The Red Sheet

by Mia Kerick

One October morning, high school junior Bryan Dennison wakes up a different person—helpful, generous, and chivalrous—a person whose new admirable qualities he doesn’t recognize. Stranger still is the urge to tie a red sheet around his neck like a cape.

Bryan soon realizes this compulsion to wear a red cape is accompanied by more unusual behavior. He can’t hold back from retrieving kittens from tall trees, helping little old ladies cross busy streets, and defending innocence anywhere he finds it.

Shockingly, at school, he realizes he used to be a bully. He’s attracted to the former victim of his bullying, Scott Beckett, though he has no memory of Scott from before “the change.” Where he’d been lazy in academics, overly aggressive in sports, and socially insecure, he’s a new person. And although he can recall behaving egotistically, he cannot remember his motivations.

Everyone, from his mother to his teachers to his “superjock” former pals, is shocked by his dramatic transformation. However, Scott Beckett is not impressed by Bryan’s newfound virtue. And convincing Scott he’s genuinely changed and improved, hopefully gaining Scott’s trust and maybe even his love, becomes Bryan’s obsession.

With a foreword by C. Kennedy

Genres: M M Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT, High School, Abuse

191 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2014

About the author

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—one in law school, another at a dance conservatory, a third studying at Mia’s alma mater, Boston College, and her lone son still in high school. She has published more than twenty books of LGBTQ romance when not editing National Honor Society essays, offering opinions on college and law school applications, helping to create dance bios, and reviewing English papers. Her husband of twenty-five years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about this, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships. She has a great affinity for the tortured hero in literature, and as a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with tales of tortured heroes and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to her wonderful publishing houses for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.

Her books have been featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine, and have won Rainbow Awards for Best Transgender Contemporary Romance and Best YA Lesbian Fiction, a Reader Views’ Book by Book Publicity Literary Award, the Jack Eadon Award for Best Book in Contemporary Drama, an Indie Fab Award, and a Royal Dragonfly Award for Cultural Diversity, among other awards.

Mia Kerick is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology. Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com or visit at www.miakerickya.com to see what is going on in Mia’s world.

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars
I predict this will be one of the top 5 YA books of 2014!

I'll try to string a few thoughts together that will do this justice when I can see straight.

ETA - Review:

Warning: If you've ever been bullied, this book may be a major trigger for you! There's also an interrupted sexual assault scene that has one of the MCs bound and gagged.

This is a YA book. There's no sex to speak of in The Red Sheet. If you have to have sex in your books, this one is not for you.

This is an amazing book. Hard to read, yes. For me it hit very close to home and brought back a great deal of unpleasant memories from Jr. High and High School. Bullying is real and it hurts! Cody Kennedy puts it this way in his Foreward:

Painful beyond description, debilitating, and tragic, bullying leaves everlasting, invisible scars. To say that you will recover from bullying is a myth. You can only survive and compensate for it when and if you are able.

The Red Sheet is also about forgiveness. I truly believe forgiveness is the only way to be at peace and live life to the fullest. Harboring unresolved hatred and grudges is more harmful to us than the person who 'wronged' us. The author shows us the power of forgiveness. It's not painted as sunshine and roses rather it is realistic and painful.

The Red Sheet should be required reading before entering high school. A movie should be made from this and shown on cable channels geared toward teens. The messages here need to be told and retold until bullying is obliterated from society.

This book will affect different people in different ways but I think there's something in it for everyone and I highly recommend it.

[☆ Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do have a point, so please bear with me...

If you have a box full of fluffy, yellow baby chicks and add a chick with a black spot on its head into the mix, the other chicks will peck the spotted chick to death. If it's different, kill it. Sad, but true. : (



So what does that have to do with this book? Well, it's exactly the same in regards to being different with high school kids and let's just say that our would-be hero, Bryan Dennison, woke up one morning to the startling revelation that he had been a real PECKER.



He had been one of those aforementioned yellow chicks (but not a very fluffy one) whose clique had been responsible for constantly pecking anyone who they deemed as even remotely different.

But unlike the other Superjock peckers, Bryan sees how horrible he's been to pretty much everyone and wants to be better person. Someone who he can truly be proud of. As Gandhi taught and the book quotes, he wants to "be the change you want to see in the world."



And, oh yeah, he's literally DYING to don a red cape to help give him courage while bettering himself. Like a security blanket of sorts.



Enter Scott Beckett, who was someone extremely important in Bryan's life until shortly before his overnight "change." Someone who Bryan wronged on more levels than simple words could ever express. But Bryan *must* make things right with Scott, no matter the cost.



Scotty's character was truly inspiring. Even in the face of his constant bullying, he refused to let his tormenters see him cower or run away. Such strength of character that I was blown away. And he only got stronger as the book progressed.



This amazing story focuses a lot on proving through actions that you're a better person that you were, but also on being strong enough when you've been wronged to forgive.



Another aspect about this story that I really loved was that when one person, just ONE, stands up for what he knows is right, that often gives courage to others to band together and do the same. And that bad situations don't have to stay that way for the sake of maintaining the status quo.



--> Bryan to his Coach on getting along with his bullying teammates: “Coach, I’m only standing up for what I believe is right. I’m not gonna treat people like crap just for being who they are. And I won’t use my size and my status to push anybody around anymore.”

Plus, Bryan's antics were adorable and hilarious. It wasn't all angst and drama, so even though the topics were often very serious, the book was a funny and entertaining read as well. I highly recommend it.

So buy this book ASAP and to crudely paraphrase Gandhi, "Stop being a pecker!" : )

[Sheziss · Rating 3 out of 5]

***CAUTION: RED SHEETS EVERYWHERE!!!***

The amazing thing about water drops is that they always take the path of least resistance. For humans it's exactly the opposite.



Bryan is a water drop, but Scott is not. Bryan has to learn how to fight against the flow. How to make the tough choice because it's the right way to go. And to understand that he needs the strength the red sheet gives to him. To be the change he wants to see in the world.



Oh yeah, it was totally crazy. One day Bryan gets up and decides he craves a red sheet, he NEEDS a red sheet. He needs to fly like Superman (and he even tries to) and he has the unexplainable compulsion of rescuing small furry animals from the trees, or the ridiculous temptation of gathering coupons for his neighbor, or the call for being nice and polite to everybody, even if they answer in a bad way and he is late for class. It was SO funny reading it in his unmistakeable shocked state at these changes in himself I had to stop and laugh several times because they were genuine moments.



I want to compare it to Lady Gaga. She writes songs that are deceptively superficial. But they talk about issues that are quite profound if you stop a minute or two and think about them. The red sheet could seem a stupid idea, but it's not the object, but the concept, that is important. Everything that is represented in it.



A friend of mine told me that during the period when she had to walk on crunches and she needed the most for the doors to be opened people shut them on her face. It is said that ours is the most solidary generation but I believe that's complete crap. I have mates who would pay more attention to the dirty kids in Haiti than to the person next to them who is shouting "HELP ME, PLEASE" with their eyes. This selective deafness is kind of frustrating, you have to be DYING if you want to attract some kind of attention. Minor misfortunes are always forgotten when you find a greater one. But there will always be somebody who is in a worse situation and so on you will forget the one with the "lesser" wound. We can't let that to happen. NGOs are great and all of that, ok. But I think it's not necessary to travel that far to make your good. You can do your bit with the people around you. Believe me, a smile from a unknown person can cheer me up in a bad day. That's why I try to smile to everybody (you can perfectly assume I'm cute or I'm stealing drugs from the pharmacy), I guess there are a lot of people having a bad day around me. And here it is when I remember that sentence: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. Now replace the word "country" for whatever term you find fitting.



Scott here is ignored in his suffering, and with the following pages you realize that the role Bryan played in that making is bigger and bigger with each passing revelation. It's very hard to see how good people act when they are afraid and behave against their own beliefs and values. But it's harder to forgive them.



This book touches the typical young adult themes in a high school: bullying, finding one's identity, true friendship, honesty, family and love. And above it all, how to follow the hard path, how to be true to yourself, because that person is the one with whom you are going to sleep at night. But what is not typical at all is how convincing it was, and how innovator. It was from the bully's POV. But you won't see one guy who pursues another, you will see one guy who knows he had been one but can't remember why he did it and how. And that one day he wants a red sheet more than nothing in the WORLD, just to save it.



Don't worry, it all makes sense in the end. It's not that you get all the scientific answers about why Bryan has memory loss or that weird thing about the red sheet. I interpreted it all as something symbolic. As a A Christmas Carol-kind of moral. To sum it up, this is a damn good m/m book in the YA genre.



Lots of sentences in this review were not mine. Quoting is one of my hobbies :P .

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yeah, I'm pretty pissed off after reading this.

TW: abuse, sexual assault, bullying, homophobia

Looks like I'm the odd one out because I hated this book.

I was betrayed by a best friend when I was in junior high. She accused me of doing things I would never do, and this was after weeks of not talking to me because she was busy with her new friends at her new school. But I didn’t know what she was going to say when I took her phone call. I was just happy she called, that I wasn’t forgotten, that I was still her friend and important enough for her to call me. I wasn’t prepared for the things she would say to me and the hatred with which she would say them. And it hurt. A lot. Because if you can’t trust your best friend, who the hell can you trust? Well, you learn to pick your friends better, but it took me a long time to realize that. In the few times our paths crossed during high school, she never once apologized but acted like everything was normal (and I went along with it because good girls don't make scenes, but that's another social issue for another day). So yeah, trust is a huge issue for me, and people who expect forgiveness without apologizing have nothing but my disdain.

But let’s face it, as much as that sucked back then, it doesn’t even compare to what Scott has to go through at the hands of Bryan and his posse of assholes. We’re talking constant bullying, abuse and assault, including at one point sexual assault that Bryan is complicit in. And that’s all kind of swept under the rug, because in this story, we’re supposed to be worried about Bryan’s state of mind. Because clearly, this is all about Bryan, not the actual victim.

Bryan is one of those people who expects forgiveness without apologizing. But Bryan did apologize, right? Not really, because he conveniently forgot the crimes he was apologizing for, so none of that counts. Nothing that he does for the first 90% of this book counts. He wakes up one morning with a major jonesing for red sheets and a completely blank spot of all his bullying behavior so he can pretend he’s Superman when really he’s a scumbag even Lex Luthor would be shaking his head at. He makes some overzealous, forced attempts at being an Eagle Scout, all the while patting himself on the back for how awesome and selfless he is now, all while stalking Scott until Scott is convinced he’s changed. He even gets a teacher (who I do like) to unwittingly help him in his stalking crusade. When another kid Bryan doesn’t remember being an asshole to tells him about his own bullying, Bryan again doesn’t apologize. He just kind of brushes it off and changes the subject without even acknowledging what David just told him. But Bryan’s “changed”. He’s one of the “good guys” now. Frankly, seeing Bryan surround himself with what he dubs the Social Justice League was nauseating for me because he managed to get all these kids to believe his change was sincere when in fact it was all an elaborate ruse to make him feel better about himself without doing any of the soul searching or redemption necessary for that. And when Bryan does finally remember all the horrible crap he’s done, and the trauma that he put Scott through, it becomes all about Bryan once again.

And the thing is, I probably could’ve tolerated Bryan more if he remembered everything from the get-go and all his attempts to be better had actually been sincere instead of driven by this vague “something” to which he kept referring. It’s not that I don’t like redemption stories or think people are incapable of changing because of how much they screwed up in the past. Xena is my absolute favorite hero because redemption is awesome, but Xena owns all the crap she's done. The only reason to have Bryan forget was so the reader could meet him after his “change” (which is just a side effect of self-induced amnesia than actual real change) and root for the apparently redeemed bully. Yeah. I wasn’t falling for that manipulation. And make no mistake this book is manipulative as hell. It’s designed to make you care about a jerkwad’s shallow attempts at being a better person (He volunteers at homeless shelters! He cares about the planet! He helps kittens out of trees!) rather than put the focus where it actually belongs, and that’s on Scott and how he’s somehow miraculously able to forgive Bryan for all his misdeeds after just a few short weeks. You see, there’s a difference between forgiveness and trust. Forgiveness is something you do for yourself, not the other person, but Bryan practically guilts Scott into it with his Ghandi quotes and that fucked up letter he writes to Scott. Trust is something you give another person once they deserve it, and Bryan hasn’t done anything to deserve that either.

I also didn’t like the writing choice of having Bryan constantly “talk” to the reader. It’s throughout the entire book and clearly meant to get us on Bryan’s side (more manipulation). He also gets preachy with the Ghandi quotes, and that makes him come across like a self-righteous blowhole. Throw in the constant italics for emphasis and the fact that Bryan comes across more like a 12-yr old than a 17-yr old - though maybe that was another side effect of his “amnesia” - and there was little here for me to like.

I kept reading long after I should have quit because everyone loved this book. I figured it must have some redeeming qualities. I did like the stuff with Bryan’s dad and stepfamily, though I had to remind myself constantly that we're seeing Bryan's parents’ divorce from the POV of a child and so don't know the full story of what went down. I also had to concede the possibility that Bryan's dad did apologize at some point before this story started, so I was able to give the man some leeway. (Bryan is the epitome of an Unreliable Narrator after all, not to mention self-involved and determined to make himself appear in the best light possible.) His mom’s pretty great and Scott’s way too good for everyone in this story. Bryan is sincere in his apologies after he finally does remember everything, but that’s the last 10% of the book and not enough time to really deal with it before being whisked off to the HFN where Bryan gets the guy he totally doesn’t deserve. Instead, we’re supposed to rely on the previous 90% of the book - all of which is a con - to believe that Bryan really can and does change.

I'm giving this one star because I really did like Scott, who is the actual hero of this story, and most of the side characters, but everything else can be burned in the fires of Mt. Doom for all I care.

[Sun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm super sensitive to books about bullying. My heart...well, it hurts...when kids are made fun of for no other reason than a perceived pecking order in their schools. So, it may surprise you that I love YA and read LGBT YA quite regularly. Glutton for the angst, I guess. Or maybe just reminding myself to keep hurting and feeling for kids that have to go through it...and being AWARE that it happens.

Ok...PSA over...

The Red Sheet is one of those 'classic' YA tales...geeky gay kid, picked on at school and the closeted jock who likes him, loves him even, then hurts him, then makes it up to him. I love this plot line. And I really like the way Mia Kerick handled it. There is something very fresh in the way she tackles this story.

Bryan, the star basketball player at his school, wakes up one morning feeling like a superhero - like deep down wanting to do good and support justice and help those in need. He also has blocked out some painful memories of just days before. Bryan's voice is honest and confused and filled with integrity and tender and hopeful. And as he struggles to do right in an environment where every expects him to do wrong, he STANDS for something. I loved this character.

Scott is school geek, gay-kid, picked on...but defiant and proud. He's the object of Bryan's affections, but also the object of his bullying. And as the pieces and the memories of Bryan's past begin to come together, I want to embrace Scott and protect him from those who would hurt him...sometimes even from Bryan.

I would have liked to have gotten to know Scott a little bit better, so that he didn't just fit in the generic mold of his character. And though I adored Bryan, there were times where I felt he was becoming a bit preachy and overly verbose.

But all-in-all, I found this to be an emotional, powerful statement against teen bullying as well as an inspiring stand-for-something tale of making a difference. And lastly, a really charming teen love story about forgiveness and courage.

[River · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so hard to rate because 90% of the story is very good and entertaining but when you finally know everything your heart breaks in a million tiny pieces, how could you do that Bryan?

Bryan's story is interesting and quirky, for a big part of the story I was confused. why he didn¡t remebered Scott and a lot of things about himself but you are able to let it go and enjoy Bryan's journey of not only becoming a better person but dealing with the person he used to be.
I liked reading from the POV of a bully, I personally would have liked the regret and path to redemption without the amnesia because it would have felt more real but I still liked it, it is charming and funny and honestly, you were kinda rooting for Bryan.

The big issue is what Bryan did to Scott, and no I'm not talking about ignoring him and being a bad friend and being a jerk, Bryan does something TERRIBLE! thank god the author seems like a nice person and didn't take the story into a very dark path but the the thing is it could have gone horrible wrong. It becomes really hard to forgive Bryan, poor little baby Scott was too nice in the end, to be honest, I would have been like "I forgive you but let's just be acquaintances".


it took me almost 2 weeks to decide the rating and in the end I can't give more even if I loved the epilogue. My heart still aches over Bryan's actions. I can forgive a lot of things but those actions, I just can't. so 3.5 stars.

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gem is very much a Y/A novel and not steamy at all (one on-page kiss and one short flashback that includes more than a kiss), but sweet, a little heartbreaking, and all-around lovely.

The "red sheet" of the title is purely symbolic, and Bryan's personality change (he goes from jock bully, worried about fitting in, to essentially a super hero with a heart of gold) is mostly explained at the end (not sure this reasoning is realistic psychologically, but it worked for me).

Scotty was a great character, at once fragile and strong. I liked the secondary characters, like Bryan's mom, Bryan's little brother, and Ms. Libby the English teacher, too. This one made me both cringe (at the horror Scotty was put through) and smile (at Bryan's ultimate redemption and Scotty coming into his own). The theme of forgiveness was strong, and the ending was very much cotton candy and rainbows (totally appropriate here!).

Go forth, and be the change you want to see in the world. Yes, Bryan, we will.

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

My friend Todd, pretty much insisted that I read this book and then he insisted some more and I said ok. And then I put it off some more. Well, I finally got around to reading The Red Sheet and I'm glad I finally gave in and read this book!

Though the selective amnesia is, indeed, far fetched, I was able to suspend my disbelief and really enjoy the story. It's a story about second chances, and not just with other people, but with yourself, too.

Bryan Dennison is a jock. He's tall and big and plays whatever kind of sport happens to be in season. His friends are jocks and they are not a tolerant bunch. At all. Even worse, they bully those that are different. Now, while Bryan didn't generally actively bully, his complicity in it had much the same effect.

But after recovering from a monster of a hangover after a party one Saturday night, Bryan realizes he feels different. He can't quite put a finger on it, but he wants to be helpful - to everyone. It's like he can remember being a jerk to people, but it's vague and he can't remember why he was like that. And he wants a red cape, like Superman. I do have one bit of advice for our would be Superman, though:



The cape is just symbolic, though (mostly). A security blanket of sorts.

At school, the following Monday, Bryan realizes that he's forgotten more than just that party -- the one person that had been important to him was gone from his memory as well.

Scott Beckett is new to Appleton High School this year. He's gay and slight of build and the jocks at his new school make his life hell. But the Monday following that horrible party, he is more than feeling harassed. He is hurting and the fact that Bryan claims to not even remember why just makes it worse.

Scott was a very inspirational character. He was hurting so much and yet he still held his head high and continued to be who he was. Even if it cost him dearly. At first he doesn't believe that Bryan actually lost his memory, but as he gets to know Bryan again, he starts to. However, the chasm between forgiveness and second chances seems wide.

Told from Bryan's perspective, the story is about his awakening from asshole jock to rescuer of kittens. Bryan really learns what it means to like himself and what it means to be different. And though he was part of the problem before he forgot, now he part of the change.

I loved the message this story conveyed. And I loved both Bryan and Scott and when Scott was finally able to let his guard down again, it was beautiful. Just beautiful. This is the first book by this author that I have read, but I look forward to reading more. I'd definitely recommend this story!

[Elsa Bravante]

No rating

Me ha gustado el libro, creo que está muy bien escrito y me ha parecido realmente bello cómo la autora entrelaza la cuestión de las sábanas rojas a lo largo de toda la historia. Sin embargo, tengo un conflicto interno cuando pienso si me gusta el mensaje que se nos da.

Bryan es un bully, Scott una víctima, pero Bryan se despierta un día con el deseo y la intención de cambiar, aunque no sabe de dónde viene ese deseo, y qué ha ocurrido exactamente con Scott. Poco a poco vamos a ir descubriendo la persona que Bryan era, al mismo tiempo que él, y ha sido muy muy interesante tener en esta ocasión el POV del bully en lugar del de la víctima. El problema es que cuando sabemos qué ha ocurrido, me parece tan tan imperdonable el comportamiento de Bryan, que aunque creo en la redención y en el perdón, no me siento muy cómoda con el perdón de Scott y cómo se desarrolla luego su relación, no sé si el mensaje me gusta. El hecho de que el POV sea de Bryan hace el libro muy interesante, pero tiene un peligro, que como lector estemos más centrados en cómo se siente él que en cómo se siente Scott, Scott es la víctima, Scott es el verdadero superhéroe, eso es lo que creo que debería haber quedado claro pero queda un poco oscurecido.

Es un buen YA, no original en el tema, pero sí en la forma de tratarlo y la voz del MC es muy bonita leerla. Sin embargo, cierro estas palabras y sigo sin encontrarme cómoda con el desarrollo final.

[Josy · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ 4.5 stars ~

This story was... surprisingly good! Surprising not because I thought it would be a bad book but because it started out a bit farfetched. And usually, by the time I hit the last page, I have to have an explanation for everything that's been going on when it comes to contemporary stories.

Here, I didn't mind at all that there was no clear reason or explanation for Bryan's overnight personality change. I just went with it and I'm glad I did.

This was sweet, lovely, and funny. Given the very serious topic of bullying, I was surprised by how well the author was able to include some humor to not make this story too dark and depressing. There was some angst but it was well balanced.

I'm so in awe of Scott! He was so strong and went to school each and every day despite knowing what awaited him there. I know I would have hidden at home under my blankets but Scott wasn't about to cower and show his tormentors how much they hurt him. And his ability to forgive was a beautiful thing to witness. His forgiveness didn't come easily but I totally believed it when, in the end, he was able to trust again.

This is a wonderful YA story with great characters and an important message.


Read as part of my EuroPrideCon reading challenge: to read new-to-me-authors before the convention (https://europridecon.jimdo.com/).

[Heather C · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, YA is normally NOT my thing, and Mia Kerick is a new-to-me-author, but when TBG was asked to participate in the blog tour for The Red Sheet…I was immediately drawn in when I read the blurb.  Yes, I volunteered to read a young adult novel…and you know what?  I LOVED EVERY WORD OF IT!!!

Seventeen year old Bryan Dennison has done something unforgivable, he just can’t remember what he did.  In fact, he woke up with more than a few blanks in his memory and this overwhelming urge to tie a red sheet around his neck (like a cape, not a noose) and change the world.  But who is the real Bryan Dennison and will he be able to redeem himself after all his wrongs?  More importantly, will Scott Beckett ever forgive him of the unforgivable?  Too bad Bryan, can’t remember what that is.

Okay, I’m just going to be frank and put it out there that I’ve been trying to write this review for the last THREE days!  And every time I get started, I stare at the blank page thinking “There are no words!  Like, I’m totally in love with this book, but how can I say it where people really FEEL what I’m trying to say?”  Soooo, here I am resigning myself to accepting that my inadequacies will just have to be enough…

I loved Bryan’s voice.  (Never give up)

I loved all the great secondary characters. (I sat at the band geek table)

I would have loved to know a little more about Scott.  (I’m nosy)

I loved the powerful message.  (It will speak to each reader differently)

I loved the theme song.  (Superman by Five for Fighting)

I loved the happy ending, but didn’t want it to end.  (I’m kinda greedy)

I loved that I was so into this book that I HAD to keep reading it WHILE I was cooking tacos.  (Sadly, I needed two hands to eat the tacos)

I love that three days later, I am still thinking about this book.  (I will be thinking about it for infinitely longer than a measly three days)

4.5 stars

Reviewed for The Blogger Girls

[BevS · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars from me for this one. A really good, thought-provoking and quirky story with a surprising amount of humour. Did the humour take the edge off the main thrust of the story...that verbal, physical and even sexual abuse is rife in high schools no matter in what part of the world you live?? It didn't for me, but others may view it differently.


Honesty is the best policy, so I'll be up front and say that originally I noticed the cover of this book first on the DsP website....a young, pouty and 'innocent' looking MJ lounging on red bedsheets, and then once I'd read the blurb and decided it was the sort of story I wanted to read, MJ was an added bonus.

I'm not going to waffle on about this book, I'll just say that I detest the way that some 'jocks' in American schools are allowed to treat their fellow pupils in a demeaning and offensive way, as though it's somehow their God-given right to be verbally and physically abusive to those who either don't like sport, or are not very good at it OR are just different in some way...as Scotty Beckett was in this story. As far as I'm concerned, he was extremely brave in being the only boy in the school to actually come out and say yes, I'm gay...deal with it, but did he get any protection from his tormentors?? Of course not, and what made it ten times worse was that the guy he'd been making out with for a few weeks was one of the tormentors, a closet case!! There were several characters in this story that needed their nuts given a good kicking and one that needed his taken off altogether...assuming of course he had some to start with!! Nasty, aggressive no-brainers with a pack mentality...is there anything worse??

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.5 Red Cape-worthy Stars ***

A wonderfully written YA novel about high school, bullying, identity, the consequences of our actions, love, and forgiveness, this book is at times confusing, funny, heart-wrenching and inspiring.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that has been sitting on my TBR list for a long while. I knew I'd enjoy it because J gives great recommendations but I just never got round to it. Boy am I glad I corrected that oversight.

Mia Kerick has a way of taking an unusual or horrible situation and looking at it sideways. Bullying is abhorrent. Yet this book gives you the bully as the protagonist. We're not meant to feel sorry for him, yet we are totally rooting for him. It takes a talented writer to do this.

If YA is your thing and you like something a little different I would HIGHLY recommend this book. It is so good. If it's any indication - I went to the ARe sale thing and bought several other books by this author. I can't wait to read them. Next time, give me a kick J, if I've not read a book you've recommended for too long!

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

A moral packaged as a story.

I enjoyed the beginning of this story, and most of the middle, but it got increasingly preachy. This book will also bother readers who dislike being hit over the head with the point through a lengthy expository right after a scene that already made said point.

While it was completely predictable how the whole thing would play out, I nonetheless enjoyed seeing Bryan's transformation. The problem was that my enjoyment kept getting spoiled by irritants like the explanations and the narrative voice. If this had gone through a good editor who cut out 90% of the moralizing and 100% of the bad student essays used as a plot device, it would have been a much more powerful story.

Also, I highly recommend skipping the sermon forward by Cody Kennedy which is full of inaccurate generalizations like, "Until you have endured the violation of abuse, whether by a single, violent act of cruelty or a chronic condition of suffering, you cannot know the meaning of self-loss." So feelings of alienation/loss can't be legitimate if a person hasn't been abused?

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one more than I thought I would. Even though it was a serious subject, the internal dialogue had me cracking up in parts.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no idea what to say about this book, other than urging you to read this as soon as you can get your hands on a copy. And then someone please start a petition to make this required high school reading.

I'm still bawling...

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read. Just as good the second time. One of the most moving stories about bullying I've ever read.

--


I have such huge amounts of LOVE for this book! It's a truly heartwarming coming of age story. [Feb 2015]

[J.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bryan Dennison: Superman of Intention.

So this guy wakes up one Monday morning with some significant memory loss and a full-on craving for a red cape. His entire outlook on life has changed; his conscience has swelled to epic proportions; and he's determined to be the change he wants to see in the world.

He's become an honest-to-God Superhero overnight...only, he's developed none of the superpowers (well, aside from the strong-moral-compass thing).

It's so very silly. Highly amusing, but silly.

That, however, is actually nothing more than the thin top coating of a much deeper story. One that carries a very serious, very important message.

Cos, see, before Bryan underwent his miraculous 'change', he was a rather atrocious human being; a shallow, cruel bully who cared way too much about his social status and wayyy too little about the feelings of those around him.

What this story is really about?

It's about the bully getting a wake up call.

About Bryan's journey of discovery into himself and into the parts of the world that actually, genuinely matter to him. It's about the ugliness of bullying, and the crushing impact it has on those who suffer. It's about second chances and fresh starts. And it's about the power of forgiveness and the strength that comes from embracing fear.

And for the most part: Brilliant. Fresh. Entertaining. Thought-provoking.

I really liked the approach; the characters; the effective use of humour; the pacing and development.

*Couple of peeves:
- The dream-flashback scenes. I just kinda figure if something is being passed off as a dream, the writing should make it identifiable as a dream. The heavy, same-as-the-rest-of-book inner narrative of Bryan's dreams didn't work for me. The flashbacks were relevant and necessary, sure, but they coulda been worked in better.
- Did edge into preachy territory every now and again...these took from the story for me rather than added to it.*

All in all though, I did read the whole of this in one sitting (not strictly true -real life interrupted me several times throughout...'in one day' is more accurate, which is as close to one sitting as I'm ever likely to pull off). It's a simultaneously super fun and emotionally charged read.

[sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Call this anything. Heartwarming. Hearbreaker. Heartrippedintosomepieces. An-open-minder. Made me speechless because the truth is so hurt I want to cry (And I did).
Masih dalam tahap-tahap tertegun. The power of forgivenes is definitely, absolutely awesome. Its bring a bright life, a bright future and a peace. Ini juga mengingatkanku dengan sebuah buku yang dibawa Ayah dari suatu bazar. Judulnya The power of forgivenes, yang sekarang terpajang tak terbaca olehku di rak buku keluarga. Perbedaan membaca sebua buku berteori tanpa melibatkan kisah seseorang itu rada ... bikin males aja ya. Berbeda dengan membaca sebua novel yang yang bermakna seperti ini, membuatku terdiam selama beberapa saat ketika mencapai ending. Dan buku ini mengajarkan banyak hal. Pilihan, memaafkan, menjadi kuat, etc.

A good read at weekend, with some chocolate milk and snacks. Definitely worth read.

[AnnaLund · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up.

For my honest and true view of this book, please read …MORE

Goodreads TOS-compliant review (I think, let me know when they tell us what the rules are):

"The book I just read is about two (or three) lovely people, written in beautiful language, by a very good and prolific author. I liked it very, very much.
It is for sale on Amazon.”

DISCLAIMER: My reviews now all have this pretty face, so that all and everyone on Goodreads can stay happy and beatific. I’ll let you know if I change my mind. See the real review above for my thoughts on this book.

[Borderstar · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Mia Kerick is a new author to me, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this - I was actually surprised by how much I liked this. I really enjoyed Kerick's writing style and the story. It was hilariously funny throughout, especially early on before all of Bryan's memories come back, and I laughed so much while reading this, the humour was spot on for me - it was incredibly funny at points, but never in a "trying-too-hard" or OTT way for me. At the same time, the humour is used to tell something deeper, more emotional and addresses a hard topic in quite a fresh and clever way. I thought the foreword from Cody Kennedy was spot on:

"Painful beyond description, debilitating, and tragic, bullying leaves everlasting, invisible scars. To say that you will recover from bullying is a myth. You can only survive and compensate for it when and if you are able."

The story is told from Bryan's point of view and he 'was' a bully - but despite this, you can't help but feel he really has changed and you want him to succeed even though he has done awful things before. Although there is a love interest and a large part of the book revolves around Bryan's feelings for Scott, this isn't really a romance - it's the story of Bryan's self-realisation, his decision to make some hard choices, and about him finding the courage to "be the change [he] wants to see in the world". It's also, to a large extent, about the strength it takes to forgive.

I would have read this straight through in one sitting if sleep didn't get in the way, it was that good. There were a couple of niggles that I noticed, such as not really ever getting to know any of the other characters that well (although this was possibly intentional and not really needed?), but there was also one major thing that wasn't resolved fully to my satisfaction - I really wasn't happy that Brandon Wilson seemed to get away with what he did to Scott. I know the school is aware and they are having meetings etc, but he was actually sexually assaulting him, having tied his wrists up and taped his mouth with duct tape?!!!! That is just fucking wrong on so many levels that I wanted to see that this was dealt with fully. Scott also didn't seem to be as bothered about this as I thought he would have been? - which knocked down the star rating slightly for me.

Overall though I thoroughly enjoyed the read and will definitely be checking out Kerick's other books soon.

PS: I love this version of the cover with the silhouette of a boy dressed as superman. Very apt :)

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Aisha (seetheworldwithbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's almost one in the morning and iam 100% sleepy so...review coming soon !;)

[Michael Bowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Red Sheet is a rare and marvelous achievement – a contemporary fantasy that straddles a fine line between dark subject matter and off-the wall-humor, and succeeds at both. It’s premise is tantalizing: Bryan Dennison, popular high school jock, wakes one morning with major portions of his memory erased and such an insatiable desire to be a superhero that he actually ties a red sheet around his neck or carries one in his backpack. Offbeat? Definitely. Does the premise lend itself to scads of humorous situations and encounters with other people? Absolutely.
But then the darkness descends when Bryan learns the truth about himself - he’s really an arrogant, self-absorbed jerk who has aided a fellow basketball player in bullying other kids, especially a boy named Scott Beckett (whom he doesn’t even remember!)
The “change” in Bryan is definitely fantasy material, and for the most part played lightheartedly. But the bullying of Scott, as it is gradually revealed, borders on horrific. The story is like a distaff teen version of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” except in this case the main character receives the equivalent of a cosmic slap to the face, shaking up his world, forcing him to confront what he had become, and making him realize that he needs to change now before he becomes truly evil.
As a result, the potential explanations for that “cosmic slap” don’t matter so much as the fact that he got it. The real story is his discovery that it is extremely hard to change your reputation once you’ve established it, especially when you’re trying to convince the victim of your bullying that you are no longer the person of that reputation. At its core, The Red Sheet is the tale of a teen boy desperately seeking forgiveness from the person he wronged. If you were that victim and someone you thought was a friend did the sickening things to you that Bryan did to Scott, would you forgive him or her? I asked myself this very question throughout the book, a sure sign that the author succeeded at making the characters and situations very real.
Also true to life is the reality of how little of the truth bullied boys are likely to admit to parents or school authorities, and how unlikely it is in America today for schools to take bullying seriously. New stories crop up every day from all over the country about how this school or that administrator didn’t take appropriate action to deal with a bullied kid, and Ms. Kerick doesn’t offer us pie-in-the-sky administrators who act with decisiveness and a firm hand when the bullying comes to light. Sadly, that’s a truth I wish wasn’t so.
The Red Sheet is a very heartfelt story about a boy who lost his way, who followed the crowd so he wouldn’t be targeted for being different, who was so afraid of himself that he hurt others badly, finally coming to grips with who he really is and, more importantly, who he wants to be in life. The author cleverly works in some Ghandi quotes that Bryan spreads around campus, hoping to inspire fellow students, most notably, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Without giving away any spoilers, Bryan does exactly this, and by his example instigates a kind of mini-revolution whereby other students decide to stand up for themselves against injustice. The principal form of that injustice is embodied in the character of jock bully Brandon.
While Brandon gives the impression throughout that he may never change, he does lose his power to instill fear when he loses Bryan as a supporter, because more and more students follow Bryan and begin marginalizing Brandon. This is an important message not often seen in stories about bullying – those of us (and I think it’s probably all, but certainly most) who ever stood by and watched a kid being bullied in school because we were too afraid to intervene, have a hero (albeit a very flawed one) in Bryan. By his choices, he provides an example of someone who could lose everything he values (i.e. social standing, popularity) by backing away from the bully, by refusing to participate or even be silently complicit, but chooses to make that very hard choice because he wants to be a man of honor, not a self-absorbed jerk. This book depicts in entertaining, sometimes funny, often emotional terms, the always true notion that it takes but one person to stand against a bully, and eventually others will stand with him.
I was reminded of my grammar school days and a kid everyone picked on constantly. He had no friends and was made fun of on a daily basis. Alas, I stood by and watched and said nothing, much like Bryan. Also like Bryan, I sometimes called him names just to fit in. I don’t recall how long I let this go on before I got my own cosmic slap (and I can’t recall even why I changed), but one day I decided enough was enough and sat with this kid at lunch. I got to know him. We had more in common than I ever imagined. Truth be told, I was just as much an outsider as him only I didn’t want to admit it. We became friends. That was in maybe the fourth grade, and we’re still good friends today more than forty years later!
Among the supporting players in The Red Sheet, I really liked the English teacher who recognized that what Bryan was trying to do was more important than her “lesson plan,” and altered that lesson plan to help him achieve his very worthy goal. That’s good teaching. Bryan’s mother is also a standout character, and their interactions, especially when Bryan confesses the truth to her about himself and his past behaviors. The dialogue is spot on and the scene sincere, touching, and very real. Scott, the victim, has less “screen time” than you might expect, but he’s a strong presence nonetheless. He is nobody’s “victim” and will not be cowed no matter how much abuse is hurled at him. Trust me, some of what was done to him is hard to read, and the author does an expert job of doling out the levels of humiliation one layer at a time to ratchet up suspense, and ensure sympathy for Scott. To her credit, Ms. Kerick doesn’t shy away from showing us just how close to evil Bryan had become before his “cosmic slap,” and these revelations make it sometimes hard to empathize with him as a result. But they do make us hope he will be successful in his transformation because we have seen just how far into darkness he had sunk.
As a reader (and as someone who was also bullied myself in middle school), it’s easy to sympathize with Scott’s plight. It’s also not hard to side with him in his distrust of Bryan. I suspect we have all been betrayed at some point by a friend, girlfriend, or boyfriend, making trust in people something we tuck away deep inside because bringing it back out makes us feel too vulnerable. Scott’s growing realization that Bryan is not BS-ing him and really has changed is well depicted and very believable. Actions do, after all, speak louder than words.
This is an important book about an important subject, but told with grace and witty humor to temper the darker moments. Due to those dark moments, I think it’s most appropriately suited for high school kids and older. If you keep in mind that the “cosmic slap,” as I call it in this book, much like Clarence the Angel in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” is a leap of faith not grounded in the cold light of day, you will enjoy this story and its powerful message. The author’s easily accessible style and storytelling acumen make it a good option for teens who have been bullied and, more importantly, for those of us who have been the silent bystanders. Let’s all be the change we want to see in the world.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't even... full review to come.

It has taken me days to come up with the right words for this review. You’d have thought I would forget about it, but alas, the lyrics to Five For Fighting’s song “Superman” just wouldn’t let me. I have had a brain worm for days. My sanity is barely intact, so if I don’t write this review soon, I will have to do it from the psych ward. Mia Kerrick’s work and I have had a tumultuous past. I like there to be justice done. Good to overcome evil. The perpetrator of abuse to be punished. This doesn’t always happen in real life and it sometimes doesn’t happen in fiction. I try to stay away from YA books involving abuse because I have a hard time with injustice when it applies to crimes against teens. The Red Sheet didn’t appear to contain abuse of any kind and it looked really original, so I jumped in.

You know how sometimes you read a book and you find yourself just smiling from ear to ear when you finish it? That is what The Red Sheet did for me. I actually curled my arms around my Kindle and hugged it to myself trying to hold on to the euphoria I felt after reading the final words. Mia Kerrick tells a unique and fascinating story. It is a new twist on an old trope. And a very emotional book.

At first I thought Bryan was just nuts. I couldn’t figure out why a seemingly normal (up until now anyway) teenager suddenly feels the need to be a superhero. No, he doesn’t feel the need, he feels as though he IS a superhero. And he sets about his day in his new superhero ways. New and exciting behaviors emerge. So do new and alarming behaviors, just ask the LOL!

Bryan doesn’t understand why the people around him are weirded-out, confused, and in some cases, alarmed by his behavior. He doesn’t get it because he doesn’t remember what a shit he was last week. While he finds himself attracted to Scott, he has no memory of him from before. The last clear memory he has is of going to a party.

At school, as he discovers what people have to say about him and remembers bits and pieces, he is disgusted by his former self’s behavior. He wants nothing to do with his old “friends”. His memories are becoming clearer, but he can’t figure out why he acted the way he did. His prior extremes of behavior are moderated, and he develops what some might call a conscience!

Scott is one of the people who falls into the “alarmed” camp. He doesn’t trust Bryan and doesn’t understand his motivations or why he is suddenly being nice to Scott when he wasn’t before. My heart broke for Scott as his heart began to allow Bryan in even before it was really safe to trust him.

Just when I got my heart glued back together, Bryan remembered. He remembered what happened the weekend prior to his waking up wanting to wear a red sheet. He was devastated, and rightfully so. I ached with and for him. And for Scott.

Ms. Kerrick used The Red Sheet as a tool to enable Bryan to forget his terrible actions. She allowed him to metaphorically hide his head under the sheet to avoid examining the pain he had caused and the pain he himself would ultimately feel as a result of remembering what he had done.

The Red Sheet is something I’ve not found very often. It is a story that I haven’t read. I couldn’t predict what was going to happen. I couldn’t figure out what had happened. But I couldn’t wait to find out. Mia Kerrick unfolded Bryan and Scott’s story the same way one unfolds a new sheet fresh from the package. You open one fold at a time and use your hand to smooth out the line made from the sizing applied at the factory before it was packaged. In doing this, Mia re-emphasized the good and bad in all of us. She smoothed her hand over the belief that we have the power to overcome high hurdles, even if we are mere mortals. That smoothing reinforced the truth she was imparting.

We at The Novel Approach each pick our individual favorite book of the month from those we have read and reviewed. It’s called Booyah Books and Mary Calmes puts it on her blog. It is only the beginning of the month, but I have a feeling it will be hard to top The Red Sheet for me this month. Plus, it has my boyfriend MJ on the cover. That’s like a double layer of chocolate fudge frosting on a double chocolate fudge lava cake.

Read this book. It will make you believe in superheroes.

[Rohit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this. It's so idealistic that I thought more than once whose head is up whose ass to come up with this much level of idealism. And I'm not a bad enabler who condemns good deeds or stuff like that. But even if you're jonesin' (author's words) around, you gotta play it a bit real. Because throughout the whole story, I was hoping for something real. Even the bullying part was so scripted. Yeah, scripted works best to describe this novel. It's heavily scripted like those school plays on good deeds while the whole class is snickering behind their hands. Bullying is such a wide spectrum and this helps you understand the jist of it in a very motherly way. So, beware I guess.

The concept is quite good. I love the idea how red sheets change the perspective or enable him to understand his changed perspective in life. But the rant. And oh my god! Is there a rant? This novel is full of it. The narrator is not even funny when he laughs at his own jokes and it's awkward A.F. because those jokes aren't something I think a 17-year old would think about.

Also, there is no romance. Nada. If you don't count a one or two chaste kisses. And no tongue. Dude, you're 17! Of course there should be tongue. Who the fuck cares about an assignment by Miss. Sexy if you're gettin' it.

(The cover is cute though.)

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me"
"Superman" by Five for Fighting

How appropriate, I thought, that 'The Red Sheet' begins with those song lyrics. Because from the moment I opened the book, Bryan Dennison is trying very hard to find the better parts of himself. Or perhaps I should say, he's trying to find the better parts of himself before the "change" and failing miserably.

For you see, Bryan was the worst kind of teenager imaginable. He is a jock in a small, upper middle class town in New Hampshire. He lives with his mom as his dad abandoned them years ago. He never says "please" or "thank you". He never helps his mom without a lot of screaming and the promise of payment for his chores. He never hugs his mom or tells her he loves her. He's even worse at school around his own peers. Bryan fully subscribes to the school mantras of: sit at the politically correct tables, never bring any attention upon yourself unless it is to be revered, and go along with the crowd at all costs. And, apparently, Bryan is a huge bully with some of his jock friends, and a favorite target is Scott Beckett. Bryan was this person before the change, and now in the aftermath he has to figure out how to make a positive difference in a way that will be taken seriously.

Bryan woke up one Monday morning with a severe craving to tie a red sheet around his neck. He was also significantly changed from the horrid young man he used to be. Now he wants to help people, be a good person, be nice to his teachers, get to know his fellow students outside of his gang, help his mother and give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. What? As Bryan learns more of his former behavior he is sickened by it and who he was. Strangest of all is that he has no memory, whatsoever, of Scott, before he sees him at lunch on that Monday. Discovering that Bryan, with the help of his "friend" Brandon, has bullied Scott unmercifully and did something very horrific to him two nights before on Saturday, makes Bryan physically ill. Now Bryan has to figure out how to make amends, how to be friends with Scott, and how to get Scott to believe that Bryan really has changed. Because it is only now that Bryan realizes he had fallen in love with Scott before the change and his horrible behavior stems from the fear of people discovering that Bryan is gay.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that this book will be at the top of every list of best young adult books of 2014. Told completely in Bryan's voice, as if I was sitting down with him and he was re-telling the whole story to me, 'The Red Sheet' is a powerful tale of one young man's journey back to forgiveness. Forgiving himself for his behavior, his fears, his doubts, and his insecurities is a compelling sojourn I'm not likely to forget any time soon. I'm not even sure if I have the words to express how much I loved this book. That's saying a lot from me since I am not a fan of young adult, I lived that life already and don't have much desire to return to it. But Mia Kerick's writing is something I will read, regardless of genre, because it just is that good.

"Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me, inside of me, inside of me"
"Superman" by Five for Fighting

NOTE: This book was provided by Harmony Ink Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Therese · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5*

This was really different, as well as sweet and depressing. Most of all, I guess it was hopeful.
It started out as a 5 star read for me, up until a certain point.


When the social justice league did the flash mob birthday gift for Miss Libby, I suddenly realized I was in a Glee fanfic. Not that there is anything wrong with that, and I’m sure this book was not intended to be. But my brain could just not get out of that thought after that, and I started to think more and more about Glee than the book. Suddenly, my kind of fuzzy imaginations of how the characters looked turned into this:

Bryan:


Scott:



And that leaves of course as Brandon:




I’m quite sad that I started with the stupid Glee comparison, because this was so good in the beginning. I thought it was going to be my new Superhero! But alas, my search will go on.

Still, it was a really good read!

[Cathy Brockman · Rating 5 out of 5]

: Oh wow was this story awesome! If I had more hearts to give, I would! Mia really has outdone herself with this story. Her style is engaging and fun. I love first person, but I absolutely loved how this was told by one of the Bully’s instead of the victim. It was as if Bryon was sitting there telling me the story. I loved how he asked us question and drew us in and stuff like that. (“no comment form the peanut gallery”) or the famous (“I shit you not”) I also liked how the red sheet was almost a character in its own rights!

This story is charming, engaging, while also dealing with a tough, sad, subject. The humour tampers the angst and makes the story easier to handle. Even though Bryan was a bully you can’t help but like him.
The characters are all well developed and intriguing. I loved each and every one of them especially the more colourful ones like Marley and Kathy Green(I mean colourful literally too!)

I loved every bit of this book but that flash mob scene had me on the floor laughing! I’d love to seen this on video! It was so well written I could visualize Bryan’s every move!

I highly recommend, no I think everyone should have to read this book! It is entertaining but also makes you look deeply into yourself on so many levels! If you like Young Adult, stories about bullies, coming out of the closet, finding ones sexual identity, Flash mobs, superman, or just red sheets…. This is for you! It’s for everyone!