From School Library Journal
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Gr 9 Up—Ariel and her her, an abusive, phobic
alcoholic, never stay in one place very long. Miraculously,
though, they have spent Ariel's entire junior year in Sonora, CA,
and she hopes that, for once, they can stick around. Here, she
has finally experienced a bit of stability and made friends. She
has also be to explore her sexuality with both new guy Gabe
and Monica, her "queer Mexican American" best friend. Ariel keeps
her feelings for Monica from her her, who never lets her
forget that her mother left them when Ariel was two to "run off
with her lesbian lover." The teen longs to break free from her
her's control and be herself—whoever that is.
Seventeen-year-old Maya, a Texan whose cold and abusive mother is
increasingly involved in Scientology, seeks escape, too, and she
finds it when she meets Jason, 10 years her senior; gets
pregnant; and marries. But Jason has an escape plan of his own,
one that will bring Ariel's and Maya's stories together in a
startling way. Themes of identity, family, and truth are
interrogated as readers slowly learn more about Ariel and Maya.
Writing in verse (Ariel's tale) and prose (Maya's), Hopkins uses
skillful pacing and carefully chosen words to conceal the most
important truth of the novel. The reveal arrives just as readers
may be putting the pieces together themselves. VERDICT A sharp,
gripping read sure to please Hopkins's legions of fans.—Amanda
MacGregor, formerly at Great River Regional Library, Saint Cloud,
MN
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Review
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**STARRED REVIEW** “Hopkins creates a satisfying and moving
story, and her carefully structured poems ensure that each word
and phrase is savored.” , Publishers Weekly, starred review
"With trademark compassion, multidimensional characters,
realistic teen behavior, and a slew of issues sympathetically
explored, Hopkins has another winner here.", Booklist
“A powerful, memorable and honest look at how two girls navigate
their troubled home lives. Ellen Hopkins once again reminds us
why she’s in a class all to herself—the gorgeous prose, the
painfully authentic characters and their struggle to find where
to fit in and how to be loved. No surprise . . . this book is
beautiful and unforgettable!”, Justine Magazine
“Maya and Ariel's connection is among Hopkins' best. A
page-turning exploration of independence, powerlessness, and
secrets, with groundbreaking representation of bisexuality and
queerness.”, Kirkus Reviews
“Writing in verse (Ariel’s tale) and prose (Maya’s), Hopkins uses
skillful pacing and carefully chosen words to conceal the most
important truth of the novel. The reveal arrives just as readers
may be putting the pieces together themselves. VERDICT A sharp,
gripping read sure to please Hopkins’s legions of fans.” , SLJ
**STARRED REVIEW** “Delving into issues of teen pregnancy,
scientology, bisexuality, same-sex marriage, family, and
determination, this book is as substantial as it is beautifully
written. Hopkins’s fans will love the newest edition to her
published works, a must for contemporary young adult
collections.” , VOYA, starred revew
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About the Author
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Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author
of fourteen young adult novels, as well as the adult
novels Triangles, Collateral, and Love Lies Beneath. She lives
with her family in Carson City, Nevada, where she has founded
Ventana Sierra, a nonprofit youth housing and resource
initiative. Visit her at EllenHopkins.com and on Facebook, and
follow her on Twitter at @EllenHopkinsLit.
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
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The You I’ve Never Known
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I Can’t Remember
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Every place
Dad and I have
called home. When
I was real little, the two
of us sometimes lived in
our car. Those memories
are in motion. Always moving.
I don’t think
I minded it so much
then, though mixed in
with happy recollections
are snippets of intense fear.
I didn’t dare ask why one stretch
of sky wasn’t good enough to settle
under. My dad
likes to say he came
into this world infected
with wanderlust. He cls
I’m lucky, that at one day till
I turn seventeen I’ve seen way
more places than most folks see
in an entire
lifetime. I’m sure
he’s right on the most
basic level, and while I
can’t dig up snaps of
North Dakota, West Virginia, or
Nebraska, how could I ever forget
watching Old
Faithful spouting
way up into the bold
amethyst Yellowstone sky,
or the granddaddy alligator
ambling along beside our car
on a stretch of Everglade roadway?
I’ve inhaled
heavenly sweet
plumeria perfume,
dodging pedicab traffic
in the craziness of Waikiki.
I’ve picnicked in the shadows
of redwoods older than the rumored
son of God;
nudged up against
the edge of the Grand
Canyon as a pair of eagles
played tag in the warm air
currents; seen Atlantic whales
-hop; bodysurfed in the Pacific;
and picked spring-
inspired Death Valley
wildflowers. I’ve listened
to Niagara Falls percussion,
the haunting song of courting
loons. So I guess my dad is right.
I’m luckier than a whole lot of people.
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