Little Peach by Peggy Kern

Title:Little Peach
Author: Peggy Kern
Publisher: Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
Release Date:March 10th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:
What do you do if you're in trouble?

When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: she is alone and out of options.

Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels.

But Devon is not what he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution where he becomes her “Daddy” and she his “Little Peach.” It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond recognition.

This hauntingly vivid story illustrates the human spirit’s indomitable search for home, and one girl’s struggle to survive.

Review

Little Peach is so different than anything I have read before.  It is a dark, terrifyingly powerful read about the horrible human trafficking problem in the United States.  It exposes the vulnerable state individuals can be in and how quickly they become prey.

Little Peach immediately pulls you in, takes grasp of your heart strings, and does not let them go until the last page. Michelle lacks a motherly presence yet is filled with the love and protection of her grandfather.  The dynamic between Michelle and her grandfather is heart-warming. Until the worst happens and she is truly on her own.

I had such mixed emotions reading this book, it was hard to get through yet I felt compelled to get to the end of the story, I needed some resolution.  It would be too hard to bear without one.  This book is definitely not for everyone, it is dark, disturbing at parts and emotionally taxing.  It bring to light a topic that is often overlooked or brushed under a rug.  If you can handle the brutal journey of a strong young girl thrown into a world of child prostitution, this book will not fail to truly move you.

Winger by Andrew Smith

Title: Winger
Series: Winger #1
Author: Andrew Smith
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Pages: 439
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:
Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

Review

This book broke my heart in two. Here I am, enjoying 400 pages of Ryan Dean West antics, giggling over the comedic sketches, and wondering what stupid thing he is going to do next that will result in him getting his ass kicked when BAM, Andrew Smith throws a 92mph curveball that hits me square in the chest. There might have been tears.

On the surface, this book is about a 14-year-old boy at prep school, navigating the trials of adolescence, thinking and acting as 14-year-olds do. He also happens to be two years ahead in school, which doesn't make his life any easier. But he vows that this year is going to be different, despite landing himself in the dorm for troublemakers and starting the year with his head in a toilet. He starts making moves on the girl he’s been crushing on, starts standing up for himself and his friends, and starts taking risks that he was too scared to take before. Of course this is cause for all sorts of mayhem and one very entertaining book.

But the ending made me realize that this book was about so much more than I originally thought and is what ultimately made this a 4.5 star read for me. Although it came at a steep price. :(

Although I am not, nor was I ever, a 14-year-old boy, the voice of Ryan Dean West felt very authentic. I really felt like I was in the head of a 14 year old. Andrew Smith's writing is perfect. And it was funny! And there were illustrations (see below)!! I might have rolled my eyes at some of the silliness (in a totally endearing, big-sister kind of way) but I spent most of my time smiling and laughing and eagerly awaiting whatever mess Ryan Dean would find himself in next. Ryan Dean West totally won me over <3

And there was a big emphasis on friendship and team unity that I just loved.

I don't know if I've done this book justice. I struggled to find the right words for this one. But it's a new favorite of mine and I highly recommend it, if you haven't yet read it. This is truly a unique and wonderful story told in a unique and wonderful way. I can't wait to continue Ryan Dean's story in Stand-off.

And below is an example of one of the many illustrations you will find in this book :)

Going Rogue (Also Known As #2) by Robin Benway

Title: Going Rogue
Series: Also Known As #2
Author: Robin Benway
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Release Date: January 14, 2014
Pages: 320
Source: Library

Summary from Goodreads:
Being permanently based in a local New York City high school as an undercover operative has its moments, good and bad, for 16-year-old safecracker Maggie Silver. Pros: More quality time with her former mark-turned-boyfriend Jesse Oliver and insanely cool best friend, Roux. Getting to spend quality time with her semi-retired and international spy honorary uncle, Angelo. Cons: High school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. But when Maggie's parents are falsely accused of stealing priceless gold coins, Maggie uses her safecracking skills to try and clear their names. Too bad it only serves to put her and everyone she loves in danger. Maggie and her "new team" flee to Paris where they must come up with a plan to defeat their former allies.

Robin Benway can do no wrong in my book.

She creates lovable, honest characters that I just HAVE to root for.

"My eyes widened as I realized what they weren’t saying. 'Are we going rogue?' I whispered. I had heard rumors about spies going rogue, but they had always seemed unbelievable, unstable, completely stupid.
Not anymore.
'Are we going rogue?' I repeated. 'Because if so, I’m in.'
'No, you’re not,' my dad immediately said. 'This is our problem, not yours.'...
My mom wiped at her eyes before I could see the tears. 'We don’t want to put you in any danger.'...
'Okay, look, I’m just going to say it,' I announced. 'I am really good at danger. I sort of excel at escaping it. I don’t like to brag, but I think it’s important to state the facts here.'"

Adorable romance scenes.

"'Why do you keep dating me? I keep putting you in these terrible situations and you stick around.'
'Okay,' Jesse said, settling back next to me and putting his arm around my shoulders. 'Let's start with the A's!'
'You aren't seriously going to-'
'Ambitious!' he said. 'Beautiful. Caring. Determined. Eager to learn.'
'That's chating.' I said, but couldn't hide my smile.'
'Shh, I'm trying to romance you on a rooftop in Paris. Be quiet. Where was I? Oh, yes. Fearless. Generous. Happy.'"

She weaves humor into every page but still manages to keep it serious.

“'Who’s Jeeves?'
'Our fingerprint scanner. I decided to make friends with him.'
'Him? How do you know it’s a man?' my mom asked. 
'Because it’s cold and impersonal and never asks how I am?'
She grinned. 'That’s my girl.'"

And she just gets it. She never make me want to roll my eyes or pull my hair out.

"The problem with fighting dirty, though, is that it makes you feel dirty. I was arguing with the wrong people for the wrong reasons: I was fighting with my parents because they cared about me, I fought with Jesse because he was worried about me, and I was angry at Angelo because of bad intel. But the truth was that I wanted to fight myself. I wanted the two sides of me to clash and only one to win. Either I was a spy or I was a normal girl. I was lashing out at everyone else but in truth, the battle was happening inside me."

Basically, she wrote one kick-ass story. Come on, who doesn't love spies? Better yet, an adorable safe-cracking spy going rogue against some top secret spy organization. This book has everything to put a smile on your face and keep you turning pages. It's fast-paced, fun, charming, adventurous... I could go on and on with positive adjectives to describe this book. There is nothing I would change about it, I loved it that much. And if I am being direct, I think everyone should bump this to the top of their TBR list if you haven't already read it. It's that kind of book.

"'How many safecrackers do you know?'
She shrugged. 'Hundreds, for all I know. You spies are a sneaky bunch.'"