ARC Book Review: The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Title: The S-Word
Author: Chelsea Pitcher
Publisher: Gallery Books
Expected Date of Publication: May 7, 2013
Source: e-Arc from NetGalley & publisher
Format: Kindle, paperback, 304 pages
Links to Buy: | Amazon| Barnes & Noble | 


Book Description:

Lizzie wasn’t the first student at Verity High School to kill herself this year. But the difference is, she didn’t go quietly.
First it was SLUT scribbled all over the school’s lockers. But one week after Lizzie Hart takes her own life, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie’s own looping scrawl. Photocopies of her diary show up in the hands of her classmates. And her best friend, Angie, is enraged.


Angie had stopped talking to Lizzie on prom night, when she caught Lizzie in bed with her boyfriend. Too heartbroken to let Lizzie explain the hookup or to intervene when Lizzie gets branded Queen of the Sluts and is cruelly bullied by her classmates, Angie left her best friend to the mercy of the school, with tragic results.


But with this new slur, Angie’s guilt transforms into anger that someone is still targeting Lizzie even after her death. Using clues from Lizzie’s diary and aided by the magnetic, mysterious Jesse, Angie begins relentlessly investigating who, exactly, made Lizzie feel life was no longer worth living. And while she might claim she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, her anguish over abandoning and then losing her best friend drives Angie deeper into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.


Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

My Thoughts:

I was nervous about reading The S-Word at first because it didn't have any werewolves, vampires, or demon battling slayer in it and that is usually my go to books.  My comfort zone if you will.  But I was definitely intrigued reading the synopsis and I have to say I am so happy that I decided to take a chance.

I feel absolutely changed from reading The S-Word.  For me, this was a very powerful piece of literature that really makes the reader take a deep dark look into the effects of bullying, labeling and rumors.   I really feel like this a story that every person could benefit from by reading it.

I was just blown away by the dark and gritty nature of the book.  It isn't this light hearted fun romantic read.  No.  The S-Word is a heavy, get lost in the narrator's sadness, kind of book.  It is hard  not to feel the pain that Angie is feeling from Lizzie's suicide.  From the writing style, we can see the emotions playing upon Angie as she tries to get through Lizzie's death.  I think the fact that the writing is all over the place shows us physically how Angie is at her rock bottom right now.
Because this high school that these young people have to deal with now?  It's nothing like I had to deal with growing up.  Sure I had bullies; I think bullies exist everywhere (though I wish they didn't) but nothing this harsh.  And yet I still found myself relating to Lizzie, Angie,  and Jessie as their raw emotions poured from these pages.  I am going to tell you right now:  I literally did not have a dry eye left by the end of this book, which I finished in about two days.
I had to take a step back from the book and take a deep breath to get my bearings.  The ending completely took my breath away and I knew right then that The S-Word would stay with me forever.

Now, there were some unknowns that I did figure out right away.  Where Lizzie was coming from in her diary pages, as well as prom too.  But there were other plot threads that totally eluded me and I never would have guessed it in a hundred years.  I feel like in a lot of ways, the author wanted us to understand some of the mysteries before the characters.  This way it caused what we, the reader, didn't get right away to be even more of a shocker.

Sorry guys, I know I am being so cryptic right now but I don't want to give anything away that might influence your initial reaction to this superb piece of writing.  Just trust me on this please.

The S-Word is full of deep dark secrets everywhere we turn.  Nothing is as it seems and yet some things never change too. It has this dark crime noir feel to it but for young adults.  There are some real heartbreaking issues that are dealt with in this novel.  These secrets could shatter the lives of everyone in this novel about lies, truths, and a case of revenge....and forgiveness.

Connect with Chelsea Pitcher:

| Goodreads | Twitter | Website | Blog | 

Book Review: Storm {Elemental # 1} by Brigid Kemmerer

Title: Storm
Series: The Elemental Series # 1
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Kensington
Date of Publication: April 24, 2012
Format: ebook, 353 pages (also available in paperback)
Source: won from Leigh Ann at Silver Wings Reviews
Get your Own:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys; all the ones she doesn't want, ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.
And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.
Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.
The storm is coming.

-goodreads summary

My Thoughts:
I won this as a choice from Miss Leigh Ann from Silver Wings Reviews and I am so happy that I got it!

Storm is a emotional rollercoaster of so many heavy issues I found myself up and down with every turn of the page.  But I liked this!  I liked the fact that there was so much humanity in this paranormal story with characters that can control the elements.  These people are broken and tortured like a fresh wound that refuses to heal, yet they keep going and try to hold out for something more.
We have four brothers that can control the Elements-water, air, earth, and fire- trying to live in a neighborhood that fears them and bullies them constantly.  And then our female lead, Becca, is also being tortured in her own way.  It is amazing when these people find each other and help the other see the good in themselves.
This story is centered more on Chris Merrick, who can draw strength from water and Becca Chandler, who helps Chris escape from a near death beating by the local bullies.  There is an instant connection between these two but definitely not the "insta-love" syndrome.  You can see the attraction between the two but you can also see that  they don't completely trust each other either.  We actually get to see this relationship and friendship grow and it is refreshing.
One other character that is pretty important (besides the other brothers) is the new guy, nicknamed "New Guy".  That was pretty funny too how Becca and her friend, Quinn, called him that for a while.  For the rest of us, his name is Hunter and he is a pretty cool guy.  I liked him a lot even though we learn some interesting things about him, he is still one of my "dudes" that I would keep.
The plot lines are pretty heavy indeed in Storm.  These are some tough issues these teens have to deal with: bullying, violence, sexual violence, and family problems; not to mention these are some powerfully magic folks too.
If I had one problem with the story, it would be that the attempted rape isn't took very seriously for Becca.  She should have did much more than just pretend it didn't happen.  Unfortunately, I do believe this happens a lot in real life and perhaps that is why Kemmerer wrote Becca like this.  The only other problem I had was the fact that Becca kept drifting between Chris and Hunter a lot.  I felt like she was leading one on and then the other.  But after we figure out more about Becca's mindset then that does help to explain a lot more to me.
Storm kept me guessing to the very end.  There was really only one part that I figured out pretty early but it was because of the very convincing clues left by Kemmerer that I was able to get to that conclusion.
I would encourage everyone to read the novella, Elemental, that comes out before Storm.  It is the small story of Michael, the oldest brother, and it gives us a little background on the bullying.
I am going to tell you right now you will probably cry in this story (I did alot!) but there are some parts you will smile and laugh too.  Kemmerer did an excellent job of writing a moving YA paranormal romance with some serious drama too.  I am totally in love with this series!
The Merrick brothers are those "bad boy" good guys that you can't help but love.  Everyone is against them and yet you can still see the sweet gentle quality in them.  I cannot wait until Nick, one of the twins, has his on book.  That is going to be fun, especially since Nick is the calm one of the family.

All in all, I really appreciate the fact that Kemmerer decided to write about some heavy hitting situations that teenagers have to face in real life, and put it into a YA Paranormal read.  I like that she didn't sugar coat it for us but believed enough in us, the readers, to handle it.
I gave Storm four hearts!

Favorite Quote:

Goddamn, it hurt. He hadn't even broken the skin, and he was already sweating.  "Nick," he said.  "I think I'm going to need you to bite my arm.""I think I'm going to need you to run that by me again."