be a quick read, and the chapters are very short. So far, my first thought is why does everyone at school hate her? I'm wondering what happened! I'm hoping we don't have to wait very long to find out, because I'm very curious!

She mentions that she feels like nobody wants to hear what she has to say. I wonder why she feels that way. Has she tried talking to someone?

She sounds depressed. Why does her dad not interact with her? When he came home she says she left things the way he wants them and she vanishes...is that how he wants it? With her out of sight? Or do you think this is just her perception?

i have only had chance to read the first couple of pages she is just on the bus will get back to you as i read on

15% Pep rally: (view spoiler)[I wonder if Heather is going to ask her what happened? Why wouldn't she? Does she not notice how uncomfortable Mel is at everything? The writer does well in describing Mel's pain and depression without outright saying it. I can feel her pain. (hide spoiler)]

22% Nightmare: Who's It??!

i at round 19% - it is an easy enough read but the story line is choppy imo. I can't say i am loving it at the moment. She obviously called the police what is in question is why? Heather sounds like someone with problems to me.

Yes, I'm wondering what made her call the police. I'm guessing it was (view spoiler)[an assault of some kind? (hide spoiler)] Heather just seems to me like she's trying super hard to fit in, which I guess is normal for a teenager. But she doesn't seem like she's that great of a friend. She had Mel, but she wants more. She wants popularity.

42%: (view spoiler)[Andy must have raped her. I wonder if she tried telling anyone. (hide spoiler)]

48% (view spoiler)[Heather never tried to be her friend; never tried to understand her depression. It's like she only wanted a superficial friend. But Melinda didn't try much either, although she helped her with the Martha project. (hide spoiler)]

do you read a lot of YA books Jaclyn, if so what is it that makes such a book good?

I do. Hmmm...I guess for me, the characters need to be believable. I don't like when the characters are too stereotypical, as if the author is only writing what they think they know about. Also, the storyline needs to capture my attention.

You're having trouble getting into this one, right? I can see how the writing would be off-putting. But what I like about it is how the author writes the main character. As someone who has dealt with depression in the past, I feel like she does a good job of portraying those feelings without just having Melinda say, "I feel depressed." I do feel like the other characters are a bit weird though. Like they aren't developed well.

I will complete it Jaclyn just trouble getting started. Will chat again later

Hi I am at 31%. I quite like Melinda, I am not convinced she is depressed though. I think she is consumed by what she did - although she knows she did it for a good reason (what that is we have yet to find out). I think she has developed an "armour" to protect herself at school but the chink is around her lips where she is chewing away at them.

I dislike Heather completely, i think she is needy and only wants to be accepted (by anyone). She is though sticking with Melinda, i can only think this is for now or until a better offer comes up.

There are some very well written lines about how Melinda feels at 23% - I want to confess everything hand over the guilt

58% (view spoiler)[ I am seeing some idea of depression but still think consumed is a better word. She wants to tell someone maybe it will be the art teacher. Would you have got in his car? (hide spoiler)]

80% (view spoiler)[ Yeah you go girl is this the beginning of everything getting better? (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ the writing in the toilet gives her credence - she could fly . Melinda starts to come out of it and then she is back in there again. But this time she is ready to use her voice and powers of attack (hide spoiler)]
I have really enjoyed this book after a very rocky start with it. The language used and the short chapters / paragraphs etc help to build the picture the author is striving for .
A few questions
What did you make of Melinda's parents? Could they really have been oblivious to the fact that something had happened?
How did you feel about Melinda and Heather's meeting at Melinda's and was this the chink needed to crack her armour.

I stand by my view that she is not depressed but Locked in a situation and consumed by it - to the extent that she cannot speak.

I think the title is very clever "speak" it is more than an instruction to Melinda but feel more of a powerful instruction to anyone in a bad situation.

Thanks for putting up this buddy read

Marie wrote: "Hi I am at 31%. I quite like Melinda, I am not convinced she is depressed though. I think she is consumed by what she did - although she knows she did it for a good reason (what that is we have y..."

Ooh I like what you said about her armor and chewing at her lips. That makes a lot of sense! She does seem very consumed by it all. Probably because she's kept everything in.

I don't know if I'd have gotten in the car. On one hand, (view spoiler)[she's been assaulted so I'd think she would be more wary of men. On the other hand, it was freezing cold and he was a teacher she felt she trusted. (hide spoiler)] I honestly don't know what I would have done. Would you have gotten in?

I finished late last night. (view spoiler)[Andy was such a sociopath! Not only did he assault her, but he taunted her every chance he got! I'm so glad she was finally able to fight back and he got caught. When she finally told rachel, I knew that wasn't going to go over very well! But in the end Rachel listened! That really surprised me, because I thought she wouldn't until he did something to her too. I'm glad she stopped being so stupid. (hide spoiler)] As far as Heather, would you have helped her in the end? I don't think she deserved the help, but I probably would have been suckered into it.

Marie wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]
I have really enjoyed this book after a very rocky start with it. The language used and the short chapters / paragraphs etc help to build the picture the author is stri..."

I think her parents really were oblivious. They seemed to have a lot of problems of their own and it looked like they overlooked her as just having teenage angst. I feel like they were very bad parents because they were very emotionally detached from her.

I'm not sure if her meeting with Hearher was the catalyst. I'm thinking that the writing on the bathroom wall really changed everything for her, and that empowered her to stand up to Heather.

I'm glad you ended up enjoying the book! And thanks for doing this buddy read with me!

Hi Jaclyn i would never have got into the car - i am a scaredy cat. Sometimes i even get frightened for the characters in a book - whilst i know they aren't real i find myself going oh you don't want to do that.

No i would not have helped Heather but i did expect Melinda to, i did not think she was strong enough to say no. I think she surprised herself by saying no.