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Bluford High #20
Survivor
Tarah Carson has hidden the secret for years. No one—not her mother, her friends at Bluford High, or even her boyfriend, Cooper Hodden—knows what her uncle did to her years ago. Tarah hoped to keep it that way. But an upcoming reunion is forcing Tarah’s past into the present. And Uncle Rudy, the man who scarred her for life, is returning. Haunted by memories, Tarah plans to avoid him at all costs. But when her decision threatens to cause even more suffering in her family, she must face her past and biggest fear—alone.
140 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
70 people are currently reading
1841 people want to read
About the author
Paul Langan
48 books534 followersBorn in Philadelphia, Paul Langan spent his early childhood in the city before moving with his single mother to southern New Jersey. There he attended public school and worked a variety of jobs—including salesperson at a shoe store, attendant at a horse ranch, landscaper at a mental hospital, and a night-shift stockperson in a warehouse store near Atlantic City. “Each job,” he says today, “could be the topic of several juicy novels.”
In 1991, he enrolled at Camden County College and a year later transferred to La Salle University, where he studied creative writing and literature, earning a B.A. in English. While at La Salle, he lived with international students, traveled to his roommate’s home in Kenya, became a prison tutor, and found “the courage” to write.
After graduation, he worked for a nonprofit agency in Philadelphia and then joined Townsend Press (TP) as an Assistant Editor. After he contributed to a number of TP textbooks and taught English at a community college, Paul reconnected to his interests in creative writing through the Bluford Series. Originally working as an assistant with the Bluford novels, Paul’s role steadily grew. He now serves as both editor of the series and author or coauthor of several novels, including The Bully, The Gun, and The Fallen. His stories reflect his personal experiences, including the difficulties of growing up without a father, being the “new kid” in school, and dealing with the loss of a loved one.
In 2001, Paul completed a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to expanding the Bluford Series, he dreams of writing a successful movie script, preferably a “supernatural thriller.” Today Paul lives with his wife and three children near Philadelphia and stubbornly clings to the hope that he will one day see the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl.
In 1991, he enrolled at Camden County College and a year later transferred to La Salle University, where he studied creative writing and literature, earning a B.A. in English. While at La Salle, he lived with international students, traveled to his roommate’s home in Kenya, became a prison tutor, and found “the courage” to write.
After graduation, he worked for a nonprofit agency in Philadelphia and then joined Townsend Press (TP) as an Assistant Editor. After he contributed to a number of TP textbooks and taught English at a community college, Paul reconnected to his interests in creative writing through the Bluford Series. Originally working as an assistant with the Bluford novels, Paul’s role steadily grew. He now serves as both editor of the series and author or coauthor of several novels, including The Bully, The Gun, and The Fallen. His stories reflect his personal experiences, including the difficulties of growing up without a father, being the “new kid” in school, and dealing with the loss of a loved one.
In 2001, Paul completed a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to expanding the Bluford Series, he dreams of writing a successful movie script, preferably a “supernatural thriller.” Today Paul lives with his wife and three children near Philadelphia and stubbornly clings to the hope that he will one day see the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 19, 2019
This book is about Tarah, she has been living with a traumatizing secret. She can not open up and tell anyone her secrect becasue she is afraid og being looked at in another way. The secret consict of a horrible event that included her uncle Rudy. He destoyed her childhood and she would have to face the truth at her aunt's birthday party, where she would have to see him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2022
“.... He’s coming for Aunt Deborah’s birthday, though.”Really?” Rochelle asked. Tarah felt as if the air had suddenly been sucked out of the house. She recoiled for an instant and bumped the edge of the end table, causing a glass of soda to spill in a fizzing mess on the floor in front of the sofa. “Girl, watch it!” Rochelle yelled, squirming away from the spill before turning back to Tarah’s mother. “Are you serious, Aunt Clarice? He’s coming, too?” “Of course he is! He’s family,” Mom exclaimed, eyeing Tarah curiously. “I invited him to stay here again, just like old times.” The room seemed to spin. Tarah’s heart pounded in her chest and temples as she rushed to get a towel for the floor. “You see, Kayla. It’s just like I told you. You’re going to meet all these new people in your family. Ain’t that exciting?” The little girl smiled and nodded. Tarah wiped up the soda, barely hearing the small talk between her mother and her cousin until she heard Mom’s voice directed to her. “You okay, Tarah? You’re awfully quiet today.” “I’m fine,” she said, standing up from the floor, careful to avoid her mother’s gaze. “I’ma call Coop and see if he’s coming to the party. I’ll be right back.” Tarah retreated to her room and closed the door; careful to keep her hands close to her body so no one could see them shaking ”
Tarah is anxious and panicked when she finds out that Uncle Rudy is coming. She never wanted to see him again after what he did to her years ago. But he was coming to a reunion at Aunt Deborah’s which had made Tarah’s traumatic past life come into her present life.
After she heard that Uncle Rudy is coming, she is going to do anything to avoid seeing him again. But the choices that she had made in the past were so she was able to avoid Rudy. These choices had affected not only her, but her family as well because it had involved her cousin little Kayla. Tarah suggested that Aunt Deborah be at her house since she wasn't going to her party, this was the way for her to spend time with her. Uncle Rudy was put in the house where young little Kayla was living. Because of the bad choices that she had made, she had to do the one thing she didn’t want to do in the first place, which is to face her past and her fears.
Tarah is a teenager who has had emotional, physical, and mental scars ever since she was six years old. She is scarred practically her whole life but she has never told anyone the secret, not even her mother, or boyfriend. Her secret affected her later in her life because she made decisions to avoid the person who had scarred her for life. Tarah never had a chance to deal with it properly.
When I was reading this book, I was loving it so much because it was actually showing what it was like for a person who went through something very traumatic . I was also surprised as I kept on reading the book. My opinion of the book is that it would be great for people to know what it is like to keep a big secret like this. The book reminds me of life and how not everything is always perfect. For example, you never really know what a person is battling on the inside, or if everyone is struggling with something that affects them.
Tarah is anxious and panicked when she finds out that Uncle Rudy is coming. She never wanted to see him again after what he did to her years ago. But he was coming to a reunion at Aunt Deborah’s which had made Tarah’s traumatic past life come into her present life.
After she heard that Uncle Rudy is coming, she is going to do anything to avoid seeing him again. But the choices that she had made in the past were so she was able to avoid Rudy. These choices had affected not only her, but her family as well because it had involved her cousin little Kayla. Tarah suggested that Aunt Deborah be at her house since she wasn't going to her party, this was the way for her to spend time with her. Uncle Rudy was put in the house where young little Kayla was living. Because of the bad choices that she had made, she had to do the one thing she didn’t want to do in the first place, which is to face her past and her fears.
Tarah is a teenager who has had emotional, physical, and mental scars ever since she was six years old. She is scarred practically her whole life but she has never told anyone the secret, not even her mother, or boyfriend. Her secret affected her later in her life because she made decisions to avoid the person who had scarred her for life. Tarah never had a chance to deal with it properly.
When I was reading this book, I was loving it so much because it was actually showing what it was like for a person who went through something very traumatic . I was also surprised as I kept on reading the book. My opinion of the book is that it would be great for people to know what it is like to keep a big secret like this. The book reminds me of life and how not everything is always perfect. For example, you never really know what a person is battling on the inside, or if everyone is struggling with something that affects them.
March 17, 2016
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
I thought this was a good book and that she was there for Kayla because she didn't want her to be left alone with her uncle. I'm glad that she finally told her family and boyfriend about what her uncle did to her. Because it's a lot of kids that's gone through that and it's not only girls but its boys to that are getting raped by family or others. I think that kids should tell someone no matter what someone says even though I know a lot of children are scared to tell because the person who raped say they'll hurt them.
P.S. I listened to this book on its website since I haven't gotten the chance to get the book, but one day soon I know I'll get all 21 books in this series because I want the full collection. I remember reading this series in middle school I was hooked from the start because I had a Library class and I could read books while in my class that's how I first heard of Bluford Series. Then Read the others in the public library where I lived.
I thought this was a good book and that she was there for Kayla because she didn't want her to be left alone with her uncle. I'm glad that she finally told her family and boyfriend about what her uncle did to her. Because it's a lot of kids that's gone through that and it's not only girls but its boys to that are getting raped by family or others. I think that kids should tell someone no matter what someone says even though I know a lot of children are scared to tell because the person who raped say they'll hurt them.
P.S. I listened to this book on its website since I haven't gotten the chance to get the book, but one day soon I know I'll get all 21 books in this series because I want the full collection. I remember reading this series in middle school I was hooked from the start because I had a Library class and I could read books while in my class that's how I first heard of Bluford Series. Then Read the others in the public library where I lived.
December 6, 2019
I think the book was actually pretty good. Most of the Bluford Series are. The book was about a 16-year-old girl who was raped when she was younger. She was raped by her uncle who was 15-years-old at the time and she was around the age of 8. She never told anyone because she thought they wouldn't believe her. Her childhood was taken away from her. And now with her being 16 and having a boyfriend, Coop. She let's that situation cloud her better judgement. But now with the FAMILY reunion coming up she is terrified. She them let that terror take control of her and cause her to act out of character. After she confronts Uncle Rudy, she tells her Mom, Aunt and Coop that she was rape. And how the thought of seeing uncle Rudy made her behavior change. But now that she tells someone and confronts him she feels better. I recommend this book to everyone!
September 28, 2013
Omg page 83 was the sweetest part of the book...SO SWEET
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July 2, 2014The whole Bluford series is a good high-interest read for upper middle school students.
August 11, 2015
This Is Beautiful
June 15, 2017
“Survivor” by Paul Langan is a book about a girl named Tarah. Tarah has been living with a big secret that have been haunting her for 10 years. Nobody knows about her secret because she thinks that people would see her differently or as a victim. When she was a little girl, her uncle Rudy destroyed her heart, childhood, and life. She decided to live with it, until the day of her aunt’s birthday party where Rudy would be. An adolescent’s life is already very dramatic and busy but Tarah has to also deal with that secret that hurts her soul because she doesn’t wanna be judge. Since she knew about that party she has been trying to avoid it but she cannot avoid her past. People are gonna find out her big and dark secret. I like this book because it has teen drama but also it shows us how this girl who was assaulted thinks and the reasons why she hides that dark secret. You would like this book if you ever wanted to know how people who has been through this think and how the manage to live happily after this, how they move on and face their biggest fear. This book is very emotional, and is a book where many people can relate to.
January 9, 2019
The reason why I read this book is because my 7th grade teacher had recommended every one in my class to read it so that we can complete a project. Yes i love this book!!! I definitely recommend everyone else to read it also because it is an amazing book. It's sad but at the same times it's fascinating.
I like Tarah because she was a young brave and intelligent minded girl that kept a strong secret that would tare up her Families hearts. She was frustrated at times but she still held down the secret of what her uncle had done to her. The Important points that I liked about this story is how Tarah protected her niece kayla by not letting her uncle get near her at the family get together.
I think that the Author did a great job with the story because he explain each part of the story and didn't leave anything out. There was honestly nothing that needed to be improved.
I like Tarah because she was a young brave and intelligent minded girl that kept a strong secret that would tare up her Families hearts. She was frustrated at times but she still held down the secret of what her uncle had done to her. The Important points that I liked about this story is how Tarah protected her niece kayla by not letting her uncle get near her at the family get together.
I think that the Author did a great job with the story because he explain each part of the story and didn't leave anything out. There was honestly nothing that needed to be improved.
March 16, 2020
Survivor by Paul Langan is about this young girl name Tarah Carson who will soon have to face a fear nobody know about. She has this dark secret that she has been holding in for years, but it might be coming back to hunt her. Tarah goes to highschool, she has a boyfriend , she has friends, and she get along with her mother. I like how she had friends by her side but I did not like how she was scared to go to them for help. I give this book 5 stars cause it teach you, how you should go to an adult when you going though a dark time.
January 31, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Tarah Carson has lived with a secret since she was a little girl and it has made her cower in fear. Tarah is a great side character. Her main book felt too short, too traumatizing, and just too not her. She’s typically our funny, strong willed, and protective side character but in her book she was running and angry at everyone which isn’t like her maybe it was due to her circumstance enlightened in the book
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June 4, 2018The book SURVIVOR is the girl tarah trying to cop with what her uncle did to her when she was little.(but the memories ,the pounding of her heart on her brow and tears in her eyes were what happening to me? she thought to herself .I would recomennd this book to some teenage girls around the ages of 13 -17
January 24, 2018
this book was great because this girl was raped at the age of 6 by her uncle who was 15 she has lived bearing that weight but she has now told her mother grandmother and boyfriend. she now feels better like relieved i really liked it because it made me go on deep thought about how other people deal with troubles in their life that none knows but people judge them for acting diffrent.
November 20, 2018
Breaking point is such a great book and so is the series Bluford high. I love reading all there books to go into a new adventure in every book. Although this book is more on the sad side of there books and i think it is for more mature audiences this time. Other wise i do recommend this book.
September 5, 2017
Touching story - unfortunately so much truth to the situation
April 26, 2018
Good book.
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February 17, 20234 Copies
March 29, 2024
This series changed my life in middle school and high school. It made me feel and even cry. A must read. Should even be a tv series. Each book is awesome.
November 23, 2025
That made me cry. I love the Tarah character.
March 22, 2017
I loved this book.The book was very interesting and entertaining .
March 17, 2017
I think this was a good book. What i think she was saying is that she was scared to tell her mom because she was scared what she was going to think of her or like never talk to her again.
March 5, 2018
The book Survivor by Paul Langan is about a girl named Tarah and she is scared to tell her family and boyfriend that she was raped by her cousin. I liked this book because I could visualize a lot of things she was doing. After reading this book I someone who loves reading about realistic stuff should read this.
December 19, 2019
I like this book because when her uncle comes for a reunion, she is scared because of what happen in the past. The main characters are Darcy, Tarah, Cooper, and Tarah's mom. The theme is don't keep secrets when you need help. The authors purpose is to entertain the reader about how Tarah survived getting abused by her uncle. The author's point of view is first person because Tarah is telling the story on how she had to live with scars from when she got abused. Those characters change over time when first she is scared and then she needs to protect her cousin.
May 18, 2016
I have read the book called Survivor. It's about a girl named Tarah, who is the friend of Darcy, a character also from the Bluford High series. She is a person who is very thoughtful about things and cares for others. That’s what I have learned as I read this book. So it started off with a scene of her mom and aunt looking at old photos of their whole family. They were getting prepared from their great aunt’s 90th birthday, since she was the oldest living family member. As they searched through them, Tarah didn’t feel good, due to the fact that he did something to her that changed her life since childhood. He raped her. But the sad thing was that she didn’t tell anyone since. She just kept it to herself. But she still didn’t like the fact that he was left loose without getting caught. Her mother and aunt saw that she was feeling queasy, so they asked her if she was okay, and she lied and said yes. She just didn’t want to talk about him or see him ever again. She didn’t want to go to the gathering since he was going to be there.
She then was working and had a boyfriend to support her. She knew that he loved her and would never do something bad to her. But the twist was that she didn’t tell him about her incident as a child. Tarah felt like he would think of her differently. So she kept it inside of her just like it never happened. Her job also kept her from thinking about the family party. She worked with little children at a daycare center. She then began to hear rumors that her boyfriend was cheating on her. She loved him so much but couldn’t believe what she heard. Her best friend’s younger sister is the one who told her, since she was dating Tarah’s boyfriend’s younger brother. She knew that Cooper might leave her so she went up to that girl and began yelling at her. The girl then told her that she wasn’t trying to steal her man and that he just took her home after an incident that happened to her and her boyfriend at midnight. So he had to help her. But Tarah saw it another way. So she felt bad for not believing her boyfriend, Cooper. Then after a long struggle, she tried to look for excuses to not go to the party. So she volunteered to babysit her friends child that day. But she also felt bad that Aunt Deborah wouldn’t see her after a long trip there. But she still didn’t want to see him, so she just called her great great aunt and told her that she wouldn’t be able to see her. They both felt bad, but what could she do. The day of the party finally came and she heard that her uncle would be sleeping over at her aunts home. Her aunt had a six year old daughter, so she knew what he would try to do to her. But she still had to babysit. When she finished babysitting, she went straight to her aunt’s house to save her cousin. She found her uncle and her cousin there and yelled at him for everything he did to her 10 years ago and how it changed her life. He begged her not to tell anyone and that he was engaged. But she didn’t care. She scared him off and called her boyfriend. She told him to take her home with her cousin. The next day she told him everything that happened to her since she was raped.
The reason I liked the book was because it is from a third person's point of view so it describes all of the characters emotions in depth. Also, I enjoyed the fact that the the characters are so fierce and they stand out. Each of them have their own problems to deal with and try to get over them using different techniques. The book was realistic and helpful for people who don't know how rape victims feel for the rest of their lives.
She then was working and had a boyfriend to support her. She knew that he loved her and would never do something bad to her. But the twist was that she didn’t tell him about her incident as a child. Tarah felt like he would think of her differently. So she kept it inside of her just like it never happened. Her job also kept her from thinking about the family party. She worked with little children at a daycare center. She then began to hear rumors that her boyfriend was cheating on her. She loved him so much but couldn’t believe what she heard. Her best friend’s younger sister is the one who told her, since she was dating Tarah’s boyfriend’s younger brother. She knew that Cooper might leave her so she went up to that girl and began yelling at her. The girl then told her that she wasn’t trying to steal her man and that he just took her home after an incident that happened to her and her boyfriend at midnight. So he had to help her. But Tarah saw it another way. So she felt bad for not believing her boyfriend, Cooper. Then after a long struggle, she tried to look for excuses to not go to the party. So she volunteered to babysit her friends child that day. But she also felt bad that Aunt Deborah wouldn’t see her after a long trip there. But she still didn’t want to see him, so she just called her great great aunt and told her that she wouldn’t be able to see her. They both felt bad, but what could she do. The day of the party finally came and she heard that her uncle would be sleeping over at her aunts home. Her aunt had a six year old daughter, so she knew what he would try to do to her. But she still had to babysit. When she finished babysitting, she went straight to her aunt’s house to save her cousin. She found her uncle and her cousin there and yelled at him for everything he did to her 10 years ago and how it changed her life. He begged her not to tell anyone and that he was engaged. But she didn’t care. She scared him off and called her boyfriend. She told him to take her home with her cousin. The next day she told him everything that happened to her since she was raped.
The reason I liked the book was because it is from a third person's point of view so it describes all of the characters emotions in depth. Also, I enjoyed the fact that the the characters are so fierce and they stand out. Each of them have their own problems to deal with and try to get over them using different techniques. The book was realistic and helpful for people who don't know how rape victims feel for the rest of their lives.
February 17, 2013
Survivor by Paul Langan. Langan packs a lot into this little book; it all works and the action keeps flowing. Chapter one finds Tarah stressing that her Uncle Rudy is coming to Aunt Deborah's 90th birthday party and family reunion. Tarah has never told anyone what happened with Uncle Rudy when she was 6 years old, and now she's having flashbacks. And she's kinda cranky and paranoid cause she's stressing. She's now lying to her boyfriend Cooper, her mom, her best friend - well, everyone. She accuses Shanetta of stealing her boyfriend, and is giving Cooper the silent treatment alternating with nagging treatment. Langford writes, "In trying to avoid one mess, Tarah had created an even bigger one." Tarah continues to struggle with doing the right thing until it becomes clear that she is not the only one that is in danger and she will do anything to protect someone else from the abuse. The resolution is believable and empowering. There is drama and action; hard stuff happens but family is loyal and honest, and friends are there for each other. Misunderstandings are cleared up, and characters realize how they have unfairly judged one another. The type is large but not babyish. The covers work - characters portrayed are solidly african american. The story is believable and is also comforting and the books don't talk down. It's kind of like Little House on the Prarie for urban teens - and I mean that in a good way. Reluctant readers love these books.
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January 26, 2016Survivor took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. My heart cried for Tarah, who was in conflict with herself and the secret she was keeping from everyone, because insecurity. This book touched me because, I myself have a little sister and couldn't imagine her in that situation.
In Survivor, Tarah says,” What if he sees me differently after I tell him what happened?”.(line 9-10 pg. 85) In this quote she's referring to how she thinks her boyfriend might feel if she tells him how her uncle raped her as a child.
This quote brings about many points. We see eternal conflict taking place in Tarah. The root cause of this conflict is her uncle, who when she was a child raped her, causing her major insecurities. The author brings forth answers to an essential question in this part of the book. How certain do certain events in one’s childhood shape and form their identity as an adult. We see her how Tarah being raped as a child correlates with her current insecurities as an adult. Because of whet her uncle said to her as a child she's afraid to share something that is apart of she is in fear of losing her boyfriend.
I recommend this book to middle and highschool students.
In Survivor, Tarah says,” What if he sees me differently after I tell him what happened?”.(line 9-10 pg. 85) In this quote she's referring to how she thinks her boyfriend might feel if she tells him how her uncle raped her as a child.
This quote brings about many points. We see eternal conflict taking place in Tarah. The root cause of this conflict is her uncle, who when she was a child raped her, causing her major insecurities. The author brings forth answers to an essential question in this part of the book. How certain do certain events in one’s childhood shape and form their identity as an adult. We see her how Tarah being raped as a child correlates with her current insecurities as an adult. Because of whet her uncle said to her as a child she's afraid to share something that is apart of she is in fear of losing her boyfriend.
I recommend this book to middle and highschool students.
July 31, 2013
I thought this book was alright. Had a little hard time on what I should rate it weather it should be 3 or up. I got done with this book on July 26 or 27. I didn't like that it mentioned Rudy every time something would happen. I know the author wanted to get the point in your head that she was afraid but It got annoying. I liked the conversation that Tarah and Coop had at the beach. I like Tarah's mom, she seems like a very strong, brave women. I could relate to Tarah loving kids and possible becoming a teacher. Another thing I didnt like was that I felt like I learned more about Shanetta than Tarah :(. In Ch 10 i was curious to find out what would happen between Tarah and Uncle Rudy. When I found out I was surprised by how she handled it. I also liked the ending of the book!
January 9, 2014
Tarah Carson has a good life, good friends, a great family, a job she loves, and a dream boyfriend. She also has a secret she has kept hidden for ten years, but as a family reunion gets closer and she discovers she will once again have to face her Uncle Rudy, memories threaten to drown Tarah and destroy everything. Her last meeting with Uncle Rudy was at a family wedding. He was fifteen and she was only six. He took away her innocence and ruined her childhood, but it is a secret she kept all these years. Can she face this monster? Will her secret stay hidden and destroy her or will she be a survivor? New addition to the Bluford High series.
January 4, 2016
This book is about a girl named Tarah who has a secret; A deep dark secret that she and her uncle know about. A reunion is coming up for her family to meet up. She's scared because she knows her uncle will be there, which is the last thing she wants...
I like this book, but I don't know if its enough to really draw me in as much as the author has done in the past. Overall, it was great story. It had a very great plot and summary behind it, a good way of making you visualize, etc. But the reason why I'm not drawn into this story as much as other Bluford books is because they other ones have given me something to relate to.
I like this book, but I don't know if its enough to really draw me in as much as the author has done in the past. Overall, it was great story. It had a very great plot and summary behind it, a good way of making you visualize, etc. But the reason why I'm not drawn into this story as much as other Bluford books is because they other ones have given me something to relate to.
December 3, 2015
I thought this book was good because was based on a teen who experienced something that she had been hiding from everyone for years. I thought the author´s writing was great like the writing in his other books. Something I liked about this book was that it was detailed and interesting.I wish this book and all the bluford series books were longer. This reminds me of nothing I haven´t read or seen anything like this except for the bluford series I would recommend this and all the bluford series to my classmates.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews