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Firebird Caged
Ashley didn’t mean to get pregnant her senior year in high school. She didn’t mean to scare her hardworking and financially struggling mom, or to hide the truth from her awkward ex, Danny. She also didn’t mean to illegally take her well-off friend Madi’s prescription Xanax to cope with the stress—and she definitely didn’t mean to do it more than once.
When a doctor reports Ashley to the State of Wisconsin as a drug-addicted threat to her own unborn child, she is forcibly detained under the obscure and secretive Act 292 civil detention system for pregnant women, stranded in the county juvenile shelter home, and stigmatized by authorities who assign her fetus a lawyer but not her. It’s a struggle for Ashley just to get medical care for the pregnancy supposedly being protected—never mind fighting for her own freedom and making sure her baby isn’t taken away by social services after birth. Who’s going to protect Ashley herself?
But Ashley is stronger than anyone knows, and she has allies on the outside who believe in her. This is a fight Ashley can win—but only if she stops drifting passively, starts believing in herself, and chooses not to give in to despair.
Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.
When a doctor reports Ashley to the State of Wisconsin as a drug-addicted threat to her own unborn child, she is forcibly detained under the obscure and secretive Act 292 civil detention system for pregnant women, stranded in the county juvenile shelter home, and stigmatized by authorities who assign her fetus a lawyer but not her. It’s a struggle for Ashley just to get medical care for the pregnancy supposedly being protected—never mind fighting for her own freedom and making sure her baby isn’t taken away by social services after birth. Who’s going to protect Ashley herself?
But Ashley is stronger than anyone knows, and she has allies on the outside who believe in her. This is a fight Ashley can win—but only if she stops drifting passively, starts believing in herself, and chooses not to give in to despair.
Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2024
13 people want to read
About the author
Maya Chhabra
13 books23 followersI'm Maya Chhabra, author of Chiara in the Dark, a a YA verse novel about OCD, and Stranger on the Home Front, a historical middle grade novel about Punjabi immigration and WWI.
https://mayachhabra.com/bibliography/
You can read my short fiction at PodCastle, Cast of Wonders, Daily Science Fiction, and more.
My poetry has appeared at Strange Horizons, among many other venues.
My translation of Tsvetaeva's Fortune is available in Cardinal Points.
My novelette Walking on Knives, published by Less Than Three Press, is currently out of print.
Views are mine and not those of my employer.
https://mayachhabra.com/bibliography/
You can read my short fiction at PodCastle, Cast of Wonders, Daily Science Fiction, and more.
My poetry has appeared at Strange Horizons, among many other venues.
My translation of Tsvetaeva's Fortune is available in Cardinal Points.
My novelette Walking on Knives, published by Less Than Three Press, is currently out of print.
Views are mine and not those of my employer.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 23, 2024
2 stars
When I was approved to read this book, I was so excited because I was looking for an impactful story mostly because of the description from the synopsis and the subject of the story, especially with what is currently happening in the real world. This is a short Young Adult story. This book while short, could have been so impactful, with important messages, and really look at how things could really be, if they continue the way they are. However, this was not that book. The beginning half of this book had me hooked and had a very serious tone, but by the second half the writing was not descriptive or had any details or the seriousness of the first half. We speed fast through a number of things that were happening, so they came across glossed over, really lacking in depth that I was looking for based on the synopsis and the first half of this short story.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
When I was approved to read this book, I was so excited because I was looking for an impactful story mostly because of the description from the synopsis and the subject of the story, especially with what is currently happening in the real world. This is a short Young Adult story. This book while short, could have been so impactful, with important messages, and really look at how things could really be, if they continue the way they are. However, this was not that book. The beginning half of this book had me hooked and had a very serious tone, but by the second half the writing was not descriptive or had any details or the seriousness of the first half. We speed fast through a number of things that were happening, so they came across glossed over, really lacking in depth that I was looking for based on the synopsis and the first half of this short story.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
July 15, 2024
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review. Thank you Netgalley.
I do believe this book is MEANT to make the reader feel a bit uncomfortable. The realities of teen pregnancy and the legal system are explored in this book. Everyone should be aware of these facts displayed in the book.
The book was well-written and powerful. Well worth the read.
I do believe this book is MEANT to make the reader feel a bit uncomfortable. The realities of teen pregnancy and the legal system are explored in this book. Everyone should be aware of these facts displayed in the book.
The book was well-written and powerful. Well worth the read.
August 17, 2024
This is a really great realistic book! It's well-written and I think the author handles the subject matter really well and this is perfect for the targeted audience. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Maya Chhabra, North Star Editions and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
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October 13, 2023It's my next book! August 2024
May 27, 2024
The image on the cover is what initially drew me to the book. The cover conveys the desperation of a young woman, a teen in this case taking a pregnancy test and all her fears being confirmed the test is positive meaning she has a huge decision to make.
Ashley lives with her mum, her dad has moved on with a new wife and baby meaning the support checks are minimal and any other support is non-existent. So, its Ahley and her mum against the world really, they get by but don’t have money to splash about and live in a run down rented property where the landlord is reluctant to do any repairs or updates.
Ashley has broken up with her boyfriend Danny, he was more interested in his computer game world than Ashley and when he fails to support her dancing dream it’s the final straw for her. Its just a couple of weeks after the break up that Ashley thinks she may be pregnant, she buys a test and tries to play down its importance, comparing it to a Covid test just not snot that she’s testing.
She finally sneaks off to the bathroom at to take the test wondering how something so small as the pregnancy test in front of her can loom so large over her. Ashley is still trying to stay in the “its probably nothing” mind set until the test confirms otherwise. In the three minutes waiting for the test her whole life changes. Suddenly she is faced with a large, difficult decision that she cannot put off for very long. Ashley and her mother are close and when she confides in her mum, though she can see her mothers disappointment that she didn’t want her daughter to go down this difficult road that she herself had travelled. Ashleys mum offers to help sort out travelling to get an abortion as it is illegal in the state they presently live in, but doesn’t pressurise Ashley to decide right away, though she does caution her that the longer Ashley waits for an abortion the more complicated and expensive the procedure will be.
Just when decisions are made, things go terribly wrong with Ashley and her mother being made homeless. Madi offers Ashley a place to stay in her large house, and Ashleys mum finds a place to sleep at a friend’s home. It’s whilst living with the Wendt family that Ashley encounters Xanax and its effects. When she feels she is somehow becoming addicted she confides in a Doctor, and is suddenly arrested for the protection of her unborn baby. Ashley finds herself in a sort of home for girls pregnant or those considered by society as in need of such a home. Ashley has to prove herself to not only get out of the home but to make sure that she can keep her own baby! Ashley has to grow up quickly, and after reaching out to Danny, he puts her in touch with a compute game group friend who is a lawyer and who helps Ashley put her case across to the judge.
I really felt for Ashley who was perhaps at times a little naïve which ended in her making a succession of mistakes that took her situation from getting by to homeless and then into a group home. At times it felt like Ashley was a victim of circumstances. I could really understand the way Ashley looked at Madi’s life with rich parents, large house and her own car and envied it. Yet when Ashley moved in with Madi we caught a glimpse that not everything was perfect in the Wendt household either.
I liked the character of Danny, who eventually came through and how ironic it was his gaming contacts that provided he lawyer to help Ashley. It was a shame we didn’t get to know him a little better, though it became clear he still cared about Ashley and was going to support her and their baby in the future.
I think Ashley’s mum was amazing, having been a pregnant teen herself she didn’t jump for the obvious solution of abortion, she offered the option to her daughter and supported her in anyway she could to make her own mind up. It would have been easy for her to pressurise her daughter to have an abortion, as a baby would put further strain on the family finances. Ashleys mum was already working two jobs and barely covering their expenses.
This was a Hi Lo book aimed at reluctant readers, these books have a fast pace and are usually on subjects highly relevant to the age audience they are aimed at. I found the book really held my attention as an adult and I didn’t want to put it down!
I think the subject of teen pregnancy is covered quite well in the book as you see the different reactions through the generations. Ashleys mum was rushed into marriage, where as Ashleys mum gave Ashley choices and told her the decision was hers to make and that she would be there for her no matter what. Sadly, the subject of abortion is still a controversial subject and is a highly emotive subject especially as more and more obstacles and bans are being put in front of those seeking them. The book also mentions addiction, with Madi having Xanax and freely giving it to an agitated, upset Ashley without thinking of any side effects or consequences. I think the book also touches on the different way parents care for their children. Madi’s parents seem to throw medication at a problem rather than finding out the source of Madi’s issues. Ashleys mum takes time and listens to her daughter and includes her in the decision making. It would have been interesting to see what Danny’s parents thought about Ashley’s pregnancy and how involved they would have been. Though ultimately a teen pregnancy usually has to be dealt with by the young woman and her parents, in this case Ashley and her mum.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading Firebird Caged were that it was a really interesting, captivating short story about teen pregnancy and the increasingly growing legal minefield around it.
Summing up, Firebird Caged is an addictive read about a teen who finds herself repeating her own mother’s 'mistakes'. The big difference is she has her mother’s support to make up her own mind, but when their life and living arrangements take an unexpected turn and the teen makes another mistake then tries to do the right thing, social workers become involved, and it seems the state has their own ideas about the teen and her unborn baby.
Ashley lives with her mum, her dad has moved on with a new wife and baby meaning the support checks are minimal and any other support is non-existent. So, its Ahley and her mum against the world really, they get by but don’t have money to splash about and live in a run down rented property where the landlord is reluctant to do any repairs or updates.
Ashley has broken up with her boyfriend Danny, he was more interested in his computer game world than Ashley and when he fails to support her dancing dream it’s the final straw for her. Its just a couple of weeks after the break up that Ashley thinks she may be pregnant, she buys a test and tries to play down its importance, comparing it to a Covid test just not snot that she’s testing.
She finally sneaks off to the bathroom at to take the test wondering how something so small as the pregnancy test in front of her can loom so large over her. Ashley is still trying to stay in the “its probably nothing” mind set until the test confirms otherwise. In the three minutes waiting for the test her whole life changes. Suddenly she is faced with a large, difficult decision that she cannot put off for very long. Ashley and her mother are close and when she confides in her mum, though she can see her mothers disappointment that she didn’t want her daughter to go down this difficult road that she herself had travelled. Ashleys mum offers to help sort out travelling to get an abortion as it is illegal in the state they presently live in, but doesn’t pressurise Ashley to decide right away, though she does caution her that the longer Ashley waits for an abortion the more complicated and expensive the procedure will be.
Just when decisions are made, things go terribly wrong with Ashley and her mother being made homeless. Madi offers Ashley a place to stay in her large house, and Ashleys mum finds a place to sleep at a friend’s home. It’s whilst living with the Wendt family that Ashley encounters Xanax and its effects. When she feels she is somehow becoming addicted she confides in a Doctor, and is suddenly arrested for the protection of her unborn baby. Ashley finds herself in a sort of home for girls pregnant or those considered by society as in need of such a home. Ashley has to prove herself to not only get out of the home but to make sure that she can keep her own baby! Ashley has to grow up quickly, and after reaching out to Danny, he puts her in touch with a compute game group friend who is a lawyer and who helps Ashley put her case across to the judge.
I really felt for Ashley who was perhaps at times a little naïve which ended in her making a succession of mistakes that took her situation from getting by to homeless and then into a group home. At times it felt like Ashley was a victim of circumstances. I could really understand the way Ashley looked at Madi’s life with rich parents, large house and her own car and envied it. Yet when Ashley moved in with Madi we caught a glimpse that not everything was perfect in the Wendt household either.
I liked the character of Danny, who eventually came through and how ironic it was his gaming contacts that provided he lawyer to help Ashley. It was a shame we didn’t get to know him a little better, though it became clear he still cared about Ashley and was going to support her and their baby in the future.
I think Ashley’s mum was amazing, having been a pregnant teen herself she didn’t jump for the obvious solution of abortion, she offered the option to her daughter and supported her in anyway she could to make her own mind up. It would have been easy for her to pressurise her daughter to have an abortion, as a baby would put further strain on the family finances. Ashleys mum was already working two jobs and barely covering their expenses.
This was a Hi Lo book aimed at reluctant readers, these books have a fast pace and are usually on subjects highly relevant to the age audience they are aimed at. I found the book really held my attention as an adult and I didn’t want to put it down!
I think the subject of teen pregnancy is covered quite well in the book as you see the different reactions through the generations. Ashleys mum was rushed into marriage, where as Ashleys mum gave Ashley choices and told her the decision was hers to make and that she would be there for her no matter what. Sadly, the subject of abortion is still a controversial subject and is a highly emotive subject especially as more and more obstacles and bans are being put in front of those seeking them. The book also mentions addiction, with Madi having Xanax and freely giving it to an agitated, upset Ashley without thinking of any side effects or consequences. I think the book also touches on the different way parents care for their children. Madi’s parents seem to throw medication at a problem rather than finding out the source of Madi’s issues. Ashleys mum takes time and listens to her daughter and includes her in the decision making. It would have been interesting to see what Danny’s parents thought about Ashley’s pregnancy and how involved they would have been. Though ultimately a teen pregnancy usually has to be dealt with by the young woman and her parents, in this case Ashley and her mum.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading Firebird Caged were that it was a really interesting, captivating short story about teen pregnancy and the increasingly growing legal minefield around it.
Summing up, Firebird Caged is an addictive read about a teen who finds herself repeating her own mother’s 'mistakes'. The big difference is she has her mother’s support to make up her own mind, but when their life and living arrangements take an unexpected turn and the teen makes another mistake then tries to do the right thing, social workers become involved, and it seems the state has their own ideas about the teen and her unborn baby.
March 1, 2024
This book was really good! I really enjoyed the glimpse into what life is like for teen parents, and it was a super interesting story. It was very well written, and I would definitely recommend!
March 15, 2024
I think the premise is really good and something more people should know about but the entire book basically felt overly dramatic but flat at the same time.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews