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To be Maria
Librarian note: This is an alternate cover edition for asin B008R1SF7O.
Seventeen-year-old Anya Preschnikov wants to become a famous actress but she's faced with two problems. Her father ignores her and doesn't have any money to support her. At school, she's bullied on a daily basis, yet she believes that she will gain her stepping-stone to stardom if she's accepted by her peers.
All of this changes when Maria Hernandez--an immigrant from Spain--comes to Peach Valley Senior High. Maria knows what it takes to fit in. She's assertive, confident and she dresses suggestively, characteristics that all of the popular kids admire. Yet she sees in Anya what no one else sees: beauty and talent.
When Maria extends her hand of friendship, Anya is elated. Her rise to popularity is about to become a reality, but it ends at a house party when a boy's rude comment sends her into a rage.
Desperate to belong somewhere, Anya and Maria seek new friends outside of school. They meet Alex and Marissa, a young couple who eagerly welcomes them into their world of parties and drugs. Anya and Maria soon find out that Alex is a drug dealer, but they are so lured by his wealth, good looks and aggressive confidence that they can't resist his friendship. They don't know that Alex's gang is at war with a rival gang--one that's run by Anya's older brother, Adrik--until one incident puts their lives in danger's path. To make matters worse, Alex won't let Anya and Maria out of his sight. The two teens are forced to make a decision that's a matter of life or death.
Seventeen-year-old Anya Preschnikov wants to become a famous actress but she's faced with two problems. Her father ignores her and doesn't have any money to support her. At school, she's bullied on a daily basis, yet she believes that she will gain her stepping-stone to stardom if she's accepted by her peers.
All of this changes when Maria Hernandez--an immigrant from Spain--comes to Peach Valley Senior High. Maria knows what it takes to fit in. She's assertive, confident and she dresses suggestively, characteristics that all of the popular kids admire. Yet she sees in Anya what no one else sees: beauty and talent.
When Maria extends her hand of friendship, Anya is elated. Her rise to popularity is about to become a reality, but it ends at a house party when a boy's rude comment sends her into a rage.
Desperate to belong somewhere, Anya and Maria seek new friends outside of school. They meet Alex and Marissa, a young couple who eagerly welcomes them into their world of parties and drugs. Anya and Maria soon find out that Alex is a drug dealer, but they are so lured by his wealth, good looks and aggressive confidence that they can't resist his friendship. They don't know that Alex's gang is at war with a rival gang--one that's run by Anya's older brother, Adrik--until one incident puts their lives in danger's path. To make matters worse, Alex won't let Anya and Maria out of his sight. The two teens are forced to make a decision that's a matter of life or death.
277 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
29 people want to read
About the author
Deanna Proach
3 books15 followersDeanna Proach is also the author of Day of Revenge (Inkwater Press), a historical fiction set in 1793 France, and she's an avid reader and blogger. When Proach is not writing, she's actively involved in her local theatre community as an actress, and she's learning the art of Medieval sword fighting.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 9, 2013
Initial reaction: I don't think I have a single positive thing to say about "To Be Maria". The characters were one dimensional, there were spelling and grammar errors in copious amounts through the narrative, none of the situations felt realistic and all of the tough subject matter was trivialized to the point of no suspension of disbelief. There was rampant misogyny, slut shaming, bitch slamming, girl on girl hate, utterly inaccurate and offensive depiction of foreign characters, odd plot structure and transitions to the point where this book did not know what it wanted to be, and the worst possible ending to every bit of events this story had to offer.
I feel like I really wasted my time here, and it hurts to say it.
Full review:
I'll admit I can't pull the punch from my words in my initial thoughts surrounding "To Be Maria", because for a premise with a lot of heavy weights to the topics it touches - the progression, the writing, the structure, and characters involved in this tale could not be further from the realistic grounding its based upon.
I think for this review, I'm going to cut to the chase after I write a brief synopsis on what this story is about. I have to divide this into sections as far as the problems I saw in this narrative were concerned, because they all factored into how this didn't work for me at all. I honestly don't think this felt like a fully finished novel, and even considering that, it would have to go back to the drawing board to address a lot of problematic issues with its core. I'm going to be as constructive as I can be with this, so without further ado, here we go.
"To Be Maria", at its primary heart, is a story about a high school senior trying to fit in with the popular crowd, and the spiral that occurs within that measure. The young woman, Anya, is a social outcast and one who comes from a poor family - with an abusive brother hooked on drugs and has left the family for the streets, a neglectful father, and a younger sister who doesn't seem to care either which way. Anya's pretty much on her own, with her only friend at school named Patrick, a boy who moved into town from Dublin, Ireland when they were kids. She's bullied at school by a group of girls who are a part of the in-crowd, and at the point where this narrative stars, Anya recognizes a new girl that joins their ranks - 17-year old Maria, who has moved to their town as a student from Spain.
Anya wants to be everything that Maria embodies - have the beautiful clothes, assertiveness, popularity - but isn't fond of the company she keeps. When Anya suddenly has an invite to Maria's circles and a chance at an acting scholarship, it's one that she jumps into with both feet. But it doesn't come without costs that escalate to a breaking point that put the girls in dangerous territory.
Sounds intriguing, right? I was lured by the blurb and the enticing cover from NetGalley. (Plus the author was nice enough to grant me permission to share the first chapter on my blog - I featured it on last Wednesday's "Writer Wednesday" feature" (6/5/13).
However, and this is a significant "however", I think the blurb is more enticing than the actual product was concerned, because it didn't deliver on so many counts for a novel of its respective weight. I suppose if I'm trying to say something positive about the book - it's at least centered around some heavy themes and it starts out like it will approach something interesting (albeit flaws), but it doesn't deliver.
Let's begin with the problematic dimensions in terms of structure, then content:
Spelling and Grammar
This was a big deal, enough that it really threw me out of the book more than a few times. Even with an ARC, I understand there are going to be errors, but there were too many throughout the narrative that really bothered me as I went along. I think they could've been caught with a more thorough read through or beta readers. I could take maybe one or two errors for substitution (such as "to" for "too", and "you're" for "your"), but there were more significant errors like "confidant" for "confident" and others that drove me up the wall as I saw them through the narrative. My AP English teacher would've probably put a big red X through several pages in this book (and I would know, she did that for my essay on Henry VIII).
There were far too many of the minor ones to count alongside the major ones, and my grammar goddess was enraged. For a final product, or something close to one, it should not have had this many errors within it.
Multiple POV set/"head-hopping"
This narrative probably would've worked better as maybe one central POV or two POVs. Rather, this book had more than five perspective points within it, and I couldn't begin to keep up with them all because they weren't distinct, separated, or given any kind of easy transition. That's too many if you don't know how to sequence them well or give them distinction in the character voices. You risk losing the reader if you have more than three, and I know this is a lesson I had to learn in writing. The narrative head hops felt tedious, and even with their respective length didn't provide enough depth of character to be able to empathize/sympathize with their perspective in the narrative. I can probably expound upon the characterizations in detail later, but to name a few of the POV sets in this book:
Anya
Maria
Nadia Cummings, Anya and Maria's teacher
Patrick, Anya's friend
Carly, Anya's bully and Maria's friend
Shondra
Angela and Greg Newman, Carly's parents
Alex, charismatic yet dangerous leader
...and so forth. There were too many and some of them could've been cut easily out of the narrative without missing much. They didn't add to some of the rolling action or heart of the conflict, just made the narrative longer than what it should've been.
Which leads me to...
Stilted dialogue and internal monologues
"To be Maria" suffered from a lot of stilted dialogue and internal monologues, some of which could've been easily cut in length. Some of it made the dialogue seem juvenile and much younger than the characters were for their respective ages. For an example of the internal monologue, take this selection:
"The smirk on Carly’s face and the mocking tone in her voice infuriates Maria. She longs to give Carly a bloody nose. It wouldn’t be her first time to strike someone. She got into fights with other girls when she was younger, so the feel of Carly's face reverberating off her fist would not make her recoil. In fact, it would give her a rush of adrenaline. Yet, a small voice inside her head screams 'no'. If you punch Carly, it will go around the school in a matter of minutes and you will be more hated than Anya and Patrick. Shondra will kick you out of her parents' home and then where will you go? You can't go back to your parents’ place, not after the fight you had with them. "That's a good idea. Are you going to help me?" Maria realizes how pathetic that question is the second after she finishes speaking it. God, I feel like an idiot."
For an example of the stilted dialogue, I point you to this passage where Anya's entering Jose's party.
"The minute it opens, Anya's heart starts to pound hard against her chest, so hard that it almost makes her sick. Come on, Anya. Jose invited you here, so he won't snub you. Breathe, just breathe.
"Maria," Jose says, making his voice loud and boisterous.
To Anya, the pitch in his tone is incredibly annoying.
"You're here, and you brought Anya."
Anya can’t tell if he’s being playful or outright sarcastic.
"You invited her, so you won't pull anything on her, you hear?"
"Hey, Maria, I was just kidding," He says, looking put off by the brusque tone in her voice. "Welcome to my mansion, Anya."
"Thank you, Jose," she says, stepping inside of the large house."
There are far more examples, but for the sake of the length of this review, I can't quote more than that.
Which leads me into the content of the work, starting with "Plot."
Plot
The plot is actually less solid than the premise would have one believe. Anya is indeed a social outcast invited "as a dare" to be a part of Carly's circles, of which Maria is a part of. Anya doesn't know about the dare, and simply drops her life long best friend like a hot potato and goes traversing with the popular crowd, trying to vie for an acting scholarship and be "like" Maria. There are so many static, contradictory go-betweens in this narrative that I couldn't name them all. I definitely saw that this book was trying to illustrate extreme examples of bullying, facing up to "mean girls" and the tragic circumstances that occur when students lose their way, drop out of school, get cornered into a life of violence and drugs, but none of the overarching narrative felt authentic, raw, or with true grit to me.
The story often heavily handed revelations down to the point of telling the reader everything, versus showing and allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. The story milks all of these scenarios - bullying, domestic abuse, drug use, power struggles in school - for drama. People wouldn't act in the ways that some of the characters do here, not with such exaggerations. It threw me out of the book many times when my suspension of disbelief couldn't be maintained. Still, it was a part of the plot sequence leading up to a tragedy that happens about 80% into the book, and by that point, it was hard to care about it, because there was really no true coming to terms for Anya or Maria or what their decisions and/or experiences had led up to.
Characterization
I did not like any of the characters in this book. Normally, even if I don't like the characters in a work, as long as I can see where their thought process and sympathize for the situations they come across, I can usually still like the story. Not in this case.
Anya was insufferable. She seemed much younger than 17 years old, she's quick to slut shame and to temper, she values popularity over longevity (which I could see this being a lesson to be learned from, but I don't think at any point in the narrative, she truly did). I wanted to feel bad for her, especially considering the extent to which the bullying against her escalates, but it was very hard for me to sympathize when she was combative against everything and everyone in her life. She blamed her sister for losing her job (said sister's laughing could be over heard in the phone), but it was oversleeping and being late for work that likely led to Anya's termination. She blames her family for her circumstances (which could have some weight considering factors), but rarely takes initiative for herself. The ending feels more like she's walking away from things not for a sense of strength, but walking away like she did her friendships among other things.
Maria wasn't much better. She was very self-absorbed and while I wish I could say I sympathized with her struggle to fit in and project an image of confidence, the decisions and contradictions she has in her actions often clashed so much that it was hard to follow what she came to terms with - if anything at all.
What really had me up the wall were the projections of the adults in this book. Seriously, for the teacher to utter a racist remark about Maria's notes not being helpful because of her nationality, knowing that she was from Spain? It boiled my blood that there were no repercussions against that teacher (though the teens do speak against it). Further, all of the adults in this book who are supposed to be authority figures in the school acted in just as juvenile measures as the teens. Even the doctor who treats Anya following the bullying consequences was odd. He didn't feel the least bit authentic with his words or actions. It really wouldn't happen that way in real life.
Problematic elements (sexism, slut shaming, etc.)
I couldn't with the rampant slut shaming, drawn attention to the "slutty" or nearly naked clothing that the characters took note of in constant, repeated assertions through the narrative. If I had to hear about another denouncement over a character having their breasts nearly hanging out, it would be too soon. As if it were a reflection that all teenagers act/dress/talk this way on a regular basis. *rolls eyes* The sexism was also a problem in that it seemed that all of the *boys* in this book picked up on that factor as well. Even Patrick, supposedly lovable Patrick who was Anya's friend and even wrote a song for her, had the nerve to call Maria a "slut" based on her clothes and nationality. I was beyond floored.
One could also see it as problematic when Anya and Maria drop out of school not only on account of the bullying (though Carly does get called out and punished for the mean girl manipulations), but also to rebel against their lives. It's drawn in a staggered progression, which made it hard to follow when they ended up with Alex and the dangerous encounters with respect to Anya's lost brother. I had a hard time following the narrative in those turns because of the head-hopping and contradictory elements in the narrative.
In sum, it's not a book I would recommend, and I'll leave it at that.
Overall score: 0.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
I feel like I really wasted my time here, and it hurts to say it.
Full review:
I'll admit I can't pull the punch from my words in my initial thoughts surrounding "To Be Maria", because for a premise with a lot of heavy weights to the topics it touches - the progression, the writing, the structure, and characters involved in this tale could not be further from the realistic grounding its based upon.
I think for this review, I'm going to cut to the chase after I write a brief synopsis on what this story is about. I have to divide this into sections as far as the problems I saw in this narrative were concerned, because they all factored into how this didn't work for me at all. I honestly don't think this felt like a fully finished novel, and even considering that, it would have to go back to the drawing board to address a lot of problematic issues with its core. I'm going to be as constructive as I can be with this, so without further ado, here we go.
"To Be Maria", at its primary heart, is a story about a high school senior trying to fit in with the popular crowd, and the spiral that occurs within that measure. The young woman, Anya, is a social outcast and one who comes from a poor family - with an abusive brother hooked on drugs and has left the family for the streets, a neglectful father, and a younger sister who doesn't seem to care either which way. Anya's pretty much on her own, with her only friend at school named Patrick, a boy who moved into town from Dublin, Ireland when they were kids. She's bullied at school by a group of girls who are a part of the in-crowd, and at the point where this narrative stars, Anya recognizes a new girl that joins their ranks - 17-year old Maria, who has moved to their town as a student from Spain.
Anya wants to be everything that Maria embodies - have the beautiful clothes, assertiveness, popularity - but isn't fond of the company she keeps. When Anya suddenly has an invite to Maria's circles and a chance at an acting scholarship, it's one that she jumps into with both feet. But it doesn't come without costs that escalate to a breaking point that put the girls in dangerous territory.
Sounds intriguing, right? I was lured by the blurb and the enticing cover from NetGalley. (Plus the author was nice enough to grant me permission to share the first chapter on my blog - I featured it on last Wednesday's "Writer Wednesday" feature" (6/5/13).
However, and this is a significant "however", I think the blurb is more enticing than the actual product was concerned, because it didn't deliver on so many counts for a novel of its respective weight. I suppose if I'm trying to say something positive about the book - it's at least centered around some heavy themes and it starts out like it will approach something interesting (albeit flaws), but it doesn't deliver.
Let's begin with the problematic dimensions in terms of structure, then content:
Spelling and Grammar
This was a big deal, enough that it really threw me out of the book more than a few times. Even with an ARC, I understand there are going to be errors, but there were too many throughout the narrative that really bothered me as I went along. I think they could've been caught with a more thorough read through or beta readers. I could take maybe one or two errors for substitution (such as "to" for "too", and "you're" for "your"), but there were more significant errors like "confidant" for "confident" and others that drove me up the wall as I saw them through the narrative. My AP English teacher would've probably put a big red X through several pages in this book (and I would know, she did that for my essay on Henry VIII).
There were far too many of the minor ones to count alongside the major ones, and my grammar goddess was enraged. For a final product, or something close to one, it should not have had this many errors within it.
Multiple POV set/"head-hopping"
This narrative probably would've worked better as maybe one central POV or two POVs. Rather, this book had more than five perspective points within it, and I couldn't begin to keep up with them all because they weren't distinct, separated, or given any kind of easy transition. That's too many if you don't know how to sequence them well or give them distinction in the character voices. You risk losing the reader if you have more than three, and I know this is a lesson I had to learn in writing. The narrative head hops felt tedious, and even with their respective length didn't provide enough depth of character to be able to empathize/sympathize with their perspective in the narrative. I can probably expound upon the characterizations in detail later, but to name a few of the POV sets in this book:
Anya
Maria
Nadia Cummings, Anya and Maria's teacher
Patrick, Anya's friend
Carly, Anya's bully and Maria's friend
Shondra
Angela and Greg Newman, Carly's parents
Alex, charismatic yet dangerous leader
...and so forth. There were too many and some of them could've been cut easily out of the narrative without missing much. They didn't add to some of the rolling action or heart of the conflict, just made the narrative longer than what it should've been.
Which leads me to...
Stilted dialogue and internal monologues
"To be Maria" suffered from a lot of stilted dialogue and internal monologues, some of which could've been easily cut in length. Some of it made the dialogue seem juvenile and much younger than the characters were for their respective ages. For an example of the internal monologue, take this selection:
"The smirk on Carly’s face and the mocking tone in her voice infuriates Maria. She longs to give Carly a bloody nose. It wouldn’t be her first time to strike someone. She got into fights with other girls when she was younger, so the feel of Carly's face reverberating off her fist would not make her recoil. In fact, it would give her a rush of adrenaline. Yet, a small voice inside her head screams 'no'. If you punch Carly, it will go around the school in a matter of minutes and you will be more hated than Anya and Patrick. Shondra will kick you out of her parents' home and then where will you go? You can't go back to your parents’ place, not after the fight you had with them. "That's a good idea. Are you going to help me?" Maria realizes how pathetic that question is the second after she finishes speaking it. God, I feel like an idiot."
For an example of the stilted dialogue, I point you to this passage where Anya's entering Jose's party.
"The minute it opens, Anya's heart starts to pound hard against her chest, so hard that it almost makes her sick. Come on, Anya. Jose invited you here, so he won't snub you. Breathe, just breathe.
"Maria," Jose says, making his voice loud and boisterous.
To Anya, the pitch in his tone is incredibly annoying.
"You're here, and you brought Anya."
Anya can’t tell if he’s being playful or outright sarcastic.
"You invited her, so you won't pull anything on her, you hear?"
"Hey, Maria, I was just kidding," He says, looking put off by the brusque tone in her voice. "Welcome to my mansion, Anya."
"Thank you, Jose," she says, stepping inside of the large house."
There are far more examples, but for the sake of the length of this review, I can't quote more than that.
Which leads me into the content of the work, starting with "Plot."
Plot
The plot is actually less solid than the premise would have one believe. Anya is indeed a social outcast invited "as a dare" to be a part of Carly's circles, of which Maria is a part of. Anya doesn't know about the dare, and simply drops her life long best friend like a hot potato and goes traversing with the popular crowd, trying to vie for an acting scholarship and be "like" Maria. There are so many static, contradictory go-betweens in this narrative that I couldn't name them all. I definitely saw that this book was trying to illustrate extreme examples of bullying, facing up to "mean girls" and the tragic circumstances that occur when students lose their way, drop out of school, get cornered into a life of violence and drugs, but none of the overarching narrative felt authentic, raw, or with true grit to me.
The story often heavily handed revelations down to the point of telling the reader everything, versus showing and allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. The story milks all of these scenarios - bullying, domestic abuse, drug use, power struggles in school - for drama. People wouldn't act in the ways that some of the characters do here, not with such exaggerations. It threw me out of the book many times when my suspension of disbelief couldn't be maintained. Still, it was a part of the plot sequence leading up to a tragedy that happens about 80% into the book, and by that point, it was hard to care about it, because there was really no true coming to terms for Anya or Maria or what their decisions and/or experiences had led up to.
Characterization
I did not like any of the characters in this book. Normally, even if I don't like the characters in a work, as long as I can see where their thought process and sympathize for the situations they come across, I can usually still like the story. Not in this case.
Anya was insufferable. She seemed much younger than 17 years old, she's quick to slut shame and to temper, she values popularity over longevity (which I could see this being a lesson to be learned from, but I don't think at any point in the narrative, she truly did). I wanted to feel bad for her, especially considering the extent to which the bullying against her escalates, but it was very hard for me to sympathize when she was combative against everything and everyone in her life. She blamed her sister for losing her job (said sister's laughing could be over heard in the phone), but it was oversleeping and being late for work that likely led to Anya's termination. She blames her family for her circumstances (which could have some weight considering factors), but rarely takes initiative for herself. The ending feels more like she's walking away from things not for a sense of strength, but walking away like she did her friendships among other things.
Maria wasn't much better. She was very self-absorbed and while I wish I could say I sympathized with her struggle to fit in and project an image of confidence, the decisions and contradictions she has in her actions often clashed so much that it was hard to follow what she came to terms with - if anything at all.
What really had me up the wall were the projections of the adults in this book. Seriously, for the teacher to utter a racist remark about Maria's notes not being helpful because of her nationality, knowing that she was from Spain? It boiled my blood that there were no repercussions against that teacher (though the teens do speak against it). Further, all of the adults in this book who are supposed to be authority figures in the school acted in just as juvenile measures as the teens. Even the doctor who treats Anya following the bullying consequences was odd. He didn't feel the least bit authentic with his words or actions. It really wouldn't happen that way in real life.
Problematic elements (sexism, slut shaming, etc.)
I couldn't with the rampant slut shaming, drawn attention to the "slutty" or nearly naked clothing that the characters took note of in constant, repeated assertions through the narrative. If I had to hear about another denouncement over a character having their breasts nearly hanging out, it would be too soon. As if it were a reflection that all teenagers act/dress/talk this way on a regular basis. *rolls eyes* The sexism was also a problem in that it seemed that all of the *boys* in this book picked up on that factor as well. Even Patrick, supposedly lovable Patrick who was Anya's friend and even wrote a song for her, had the nerve to call Maria a "slut" based on her clothes and nationality. I was beyond floored.
One could also see it as problematic when Anya and Maria drop out of school not only on account of the bullying (though Carly does get called out and punished for the mean girl manipulations), but also to rebel against their lives. It's drawn in a staggered progression, which made it hard to follow when they ended up with Alex and the dangerous encounters with respect to Anya's lost brother. I had a hard time following the narrative in those turns because of the head-hopping and contradictory elements in the narrative.
In sum, it's not a book I would recommend, and I'll leave it at that.
Overall score: 0.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher.
May 11, 2013
What a crazy ride! This novel took me for the grand tour of high school cliques and gang life. It was a phenomenally hard hitting story that keeps you entertained while making you think. It also makes gang life and drug trafficking in Canada vividly real.
This story was quite well written. At times the sentences became a little choppy, but overall it flowed quite well. This hard hitting story was full of comprehensive descriptions that really packed a punch. Proach brings everything to life, without ever making anything or anyone seem larger than life. She walks a very fine line to balance and enhance her story. Everything fits together seamlessly.
Proach has created a well-developed cast that catches high school and family problems to a T. Each character is very uniquely developed to be themselves. They are also growing into themselves, as your average high school student does. I appreciate that there were characters who were willing to stand up against bullying (that does go to extremes in this novel). I was, however, quite perplexed with the final chapter. I can’t quite figure out why the main character made the final decision that she did in this novel. It just doesn’t seem quite in character with her.
As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was quite interesting and very hard hitting. There were a few moments that I wondered what was going on, but it did work out in the end.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This story was quite well written. At times the sentences became a little choppy, but overall it flowed quite well. This hard hitting story was full of comprehensive descriptions that really packed a punch. Proach brings everything to life, without ever making anything or anyone seem larger than life. She walks a very fine line to balance and enhance her story. Everything fits together seamlessly.
Proach has created a well-developed cast that catches high school and family problems to a T. Each character is very uniquely developed to be themselves. They are also growing into themselves, as your average high school student does. I appreciate that there were characters who were willing to stand up against bullying (that does go to extremes in this novel). I was, however, quite perplexed with the final chapter. I can’t quite figure out why the main character made the final decision that she did in this novel. It just doesn’t seem quite in character with her.
As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was quite interesting and very hard hitting. There were a few moments that I wondered what was going on, but it did work out in the end.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 15, 2013
Anya is an aspiring actress who longs for love and acceptance from her home and school life.
When she meets the beautiful outspoken Marie, she believes that befriending Marie will give her the breakthrough she needs to overcome her obstacles and insecurities.
Only little does she know what's in store for her and that everything she thought isn't as it seems.
............
"To Be Marie" was a pleasant surprise for me. It had a mixture of themes: acceptance, friendship, hopes/dreams, and even murder. The author does a good job in portraying Anya's character and describing what makes and breaks her.
The plot was also very fluid and developed nicely. I was literally clenching my jaw as the tension increased and things started getting out of control. It made me wonder where Proach was going at times with Anya's fate and kept me locked in till the end.
Overall, very good read!
When she meets the beautiful outspoken Marie, she believes that befriending Marie will give her the breakthrough she needs to overcome her obstacles and insecurities.
Only little does she know what's in store for her and that everything she thought isn't as it seems.
............
"To Be Marie" was a pleasant surprise for me. It had a mixture of themes: acceptance, friendship, hopes/dreams, and even murder. The author does a good job in portraying Anya's character and describing what makes and breaks her.
The plot was also very fluid and developed nicely. I was literally clenching my jaw as the tension increased and things started getting out of control. It made me wonder where Proach was going at times with Anya's fate and kept me locked in till the end.
Overall, very good read!
October 3, 2012
This is book is fantastic! It has a fantastic story line with mixture of heartbreaks, popularity, murder and a little dash of big hopes and dreams. I love the way Deanna explore the characters but I had a hard time deciphering which character's point of view that I'm reading. Overall, I really love this book!
May 7, 2013
May 7 2013
Update!
Check out my blog and read A Chat With Deanna Proach, author of To Be Maria
April 26 2013
Sneak preview of To Be Maria! Thank you Ms Proach for giving us the pleasure of enjoying a sample of your work. For those who are on the look out for reading an excerpt of this fantastic book, Click Here!
Review as published Apr 10, 2013:
(This should be a 4.5 – anyone care to help me out on how to increase this rating by half a point?)
Wow! This was a surprise!
I borrowed this book from Netgalley and was thereafter contacted by Ms. Proach herself. Now that was a treat all on its own!
I had not read the book yet (I had just gotten the approval to borrow) and I promised her that I would read it, make my teenager daughter read it and ready two reviews: one from my perspective as a mother and from the perspective of a teenager.
Here’s the blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Anya Preschnikov wants to become a famous actress but she's faced with two problems. Her father ignores her and doesn't have any money to support her. At school, she's bullied on a daily basis, yet she believes that she will gain her stepping-stone to stardom if she's accepted by her peers.
All of this changes when Maria Hernandez--an immigrant from Spain--comes to Peach Valley Senior High. Maria knows what it takes to fit in. She's assertive, confident and she dresses suggestively, characteristics that all of the popular kids admire. Yet she sees in Anya what no one else sees: beauty and talent.
When Maria extends her hand of friendship, Anya is elated. Her rise to popularity is about to become a reality, but it ends at a house party when a boy's rude comment sends her into a rage.
Desperate to belong somewhere, Anya and Maria seek new friends outside of school. They meet Alex and Marissa, a young couple who eagerly welcomes them into their world of parties and drugs. Anya and Maria soon find out that Alex is a drug dealer, but they are so lured by his wealth, good looks and aggressive confidence that they can't resist his friendship. They don't know that Alex's gang is at war with a rival gang--one that's run by Anya's older brother, Adrik--until one incident puts their lives in danger's path. To make matters worse, Alex won't let Anya and Maria out of his sight. The two teens are forced to make a decision that's a matter of life or death.
Here is my daughter’s review:
At first, To Be Maria seemed like one of those books where the author picks a predictable "Oh-my-God-I'm-like-bullied-by-popular-kids-and-I-hate-my-dad-so-feel-sorry-for-me" storyline. But then unexpected twists in the plot happen. One example is when Anya and Maria leave home, and make friends with a drug dealer, which spirals the plot into one huge mess.
The writing style was very fluid and easy to read, but I still feel that the author could have done better. The author made Anya into a Mary Sue-ish character, making her seem that she does nothing wrong and is flawless, even when she beat up her little sister and everyone was like "Oh it's not Anya's fault!". Overall, the plot development was good, but the ending was definitely lacking. There too many loose ends in this book's ending. So, I rate this book a 3.5. I really think the author could have done better, especially in the way the book ended. I felt it was way too lacking.
Here is my take on To Be Maria:
I was very hesitant to read a YA, angst-ridden book. Everyone knows that I like my HEAs too much, and especially as reading my blog, it is obvious that I really am a fan of the MM genre. However, there are some exceptions to be made, To Be Maria being one of them.
I honestly did not like the beginning, especially with Anya talking to herself, feeling sorry for herself, etc, etc, etc. It was too much of a reminder of my past and nothing to do at all with the story line or how this book was written.
When Maria’s character was introduced the book started to have a life of its own. No longer was the teen-aged angst plot typical of most YA books, it turned into something more. It made me think of the characters in terms of how they were similar/dissimilar to my own children and their peers. The characters' activities turned darker as I read further into the plot and I just got even more scared and hesitant and yet, curiously, unable to put it down.
Anya, as a character, was brilliantly penned. I came to actually hate her character and I started to lean more towards Maria. This reaction is only possible, at least in my thinking, when an author can successfully bring a character to life and make them believable and “real”. (Note: There are many young people out there who are “Anya.”)
The plot development was brilliant. There is the usual angst, the usual vie for popularity common in all teen-aged lives, the daydreams were hedonistic – again typical of any teenager, and the need for acceptance from even those who should not merit a glance. However, reading on through the story, it took a hold of me and kept me reading until the end. Now that was a surprise (for me at least, hey! It is YA!)
Then there was the ending.... The end was not an end. My daughter did not like that ending. Reading over the other readers’ reviews I found that many did not like it either.
Initially, I was dumbfounded: Is That It?????? What next? Did I get an unfinished book?
But no! It was the end, and it leaves the future of Anya to – well to the future. Ms. Proach made it in such a way that anyone and everyone can speculate on Anya’s future: brilliant or fatal. No one really knows what will happen! This is an ending that Anya deserves.
As I got to think and delve more into the message, I finally got it at the end.
No, this is not an HEA book, anyone can see that from the blurb. Her ending it this way was like a lesson; it made me ask my own daughter: what if she were Anya? What if she had a similar life? Would she, my daughter, have an HEA or an ending similar to this?
My daughter never answered. I think she is still mulling that question over.
Update!
Check out my blog and read A Chat With Deanna Proach, author of To Be Maria
April 26 2013
Sneak preview of To Be Maria! Thank you Ms Proach for giving us the pleasure of enjoying a sample of your work. For those who are on the look out for reading an excerpt of this fantastic book, Click Here!
Review as published Apr 10, 2013:
(This should be a 4.5 – anyone care to help me out on how to increase this rating by half a point?)
Wow! This was a surprise!
I borrowed this book from Netgalley and was thereafter contacted by Ms. Proach herself. Now that was a treat all on its own!
I had not read the book yet (I had just gotten the approval to borrow) and I promised her that I would read it, make my teenager daughter read it and ready two reviews: one from my perspective as a mother and from the perspective of a teenager.
Here’s the blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Anya Preschnikov wants to become a famous actress but she's faced with two problems. Her father ignores her and doesn't have any money to support her. At school, she's bullied on a daily basis, yet she believes that she will gain her stepping-stone to stardom if she's accepted by her peers.
All of this changes when Maria Hernandez--an immigrant from Spain--comes to Peach Valley Senior High. Maria knows what it takes to fit in. She's assertive, confident and she dresses suggestively, characteristics that all of the popular kids admire. Yet she sees in Anya what no one else sees: beauty and talent.
When Maria extends her hand of friendship, Anya is elated. Her rise to popularity is about to become a reality, but it ends at a house party when a boy's rude comment sends her into a rage.
Desperate to belong somewhere, Anya and Maria seek new friends outside of school. They meet Alex and Marissa, a young couple who eagerly welcomes them into their world of parties and drugs. Anya and Maria soon find out that Alex is a drug dealer, but they are so lured by his wealth, good looks and aggressive confidence that they can't resist his friendship. They don't know that Alex's gang is at war with a rival gang--one that's run by Anya's older brother, Adrik--until one incident puts their lives in danger's path. To make matters worse, Alex won't let Anya and Maria out of his sight. The two teens are forced to make a decision that's a matter of life or death.
Here is my daughter’s review:
At first, To Be Maria seemed like one of those books where the author picks a predictable "Oh-my-God-I'm-like-bullied-by-popular-kids-and-I-hate-my-dad-so-feel-sorry-for-me" storyline. But then unexpected twists in the plot happen. One example is when Anya and Maria leave home, and make friends with a drug dealer, which spirals the plot into one huge mess.
The writing style was very fluid and easy to read, but I still feel that the author could have done better. The author made Anya into a Mary Sue-ish character, making her seem that she does nothing wrong and is flawless, even when she beat up her little sister and everyone was like "Oh it's not Anya's fault!". Overall, the plot development was good, but the ending was definitely lacking. There too many loose ends in this book's ending. So, I rate this book a 3.5. I really think the author could have done better, especially in the way the book ended. I felt it was way too lacking.
Here is my take on To Be Maria:
I was very hesitant to read a YA, angst-ridden book. Everyone knows that I like my HEAs too much, and especially as reading my blog, it is obvious that I really am a fan of the MM genre. However, there are some exceptions to be made, To Be Maria being one of them.
I honestly did not like the beginning, especially with Anya talking to herself, feeling sorry for herself, etc, etc, etc. It was too much of a reminder of my past and nothing to do at all with the story line or how this book was written.
When Maria’s character was introduced the book started to have a life of its own. No longer was the teen-aged angst plot typical of most YA books, it turned into something more. It made me think of the characters in terms of how they were similar/dissimilar to my own children and their peers. The characters' activities turned darker as I read further into the plot and I just got even more scared and hesitant and yet, curiously, unable to put it down.
Anya, as a character, was brilliantly penned. I came to actually hate her character and I started to lean more towards Maria. This reaction is only possible, at least in my thinking, when an author can successfully bring a character to life and make them believable and “real”. (Note: There are many young people out there who are “Anya.”)
The plot development was brilliant. There is the usual angst, the usual vie for popularity common in all teen-aged lives, the daydreams were hedonistic – again typical of any teenager, and the need for acceptance from even those who should not merit a glance. However, reading on through the story, it took a hold of me and kept me reading until the end. Now that was a surprise (for me at least, hey! It is YA!)
Then there was the ending.... The end was not an end. My daughter did not like that ending. Reading over the other readers’ reviews I found that many did not like it either.
Initially, I was dumbfounded: Is That It?????? What next? Did I get an unfinished book?
But no! It was the end, and it leaves the future of Anya to – well to the future. Ms. Proach made it in such a way that anyone and everyone can speculate on Anya’s future: brilliant or fatal. No one really knows what will happen! This is an ending that Anya deserves.
As I got to think and delve more into the message, I finally got it at the end.
No, this is not an HEA book, anyone can see that from the blurb. Her ending it this way was like a lesson; it made me ask my own daughter: what if she were Anya? What if she had a similar life? Would she, my daughter, have an HEA or an ending similar to this?
My daughter never answered. I think she is still mulling that question over.
May 1, 2013
[See full Review at my blog as well as EXCERT AND EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]
->http://zoelapeters.wordpress.com/2013... <-
My review
“Shit happens. Life’s a bitch and you have to be strong if you want to survive. You have to pick up the pieces and move forward” – Maria from To be Maria
Well this book was quite a journey, I had my ups and downs with this book and I shall explain them shortly. This book was given to me by Miss Proach in exchanged for an honest review and no factors were influencing my thoughts.
About the Characters
Firstly we have out main character Anya she’s a talented 17 teen year old with a passion for acting however she has alot of crosses in her life such a nasty home life Her father’s a drunk, her mom is dead and her little sister pretty much hates her and school isn’t much better either. She is considered an outcast and sometimes is even bullied. She has only but one friend named Patrick but that all changes when a foreign student enters into her life named Maria. Now these characters had their high up and down moments for me. At times I felt myself sympathizing with her character, every teen has at one point wanted nothing more to be accepted by everyone around them however at times I felt Anya’s need for popularity and acceptance was a bit obsessive in some points, she was so desperate to fit in that she made alot of terrible choices in this book which I didn’t exactly find pleasant. Patrick was a character who I understand but at the same time didn’t care for. I thought his reaction to the things that happened were Justified at the same time I really couldn’t feel like I related with him at all. Maria was one character who I absolutely loved, unlike Anya who was often very wild in her emotions, personality, thoughts and actions, Maria stayed constant. She was a wild, caring and ambitious 17 year old who wasn’t afraid to go for what she wanted, she had dreams as she wanted to achieve them. Naturally this wild behavior caused her to make alot of bad decisions herself but we all make mistakes. She as well as Marissa were my top characters in this book. Alex was a guy who had alot of dept and complexity to him, I saw and understood his need to look out for them to give them the chance they deserved but like Anya his actions sometimes betrayed the things he wanted. I thought Anya even though she wanted friends she didn’t really know how to keep them herself. Overall I did enjoy reading about these characters, I was hooked, I read it in only a few sittings once I really got into it.
About the Plot
The plot was the best thing about this book, it shows and didn’t shy away from many things of life which is simple, if someone doesn’t get love from home, from friends they’d go looking for it elsewhere and that elsewhere may not be the safest place for them. This story touched alot of topics such as bullying, drugs, abuse, acceptance, gangs and most importantly friendship. I was never bored throughout the book, not even once. The slow beginning were due to the problems I shall state below but other than that it was a smooth read. Anya and Maria’s struggles and trials throughout this book are exactly what some teens face currently, which was one thing that definitely appealed to me beyond believe, that the story and the situations felt real. There were a few problems with Time frames, like alot of the relationship and trust happened to quickly in some cases. And the ending left room for a possible sequel? I definitely felt it wasn’t the end of Anya’s journey or her trials. Frankly I loved how it ended the way it did but when I was told about the new ending I thought that that left alot of openings for things to happen in another, a new structure of support for Anya as well new difficulties. The sudden Acceptance of Anya to Angeline’s proposition was the main debate for me because after all she had been through i would understand that she would need a line of support however that brought me to one of the reasons I had problems with Anya in the first place which was that she was too easily swayed by people and by ideas. Often times I didn’t think she thought for herself and if she did it was always for irrational reasons. I do hope this book has a sequel though because I can’t wait to see what happens next and if it doesn’t this book would have left me feeling incomplete.
The Writing Style
And here starts the main reason why I got so slowly into the book in the first place. I had problems in terms of the dialogue towards the beginning, often many of the things characters said weren’t something typical teenagers said. It felt forced at some points but I felt that majorly during Chapter 1. Anya’s voice as started out like a bit of a script to me, her describing her actions as she was doing them or explaining that something was sarcastic even though the dialogue made that clear however as the story progressed I saw the definite improvement in the writing style and in dialogue, everyone had a natural voice and once that happened it was easy sailing going through the rest of the book. The writing style as it went along was very easy to understand and portray the environment everyone was living in. Sometimes I forgot that I was reading a book because it played as if it was a movie in my mind which I adored.
So overall I thought this book was great! Had a few problems characters wise and structure wise but other than that I enjoyed reading it and is definitely a must read if you love Contemporary realistic stories about bullying, acceptance and friendship.
I give this book 3/5 stars
->http://zoelapeters.wordpress.com/2013... <-
My review
“Shit happens. Life’s a bitch and you have to be strong if you want to survive. You have to pick up the pieces and move forward” – Maria from To be Maria
Well this book was quite a journey, I had my ups and downs with this book and I shall explain them shortly. This book was given to me by Miss Proach in exchanged for an honest review and no factors were influencing my thoughts.
About the Characters
Firstly we have out main character Anya she’s a talented 17 teen year old with a passion for acting however she has alot of crosses in her life such a nasty home life Her father’s a drunk, her mom is dead and her little sister pretty much hates her and school isn’t much better either. She is considered an outcast and sometimes is even bullied. She has only but one friend named Patrick but that all changes when a foreign student enters into her life named Maria. Now these characters had their high up and down moments for me. At times I felt myself sympathizing with her character, every teen has at one point wanted nothing more to be accepted by everyone around them however at times I felt Anya’s need for popularity and acceptance was a bit obsessive in some points, she was so desperate to fit in that she made alot of terrible choices in this book which I didn’t exactly find pleasant. Patrick was a character who I understand but at the same time didn’t care for. I thought his reaction to the things that happened were Justified at the same time I really couldn’t feel like I related with him at all. Maria was one character who I absolutely loved, unlike Anya who was often very wild in her emotions, personality, thoughts and actions, Maria stayed constant. She was a wild, caring and ambitious 17 year old who wasn’t afraid to go for what she wanted, she had dreams as she wanted to achieve them. Naturally this wild behavior caused her to make alot of bad decisions herself but we all make mistakes. She as well as Marissa were my top characters in this book. Alex was a guy who had alot of dept and complexity to him, I saw and understood his need to look out for them to give them the chance they deserved but like Anya his actions sometimes betrayed the things he wanted. I thought Anya even though she wanted friends she didn’t really know how to keep them herself. Overall I did enjoy reading about these characters, I was hooked, I read it in only a few sittings once I really got into it.
About the Plot
The plot was the best thing about this book, it shows and didn’t shy away from many things of life which is simple, if someone doesn’t get love from home, from friends they’d go looking for it elsewhere and that elsewhere may not be the safest place for them. This story touched alot of topics such as bullying, drugs, abuse, acceptance, gangs and most importantly friendship. I was never bored throughout the book, not even once. The slow beginning were due to the problems I shall state below but other than that it was a smooth read. Anya and Maria’s struggles and trials throughout this book are exactly what some teens face currently, which was one thing that definitely appealed to me beyond believe, that the story and the situations felt real. There were a few problems with Time frames, like alot of the relationship and trust happened to quickly in some cases. And the ending left room for a possible sequel? I definitely felt it wasn’t the end of Anya’s journey or her trials. Frankly I loved how it ended the way it did but when I was told about the new ending I thought that that left alot of openings for things to happen in another, a new structure of support for Anya as well new difficulties. The sudden Acceptance of Anya to Angeline’s proposition was the main debate for me because after all she had been through i would understand that she would need a line of support however that brought me to one of the reasons I had problems with Anya in the first place which was that she was too easily swayed by people and by ideas. Often times I didn’t think she thought for herself and if she did it was always for irrational reasons. I do hope this book has a sequel though because I can’t wait to see what happens next and if it doesn’t this book would have left me feeling incomplete.
The Writing Style
And here starts the main reason why I got so slowly into the book in the first place. I had problems in terms of the dialogue towards the beginning, often many of the things characters said weren’t something typical teenagers said. It felt forced at some points but I felt that majorly during Chapter 1. Anya’s voice as started out like a bit of a script to me, her describing her actions as she was doing them or explaining that something was sarcastic even though the dialogue made that clear however as the story progressed I saw the definite improvement in the writing style and in dialogue, everyone had a natural voice and once that happened it was easy sailing going through the rest of the book. The writing style as it went along was very easy to understand and portray the environment everyone was living in. Sometimes I forgot that I was reading a book because it played as if it was a movie in my mind which I adored.
So overall I thought this book was great! Had a few problems characters wise and structure wise but other than that I enjoyed reading it and is definitely a must read if you love Contemporary realistic stories about bullying, acceptance and friendship.
I give this book 3/5 stars
April 23, 2013
Oh dear.. This SO didn't turn out how I expected it too. It started off so well.
I feel like I just wasted 60 minutes of my life.. Anyone know how I can get them back?
*sigh* like I said this book started off pretty good.. A group of peers fighting over a scholarship all wanting to become actors. Trying to find their place and fit in in a world full of jealousy and where popularity is everything.
Anya has always been an outcast.. But that doesn't bother her... Much. Who am I kidding she's always wanted to be popular and to have a group of friends. She's a darn good actor and a threat to the others in the advance acting class but although acting is meant to be everything to her, she gives it up without a second thought.
Patrick and her have been best friends for ages and unbeknown to her he has always wanted to the their relationship to the next level.. He loves her. They've always been there for each other and know each other inside out. But she gives him up too.
Maria starts at a new school.. Anyas school and she gets straight in with the populars. She's sexy, confident and knows how to play the game. However she pities Anya and manipulates her and the others to get her in the clique and in doing so Patrick is pushed out.. But it's fair to say that so does not work. Things get so bad that Maria finally consumed with guilt at hurting Anya and sticks up for her and it goes down as well as expected.. Not good at all. Their lives crumble apart. Maria argues with her parents right left and centre and leaves home, Maria's sister hates her and her fathers a drunken mess. They get involved in things they don't understand and their lives slowly fall apart uncontrollably. It's fair to say things don't end well.
This book was a little boring, a lot annoying, and with the worst ending imaginable. Not only was the ending sad, unsatisfying and horrible but it just left me completely dumbfounded.
Maria became my favourite character if I had to pick one. She was the one who could take care of herself and yeah she made some rash and foolish decisions but at least she had a plan, she was the type that could look after herself and she was completely independent. I respected her wholeheartedly. Anya really wound me up, she was always looking to be babied. She had to be really pushed to stand up for herself and always looked to everyone for approval.
There are so many things that angered me about this book, but there is no point in explaining them all. I struggled to even give this read 2 stars.
I suppose I just find it hard to understand how a person can want popularity and to fit in so much she gives up everything without a second glance and doesn't even seem to be that sad when it doesn't turn out to be everything she imagined. And to give up her whole career, her dream of a full scholarship and her best friend without remorse and so easily.
I didn't enjoy this read unfortunately.
I feel like I just wasted 60 minutes of my life.. Anyone know how I can get them back?
*sigh* like I said this book started off pretty good.. A group of peers fighting over a scholarship all wanting to become actors. Trying to find their place and fit in in a world full of jealousy and where popularity is everything.
Anya has always been an outcast.. But that doesn't bother her... Much. Who am I kidding she's always wanted to be popular and to have a group of friends. She's a darn good actor and a threat to the others in the advance acting class but although acting is meant to be everything to her, she gives it up without a second thought.
Patrick and her have been best friends for ages and unbeknown to her he has always wanted to the their relationship to the next level.. He loves her. They've always been there for each other and know each other inside out. But she gives him up too.
Maria starts at a new school.. Anyas school and she gets straight in with the populars. She's sexy, confident and knows how to play the game. However she pities Anya and manipulates her and the others to get her in the clique and in doing so Patrick is pushed out.. But it's fair to say that so does not work. Things get so bad that Maria finally consumed with guilt at hurting Anya and sticks up for her and it goes down as well as expected.. Not good at all. Their lives crumble apart. Maria argues with her parents right left and centre and leaves home, Maria's sister hates her and her fathers a drunken mess. They get involved in things they don't understand and their lives slowly fall apart uncontrollably. It's fair to say things don't end well.
This book was a little boring, a lot annoying, and with the worst ending imaginable. Not only was the ending sad, unsatisfying and horrible but it just left me completely dumbfounded.
Maria became my favourite character if I had to pick one. She was the one who could take care of herself and yeah she made some rash and foolish decisions but at least she had a plan, she was the type that could look after herself and she was completely independent. I respected her wholeheartedly. Anya really wound me up, she was always looking to be babied. She had to be really pushed to stand up for herself and always looked to everyone for approval.
There are so many things that angered me about this book, but there is no point in explaining them all. I struggled to even give this read 2 stars.
I suppose I just find it hard to understand how a person can want popularity and to fit in so much she gives up everything without a second glance and doesn't even seem to be that sad when it doesn't turn out to be everything she imagined. And to give up her whole career, her dream of a full scholarship and her best friend without remorse and so easily.
I didn't enjoy this read unfortunately.
June 11, 2013
There are things that are not meant for you despite trying and wanting it to be. That's how I felt when I was reading this book. I tried so hard to understand and even hoped that I reach a certain part wherein I can say that it still has sense in spite all of its shortcomings. I am not speechless because I was mind-blown but because I was so disappointed and so frustrated. It has a lot of social issues that I think the author wanted to address, from bullying to peer pressure, from clique to labels we define ourselves during high school. It was a good thing since there was a goal to be achieved but unfortunately, the book failed to go to that direction. I think it was too ambitious to want to achieve everything when the ideas and the plot were so cluttered. As a reader, I was so confused on what was going on because it always switched from this issue to another without even giving a resolution to the first one. The book also has a lot of characters and events that did not seem to have any connection to the main point of the story.
I also hate the characters and how they did not progress to be better persons towards the ending. First is Maria. I do not understand why Anya wants to be like her or to be friends with her when she was not even a good example or influence. She does not want to study or finish school and just want to settle as a waitress in a restaurant. That's why I don't get why Anya envies her when she's not the rich, straight A student most of us wants to be. Second is Anya. She had the chance to change her life and really be someone in the future but she wasted it for a friendship that gotten her into the worse situations. Oh please. As usual, she wanted to be popular but it had totally gone wrong. I would want to sympathize with her because of the way she was bullied but I just can't shake the feeling of hate that I have towards her since she tends to blame everyone for what was happening to her. Plus, she does not take responsibility for her actions and I hate how coward she is. Patrick was no better. He was the worst friend and admirer I have ever read about. How could you believe your friend's tormentors instead of taking your friend's side? I was disgusted by how he treated Anya. I think he was the worst character because of his cowardice. I just wished they have learned something towards the end but that was not the case.
The book was promising and had so much potential to give the readers a worthwhile read but it had failed to deliver and was poorly executed.
I also hate the characters and how they did not progress to be better persons towards the ending. First is Maria. I do not understand why Anya wants to be like her or to be friends with her when she was not even a good example or influence. She does not want to study or finish school and just want to settle as a waitress in a restaurant. That's why I don't get why Anya envies her when she's not the rich, straight A student most of us wants to be. Second is Anya. She had the chance to change her life and really be someone in the future but she wasted it for a friendship that gotten her into the worse situations. Oh please. As usual, she wanted to be popular but it had totally gone wrong. I would want to sympathize with her because of the way she was bullied but I just can't shake the feeling of hate that I have towards her since she tends to blame everyone for what was happening to her. Plus, she does not take responsibility for her actions and I hate how coward she is. Patrick was no better. He was the worst friend and admirer I have ever read about. How could you believe your friend's tormentors instead of taking your friend's side? I was disgusted by how he treated Anya. I think he was the worst character because of his cowardice. I just wished they have learned something towards the end but that was not the case.
The book was promising and had so much potential to give the readers a worthwhile read but it had failed to deliver and was poorly executed.
February 17, 2014
I read the synopsis and fell in love; this book held so much promise, but did not deliver at all. I hate dnfing books as I like to give them all a fair chance, so even though I didn't like the beginning of this novel, I did try to read it. 20% in, and I couldn't take it anymore.
Everything was terrible. The characterisation was practically non-existent, with whiny, ridiculous characters who acted like twelve year old brats rather than youths on the curb of adulthood. The writing was incredibly poor, possibly the worst I've ever seen - not only was it in an odd person, but it lacked structure, and the language was appallingly vague and dry. I mean, here are some quotes:
'I hate high school! I hate it with a passion! The people are great, but the work sucks. And FYI, I don't want to live here anymore.'
'Carly is so lucky to have him. If Matt was my boyfriend, we'd have fun every night.' Maria shakes her head. 'Oh, get your head out of the gutter, Maria. Don't you ever think of your friend's boyfriend like that. That is so wrong!'
'I like you too, Maria. You are drop dead gorgeous and you know how to be sexy.'
I rest my metaphorical case. The plot was also sparse - I saw small hints at what the synopsis had promised, but it was very random. For example, Anya is suppose to have this mafia brother, I'm presuming? Well, Patrick mentions him once, and it was completely out of the blue. I have a feeling that if I read further on, it would only get worse.
Avoid To Be Maria at all costs. Possibly the worst book I have read this year, which is certainly saying something. If I wanted to read a badly-written book about a whiny teenager who is oblivious to her utter sexiness I'd pick up Twilight! Not impressed.
Everything was terrible. The characterisation was practically non-existent, with whiny, ridiculous characters who acted like twelve year old brats rather than youths on the curb of adulthood. The writing was incredibly poor, possibly the worst I've ever seen - not only was it in an odd person, but it lacked structure, and the language was appallingly vague and dry. I mean, here are some quotes:
'I hate high school! I hate it with a passion! The people are great, but the work sucks. And FYI, I don't want to live here anymore.'
'Carly is so lucky to have him. If Matt was my boyfriend, we'd have fun every night.' Maria shakes her head. 'Oh, get your head out of the gutter, Maria. Don't you ever think of your friend's boyfriend like that. That is so wrong!'
'I like you too, Maria. You are drop dead gorgeous and you know how to be sexy.'
I rest my metaphorical case. The plot was also sparse - I saw small hints at what the synopsis had promised, but it was very random. For example, Anya is suppose to have this mafia brother, I'm presuming? Well, Patrick mentions him once, and it was completely out of the blue. I have a feeling that if I read further on, it would only get worse.
Avoid To Be Maria at all costs. Possibly the worst book I have read this year, which is certainly saying something. If I wanted to read a badly-written book about a whiny teenager who is oblivious to her utter sexiness I'd pick up Twilight! Not impressed.
September 25, 2012
There are some really lovely descriptions written throughout the story that make for good reading.
Anya’s back story is set up well and adds to her insecurities. It gives the reader a better understanding of why she feels insignificant and unsure of herself. Anya’s desperation to fit in and be accepted comes through very strong. The reader can easily sympathise with how hard friendship groups can be at times. As well as the pressures from both high school and home life.
The story flows along well and the increased tension is just right until the story reaches it’s climax. It is paced nicely to show just how easily situations can spiral out of control. As a reader you will become invested in Anya and want to keep reading to the end to find out how things turn out for her.
Anya’s back story is set up well and adds to her insecurities. It gives the reader a better understanding of why she feels insignificant and unsure of herself. Anya’s desperation to fit in and be accepted comes through very strong. The reader can easily sympathise with how hard friendship groups can be at times. As well as the pressures from both high school and home life.
The story flows along well and the increased tension is just right until the story reaches it’s climax. It is paced nicely to show just how easily situations can spiral out of control. As a reader you will become invested in Anya and want to keep reading to the end to find out how things turn out for her.
September 7, 2012
To be Marie was a tale about a young girl who endured torment from her family and school mates. Anya, had a promising future in the theater, however, that wasn't enough. Anya always wanted to know what it would be like to be on the popular side. When she meets the beautiful out spoken Maria her prayers are answered. Anya will soon learn that everything that glitters isn't gold and come close to losing everything including her very own life.
September 26, 2012
I really cute story - I'll post my review after Oct 3rd when it goes up on my blog :)
June 24, 2013
**ARC provided by Smith Publicity via Netgalley**
The review will be posted on publication date.
Dnf
The review will be posted on publication date.
Dnf
Want to read
May 13, 2013Amazon Freebie 5/13/13
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