Quellebooks

Another great novel by Jo Knowles. I was very moved by her first book Lessons from a Dead Girl and was excited to read this. It's getting all sorts of negative attention which I think is uncalled for!

It's a story of Ellie, a 16-year old high school student who tries to fill the void in her life by having sex with boys. She seeks love and acceptance from them but they just discard her after they've had her fill of her as a sexual object. Her last tryst with Josh results in a pregnancy. The story is told over senior year of high school and through several perspectives. There is Ellie, the pregnant student, Josh, the father, Caleb & Corrine, Ellie's friends. I like the change in perspective because it's a great way of seeing how each of the characters responds to the situation.

Knowles' writing is eye-opening, kind, thoughtful and observant. She's one of the best authors to handle difficult topics such as teen pregnancy and peer-sexual abuse (as in Lessons from a Dead Girl). I can't wait to see what her next book will be!