Review: Tease by Amanda Maciel

                  

                

                  Synopsis:

Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think. Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. Now Sara is the one who's ostracized, already guilty according to her peers, the community, and the media.

During the summer before her senior year, in between meetings with lawyers and a court-recommended therapist, Sara is forced to reflect on the events that brought her to this moment—and ultimately consider her role in an undeniable tragedy. And she'll have to find a way to move forward, even when it feels like her own life is over.

In this powerful debut novel inspired by real-life events, Amanda Maciel weaves a narrative of high school life as complex and heartbreaking as it is familiar: a story of everyday jealousies and resentments, misunderstandings and desires. Tease is a thought-provoking must-read that will haunt readers long after the last page.

                      Review:

Tease...Tease...Tease...

This was a emotionally powerful book for me to read. It dealt with bullies, and not in the typical fashion most people are used to. Usually we read a book where the heroine or hero is the one getting bullied but in this case it's the exact opposite.

Sara, our protaganist...or is she our antagonist; is under fire along with her friends from school, for contributing in a girl committing suicide. They are mean, cruel, jealous, and everything you see in a bully. Emma Putman, the girl who committed suicide, was already emotionally damaged to begin with, and the jokes and torment she went through did not make it any better.

What consitutes as a slut? Is it someone who flirts with everyones boyfriend and steals them away? Or is it a girl who is overly "friendly" with the opposite sex, and by friendly, I mean just giving it out like its ice cream? Seriously, WHAT MAKES A GIRL A SLUT? And why in the hell do girls have to call each other such an UGLY word?Afterall, that's what's got all these jealous girl's panties in a huge twist. 

Sara and Brielle are the sole reason for giving women and girls everywhere a bad name. I was able to <i>feel</i> the hatred and jealousy through the pages and then I started feeling the same as well. There was a reason I hated high school and Tease brought back all those memories as if I was in school just yesterday.

The book goes through past and present. So we get to see Sara at the time of her bullying and then the consequences after the fact. I admit, towards the beginning I was not a fan of Sara or Brielle. Definitely not Brielle, that girl needs help. In a way I could see Sara's pov and I think that's what the author was trying to say. That there are many different sides to every story and even though Sara was in the wrong, her story still deserved to be heard.

I never really thought about it that way. Seeing all these children and adults everyday getting bullied and feeling as if nothing gets done, it really makes it hard to feel sympathy for the ones who caused it. But this book has opened my eyes to try and not be so judgmental. I'm still going to be against bullying in every way possible. Only now I'll try to see from both sides and not be so quick to condemn. 

In a weird and depressing way, I enjoyed Tease. I think teens and adults everywhere should read it. It has a great message even if the heroine is the one doing the bullying. 

*Review copy given to me via Edelweiss and Balzer+Bray for an honest review.