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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Michelle "Chelle" is just going through the motions. Her mom works all the time and her dad is a drunk who doesn't come home for days at a time. School is another story. Chelle is called names and doesn't fit in. Everything pretty much sucked till she met Troy Christiansen. Chelle fell instantly in love. One day he talked to her and after that, they pretty much hung out everyday. Hanging with Troy introduced Chelle to a new crowd. Chelle is younger and often made fun of for that. Chelle deals with a lot from her first love, self image, to trying to find out who she is. You follow Chelle as she deals with life.
I didn't know what to expect as I started reading this book. Chelle is a teenager going through whatever life throws at her. Most times she feels she has been dealt a bad hand. Although she doesn't always make the best choices, she grew on me. It's a good story with both good and bad moments. It's a good read and I give it 4 stars
I didn't know what to expect as I started reading this book. Chelle is a teenager going through whatever life throws at her. Most times she feels she has been dealt a bad hand. Although she doesn't always make the best choices, she grew on me. It's a good story with both good and bad moments. It's a good read and I give it 4 stars
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There is nothing more heartbreaking than someone so young having to grow up way too fast. Michelle "Chell" Whitney a thirteen year old in eighth grade who knows this all too well. This is a devastating tale of a young girl trying to just simply live only to be dealt what most thirteen years olds should not have to deal with. This is a tale about love, neglect, sex and death.
Chell's home home life isn't easy, with a father who is always drunk and a mother who is always out working trying to make ends meat, Chell has had to grow up and fast. So instead of hanging out with friends and going to parties Chell is the one to clean the house everyday from her father's drunken antics and wash the family clothes on weekends just so her mother can get a some rest. So when the new junior, Troy walks into Chell's life she instantly finds solace from all that has been brought up to torment her.
"He looked up only once and, by the smirk on his wide full lips, i knew id been caught staring. It didn't really matter. i'd fallen instantly and obsessively in love, but not the kind of teenage drama crap you might expect. No, this was the real soul-wrenching kind of love. I'd never be the same again"
Troy not realising his mistake befriends Chell and invites her to hang out with him to meet his new friends not realising she is somehow hopelessly "in love" with him. I find the relationship between the two to be an unusual one, the signs are quite heavy between the two of them leaving Chell to be left ultimately distraught when Troy starts dating the beautiful, alternative Xiu.
In the end it is Troy's selfish actions that tip Chell over the edge even after she was told that it probably would not end too well... for her.
"Look I love the kid, but he's an ass. He's a seventeen-year-old boy- he has no choice but to be an ass..."
From the get go Chell has been taken advantage of and not just by her parent's but by someone who she should feel she would be safe with and this is where the story gets a bit sore. Sometimes we forget that Chell is just a thirteen year old girl, how she acts and they way her parents seem to not worry about her whereabouts i would say this girl is living the life of someone who should be in college. So when we find out that her teacher, Mr Harris has been taking advantage of her we almost don't process that Mr Harris is in fact a pedophile.
I don't particular read books that have situations / acts of pedophillia but the way Parvarti writes the scenes and the way she portrays Chell as a character almost softens the blow.
What is most upsetting is when she is with Mr Harris the way she speaks to him and the way she feels that she is in control and has a choice in what she gives and receives should not be the mind of someone so young. Mr Harris and a brilliant manipulator and acts almost like he has a split personality filling the void of the father she most desperately needs and the lover she so desperately wants.
"Mr Harris ran his hand up and down his thighs, his breathing strained. Seeing him like that, holding back but almost in pain from what I did, thrilled me. I was important. I was wanted."
Chell's scars aren't only internal but also physical, we don't know how long for but we know that Chell self harms to escape the pain of life, sucoming to the nnumbness she feels when she see her blood drop to the floor tiles. Some people go through life neglecting, judging and even mocking situations like Chell's and are too afraid to intervene or help, putting up a wall so girls and boys like Chell feel like they can't ask for help, even when that help has finally been extended to them.
This book covers a lot of heartache and the ending left me in such a shock it will forever be stuck in my head. I give this book a rating of 5*. Be warned though this book is not for the lighthearted you will be left feeling like you've just been punched in the stomach.
COVER ART:
The cover art fits this book perfectly, with the warm tones of magenta and red we see the combination of the love, lust, anger, death just by the colour pallet. The model fits the bill brilliantly, the model is young and beautiful with big doe eyes which can tell a story. The cover almost feels quite grown up ad quite harsh until were thrown that little bit on innocence with the lollipop.
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There is nothing more heartbreaking than someone so young having to grow up way too fast. Michelle "Chell" Whitney a thirteen year old in eighth grade who knows this all too well. This is a devastating tale of a young girl trying to just simply live only to be dealt what most thirteen years olds should not have to deal with. This is a tale about love, neglect, sex and death.
Chell's home home life isn't easy, with a father who is always drunk and a mother who is always out working trying to make ends meat, Chell has had to grow up and fast. So instead of hanging out with friends and going to parties Chell is the one to clean the house everyday from her father's drunken antics and wash the family clothes on weekends just so her mother can get a some rest. So when the new junior, Troy walks into Chell's life she instantly finds solace from all that has been brought up to torment her.
"He looked up only once and, by the smirk on his wide full lips, i knew id been caught staring. It didn't really matter. i'd fallen instantly and obsessively in love, but not the kind of teenage drama crap you might expect. No, this was the real soul-wrenching kind of love. I'd never be the same again"
Troy not realising his mistake befriends Chell and invites her to hang out with him to meet his new friends not realising she is somehow hopelessly "in love" with him. I find the relationship between the two to be an unusual one, the signs are quite heavy between the two of them leaving Chell to be left ultimately distraught when Troy starts dating the beautiful, alternative Xiu.
In the end it is Troy's selfish actions that tip Chell over the edge even after she was told that it probably would not end too well... for her.
"Look I love the kid, but he's an ass. He's a seventeen-year-old boy- he has no choice but to be an ass..."
From the get go Chell has been taken advantage of and not just by her parent's but by someone who she should feel she would be safe with and this is where the story gets a bit sore. Sometimes we forget that Chell is just a thirteen year old girl, how she acts and they way her parents seem to not worry about her whereabouts i would say this girl is living the life of someone who should be in college. So when we find out that her teacher, Mr Harris has been taking advantage of her we almost don't process that Mr Harris is in fact a pedophile.
I don't particular read books that have situations / acts of pedophillia but the way Parvarti writes the scenes and the way she portrays Chell as a character almost softens the blow.
What is most upsetting is when she is with Mr Harris the way she speaks to him and the way she feels that she is in control and has a choice in what she gives and receives should not be the mind of someone so young. Mr Harris and a brilliant manipulator and acts almost like he has a split personality filling the void of the father she most desperately needs and the lover she so desperately wants.
"Mr Harris ran his hand up and down his thighs, his breathing strained. Seeing him like that, holding back but almost in pain from what I did, thrilled me. I was important. I was wanted."
Chell's scars aren't only internal but also physical, we don't know how long for but we know that Chell self harms to escape the pain of life, sucoming to the nnumbness she feels when she see her blood drop to the floor tiles. Some people go through life neglecting, judging and even mocking situations like Chell's and are too afraid to intervene or help, putting up a wall so girls and boys like Chell feel like they can't ask for help, even when that help has finally been extended to them.
This book covers a lot of heartache and the ending left me in such a shock it will forever be stuck in my head. I give this book a rating of 5*. Be warned though this book is not for the lighthearted you will be left feeling like you've just been punched in the stomach.
COVER ART:
The cover art fits this book perfectly, with the warm tones of magenta and red we see the combination of the love, lust, anger, death just by the colour pallet. The model fits the bill brilliantly, the model is young and beautiful with big doe eyes which can tell a story. The cover almost feels quite grown up ad quite harsh until were thrown that little bit on innocence with the lollipop.
I have no words to really convey my thoughts on White Chalk so this review will be short and to the point. I read this book with disbelief and at points it hurt to my heart to read about this young girl and to think this is more than likely going on with quite a few of young teen girls in real life. This is not a book that will leave you feeling happy afterwards and seeing rainbows. It is painful to read, it is sad, it is raw yet beautiful, it will make you think, it will make you feel some pretty deep emotions, White Chalk is REAL. Bravo to Pavarti K. Tyler!!!
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of White Chalk in exchange for an honest review.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of White Chalk in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to be smaller, to fold myself up until I was too tiny to be hurt, to disappear. I would float away like a speck of dust, no more than a passing thought to those who noticed me.
Thirteen year old Chelle has a life that is anything but happy. Her world is full of people who are incapable of giving her the love and care that most thirteen year olds receive to flourish and grow. Her home life is full of dysfunction. Her father is a barely around, but when he is, he is drunk and uncaring. At times abusive, both physically, and more often than not, emotionally. Her mother spends most of her time at work and for the most part Chelle is left to fend for herself. She is bullied on a regular basis at school and taken advantage of and used by an adult in a position of authority.
He looked up only once, and by the smirk on his wide full lips, I knew I'd been caught staring. It didn't really matter. I'd fallen instantly and obsessively in love, but not the kind of teenage drama crap you might expect. No, this was the real soul-wrenching kind of love. I'd never be the same again.
Then Troy Christiansen enters her world and she thinks he will be the one to save her. He offers her friendship and a shoulder to lean on when things get tough. But Chelle wants more. She is so completely and utterly in love with him. She drops everything to spend time with him, always hoping that his friendship will turn to something more.
White Chalk is not a story that will fill your heart with joy. it is not a book that will have you grinning from ear to ear as you read it. It is not a book that will have you swooning over the gorgeous guy and falling in love. White Chalk is gritty and raw. It is full of deeply flawed individuals and is at times depressing and heartbreaking. Chelle will make your heart ache for her. She will make you want to reach into the pages of the book just so you can hold her and give her love. She will make you cry for her. Every single time she placed herself in a situation that would end badly, or she was taken advantage of, or she was knocked down, I prayed that she would find the strength to get back up.
Troy doesn't come from the most stable of homes himself but despite his flaws, I liked him. I liked that he stood up for Chelle. I liked that despite their age difference they had a connection. Yes he made some really dumb decisions at times and those decisions impacted so much on Chelle, but then everything he did had an impact on her because she placed so much belief in him.
A character that really surprised me was Cat. I didn't like her at first. She was abrupt and snarky when it came to Chelle. But then she was so much older than her. But she was a ray of light. She was supportive and kind, offering a shoulder to lean on.
Pavarti K. Tyler's writing is exceptional. She has tackled so many hard hitting subjects and woven them all together to create a deeply moving and emotionally gripping novel. There were many times that we glimpsed darkness throughout Chelle's story, but it was the ending that was the darkest of all. If you want to take a look at the sad realities of life that some teens are suffering through, then pick yourself up a copy of White Chalk.
5/5 Deeply Real Stars
Thirteen year old Chelle has a life that is anything but happy. Her world is full of people who are incapable of giving her the love and care that most thirteen year olds receive to flourish and grow. Her home life is full of dysfunction. Her father is a barely around, but when he is, he is drunk and uncaring. At times abusive, both physically, and more often than not, emotionally. Her mother spends most of her time at work and for the most part Chelle is left to fend for herself. She is bullied on a regular basis at school and taken advantage of and used by an adult in a position of authority.
He looked up only once, and by the smirk on his wide full lips, I knew I'd been caught staring. It didn't really matter. I'd fallen instantly and obsessively in love, but not the kind of teenage drama crap you might expect. No, this was the real soul-wrenching kind of love. I'd never be the same again.
Then Troy Christiansen enters her world and she thinks he will be the one to save her. He offers her friendship and a shoulder to lean on when things get tough. But Chelle wants more. She is so completely and utterly in love with him. She drops everything to spend time with him, always hoping that his friendship will turn to something more.
White Chalk is not a story that will fill your heart with joy. it is not a book that will have you grinning from ear to ear as you read it. It is not a book that will have you swooning over the gorgeous guy and falling in love. White Chalk is gritty and raw. It is full of deeply flawed individuals and is at times depressing and heartbreaking. Chelle will make your heart ache for her. She will make you want to reach into the pages of the book just so you can hold her and give her love. She will make you cry for her. Every single time she placed herself in a situation that would end badly, or she was taken advantage of, or she was knocked down, I prayed that she would find the strength to get back up.
Troy doesn't come from the most stable of homes himself but despite his flaws, I liked him. I liked that he stood up for Chelle. I liked that despite their age difference they had a connection. Yes he made some really dumb decisions at times and those decisions impacted so much on Chelle, but then everything he did had an impact on her because she placed so much belief in him.
A character that really surprised me was Cat. I didn't like her at first. She was abrupt and snarky when it came to Chelle. But then she was so much older than her. But she was a ray of light. She was supportive and kind, offering a shoulder to lean on.
Pavarti K. Tyler's writing is exceptional. She has tackled so many hard hitting subjects and woven them all together to create a deeply moving and emotionally gripping novel. There were many times that we glimpsed darkness throughout Chelle's story, but it was the ending that was the darkest of all. If you want to take a look at the sad realities of life that some teens are suffering through, then pick yourself up a copy of White Chalk.
5/5 Deeply Real Stars
This intense novel touches on several issues that a growing number of teenagers face in modern society. [b:White Chalk|18174548|White Chalk|Pavarti K. Tyler|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1374000030s/18174548.jpg|24830602] is not suitable for everyone, but those who can handle its gritty themes will be rewarded with an unforgettable story that can inspire people to change the world (seriously). As the story progresses, the harsh impacts of family discord are unravelled in a gripping way that leaves readers cheering whole-heartedly for the young protagonist (Chelley) as she struggles to find a place for herself in a world that she does not belong in. It is easy to feel compassion for Chelley and the novel's shocking ending can inspire readers to make the world a better place so that fewer youth will experience a life similiar to Chelley's. Although [b:White Chalk|18174548|White Chalk|Pavarti K. Tyler|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1374000030s/18174548.jpg|24830602] is a work of fiction, the events that take place reflect the harsh reality of modern society and I applaud the author for taking the bold step of addressing subjects that many people refuse to discuss. Overall, [b:White Chalk|18174548|White Chalk|Pavarti K. Tyler|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1374000030s/18174548.jpg|24830602] is an insightful and well-written novel that raises awareness about important issues in real life.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads but this has not influenced my review in any way.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads but this has not influenced my review in any way.