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Ferocity Summer
"An engaging, realistic journey into drug addiction and bad decision making. Grosso's Ferocity Summer is a riveting read."
―A.S. King, author of the Printz honor book Please Ignore Vera Dietz Would you rather be dead and know it, or alive and not know it? Scilla Davis is haunted by a horrible accident that she was involved in last summer―a drunken, reckless joyride that ended in tragedy. With a big trial looming, life seems empty, unreal, and utterly hopeless. It’s especially painful watching her best friend, Willow, slowly destroy herself with pills and booze. Yet Scilla can’t seem to wrest Willow―or herself―from a path of self-destruction. But there might be a possible escape from this nightmare. As a dangerous new drug called Ferocity sweeps the nation, an FBI agent asks Scilla to turn narc and help locate the Ferocity kingpin. In exchange, she could avoid conviction for her role in the accident. All she has to do is deceive and betray people she’s known all her life . . .
―A.S. King, author of the Printz honor book Please Ignore Vera Dietz Would you rather be dead and know it, or alive and not know it? Scilla Davis is haunted by a horrible accident that she was involved in last summer―a drunken, reckless joyride that ended in tragedy. With a big trial looming, life seems empty, unreal, and utterly hopeless. It’s especially painful watching her best friend, Willow, slowly destroy herself with pills and booze. Yet Scilla can’t seem to wrest Willow―or herself―from a path of self-destruction. But there might be a possible escape from this nightmare. As a dangerous new drug called Ferocity sweeps the nation, an FBI agent asks Scilla to turn narc and help locate the Ferocity kingpin. In exchange, she could avoid conviction for her role in the accident. All she has to do is deceive and betray people she’s known all her life . . .
279 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
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435 people want to read
About the author
Alissa Grosso
13 books196 followersAlissa Grosso is the author of several books for adults and teens. You can find out more about her and her books at AlissaGrosso.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 10, 2012
Alissa Grosso's "Ferocity Summer" had the potential of being a good novel about a girl caught in the crosshairs of drugs, a death she's set to go to trial for, and a friend spiraling out of control, but I think even with the interesting premise that was supposed to be captivating, it dropped the ball with a cast of characters that were difficult to care about. I'm usually all for rough, gritty novels with no bars held on the tough situations the characters face. "Ferocity Summer" is a mature YA novel in the sense of its content, but the problem is that Scilla (Priscilla) never amounts to being anything more than a passive player in all the events that surround her. She never takes a proactive role, and even when she begins to change as a result of observing things in her life spiraling too far out of control, she never fully comes to terms with the repercussions of hers or others actions.
The transitions in this novel were a bit all over the place for my liking, and the amount of slut shaming and derogatory terms used toward females in this book really turned me off. As I mentioned, I can take tough language and situations, but I often feel that it has to set a mood or a purpose, and there was never really a consistent one in this novel. Not to mention the random bits of Civil War history peppered into the narrative. Even with it being tied into the novel's events/sentiments of the character - the exposition often threw me out of the story more times than I could really appreciate what it had to say.
Overall, I don't think "Ferocity Summer" turned out to be the riveting read that it was purported to be with respect to its subject matter. I think there are far more novels in YA literature that delve into the problems of use and abuse of drugs, as well as other tough factors, much better than this one.
Overall score: 1/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Flux Books.
The transitions in this novel were a bit all over the place for my liking, and the amount of slut shaming and derogatory terms used toward females in this book really turned me off. As I mentioned, I can take tough language and situations, but I often feel that it has to set a mood or a purpose, and there was never really a consistent one in this novel. Not to mention the random bits of Civil War history peppered into the narrative. Even with it being tied into the novel's events/sentiments of the character - the exposition often threw me out of the story more times than I could really appreciate what it had to say.
Overall, I don't think "Ferocity Summer" turned out to be the riveting read that it was purported to be with respect to its subject matter. I think there are far more novels in YA literature that delve into the problems of use and abuse of drugs, as well as other tough factors, much better than this one.
Overall score: 1/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Flux Books.
February 16, 2012
I'm having a really hard time explaining what I thought of this book - it's dark and weird and has lots of elements I usually dislike, but somehow, it works.
Ferocity Summer turned out to be very, very different than I'd expected. I thought it would be mainly about Scilla's decision whether or not to rat out her friends but really, that just kind of happens - Scilla starts telling the FBI agent stuff about her friends, and sometimes she feels bad about it, but I wouldn't say that decision is really the main storyline. The novel is a lot darker than I'd thought - drugs and drugdealing, and Scilla's involvement in that, are more important than you can tell from the description.
I really dislike the description - it's too late now, but I think the best way to enjoy this book would be without knowing anything. I really liked the plot and finding out what happens, since the suspense is really well-done, but I think I would have liked even more not to know anything about what happened last summer and what the consequences for this year are. Finding out why Scilla's life is so messed up in the flow of the narration would have been a lot more suspenseful.
Scilla is not a likeable character. She makes bad decisions every chance she gets, and there were more than a few times where I found myself wanting to slap our main character. The narration is very unusual - again, I'm not sure how to explain it, but the word passive comes to mind. Scilla doesn't do much about her situation, she just kind of floats by, hoping things will somehow work out but at the same time knowing her life is totally messed up. I did not connect to Scilla or really feel for her. And normally, that would be a dealbreaker for me, since I have to relate to the MC in order to really enjoy the book. But in Ferocity Summer, it works. Scilla's way of thinking is fascinating - even when I was disturbed by what was happening or by how wrong everything was, I couldn't stop reading. I can't explain why it works, but it does.
Most of the secondary characters are like that, too - none of them are people you'd like to meet in real life. With the exception of Bill, maybe, they're all... well, they're bad people. I know, that sounds stupid, but it's true - they're weird and icky and they make your skin crawl. None of the relationships are deep and pure or anything like that - they're all dysfunctional, and the characters are pretty much isolated, emotionally. But again, it somehow works. Even though they're bad people, I wanted them to get better, I wanted a happy ending, especially for Willow. The characters aren't likeable, but they're definitely well-written and complex personalities.
I feel like I'm not doing a good job at all at explaining why I liked this book - maybe that's because I'm not really sure myself. The characters are not likeable, and the narrator just kind of floats through life, which normally would have been enough to make me put the book down. But it works. I don't know whether Ferocity Summer will work for everyone - I can see a lot of people being discouraged by the dark, pessimistic, almost hopeless view of life, and by the characters who are, let's face it, assholes, but it did work for me. Ferocity Summer is dark, unflinching and raw - horrifying but impossible to put down.
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
Ferocity Summer turned out to be very, very different than I'd expected. I thought it would be mainly about Scilla's decision whether or not to rat out her friends but really, that just kind of happens - Scilla starts telling the FBI agent stuff about her friends, and sometimes she feels bad about it, but I wouldn't say that decision is really the main storyline. The novel is a lot darker than I'd thought - drugs and drugdealing, and Scilla's involvement in that, are more important than you can tell from the description.
I really dislike the description - it's too late now, but I think the best way to enjoy this book would be without knowing anything. I really liked the plot and finding out what happens, since the suspense is really well-done, but I think I would have liked even more not to know anything about what happened last summer and what the consequences for this year are. Finding out why Scilla's life is so messed up in the flow of the narration would have been a lot more suspenseful.
Scilla is not a likeable character. She makes bad decisions every chance she gets, and there were more than a few times where I found myself wanting to slap our main character. The narration is very unusual - again, I'm not sure how to explain it, but the word passive comes to mind. Scilla doesn't do much about her situation, she just kind of floats by, hoping things will somehow work out but at the same time knowing her life is totally messed up. I did not connect to Scilla or really feel for her. And normally, that would be a dealbreaker for me, since I have to relate to the MC in order to really enjoy the book. But in Ferocity Summer, it works. Scilla's way of thinking is fascinating - even when I was disturbed by what was happening or by how wrong everything was, I couldn't stop reading. I can't explain why it works, but it does.
Most of the secondary characters are like that, too - none of them are people you'd like to meet in real life. With the exception of Bill, maybe, they're all... well, they're bad people. I know, that sounds stupid, but it's true - they're weird and icky and they make your skin crawl. None of the relationships are deep and pure or anything like that - they're all dysfunctional, and the characters are pretty much isolated, emotionally. But again, it somehow works. Even though they're bad people, I wanted them to get better, I wanted a happy ending, especially for Willow. The characters aren't likeable, but they're definitely well-written and complex personalities.
I feel like I'm not doing a good job at all at explaining why I liked this book - maybe that's because I'm not really sure myself. The characters are not likeable, and the narrator just kind of floats through life, which normally would have been enough to make me put the book down. But it works. I don't know whether Ferocity Summer will work for everyone - I can see a lot of people being discouraged by the dark, pessimistic, almost hopeless view of life, and by the characters who are, let's face it, assholes, but it did work for me. Ferocity Summer is dark, unflinching and raw - horrifying but impossible to put down.
Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...
October 13, 2012
There’s a young man with death on his trail;
Another, who makes no sense, at first anarchistic then later a tendency to be angel on her shoulder;
That odd addition of knight in shining armor (only not quite because dig deeper and you see hero-complex coupled with lust and later confusion;)
And finally a best friend on self-destruct.
Ferocity Summer is shades darker than what I’ve been reading of late. In full honesty, it’s not a story I can say I enjoyed; what it is was gripping. In the midst of those moments of odd/funny with the bomb making and palm reading, is girl-obsessed Scilla. A host of adjectives spring to mind:
She’s self-involved and directionless;
She’s real and too honest when it counts;
She’s trusting, loyal, and yes, often the moron;
BUT with all those flaws (and obviously there are many) she fascinated me still especially with that misplaced sense of loyalty of hers that time and again halted her sense of self preservation.
My point? It’s not easy being Scilla. She and Willow are running away from something and in the process get themselves mixed up in the big and the bad. This then drags in more players. It’s this that stirs up a non-romance that later on has her alluding to semi incestuous fantasies of brothers and sisters… (at this point I need not point out that Scilla is indeed her own person.) But while all this is happening two aspects to her Scilla become emphasized: first she’s angry teen and hopeless pessimist, then moments later there’s that side of her that clings to what used to be: her and Willow all shiny and bright~ which is sadly so far from what really is.
It’s not even her pessimistic bent that got me in her corner. It’s on account of her acknowledging things being the way they were because of their choices. The deeper asides care of her mother on fault needing to be laid, had me even more interested.
My point, again? Both mother and daughter had a way of saying things to make things clear but make you flinch, too. You cannot fault them their honesty. For despite all Scilla’s messing about and her running away from reality, she doesn’t step back from calling things as they are when they matter. I’m not saying that she’s girl-misunderstood, or that underneath it all she’s a saint, (she’s so far from those) but that she acknowledges that she isn’t either is what I liked.
3/5
Another, who makes no sense, at first anarchistic then later a tendency to be angel on her shoulder;
That odd addition of knight in shining armor (only not quite because dig deeper and you see hero-complex coupled with lust and later confusion;)
And finally a best friend on self-destruct.
Ferocity Summer is shades darker than what I’ve been reading of late. In full honesty, it’s not a story I can say I enjoyed; what it is was gripping. In the midst of those moments of odd/funny with the bomb making and palm reading, is girl-obsessed Scilla. A host of adjectives spring to mind:
She’s self-involved and directionless;
She’s real and too honest when it counts;
She’s trusting, loyal, and yes, often the moron;
BUT with all those flaws (and obviously there are many) she fascinated me still especially with that misplaced sense of loyalty of hers that time and again halted her sense of self preservation.
My point? It’s not easy being Scilla. She and Willow are running away from something and in the process get themselves mixed up in the big and the bad. This then drags in more players. It’s this that stirs up a non-romance that later on has her alluding to semi incestuous fantasies of brothers and sisters… (at this point I need not point out that Scilla is indeed her own person.) But while all this is happening two aspects to her Scilla become emphasized: first she’s angry teen and hopeless pessimist, then moments later there’s that side of her that clings to what used to be: her and Willow all shiny and bright~ which is sadly so far from what really is.
It’s not even her pessimistic bent that got me in her corner. It’s on account of her acknowledging things being the way they were because of their choices. The deeper asides care of her mother on fault needing to be laid, had me even more interested.
My point, again? Both mother and daughter had a way of saying things to make things clear but make you flinch, too. You cannot fault them their honesty. For despite all Scilla’s messing about and her running away from reality, she doesn’t step back from calling things as they are when they matter. I’m not saying that she’s girl-misunderstood, or that underneath it all she’s a saint, (she’s so far from those) but that she acknowledges that she isn’t either is what I liked.
When the chips are down, maybe you might be the source of every crappy thing that’s ever happened to you…
...
All people make their own decisions and their own mistakes in life. I’m all too aware of this.
3/5
February 19, 2023
Thanks to the author for this book via a giveaway from her newsletter.
I don't usually read YA books. After reading a few pages, I realized this book was not the one for me. Too dark and gritty.
I don't usually read YA books. After reading a few pages, I realized this book was not the one for me. Too dark and gritty.
April 23, 2012
I noticed a lot of people had a problem with this book. Again, no idea why. It puzlles me, really. First Pieces Of Us, which for me is a masterpiece, next Ferocity Summer. Maybe it's the absence of a vamp or a wolf, or a really hot guy girls can fawn over and tweet million abbreviations about. Maybe it's the huge dose of reality these books have that scare people. Even though I liked Popular better, no one can deny that Ferocity Summer is an exceptionally written book. Everything by Alissa Grosso will be an automatic "must-read" from now on, she's just an amazing writer.
I kinda struggled with Scill's character, though, the book's main character. In a way, she was like Sherman, the guy she was writing a history paper about. His place in history, says Grosso, isn't entirely clear. He is regarded by most as a hero but there are also some who think he went too far. That's Scilla. I won't blame her mother's parenting for Scilla's actions. There is so much parents can do, after all. What Scilla did was all her. Even when she was doing something wrong she knew it, she admitted it to herself, but she didn't stop. That's nobody else's fault but hers. Is she responsible for Willow's demise, though? I don't think so. There were 4 people in the accident and even though everyone had completely changed after, Willow couldn't handle it, neither the accident itself nor the change, and she drowned in her guilt (which she confesses in the end) and her sorrow. She was the weakest out of the 4 for sure. Truth is, Scilla didn't try her best to help her. Not that Willow would have listened to her. Regardless, Scilla was selfish. We see clearly that she doesn't care for any human being, be that her ex boyfriend, whom she hooks up with only for necessity, her wanna-be friend Bill, even her best friend Willow. I think she was so terrified of being lonely, that she surrounded herself with people who she disliked, like she did with Christian. She did care on some level about Willow I guess but not enough to take action. That's why what happened to WIllow in the end was not a shock for her. I think in some perverted way she felt free, liberated, no longer having anyone to hold her down. The way I see, it Scilla was completely lost: she had no sexual identity, no views of a future of any kind, no compassion, no personality, nothing. The ending was kinda hopeful and realistic at the same time. Scilla won't change over night, neither does she expects to. Neither does she wants to, I think.
Clearly if you haven't read the book and read this review you'll probably be going "Uh?", but it was impossible to express my views on it without referring to certain events. I know a lot of people may not like Ferocity Summer because it's not your typical YA (thank god for that!) but it will certainly appeal to more open minded people, and those are the ones this book, and other books like it, are written for, I guess.
I kinda struggled with Scill's character, though, the book's main character. In a way, she was like Sherman, the guy she was writing a history paper about. His place in history, says Grosso, isn't entirely clear. He is regarded by most as a hero but there are also some who think he went too far. That's Scilla. I won't blame her mother's parenting for Scilla's actions. There is so much parents can do, after all. What Scilla did was all her. Even when she was doing something wrong she knew it, she admitted it to herself, but she didn't stop. That's nobody else's fault but hers. Is she responsible for Willow's demise, though? I don't think so. There were 4 people in the accident and even though everyone had completely changed after, Willow couldn't handle it, neither the accident itself nor the change, and she drowned in her guilt (which she confesses in the end) and her sorrow. She was the weakest out of the 4 for sure. Truth is, Scilla didn't try her best to help her. Not that Willow would have listened to her. Regardless, Scilla was selfish. We see clearly that she doesn't care for any human being, be that her ex boyfriend, whom she hooks up with only for necessity, her wanna-be friend Bill, even her best friend Willow. I think she was so terrified of being lonely, that she surrounded herself with people who she disliked, like she did with Christian. She did care on some level about Willow I guess but not enough to take action. That's why what happened to WIllow in the end was not a shock for her. I think in some perverted way she felt free, liberated, no longer having anyone to hold her down. The way I see, it Scilla was completely lost: she had no sexual identity, no views of a future of any kind, no compassion, no personality, nothing. The ending was kinda hopeful and realistic at the same time. Scilla won't change over night, neither does she expects to. Neither does she wants to, I think.
Clearly if you haven't read the book and read this review you'll probably be going "Uh?", but it was impossible to express my views on it without referring to certain events. I know a lot of people may not like Ferocity Summer because it's not your typical YA (thank god for that!) but it will certainly appeal to more open minded people, and those are the ones this book, and other books like it, are written for, I guess.
October 11, 2024
I can’t remember when or how I stumbled across artist and author Alissa Grosso on the internet, but I enjoyed her work so much that I bought her book Up the Creek and liked it. I eventually signed up for her newsletter and recently entered a drawing for four of her Young Adult books—and won! Ferocity Summer is the first book of the bundle that I’ve read.
At first, I didn’t like the characters at all and had no sympathy for them. I don’t like it when teenaged characters engage in self-destructive behaviors like drinking, using drugs, and having casual sex. I think it gives kids ideas that everybody’s doing it. I know teenagers try things out, but not every kid does it, or does as much of it as these kids do.
The main characters are high school juniors Scilla and her best friend, Willow. Willow has a brother, Randy. These three hang out together and get themselves into trouble. In the opening chapters, they mention August, and you get the impression that something distasteful is going to happen in August. The story is told from Scilla’s point of view.
I’ve never been acquainted with the drug scene, so I’m not sure if ferocity was ever a real drug or if Grosso dreamed it up for this story, but it plays a major role.
Scilla is failing history, and her guidance counselor recommends she talk to her teacher for suggestions on how she could raise her grade. He challenges her to tell him the most fascinating thing they studied in history that year, and she comes up with Sherman’s March to the Sea. So the teacher assigns her the task of researching Sherman and figuring out “How could a man who had once issued orders against any looting by soldiers suddenly turn around and completely ransack the South?. . . find out what makes him tick and hand me a report in September.” Scilla takes the assignment to heart, and Grosso skillfully weaves Sherman’s story with Scilla’s.
It wasn’t until it’s revealed that the event in August is a trial to determine if the friends are guilty of killing someone that I began to care about the characters. How could such a thing happen?
There are more complications as well. An FBI agent approaches Scilla and pressures her to help him incriminate a drug dealer. That’s as much as I am giving away.
This is not a pretty story, but I found myself rooting for Scilla and compelled to read to the end.
At first, I didn’t like the characters at all and had no sympathy for them. I don’t like it when teenaged characters engage in self-destructive behaviors like drinking, using drugs, and having casual sex. I think it gives kids ideas that everybody’s doing it. I know teenagers try things out, but not every kid does it, or does as much of it as these kids do.
The main characters are high school juniors Scilla and her best friend, Willow. Willow has a brother, Randy. These three hang out together and get themselves into trouble. In the opening chapters, they mention August, and you get the impression that something distasteful is going to happen in August. The story is told from Scilla’s point of view.
I’ve never been acquainted with the drug scene, so I’m not sure if ferocity was ever a real drug or if Grosso dreamed it up for this story, but it plays a major role.
Scilla is failing history, and her guidance counselor recommends she talk to her teacher for suggestions on how she could raise her grade. He challenges her to tell him the most fascinating thing they studied in history that year, and she comes up with Sherman’s March to the Sea. So the teacher assigns her the task of researching Sherman and figuring out “How could a man who had once issued orders against any looting by soldiers suddenly turn around and completely ransack the South?. . . find out what makes him tick and hand me a report in September.” Scilla takes the assignment to heart, and Grosso skillfully weaves Sherman’s story with Scilla’s.
It wasn’t until it’s revealed that the event in August is a trial to determine if the friends are guilty of killing someone that I began to care about the characters. How could such a thing happen?
There are more complications as well. An FBI agent approaches Scilla and pressures her to help him incriminate a drug dealer. That’s as much as I am giving away.
This is not a pretty story, but I found myself rooting for Scilla and compelled to read to the end.
Read
August 16, 2020Scilla is a real and sympathizable teen trying to make sense of friends, her sexuality, and her vices. Ferocity Summer is engaging even if it's not the kind of story I especially enjoy—Scilla is a deeply flawed character with a pessimistic outlook on life. If you're looking for a dark, gritty YA book, Ferocity Summer may be for you.
August 3, 2016
Ferocity Summer is written as a gritty, realistic look into the downward spiral a teenager can enter once drugs and alcohol are introduced. What should have been a fascinating and enthralling venture into a chaotic and destructive lifestyle was hindered by an overly apathetic protagonist who's passive voice failed to resonate with me as a reader.
Scilla is a very hard character to like. She is not a nice person, constantly blaming everyone and everything but herself for her problems, all while claiming that she doesn't blame anyone for how her life has turned out. Her lack of ambition, in any sense of the word, meant much of the plot revolved around Scilla following or waiting on her best friend Willow. Scilla was never an active player in any plot twist - she was always approached by others and it was consistently their decisions which directed her choices. It made for a stagnant read because when the active players were missing, you're stuck watching Scilla sitting around waiting for them to return. Her thoughts ran unbridled, and some of them were a little disturbing.
Knowing that this was going to be a book about dysfunctional, imperfect teenagers, I wasn't expecting to really like any of them - I was fully expecting to be cringing with most of their decisions. But I was hoping to see enough character growth and development, that come the ending, I would feel passionately about at least the heroine. Which is why even though Scilla's growth is exponential, I still don't like her. Her growth is unconvincing, as she stills seems to hold on to her misguided opinions. She repeats herself several times throughout the book, stating that if Randy wasn't dealing drugs, it would just be someone else. So what he's doing isn't really wrong, because drug addicts choose to buy drugs from him; if not him, they'd find someone else. It made it hard for me to believe in her personal growth, or to hold on to any kind of sympathy for her. I was also hoping for some kind of reparation between Scilla and her mother, as their relationship seemed tenuous at best, but other then some extremely harsh words (used by both sides) their relationship wasn't really explored or explained.
I didn't like the inclusion of Scilla's report on William T. Sherman, as it interrupted the flow of the story. When it was first introduced, being quite ignorant of American Civil War history, I had no idea who he was or why Scilla was referencing his pursuits as a soldier. Perhaps it was just my copy, but I could have done with a page break, or font change, to distinguish when she was going off on one of her Sherman tangents.
The leaking of information about the trial and the incident which led up to the trial was the only reason I finished Ferocity Summer. It took until the epilogue to show the outcome of the trial, and I was disappointed with the small role it ended up having. With the involvement of the FBI being quite minimal, and Scilla's betrayal resulting in very little consequence, I was quite disappointed with the ending in general. But considering Scilla's passive role in every other aspect of Ferocity Summer's plot, I shouldn't have been surprised with her story's apathetic conclusion.
Scilla is a very hard character to like. She is not a nice person, constantly blaming everyone and everything but herself for her problems, all while claiming that she doesn't blame anyone for how her life has turned out. Her lack of ambition, in any sense of the word, meant much of the plot revolved around Scilla following or waiting on her best friend Willow. Scilla was never an active player in any plot twist - she was always approached by others and it was consistently their decisions which directed her choices. It made for a stagnant read because when the active players were missing, you're stuck watching Scilla sitting around waiting for them to return. Her thoughts ran unbridled, and some of them were a little disturbing.
Secretly, I fantasized about having an older brother and having wild, sordid, forbidden sex with him.Ummm....ok? I just...how am I supposed to relate to a character with thoughts like that? Her bisexuality was a non-issue, and was handled surprisingly well in that it wasn't really given much attention. Unfortunately the constant slut-shaming that she projected onto her "friend" and love interest, Andrea, was another blow to my already low opinion of her personality.
Knowing that this was going to be a book about dysfunctional, imperfect teenagers, I wasn't expecting to really like any of them - I was fully expecting to be cringing with most of their decisions. But I was hoping to see enough character growth and development, that come the ending, I would feel passionately about at least the heroine. Which is why even though Scilla's growth is exponential, I still don't like her. Her growth is unconvincing, as she stills seems to hold on to her misguided opinions. She repeats herself several times throughout the book, stating that if Randy wasn't dealing drugs, it would just be someone else. So what he's doing isn't really wrong, because drug addicts choose to buy drugs from him; if not him, they'd find someone else. It made it hard for me to believe in her personal growth, or to hold on to any kind of sympathy for her. I was also hoping for some kind of reparation between Scilla and her mother, as their relationship seemed tenuous at best, but other then some extremely harsh words (used by both sides) their relationship wasn't really explored or explained.
I didn't like the inclusion of Scilla's report on William T. Sherman, as it interrupted the flow of the story. When it was first introduced, being quite ignorant of American Civil War history, I had no idea who he was or why Scilla was referencing his pursuits as a soldier. Perhaps it was just my copy, but I could have done with a page break, or font change, to distinguish when she was going off on one of her Sherman tangents.
The leaking of information about the trial and the incident which led up to the trial was the only reason I finished Ferocity Summer. It took until the epilogue to show the outcome of the trial, and I was disappointed with the small role it ended up having. With the involvement of the FBI being quite minimal, and Scilla's betrayal resulting in very little consequence, I was quite disappointed with the ending in general. But considering Scilla's passive role in every other aspect of Ferocity Summer's plot, I shouldn't have been surprised with her story's apathetic conclusion.
August 1, 2012
After I finished reading Alissa's first book, Popular, I was extremely looking forward to read her next one. Popular was an easy 5-star read for me. Ferocity Summer, however, was a debatable two-to-four-star read.
Priscilla Davis is frequently visited by horrible nightmares of an accident she was involved in last summer. She sees nothing but a bleak future ahead of her -- especially that a big trial is just around the corner. Add Willow, her best friend (or at least that's what she calls her), to her life, and a more confused, messed-up life gradually lies ahead of them. What could she do to straighten up her chaotic life? Simple. She could turn narc and betray the people important to her life to clean up her name when it is her time to stand in the courtroom..... or is it really that simple?
This book has a slow beginning, impelling middle part, and disappointing conclusion. Ferocity Summer has many drops of unpredictable moments here and there. It is very action-packed and full of twists, which sometimes left me asking myself "is this really necessary?" When I finished reading the book, I felt like Scilla's story is too messed-up to end that way. I was expecting a bigger and more surprising twist that will solve the big puzzle in the end, but I was a little bit underwhelmed.
That being said, I have to admit that I truly admire Alissa's writing style. It is impressive that she always has a unique story to tell. I also love how she chose a dark topic to promote an enlightening message.
I am, once again, incredibly excited to know what her next book is about! I hope it will be a fun, cheery, light read with a perfect twist again! (Is it too obvious that I am just almost asking her to write a book similar to Popular? Hahaha)
Priscilla Davis is frequently visited by horrible nightmares of an accident she was involved in last summer. She sees nothing but a bleak future ahead of her -- especially that a big trial is just around the corner. Add Willow, her best friend (or at least that's what she calls her), to her life, and a more confused, messed-up life gradually lies ahead of them. What could she do to straighten up her chaotic life? Simple. She could turn narc and betray the people important to her life to clean up her name when it is her time to stand in the courtroom..... or is it really that simple?
This book has a slow beginning, impelling middle part, and disappointing conclusion. Ferocity Summer has many drops of unpredictable moments here and there. It is very action-packed and full of twists, which sometimes left me asking myself "is this really necessary?" When I finished reading the book, I felt like Scilla's story is too messed-up to end that way. I was expecting a bigger and more surprising twist that will solve the big puzzle in the end, but I was a little bit underwhelmed.
That being said, I have to admit that I truly admire Alissa's writing style. It is impressive that she always has a unique story to tell. I also love how she chose a dark topic to promote an enlightening message.
I am, once again, incredibly excited to know what her next book is about! I hope it will be a fun, cheery, light read with a perfect twist again! (Is it too obvious that I am just almost asking her to write a book similar to Popular? Hahaha)
May 3, 2012
When I picked up FEROCITY SUMMER by Alissa Grosso, I was not expecting such a twisty, turny action-packed book. I knew that the book dealt with a few unsavory things that are all too real to many teens: a rough home life, a best friend with an alcohol problem, the huge divide between working and upper class, and drugs. Specifically the fictional-but-could-be-ripped-from-the-headlines drug called Ferocity.
So as not to spoil you, I'm going to give you a wee list of fun other things that make what could have been a simple issues book into a pseudo heist thriller:
1. The BFF's older brother who may or may not be the main character, Scilla's, honey. Sometimes.
2. Said older brother may or may not be involved in some illegal dealings with illegal substances.
3. Someone has been going town to town robbing convenience stores.
4. Road trip.
5. An FBI agent with horrible fashion sense.
6. That older brother's ex-college-room mate who knows things. And hates the government. But likes Scilla.
7. And then there's that whole Scilla and her BFF might have killed someone by accident thing.
So that's the deal. And it's all told in tight, unflinching prose that made the book not only compulsively readable and emotionally gripping, but also a literary delight. FEROCITY SUMMER takes teen issues and ups the stakes. Sort of like Laurie Halse Anderson's WINTER GIRLS meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, minus the supernatural. And the scariest part? It could probably happen in your town
So as not to spoil you, I'm going to give you a wee list of fun other things that make what could have been a simple issues book into a pseudo heist thriller:
1. The BFF's older brother who may or may not be the main character, Scilla's, honey. Sometimes.
2. Said older brother may or may not be involved in some illegal dealings with illegal substances.
3. Someone has been going town to town robbing convenience stores.
4. Road trip.
5. An FBI agent with horrible fashion sense.
6. That older brother's ex-college-room mate who knows things. And hates the government. But likes Scilla.
7. And then there's that whole Scilla and her BFF might have killed someone by accident thing.
So that's the deal. And it's all told in tight, unflinching prose that made the book not only compulsively readable and emotionally gripping, but also a literary delight. FEROCITY SUMMER takes teen issues and ups the stakes. Sort of like Laurie Halse Anderson's WINTER GIRLS meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, minus the supernatural. And the scariest part? It could probably happen in your town
May 4, 2012
Scilla is the perfect protagonist for this book as she is so easy to relate to. Teens likely will have either experienced first-hand or heard of events like the ones that happened to Scilla in the novel. She can be hard-headed and ridiculous as a character at times, but overall she is representative of the typical female teen. She is faced with several hard choices in this book, choices that include drinking and drugs. The reader will be side by side with her in the story, it is told from her perspective (first person). Perhaps because the book is written in first person or because Scilla is so easy to relate to that the reader will find it easy to connect to Scilla's character, even when Scilla makes it difficult to like her.
Scilla is a tad annoying in the story. Her character is rude and aggressive towards others, at times, and she has a few confusing romantic feelings. Her character can be gritty just like the storyline, but somehow it all works. The other characters could be the readers' friends or people the reader knows. They tie in quite well to the story.
The plot itself was slightly unbelievable at times, but mostly retained a remarkable sense of realism. This book is heavily driven by the plot, the reader will find that the book is fast-paced and hard to put down. The Goodreads summary above does a terrific job of summing the book up without giving too much away. Overall, this book is recommended to young adult/adult readers.
July 17, 2012
More like a 2.5
Ferocity Summer has a very I Know What You Did Last Summer feel - you know something, happen something that is causing this group of teens to take drastic measures, but you are just not sure what actually happened. As the story develops you get glimpses of that night and how one mistake can change everything.
The last year of Scilla's life has been horrible; she is haunted by the accident, worried about the impending court case and has no idea how to help her best friend, who is turning to booze and drugs. Scilla doesn't have the financial means for a high power attorney like her friends; and not knowing what her future holds causes Scilla to contemplate an offer from an officer, even though it goes against her beliefs. Scilla is offered a plea bargain if she could gather some information on a Ferocity supplier. Ferocity is a new and very dangerous drug; it can give you the greatest high or leave you zombielike.
Most of the storyline goes back in forth with Scilla second guessing herself and everyone around her. Although Scilla is relatable the storyline failed to impress. It was unique and interesting, but most of the storyline was not very believable. If maybe it was one thing, but it was a bunch of just out of the blue stuff, sort of like an action movie.
Ferocity Summer has a very I Know What You Did Last Summer feel - you know something, happen something that is causing this group of teens to take drastic measures, but you are just not sure what actually happened. As the story develops you get glimpses of that night and how one mistake can change everything.
The last year of Scilla's life has been horrible; she is haunted by the accident, worried about the impending court case and has no idea how to help her best friend, who is turning to booze and drugs. Scilla doesn't have the financial means for a high power attorney like her friends; and not knowing what her future holds causes Scilla to contemplate an offer from an officer, even though it goes against her beliefs. Scilla is offered a plea bargain if she could gather some information on a Ferocity supplier. Ferocity is a new and very dangerous drug; it can give you the greatest high or leave you zombielike.
Most of the storyline goes back in forth with Scilla second guessing herself and everyone around her. Although Scilla is relatable the storyline failed to impress. It was unique and interesting, but most of the storyline was not very believable. If maybe it was one thing, but it was a bunch of just out of the blue stuff, sort of like an action movie.
May 7, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. It was gritty and realistic and it was actually a little scary when you think about how teenagers are actually doing this.
I was really surprised at how gripping the novel was. It sucked me in and I read this in one day. There was something about Pricilla that is easy to relate too. She is a character that teenager girls can read about and compare her story with theirs.
The situations and plot surrounding Ferocity Summer happen more than people think. I think this is a great eye opener into the world of drugs and alcohol and it's effects on the average teen.
This is a book that I feel every teen should read. Whether they are a boy or a girl. There is a message that everyone can take home from this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I applaud Alissa for not being afraid to be raw and edgy with her book!
I was really surprised at how gripping the novel was. It sucked me in and I read this in one day. There was something about Pricilla that is easy to relate too. She is a character that teenager girls can read about and compare her story with theirs.
The situations and plot surrounding Ferocity Summer happen more than people think. I think this is a great eye opener into the world of drugs and alcohol and it's effects on the average teen.
This is a book that I feel every teen should read. Whether they are a boy or a girl. There is a message that everyone can take home from this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I applaud Alissa for not being afraid to be raw and edgy with her book!
April 7, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up because I met Alissa at a panel at Chester County Book Company. A few pages in it had me hooked. Stories about teenagers who go off the rails are always pretty entertaining. But those with a witty, casually bisexual anti-heroine at their center are harder to find and this one does a great job of depicting the complexity of that time in life and just of life in general.
May 14, 2012
Well done! Fast and furious! The title is perfect!
May 20, 2012
Shockingly gritty! Well written.
November 1, 2014
loved this book! loved the characters and really felt for them.
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