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Black Tuesday
Everything is going just the way superachiever Jayne Thompkins planned. She’s at the top of her class and captain of the girls’ varsity tennis team. Her ultimate goal? Harvard. She wouldn’t be killing herself with all these extracurriculars otherwise. But her life changes when she crashes into another car—and a little girl dies as a result. Will she ever be able to live with the guilt she feels over this accidental death? A gripping and fastpaced story about guilt, anger, forgiveness, and second chances by firsttime author Susan Colebank.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2007
About the author
Susan Colebank
2 books21 followersI’ve loved books ever since I was about three years old and my dad would gather me and my older brothers around him and read The Little House on the Prairie series. When I began reading on my own, I went to the public library and checked out 20 books at a time that had to last me for a week. But I’d have finished them by the next day! I soon realized that maybe 1st grade readers maybe weren’t the best fit. I started checking out adult books--Sidney Sheldon, Judith Krantz, Danielle Steele... I wasn't a book snob. In fact, I still love a good trashy beach read.
I was a pretty good writer during school, but I never wanted to be a writer. For a good ten years of my life, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I would doodle my designs during class while getting A+ after A+ on writing assignments. I guess I was in denial about where fate wanted to take me!
It took a bad job rearranging socks in a department store to realize I was on the wrong path in life. After a little soul searching that included being the “Book Goddess” at an independent bookstore and working at a New York fashion magazine, I realized that writing fiction was where my heart was.
Black Tuesday came out in Summer 2007; I'm currently working on edits for my second book about a girl who wins the lottery. That's slated to come out in 2009.
I was a pretty good writer during school, but I never wanted to be a writer. For a good ten years of my life, I wanted to be a fashion designer. I would doodle my designs during class while getting A+ after A+ on writing assignments. I guess I was in denial about where fate wanted to take me!
It took a bad job rearranging socks in a department store to realize I was on the wrong path in life. After a little soul searching that included being the “Book Goddess” at an independent bookstore and working at a New York fashion magazine, I realized that writing fiction was where my heart was.
Black Tuesday came out in Summer 2007; I'm currently working on edits for my second book about a girl who wins the lottery. That's slated to come out in 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 19, 2010
Jayne Lee Thompkins is a stellar high school student. She studies 40 hours a week for A’s and she is on her way to becoming valedictorian. She is much more responsible than her sister, Ellie, who always needs her help and she has a workaholic mother who expects nothing but the best; an A- isn’t good enough. Jayne isn’t like other teenage girls who spend hours on the phone. Studying takes priority over conversations with friends. But then comes a day when a phone call matters more to her than the safety of others – she runs a red light and her life changes.
After the accident, Jayne’s dad told her that she was a bright, pretty girl who got some bad luck thrown her way. No, she was a bright, pretty girl who caused the bad situation she was dealing with when she chose to care more about who was on the other end of her cell phone than she cared about keeping her eyes on the road while driving. After the accident, her dad did seem to be the only one in her family who wasn’t in denial about Jayne’s situation, but still even-tempered Sean Thompkins didn’t know how to deal with what his daughter was going through. Other people around Jayne seemed to go on as if nothing had happened – maybe because they didn’t want to make her feel any worse – but denial wasn’t helping her. And all Jayne’s mother, local celeb Gen Thompkins, seemed to care about was making sure her daughter kept her sights on getting into Harvard. Even when Jayne was feeling bad after sentencing, Mrs. Thompkins brought up college when Jayne needed her mother to comfort her.
Jayne made changes – bad choices, in my opinion - and she was supposed to be a new and improved Jayne, but I didn’t see anything she did as an improvement. I felt bad for her, actually. Were the changes she made a way of rebelling against her mother? Possibly. It’s good to be studious and involved in school activities but Jayne had way too much going on, leaving her with very little time for enjoyment and her mother had something to do with that. But it seemed to me there was self-loathing going on because of the accident. She was obviously hurting and feeling guilty about what she had done. And why wouldn’t she be? Six year old Brenda Deavers died because Jayne ran a red light. Although, I believe Jayne was responsible, the child’s mother, Donna Deavers, was also to blame because she had her child in the front seat. Jayne should not have been harassed the way she was.
I never like seeing the Name of Jesus taken in vain and it was in this story. And it is another story where a girl doesn’t think the guy she’s known for a while could be more than a friend, but he turns out to be ‘the one’. But I will say it was an interesting read. For anyone who doesn’t take talking on the phone while driving seriously, this book will open your eyes to the dangers of allowing yourself to be distracted behind the wheel.
After the accident, Jayne’s dad told her that she was a bright, pretty girl who got some bad luck thrown her way. No, she was a bright, pretty girl who caused the bad situation she was dealing with when she chose to care more about who was on the other end of her cell phone than she cared about keeping her eyes on the road while driving. After the accident, her dad did seem to be the only one in her family who wasn’t in denial about Jayne’s situation, but still even-tempered Sean Thompkins didn’t know how to deal with what his daughter was going through. Other people around Jayne seemed to go on as if nothing had happened – maybe because they didn’t want to make her feel any worse – but denial wasn’t helping her. And all Jayne’s mother, local celeb Gen Thompkins, seemed to care about was making sure her daughter kept her sights on getting into Harvard. Even when Jayne was feeling bad after sentencing, Mrs. Thompkins brought up college when Jayne needed her mother to comfort her.
Jayne made changes – bad choices, in my opinion - and she was supposed to be a new and improved Jayne, but I didn’t see anything she did as an improvement. I felt bad for her, actually. Were the changes she made a way of rebelling against her mother? Possibly. It’s good to be studious and involved in school activities but Jayne had way too much going on, leaving her with very little time for enjoyment and her mother had something to do with that. But it seemed to me there was self-loathing going on because of the accident. She was obviously hurting and feeling guilty about what she had done. And why wouldn’t she be? Six year old Brenda Deavers died because Jayne ran a red light. Although, I believe Jayne was responsible, the child’s mother, Donna Deavers, was also to blame because she had her child in the front seat. Jayne should not have been harassed the way she was.
I never like seeing the Name of Jesus taken in vain and it was in this story. And it is another story where a girl doesn’t think the guy she’s known for a while could be more than a friend, but he turns out to be ‘the one’. But I will say it was an interesting read. For anyone who doesn’t take talking on the phone while driving seriously, this book will open your eyes to the dangers of allowing yourself to be distracted behind the wheel.
May 29, 2014
Jayne Thompkins is a normal high school girl with perfect grades, is the captain of the varsity tennis team, and plans on attending Harvard. Her mom is very uptight, while her dad is laid back and easy going. She basically has to babysit her sister because she is so irresponsible. One day, as she is on her way to tennis practice, Jayne gets in a horrible wreck. In the car that she hits, there is a mother and a little girl. Unfortunately the little girl was in the front seat and dies soon after. Jayne has to go to counseling and do community service while she meets many new, different people along the way. Jayne must deal with the guilt of her wreck while trying to get her life back to normal.
I liked this book because of the interesting plot twist and suspense when Jayne gets in her wreck. It starts off as a typical book about a high school girl, but then when she gets in wreck, everything changes and the plot begins to pick up. The one thing I didn't like was that the big event was right at the beginning of the book. I wish the author would have put the climax more towards the middle. After she got in a wreck and went to the outreach center, nothing else exciting really happened and the plot went downhill.
I liked this book because of the interesting plot twist and suspense when Jayne gets in her wreck. It starts off as a typical book about a high school girl, but then when she gets in wreck, everything changes and the plot begins to pick up. The one thing I didn't like was that the big event was right at the beginning of the book. I wish the author would have put the climax more towards the middle. After she got in a wreck and went to the outreach center, nothing else exciting really happened and the plot went downhill.
February 7, 2008
For this story, the most irritating thing was the clichéd my-best-friend-is-in-love-with-me. It’s possible for it to happen, but I don’t like the development idea. When the girl’s best guy friend appears in the book, it’s not a first meeting. They’ve had all this history that the reader gets only a small glimpse of, so the attached feelings that I usually get for the main couple doesn’t happen. If it was meeting for the first time or pinpointing an event that lead to the couple’s first real encounter, where everything started, I would clearly see the development.
Speaking of development, the characters were poorly developed. A short summary, just so you can follow: Jayne Thompson has her life planned out, and she’s making sure that she gets the perfect grades and extracurricular activities to achieve getting into her dream school Harvard. (It’s always Harvard. Like in that Hacking Harvard book. Why not Yale?) All it takes is one moment to change her life, and that’s when she crashes into two other cars. The outcome of it all? Her chances at being tennis captain shatters, her grades drop, she’s sentenced to community service hours as well as therapy sessions. But worst of all, she’s responsible for turning a child brain-dead, who eventually dies.
I really like the storyline. It still has that I-control-my-life-and-then-everything-spirals-out-of-control element, but nobody has chosen to really explore a car accident. Most car accidents happen to parents, and then they talk about the aftermath it has on the offspring. This, though, talks about an overachiever who messes up, and has to rebuild her life. It’s a realistic plot.
But. The poor characters don’t contribute to a good storyline. There’s this blandness to the characters, like they’re almost not real. There are some awkward parts with the dialogue that doesn’t fit in with the pages. For the character of Ellie, the sister, she’s not consistent at all. In the beginning, that character is very clear: a rebelling fourteen year old who just got into boys and alcohol, but then she kinds of loses her essence a few chapters later. And if that’s aiming at character development, I would understand, IF the author hadn’t placed Ellie in the same drunken party situation like, 4 chapters later. So where’s the change in that? I’m confused.
Something else that really bugs me about this book is the lack of feelings. There are all these lessons to be learned from the story, like about learning to take responsibility for your own actions and how nothing can be really controlled, but there’s no elaboration. The reader is supposed to guess at what the main character is going through. Infer. Which can sometimes be a good thing, to help with analytical skills and all that, but most of the time, you’ve gotta get inside the character’s head and thoughts. And this book doesn’t do that. Maybe once in a well, but again, there isn’t consistency.
Speaking of development, the characters were poorly developed. A short summary, just so you can follow: Jayne Thompson has her life planned out, and she’s making sure that she gets the perfect grades and extracurricular activities to achieve getting into her dream school Harvard. (It’s always Harvard. Like in that Hacking Harvard book. Why not Yale?) All it takes is one moment to change her life, and that’s when she crashes into two other cars. The outcome of it all? Her chances at being tennis captain shatters, her grades drop, she’s sentenced to community service hours as well as therapy sessions. But worst of all, she’s responsible for turning a child brain-dead, who eventually dies.
I really like the storyline. It still has that I-control-my-life-and-then-everything-spirals-out-of-control element, but nobody has chosen to really explore a car accident. Most car accidents happen to parents, and then they talk about the aftermath it has on the offspring. This, though, talks about an overachiever who messes up, and has to rebuild her life. It’s a realistic plot.
But. The poor characters don’t contribute to a good storyline. There’s this blandness to the characters, like they’re almost not real. There are some awkward parts with the dialogue that doesn’t fit in with the pages. For the character of Ellie, the sister, she’s not consistent at all. In the beginning, that character is very clear: a rebelling fourteen year old who just got into boys and alcohol, but then she kinds of loses her essence a few chapters later. And if that’s aiming at character development, I would understand, IF the author hadn’t placed Ellie in the same drunken party situation like, 4 chapters later. So where’s the change in that? I’m confused.
Something else that really bugs me about this book is the lack of feelings. There are all these lessons to be learned from the story, like about learning to take responsibility for your own actions and how nothing can be really controlled, but there’s no elaboration. The reader is supposed to guess at what the main character is going through. Infer. Which can sometimes be a good thing, to help with analytical skills and all that, but most of the time, you’ve gotta get inside the character’s head and thoughts. And this book doesn’t do that. Maybe once in a well, but again, there isn’t consistency.
August 7, 2023
Black Tuesday is an unoriginal idea that attempts and fails to grab and attract the minds of teenagers
to-read-i-own-it
November 8, 2012Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Jayne Thompkins lives a charmed life. She gets straight A's, will probably be chosen captain of her tennis team, and plans to go to Harvard. She has a rather annoying younger sister, but her mother is somewhat of a local TV celebrity and her father is supportive and sensitive. Life couldn't get much better, unless maybe, Jayne could squeeze in a little time for a boyfriend.
One Tuesday afternoon, one cell phone call, and one red light change everything for Jayne Thompkins. Rushing to tennis practice and as usual annoyed by a call from her sister, Ellie, Jayne runs a red light and smashes into a car. A little girl riding in the front seat without a seatbelt has her neck broken. After being pronounced brain dead, the little girl is eventually removed from life support, and Jayne must live with what she's done.
Her license is suspended until age 18, she must fulfill a community service requirement, and she is required to report to a probation officer and attend counseling sessions. Jayne's life is no longer about good grades and future plans. Why not test the limits and spread her wings? Nothing really matters anymore, or at least that's the way things seem. Jayne chooses a new direction. Being more like her rebellious younger sister seems more attractive when she thinks she has nothing more to lose.
Jayne finds out that facing friends and fellow classmates is not easy. People she once counted on are no longer there for her. Pressure from her mother causes her to behave in ways she never would have dreamed possible. And to complicate matters, her community service hours put her in contact with someone who takes advantage of her lack of experience in romantic relationships.
Susan Colebank gives readers a glimpse into the world of a teen whose life is coming apart at the seams. Teens feeling that their lives are out of control will identify with Jayne's story. Seeing what it's like to hit bottom and then struggle to return to a former life makes this a definite must read.
Jayne Thompkins lives a charmed life. She gets straight A's, will probably be chosen captain of her tennis team, and plans to go to Harvard. She has a rather annoying younger sister, but her mother is somewhat of a local TV celebrity and her father is supportive and sensitive. Life couldn't get much better, unless maybe, Jayne could squeeze in a little time for a boyfriend.
One Tuesday afternoon, one cell phone call, and one red light change everything for Jayne Thompkins. Rushing to tennis practice and as usual annoyed by a call from her sister, Ellie, Jayne runs a red light and smashes into a car. A little girl riding in the front seat without a seatbelt has her neck broken. After being pronounced brain dead, the little girl is eventually removed from life support, and Jayne must live with what she's done.
Her license is suspended until age 18, she must fulfill a community service requirement, and she is required to report to a probation officer and attend counseling sessions. Jayne's life is no longer about good grades and future plans. Why not test the limits and spread her wings? Nothing really matters anymore, or at least that's the way things seem. Jayne chooses a new direction. Being more like her rebellious younger sister seems more attractive when she thinks she has nothing more to lose.
Jayne finds out that facing friends and fellow classmates is not easy. People she once counted on are no longer there for her. Pressure from her mother causes her to behave in ways she never would have dreamed possible. And to complicate matters, her community service hours put her in contact with someone who takes advantage of her lack of experience in romantic relationships.
Susan Colebank gives readers a glimpse into the world of a teen whose life is coming apart at the seams. Teens feeling that their lives are out of control will identify with Jayne's story. Seeing what it's like to hit bottom and then struggle to return to a former life makes this a definite must read.
May 26, 2010
Jayne Thompkins is the perfect, overachiever older sister while her little sister Ellie is the one who forgets her homework and gets caught fooling around with boys on her bed. Jayne is the one who's the star tennis player, the one is neck and neck for highest GPA (she checks routinely and knows how each test grade will affect things). Jayne has goals of attending Harvard. Jayne has everything figured out.
Except for what she's supposed to do now.
It was just a day like any other until accident. Jayne is rushing, not paying full attention and her car slams into another. Soon a girl is in danger of dying and Jayne is at fault. Her whole life changes in an instant.
Perfect Jayne isn't so perfect anymore.
The idea of this book (you can check Amazon for a lot more spoilers and such--after I started reading it I realised that the summary involves a lot that doesn't happen until well, well into the book, so I left some out) really did intrigue me. But then it was just sort of...okay for me when I read it. (And hard to remember as well, apparently.)
I never really cared for Jayne--I understood that she had pressure from herself and her mother about school and was trying to help her sister and I got her development though the book, but it just didn't really work for me. So much of the story is supposed to be Jayne reacting to and dealing with the consequences of those few seconds in the car but I never really felt that it was realistic. Or it was too focused on her. I understand that because she's the narrator/main character it needs to be, but...
I don't know, this book just didn't work for me-the characters, the plot's progression, it just wasn't a book for me. (Though it worked for the other Amazon reviewers!) And I'd still like to give Susan Colebank's new book a try because I really do love the premises she comes up with.
5/10
Except for what she's supposed to do now.
It was just a day like any other until accident. Jayne is rushing, not paying full attention and her car slams into another. Soon a girl is in danger of dying and Jayne is at fault. Her whole life changes in an instant.
Perfect Jayne isn't so perfect anymore.
The idea of this book (you can check Amazon for a lot more spoilers and such--after I started reading it I realised that the summary involves a lot that doesn't happen until well, well into the book, so I left some out) really did intrigue me. But then it was just sort of...okay for me when I read it. (And hard to remember as well, apparently.)
I never really cared for Jayne--I understood that she had pressure from herself and her mother about school and was trying to help her sister and I got her development though the book, but it just didn't really work for me. So much of the story is supposed to be Jayne reacting to and dealing with the consequences of those few seconds in the car but I never really felt that it was realistic. Or it was too focused on her. I understand that because she's the narrator/main character it needs to be, but...
I don't know, this book just didn't work for me-the characters, the plot's progression, it just wasn't a book for me. (Though it worked for the other Amazon reviewers!) And I'd still like to give Susan Colebank's new book a try because I really do love the premises she comes up with.
5/10
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December 15, 2010Black Tuesday
Jayne Thompson is Harvard bound. Nothing could ever change that. Could it? She has the highest GPA in her class, is highly involved in her school, captain of the girls varsity tennis team and she NEVER messes up. That’s the job of her fourteen year old sister. Who gets C’s, maybe, parties and will probably become a teen mother some day. However one Tuesday things take a turn for the worse. She gets in a car accident when answering her phone. Head on collision, there was a little girl in the front seat… and she wasn’t buckled. Six year old Brenda Deavers is dead.
Black Tuesday by Susan Colebank is a real page turner that’ll keep you hooked. Its about grief, bullying and how you can still become successful despite your mistakes. When Jayne causes a crash that kills a six year old girl she thinks all her dreams are crushed. Her grades fall she gets a drug dealer boyfriend and she does nothing but lay around all day trying to forget. The biggest problem she faces in the book, I think, is when she finds out the little girls older sister goes to her school, the older sister happens to be the meanest girl in school with a blog used to publicly humiliate screw ups in the school. Jayne is a character who is mentally strong and who at some point or other many people can relate to.
Personally I loved the books and read it very quickly. It might be because I can relate so easily to Jayne, who has a control freak parent who demands strait A’s, similar to mine. No one expects her to mess up which puts a lot of pressure on her. And when she does she fears she will never have the life she worked so hard for. If you want to know how or if she makes it out of this major set back, you’ll just have to read Black Tuesday for yourself.
Jayne Thompson is Harvard bound. Nothing could ever change that. Could it? She has the highest GPA in her class, is highly involved in her school, captain of the girls varsity tennis team and she NEVER messes up. That’s the job of her fourteen year old sister. Who gets C’s, maybe, parties and will probably become a teen mother some day. However one Tuesday things take a turn for the worse. She gets in a car accident when answering her phone. Head on collision, there was a little girl in the front seat… and she wasn’t buckled. Six year old Brenda Deavers is dead.
Black Tuesday by Susan Colebank is a real page turner that’ll keep you hooked. Its about grief, bullying and how you can still become successful despite your mistakes. When Jayne causes a crash that kills a six year old girl she thinks all her dreams are crushed. Her grades fall she gets a drug dealer boyfriend and she does nothing but lay around all day trying to forget. The biggest problem she faces in the book, I think, is when she finds out the little girls older sister goes to her school, the older sister happens to be the meanest girl in school with a blog used to publicly humiliate screw ups in the school. Jayne is a character who is mentally strong and who at some point or other many people can relate to.
Personally I loved the books and read it very quickly. It might be because I can relate so easily to Jayne, who has a control freak parent who demands strait A’s, similar to mine. No one expects her to mess up which puts a lot of pressure on her. And when she does she fears she will never have the life she worked so hard for. If you want to know how or if she makes it out of this major set back, you’ll just have to read Black Tuesday for yourself.
July 11, 2015
Black Tuesday is a well-written story that deals with feelings of guilt. It explores the feelings after causing death in a car accident. The book also explores romantic relationships and familial relationships.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
Jayne is a well-done main character. The story is told through her 3rd person POV, and while I usually prefer 1st person, I enjoyed the 3rd person in this book. At the beginning of the book, Jayne is the valedictorian and tennis captain, and she looks out for her 14 year old sister. Jayne is driving to tennis practice when her phone rings and she glances down at the caller ID. That one second will change her life forever and end another's life. She runs a red light and crashes into a car. In the front seat, there is a 6 year old who is killed in the accident. Jayne struggles with guilt after the accident. Her grades begin to slip, and she dates a guy who is a drug dealer, though she didn't know that when they started dating. She has to figure out how to get her life back together.
Ellie is Jayne's 14 year old, diabetic younger sister. She doesn't get grades like Jayne's, and she enjoys partying. The day of the accident, Ellie called Jayne and asked her to get her biology homework from her locker for her. After Jayne got the homework, she was running late to tennis practice. The person who called when Jayne ran the red light was Ellie. Jayne pushes Ellie away after the accident. The best moment between the two sisters is when Jayne asks Ellie why she was calling that day. Ellie said, "To thank you. For getting my biology homework. Because I had for...got...got...ten to say that." I found it to be a very sweet scene.
If you like YA contemporary, read this book.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD
Jayne is a well-done main character. The story is told through her 3rd person POV, and while I usually prefer 1st person, I enjoyed the 3rd person in this book. At the beginning of the book, Jayne is the valedictorian and tennis captain, and she looks out for her 14 year old sister. Jayne is driving to tennis practice when her phone rings and she glances down at the caller ID. That one second will change her life forever and end another's life. She runs a red light and crashes into a car. In the front seat, there is a 6 year old who is killed in the accident. Jayne struggles with guilt after the accident. Her grades begin to slip, and she dates a guy who is a drug dealer, though she didn't know that when they started dating. She has to figure out how to get her life back together.
Ellie is Jayne's 14 year old, diabetic younger sister. She doesn't get grades like Jayne's, and she enjoys partying. The day of the accident, Ellie called Jayne and asked her to get her biology homework from her locker for her. After Jayne got the homework, she was running late to tennis practice. The person who called when Jayne ran the red light was Ellie. Jayne pushes Ellie away after the accident. The best moment between the two sisters is when Jayne asks Ellie why she was calling that day. Ellie said, "To thank you. For getting my biology homework. Because I had for...got...got...ten to say that." I found it to be a very sweet scene.
If you like YA contemporary, read this book.
March 8, 2016
I found this book in the clearance section at my local bookstore. When I read a snippet from this book, it immediately caught my attention:
"Jayne was about to put the phone down when it rang again. This time she looked at the caller ID. Ellie. She flipped open the phone. As annoyed as she was at Ellie, taking the call was an automatic reflex. Like breathing. She looked up from the caller ID, and a cold sweat broke out over her body. The intersection was ten, maybe fifteen yards away. The light was red. She was barreling toward it. And the red sedan in the middle of the intersection."
I bought/read this book excited to read it. I am intrigued by sad books and this seemed right up my alley!
However the entire plot of the story, the background, and what the book was all about, happened in the beginning of the book. This left the rest of the story to sort of, drag on. It focused on the aftermath of the accident and how Jayne's life was different as a result.
I liked this book, and I'm glad I gave it a chance and read it, but isn't one of my favorites!
"Jayne was about to put the phone down when it rang again. This time she looked at the caller ID. Ellie. She flipped open the phone. As annoyed as she was at Ellie, taking the call was an automatic reflex. Like breathing. She looked up from the caller ID, and a cold sweat broke out over her body. The intersection was ten, maybe fifteen yards away. The light was red. She was barreling toward it. And the red sedan in the middle of the intersection."
I bought/read this book excited to read it. I am intrigued by sad books and this seemed right up my alley!
However the entire plot of the story, the background, and what the book was all about, happened in the beginning of the book. This left the rest of the story to sort of, drag on. It focused on the aftermath of the accident and how Jayne's life was different as a result.
I liked this book, and I'm glad I gave it a chance and read it, but isn't one of my favorites!
June 12, 2013
I really enjoyed this book! It was a well written story. The story line was fascinating. The book kept my attention from the beginning through to the end.
It is amazing how a moment in your life can change everything. This book made me think about those moments in my life that made a big impact on me.
There are so many lessons in this book, but it doesn't feel like a lecture. You learn them through the characters, as you watch them deal with what life has handed them. You need to find your own path in life and some times it takes a life altering situation to make the path clear.
I would suggest this to anyone that is about to start driving. It might be the wake up call need to keep your eyes on the road.
It is amazing how a moment in your life can change everything. This book made me think about those moments in my life that made a big impact on me.
There are so many lessons in this book, but it doesn't feel like a lecture. You learn them through the characters, as you watch them deal with what life has handed them. You need to find your own path in life and some times it takes a life altering situation to make the path clear.
I would suggest this to anyone that is about to start driving. It might be the wake up call need to keep your eyes on the road.
June 7, 2013
This was a random pickup off the shelf at the library. Guess I should have left it there. This is Colebank's first book, which is evident by the bad grammar. I got so irked with her incomplete sentences beginning with "and." The characters are so shallow it is hard to care about them. The peak of the book is 20 pages in when the accident occurs. The rest of the book seems to be an afterthought, and Jayne never really seems to come full circle in my opinion. I was let down, even though I read it in one sitting. I kept waiting for the enlightening part to happen and it never did. Also, any good author knows to start with a good line and end with a good line. I relish reading the last line of a book, knowing it took a lot of thought. Telling Jayne her hair looks good is NOT an inspired ending.
October 8, 2007
Jayne is finishing her junior year with a bright future. She's number one in her class, the captain of the tennis team and has her sights set on Harvard after high school. But when Jayne is distracted by her cell phone while driving, she runs a red light and causes an accident that leaves a little girl dead. Now Jayne has to figure out who she really is and how much responsibility must weigh on her.
Some of the characters in this book are a little cardboard-ish (especially Jayne's parents), but overall this was a great read about blame, bullying, responsibilities and being true to yourself.
Some of the characters in this book are a little cardboard-ish (especially Jayne's parents), but overall this was a great read about blame, bullying, responsibilities and being true to yourself.
August 5, 2008
This is a very quick read.... it tells the story of a teenage girl named Jayne, who gets in a car crash and thus kills a little girl.
Jayne is the perfect student, straight A's, always does the right thing, but she made a horrible mistake by looking at her cell phone while driving.
The beginning of the book was great (the background info on jayne and the story of her family & the accident), but then the book just got boring.
The final half of the book talks about how she got probation, loses interest in school, and then somehow finds her true path in life.
I was really disappointed in how the story line diminished.
Jayne is the perfect student, straight A's, always does the right thing, but she made a horrible mistake by looking at her cell phone while driving.
The beginning of the book was great (the background info on jayne and the story of her family & the accident), but then the book just got boring.
The final half of the book talks about how she got probation, loses interest in school, and then somehow finds her true path in life.
I was really disappointed in how the story line diminished.
July 3, 2012
I liked the plot of this story, girl gets in accident while checking her cell phone. Very common in the real world, I know I have almost been sideswiped by a texting person before. I didn't like the characters unfortunately. I just couldn't bring myself to feel anything for them and I found I was disinterested in their lives. I think the only character I truly liked was the father. The complexity of the twist in the plot is too downplayed because the mother involved in the accident and the girl who was looking at her phone never get to interact and I felt like they needed some interaction to make this more real for me.
April 24, 2009
I liked this book because it gave me an interesting insight to the life of a teenager whose mother had larger than life expectations- a mother looking for the perfect daughter. My mother was nothing like that, so it was unknown to me and while I liked the book, I disliked how everything pretty much became perfect in the end. Real life doesn't have such perfect endings and up until the end, this book was representative of real life so I was expecting a realistic end. Of course, maybe I am just jealous of the happily ever after ;-)
June 21, 2010
I felt like this book was written to have a profound impact on its readers but the message didn't quite make it through. The book starts out fine, but then it seemed to lose its way. The characters were underdeveloped and the plot was difficult to follow. What started as a story about a girl who cause a terrible accident turned into a story about a girl who decides to find her own path in life. It even took some time to play up the best friends falling in love and insensitive mother angles. In all the confusion, I never really got to know or care about any of the characters.
July 15, 2013
jayne is used to being the perfect student, sister and daughter. she's captain of the tennis team and planning to attend harvard. but one fateful day (ominous music) a car accident derails her future. can she forgive herself for not being perfect?
2.5 stars. this starts out pretty after-school-special-esque and i didn't think i'd make it to the end. but it seems like coleman hits her stride eventually and i finished with some enjoyment.
2.5 stars. this starts out pretty after-school-special-esque and i didn't think i'd make it to the end. but it seems like coleman hits her stride eventually and i finished with some enjoyment.
June 27, 2011
So this isn't really my genre of choice, I'm big on paranormal right now. But for a debut book I think its good. I know how hard it is to grab an audience in the first chapter, and I feel this book grabbed me. I had to see how it ended. I live in Phoenix, so I appreciate the local references.
And I wonder where the WWW reference came from? I recall a certain hometown actress making her stage debut as well with a lot of green makeup ;)
And I wonder where the WWW reference came from? I recall a certain hometown actress making her stage debut as well with a lot of green makeup ;)
May 26, 2011
I really liked this book also. It was about a girl that is smart and ambitious and is headed to Harvard...until one tragic day when her life changes. The story is about how she deals with it and the people around her. It was interesting to see the way she changed and the things she learned.
May 31, 2011
A light and enjoyable read.
Although the first few chapters
were kind of boring but the next
half of the book really makes up for it.
Especially the second or last
chapter of the book when it was
quite touching.
So overall, it was actually
nice.
Although the first few chapters
were kind of boring but the next
half of the book really makes up for it.
Especially the second or last
chapter of the book when it was
quite touching.
So overall, it was actually
nice.
August 16, 2011
Black Tuesday was definitely an interesting book. It twisted a horrible accident, a love story, drug dealers, and a dedicated student all into one. It was certainly not a complicated story, but at times it did become overwhelming. It wasn't my favorite book, but it was a nice quick read.
January 12, 2008
Since I read this book I avoid talking on my cell phone while driving. It reminds me that one second of carelessness can change your life forever.
May 8, 2008
It was an okay book. There was a good message though. I learned that it's okay to push yourself, but
STAY IN CONTTOL! (if you dont understand, read it!)
STAY IN CONTTOL! (if you dont understand, read it!)
December 16, 2008
REALLLY GOOD
January 3, 2009
It was alright. Not great or anything.
March 21, 2010
I liked this book but the main character was so unbelievably arrogant.
Read
November 28, 2011this is actually really great so far. I love it :)
December 22, 2011
This was an awesome book and at first I liked the boy Jaynie dated but then I realized how wrong he was for here and Meadow too.
March 21, 2012
Realistic? Yes. Relatable? Definitely. Well-written? I would say.
Recommended?! YES YES YES.
Recommended?! YES YES YES.
June 26, 2013
Jayne Thompson has it all good grades, popularity until that dreadful Black Tuesday when trying to retrieve her cell phone she crashes into another car and puts a little girl in a coma.
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